Drone News

Have you participated in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone webinar series this summer? The series is intended to help drone operators submit better waiver requests when applying for an operational waiver. So far, they’ve already covered topics including how to apply for a FAA waiver, how to conduct a risk assessment for your operation, and how to successfully apply for a nighttime waiver. With these webinars, the FAA has been able to answer some of the most commonly asked questions by drone pilots and provide answers with clarity that you seldom find elsewhere. If you missed out on the first few webinars, don’t worry — the series isn’t over yet, and there’s still time to register for the four remaining webinars. Through August and September, FAA experts will continue to host live online webinars to discuss the waiver process, provide examples of successful waiver applications, and answer your most pressing questions. What You Can Learn From the FAA Summer Webinar Series The most important takeaway from the FAA summer webinar series will be information on how to apply for a waiver and best practices for increasing the chance of approval. Drone pilots can request waivers for flights typically prohibited by FAA regulations such as flying a drone at night, flying beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS), flying above 400 feet, or flying over crowds of people. During the webinar series, you will learn: The waiver application process When to apply for a waiver Common waiver requests Common waiver application mistakes Risk management, hazard recognition, risk analysis and assessment The upcoming schedule includes discussion on waivers for operations BVLOS, over people, and above an altitude of 400 feet. Nighttime waivers were covered previously in a two-part webinar earlier this summer, but you can still check out our article, “How to Fly Your Drone at Night: Applying for a Part 107 Daylight Operations Waiver” for guidance. FAA Summer Webinar Series Schedule, Aug. – Sept. Here are the upcoming FAA summer webinars for August and September: August 7, 2018 – “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly” Using real examples, this session reviews what a successful and unsuccessful waiver application looks like. August 21, 2018 – “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” Why is a BVLOS waiver so difficult to obtain? This session focuses on the “holy grail” of waivers. Is it impossible? No. Will it take more effort than applying for a night waiver? Definitely. September 4, 2018 – “Operating Limitations: Altitude” Learn how to fly above the 400 feet altitude ceiling with an operation limitation (altitude) waiver. September 18, 2018 – “Operations over People” Why are there so few approvals for this waiver? In this session, FAA experts address the mitigation necessary to ensure your operation doesn’t endanger people on the ground. Register for the Free FAA Summer Webinar Series Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and caps at 1,000 attendees. Why Bother with Waivers? The Small UAS Part 107 rule is designed to minimize risks to other aircraft, people, and property on the ground. The rule includes the option to apply for a certificate of waiver, which allows for a small UAS operation to deviate from certain operating rules if the FAA finds that the proposed operation can be performed safely. Waivers expand the possibilities of what you can do with your drone, whether it be gathering aerial footage of a crowd at an event, inspecting utility infrastructures from a high elevation, or another innovate use of drones. Understanding how to obtain a waiver will increase your potential as a drone pilot, open up more drone job opportunities, and widen the possibilities of what you can accomplish with your drone. Part 107 waivers are commonly requested for: Flying at night Flying directly over a person or people Flying from a moving vehicle or aircraft, not in a sparsely populated area Flying multiple aircraft with only one pilot Flying beyond the pilot’s visual line-of-sight Flying above 400 feet Flying near airports / in controlled airspace The FAA makes public who has received a waiver. Reviewing this list can give you an idea of the types of waivers submitted and approved. It also enables employers, law enforcement, and other interested parties to validate that a drone operator posses the waiver they claim to have. The penalty for unauthorized UAS flights can involve a heavy fine. In a 2015 case of multiple violations, the FAA proposed a $1.9 million penalty on SkyPan for conducting 65 unauthorized operations, violating airspace regulations and various operating rules. The FAA and Skypan reached a settlement agreement of $200,000, reducing the fine significantly but still proving the importance of gaining proper authorization for all UAS operations. Additionally, technology and science media outlet Motherboard acquired and shared a list of every drone pilot ever fined by the FAA. The list revealed fines ranging from $400 to $5,500. The lesson to be reaped from all this is that it’s better to do your paperwork for the proper waiver than to risk a fine. A fact sheet covering the FAA drone rules under Part 107 is available here. FAA Webinars Year Round With a heavy focus on safety, the FAA offers multiple opportunities for UAS education. Beyond the FAA Summer Webinar series, the FAA hosts webinars year round. The FAASTeam sponsors thousands of aviation safety seminars and webinars throughout the country. These informative courses include a variety of topics designed to reduce risk and increase safety in aviation operations. You can search the seminar and webinar database to locate a seminar near you or to register for an online webinar. A huge bonus is that most courses are free. If you’ve attended a FAA webinar, tell us about your experience on the UAV Coach community forum. The post Gain a Better Understanding of the FAA Waiver Process | FAA Summer Drone Webinar Series appeared first on UAV Coach. View the full article

The Jumper T8SG and new deluxe T8SG V2 & V2+ represent the first mass market quasi universal radiocommand. Both of them are based on the excellent DeviationTX OS. In the other hand, FrSky Taranis owner communauty were a bit jalous of such cheap solution and can’t imagine to something else than OpenTX. Like the invisible clustering between iOS and Android, DeviationTX and OpenTX got their own fans who can’t imagine to cross the border. Jumper will introduce soon the T12: https://www.banggood.com/Jumper-T12-OpenTX-16CH-Radio-Transmitter-with-JP4-in-1-Multi-protocol-RF-Module-for-Frsky-JR-Flysky-p-1331683.html This radio is first non-FrSky based supporting OpenTX and a 4-in-1 Multimodule… for almose=t three times more cheaper than Taranix+Multimodule combo solution. The T12 is based on the same chassis of the T8SG V2… so with a small 1.7″ LCD screen, non-hall effect based gimbal (but improved versus the first T8SG ones). We can probably expect soon to see the introduction of the T12+ with hall gimbals and a OLED screen. Thanks to OpenTX and the JR bay, Crossfire long range TX module are supported (in theory, DeviationTX can support also this possibility but not yet implemented AFAIK). As the V2, the T12 can be powered via 4xAA batteries or via a 2S LiPo/LiHv element. Both the radio and the JP4-in-1 own a USB port to upgrade their OS/firmware respectively. Seems to be an excellent cheap radio alternative OpenTX based. Wait & See of course. Introduction: the T12 version does indeed support Crossfire and in CRSF mode with LUA script support and most importantly WITHOUT any hardware modification for end users. The T12 platform is shipped with the JP4-in-1 Multi-protocol module. such as the TBS Crossfire or any other compatible 2.4ghz JR Module, Analogue or Long Range UHF system, the T12 is ready to rock out with its socket out! A standard LCD screen was used along with the T8SG V2 butter smooth V2 gimbals. The T12 comes standard with a neck strap and AA battery tray. Can also be powered with any LiPO or LiFE battery of a compatible size ( Which means that users do not need to source their own uncommon sized Li-ion round cells or a round cell charger.) The T12, when paired with the Jumper JP4-in-1 offers seamless intergration between the OpenTX software and module meaning protocals can be accessed and selected directly from the software GUI. Crossfire users can setup their equipment via the OpenTX LUA scripts. Specification: Brand Name: Jumper Model: T12 Item Name: OpenTX 16CH Radio Transmitter with JP4-in-1 Multi-protocol RF Module Radio Transmitter Radio MCU: STM32F205VET6 (512kb) Size: 158 * 150 * 58 Weight: 342g (without battery) Working voltage: DC5-DC9V (factory with 4 * AA battery box, 2s Lipo recommended, batteries not included) Firmware: OpenTX Channels: up to 16 channel output Display: 1.7-inch LCD display, 128* 64 resolution Gimbal Type: Potentiometer JR/FrSKY compatible module bay on rear side Upgrade method: USB online upgrade Simulator mode: 3.5mm standard ppm output or USB HID Voice support: YES Radio Features: Open source multi-protocol firmware, Based on OpenTX JR/FrSKY compatible module bay on rear side (module not included) USB online firmware upgrade Ultra-low power consumption, longer battery life Channels: up to 16 channel output Wide voltage input (2s lipo recommended) Multilingual menu Vibration reminder function Support telemetry (depending on the receiver) Crossfire CSRF Compatible: Yes LUA Script support: Yes JP4-in-1 Multi-protocol RF Module Working voltage: 6-9v Working current: <=100ma Operating frequency: 2.4G ISM band RF power: +22DBM Main control chip: STM32F103CBT6 (128K ROM, 20K RAM) Module bay compatibility: FRSky, Jr and other dimensions: 64*49*33 (without antenna) Net Weight: 42g (including antenna) Software Compatibility: Suitable for radios using OpenTX or er9x/ersky9x Firmware updatable: Yes, via USB. RF Chip Data Cypress Semiconductor CYRF6936: DSM/DSMX, Walkera Devo Texas Instruments CC2500: FrSky, Futaba SFHSS Amiccom A7105: FlySky, FlySky AFHDS2A, Hubsan Nordic Semiconductor NRF24L01: HiSky, Syma, ASSAN and most other Chinese models RF Module Features: – the CC2500, NRF24L01, A7105 and CYRF6936 RF Chip modules all integrated on one board. – can convert standard PPM signals form module equipped radios in to the RF protocols -This module is plug and play with module equipped radios in the FrSKY series and requires no complex wiring or “hacking” to get running. – The Jumper JP4IN1 module is also upgradable via USB input Package Included: 1x Jumper T12 Radio Transmitter 1x JP4-in-1 Multi-protocol RF Module 1x Battery Strap 1x USB Cable View the full article

