Drone News

One or two times postponed, the final version of the GDU O2 should be introduced officially in a couple of days now. If I am not wrong, the GDU O2 will be presented in next Las Vegas CES show. But here two photos of the final release. From the prototy they mainly improved the gimbal and the video system to increase the range Cet article NEWS: GDU 02 in approach est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Remember the RealAcc Scops100, the first compact micro Y4 FPV racer ? Here is a new 110mm PNP variant introduced by Dragonfly: https://www.gearbest.com/brushless-fpv-racer/pp_1527579.html With this new model, no more inverted fourth motor but rear motors are superposed with a double carbon tail system. Motors are also upgraded to 1105/7000Kv version so more powerfull. For the electronic, we have a classic F3+OSD flight controller. We have also a 10A 4-in-1 ESC board BLheli_S/Dshot600 compatible. The FPV camera is a 600TVL probably with a CMOS sensor coupled with a standalone 25mW 5.8G VTX. The camera module is orientable. No information about the total weight and if it comes with a battery or not. Main Features: – 3K carbon fiber frame kit has good impact resistance performance – Front-facing 600TVL HD camera can take clear photos, 15 – 45-degree angle up for better flight view – Adopts 1105 7000KV high power motor to speed up faster and faster – Lightweight module design, suitable for indoor flight – Omnibus F3 FC is integrated with OSD and 5.8G 25mW 48CH image transmitter, providing real-time display of flight state – 4-in-1 ESC provides stable power – Supports DShot600 protocol which has better anti-interface performance Specifications: Fuselage wheelbase: 110mm Brushless motor: 1105 7000KV Brushless ESC: 4-in-1 BLHeli – S 10A Flight controller: Omnibus F3 OSD Transmits power: 25mW 48CH Camera: 600TVL Propeller: 2345 2.4 inch Cet article NEWS: Dragonfly Y4 110 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Zhicheng Z8 is probably the fiftieth WiFI toyquadcopter of the year. In the menu, nothing really original, i.e. a brushed quadcopter with altitude hold and a 720p FPV feedback for the 2mpx version. There is also a deluxe version integrating a wide angle (not yet sold). Let’s have a quick tour of this basic toyquadcopter mainly targetting beginners BOX CONTENT + 1 x Zhicheng Z8W + 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAA batteries not included) + 1 x 450mAh 1S LiPo with JST XH 2.5mm connector + 1 x USB charging cable + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Screwdriver + 1 x Instruction manual (English/chinese) OVERVIEW The machine uses the Moment Selfie drone rectangular design with a cage surrounding all the props. Here no real risk to hit the props with fingers. The plastic quality is in the average… a relatively hard plastic … probably a recycled one.. In case of major crash, the plastic will crack in several pieces. -FRONT VIEW A central pinhole for the WiFi camera module. I regret the absence of a front light for LOS flight. It helps a lot to keep your orientation. -SIDE VIEW -REAR VIEW -UPPER VIEW One unique button to turn on/off the machine. Press & hold this button more than 3-4s. One small green light is present. -BOTTOM VIEW Not a lot of free room available when the battery is installed. Probably a 0.5cm longer model could be installed. -WEIGHT Close to 59g with the battery installed Motors 8mm coreless motors are installed. Notice for motor maintenance, you will need to remove all the top canopy structure. A relatively long unscrewing session will be required. LiPo A basic 450mAh 1S LiPo with JST XH (2.54mm) connector. It’s not a frequent connector met. Camera module A builtin 2.4G WiFi module is integrated. Two CMOS sensor are propsed: one 0.3mpw with VGA resolution and one 2mpx module with 720p transmission The lens can be oriented from 0 degrees down to -90. We have a M6 pinhole lens. Probably the Wide angle version has a larger thread. Transmitter A good radio gamepad style easy to grab. The two sticks are flat more adapted for thumbers. Two shoulder buttons are here. The left one select one of the three speed modes while the right one performs a 360 degrees flops. Notice there are also four button on the right side of the front panel. Unfortunatly the camera & photo ones are not working directly. TO trigger the photo/video recording, you will need to use the Application…. So no video session without a smartphone installed. By consequence a shorter range. To arm the machine you have to click on the left stick. Be aware, if you click on the right stick you can stop motors immediatly even if you are mid-flight. No problem to install a smartphone up to 6″ format You have a 2-in-1 MCU+2.4G RF chip It’s a MX5323. In practice, it will be very hard to hack the radio protocol. Unfortunatly I was not able to bind this machine with an existing radio protocol available in DeviationTX. According to the datasheet, the max output power is 13dBM. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT The application can be dowloaded for iOS and Android via their respective QR code. The WIFi link is 2.4G based only so no problem of compatibility if it were in pure 5.8G WiFi. The interface is classic. You can trigger the photo and video recording, select the speed mode. You can also control the machine via the smartphone If you plan to use the transmitter, you will need to bind first the transmitter to the quad before to connect the machine to your smartphone. As for all WiFI FPV link, this one offer an important latency > 300ms and a poor frame rate (maximum of 15fps). More versus distance, the frame rate will decrease more and more. Clearly it’s not possible to fly FPV precisely in tiny spaces but outdoors and in calm wind conditions, the WiFi link is usefull to monitor the current scene. The 720p preview is good with a relatively good light sensitivity. When you arm the machine, motors will start to turn at low speed. When you will apply a first throttle input, the machine will take off super fast and be stabilized relatively well. In windfree conditions and without any object below, the altitude stabilization is efficient but versus time the machine will drift horizontally. Without GPS, no miracle. The first speed mode is really slow for forward/backward/left and right mouvement. It’s more adapted for indoors applications. In the other hand, the yaw rate is relatively fast. From the second and the last third mode, rates are increased. Whatever even in sport mode, the machine is not super fast but turn well and is stable. Without any inputs commands and EIS, the video feedback can be relatively stable. The flight duration is limited to 4min…. a bit disapointing. The control range is ok within a radius of 30-40m. One remark, I was not able to have a working file when I pressed the video recording button. CONCLUSIONS A basic WiFi machine relatively stable and safe. Rates are more adapted for beginners. This machine is more dedicaced for indoors applications since it’s a super wind resistant model. The 720p preview is crisp and precize. The Z8 has a limited field of view (~70 degrees) and I advise more the wide lens version. To resume, no real positive point but also not very negative ones too… PROS + Easy flyer + Indoors beginner trainer + Correct 720p WiFi feedback + Full props protection + Lens orientable + Good radio CONS – Not wind resistant – Current Android not recording video – 4min of flight time – No wide angle – YaP (Yet another Protocol) – No frontal light This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 41USD at https://www.banggood.com/Zhicheng-Z8-WIFI-FPV-With-720P-HD-Camera-Alitutde-Hold-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1231239.html Cet article TEST: Zhicheng Z8 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

