Hey folks, after a long week at CES, I returned to my desk this week to find out the research team has dropped a new drone on my desk. It’s the JET JAT NANO by MOTA, and Steven at MOTA says it’s the “World’s Smallest Drone” ! Let’s check it out!
The Jet Jat Nano comes in a very friendly retail box, which opens to show the tiny drone resting on the remote control. It’s available at www.Mota.com, for $39.99 USD, but it’s substantially cheaper at Amazon even with the Prime 2-day shipping. Like all of the Jet Jat series by Mota, the remote control is the storage location for the drone, with a clear plastic cover to protect the tiny flyer when you are done flying. The Nano does not contain any type of camera or camera platform because it’s designed as a pocket stunt drone with amazing control for a newbie pilot, while still being challenging enough for experienced stunt pros. There are no blade guards, so Mota supplies one extra set of propellers. The Jet Jat Nano can flip, fly sideways, and rotate in the same way as any of the previous Mota stunt flyers regardless of its very tiny size. It can be used indoors and outdoors, although strong winds and unusual weather might endanger this little powerhouse.
It comes in at just under 1/2 ounce and is very quiet to operate. The box includes the drone, the remote control, a USB charging cable that connects to a PC, Laptop, or USB charging block, and of course, the very important extra propellers. Mota also supplies spare parts at their website when you’ve gone through all your props chasing the cat around the living room. Mota recommends this flyer for those who are 8 years and older but it’s really not just for kids. It uses the same 2.4 GHz control signal as the other Jet Jat units, as well as a multi-axis accelerometer. The remote control is 4-channel with trim function to get your Nano fully tuned in. It’s got a gyroscope for great stunts and a quick return to stable flight. Although it’s not anywhere on the cover of the box, the remote unit does require two “AAA” batteries to operate, and they are not included.
Opening the Jet Jat Nano box, I found the quick start guide, the owner’s manual, the charging cable, 4 spare propellers, and, of course, the remote control with the actual Jet Jat Nano. It’s black and white with white propellers and red JET JAT graphics. There is also a card to remind the new owner to register the Nano, as well as one to help the new pilot fly safely with contact information on the newer FAA rules and other drone owner organizations. The instructions seem very clear and easy to follow for any English speaker, though they do not have multi-language support in this package. The quick start guide uses clear illustrations which are easy to follow in poster form. As soon as I finish taking a look at the owner’s manual, I’ll be porting in a pair of “Triple A’s” as well as charging the Nano, so I can find out just how much fun a drone, just bigger than a US quarter, can be. The instructions say the drone takes 20 minutes to charge, time for a cup of coffee. Let’s Fly!
Now that my Jet Jat Nano is charged, and my control pad has fresh batteries installed: step one is to pair the tiny drone and the remote. First, turn on both units. The JetJat Nano lights up with two blue LEDs at the nose and two red LEDs at the rear. They are blinking when you first turn on the unit and the remote. Then using the left joystick push it up, or away from you, until you hear a tone, then down, or towards you, to hear a second tone. The lights will be steady now, and that’s it. You are ready to fly. One more push up on the left stick quickly raises the drone with a nice little hum. The left joystick works the same as many other drones; It’s the throttle; push away from yourself to fly higher and towards yourself to land, and if you move it left or right the Nano will rotate in that direction. However, the left joystick has an extra function: Push down on the left joystick, one tone is 30% of speed, two pushes/tones is 60% of speed, and 3 pushes/tones is 100% of the tiny yet powerful Nano’s speed. The right joystick controls the direction of flight but with a push down on the stick: a full 360 flip can be performed automatically. After pushing the joystick “in” you then push it in any direction you choose and it will flip in the direction. Mota’s website states the Jet Jat Nano can fly 23 meters away from the controller which is approximately 75 feet.
If you find the drone drifting there is a trim button on the right side. Push it until the drone is stable in flight. The controls are sensitive, so start with small movements indoors to keep your unit safe from ceilings and walls until you are used to flying the Nano. I suggest using the 30% speed until you feel confident flying at that speed, then go to 60%, and finally 100% when you feel you have mastered your Jet Jat Nano drone. Make sure you have a lot of space to practice flying indoors and realize that outdoors, any breeze will really push your Mota drone around because of its very tiny, and light flight body. Mota claims an 8-minute flight time before charging is needed, I found that to be an accurate claim. It’s a lot of fun in a small package, and now I wonder if Mota plans to make even smaller drones in the future. It could lead to a really tiny indoor drone race league in the future.
The Conclusion
The Jet Jat Nano pocket drone by Mota is a great beginner drone for anyone, of any age who wants to try their hand with quality, but easy to transport anywhere fun, fun experience. It’s available on Amazon or www.Mota.Com. No matter what, be sure to go to www.mota.com for warranty information, support, and just to say hello. I am looking forward to playing with this tiny drone for years to come.
 | Our Rating | Average Price* $39.99 |
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
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