In September 2018, the fourth annual Women in Drones Luncheon, an event that strives to highlight the accomplishments of women in the commercial drone space, will take place at InterDrone, the largest commercial drone conference event in North America. InterDrone Networking Event: Women in Drones Luncheon Suzanne Lemieux, UAS Lead and Manager, API (American Petroleum Institute), will host the 2018 event. Other esteemed participants so far include Lia Reich, VP Marketing-Communications at PrecisionHawk, Sharon Rossmark, CEO and Founder of Women and Drones, and Mariah Scott, President of Skyward, A Verizon Company. An exciting development for the event this year is its partnership with Women and Drones, the largest online platform for women in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry. During the luncheon, Women and Drones will announce the 2018 Women to Watch in UAS list of honorees. These women are have made exceptional contributions to the UAS industry and were selected from hundreds of nominations. UAV Coach interviewed Sharon Rossmark, CEO and founder of Women and Drones, last year when the Women to Watch in UAS initiative first began. At that time, Rossmark shared that she envisioned the initiative as a way to identify women in the industry who are making an impact. The vision has remained clear this year as judges review hundreds of nominations from around the world and select the finalists to announce at InterDrone’s Women in Drones Luncheon. InterDrone debuted the first Women in Drones Luncheon in 2015, and it has quickly grown into a model for networking in the commercial drone industry. The 2018 conference will feature more than 120 sessions, panel discussions, and keynotes conducted by renowned industry experts, covering numerous commercial drone applications. Opportunities for networking continue during the InterDrone After Hours sessions, open to all attendees with either a full conference or expo plus pass. InterDrone will take place at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, September 5 – 7. The luncheon will be on Thursday, September 6, from 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm. UAV Coach readers can use the code UAVCOACH for $100 off any of the conference tickets. Increasing Female Representation in the Drone Industry The drone industry has created numerous jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Statistically, these job opportunities are more likely to filled by men than women. According to a 2017 report by the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), “While women continue to make gains across the broader economy, they remain underrepresented in STEM jobs and among STEM degree holders.” In the report, it was found that nearly as many women have degrees as men, but that women make up only 30% of STEM degree holders. Furthermore, it was concluded that women are underrepresented in STEM jobs. Women filled 47% of all U.S. jobs in 2015 but held only 24% of STEM jobs. Likewise, women constitute slightly more than half of college educated workers but make up only 25% of college educated STEM workers. — Office of the Chief Economist, Women in STEM: 2017 Update According to Suzanne Lemieux, UAS Lead and Manager, API (American Petroleum Institute) and luncheon moderator, the Women in Drones Luncheon will help to close the gender gap in STEM fields such as those concerning drone technology. This is an incredible time for women to enter into this emerging field, to participate in these new developments, and to pave a pathway for more girls to enter into STEM careers. I look forward to moderating the luncheon panel to help build networking opportunities for more women and girls. — Susan Lemieux, UAS Lead and Manager, API (American Petroleum Institute) Register for InterDrone InterDrone, The International Drone Conference and Exposition, is where the commercial UAV industry comes together. It is the most comprehensive conference program along with in-depth drone courses and special events, including the Enterprise After Hours and the Women in Drones Luncheon, as well as meetups designed for networking and keeping drone pilots up to date on the latest in drone news and the industry. Attendee registration is now open. Pricing is available on their website. Our advice is to purchase your ticket as early as possible for the best deal. Also, remember to use the code UAVCOACH for $100 off your ticket. UAV Coach has also partnered with InterDrone to arrange a sweepstakes and give away two free tickets to InterDrone. Visit our community forum for details on how to enter for a chance to win one of two free InterDrone tickets before the sweepstakes closes on August 7, 2018, 12AM. Members of our own UAV Coach team will be at InterDrone 2018, observing how the industry has grown, gaining new knowledge on UAS technology advancements, and meeting other drone companies. We’re so excited to return to this year’s conference. Check out this video of highlights from last year: And one last thing — let us know on Facebook if you plan to attend InterDrone 2018, and be sure to say hi if you see one of our team members at the conference! The post Increasing Female Representation in STEM | The Fourth Annual Women in Drones Networking Event Planned for InterDrone appeared first on UAV Coach. View the full article

Last month the World Economic Forum recognized Delair as a Technology Pioneer. Their selection was noteworthy for two reasons—not only were they the only drone company to be selected, they were also the only company from France to be included on the list. Those companies recognized were selected based on their potential to “transform society and industry” and to “shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” And it’s easy to see why Delair was selected. For years now, Delair has been working to push the boundaries of commercial unmanned flying with their innovative fixed wing solutions. In particular their pioneering advancements in BVLOS missions, on both the regulatory and the technological front, open new possibilities for how drones can bring more productivity and efficiency to businesses. They’ve also been making strategic partnerships with companies like Intel to help push the use of aerial data processing toward actionable insights, and, when it comes to using drones for commercial purposes, they’re one of the leading end-to-end providers in the world. About Delair Delair was founded in France in 2011, and since then they’ve largely been known for their work in creating fixed wing drones for commercial applications, including uses in mapping & surveying, oil & gas, mining, agriculture, construction, and transportation. Last year they were selected by the French government as an accredited supplier of UAVs to French government agencies. The company currently employs over 120 people worldwide, and they have a presence in over 70 countries, with over 80 resellers throughout the world. Their headquarters are in Toulouse, France, with offices in Ghent (Belgium), Singapore, and Los Angeles (USA). Although they’re commonly known for their fixed wing drones, such as the the UX11, Delair doesn’t only make drones. In fact, it’s an emphasis on the software side of the drone business that is helping them differentiate in the market. They offer an end-to-end solution for large companies, which means that, in addition to manufacturing drones, they offer a full suite of industry-specific analytics software to do aerial data processing as well intuitive flight planning tools. They also equip their drones with advanced sensing capabilities, including their most recent DT26X Lidar, a platform ideally suited for geospatial professional who require the precision Lidar enables. Focused on ROI Return on investment (ROI) has been of one of Delair’s big talking points lately, which is significant because companies—not to mention individual business owners, such as farmers—will only adopt new technology if it can actually help them save money. According to Delair, although acquiring one of their fixed wing drones might cost more up front than buying a consumer multirotor like DJI’s Phantom or Matrice, the money spent will be returned over time by significantly reducing operational costs and improving productivity. When Delair looked at the costs required to fly the same piece of land for agricultural data collection using their fixed wing DT18 Ag drone versus a multirotor drone, the results were that, over time, their fixed wing paid for itself because it was so much more efficient than the multirotor. While the fixed wing only required one flight to collect all of the data needed, the multirotor required multiple flights to collect the same amount of data, which significantly drove up the operational costs. To make this concrete, using the fixed wing over one year to fly an area of about 185,000 acres came out to a cost of about 25 cents per acre, whereas using the multirotor came out to about 6 dollars an acre. When you’re flying a huge piece of land over time, that savings is a huge difference, and will have a big impact on your company’s bottom line—you can read more about Delair’s ROI analysis for agriculture here. Delair and BVLOS Delair started early in thinking about the potential benefits of BVLOS drone flights for commercial applications. In 2011 they developed their first BVLOS prototype, and in 2012 flew the world’s first BVLOS commercial drone mission. Since then they’ve been racked up dozens of BLOS flights across the world have been working to open up BVLOS regulations in the United States (where they have actually done BVLOS flights as well, under applicable waivers). Drones are the perfect tool to bring the power of big data to large, remote, unequipped locations. – Michael de Lagarde, CEO of Delair About one year ago, Delair set a new BVLOS distance record in France with a flight of 30 miles made to inspect power lines for the utility company Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE). The flight also recorded data data used to build models of RTE’s European power grid. To support the record flight, two pilots were used for takeoff and landing, with the drone itself flying on autopilot using cellular connectivity. Safety was ensured for the flight through the use of a flight corridor, which France’s civil aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted Delair to use. Intel’s Partnership with Delair Last year, when Intel rolled out its Insight Platform for analyzing, storing, and managing data for commercial drone applications, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich proclaimed that data was the new oil. Delair is a strategic partner with Intel in the creation of the Insight Platform, which was made in part to help turn the “big data” collected by drones into actionable insights for companies. It’s all about workflow. What we want is to make this platform the center of aerial data for customers. – Michael de Lagarde, CEO of Delair Through the partnership, Intel will be able to draw on Delair’s years of experience in various industry sectors. This experience will help provide key insights into the needs of different industries, which will in turn guide the work needed to make further improvements and customizations to the Intel Insight Platform. Check out this clip from an Intel demo at InterDrone 2017, which highlighted the Intel Insight Platform: This article was sponsored by Delair. Click here to learn about the different ways you can reach our community. The post Meet Delair, the Only Drone Company Recognized as a 2018 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum appeared first on UAV Coach. View the full article

