TEST: SPCMaker 95GL, the new king of microbrushless FPV racers

[Drone News]

SeByDocKy’s AWARD Q3 2017

INTRODUCTION

The SPCmaker 95GL represents the second revision of their 95’s series. If the general strong frame remain the same, a lot of electronic ingredients have been upgraded, more particulary for the FPV rig. Here for the first time, the excellent Runcam microSwift camera is included, i.e. bye bye CMOS camera and hello to a CCD model with a great light sensitivity and an efficient WDR. The other equipement is more or less the same: a F3 omnibus with a builtin OSD, a strong 4-in-1 10A BLheli_S/Dshot600 ESC board. Motors are some 1104/7500Kv 3S compatible… The VTX offers 48 channels and the possibility to set the output power either to 25mW or 200mW. Four choices of receiver are proposed: FlySky AFHDS-2A, FrSky D16 XM+, Spektrum DSM2 and Futaba FASST. As you can read, all is here to be probably the best microFPV brushless racers. More the SPC product comes with a nice transportation bag….. Let’s discover this new model.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x SPCmaker 95GL
+ 2 x 3S 350mah/30C with XT30 connector
+ 2 x battery straps
+ 4 x zip ties
+ 1 x Velcro bands
+ 8 x 2035 quadriblade props (4 CW, 4 CCW)
+ 8 x M2 hexscrews
+ 1 x XT30 male to XT60 female cable extender

The bundle is pretty nice and I really like the presence of a spare battery.

When the props are mounted, the machine can be still fit the bay.

I deeply regret the absence of a manual…. especially for the VTX settings….

OVERVIEW

We still have a general H frame for this 95mm microFPV machine.

A small difference with the first edition, the aluminium standoff are a little bit taller of 3-4mm… probably to include more easily Inside the receiver.

The frame looks and is super solid!!!! 3mm of real 3K carbon for arms

and 2mm for the upper plate. It’s clear… this machine is almost undestructable (but not the props )

-FRONT VIEW
No frontal light …. but the more important front is the presence of the Runcam CCD camera…. with this high quality lens and its orange color…

-SIDE VIEW
The left side welcomes two tiny microswitches associated with the VTX and the microUSB port for betaflight connexion. The left switch set the Vfreq if shortly pressed and select the Vband if pressed more than 3s. The right switch selects the output VTX power from 25mW up to 200mW. As you can see also, the two antennas of the receiver are installed nearby the 5.8G VTX one…. It would have been a better option to install them more front in order to have a minimum distance to limit the 5.8G inteferences harmonics to the 2.4G bands.

On the right side, we have two small LEDs lights. The blue indicates the current selected Vband (amond 6) and the green, one of the eight Vfreq Inside the selected Vband. Below, the F3 ominibus main connexions.

Still on the right, the FPV camera connexions for the OSD on the left and the SBUS connexion for the receiver on the right.

-REAR VIEW
Two strong LEDs are located rear jailing the buzzer. They are permanently white… and not configured out of the box in Betaflight.

At least, you can reconfigure everything to indicated for example turns…

-UPPER VIEW

For the Futaba FASST receiver, the bind activity is indicated with the red light. Notice it’s a FASST module not a S-FHSS… so not deviated :(… I had to replace the receiver since I don’t own any FASST compatible radio.

-BOTTOM VIEW
You have to attach the battery strap by yourself…. first you need to unfasten a bit the 4 flat headless screws of the tower mount… remove the top upper plate to free a small gap to let the strap enter in.

-WEIGHT

A little bit more than 105g… so in practice it’s close to 6-7g more heavier than the first edition of the 95.

Motors and props

Still the same 1104/7500 Kv 3S ready motors…. They are stong…. If ESC can support officially 4S… Not sure they can be run also in 4S. Since after each flight motors are already warm in 3S….. It should be possible but risky.

The same 2035 props…. this props are good but know to offer some jellos in the FPV signal.

LiPo

The same 3S 350mAh 30C LiPo but now comes with an XT30 connector. It’s a good news for performances… The XT30 connector can handle in a much better way, the amount of current required during punch outs.