You liked the Runcam Split 2 ? the great combo able to record at 1080p@60 while broadcasting the FPV signal with low latency ? … If yes, you will be crazy about the new incoming shrinked version: the Runcam Split Mini. Oscarliang just grabbed a prototype for a preview: https://oscarliang.com/runcam-split-mini-camera/ Not a lot of informations yet available. The product should be lunched in a couple of days. We can expect more or less the same performances as for the split with a latency in average of 38ms. Notice it’s a double layer system in 20mmx20mm format… Standalone without any screws, standoff and microSD card, the new system weights 14.5g…. Probably we can dream to see such kind of new camera-DVR system into 3″ FPV racer…. Specifications: – HD FOV 155° / FPV FOV 130° – HD Video Resolution / frame rate: 1080p60fps / 1080p30fps / 720p60fps – Dimensions: PCB 29*27*11mm (20mm mounting pattern) / Lens Module 19*19*22mm – Power Voltage/Current: 5-17V / 430mA when idle, 540mA-650mA when recording – Weight: 14.5g without any standoff & screws – Integrated Microphone (but not for FPV) Cet article NEWS: Runcam Split Mini est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Hubsan H122D X4 Storm is a new racer style from Hubsan. It’s a brushed model… . Yes strange choice when nowdays 90% of FPV racers are brushless. In order to increase the powerlift of the H122D, this new model uses 2S 10mm strong brushed motors. More, the camera is not only a FPV model but also inboard record in 720p format. Two versions are proposed: a standard RTF edition and a FPV edition including a 4.3″ FPV monitor and a goggle mask. Let’s have a look to this new Hubsan product. BOX CONTENT + 1 x Hubsan H122D + 1 x 710mAh 2S LiHV battery (with balancer plug only) + 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAAA batteries not included) + 1 x 4.3″ FPV monitor + 1 x FPV mask + 1 x 5.8G linear antenna + 1 x Sunshade + 1 x USB charging cable + 1 x USB to microUSB cable + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Screwdriver + 1 x Instruction manual (English) Notice the sunshade module can be installed also for H501S radios. OVERVIEW The Hubsan H122D is a 130mm quadcopter inspired for the syle with last Walkera rodeo racers. The machine is mostly build on a 3K carbon base. For example the main lower/arms plate is a 2mm piece. Latteral plates are 0.8mm. Battery is installed on top. All electronic elements are perfectly jailed into the structure. Generally the machine looks solid and durable… except the props directly exposed. -FRONT VIEW To make LOS flights more easy, a strong white light is installed and controllable via the radiotransmitter. A central font plastic conapy protect the FPV camera. Motors pods also are in plastic. Except these two elements, the rest in carbon. The machine looks solid… -SIDE VIEW On the right side, a microSD card slot can be found. No click during the insertion of the card… In practice, the card can be lost after a hard crash. Good news for motor maintenance, they are connected via a small JST model. The left side welcomes a microUSB port… probably for future firmware updates… We can dream one day a spefici software to tune PIDs and to turn on advanced flight mode such as Acro. The VTX module is located rear. A metallic shield is here to minimize interference. No indication about the output power but since there is a CE logo on the box, we can expect a maximum of 25mW. There is uFL connector so it won’t be hard to change the antenna. No Vfreq/Vband selection since the Hubsan Protocol can control the Vfreq via the radio. -REAR VIEW As walkera models, two red lights are located in the rear part. The left one indicates the power status while the right the binding status. The right stays solid when it’s bound. The 5.8G linear antenna can be oriented/folded for transportation. -UPPER VIEW The H122D is connected to the battery via the balancer plug… -BOTTOM VIEW A Buzzer is here. As soon as the transmission link is lost, the buzzer will start to emit. Unfortunatly, no possibility to trigger the buzzer from a radio button. The main flight controller board is not protected from any water contact from the bottom… -WEIGHT Close to 118g with the battery !!!! It’s heavy for a direct brushed machine. Motors and props Motors are well protected into a high quality plastic pods Inside strong 2S compatible 10mm coreless brushed motors. Probably the biggest model we can find in the market. Will they give enough power versus a brushless edition ? That’s the main question. But for sure…. they will be under big stress under load…. and they durability will be reduced. Stock in advance at least one clockwise and one counter clockwise model. Props are secured with a tiny screws…. 65mm model. Since the machine is relatively heavy, I regret that only four spare ones are given in the bundle. LiPo A 710mAh 2S model is provided… It’s not a LiPo since the nominal voltage is 7.6V… more probably a LIHV. Notice the absence of a main lead connector… It means it will be hard to recharge via another charger. The actual one charge the battery in 1.5h… It’s long. Camera module A compact FPV camera with a field of view about 120 degrees is installed. Good news, the orientation is ajustable …. but no information about the number of TVL and light sensitivity… For the light sentivity, in practice it’s not fantastic …. it’s darker than classic 1lux CMOS camera. For example, sun looks as black hole…. not a good sign for a good light sensitivity. FPV monitor & Mask For the FPV bundle, we got a 4.3″ FPV monitor. The screen display is brillant so offering a lot of reflexion. Good news, there is a microSD slot on the right side when you can save photo or videos of the received FPV link. Files are recorded in VGA format (640×480) @ 30fps. Four bottom are located on the left side. The first “mode” selects between photo and camera functions. The second trigger photo shooting or video recording. The third enters into a menu where you can ajust the brightness, the saturation, the color and the Vfreq of the FPV rig. The last “CE” clear all OSD information from the screen if short pressed but enter into a binding mode when pressed more than 3s. some beeps are emitted in such mode. You will see in the video the exact procedure to full bind the H122D with both the radio and the FPV monitor… but you need first to run the binding from the FPV monitor before the binding of the transmitter. A builtin 2300mAh 1S LiPo is installed and offers more than 1h30 of usage. The LiPo is recharged via the microUSB port located on the right side. Despite the brillant screen, the video rendition is pretty good, sharp and precise. More, even without the sunshade protector, the screen is relatively well seen with daylights. There are lot of OSD informations displayed… At the top central position you have the photo/camera icons for the builtin quadcopter DVR recorder.More on the right the icons are for the builtin DVR of the monitor. You can monitor the Vbat on the top left and the current Pitch & Roll of the machine as well as the stick current values. The FPV mask is large, larger than any Eachine model for example and by consequence more heavy as well. Stand alone without the FPV monitor and antenna, it’s more than 450g… so expect a total weight superior to 600g. It’s easy to install the FPV monitor but you will need to turn on it first as well to turn on DVR recording before to close the box. No possibility to access to the four left button when the mask is closed. No latteral lens distance ajustement is possible …. but the mask’lengh is long enough to handle basic myopia/hypermetropia The mask opening is also large…. Correction glasses can used with the noze section is also large enough for occidental morphologies There are a lot of reflexions unfortunatly ….. but the video feedback is clear, crips and precise Transmitter The transmitter uses a gamepad style chassis with four shoulder buttons. The left one controls the photo and video recording. The right one ajust left and right trimming directions. Notice than the photo button when press and hold at power up stats the binding procedure. On the front panel, the power button need to be pressed more than 3-4s to turn on/off the radio. A large circle button on left turn on/off the front light and the other one on the right turn on/off OSD information on the screen. If you click on the right stick you can select one of the two speed modes. If you click on the left stick, a 360 flips can be done. I deeply regret the absence of a flight mode selection…. No acro mode possible … the machine offers only 6-axis stabilized mode. 4xAAA batteries are required to feed the transmitter. Notice, there is a microUSB port centrally… Probably also to flash a future firmware update. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT For sure with a proprieatery system, the H122D works flawless out of the box.. Charge the battery, install the 4xAAA batteries in the transmitter… Turn on everything and you can fly. One good news the FPV monitor rendition is pretty good and you can fly with it installed on the FPV mount associated with the transmitter. Best renditions are obtained when the monitor is inserted into the Mask. The depth rendition is pretty good, the image look much bigger and despite the absence of any lens ajustement, the image looks well focused even for old eyes. That’s definitively a good point…. I really appreciate the presence of a Builtin DVR as well. When armed, the machine emits a little treeble sound in general associated with 2S brushed solution. Despite being a 118g machine, the motors manage to push relatively well the machine … That’s a good point…. Default PIDs settings are well tune and the machine can be fast. No specific woobles after a fast hard turns and no altitude lost. Let’s start with the bad things …. Clearly the really annoying point is the latency introduced by the camera system (probably in order to record 720p files)… The latency is at minimum of 130ms !!!! It’s too much for a FPV racer machine… Once would say… since there is no acro flight mode who cares to have 130 ms ? …. I care… More, the frame rate displayed of the FPV monitor look poor …. even slower than a for a PAL transmission…. and in practice it’s just bit better than a WiFi transmission… You can imagine ? … Damned Hubsan managed to transform analog 5.8G NTSC transmission almost as laggy as a WiFi solution…. Don’t worry it’s not so catastrophic … but bye-bye attempts to fly this machine in tiny spaces. This machine