Mike Mazur is a Drone Pilot Ground School alum with a huge range of experience in cinematography. He started out working in Manhattan in post-production. From there he learned about shooting and directing, and built up his skill set to the point where he is now, as the owner of his own production company, Diario Films. Mike has worked with artists like Kesha and Steely Dan, and he’s also flown missions for non-profits in Guatemala and elsewhere around the world. We wanted to sit down and talk to Mike both about how he built up his production business, and also about his decision to add drones to his list of tools as a cinematographer. A music video on which Mike was both Aerial Cinematographer and Camera Operator — Begin interview Tell us about your background. How did you first get into work as a photographer and cinematographer? My career started out very differently from many drone pilots I’ve met and heard about. I first started work in photography and videography in post production, as an editor and and after-effects artist. For a significant part of my career I was managing a green screen studio in lower Manhattan, and only did post production work. But after a while that work became tiresome, and I realized that I didn’t really want to spend the rest of my life in a dark room, looking at other people’s adventures. So I eventually got a job as a producer, because I had been producing some of the shoots that we had done in lower Manhattan (including one with our current president, which was a funny experience). The agency I was working for, which was called Cross Borders, eventually merged into another agency called Rain, and that was a creative agency where I handled projects in which we were creating digital content for corporations to use in one form or another. We worked with companies like Walmart, Subway, and Hess. Although I wasn’t very enthusiastic about a lot of the more corporate work, we got to make a short documentary series about sports in America to be used in tandem with the 2012 Olympics, and I really loved that work. The goal of the series was to showcase how American society looks at sports—we did an episode on the Special Olympics, one on Jackie Robinson, things like that. While at Rain, in addition to working in production I started picking up a camera. The first thing I really learned how to shoot well was a time lapse—I’d always be shooting time lapse photography while these bigger projects were going on. But we’d always hire a cinematographer and a director of photography to come and shoot the project for me. And then, when I was 29, I had a sort of serendipitous occasion on a trip to Guatemala, back in January of 2013. I ended up getting a fellowship with a non-profit there, and staying for the entire year of 2013 doing work in both Central America and Southeast Asia. To do this work, I would literally go from country to country, from town to town, with a big backpack that had a camera, a tripod, and a laptop. So I was finding stories, shooting them, directing them, editing them—I was delivering them, all by myself. And that was one of the coolest experiences of my life. When I came back from that year I had so much experience to draw from for my work in cinematography. I wanted to finish a documentary I’d started about a famous figure in Puerto Rico, so I teamed up with my friend Fernando, who is a brilliant cinematographer, and we raised a few thousand dollars through an Indiegogo campaign, and we spent two weeks on the island and were able to finish the project. Around the same time, I met a producer named Matty Parker, who had just secured the life rights for the story of a man who was the first African American to play in the NBA, who is named Earl Lloyd. The NBA film premiered a little while back at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and we’ve secured international distribution, so we’re really excited about that. So that’s the story of how I went from work in post-production to getting behind the camera. What made you start using drones in your work? It’s kind of a funny story. At the same time DJI released the Osmo, which allows you to get incredibly smooth shots, and the X5 Handle—but the two didn’t actually work together. They said it would, but in reality, it just didn’t. (The following spring, after releasing these two products, they released a little piece that allowed you to connect one to the other.) The X5 handle was pretty expensive—it cost more than $2,000—but I couldn’t use it since it didn’t connect to the Osmo, so for a while I just had this really expensive paper weight sitting in my office. At the same time, I’d been wanting to expand my repertoire and my business, and so I just compulsively bought a DJI Inspire 1 and started flying. Check out this reel of Mike’s drone footage How did you first start using drones as a commercial pilot? The first time I flew a drone on a shoot was for a job in Guatemala, for a non-profit called the Friendship Brigade, which does loans to women in rural areas to help them start businesses. (This was on a return trip, not during my first period there where I was given the job to travel around the world.) After that first experience, I realized that I really loved shooting with a drone, and I realized how much it improved the quality of the work that I did there. The piece I made for the non-profit was a profile of a woman named Gilanda. She used the loans to really improve her life, and she helped all these other women in the community improve their lives. Being able to follow her from the sky, and to shoot her house, was huge, since part of what she did with the money she borrowed was expand her home. And even at the end of the video I was able to get a great shot with my Inspire I that really helped close things out. A picture of Mike in Guatemala with his drone Have you ever crashed during a shoot? Who hasn’t? No, but seriously, I definitely have had to deal with a crash, and it was heart breaking. I was in Puerto Rico working on that documentary I talked about earlier, and still fairly new to flying. I was flying near a lake, and decided to pull back a bit without turning the camera around and looking at what was behind the drone—I just impulsively went backwards, and I got the drone stuck in a tree, about a hundred feet in the air. Before I knew it a local man was chopping down the tree to get the drone back, and he’d cut it down within less than ten minutes with his machete. And I watched in agony as the tree turned in the air, at the last minute, and completely crushed the drone. It was definitely a learning experience. Since then I’ve been through the Drone Pilot Ground School course, and I know a lot more about how to check yourself and be careful when you’re flying, to prevent those types of scenarios from arising in the first place. When did you start flying commercially in the U.S.? I shot abroad quite a bit, in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, India, France, both with a drone and with other equipment And finally, when I was back in the U.S. and ready to work I decided I wanted to pursue Part 107 certification and became a professional drone pilot here. I made the decision for a few reasons: I wanted to know the material, I wanted to get better at flying—and I figured the certification process would push me to do that, too—and I also wanted to separate myself from other cinematographers, who either weren’t flying drones at all, or who were flying drones illegally. This was in late 2016, shortly after the Part 107 rules had come out, and I knew a few cinematographers who would just use a drone in shoots without knowing the rules at all. They’d show me their drone footage, and some of it would just be so illegal. A drone picture Mike took on one of his many trips Have you ever had to turn down work because it would violate the Part 107 rules? There have been multiple times where I’ve had to turn down jobs because I didn’t have the night time waiver, which I applied for and wasn’t able to get. I’ve also had to turn down work in New York City on a few different occasions. Even though many locations in New York look like they’re OK for flying when you’re in the AirMap app, you then learn that the reality is way more confusing. And, of course, NYC claims to have a city-wide ban on drone flights, but even that doesn’t actually seem legal, it’s just something that the city has put on their website to discourage people from figuring out where they actually can and can’t fly. Basically, it’s so confusing that I’ve decided not to do it, since I don’t want to risk breaking the law. How do you typically find clients? Word of mouth is key. Every job I get is essentially stems from an existing group of contacts that I’ve built gradually over the years, and we all support each other and give each other work. Almost everything I do is an extension of some kind of work, some kind of contact that I’ve made in the past through previous networking. Your experience just snowballs. If a contact I have sends me any kind of opportunity, I’ll immediately stop what I’m doing and apply to it. And often, because it comes along with my contact’s recommendation, I’ll get the job. Of course, your work has to be solid enough to get your foot in the door, and you also have to be able to deliver when you show up to do the job. One thing I did that helped me get work, and really distinguish myself, was that when I upgraded my cinematography services and started adding drone services as well, I made sure to send out emails to my contacts and let them know, and share my aerial reel. And actually, creating that reel was one of the most important things I did to get those new clients who were interested in aerial shots. After my first drone shoots in Guatemala, I did some aerial shoots in New York and New Jersey, just flying around my family’s home, and put a reel together to show off my new skill set. The key is to just keep chipping away—adding on footage to your reel, making it better and more diverse as you get more jobs, and also to keep adding on skill sets. If you make it your goal to keep growing and keep getting better at what you do, you will find work—it may not always be easy, but it will come. The post Adding Drones to Your Cinematography Repertoire: An Interview with Mike Mazur, Owner of Diario Films appeared first on UAV Coach. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The ARRIS X210S is 210mm FPV racer with 5″ props. It’s based on solid ingredient. 5mm carbon arms, 30A BLheli_S/Dshot600 ESC 4S compatible, strong 2205 (or even better 2206) motors, a great CCD Foxeer camera, a 48CH up to 600mW IRC Tramp compatible VTX. All ingredients are here to have a really nice and powerfull racer. The X210S is proposed in three BNF versions: i) FrSky in D16 mode, ii) FlySky in AFHDS-2A and with iii) specktrum solution. BOX CONTENT + 1 x ARRIS X210S + 4 x 5″ props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Camera OSD board + 1 x Velcro band + 1 x USB to microUSB cable + 1 x Instruction manual (English/Chinese) No spare props …. in the bundle but we have the extra OSD board associated with the Foxeer arrow mini camera. OVERVIEW The X210S presents a lower structure fully carbon based with 5mm of section for arms !!!! Super solid. But the machine is not full carbon based, Most of the cage is 5mm aluminium based. The cage is attached to bottom part via a leg design where in case of frontal crash, most of the energy will be transmitter to rear segment. -FRONT VIEW -SIDE VIEW On top the 48CH VTX IRC Tramp compatible. The VTX’s control is done via the connexion between the VTX and this 5p JST connector with one unique yellow wire. The RHCP antenna is attached via a specific HF connector. Notice the presence of the cap on the lead cable to filter out most interference/noise from motors. -REAR VIEW Two leds pre-programmed in betaflight and centrally a buzzer. You will have to assign a switch for this function, it’s not pre-defined. -UPPER VIEW -BOTTOM VIEW A carbon plate is here to protect the bottom surface of the battery. A foam is also here. -WEIGHT More than 315g for the machine standalone…. It’s not among the lightest 210mm machine Motors I received the 2206/2450Kv version…. the most powerfull edition branded directly by arris. Unfortunatly, there are not 6S compatible. Camera module Probably one of the best element in this bundle, the presence of the foxeer arrow mini pro with a FOV of 140 degrees. The two positions JST connector is here to plug the OSD board. By default, some specific foxeer OSD information are displayed in supplement of betaflight OSD ones. There are redondant informations. To turn on/off these OSD information, you will need to long press the up button to enter in the OSD menu of the foxeer camera. The camera can be tilted from -10 degrees up to 60 degrees. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT The machine comes Betaflight 3.3.1 pre-installed. The LEDs, basic flight modes and receiver configuration according to your BNF version comes pre-configured. Unfortunatly, for the FrSky version the XM+ is not flashed with the firmware exporting the RSSI. The relative good news, the receiver is connected via a 5p microJST connector and it’s easy to access to the three wires for the flashing procedure with your favorite taranis radio. I decided to test exclusively this machine in 4S configuration with some 1300mAh/1500mAh LiPo. In this case, I advise to lower the D values in betaflight around 20 to remove oscillations. First of all, with the 2206 motors, the machine is extremely powerfull !!!! A real monster. A real kick for each 100% throttle input despite being close to 500g. It’s easy to gain 20m high in a fraction of second. Acro styile figures are super super easy. In acro, the machine is flying on some rails. Good news also, for 6-axis stabilized flght modes, no drift can be observed. I am positively surprized by the rendition of the CCD foxeer camera as well… The WDR algorithm works beautifully. No majors noise can be noticed in the FPV signal… and even with the default 25mW output power, the FPV range exceeds 130m so no problem of FPV range when set to 600mW via the OSD command. With a 1500mAh, you can expect about 5min of flight time in pure acro style !!!! It’s a good. CONCLUSIONS A good machine with good electronic elements, well designed and robust. In 4S configuration, this machine flies beautifully. I didn’t see major drawback. In another hand, there are a lot of competitors in this size segment and some are already 6S compatible. In any case, announced around 180USD, the ARRIS X210S is a very interesting machine. PROS + Very durable with 5″ carbon arms + Powerfull machine + 5″ machine + Great CCD camera + F4 w/ 30A ESC 4S compatible + VTX w/ IRC Tramp support + No Jello + >5min flight time + Cheap CONS – FrSky XM+ not flashed with RSSI compatible firmware – No extra spare props – Right-hand thread only for the four motors dump_BF_3_3_1 This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Hobby-wing 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 179USD at https://www.hobby-wing.com/arris-x210s-210mm-5-inches-fpv-racing-drone.html View the full article

Remember the C-fly obtain, a clone of the DJI Mavic ?. A complete desaster in most points: poor fligh time, poor gimbal stabilization, poor camera performances, poor software… Today, they present a clone of the DJI Spark with the C-fly dream: https://www.banggood.com/C-Fly-DREAM-GPS-WIFI-FPV-With-2-Axis-Gimbal-1080P-HD-Camera-Optical-Flow-RC-Drone-Quadcotper-RTF-p-1321873.html A 250g machine with a 2-axis stabilization system like the spark… but no mention (and it’s probably not the case) about a potential Electronic stabilization for the yaw direction like the spark. The flight time is announced about 15min, probably 12 maximum in practice. Another important remark… Like the Obtain, videos are shooted in 1080p resolution but no frame rate mentioned. I bet it uses the same sensor with a maximum of 24-25fps!!!! so clearly very choppy recordings in practice. The control is done in the 5.8G band so probably incompatible with some europeans android devices if no channel selection can be done. Ok it’s twice cheaper than a spark but IMHO, it’s urgent to wait first feedbacks about this machine. I am afraid, it will be another DJI wanabee failure…. Wait & See. Specifications: Aircraft Size 148 X 145 X 60 mm (L x W x H) Wheelbase 175mm Weight (Battery & Propellers Included) 248g Motor 18*12mm 1900KV Max Ascent Speed 2m/s Max Descent Speed 1.5m/s Max Speed 20km/h Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level 3000m Max Flight Time 15mins Max Total Travel Distance 3km Operating Temperature Range 0~40° Satellite Positioning Systems GPS/GLONASS Hover Accuracy Range Vertical: +/- 0.5 m Horizontal: +/- 0.5 m (when Optical flow is active): +/- 1.0m Operating Frequency FCC: 5.150-5.250GHZ CE: 5.150-5.250GHz Transmitter Power (EIRP) 5.2GHz FCC:<=23dBm Optical flow system Optical Flow System yes Operating Environment Surface with clear pattern and adequate lighting (lux >15) Velocity Range ≤1.5 m/s at 6.6 ft (2 m) above ground Altitude Range 0.5~5m Gimbal Controllable Range Pitch: -90°~0° Stabilization 2-axis (pitch, roll) Camera Sensor 1/2.7″CMOS Lens FOV 110° 42 mm (35 mm format equivalent) ISO Range Video: 100 – 3200 Photo: 100 – 1600 Image Size 2560*1440 Video Recording Resolution FHD: 1920*1080 Supported File Systems FAT32 (<=32GB) Photo JPEG Video MP4 Supported SD Cards Micro SD Max capacity: 32GB. Class 10 or UHS-1 rating required Operating Temperature Range 0~40° Live View Mobile App C-Fly Live View Quality 720p FPV Transmission Distance 800m Required Operating Systems iOS 9.0 or later Android 4.4 or later WiFi Operating Frequency 5G Max Transmission Distance Horizontal: 200m Vertical: 150m Max Speed 20 km/h Max Ascent Speed 2 m/s Max Descent Speed 1 m/s Battery Capacity 1000 mAh Voltage 11.4V Battery Type LiPo 3S Energy 10.83 Wh Net Weight about 72g Charging Temperature Range 5~40° Max Power 15W Charger Voltage 12.6V Rated Power 18W Remote Controller (RTF) Operating Frequency 5GHz Max Transmission Distance 800m Operating Temperature Range 0~40° Transmitter Power (EIRP) FCC: <=26dBm CE: <=20dBm SRRC: <=20dBm Operating Current/Voltage 1.5A@3.7V Supported Mobile Device Size Thickness Supported: 6.5-8.5mm Max length: 80mm Port Types Micro USB Charge USB port Max Charging Power 5w Battery of Remote Controller (RTF) Capacity 2600mAh Voltage 3.7V Battery Type LiPo 18650 1S Energy 9.62Wh Net Weight about 60g Operating Temperature Range 5~40° Features: – Small total weight is 248g, with a new vision 2-axis gimbal, easy to carry, easy to shoot. – Precision hover, bulit-in GPS+Glonass system,make the drone stable. – With advanced Optical flow system, it has better adaptability to all kinds of ground textures. – With 2-axis gimbal, pitch angle 0°-90°,720P FPV, 1080P high quality video.guarantee a perspective and unique image. – One key take off/landing. Humanized design,more intelligent flight. – One key return, will return automatically, make everything simple. – Dream can fly 15mins, control distance is about 800m. – Waypoints function, Follow me mode, Fly around mode. – Low battery protection, flight control fail-safe. Package Included: 1 x C-Fly Dream Quadcopter 1 x 1080P Camera 1 x 2-Axis Gimbal 1 x Transmitter (BNF Version Not Included) 1 x 11.4V 1000mAh Lipo Battery 2 x Propeller 1 x Charger 1 x Tranmitter Battery (BNF Version Not Included) 1 x Tranmitter USB Charging Cable 1 x Manual View the full article

