By Hannah Briggs for the Just Drones team — updated 20 May 2026
Quick verdict: The Just Drones team’s collective view on the HS720R — its the HS720E with mildly improved transmission and tuned firmware. Not a generational leap, but solid value if you cant justify a DJI.
Specs at a glance
| Weight | 495g |
| Camera | 4K EIS |
| Flight time | 26 min |
| Transmission | ~1.5km clean |
| Approx. AUD | $399+ |
Holy Stone HS720R review
$399+ AUD
What’s good about it
Updated transmission is a real improvement
Tested side-by-side with our original HS720E — the R variant held signal at ~1.6km where the E broke up at ~900m.
Camera firmware tuning is genuinely better
Less aggressive contrast curve, more usable raw footage.
Bundled controller is solid
Standalone phone-cradle, big sticks, doesn’t feel cheap.
Holy Stone’s spare parts and after-sales are credible in AU
Probably the best non-DJI commercial support we’ve seen across team’s projects.
What’s not so good
Still 495g so still needs CASA registration
No free pass on the paperwork — its $40/year per drone.
EIS, not gimbal
Yaw shots still judder. Dont expect Mavic-class smoothness.
Camera in low light is rough
Daylight only for usable footage.
Premium creep over the HS720E
HS720E was $350. The R is closer to $400. The DJI Mini 4K is in striking distance at $399.
Who should buy this
You’ve ruled out DJI for any reason, you specifically want >250g for longer transmission, you trust Holy Stone’s AU support.
Who should skip
You’re DJI-curious — get a Mini 4K or refurb Mini 3 instead.
Heads up: the buy button above goes to Amazon Australia with the Just Drones team’s affiliate tag drones02-22. Costs you nothing extra; pays for the gear we crash during testing.