requires more open large spaces. The FPV range is about 100mm and the RX sensitivity of the monitor not so bad…. Another good point. In term of flight duration, you can fly this machine 5min with recording turned on… no so bad. Despite having a relatively poor light sensitivity, the 720p recordings are really not bad.. relatively precise and crisp… What’s a pity that the associated CMOS sensor is not a bit more sensitive. CONCLUSIONS The Hubsan H122D is not a FPV racer but a beginner mid-flyer FPV cruizer dedicaced to large open spaces. If the flight performances are pretty good, as well as the battery duration and 720p recordings…. the limitations introduced by the laggy FPV system and absence of an acro mode don’t allow the H122D to be considered as a real FPV racer. PROS + Full complete FPV solution + Solid frame + Use H501 protocol + Good 720p recording + Orientable lens + Good goggles mask + Offer relatively good powerlifts + Builtin DVR for the 4.3″ FPV monitor CONS – Latency > 130ms – Low frame rate for both the FPV & 720p recordings (23-24fps) – Below average light sensitivity – No acro mode – Not a FPV racer – No lead connector for the battery – A bit heavy (118g) This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 119USD at https://www.banggood.com/Hubsan-H122D-X4-STORM-5_8G-FPV-Micro-Racing-Drone-Quadcopter-With-720P-Camera-HV002-Googles-p-1209363.html Cet article TEST: Hubsan H122D X4 STORM est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

A new PNP FPV racer will be introduced in 220mm edition, i.e. the TransTec Frog 218: https://www.banggood.com/TransTec-Frog-218-FPV-Racer-PNP-Omnibus-F3-Blheli_S-30A-5_8G-25200500mW-VTX-RUNCAM-Mini-Swift-p-1246548.html The frame is based on a mixture of 3K carbon and strong aluminium alloy. For the electronics… classic elements: a Omnibus F3 + OSD, strong 4-in-1 30A BLheli_S/Dshot600. Motors are simple “2205”/2600Kv where last monster FPV racers use from now with 2206 models. The 5.8G VTX can handle different output power selection from 25mW,200mW & 500mW. A good CCD Runcam MiniSwift is integrated as well…. Wait & See Specification: Brand name: TransTec Item name: Frog 218 FPV Racing Drone Frame kit: Frog (full 3K carbon plate plus 7075 aluminum alloy CNC) Wheelbase: 218 mm Camera: RUNCAM Mini Swift Flight Control: Omnibus F3 integrated map transmission ESC: BLHELI_S 30A Dshot600 Legend: 5.8G 25/200/500 mw adjustable, with audio Motor: New Collar 2205 2600KV Paddle: dry abundance of authentic 5042 LED lights: 3 LED lights Package Included: 1 x Frog 218 frame kit 1 x RUNCAM Mini Swift 1 x Omnibus F3 flight controller 1 x 4 in 1 BLHELI_S 30A ESC 4 x 2205 2600KV motor 4 x 5042 propeller Cet article NEWS: TransTec Frog 218 PNP est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Eachine Beecore V2.0 is long awaited revision of the first brushed F3 flight controller dedicaced mainly for Tinywhoop FPV machines. Now in the menu, a betaflight OSD chip is added !!!! The V2.0 can be found with three choices of 2.4G receiver. one with a FrSky D8 model, one with a FlySky AFHDS-2A and the last with a Spektrum DSM2. With such kind of 3-in-1 FC, we can now enjoy OSD informations for our small winter compagnions. Let’s discover this new product. BOX CONTENT + 1 x Eachine Beecore V2 + 1 x microLOSI/mcPx lead cable + 1 x JST ph 2.0 lead cable + 1 x JST zh 1.0 lead cable + 1 x Dampened o-rings + screws bag The flight controller can be completly isolated from vibrations with such accessories. OVERVIEW The new board comes with dimensions to be compatible with most 66-70mm Tinywhoop frames. 3.2g the board standalone but 0.3g for the lead main connector The upper face welcome most of electronic chips. For example the long one is the OSD module. The central, the MPU-6000 for the 6-axis stabilization while the CC2500 for the FrSKy receiver is on the top left corner. On the top right, the bind button… In fact since the card must be installed diagonally with the arrows in the up direction, it can be a problem to install a AIO camera mount…due to the presence of this bind button. There is a possibility to connect a compact buzzer The bottom side welcomes the main F3 Arm core and four motors connectors So be aware with the motors layout and must match the betaflight one FET are referenced as BV2212…. No information found on them but they are rated to a maximum of 10A… which is a non-sens information…. Are they closer to 1A or to 10A ? …. UNBOXING, BUILDING, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT I decided to install the Eachine Beecore V2.0 on a Eachine E11C frame. For the AIO camera, i selected the Turbowing cyclops, a 2-in-1 AIO camera with a 700TVL CMOS sensor working in NTSC format coupled with a 25mW 48CH VTX. This camera weights only 3.3g and allow a direct connexion with a OSD system. Be aware about the AIO connexion, the Vin of the camera must be soldered on the Vin of the Beecore V2.0. Vout to Vout. I noticed with this type of frame, the microUSB port can be blocked by the battery tray…. you will need probably to cut a part of it to have a free access. The first type I tried to take off the machine, I observed some motor cuts when throttle was above 30%…. I had to retry several time by slow throttle progression in order to manage to take off. Clearly the voltage regulator cuts the circuit has a massive voltage drop…. You will need by consequence a super strong battery with a discharge rate >= 35C. With default PIDS of betaflight, the machine flies beautifull and thanks to the 7mm strong motors of the E011, the machine is strong enough for acro flights. The presence of OSD information is a big plus…. and more for the FrSKy version, RSSI feedback can be also displayed Betaflight 3.2.3 installation procedure CONCLUSIONS I really appreciated this new revision: Light, compact, powerfull enough with a F3 and now the addition of the OSD chip is real plus for our TinyWhoop machines. The only drawback of this setup is the linear Vreg stopping the receiver at take off if the battery is too weak. A 1S LiHv battery is strongly advised with the Beecore V2.0. Can we expect in a V3.0 a version 2S compatible and a 1A Vreg? PROS + Great F3 + OSD + Light + Betaflight 3.2.0 pre-installed and configured + Accept LIhv battery + RSSI & Vbat telemetry feedback for the FrSky version + RSSI feedback on OSD for the FrSky version CONS – Can have receiver brownout at take off with a weak battery – Not 2S compatible – Location of the bind button – Location of the microUSB port This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 28USD at https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Beecore-Upgrade-V2_0-Brushed-F3OSD-Flight-Control-Board-For-Inductrix-Tiny-Whoop-E010-E010S-p-1212231.html Cet article TEST: Eachine Beecore V2.0 (Brushed F3+OSD FC + 2.4G receiver) est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

A new compact 110mm brushless FPV racer with F4+OSD and Runcam Microswift CCD camera: https://www.banggood.com/GEPRC-Hummingbird-110mm-FPV-Racing-Drone-Omnibus-F4-12A-BLHeli_S-5_8G-48CH-VTX-RunCam-Micro-Swift-p-1245041.html Remember the SPCmaker 90NC ? it was a complete desaster due to bad gyros…. I hope here with this new machine, this major problem won’t be here because all electronic ingredients look super promising: 1106/6000Kv to boost performances … and support 4S out of the box… The price of such motors is a slightly more heavier machine (85g w/o battery, 120g with a 4S LiPo). The FC is a F4 model with a builtin OSD… No information about the MPU chip. I hope it’s still a MPU6000. 12A ESC… but supporting of course BLheli_S/Dshot technologies. The 48CH 5.8G VTX can ouput 3 differents powers. The frame look solid with 3mm 3K carbon lower plate/arms. Good news the Runcam camera can be oriented and seems not exposed to front shocks as the SPCmaker model. Two options are proposed: one PNP and BNF with a FrSky D16 XM+ receiver…. Sound a great FPV machine. Wait & See. Specifications: Brand name: GEPRC Item Name: Hummingbird Racing Drone Frame: GEPRC GEP-HX2 (3mm bottom plate thickness version) -Wheelbase: 110mm -Thickness of bottom plate: 3mm -Thickness of side plate: 1.5mm Size: 93mm*93mm30mm Motor: GEPRC GEP-GR1106 6000kv Propeller: GEMFAN 2040 3blade GEPRC STABLE F4 Tower (GEP-F4-BS12A-VTX58200-M) -Flight Controller: Betaflight F4 OMNIBUS -ESCs: 12A BLHeli_S/Dshot150/300/600 16.6(G_H_30/L_H_0) -VTX: GEP-VTX58200 48CH Mini FPV Transmitter Camera: RunCam Micro Swift 1/3″ 600TVL FPV camera 2.1mm lens CCD Receiver: Frsky XM Plus (ONLY BNF INCLUDE) Weight: 85g (without battery) Flight weight: 120g (include 4s 450mAh battery) Feature: -The GEPRC flying team carefully calibrations PID, the factory to the binding receiver can fly. -Using the mature GEP-HX2 frame, and the base plate to 3mm thickness, all 3K carbon fiber main board, strong resistance to fall. -Using the GR1106 6000kv motor and Gemfan 2040 3 blade propeller and 3s 450mAh battery, perfect match, efficient and violent. -Using STABLE F4 Tower, easy install, stable -Using Runcam micro swift camera, make sure clarity -Tested the best speed 120km/h+ BNF: 1x Hummingbird FPV Racing Drone 2x Gemfan 2040-3 Propeller 2x Battery Strap 1x XT300-M 1x Battery skid resistance 1x Frsky XM PLUS Receiver(ONLY BNF) PNP: 1x Hummingbird FPV Racing Drone 2x Gemfan 2040-3 Propeller 2x Battery Strap 1x XT300-M 1x Battery skid resistance Cet article NEWS: GEPRC Humminbird 110mm (F4+OSD,1106/600Kv, RC microSwift) est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