Remember the JJRX H62 Splendor, the first toyquadcopter with a really efficient target tracking ?. Here is a new model with the same advanced tracking system:https://www.banggood.com/HR-SH7-WIFI-FPV-With-1080P-HD-Camera-18mins-Flight-Time-Altitude-Hold-Mode-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1321874.html But now we have a 1080p FPV WiFi link instead of the a 720p. Unfortunatly, no builtin DVR to record natively the HD source flux… and also according to the associated photos, no wide-angle lens is installed. Whatever, thanks to the 1200mAh battery, 18min of flight time is advertized. A barometer helps to keep the altitude for indoors/outdoors applications. Three speed modes are pre-programmed to fight some windy conditions. More the SH7 has a gesture recognition system to trigger the photo/video modes. Of course it’s a basic brushed machine, no EIS… but for around 50 bucks, this toyquadcopter can be interesting as a first cheap video plateform. Description: Item Name:HR SH7 RC Quadcopter Color: Black, White (Optional) Quadcopter Size: 32*30*11cm Take off weihgt:151g Box Size: 35*16*22cm Gyro: 6-axis Frequency: 2.4G Channel:4CH Battery: 3.7V (1200mAh) (included) Transmitter Power: 4 x 1.5V AAA battery(not included) Flight time: about 18 minutes Charging time: about 90 minutes R/C distance: 100m WIFI transmission distance:50m Camera Pixel:1080P Features: – Manually capture the targert by intelligent visual trackng system recognition analysis. Achieve follow-up shooting and customize the locked position of the object in the picture(Tips:indoor open environment operation,outdoor unmanned environment operation) – Equipped with 1080P high-definition camera,you can easily achieve aerial film-style framing,help you shoot large-scale material. – With wifi function can be connected APP, APK system to take pictures, video, real-time transmission through the phone camera image. – With 1200mAh larger capacity battery for longer playing time, flight time up to 18mins. – Set high,determined by air pressure.With altitude hold mode function provides stable flight. – With Headless Mode,no need to adjust the position of aircraft before flying . – With One key to return function makes it easily to find the way home. – 2.4GHz Technology Adopted for Anti-Interference. – 4 Channel which can do ascend, descend, forward, backward, left sideward fly, right sideward fly and rolling 360°. – 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control. – It have 3-level flight speed to switch that can make more fun with the flying. – It can realize 3D tumbling 360°rolling in four directions with 4 LED lights. – The quadcopter fuselage is made of high strength and resistant engineering plastics,lightweight and durable resistance. Function: Up/down, Forward/backward,Turn left/right, Sideward flight, LED Light, Headless Mode, 3-level flight speed;One Key Automatic Return,Air pressure high hold mode;WIFI FPV;Long battery life;Gesture photo/video, smart follow Package Included: 1 x SH7 Aircraft 1 x Transmitter 4 x Protection Ring 1 x 3.7V 1200mAh Battery 4 x Propeller 3 x Tripod 1 x USB Charging Cable 1 x Screwdriver 1 x User Manual View the full article

A new competitor of the excellent Runcam split micro is announced by Caddx: https://www.banggood.com/Caddx-Turtles-FOV-145-Degree-Super-WDR-Mini-FPV-Camera-1080P-60fps-DVR-HD-Recording-OSD-for-RC-Drone-p-1320281.html It’s a 12g module able to record HD video in 1080p@60fps via the builtin microDVR and broadcast the FPV signal. No information about the associated latency.. and it’s a really important missing point. Like the runcam modele the FPV view offers 145 degrees FOV while the HD recording a little bit more wider FOV up to 165 degrees. The camera is in 16:9 format only. Be aware, it’s not a CCD sensor but a 800TVL CMOS 1/2.7″ sensor with a pretty good light sensitivity of 0.01Lux. The good news, is the lighter weight and price versus the runcam model. The camera is linked to the main electronic board via a DJI’s style riboon cable. Specification Image sensor: 1/2.7″ CMOS sensor Horizontal: 800TVL TV system: NTSC/PAL,changeable Power Input: DC 4-20V FOV : 145° Recording FOV :165° Mini Illumination: 0.01lux Dimension: SD Slot Module 28*29mm / Camera 19*19mm (installed with 20*20mm, expand to 30*30mm ) Net weight: 12g(more or less) Lens: F1.8 Turbo Eye Color: RED Only Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Package Included 1 x Caddx Turtles Camera View the full article

After the Semi-fiasco of the F7X, TopSky will introduce soon a complete new FPV goggles: https://www.facebook.com/fpvTOPSKY/?hc_ref=ARTqpCCPZig2zc7QgcvOUQ52zOufSJvQH0KquCWz9SMQCt3dhnXkTnXw2bQv73Ufq2c&fref=gs&dti=1779173945719852&hc_location=group Actually the model don’t have an official name but main new features are: Characteristics: -Big FOV (46 degrees) -SVGA displays (800×600… so no more based on LCOS technology but more on classic LCD/LED) -Improved DVR -Quad Diversity (like the EV200D) -Redesigned receiver bay for be compatible with most after market receiver -Optimized usability -Integrated RGB adjustment -58mm-72mm IPD ajustement -4:3/16:9 Aspect radio switchable This new FPV product will be very close from the Eachine EV200D…. TopSky have a lot of pressure over their shoulders….. Their first FPV product was too buggy. View the full article

Want a super light AIO Module compatible with smart audio ? Boring to change manually the Vfreq/Vband ?. This V2 version of the Turbowing Cyclops is maybe for you: https://www.banggood.com/Turbowing-Cyclops-Mini-5_8G-25mW-48CH-AIO-FPV-Camera-VTX-Transmitter-Combo-Support-Smart-Audio-v1-p-1318070.html It’s a 3g module uncased up to 4.2g with the full protection. For the camera part, it’s based on a 700TVL CMOS Sensor and FOV will be around 110 degrees approximatively. 48CH channels are supported and transmitted with 25mW. Now 5 wires are here. The blue one is for the smart audio and must be connected to a TX pad of a free UART port of your FC. If you have a recent betaflight version installed, selected correctly the Smart audio protocol with the associated UART, you will be able to select the Vband/Vfreq from the OSD. This module can a good candidate to replace the original AIO system from the excellent UR65/Snapper 6. Specification: Output Power:25mw Supply Voltage:2.9-5.5v Frequency Band:5362-5945 Mhz Channel Customer:48 Channel Sel:Touch Switch Input Format:Ntsc/Pal Camera Resolution:700tvl Lens Angel:h:120°/v:100° Operating Temperature:-10℃~+60℃ Pcb Profile Dimension:14.5mmx12mm+15mmx15.6mm Miniature And Light Weight Design: 3g Total Weight: 4.2g Features: Compatible With Smartaudio v1 Protocol. Mounting Bracket Hole Position:Standard m2 Screw Hole Position. Package Included: 1 x 5.8g 48ch Fpv Camera & Transmitter 1 x English Manual Instructions: 1.Red And Blue Two Rows Lights Different Colors Blinking Combinations Will Move Position Of Thefrequency; 2.With Blue Led Lights Abcdef Expressed As a Frequency Group, With a Red Led Light 12345678 Shows As The Channel; 3.Frequency Selection:Long Press The Button For 2 Seconds To Enter The Frequency Group Settings, Press The Button To Change The Frequency Group From a To f, Select The Appropriate Options You Want Then Long Press The Button To Exit Frequency Group Settings; 4.Change Channels-Short Pressing The Button, Will Changes The Channel To 1 Through 8, Select The Appropriate Option To Complete the Frequency Selection. P.S I will try to resume little by little drone-maniac.com. I need to move forward, even if my heard is still broken by my father’s lost. I received a lot of support. I would like to thank you so much. It helped me a lot. View the full article

