Holy Stone HS175D vs HS720E: which should you buy?
Trying to decide between the Holy Stone HS175D (~$90) and the HS720E (~$190). The HS175D is lighter and cheaper but the HS720E seems to have a better camera and longer range. Is the $100 price difference actually worth it? What are the real-world differences that matter most for a hobbyist flyer?
5 answers
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5 Answers
Side-by-side spec comparison to help you decide:
Holy Stone HS175D:
- Weight: 175 grams -- no FAA registration required
- Camera: 2K HD video (2048x1152) with EIS
- Flight time: ~21 minutes per battery
- Range: ~500 meters
- GPS: Yes (single constellation), return-to-home, follow me
- Motors: Brushless
- Price: ~$80-$100
Holy Stone HS720E:
- Weight: 492 grams -- FAA registration required ($5 one-time)
- Camera: 4K UHD video with EIS
- Flight time: ~26 minutes per battery
- Range: ~1000 meters
- GPS: GPS+GLONASS dual constellation
- Motors: Brushless
- Price: ~$180-$220
Which wins for each priority:
Registration-free flying: HS175D wins. At 175g it stays under the 249g FAA threshold. Fly at parks, beaches, and travel destinations without paperwork.
Camera quality: HS720E wins clearly. 4K vs 2K is a meaningful difference for video you'll actually want to watch. The dual-constellation GPS also provides more stable hover for sharper still photos.
Flight time: HS720E wins narrowly (26 min vs 21 min).
Range: HS720E wins significantly (1000m vs 500m).
Value per dollar: HS175D wins. At $90 with brushless motors, GPS, and decent camera, the value-to-price ratio is exceptional.
My recommendation: If registration doesn't bother you and you want the best camera Holy Stone makes under $220, get the HS720E. If you want registration-free flying with solid GPS features, the HS175D is outstanding at its price.
Camera quality difference is real and matters more than you'd think.
I tested both side by side from the same altitude shooting the same scene. The HS720E's 4K footage has noticeably more detail, better dynamic range in mixed lighting, and the EIS does a better job smoothing out micro-vibrations. When you watch it on a TV or large monitor, the difference is visible.
The HS175D's 2K video is perfectly fine for sharing on social media or watching on a phone. But if you plan to display footage on a larger screen or do any kind of post-production color grading, the HS720E is worth the premium.
Both have similar GPS accuracy and return-to-home reliability in my testing. The dual-constellation GPS in the HS720E gets a lock slightly faster in challenging environments (near tall buildings, under partial cloud cover) but the difference is modest in open sky.
Both use brushless motors and that's worth emphasizing. Many Holy Stone models at and below $80 use brushed motors that wear out faster and provide less efficient flight. Both the HS175D and HS720E step up to brushless, which is why their flight times (21 and 26 minutes respectively) are so much better than the $50 brushed-motor models that manage only 8-10 minutes.
At $90, the HS175D with brushless motors is one of the best values in Holy Stone's lineup. You're getting technology that used to cost twice as much just a few years ago.
Went with the HS175D for my teenager based on this thread. The no-registration aspect was the deciding factor -- he wanted to fly it at the beach during spring break, and a 492g drone would have created registration headaches. The 175g HS175D cleared all barriers. GPS has worked great and the 2K camera is more than enough for the YouTube clips he's been making.
Professional use perspective: for real estate or property listing photography, the HS720E is the correct choice between these two. The reasons are practical:
The 1000-meter range on the HS720E gives you flexibility to position the drone at the ideal angle from the property without signal loss. The 500-meter limit on the HS175D is workable but constraining on larger properties.
The 4K footage on the HS720E produces images and clips that look professional in listing materials when shot in good conditions. The 2K from the HS175D is noticeably softer when clients view it on large screens.
If you're using this professionally, the $90-100 price difference between the two is easily justified by one or two extra bookings from better visual quality. For detailed specs and community experience on the full GPS under $200 category, see our thread on the best drone under $200 with GPS.