A new high end product is announced by Walkera with the voyager 5: http://www.walkera.com/index.php/Goods/info/id/66.html It’s a 1100mm machine !!!!!!! with up to three 4300mAh 6S battery to offer 41mm of flightime (without anypayload and 31mm with the camera rig). Associated with a 3-axis gimbal where three choices of camera can be installed: a) a 4K camera with a 30x zoom factor controlable via the appz; b) an thermal infrared camera and c) a low-light night vision camera. The Voyager can be folded for a more easy transportation. A double GPS system is installed to improve the general accuracy. Obstacle avoidance is also included. An originality, the FPV transmission is based on a 2.4G & 1.4G system to offer 5km of transmission. The machine is IP43 (first number is the resistance to dust/solid material, the second to water introduction)… which is far to reach the maximum score (IP69). The application is the same used for the Walkera Vitus, Aibao and former voyager. Aircraft Main Rotor Dia. 17 x 5.5 inch symmetric motor wheelbase:700mm Overall (L x W x H) Unfolded 1100 x 1100 x 340mm / Folded 300 x 300 x 340mm Weight No payload weight: 2400g / Maximum takeoff weight: 5500g Remote Controller DEVO F18G Brushless Motor WK-WS-58-001 Brushless ESC Voyager 5 Battery 22.8V 4300mAh 5C(6S) LiPo Flight Time No payload: 41min, Payload: about 31min (standard load 30X optical zoom lens) Working Temperature -10?~ +40? Gimbal Controllable accuracy Static: ±0.008°; Motion: ±0.02°; Shake-proof: ±0.008° Controllable range Pitch rotation -90°~ +45°; Horizontal ±150° Max Controllable Speed Pitch: 30°/s Camera Sensor 1/2.3 SONY IMX117 CMOS ISO Range 100-3200(Video) / 100-1600(Image) Video Resolution 4K 30fps Photo Resolution 4608 x 2600 Focal Length 6.7-134.5mm Zoom Ratio 30x optical zoom Zoom Speed About 2.0s Horizontal View 59.8°- 3.0°(Wide Angle-Telescopic) Close-shot Distance 10 – 1500mm(Wide Angle-Telescopic) Video Storage Maximum 64Mbps Compress Standard H.264 / H.265 Files Format JPG/MP4 Support Micro-SD Micro SD/SDHC Card (maximum 128G, transmitting speed is C10 and above or UHS-1) Downward Vision System Velocity range Velocity = 10.8km/h ( 2m above ground and sufficient lighting) Altitude range = 3 m Hover accuracy range ±0.5m Frequency 50Hz Operating environment Surfaces with rich patterns and sufficient lighting Infrared Obstacle Avoidance System Obstacle detecting range 5m FOV: horizontal 30°; vertical ±30° Frequency 20 Hz Remote Controller Overall (L x W x H) 165x174x62mm Operating Frequency 1.4G/2.4G Transmitting Distance About 5km (open without shelter, no electromagnetic interference) Video Output Port USB/HDMI Built-in battery 7.4V 3000mAh Li-po 2S Mobile device holder Applicable to tablet and phone Cet article NEWS: Walkera Voyager 5 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

After the two excellent VIFLY R220 M2 and VIFLY R130, here is a new FPV racer in 150mm format: http://www.viflydrone.com/x150.html Here we have an X-chassis with 5mm thick-arms !!!! We still find a F4 ominibus (with a builtin betaflight OSD probably even if not mentioned), 20A BLheli_S/Dshot 600 ESC (4S compatible), 1406/3300Kv 4S compatible motors coupled with efficient 4″ props. If the VTX part remains the same (a switchable VTX up to 500mW), the FPV camera is also upgraded for a CCD variant. Actually only the PNP model is sold but I guess at least some BNF with FrSky solutions will come relative soon as well. Wait & See Cet article NEWS: VIFLY X150 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Merry Christmas to everyone !!!! and thanks you to support Drone-Maniac.com !!! As you already noticed, since a month, the drone-maniac activity slowed down… Don’t panic, I am still here :).. The reasons are multiples Got plenty of work with my daily job New drones introduction slowed down since 2-3 months I reviewed too much machines, and I needed a break to not being fed up and to ressource myself Only 24h/day I really hope the 2018 will deliver super fun and polished/fully working products …. What can we expect as novelties ?. Share your opinions ? For Racers: < 100mm 4S machines ? F4-F7 FC with isolated MPU CCD camera as standard Inboard 1080p recordings Low latency 720p/1080p FPV ? For video plateforms Some and full working DJI competitors More < 800g 3-axis stabilized machines Obstacle avoidance as standard Better flight times The 2018 year of Vtol/stablized wings ? Cet article NEWS: Merry Christmas !!!!! est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The WLtoys A959B is new revision of the super popular 1/18th scale brushed WLtoys 959 introduced three years ago. With this new model, the 390 motor is now remplaced with a monster 540 brushed edition… The advertized top speed is 70 Km/h !!! Just insane… As for the former series, three other car models are proposed where mainly the top canopy plastic is changed. Whatever, we need to check if this machine can handle a crash at such speed… and more generally the question of its durability must be answered. BOX CONTENT + 1 x WLtoys A959B + 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAA batteries not included) + 1 x 2S 1500mAh LiPo with T-dean connector + 1 x Charger + 1 x Powerunit for the charger + 1 x Cross Screwdriver + 1 x Instruction manual (English) OVERVIEW From an external aspect, absoluptly no change can be observed…. We have a compact 1/18th car, fully nylon plastic based. The main chassis is style 100% nylon based. A negative point especially when we know that the top speed is almost doubled…. Shock absorbers are super soft… too soft especially for jumps landing. The chassis will mostly absorbe most part of the energy The two central outter plastic structure seems a bit fragile IMHO… and it will be the two weak points of this machine At least, metal dog bones and cup are here…. but unfortunatly…. no ball bearings in the wheel section… only basic bushings to be oiled regulary 7mm hexagones are here for the four wheels As already mentioned early only a basic bronze bushings is here… Faster performances can be obtained by replacing them with real ball-bearings. LiPo The monster motor takes a lot of room while the steering servo is a compact plastic model pretty cheap and not super precise At least ballhead screws are here The main electronic board welcomes a serie of MOSFET and the 2.4G receiver The board seems to be covered of liquid electronic tape but not efficient enough to be 100% waterproof. Transmitter Exactly the same radio as the fisrt original model. The radio protocol is based on a nRF24L01+ RF chip. Four click buttons to trim the throttle and direction. I would prefer more analog pot to have finer trimming especially for the steering direction. The grab is good for the control. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND TESTING Clearly this machine is more adapted to run on super flat soft surfaces to enjoy the full speed capacity. Even there, it’s relatively hard to keep a straight line… and unfortunatly the steering direction is not enough precize to run long and far at full speed. The accelerations are just insame… thanks to the relative lightweight of the car. As you can see on the last part of the demo run, this type of flat rocky surface represents the best tradeoff between speed capacity vs offroad conditions. From medium tall grass, the machine speed is drastically recuded. From more advanced offroad conditions, the A959B bumps a lot killing also a lot the top speed. In fact, it’s almost impossible in such conditions to push the throttle at full positions… Be sure to inspect all rotatives parts. Even if the main spur wheel is fully covered, a small amount of sand can enter… and it can be fatal for the car. CONCLUSIONS Well for the price, the A959B is probably the fastest car available!!! no doubt… For a first RC car, it’s really fun and acceleration are just insane…. but be aware, the general quality build & conpounds is just basic… and with such speed the durability of the chassis, main spur, differential box and FET will be clearly lowered. GOod news, there is a full metal upgrade kit available but doubling the total price of the car. PROS + Damned fast !!!! + Good radio + 4 Wheels transmission + Metallic dog bones + Hexagones CONS – No specific metallic upgrade vs the original A9x9 – No ball bearings – Not fully waterpoof – Can’t handle from medium grass surface – Soft shock absorbers – Digital steering triming not super precise This offroad car have been courtesy provided by TomTop in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 67USD at https://www.tomtop.com/p-rm8934eu.html Cet article TEST: WLtoys A959B, 1/18th buggy @70km/h est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