INTRODUCTION The Funsnap Idol is a new challenger in the category of selfie drone. It’s a new competitor for the Zerotech Dobby, Alphatech, Rcmoment drone and many many others. The Idol is a foldable brushless machine equiped of a 1080p@30fps 1/3″ sensor relatively easy to transport. You have officially a flight stablization done via GPS for outdoors and a camera/ultrasonic sensors more for indoors applications. The machine is relatively smart with a visual target tracking, gesture recognition and three basic selfiedrone flight modes. Let’s discover this machine. BOX CONTENT + 1 x Funsnap Idol + 1 x 2S 1800mAh LiHV battery + 1 x Charger + 1 x AC/DC Power unit + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Instruction manual (English) The proprietary charger. A blinking blue light is here when charging and becomes solid as soon as the charge is done. Expect 1h to full charge the battery from a depleted situation. OVERVIEW First of all, the machine is surprizingly not small …. a 190mm unfolded and more with the full external dimensions (250mm). Not sure, it’s really compatible with selfiedrone applications. -FRONT VIEW The design is very similar to the RCmoment drone with a unique tube body and two latteral propguard/arm system. Good news, no occlusion at all for camera recordings whatever the tilt angle of the camera. -SIDE VIEW On each side, a small landing skid is here to stabilize correctly the machine on the ground. The left side presents a microUSB port where you can extract recorded photos&videos. There is a 8Gb builtin memory. No possibility to extend it, at least easily. You will need to power the machine to correctly access to these files. -REAR VIEW A unique power button. You must hold it more than 5s to power the machine. The light start from blue to red when fully powered. You will hear the ESC boot buzzing. -UPPER VIEW It’s really easy to unfold the machine and thanks to these four magnet pads… arms remain in place without problem. -BOTTOM VIEW For low altitude (<= 1.5m) and indoors flight, a small VPU and ultra sonic sensor are here to stabilize the machine. -WEIGHT More than 360g with the battery…… Clearly it’s heavy !!!!!! and no stablized gimbal in the menu…. Ok Ok one would say it’s a 180USD machine…. and free lunch for that price. Motors and props Some triblade props LiHV battery A Large 1800 mAh 2S LiHV. Expect 1h to charge it. Insert the battery by the front first then press the rear side until you hear to clips. To release the battery, it’s easier to fold first the machine to press the two latteral plastic clips. Camera module A 1/3″ CMOS sensor with 77 degrees of FOV… Not super wide… At least the gimbal can be controlled manually via the appz. Even a positive angle can be applied, around +15 degrees and almost -90 degrees. Ideal for the rocket selfie flight mode. Here is a raw video sample. As you can see no EIS …. but in windfree condition, results are not so bad. The camera sensor’s job is correct in term of color rendition and light sensifitivity. Strange thing, for some mp4 recording, we have a variable datarate or a fixed one to 30fps. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT You must download the “Funsapp Idol” appz available for both iOS and Android. For android, two important remark must be done. 1) For some of my Android 7 devices, the appz was not available in google play. I had to install the corresponding APK file manually 2) The connexion is done with a 5.8G WiFi link you must have a compatible 802.11 ac device but it’s not over… The link is done via the channel 153 and no possibility to change the channel. In practice, it means that a lot of europeans android owners…. you won’t be able to connect your device to the Idol….. It’s really a shame that there is no parameters/procedure to change this chanel. If you are living in US/China, you should have no problem of connexion. Proof of the poor instruction manual quality…. the password for the WiFi connexion is even not printed. Luckely, it’s the classic: “123456789”. For the first connexion, I upgraded the FC firmware. Be aware, the procedure is 5min long. You will have to wait until the machine autopoweroff. You can feel that the appz is far to be mature. For example, the top horizontal bar where current craft dynamic information are displayed is almost unreadable even with a 10″ tablet. I don’t like also the two top right button. One for the advanced features and for the craft setting. For the craft settings, you can choose between two speed modes, between mode 2 and mode 1 controls and to turn on/off headless mode. For the advanced features, we have a mix between the (intelligent tracking&gesture recognition) and the three selfiedrone flight modes: dronie/orbit and rocket. For the intelligent tracking, you need first to turn on this feature before to select a rectangle in the central area where is the target of interest is epected to be. Why this button is not directly available from the main interface ?. For the the gesture recognition..it’s even more pity…. There is no instruction at all about the pre-programmed gestures…. Incredible…. At least the associated visual algorithm associated with the target tracking works correctly…. but far to be fantastic. It’s not hard to loose the track especially with very strong sunrays. More ….. the machine only center the target via yaw moves but I didn’t observe any forward/backard/left/right movements…. to follow the target…. Concerning the three selfiedrone modes… the circular is not an orbit one !!! it’s just a clockwise 360 degrees self-rotation on itself…. It’s absoluptly not rotating around the person holding the smarphone/tablet…. Crap. The dronie and the rocket are more classic …. Two important remark: 1) There is no way to change one setting of these three flight modes 2) When turned on, these modes turn on then off automatically the video recording. The machine fixes GPS/Glonass satellites relatively fast and the stability of the machine pretty good. In another hand, the Idol is noisy…. it will be hard in a park to use this machine if it’s crowdy. Finally the most annoying point, especially versus competitors…. is the absence of EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization)…. Results are not bad in windfree conditions…. I didn’t observe major frame rate disorders especially for fast yaw mouvements…. but as soon as the wind will blow a bit more …. don’t expect miracle in term of video stabilization. The flight duration is also not impressive …. around 8-9min… CONCLUSIONS Unfortunatly the Funsapp Idol is not the selfiedrone of the year…. Too many drawbacks: heavy, large, no EIS, immature appz, poor flight time. More the advanced features can’t be tuned at all so hard to shoot your favorite snapvideo with. In another hand, it’s not a complete fiasco, the stabilization and the 1080p recording are not bad, better than the RCmoment drone for example but globally the zerotech dobby is still superior to this iDol. PROS + Correct 1080p@30 videos + Correct 720p FPV link + Foldable + Good & accurate Visual&GPS stabilization + 1-axis gimbal controlable via the appz CONS – No EIS – 5.8G FPV transmission incompatible with a lot of european Android (Channel 153) – Poor/incomplete appz where a lot of parameters can’t be tune (camera/selfie flight modes, etc…) – Not small – No real target tracking – Poor visual tracking performances – No real Orbit mode – Dronies flight modes force to stop the current 1080p recording – > 360g – Noisy – Propguard innefficient to protect fingers from bottom side – 8-9 min of flight time 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 179USD at https://www.banggood.com/FUNSNAP-iDol-AI-Gesture-Recognigtion-WIFI-FPV-With-1080P-HD-Camera-Foldable-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-p-1301722.html View the full article

INTRODUCTION The SPCMaker S125 is the first compact (3″) FPV racer directly integrating the great Runcam Split Mini module. What does it mean ? It means that you can enjoy a great FPV feedback with a powerfull CCD sensor while recording simultaneously and without extra latency some 1080p@60fps videos !!!!. It’s a huge step forward in the FPV racing area…..Maybe in a couple of years, the 1080P resolution will be also for the FPV link. Whatever, with the S125, we have a 125mm machine with 1106/5500Kv 4S compatible motors, super strong 20A BLheli_S/Dshot600 ESC. As already mentioned the FPV/DVR part is based on the Runcam Split Mini. Two different FOV are associated with this sensor: one about 135 degrees for the FPV live part, a 160 wider for HD recordings. All the electronic is completly jailed into a pure 3K carbon structure where arms are 3mm. The machine can be found in BNF with two type of receivers: a FrSky XM+ (D16) and a FlySky AFHDS-2A. Let’s discover this potential new most advanced FPV racer. BOX CONTENT + 1 x SPCMaker S125 + 4 x 3″ props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Battery strap No spare props …. no instruction manual at all to help to bind the receiver, to set the VTX….. A real shame…. from a deluxe machine like the S125. OVERVIEW It’s compact…. 125mm machine… where the free room when the runcam split mini is installed is almost 0mm. Arms are 3mm and look strong even if arms looks not so large… -FRONT VIEW The runcam mini is connected to send the video signal to the FC & VTX modules…. But as you can see, no other connexion on the free RX&TX pads to control for example the camera trigerring via the remote… What a pity !!!!! You will need first to disasemble all the machine to access more easily to these pads and the UART3/6 pads …. -SIDE VIEW The microSD slot is located on the right side. First raise the metallic bar to insert the card until you hear the click. Thanks to this bar, the risk of ejection during a crash is mimized. The 40CH 5.8G VTX installed on top offers one unique button. The Vfreq/Vband/output power selection is done sequentially. Notice the Vfreq are sorted ascendly according to the following table The default Vfreq is the A1=5645Mhz. The selection is done as this diagram. Press 3s to enter into the Vfreq selection mode, then short press to cycle within the selected row. Long press one more time 3s to select the row… and one more time 3s to choose between 25mW and 100mW. The Runcam module is installed with a fixed angle about 30 degrees…. and no possibility to tune it Good news, a small caps is installed behind the buzzer-lights module in order to filter out most noise from ESC/motors. -REAR VIEW Two lights are jailing a buzzer. These lights are not programmed in Betaflight ….. What’s a pity. -UPPER VIEW The FrSky XM+ is attached to the 5.8G antenna via a zip-tie. The bind button is easy to access. -BOTTOM VIEW -WEIGHT 108g without the battery…. so about 18g more heavier than 120mm with classic FPV solution. A litttle bit less than 170g with a 4S 500mAh LiPo. Motors and props 1106/5500Kv Sunnysky motors. Very strong…… and no problem to support 4S setup. They are just warm after usage. Some 2840 props triblades are provided. They required 10mm M2 hexscrews. What a pity that no spare props are provided in the bundle. Camera module A raw video sample of 1080p@60fps recording UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT The default PIDs of Betaflight 3.17 shows low values for P & D. They have been optimized for this machine. In another hand, BF 3.17 is quied old now and no possibility to enjoy the runcam protocol for example with this branch. As already mentioned, unfortunatly the FrSky XM+ receiver is not flashed with a modern firmware exporting the RSSI on the last channel. And no possibility to flash it directly without desodering the receiver from the FC. The Betaflight settings have been optimized for PIDs. You have to program your own OSD & flight modes and Lights preferences. When the battery is connected, the runcam split automatically starts the recording. Good news, even if the battery is disconnected while recording, most part of the file is not corrupted.!!!!! That’s great. In 4S, the machine hoover from 25% of throttle input. There is a huge amount of power available !!!!! Really impressive. No oscillation with maximum throttle inputs!!!! Great. More in 6-axis stabilized modes, no drifts at all. A really pleasante flyer. A small red circle point is here in the FPV signal to indicate when recordings is turned on. What is impressive is the super low latency of the runcam split mini….. ideal for FPV racing. More…. both FPV and 1080p offers jellofree rendering. In term of flight time, with a 550mAh 4S LiPo you can expect 3min30 of flight time. CONCLUSIONS The SPCMaker S125 represents clearly the most advanced advanced compact FPV racer. It’s powerfull, well tuned, durable and the runcam split mini is a great little combo. This machine would have been perfect if two minors details were there: i) The possibility to control the Runcam Split Mini via the FC… It need to solder two wires from the camera to the FC and ii) to flash the FrSky XM+ with a recent firmware to enjoy RSSI on OSD. PROS + Great and powerfull flyer + Most advanced 3″ FPV racer + Integrated Runcam Split Mini + Great FPV cam + Jello free for both FPV & 1080p videos + 20A BLheli_S/Dshot600 4S compatible ESC + Solid frame + Autorecording by default + Video files almost entierly saved even with a hard crash CONS – Runcam split mini not connected to the FC – Fixed orientation of the camera – FrSky XM+ not flashed the RSSI compatible firmware – No possibility to control the VTX via OSD – Partial occlusion of props & frame in the 1080p recordings – No instruction manual – No spare props – Flashed with an old BF version Dump_BF_3_17_S125 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 229USD at https://www.banggood.com/SPC-MAKER-S125-FPV-Racing-Drone-PNP-Omnibus-F4-20A-Blheli_S-ESC-Runcam-Split-Mini-5_8G-40CH-VTX-p-1295246.html View the full article

