"Like new" means nothing without numbers. Our grades are defined by flight counts, measured battery capacity and documented cosmetics — the same standard on every unit.
| Grade | Flights | Battery | Cosmetics | Warranty | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Like New | < 50 | < 30 cycles, ≥95% capacity | No visible marks; original box usually included | 12 months | 20–30% |
| Excellent | < 150 | < 80 cycles, ≥90% capacity | Minor marks on shell or props; no damage history | 6 months | 30–40% |
| Good | 150+ | < 150 cycles, ≥80% capacity | Visible wear; possibly replaced panels (disclosed) | 90 days | 40–55% |
Thresholds are hard limits, not guidelines: a unit with 51 flights is Excellent, full stop. Flight history is read from the aircraft's own log — not the seller's claim — during inspection, and battery numbers come from our capacity test bench.
Because below these thresholds a drone stops being a good deal at any price. Units that don't meet Good standards are parted out or recycled, never listed. If you see it on AST-Drones, it passed — the only question is how much cosmetic perfection you want to pay for.
Yes — every listing photographs the specific airframe, including close-ups of any cosmetic marks that put it in its grade. No stock photos, ever.
No. Grades reflect history and cosmetics. Flight performance is binary — a unit either passes the flight test and is listed, or fails and is not.
That's a grading miss on us: return it free within 30 days for a full refund or replacement under the returns policy.