During winter time, your FPV TinyWhoop is probably your current best friend. You want to boost flight time ? Time to fly with a LiHv battery: https://www.banggood.com/GAONENG-3_8V-260mAh-30C60C-Lipo-Battery-for-Blade-Nano-QX-CPX-and-Tiny-Whoop-p-1242902.html With such battery, the max voltage reaches 4.35V (0.15V more than a classic LiPo) and the nominal value becomes 3.8V. You can probably gain up to 1min of flight time. This battery comes with a JST Ph 2.0mm connector and is compatible with most TinyWhoop machine with 0615mm motors. Description: Battery parameter:Gaoneng 3.8V 4.35HV 260mAh 30C/60C 1S Lipo Battery Capacity:260MAH Continuous Discharge Rate:30C/60C Weight: About 7g Battery Connector: Molex Picoblade PH2.0 Caution: Don’t over-charge, or over-discharge batteries. Don’t put it beside the high temperature condition. Don’t throw it into fire. Don’t throw it into water. Package Included: 1 x Gaoneng 3.8V 4.35HV 260mAh 30C/60C 1S Lipo Battery Cet article NEWS: GAONENG 3.8V 260mAh 30C/60C LiHv est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Rare are the real DJI competitors … and maybe a real new is introduced. This is the Halo Drone pro: https://www.haloboard.com/collections/halo-drones/products/halo-drone-pro Ok it’s much more larger than a DJI Mavic, the total weight is about the weight of a phantom (1.4Kg). The Halo pro integrates a 3-axis gimbal with a detachable 4K@30fps camera where EIS on 6-axis is also active. Clearly the video stabilization with this double layers of mechanical and electronic technics is promised to be very super efficient. The machine is large but with foldable arms. The pro version comes with a full transportation bag. Video transmission is based on a specialized 5.8G WiFi up to 800m. The machine can reach up to 45mph(72km/h). 22 min of flight time are also promised. A super lightweight “smart” watch with a builtin GPS allow a lot of different type of follow me. Have a look to the Justin’s video…. Clearly the developper team spent a lot of time to offer a super ergonomic interface. Inboard videos are really promising and follow-me results look just great !!! AIRCRAFT WEIGHT (W/ BATTERY): 1370G DIAGONAL SIZE: 430MM FLIGHT TIME: UP TO 22 MINUTES MAX SPEED: 45 MPH VIDEO TRANSMISSION: UP TO 800 M LOW LATENCY (<200MS) CAMERA SPECS SENSOR: SONY IMX 377 LENS: FOV 115° F/2.4 VIDEO: 4K 30P PHOTO: 12 MP STABILIZATION: EIS 6-AXIS DISTORTION CORRECTION: YES VIDEO CAPTURE 4K: 3840×2160 – 30P 1440P: 2560×1440 – 60P FHD: 1920×1080 – 120P HD: 1280X720 – 240P CONTROLLER OPERATION FREQUENCY: 2.4 GHZ + 5.8 GHZ BATTERY SIZE: 6000 MA DISTANCE: 1000 M RETURN HOME FEATURE: YES AUTO LIFT OFF/LAND: YES Cet article NEWS: HALO Drone PRO, a real DJI competitor ? est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Finally after a lot of internet teasings, the new Mavic competitor should be now introduced relatively soon: https://www.banggood.com/GDU-O2-Wifi-FPV-With-3-Axis-Stabilized-Gimbal-4K-Camera-Obstacle-Avoidance-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-p-1239707.html As usual if and only if the video stabilization is as efficient as for the Mavic, the GDU O2 got/introduces also a lot of features: -Visual positionning -Gesture recognition -Obstacle avoidance -Foldable and ultra transportable -Target tracking -Orbit, selfie, rocket flight modes -Time laps functionalities All advanced modes are done via the powerfull snapdragran MCU. Associated with the 3-axis gimbal, a 4K camera shooting at 25fps(PAL) or 30fps (NTSC). The 1080p is up to 60fps. More a small controlable electronic zoom can be done via the remote. Flight time are about 20min without the prop guard and 15 with… The more important…. the total weight is 708g !!! so no future problem of registration at least for EU contries. This is the first model introduced where the 720p FPV feedback is “limited” to 1km. The GDU O2 plus will have 7km!!!! Probably the camera also will be improved. Be aware, the connexion with the smartphone is done via WiFI 5.8G… Seems to not have USB tethering Grrrrr so be aware about some Android incompatibilities. I really do hope, in the worst case, it’s possible to change the 5.8G Channels of the radio. Sold 800 USD, so clearly 30% more cheaper than a Mavic…. The official trailer but In internet actually, only an unboxing appeared … but still no inboard videos …. … Maybe a bad sign…. As usual … especially after the Walkera Vitus (semi) fiasco….. WAIT & SEE…. I will ask one for review .. Who know maybe I will grab one… Cet article NEWS: GDU O2, a new MAVIC competitor… est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Remember the BeeBee 66 ?, a compact 1S 66mm brushless FPV machine with a carbon prop guard structure and a AIO top canopy element ? Now here is the lite version: https://www.banggood.com/Full-Speed-Beebee-66-LITE-RC-Drone-FPV-Racer-ARF-Omnibus-F3-OSD-5_8G-40CH-4-In-1-6A-Blheli_S-ESC-1S-p-1239529.html where basically both the carbon prop guard and the full top plastic canopy structure have been removed. The weight goes from 28.2g down to 23.9g so close to 4.3g of gain (~18%). All the electronic remains the same: a F3 Tiny+OSD board, 4-in-1 6A BLheli_S/Dshot ESC board and 0703/15000Kv Lightspeed branded brushless motors. The FPV rig is a classic 600TVL CMOS camera+40CH/25mW VTX AIO module installed on a 3D printed camera support. The X-frame seems to be 1mm thick. I regret the absence of a LiHV battery to boost even more performances and even more the absence of a builtin buzzer… since this machine will be an outdoor flyers. The total weight without the receiver is announced to turn about 32g… so with a super light FrSky XM for example, it should turn around 34g. In the lite version, the BeeBee 66 remains me the Eachine Chaser 88 but in a shrinked edition. Specification: Brand name: Full Speed Item name: Beebee – 66 Wheelbase: 66mm Product size: 85 x 85 x 38mm Product weight: about 32g (with battery) Motor: 0703 15000KV brushless motor Flight controller: Teeny 1S F3 built-in OSD ESC: 6A BLHeli_S 1S 4in1 ESC Dshot600 Propeller: 40mm 3 – blade propeller Camera: S2 25mW 40CH Flight time: 2.5 – 4 mins Battery: 3.7 – 4.35V 260mAh 30C HV LiPo Package size: 15 x 8 x 4cm Package weight: 85g Teeny1s F3 Flight Controller: Size: 20 x 20 x 5mm Mounting hole: 16 x 16mm MCU: TM32 F303 MCU Sensor: SPI sensor MPU6000 Built-in BetaFlight OSD Firmware: OmnibusF3 BetaFlight 3.1 Dshot Teeny1S 6A 4in1 Brushless ESC: Size: 20 x 20 x 5mm Mounting hole: 16 x 16mm Firmware: BLHeli_S Lipo battery: 1S Continuous current: 6A Peak current: 7A (5S) Support Dshot600 Brake function in default Features: Super tiny & easy to carry Ligh & safe for indoor flight Better control than brushed drone Support Cleanflight & BetaFlight Support Angle / Horizon / Acro mode OSD in-build Note: Compatible receiver: PPM / SBUS / DSM Package included: 1 x Beebee-66 Lite Frame Kit 1 x Teeny1S F3 Flight Controller 1 x Teeny1S 6A 4in1 Bushless ESC 4 x 0703 15000KV Brushless Motor 2 x 40mm CW 2-Blade Propeller 2 x 40mm CCW 2-Blade Propeller 1 x S2 25mW 40CH VTX 1 x 3.7 – 4.35V 250mAh 30C HV LiPo 1 x USB Converter 1 x 1S HV LiPo Charger Cet article NEWS: LightSpeed BeeBee-66 Lite est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Hubsan H107A Pro represents the minor revision of the Hubsan H107A powerstar X4, a brushed but smart quadcopter equiped of a basic 720p camera. What is surprising for an under 100USD machine is to see advanced flight modes such as: mission planning, orbit mode and follow me. The H107A uses the same excellent Appz (iOS & Android) common with the H501A. For the H107A Pro, only a bluetooth radio command is added. Since the quadcopter remains the same, I will only target on the benefit (or not) of the BT controller. BOX CONTENT + 1 x Hubsan H507A (with a 2S 550mAh LiPo) + 1 x Bluetooth transmitter + 1 x 550mAh 2S LiPo + 1 x USB charging cable + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 4 x Prop guards + 1 x Screwdriver + 1 x Instruction manual (English) Transmitter The radio is a gamepad model really ergonomic easy to grab. Both sticks are centered sign of altitude hold presence. To turn on the radio, you have to long press the power button more than 4s. 4 x AAA batteries are required to feed the transmitter. Ni-Mh accumulators are working The transmitter can hold a smartphone up to 6″. Camera recording & photo shooting can be triggered directly from the left shoulder buttons. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT Before to take off, be sure to turn on also the bluetooth. As the former H107A, you will need to perform compass calibration each time in the field. You will need to go in the setting/controller section to bind the radio to your smartphone. By consequence the control range in theory remains the same limited by the WiFi link between the quadcopter and your smartphone. In practice since the BT link between the radio and the smartphone works also in the 2.4G, when the BT link is active, it will negatively impact also the total WiFi control/FPV range. As you can see, as soon as the machine is still in proximity, the control is perfect with the BT module. Unfortunatly, the WiFi FPV link is deeply negatively impacted.. The frame rate decreases a lot down to 3-4 poor frame per second :(.. When the machine is over 30-40m, even controls meet some lags… while without attached BT controller, no problem to control the machine with the same amount of distance. Clearly the BT controller is more useful for LOS flights. CONCLUSIONS The Hubsan H507A Pro don’t represent a big revolution but the addition of a BT controller is a positive element more adapted for LOS proximity flights. Unfortunatly, the WiFi & control range is also downgraded by the BT link. No free lunch. Since the Pro version is sold with the same price of the non-pro, it’s still advised to take the new pro version. PROS + Easy LOS flight with the BT controller + Efficient new features added + Great app + Super easy machine + Great beginner machine + Slightly improved 720p videos + Cheap CONS – Short flight time – Frame rate drop when the BT controller is used – Proprietary battery – Not stabilized videos – Poor durability of brushed motors – No selfie mode – Not compatible with H501, H502 2.4G radios This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 88USD at https://www.banggood.com/Hubsan-H507A-X4-Star-Pro-Wifi-FPV-With-720P-HD-Camera-GPS-Altitude-Mode-RC-Quadcopterr-RTF-p-1206435.html Cet article TEST: HUBSAN H107A Pro est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Skyzone more famous for they FPV goggles and VTX is now introducing a full 140mm FPV brushless racer: https://www.banggood.com/Skyzone-S140-140mm-RC-FPV-Racing-Drone-PNP-W-F3-OSD-4in1-20A-Dshot-5_8G-48CH-VTX-Foxeer-Micro-Cam-p-1238487.html In the menu a strong 3mm 3K carbon based X structure where we can find a F3+OSD omnibus FC (flashed with VF 3.1.5), a 4-in-1 20A BLheli_S/Dshot ESC board and 1506/4100Kv motors… All the setup is 4S compatible. For the 5.8G FPV rig, we have a 48CH VTX with switchable output power (25mW/100mW/200mW) and the camera is a Foxeer 2.1mm model with some OSD features (but it’s recommended to fly without due some refresh rate problems with). It’s a PNP version so without receiver and battery. No problem to attach any receiver with PPM/SBUS/iBUS connexions. This machine is a direct competitor of the recent KingKong Eggs, Furibee & Emax models recently introduced…. I don’t see any new magic ingredient …. but if there is no problem of drift, oscillations, durability… it will be at least a good thing. As usual, Wait & See…. Specification: Brand name: Skyzone Item name: S140 140mm racing drone PNP wheelbase: 140mm Weight: 128g (without battery) Main board: 3mm Other board: 1.5mm 3mm 3K carbon fiber substrate Flight controller: F3 built-in OSD ESC: 4in1 20A 2-4S BLheli_S Dshot (XT30) Motor: RCINPOWER 1506 4100KV Propeller: DALPROP T3032 Camera: Foxeer Micro 2.1mm VTX: mini 5.8G 48CH 0/ 25mW/ 100mW/ 200mW switchable Package included: 1x Skyzone S140 Frame 1x Foxeer micro camera 1x Mini 5.8G 48CH VTX 1x Mini F3 OSD flight controller 1x 4in1 20A 2-4S BLheli_S Dshot ESC (XT30) 4x RCINPOWER 1506 4100KV motor(2CW +2CCW) 2x Pairs DALPROP T3032 propellers(4CW+ 4CCW) 1x Battery strap Cet article NEWS: Skyzone S140 est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

A new Emax FPV racer is announced with the Babyhawk-R: https://www.banggood.com/Emax-Babyhawk-R-RACER-Edition-112mm-F3-Magnum-Mini-5_8G-FPV-Racing-RC-Drone-3S4S-PNPBNF-p-1237259.html The main feature is the introduction of 1106 strong 4S compatible motors for beasty performances. The frame is highly profiled and 3K carbon based. 12A 4-in-1 ESC board is here …. maybe a bit light for high 4S throttle inputs. A good news, the FPV camera is a CCD model with more precize video feedback. The flight controller is a F3 model integrating directly a betafllight OSD chip. From the photos of the design, no real weak points can be noticed… Wait & See…. Features: -High Speed power system featuring RS1106 and the Avan Micro -FC/ESC AIO – Mini Magnum Tower -112mm Carbon Fiber Frame -Only weighs 82.5 grams -Customizable Shell Canopy with adjustable camera positions -Pre-tuned Betaflight Firmware for optimized flight performance -OSD integrated with Low-Voltage detection -40 Channel 5.8g VTX switchable 25/200mw -Compatible with EMAX Transmitter/Goggles/Accessories -Utilizes Micro CCD Sensor Camera -Accepts 3-4 cell LiPo batteries Babyhawk Race Key Features FRAME -Light weight carbon fiber frame with impact resistant plastic canopy available in several colors –Strong 3mm arms with lower profile arms to reduce drag. -Integrated flight controller vibration dampening system for a smoother and more locked in feeling flights POWER SYSTEM -Powered by the new Magnum Mini tower system with F3 FC + 4 in 1 12A BLHELI S ESC 3-4s -Betaflight Firmware 3.2.X with comes pre tuned at the factory for optimized flight performance -Class leading Emax RS1106 6000kv brushless motors paired with the new Avan 2ÿ quad blade propeller for maximum speed and control. FPV SYSTEM -650TVL Micro CCD camera with tuned profiles for different light condition. CCD is preferred by more pilots over CMOS for its better handling of high contrast lighting and resistance to ÿjelloÿ in your flight video. -Canopy has adjustable camera positions so pilot can tune for track speed and size. -40 Channel 5.8g VTX with LED info display and switchable transmission power from 25/200mw Cet article NEWS: Emax Babyhawk R-112mm est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The FXT FX888R tripleplay is new 5.8G ground station receiver integrating up to three difference sources. In practice, coupled with high gain “120” degrees directional antennas, you can cover 360degrees.. and by consequence gain easily 6dBm (and more) at least to double your FPV range. Other antennas combinaison can open even more long range applications. The tripple play is a small 48CH 5.8G module where each receiver can be enable or disable individually. Let’s have a look to this new 5.8G receiver. BOX CONTENT + 1 x FXT FX888R + 3 x 5.8G linear antenna with SMA connectors + 1 x Powerlead cable with XT30 connexion + 1 x AVout 2.5mm jack plug to RCA connectors (video & audio) + 1 x Instruction manual (English) The choice of a 2.5mm jack plug is less common than 3.5mm for FPV equipement. OVERVIEW The plastic design of the casing is pretty nice with a good plastic material. You take the module in hand you are positively surprized by its light weight. All the connexions can be done on the right side. Three individual AVout corresponding to each 5.8G receiver and a “triversity” output. We can regret maybe the absence of a second triversity port in order to plug also an external DVR directly. The left side welcomes only the powerswitch No problem to attache the triple play module on a tripod SMA connector for each individual receiver antenna port The front pannel display the current selected Vband,Vfreq as the instatanenous power received on each receiver. It’s super easy to select a Vfreq, i.e. short pressing will cycle among the eight ones in the current selected band. If you long press one it, you cycle between the six supported Vband The complete list of supported Vband & Vfreq It’s possible to turn on/off individually each builtin receiver UNBOXING AND TESTING A super easy to use module ….. Maybe some futur owners can regret the XT30 connector instead of a JST one but since the module can accept battery up to 6S, the XT30 is more logical for such wide voltage range. The test has been done with a simple 25mW source with a linear antenna. The comparaison is done with a FPV monitor including diversity. Both source have been recording with the same EV100 DVR with the same settings (HD resolution). Of course this particular test can be critiqued but a long range FPV comparaison depends also of the powersource, the current altitude, level of multipath, etc…. We can feel a slight improvement of the level of reception especially for low SNR conditions and for high RSSI, the level of statics also a bit decreased. We can notice also the desynchronization of the DVR recordings… I liked also how the switching is done… not to fast and absoluptly no break up can be noticed during a switching. The level of each RSSI is displayed only the front OLED screen. No OSD informations overlayed especially the current battery status. CONCLUSIONS Good, relatively cheap and simple triversity 5.8G module…. The ensensial is here. The 5.8G switching is well done and the general improvement even if it’s small with the actual linear antennas will be here as soon as higher gain antennas will be used. I regret the absence of basic OSD information at least the current battery voltage and the absence of a second AVout to plug directly a DVR. We can hope one day to have a version where for each individual receiver, a unique Vfreq can be selected. PROS + Improves the general RX sensitivity + Can cover 360 degrees with three “120 degrees” directional antennas + Smooth switching between channels + Individual AVout + Light + Easy to use + Cheaper than any competitor + Tripod compatible CONS – No builtin battery – 2.5mm jack connexion less common than 3.5mm format – No second triversity AVout (for DVR connexion) – -90dBm “only” builtin receiver – No OSD informations – No possibility to select three different Vfreq This 5.8G receiver have been courtesy provided by FXT in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 76USD at