A second FPV racer including a Runcam split mini is announced: https://www.banggood.com/IFlight-iH3-3-Inch-142_5mm-F3-15A-ESC-5_8G-FPV-Racing-Drone-w-RunCam-Split-Mini-1080P-Camera-p-1309177.html This one comes after the SPCMaker S125 (soon be reviewed @D-M). The dimensions are slightly larger (142.5mm). The iH3 comes with 1106/6000KV motors coupled with 3″ props. There is also a 15A BLheli_S/Dshot600 4-in-1 ESC board 3S maximum compatible. The flight controller is a classic F3 model in 20mmx20mm format. The full carbon frame offers at least 3mm arms section. The Runcam camera module is well protected from frontal crash and we have the possibility to uptilt the camera. The machine standalone weights 124g… so should converges about 160g with a 3S 550mAh LiPo. Three choices of receiver are proposed: a FrSky solution with the D16 XM+, a FlySky AFHDS-2A and a Futaba FASST. Specification: Brand Name: IFlight Model: iH3 Item Name: 3 Inch F3 5.8G FPV Racing Drone Version: PNP ( Without Receiver ) ; With Compatible Frsky XM+ Receiver With Compatible Flysky FS-A8S Receiver With Compatible Futaba FASST MINI SUBS Receiver Weight: 124.1g ( Not include battery) Hover Time: 5mins Wheelbase: 142.5mm Frame weight: 39g Bottom plate thickness: 3mm Top plate thickness: 2mm Vertical side plates thickness: 2mm Vertical side plates width: 19mm Standoffs mouting distance: 22mm Flight Controller & ESC: 20x20mm IFlight Mini F3 & 15A BLheli_S ESC Flytower – F3 Integrated with betaflight OSD, 5V@3A BEC output – BLheli_S firmware, support Oneshot, multishot, Dshot150, DShot300 and DShot600 Brushless Motor: IFlight iPower Force 1106 6000KV Motor Propeller: Emax AVAN Mini 3024 3-Blade Propeller ( Clear Red Color ) FPV Transmitter: IFlight Force Mini 48CH 25MW/100MW/200MW S.BUS VTX Camera: Runcam Split Mini 1080P/60fps HD recording & WDR FPV camera Antenna: Foxxer Pagoda Atenna ( SMA ) Recommend Lipo Battery: 2S 850mAh Or 3S 550mAh ( Not Included in package ) Package Included: 1x IFlight iH3 142.5mm Drone 1x LED w/ Buzzer 1x Strap for Battery 1x XT30 Cable 1x XT30 to JST Cable 1x Magic Tie View the full article

How I will survive without you ?….. View the full article

INTRODUCTION After the excellent Happymodel Snapper6, here is a new 65mm microbrushless FPV machine, i.e. the URUAV UR65. To make short, it’s based at 90% with the same incredients: same Crazybee F3 board, same AIO FPV module, same bundle… only the frame and the KV of the 0603 motors are differents. For the UR65, we have a machine 3g lighter but with slightly slower 0603 motors: 17000Kv vs 19000kv. The crazybee integrates a 5A (peak 6A) 4-in-1 ESC BLheli_S/Dshot 600 compatible, a builtin 2.4G FrSky (D8/D16) or Flysky (AFHDS-2A) receiver? The FrSky export the Vbat & RSSI via telemetry… of for both RSSI is also sent for the OSD directly via SPI connexion. The AIO is a good 700TVL CMOS model with a builtin 48ch/25mW VTX. So a lot of similarities with the snapper6 in a first glance. Let’s discover the UR65. BOX CONTENT + 1 x URUAV UR65 + 3 x 250mAh 1S LiHV with JST pH2.0 + 1 x USB parallel charger + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Screwdriver + 1 x Wrench prop remover + 2 x Spare rubber bands + 1 x Instruction manual (English) WIth the standard version, a parallel charger is provided. The charger accept DC input from 7V up to 25V. In the field, you can use a 3S-4S battery with a XT30 connector. Two switches are here one to select between the LiPo/LiHV modes and the second to select between 0.2A or 0.6A charge. A bag with spare elements… exactlement the same contents as for the Snapper 6. The rubber bands are useless since the battery is hold directly via the tray. OVERVIEW The full detailed list of all elements: It’s clearly a super compact 65mm machine… 100% of the size of the original TinyWhoop but this one is brushless. A direct comparaison with the Snapper6. The top canopy plastic structure is identical…., same props, same AIO module. Only the lower frame is different with a full nylon plastic solution for the UR65 while the snapper6 mixes carbon and aluminimum elements. -FRONT VIEW The duct sytem is now larger fully nylon based. Even arms are in plastic…. Since the duct system is attached to the frame in two different points and thanks to the flexibility of the nylon and the ultra light weight of the structure…. the durability is in practice pretty good…. Dislike the Snapper6, no need anymore to reshape the aluminimum guard after a big crash -SIDE VIEW Thanks the two latteral screws, the AIO FPV module can be uptilted up to +15 degrees. From the rear holes, at least the VTX button can be reached. -REAR VIEW The UR65 uses a JST ph2.0 connector…. -UPPER VIEW The linear antenna is installed vertically via a small dedicaced hole. What a pity, they didn’t also drill another one for a more direct access of the Vfreq/Vband selection button. -BOTTOM VIEW The microUSB port of the Crazybee F3 board is located bottom…. not the best location to level your machine when connected to Betaflight. Be aware, the three screws holding each motors tends versus multiflights to pop out…. It’s strongly advised to secure them with a locite thread lock. The 2.4G antenna is installed bottom…. Try to straight it vertically to maximize the control range. Good news versus the snapper6, the battery is now installed into a dedicaced tray… No more rubber band as for the snapper6 As for the snapper6, motors are directly attached via a 3p 1.25mm microJST connector. It’s super easy for maintenance/upgrade -WEIGHT 27.3g !!!!!!! in comparaison with the snapper 6 So more than 3g saved…. about 10%. It’s a huge difference… The massive argument for the UR65. Motors 0603 motors up to 17000Kv … so 2000Kv slower vs the snapper 6 model LiHv batteries 250mAh LiHV battery…. rated 30C… They are good in practice but don’t go too low with. LiHV batteries are know to loose faster than LiPo their charging capacity. AIO Camera FPV module The same 700TVL CMOS NTSC camera module of the Snapper 6. If you raise the front right canopy side, you can guess the ultra tiny micro switch used to bind the receiver….. This one is hard to access…. and it’s strongly advised to remove first the top canopy module. A unique button not easy to access via the left hole. The selection is classic. Short press to cycle inside the eight Vfreq of the current selected Vband. Long press to cycle within the 6 supported Vbands. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT The machine comes with BF3.3. Be aware if you want to upgrade. There are two versions of the CrazyBee F3 board one for the FrSky, the second for the flysky. Dshot600 is selected by default. The originality with SPI connexion, first you can turn the builtin receiver into D8 mode (FrSky_D) or in D16 (FrSky_X). For both… the Vbat & RSSI is sent by telemetry and the RSSI is also here for the OSD… Important remark, since there is a SPI connexion for the receiver, DO NOT APPLY THE RSSI ON THE LAST CHANNEL in the receiver panel… it will block the RSSI to 50%. The default OSD settings display a lot of informations…. probably too much IMHO. Some elements can be removed. Since there is no builtin buzzer, you can apply the poor’s buzzer trick by 1) increasing the beacon level strengh (~200) then 2) thanks to the “set beeper_dshot_beacon_tone = 1” command, you can assign a switch to this “buzzer”. But to be working, you need also 3) to flash the BLHeli_S “16.67RC Dshot_cmd” firmware via BLheli_configurator or BLheli_suite. The PIDs are the default ones … and default flight modes just select angle and acro….. First take off and the machine left the ground from 55-60% of throttle input… not so bad… It’s silent and no drift in angle-6 axis stabilized mode can be observed versus time… That’s a really positive point. As soon as the push the throttle to maximum… really punch out are pretty good for a 1S machine…. one the best I ever observed…. I can’t imagine how good will be with the 0603/22000Kv racerstar motors. The machine flips and rolls great !!! What a pleasure for a such small machine to have a machine 100% acro compatible. More for indoors, it’s so tiny that you go everywhere and have super precize control…. I much prefer this UR65 than the 75mm boldclash B06 pro for example… It’s almost as powerfull but more agile and compact… The good news it’s a indoors trainer only…I was able to fly with in presence of moderate wind (~20 km/h) and no big impact/chaos…. I was impressed. The flight time are in average about 3min…. Not so bad. The FPV feedback is also good, with a good light handling for a CMOS sensor…. No problem from this side. No problem for both the control range/FPV to reach 100m… Cherry on the cake, the current meter helps a lot to manage your LiPo to not go beyound 230-250mAH for example. One more time, to not abused of these LiHv batteries…. Despite multiple crashed, I didn’t observe any major stress on the full plastic based frame. CONCLUSIONS This URUAV AV65 is currently one my favorite machine …. it’s so small that it’s impossible to hurt something/someone… no problem with any restrictions. The machine is strong enough to enjoy acro…. it’s stable, fly great in acro…. Good FPV and control range and the flight duration about 3min is also really acceptable. To make short, I highly recommand this machine for both Indoors/outdoors application….. I can’t imagine this machine with 22000Kv motors. PROS + 27.2g AUW !!! + 0603/17000Kv motors strong enough for acro + F3 w/OSD + Well tuned out of the box + No drift in angle mode + FrSky SPI receiver w/ RSSI for OSD & Telemetry + Good AIO module + Uptiltable camera + ~3min of flight time + Good LiHV battery + Silent CONS – Micro bind button hard to access/press – No top direct access of the AIO button – Motor’s screws easy to loose. Need to be thread locked 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 97USD at https://www.banggood.com/URUAV-UR65-65mm-FPV-Racing-Drone-BNF-Crazybee-F3-Flight-Controller-OSD-5A-Blheli_S-ESC-5_8G-25mW-VTX-p-1295884.html View the full article