A XT30 male to XT60 female cable extender is given in the bundle. It’s a good point if you want to reuse these two batteries for a model with a XT60 connector.

10:23 30/08/2017

Camera module

Probably the most important element in the 95GL… this Runcam microSwift. The 5.6g CCD FPV camera with a light sensitivity of 0.01 Lux… and a super efficient WDR thanks to the 1/3″ SONY Super HAD II sensor. I regret the absence of a button to select either the NTSC or the PAL format. Actually the shipped Runcam camera is in NTSC format.

As for the former editions, the camera is fixed with nominal angle of 20-25 degrees without possibility to ajust it. Ones will regret it’s not enought other it’s too much.

The Runcam model is the 2.3mm lens version, i.e. with a FOV of 145 degrees

Disassembling

Generally speaking, all the electronic is well installed with clean soldering jobs.

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT

Since I recieved the FASST Futbaba version, I had to install another receiver… and I got only an old clone of a FrSky D8 receiver … So expect with the original genuine FrSky D16 XM+ much better range than with ths one. The F3 omnibus board is flashed is the last official release of Betaflight 3.1.7… and configured correctly at least for the receiver part, i.e. in SBUS connexion with the serial UART3. The PIDs have been also optimized for the machine especially with a low D value in order to avoid the motors to warm too much. Notice the high values of the rates… they are not anormal… This machine requires a minimum of 1100 deg/s to flip and roll correctly. The OSD and lights are not optimized in practice…. they used the default BF settings. Notice also the Loops freq can be pushed up to 4Khz since the gyro is connected via fast SPI connexion. After the binding…. and the OSD, light configuration, I am ready to fly.

First take off…. I just push the throttle stick over 30% and the machine left the ground…. Ok let’s try a punch out ….and WHAOOOOOOHHHHHHH what a bullet …. It’s insane !!!!!! The extra 6g can’t be really felt. You have the same type of incredible acceleration like for the Eachine Lizard 95 … but now with the excellent Runcam FPV camera. Let”s speak about the FPV rendition and to make short is the best FPV camera I tested…. The color are vivid and the shadow areas so well handled… It makes a huge difference, it’s incredible. I love this camera….. The machine is so beasty… you have to caress the throttle stick softly to no jump in the air… it’s impressive. It’s the new king of acro style flights for sure :)… Ok some little negative points. The props offers some jellos and even oscillations with the throttle is above 55%… and 85% respectively. One part of these problems come from the props but for sure better filter settings after a full analyse of recorded flight logs must be applied. With the 350mah… you have a solid 4min of flight time… It’s already not so bad.

With the racerstar 2035 props installed

Here, less jello are observed. You can be jellofree with the throttle below 65%… not so bad already. The flights are smoother too. I really recommand pitch and rolls rates with a minimum of 1100 degs/s.

CONCLUSIONS

It will be super simple this is actually the best microFPV brushless in the market… thanks to the excellent Runcam mcroswift camera, strong 3S ESC and motors…. the frame is super solid and the FPV & control range excellent!!!! No real negative points can be notices. I guess the next generation will include a F4 omnibus … but franly spealing the F3 is already doing a great job. I highly recommand this machine and the 95GL receives my SeByDocKy’s Award Q3 2017.

PROS

+ Nice bundle/transportation bag
+ Fantascit flyer
+ Powerfull/beasty from 3S
+ Strong and solid frame
+ Great Runcam FPV CCD camera
+ F3 omnibus with OSD
+ XT30 connector
+ Builtin Buzzer
+ Programmable light
+ Great range with FrSky XM+ D16
+ Switchable VTX output power

CONS

– Uptilt camera angle not ajustable
– No instruction manual
– No NTSC/PAL button selection
– Jello/oscillations with high throttle inputs
– 2.4G antenneas too close of the 5.8G one
– A bit expensive

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 205.5USD at https://www.banggood.com/SPC-95GF-95mm-Brushless-FPV-Racing-Drone-BNF-With-Omnibus-F3-4in1-BLheli_s-5_8G-48CH-600TVL-p-1174653.html

Cet article TEST: SPCMaker 95GL, the new king of microbrushless FPV racers est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.

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