https://www.banggood.com/FXT-FX888R-6-Bands-48CH-Raceband-Triversity-Receiver-Built-in-12864-OLED-p-1195291.html Cet article TEST: FXT FX888R “TriplePlay” est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Officially, the Eachine EV100 goggles were supporting HDMI input…. but in practice only an AVin/out port is available. In fact, you need an external module to “convert” (read downgrade) an HD source (up to 1080p) into a CVBS one thanks the new EV100 addon module: https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-EV100-HDMI-to-AV-Convertor-Module-For-FPV-Goggles-Whole-Set-with-Cable-p-1235349.html This module is main certainly able to convert any HDMI sources into a PAL/NTSC one so not only dedicaced to the EV100. Two models are proposed: one with cables and one without with the module standalone. Description Size : 66mm*55mm*20mm Weight : 110g Features No need extra drive program, just plug and play Video and Audio sync output Support 1080P Support NTSC and PAL Format Compatible with HDMI 1.3 Interface Output Port : RCA(yellow, white, red) Input Port : HDMI HDMI Input Resolution 640×480@60Hz,800×600@60Hz,1024×768@60Hz,1280×720@60Hz,1280×1024@60Hz,1360×768@60Hz,1600×1200@60Hz,1920×1080@60Hz. 180i/60Hz,480p/60Hz,576i/60Hz,576p/60Hz,720p50/60Hz,1080I50/60Hz,1080p/60Hz CVBS output:PAL,NTSC_M,and NTSC_J Package Included 1 x HDMI to AV Convertor 1 x USB Cable 1 x 1-3 3.5mm AV Cable 1 x HDMI Cable 1 x User Manual Cet article NEWS: Eachine EV100 HDMI to AV converter module est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The iRangeX IRX4+ is nothing else than the new revision of the super popular Banggood 4-in-1 multimodule dedicaced to all radios able to receive an external radio module at least in PPM mode. Here, the iRangeX IRX+4 welcomes the revision 1.2 of the board. We still have the possibility to select up to 31 different protocols via the dial button located rear or even more protocols if the communication between the radio and the module can be done via a serial link. This second way is clearly only compatible with all modern radios supporting OpenTX 2.2. Thanks to this module, you can transform a lot of radios into quasi-universal radios. BOX CONTENT + 1 x iRangeX IRX4+ + 1 x 5.8G linear antenna + 2 x 2.54mm jumpers + 1 x 4 pins 2.54mm header row + 1 x Instruction manual (English) OVERVIEW The module comes with a high quality plastic casing… super easy to clips into any recent compatible radios via the 4 pins serial connexion. We have a central yellow dial to select up to 31 protocols divided into a first batch of 15 protocol and a second set of 16. On the right, a miniUSB port to update the builtin firmware. There are also two lights. The red left one shows the powerstatus as soon as the multimodule is used. The right left one indicates in which protocol bank e are currently. When the light is off, we can select a protocol from 1-15. When turned on, protocols from 16-31. To cycle between protocol banks for PPM connexion, you need first to install the dial in “0” position, then press & hold the bind button while powering the radio during 3-4s. The full list of protocols The 4-in-1 multimodule is the main one with the metallic shielding. On the top left, four free pads to welcome the pin header provied. A small soldering job is required. Below, the BOOT0 pads to be jumped to flash a new bootloader. The IRX4+ comes with the board in version 1.2 compared to the 1.0 for the original Banggood product. UNBOXING, PPM and SERIAL TESTING The module works flawless out of the box in PPM mode. For some protocols, you will need to manually bind by press & hold the bind button while turning the radio. For some other, the protocol is defined with an antobinding so … you just need to turn on the radio. The yellow dial is small and the “0” reference should by highlighted with a marker pen. As long your radio got a recent openTX release, the module can talk with the radio in serial mode if the the dial is in “0” position. You must first turn off the internal RF module and select the “MULT” external module option as soon as the OpenTX module is flashed with the “multimodule” option. With the serial connexion, more protocol are available as sub-options some others. CONCLUSIONS Definitively, the must to have external RF module… Compatible with ton of radios at least in PPM. Clearly the module is super great to use with OpenTX and a serial link. A Higly recommended product. PROS + Support both PPM & serial connexions + Compatible with a lot of existing radios + Dial protocol selection for PPM connexion + Mini-USB port for more easy fimrware upgrade CONS – This radio multimodule have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 36.5USD at https://www.banggood.com/IRangeX-IRX4-Plus-2_4G-CC2500-NRF24L01-A7105-CYRF6936-4-IN-1-Multiprotocol-STM32-TX-Module-With-Case-p-1225080.html Cet article TEST: iRangeX IRX4+ external RF multimodule est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

Hubsan just announced the revision of their H502E, now fully compatible with their (great) appz and the more important including their 1080p camera: https://www.banggood.com/Hubsan-H216A-X4-DESIRE-Pro-WiFi-FPV-With-1080P-HD-Camera-Altitude-Hold-Mode-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1234743.html. The machine is still based on 8520 coreless brushed motors and large props (5.3″) to extend as possible the flight duration. Another important change, they give up a radio control based on the A7105 RFchip. Now it’s a Bluetooth model able to control the machine up to 40-50m. I would say the more interesting is the possibility to play with advanced features: mission planner, follow-me, orbit flight mode, etc…. while shooting non-stabilized 1080p@30fps for less than 100USD. As all their model brushed based, be aware their motors are really under stress and their durability are very reduced so it’s important to stock in advance spare motors. If the camera module is as good as the H501A (brushless version), the H216A (twice cheaper) is a very interesting product because got the same amount of advanced features. The Hubsan WiFi extender can be probably plugged with. Description: Brand Name: Hubsan Item NO.: H216A Item Name: Hubsan H216A RC Quadcopter Frequency: 2.4G Quadcopter: Quadcopter Size: 180*180*60mm Weight(including the battery):162g Battery: 7.6V 750mAh Lipo. Max current: 6A Rotor size:135mm (5.3 inches ) Wheelbase:225mm Motor: Coreless motor Battery: Voltage: 7.6V Capacity: 750mAh Lipo. Flight time: around 12minutes Charging time: around 130 minutes Camera: FOV: 85° Resolution:1920*1080P 30FPS Photo JPEG Video MP4 Transmitter: With Bluetooth transmitter Wifi Max Flight radius: 50 meters Battery: 4 x AAA battery (not included) FPV:Real Time Photo/Video Transmission APP Functions: WIFI Real Time Video Transmission Waypoint flight (settable waypoint and altitude) One key takeoff Follow me mode Orbiting mode Headless mode video/photo Features: – 1080P HD Camera: Built in 1920*1080P HD camera are tuned amazingly to capture stunning pictures and videos from the sky. – Altitude Hold Mode: With altitude hold mode function provides stable flight. – Follow Me Mode: With Follow me function,turns you into a mobile photographer with a personal cameraman – Headless Mode: With headless mode function,no need to adjust the position of aircraft before flying. – App Waypoint Function: Draw a fligh path on the screen, and the drone would conduct an autonomous flight along the designated path. – LED Light: With LED lights making the flight more spectacular especially in the dark. Package Included: 1x H216A RC Quadcopter 1x Transmitter 1x Battery 1x Charger 1x Manual Cet article NEWS: HUBSAN H216A X4 pro est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Eachine QX95S represents the new revision of their original QX95. Here we still have a brushed 90mm FPV quadcopter but most ingredients have been upgraded. Now, the F3 board welcomes a builtin OSD, 8520 coreless motors are now in “Dark” edition with boosted RPM, the FPV camera orientation can be ajusted and the battery is now a LiHV model. With boosted general performances, this type of 1S system can be really competitive versus brushless variant. Actually no real super beasty 1S brushless machine is available at least with 0703 motors. Three BNF versions of the QX95S are proposed: i) a FrSky D8 version, ii) a FrSKy AFHDS-2A and iii) and a Spektrum DSM2/X. So let’s discover the Eachine QX95S BOX CONTENT + 1 x Eachine QX95S + 1 x 450mAh 1S LiHv battery with microLOSI connector + 1 x USB charging cable + 2 x Rubber bands + 2 x Velcro bands + 1 x Prop remover wrench + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Screwdriver + 2 x Instruction manual (English) A compact LiHV USB charge is included in the bundle Two charging setting can be selected: 0.5A or 1A. By default, it’s set to 1A. OVERVIEW The full specification of the QX95S. In the menu the F3 pro board with a a builtin OSD and 8520 dark motors. The machine is compact, a 90mm machine so smaller than the original QX95. The QX95S in comparaison with the original QX95 looks more robust/solid. The frame has been clearly upgraded. The weakness of original 95’s arm was the most negative part… so