Clearly inspired by the MJX Bugs 3 mini, here is the Eachine copy-cat version with the EX2 mini: https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-EX2mini-Brushless-5_8G-FPV-Camera-With-Angle-Mode-Acro-Mode-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-RTF-p-1301880.html It’s a full plastic based 2S FPV cruizer including also an acro mode to perform basic flips & rolls. Of course everything is proprietary… no possibility for example to tune any setting in betaflight for example. The idea is to have a 100% working machine out of the box … without any extra work/binding procedure…. 100% intermediate flyers oriented. It’s a 2S machine with a 850mAh Lipo advertized to offer close to 10min. The FPV camera is clipsable. It’s a basic CMOS sensor based with a builtin 24CH/25mW VTX. Versus last generation of RTF FPV cruizer… this EX2mini integrates an “acro” button… to push the machine into its limits. The FPV and control range is announced to be around 200m. Description: Brand Name: Eachine Item NO.: EX2mini Item Name: 5.8G FPV Brushless RC quadcopter Frequency: 2.4G Channel: 4CH Gyro: 6 Axis Motor (x4): Brushless 1306 2750KV Propeller:3025 Charging time: About 3-3.5hours Flying time: About 8-10mins Control distance: About 200-300m Quadcopter battery: 7.4V 850mAh Lipo Transmitter battery: 4 x 1.5V AA battery ( not included ) Size:22*22*6.5cm Package Size: 26.5 x 14 x 22.5 cm FPV Camera: C5810 5.8G 25mw 24CH ( optional) FPV Dstance: about 200m FPV Monitor:4.3 inch 5.8G ( optional) Color: Black Features: * 2.4GHz Technology Adopted for Anti-Interference. * 4 Channel which can do ascend, descend, forward, backward, left sideward fly, right sideward fly and rolling 360°. * 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control. * 5.8G FPV with C5810 HD camera are tuned amazingly to capture stunning pictures and videos from the sky. * With 1306 2750KV Brushless motor, make your flight more powerful. * With Angle mode, the aircraft can perform flips and rolls if you press the rolls button and operate the control stick. * With Acro Mode, requires flexible manual control during flight, which is great for acrobatics such as flips and rolls. You can flip and roll your aircraft by operating the control sticks. * Innovative 4-in-1 Electronic Speed Controller makes racing aircraft more agile and more adept at sudden maneuvers including sharp turns and hard braking. * With LED lights making the flight more spectacular especially in the dark. Function: Up/down, Forward/backward, Turn left/right, Sideward flight, LED Light, Headless Mode, One Key Automatic Return,H/L Mode Package Included: 1x Eachine EX2mini RC Quadcopter 1x Transmitter 1x Battery 1x Charger 4x Blade 4x Protection Cover 1x Screwdriver 1x FPV Camera( optional) 1x FPV Monitor( optional) 1x FPV Goggles( optional) View the full article

A new brushless selfiedrone is introduced by the new HighGreat compagny with Highgreat Mark: https://www.banggood.com/HighGreat-Mark-VIO-Positioning-4K-WIFI-FPV-With-13MP-Camera-Foldable-RC-Drone-Quadcopter-p-1301491.html It’s a 200g machine similar in size to the zerotech dobby, promised to fly during 18min able to shoot videos 4K@30 & 1080p@30. One originality is the absence of a GPS+barometeros sensors in favor of a new VIO system: a pure visual solution able to stabilize precisely the machine indoors & oudoors. More all the terrain elevation crossed during the flight is recorded in order for example to have precise RTH. There are some specfic selfie flight modes: Orbit, circle, dronie and Helix. There is also a target tracking/follow me vision based. From the specification, I am surprized to see no mention of builtin EIS… coz I don’t see any sense to integrate a VIO if videos are full of jellos without EIS… More I hope also there is a 1080p@60 modes. Well… we need extra precisions for the last two importants… but if there are here…. can be a serious zerotech/alphatech competitor. Wait & See. Description: Item Name: HighGreat Mark RC Quadcopter AIRCRAFT: Dimension(Battery &Propeller Included):148mm x 148mm x 48mm Dimension(after Folded) :148mm x73mm x 48mm Wheelbase:210 mm Weight(Battery &Propeller Included):200 g Max Ascent Speed:2 m/s Max Descent Speed :2 m/s Max Horizontal Speed:3 m/s Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level:4500m Max Flight Time:18min(no Wind) Hover Accuracy Range (In Safe Mode) : Vertical:±0.1m Horizontal:±0.1m Operating Temperature Range:0~40℃ CAMERA: Lens:FOV 75°; F/ 2.2 Sensor:CMOS;1300 MP Electronical Shutter Speed:Auto Image Size:3840×2160 Still Photography Mode:Auto Video Recording Resolution;4k 30fps /1080P 30fps Storage Format:JPEG,MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) Supported SD Cards:EMMC 16G Storage Capacity:EMMC 16G Operating Temperature Range:0~40℃ BATTERY: Weight:60g Capacity:1300mAh Energy:9.88Wh Max Charge Voltage:8.7V Quick Charge:2.0A Nominal Voltage:7.6V Type:LiPo 2S Operating Temperature Range:0~40℃ LIVE VIEW / APP: Live View Quality: 720P Live View Working Distance:≈50m Live View Working Frequency:2.4G / 5.8GHz Latency:200 – 300ms Required Operating Systems:iOS 8.0 or later / Android 4.1.2 or later Feature: – Quickshot – VIO Positioning – Remarkable Memory – Gesture – Active Track Package Included: 1 x Quadcopter 1 x 7.6V 1300mAh Lipo Battery 1 x Charger 1 x Manual View the full article

INTRODUCTION The JJRC H62 is the new revision of the H6x’s selfiedrone serie from JJRC. From the previous revision, the altitude hold positionning and 720p WiFi with a large FOV were already here. With the H62, for the first time, a visual based target tracking/follow me is added… incredible for a cheap toyquadcopter… Clearly the VPU is strong enough to compute basic computer vision primitives. The H62 is still a brushed machine with foldable arms super easy to transport. The FPV link is done in 720p resolution via WiFi and it’s always a good news when now we can see (at least) a wide angle lens installed on the 2mpx sensor. The H62 is actually controlled only via the iOS/Android Appz. Let’s have a look to this new toyselfiedrone. BOX CONTENT + 1 x JJRC H62 Splendor + 1 x 1S 850mAh proprieatary LiPo with JST connector + 1 x USB charging cable + 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW) + 1 x Screwdriver + 1 x Transportation bag + 1 x Instruction manual (English) OVERVIEW Like the H60, H61, it’s a rectangular selfiedrone with one unique power button installed on top. The plasic quality is in the average…. relatively flexible but far to be the best material I saw. Folded it’s larger than any 6″ smartphone, more similar more in size to an iPhone X. -FRONT VIEW On front, 2 green lights can be found… ideal for LOS condition flights. In fact, don’t dream to perform FPV with… the associated latency is too important for this application. -SIDE VIEW No presence of a microSD slot …. so no possibility to save inboard the native 720p resolution with a constant framerate. -REAR VIEW -UPPER VIEW -BOTTOM VIEW All lights are installed bottom The good news as predecessor, the battery is removable. You just need to slide bottom the plastic tab on the battery and extract the battery. The battery connector uses a classic JST so… it will be not hard to transplant another LiPo into this plastic casing The super tiny camera used the VPU in altitulde hold -WEIGHT Almost 93g… since there is a gear system, it’s not a big deal to raise 93g Motors and props 8.5mm coreless motors are installed horizontally. A 90 degrees gear system is here to drive the large prop installed LiPo A proprietary 1S 850mAh LiPo ending with a JST connector. In practice, if you need to replace the LiPo, you can install a new fresh model inside the batery plastic casing. Camera module A large FOV lens with approximatively 120 degrees. Good news, the lens can be downtilted a bit to -15degrees approximatively As you will see, the color rendition of the 2mpx sensor is pretty, the image sharp and precize. UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT Both the control and the FPV feedback is done via a simple 2.4G WiFi appz. The layout is classic but the major novelty can be found in the bottom left side part. Two button for the follow-me. The lower one allows the target selection via rectangule. This one must defined inside a central yellow one. The secong button runs the tracking. The H62 will first of all centers the tracked target then i f the target moves in x-y axis, the H62 will follow gently. To optimize tracking performances, it’s recommended to downtilt a bit the camera. As you can see also, there is also a selfie mode rotating the machine of 180 in yaw axis and inverting associated command. There is also the possibiliy to shoot photos one by one or in a burst sequence. Classic takeoff/landing are here as soon as there is an altitulde hold stabilization system. The 720p rendition is good and thanks to the wide angle the dynamic range adaptation is smooth. Good color rendition and the FPV video is pretty sharp. My only concern is about the sporadic freezing of the FPV link time to time. It can be solve main probably at least in close range conditions by optimizing the 2.4G antenna location for a more vertical position. In windfree condition the machine keeps pretty well its position… the new VPU sensor helps a lot the baromter. Unfortunaly, it’s another story in presence of wind. In this case, the H62 will slide a lot in the x-y axis…. No miracle without GPS. A good news, the H62 is relatively silent…. The machine is easy to control via the virtual sticks…. Of course rates are adapted to offer the best non-shacky videos we can obtain with a machine without EIS. Definitively it’s not a sporty flyer and the max speed seems bounded to 3-4m/s maximum. One more time don’t expect miracle in wind conditions. The good surprize come from the result of the visual tracking system. As soon as the target is select via the green rectangular and the tracking started….. the detection box is surprizingly pretty accurate for a 50USD machine. IMHO it’s as accurate as the Zerotech dobby for example of 3-4 times more expensive model!!!! . This model at least follow at minimum the target via yaw mouvement. If the machine is 3-4m higher the target and the camera downtilt a bit, the H62 will follow the target as soon as the target is moving relatively slowy: walk or very slow jog. Sometimes if the altitude is not correct, the H62 don’t move…. Only the target centering is done in the yaw axis. The flight time is about 6-7min…. I found the battery warning comes relatively soon (about 4-5min)… you can expect to flly a good extra minute from this alert. CONCLUSIONS For 50USD and in windfree conditions, the JJRC H62’s results are impressive in term of visual tracking….. really it’s as good as 3-4 times more expensive machine. The machine is stable, silent and the 720p FPV link good thanks also to the presence of the 120 degrees FOV. Clearly we want to see next a version with a builtin DVR to record natively the 720p video…. or even better a deluxe version with a 1080p sensor. PROS + Efficient visual target tracking + Visual assisted altitude hold + 720p WiFi Link + 120 degrees FOV + Foldable + Silent + Good Appz + Cheap + No builtin battery CONS – No builtin DVR to record 720p videos directly – Not wind resistant (must be used in very calm wind conditions) – Only ~6min of flight time – Sporadic FPV freezes 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 50USD at https://www.banggood.com/JJRC-H62-SPLENDOR-Foldable-Selfie-Drone-WIFI-FPV-With-720P-HD-Camera-Altitude-Hold-RC-Quadcopter-BNF-p-1284127.html View the full article

A new foldable selfiedrone from Xiaomi will be lunch pretty soon. The builtin camera shoots 1080p@30fps video (with EIS according the video sample below). There is a specific noise reduction algorithm to improve the general rendition. The idol includes some AI for gesture recognition and target tracking. There are some specfic flight modes: 360 panorama, 45 degrees flips among them. The FPV feedback is done via a WiFI 720p link. The machines includes also GPS, barometer, ultrasonic anti-collision sensors and VPU for position stabilization. The dimensions are 226 x 114 x 28 and the total weight will be around 360g with battery. The expected flight time is about 10min. The machines should start to be shipped around the 14th june. Seems to be a very interesting selfiedrone especially of EIS is really efficient. First introduction price seems unrealistic low: 120 euros but for the associated kickstart project. Source: https://en.xiaomitoday.it/funsnap-idol-e-il-nuovo-drone-di-xiaomi-dotato-di-riconoscimento-ai.html View the full article

