Clover Drone Review: A Promising Launch or Just Hovering Hype?

Recall when the Clover Drone crowdfunding campaign launched in late 2020 on both Kickstarter and indiegogo crowdfunding platforms. It promised to bring drone programming down to earth. Not another flashy quadcopter chasing DJI, but a solderless, open-source kit powered by Raspberry Pi-4 built for classrooms, DIY hobbyists, and coders who wanted to learn robotics the hand-on way. Backers were told they would get a real coding experience, indoor flight and open-source flexibility. But the question remains: Did Clover Drone actually deliver om it’s crowdfunding campaign promises or did it just hover on hype? Let’s find out in the reviews.

Overview of the Project

The Clover Drone crowdfunding campaign raised $34,181 USD from 62 backers on indiegogo and also raised $32,555 USD from 60 backers on Kickstarter. Clover Drone’s mission was making drone programming accessible for students, educators and DIY enthusiasts. The campaign’s pitch was simple but powerful:

No soldering required
Real coding with python, ROS and Gazebo
Indoor flight capability
Fully open-source ecosystem
Designed for classrooms, hobbyists and tinkerers

Did Clover Drone deliver on it’s crowdfunding promise?

What was Promised

The Clover Drone wasn’t pitched as a consumer drone. it was marketed as a learning tool first, flying drone second. Backers were promised:

Solderless assembly (snap-together parts)
Python, ROS and Gazebo integration for coding and simulation
Indoor flight support for safer experimentation
Open-source software and documentation with frequent updates
Simulator access to test code before risking real crashes

In short, it was built to be a coding-friendly drone for education, not a DJI competitor.

Hype vs. Reality: Did it Deliver?

Print & Build Quality

Most kits shipped by mid 2021. while Raspberry Pi shortages caused some delays, fulfilment was generally smooth compared to other crowdfunded drones.

Assembly: Easy and beginner-friendly. Parts snapped together without soldering.
Coding: Python setup was straightforward, while ROS and Gazebo posed a learning curve for beginners.

Indoor Flight & Simulation

Backers reported that indoor flight worked well once the drone was tuned. The included simulator was a major plus, allowing safe code testing before flying.

Battery Life

Battery sessions averaged 5-7 minutes per charge. Not ideal for long practice, but sufficient for short classroom lessons or demos.

Community & Support

The project offered:

Online tutorials and updated documentation
An active troubleshooting forum
Continued open-source contributions

This kept Clover relevant as an educational tool rather than just a one-off kit.

Clover Drone Deliver & Fulfilments Updates

Were you a backer or user of Clover Drone?

Did it meet your expectations?
Was it classroom-friendly?
Are you still flying it, or has it collected dust?
Any mods or improvement you made?

Share your experience below. Your insights will help other crowdfunding backers and tech enthusiasts decide whether Clover Drone was a success or just hovering hype.

Final Thought: Where Did Clover Land?

Clover Drone may not rival DJI or Parrot, but it seemed to have delivered on it’s educational promise. For classrooms, makerspaces and coding enthusiasts, it remains:

A hand-on, open-source drone kit
A bridge between coding theory and real world robotics
A fun, safe platform for learning drone programming

But for hobbyists wanting long flights or high cameras? it’s not that drone. Drop your experiences, mods, photos and whatever you’ve got. Let’s see where Clover landed.

Visit Campaign: Clover Drone