it’s a real good thing this element has been improved. Surprizingly two types of props are installed. Two ladybird’s 55mm on front and shorter on rear. Probably four complete ladybird can’t be installed because the frame is too small. Clearly the arms look much stronger for the new revision more wider. No change for the thickness, still 1.5mm plateform. -FRONT VIEW Main novelty, now the FPV camera is installed below, a better option to avoid prop inclusion. More now the lens orientation can be also ajusted from +15 degrees up to +35 degrees. The maximum angle is limited by the 5.8g linear antenna. -SIDE VIEW The main electronic board is easy to acess but in another hand not very protected from water introduction. It’s advised to cover everything with liquid electrical tape For the FrSky D8 receiver, the bind button can be found on the top right location. All 8520 motors are connected via microJST connector, so it will be super easy for maintenance. -REAR VIEW The same four LED light bar programmable via betaflight. Out of the box, the external lights indicate the turning direction and central ones the throttle input level. Superposed, the larsen scanner effect. -UPPER VIEW A buzzer is installed on top. Perfect As you can see, no real free gap between rear and front props. For sure 4 ladybird props can’t be installed :(. Maybe by inclining motors on their rubber pods. -BOTTOM VIEW Out of the box, the 2.4G antenna of the FrSky receiver targets the ground direction. It’s not a stupid idea.. as soon as the machine will be in air with a nominal altitude, the control range will be maximized. -WEIGHT Close to 56g with the battery and one rubber band Expect about 60g with the original 600mAh 1S LiPo of the QX95. Motors One of the new addition, boosted “Dark edition” 8.5mmx20mm coreless motors. No RPM mentioned but more performance means also more fragile… and their durability will be impacted. It’s very important to stock in advance at least one CW and one CCW. Battery Another novelty…. Bye-bye classic LiPo, now we have a LiHv where now max voltage is boosted up to 4.35V per cell. The discharge rate is about 40C.. Clearly, the performances & flight duration should be positively impacted. Camera module We have a 600TVL CMOS camera. Assumed to be a NTSC/PAL but in practice is a NTSC only model. The Field of View of the M7 lens is around 120 degrees. On unique button can be found rear and not super easy to access/press. Short press will cycle between the eight Vfreq inside the current selected band. For each Vfreq, one of the eight red light will be solid. To select the Vband, just long press the button. You can select one of the six Vbands. The camera is fxed on top…. directly on the upper plate. Probably vibrations are transmited in this way. Two small rubber O-rings would be a nice solution to absorb part of vibrations. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, BINDING, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT First good news, the F3 controller is flashed with BF 3.2.1 currently almost the last stable build. More, out of the box, the machine is also almost perfectly configured in term of receivers, OSD informations displayed and LED lights. In term of flight mode, the default configuration assumes a 3-way switch where in upper position, acro is selected, in the middle we have the angle 6-axis stabilization and in the lower position, we have acro+air mode. So be aware, for some radios, it’s required to push first all switches in upper position. For beginners, they can take off directly in acro by consequence. Another point, especially in acro+air mode selected, the minimum throttle value is set to 1070. This value is a bit high and it’s hard to loose altitude fast. Prefer the value 1040. The FrSky receiver is flashed with firmware exporting the RSSI on the 9th channel and also by telemetry. Perfect In the field, as soon as you arm the machine, the QX95S can take off from 30% of throttle input. !!!! So clearly it’s a super powerfull machine especially from a 1S brushed machine. The difference is huge with the former 95. No problem to fly acro with flips, rolls or powerloops. The rates should a bit increased to 800 deg/s. The machine is really fun to fly with and comparaison with a 1S brushless edition can be done. The only major drawback is the presence of Jello in the FPV signal…. Maybe the mixture of props is not a good solution or the absence of rubber o-ring in the camera mount. The machine is durable… no problem for the frame even after multiple crashes….. It’s another story for props…. they can break easily. Think to stock some. No increasing drifts can be reported in angle mode, that’s a good news. Flight times in average are about 3min30. Can be better…. Expect longer flight time with a 600mAh model. CONCLUSIONS The Eachine QX95S represents a really nice& efficient upgrade from the original QX95. Except the presence of a small amount of Jello in the FPV signal, there are not really weak points for the QX95S. It’s powerful, acro compatible, well configured out of the box, more durable and pretty fun. The price segment is also good, at least 30% more cheaper than any 1S brushless models. PROS + Brushed F3 w/OSD + 10A FET + Powerfull 1S machine + LiHV battery + Orientable lens + Well configured out of the box + More durable than the former QX95 + RSSI for OSD & Telemetry + One of the best 1S brushed FPV machine CONS – Some Jello – Strange props mixture – Eat props This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 63USD at https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-QX95S-with-F3-Betaflight-OSD-Buzzer-LED-Micro-FPV-Racing-Drone-Quadcopter-BNF-p-1218445.html Cet article TEST: Eachine QX95S est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The FXT FX805-OSD is a new light AIO FPV camera combo now including a builtin OSD. The camera is based on a 1/3″ 600TVL CMOS camera while the VTX is based on a 40CH 25mW 5.8G solution. The introduction of a builtin OSD represents a nice alternative/upgrade for any light machines with non-builtin betaflight OSD chips. Of course don’t expect the same amount of OSD informations as for a betaflightOSD chip but basic information such as the battery voltage, the elapse time, current Vfreq and the call sign. BOX CONTENT + 1 x FXT FX805-OSD + 1 x Camera support + 1 x Instruction manual (English) OVERVIEW The FX805-OSD comes with the camera support pre-installed. a molded support offering a +15 degrees orientation. Actually the camera only used NTSC format. The light sensitivity is about 1Lux so far from the 0.01Lux obtained with best CMOS camera. A linear antenna is prefered. The lens in M7 format offers about 120 degrees of Field of View. Paradoxally, it’s not a true 40CH but a 37CH. 3 Vfreq are missing for the Boscam Band E… Why ??? The module has two couples of wires, one to be connected with an input source from 2.7V up to 5.5V and the second to control the Vfreq and OSD tuning from the radio via PWM connexions with the flight controller. The sillicon wires are long and add some extra weight. I regret the absence of a small JST 1.0mm connector for the PWM connexions. It would save the PWM wires if you are not interested by the PWM controls. With shorter wires, probably close to 1g can be saved. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND TESTING The FX805 runs even with super low voltage input so no problem of brownout. One unique button to control the Vfreq (if shortly pressed), the Vband selection (if pressed more than 2s) and the OSD configuration (as soon as your press the button more than 5s). The OSD configuration menu mainly tunes the layout of each indivudual element to be displayed. Good news, you can also turn on/off the display of each element. Very important, you can calibrate the Voltage displayed on the OSD The builtin Vreg stage filers out very well any interferences coming from brushed motors for example. In practice, the light sensitivity is correct … colors a bit dull … but the general FPV range very acceptable for a 25mW module ( ~ 100m). As you can see as soon as the voltage drops under 3.5V, the voltage display blinks. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of a builtin OSD is a very nice feature for compact AIO modules. From now, you can monitor at least your current Vbat and the ellapsed time, two important informations for the health of the LiPo. Actually sold around 40USD… twice more expensive versus the non-OSD version…. We can hope the price will drop fast PROS + Good FPV camera + Basic but important OSD informations + Configurable OSD layout + PWM controls (Vfreq, OSD) + Represent a nice AIO upgrade for none-betaflightOSD machines CONS – No connector for PWM wires – 37CH not 40CH – A bit expensive This AIO FPV module have been courtesy provided by FXT in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude. You can find it actually for 40USD at https://www.banggood.com/FXT-FX805-OSD-600TVL-NTSC-125-Degree-AIO-5_8GHz-25mW-37CH-Raceband-Camera-Vtx-Combo-Built-In-OSD-p-1195292.html Cet article TEST: FXT FX-805 OSD, 600TVL 1/3″ CMOS 25mW 40CH AIO w/ OSD est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!. View the full article