Remember my last SeByDocKy’award ? The excellent Happymodel Snapper6 ? A great 65mm brushless FPV racer with strong 0603/19000Kv motors and the excellent F3 Crazybee flight controller Here is new machine based on the same architecture/FC: https://www.banggood.com/URUAV-UR65-65mm-FPV-Racing-Drone-BNF-Crazybee-F3-Flight-Controller-OSD-5A-Blheli_S-ESC-5_8G-25mW-VTX-p-1295884.html Same FC with a builtin FrSky D8/D16 receiver, same 250mAh LiHV batteries same 0603 motors but slightly slower (17000Kv vs 19000Kv). In the other hand the frame full nylon based is close to 3g lighter !!!! With the battery the total weight is announce to be around 27g… It should compensate without problem the little lost in motor thrust. The Crazybee FC is a great board with builtin 5A ESC, builtin receiver in SPI mode (FrSky or FlySkyà, super stable even in angle mode. The AIO module is the same than the Snapper6, based on a 700TVL NTSC CMOS camera + 48CH/25mW VTX. At least for the FrSky version, the machine displays the RSSI for the OSD but also export it via telemetry. More it also includes a current sensor. The machine is proposed with two type of bundle: a standard with one unique battery or with three batteries and a charger. I can image how sporty can be this machine with the Happymodel 0603/19000Kv motors (some 22000Kv from racerstar are also announced). Wait & See. Specifications: Brand Name: URUAV Mode Name: UR65 Item Name: 1S 65mm Brushless Whoop racer drone BNF Wheelbase: 65mm Size: 81mm*81mm*36mm Weight: 20.5g(without battery) Weight: 27g(with Original 250mah lipo battery) SE0603 KV17000 Motor Mode: SE0603 KV17000 Configu-ration:9N12P Stator Diamter:6mm Stator Length:3mm Shaft Diameter:F0.8mm Motor Dimension(Dia.*Len):F9mm*15.5mm Weight(g):1.8g No.of Cells(Lipo):1S Flight controller Firmware: Betaflight_3.3.0_Crazybee Betaflight target: CRAZYBEEF3FR(Frsky version) CRAZYBEEF3FS(Flysky version) MCU: STM32F303CCT6 (72MHZ, 256K FLASH) Sensor: MPU-6000(SPI connection) Board size: 28.5 * 28.5MM Board weight: 3.5 g Power supply: 1S battery input (DC 3.5-4.35V) Built-in 5A(each) Blheli_S 4in1 ESC Dshot600 ready Built-in Frsky receiver with telemetry(D8/D16 switchable) Built-in Betaflight OSD(SPI Control) Built-in Current meter Max 14A Built-in 5V 0.8A BEC with LC filter Built-in voltage detection BLHELI_S pass-through Ready Heading LED Ready Onboard 4in1 5A ESC Power supply: 1S LiPo/LiPo HV (4.2v/4.35v) Current: 5A continuous peak 6A (3 seconds) Support BLHeliSuite programmable Factory firmware: O_L_5_REV16_6.HEX Default protocol: DSHOT600 Frsky receiver Version SPI BUS receiver Frsky D8/D16 switchable Compatible both D8 and D16 transmitter Channels: 8ch or 16ch Failsafe support No ground interference ( Transmitter and receiver 1 m from the ground): 300m Flysky receiver Version SPI BUS receiver Protocol: AFHDS and AFHDS-2A Switchable Channels: 8ch(AFHDS) or 14ch(AFHDS-2A) No ground interference ( Transmitter and receiver 1 m from the ground): 300m Failsafe support AIO Camera&VTX Output power: 25mw Frequency: 48CH Input voltage: 3.3V 5.5V Current consumption: 300mA(type) Camera resolution: 700TVL Field of view: 120° Video Format: NTSC Antenna: RG178 antenna Frequency: 5.8GHz 6 bands 48 channels With Raceband: 5474 5945 MHZ Size: 13.9″12.0mm ( L*W ) Weight: 3g Lipo Battery Capacity:250mAh Voltage:3.8v Continuous Discharge Rate: 30C Instantaneous discharge rate: 60C Size: 60mmx18mmx7mm Weight: 6.5g Connector: PH2.0 Features: Betaflight support , multi flight mode: ACRO/AIR/ANGLE Powerful Brushless motor and Smooth ESC Betaflight OSD support ,easy to get RSSI , Voltage and other info from your goggles Adjust the settings and the PID of the flight controller via OSD Frsky version support both D8 and D16 Frsky transmitter Flysky version support both AFHDS and AFHDS-2A protocol transmitter Full telemetry function ready Head lights ready Camera angle adjustable Real Bind and Fly version Package Included: Basic version 1 x 65mm Brushless whoop Frame 1 x Crazybee F3 FC (Frsky and Flysky option) 1 x 5A 4in1 ESC 4 x SE0603 KV17000 Motor 1 x 31mm propeller(4cw+4ccw) 1 x AIO Camera & VTX 1 x 3.8v 250mah 30C/60C battery View the full article

Well …. the first was more a less unusable due to its poor stability and very short flight time (< 2min)... Here is a new edition/evolution announced: http://www.airselfiecamera.com/press/ Basically they upgraded the camera sensor from a 5mpx to a 12Mpx model. The builtin memory is boosted also to 16Gb. In the other hands, the new totale weight is about 67g vs 61g for the first edition. I hope the battery model is also upgraded as well. Promised flight time are about 4min… but hard to believe. Except that, it’s exactly the same machine…. I guess there is still no EIS for the version 2…… I am one more time very sceptical. View the full article

We were all expected such kind of machine !!!! yes the first BNF microbrushless FPV racer with a builtin runcam split mini!!!: https://www.banggood.com/SPC-MAKER-S125-FPV-Racing-Drone-PNP-Omnibus-F4-20A-Blheli_S-ESC-Runcam-Split-Mini-5_8G-40CH-VTX-p-1295246.html Yes it’s SPCMaker who announced the first model with this S125. A 4S compatible 125mm machine equiped of 1106 motors. A F4 Ominibus w/OSD with MPU6800 gyros is integrated. 20AA 4-in-1 ESC BLheli_S/Dshot600 strong enough for 4S setup. With the 1106 motors, 2840 props are here to boost performances. Standalone without battery, the machine weights 103g so about 20g more heavier than the C120 model. The VTX is a 40Ch model with a programmable output power from 25mW-100mW. With a 4S 450mAh LiPo this machine should turn around 140g…. From the SPCMaker webpage, four choices of receiver are proposed: Futaba, Spektrum (DSM2/X), FrSky (D16), and FlySly (AFHDS-2A). If all drifts/oscillations from former SPCMaker machines are solved, this S125…. can be a hit. Wait & See… I am asking one for review but not sure I will be satisfied. Specification: Brand name: SPC MAKER Item name: S125 Size: 100x110x48mm Weight: 103g (battery not included) Flight controller: Omnibus F4 intergrated with OSD module Motor: SunnySky 1106 5500KV brushless motor ESC: Blheli_s 20A ESC (2-4S Lipo) Propeller: Kingkong 2840 3-Blade Propellers Camera: Runcam Split Mini VTX: 5.8g 25mW-100mW 40CH Receiver: Frsky/Flysky (optional) Packing size: 150x150x50mm Package Included: 1 x S125 FPV Racing Drone View the full article

Another super compact 120mm 4S compatible FPV racer from SPCMaker: https://www.banggood.com/SPC-MAKER-C120-FPV-Racing-Drone-PNP-Omnibus-F4-20A-Blheli_S-ESC-Foxeer-1000TVL-Cam-5_8G-40CH-VTX-p-1295245.html Like the Diatone GT-M2, we have a F4 omnibus FC with a builtin OSD. The 20A ESC BLheli_S 4-in-1 board is 4S compatible. 1106 brushless motors spin @5500Kv so 1000Kv slower than the Diatone model but in another hand, the frame look more lighter. Good news also 2.5″ props are installed. For the FPV section a Foxeer 1000TVL CMOS camera with a builtin OSD and a 40CH VTX delivering up to 100mW. The machine can be found in BNF edition with a FrSky XM+ (D16) or a FlySly AFHDS-2A solution. The frame is really similar to the last similar SPCmaker … But be aware, last SPCMaker products were pretty bad…. (bad gyros, poorly tested, etc…)… so we need absoluptly to wait. SPC MAKER C120 FPV Racing Drone PNP Omnibus F4 20A Blheli_S ESC Foxeer 1000TVL Cam 5.8G 40CH VTX Specification: Brand name: SPC MAKER Item name: C120 Size: 96x106x27mm Weight: 87g (battery not included) Flight controller: Omnibus F4 intergrated with OSD module Motor: SunnySky 1106 5500KV brushless motor ESC: Blheli_s 20A ESC (2-4S Lipo) Propeller: Gemfan 2540 3-Blade Propellers Camera: Micro Predator V2 VTX: 5.8g 25mW-100mW 40CH Receiver: Frsky/Flysky (optional) Packing size: 150x150x50mm Package Included: 1 x C120 FPV Racing Drone View the full article

At least a new non-FrSky microreceiver which offers RSSI for the OSD: https://www.banggood.com/IRangeX-Fli14-Flysky-Receiver-with-RSSI-Output-Betaflight-OSD-for-FS-i6-FS-I6X-Turnigy-Evolution-p-1294803.html The IrangeX Fli14 is a 1g FlySky module supporting AFHDS-2A protocol. The RSSI is exported on the (last) 14th’s channel. The receiver is of course compatible with most last FlySly radios. The control range is announced to be about 300m more or less indentical with any other FrSky D8 micro receiver. It’s a good news for all FlySly’s fans. Description: Brand Name: iRangeX Item Name: Fli14 RX Channel: 14 Protocol: AFHDS-2A 2.4G Mode: The second generation of an enhanced version of the automatic FM digital system Antenna Length: 50mm (single antenna) Input Power: 4.0-6.5V DC Weight: Only 1g Size: 19.5mm*12mm*5mm Color: Black Signal Output: IBUS RSSI Output: Channel14 No ground interference ( Transmitting and receiving 1 m from the ground): >300m Features: – Customized for Betaflight – RSSI Display Via OSD without any hack compatible with all Flysky AFHDS-2A protocol transmitter – Support RSSI Via Channel14(Aux10 in Betaflight) – Best for FPV Racing drone – Compatible with FS-i4, FS-i6,FS-I6X,FS-i6S, FS-i10,FS-iT4S, Eachine I6,Turnigy I6S, Turnigy Evolution Binding procedure: 1. Power for the Fli14 Receiver while press and holding the bind button 2. The LED will blinking fast , this indicates the receiver is in binding mode 3. Get the Flysky transmitter into binding mode , the LED on the receiver will getting to be solid and this indicates binding successfully Package Included: 1 x Fli14 RX View the full article