TEST: Eachine QX70, the large tinywhoop

[Drone News]

INTRODUCTION

The Eachine QX70 comes after the QX90, QX80, QX100 and the QX95. With the QX70, we have a 70mm “tinywhoop” machine with ducted props, SPF3 board, a 25mW 600TVL AIO FPV camera. Three choices of receiver are offered. FrSky, Flysky or DSM2/DSMX. I will review the QX70 with a builtin FrSky D8 receover. A ducted system in theory should improve the general lift capacity while offering also a complete prop protection. In the other hand, as soon as the machine is no more leveled, the non-vertical thrust is rather poor: A good stabilized hover, but a poor mover ….

The Eachine QX70 as many other QX’s model comes with three choices of receiver: FrSky (D8), FlySky (AFHDS), and DSM2/DSMX.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x Eachine QX70 (with a 1S 600mAh LiPo with microLOSI connector)
+ 1 x USB charger
+ 1 x USB to FC cable
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 1 x Prop wrench remover
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)

No spare LiPo or motors like for some other QX models.

OVERVIEW

Nothing else than a 70mm version of the tinywhoop for the general design: each motor got its own ducted system with quadiblades prop.

-FRONT VIEW
On top, installed Inside a specific plastic mount the classic 600TVL AIO delivering 25mW in 6 different 5.8G bands (48CH in total). A cloverleaf is installed. A model very similat to the Eachine TX’s serie.

with the battery installed vertically, quiet original position

In practice, especially with a ducted system, I don’t think it’s a good idea: The ducted system improves the hovering capacity but decreases the mouvement one. With the battery installed verticaly, the CoG is even lower and the quad will tend to be leveled more easily. It means this battery position will enforce the ducted effect and killed even more the horizontally displacement capacity.

To help to keep your orientation for LOS flight, only a tiny green LEDs emitted by the AIO camera …

-SIDE VIEW

Partially hidden by the camera support, on the front left you can find the Bind button for the FrSky D8 version

-REAR VIEW
Like the QX95, you have strong lights, four LEDs programmable through CF/BF. By the way, you have the same light behaviour than the QX95 indicating arming, left and right mouvements.

-UPPER VIEW

With the camera support removed

The AIO camera is directly powered by the LiPo while the light from the +5V builtin Vreg.

-BOTTOM VIEW
Large plastic motor pods jail correctly each motors. Maybe they could be a light bit thinner to save few little weight.

Good news, motors are pluggeds via mini JST SH connectors for an easy maintenance.

-WEIGHT

Less than 55g AWG…. With normal 8520 props, it’s not a drama …. here since the props are much smaller …. the weight will have a deep impact of flight performances.

Motors

Classic 8520 coreless motors …. not super fast btw.

Props are small 40mm versus 60mm or even 70mm for Parrot spider model. Is the lack of direct thrust associated with the 40mm props will be compensated by the ducted system ?

LiPo

The same 600mAh Lipo as for all QX & EX series.

Camera module

One more time the classic 600TVL AIO 25mW camera. The light handling is rather good and the FOV maybe a little bit too wide for outdoors but good for indoors training. The FPV range is known to be great with this camera. Over 100m in open conditions. You can cross easily several walls with…

Two buttons: the front select the NTSC/PAL mode while the rear one the Vband (long press) and the Vfreq (short press)

The full list of the Vfreq and Vbands

The main potential problem is the PCB antenna support, potentially breakable after a hard crash. Versus multiple crashes, you may probably replace the CL antenna by a simple linear model.

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND FIRST DEMO

Whooohhh what’s happens ? The machine lost power super soon…. You have one clear minute where everything is ok. Well the props are vibrating a lot and introduce some jello effect. After 1min 30… the machine climb by itself after any mouvements…. It lack horribly of power with the default architecture.

with betaflight

One more time such disapointement in term of power thrust …. practically it can hover relatively well during 1min30 after it’s painful… boucing between the ground and 1-2m high… A so frustrating situation.

CONCLUSIONS

To make short and simple: avoid the QX70 if you are looking for a perfect machine working flawless out of the box. The QX70 is unfortunatly completly underpowered by the undersized props. With 55g, paradoxally it’s too much. I would say 5-6g should be saved to make the situation better. But except to save 1g maximum 2g by removing the rear LEDs bar… There are no many options to save extra weight. Maybe installing the LiPo horizontally and clearing the actual battery bay can be a solution. But the more clever move is to install lighter and larger props. Bi-blades or tri-blades…

PROS

+ SPF3 board
+ AIO FPV cam with vivid colors
+ Ducted system
+ Connector for motors

CONS

COMPLETLY UNDERPOWERED SYSTEM– Vibrations
– Poor flight time (~ 1min30 than bouncing with the ground)
– No builtin buzzer
– No OSD
– No spare motors
– No spare battery

RCgroups thread: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2795916-Eachine-QX70-the-8520-whoop-version-(In-early-construction)

This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 63USD at http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Turbine-QX70-70mm-Micro-FPV-Racing-Quadcopter-BNF-Based-On-F3-EVO-Brushed-Flight-Controller-p-1095990.html

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