TEST: XIANG YU XY017HW

[Drone News]

INTRODUCTION

The XIANG YU XY017HW is a new brushed 2.4G WiFi quadcopter. You can think… one more in the very long long list. This model introduces some improvements especially for the WiFi FPV feedback. The WiFI preview is in 720p resolution and a wide lens installed on the camera sensor to enlarge to field of view. More with the HW version, a builtin DVR can record directly 720p video files. The XY017HW also includes a barometer for altitude hold stabilization. Headless and on key return features are also included. Announced to be sold around 50USD, let’s check if this quadcopter can be the perfect first beginner machine.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x XY017HW
+ 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAAA batteries not included)
+ 1 x 900mAh proprietary battery with JST connector
+ 1 x USB charging cable
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 4 x Prop guards
+ 1 x Phone holder
+ 1 x Screwdriver
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)

OVERVIEW

The XY017HW is a brushed geared machine with large 6″ props. The general quality build is good… 100% plastic based of course.

-FRONT VIEW

With folded arms… Unfortunatly the landing gears can’t be folded too … The feet are transparent to diffuse the lights.

-SIDE VIEW

-REAR VIEW
We have a proprietary casing for the battery.

But good news, we have a classic JST connector. So no problem to insert instead another 1S LiPo with JST connector. Probably a 1000mAh+ can be use in replacement.

-UPPER VIEW

-BOTTOM VIEW

It’s always a good point to have a central powerswitch…

Nearby the powerswitch … almost hidden the microSD card slot

We can find some green lights on rear arms and blue on front… There are relatively visible in day light conditions but they can be stronger.

-WEIGHT

151g in total …without propguard. You can add close to 12g with. So it’s not a super light machine but we have a geared machine with large props. It means that motors will be under stress….. It will be very important to inspect them regulary and detect any potential extra friction.

Motors and props

Both the motor’s pinion and the main gear are nylon based. A good point for durability and meshing.

8.5mm x 20mm brushed motors… Be sure to stock at least 1CW and 1CCW in advance. With 6″ props, they are really under stress.

Unfortunatly no ball-bearing… but a basic bronze bushing rings are installed. Be sure to inspect them and grease them regulary.

6″ inch props …

LiPo

A 900mAh 1S cell LiPo jailed into a proprietary plastic casing. Adviertized flight time is about 12min… a bit too optimistic for a 150g+ machine.

JST connector

Camera module

It’s rare … but it’s a so good news to see a lens offering a wider Field Of View….. Here bye bye pinhole lens with 70 degrees. Here we have more something 120 degrees. Cherry on the cake, the lens orientation can be ajusted from 0 degrees down to -35 degrees approximatively.

Disassembling

Under the piece of foam the barometer chip. Nearby, a 2-in-1 chip from FAST SOFT including an 32bit ARM core and a 2.4G RF chip. I never heard about FAST SOFT before.

Transmitter

The design is original with this central hole. The gamepad style radio can be grabbed very easily and the general stick’s precision very acceptable.

I appreciate that each button are labeled with a small logo very explicite.

4xAAA batteries are required to feed the radio. NiMh model are working.

Here also a 2-in-1 chip including the 2.4G transmitter from FAST SOFT. No information found about the performances of this module. The bad news with 2-in-1 solution… it will be almost impossible to capture SPI data for a future DeviationTX hacking

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND DEMO FLIGHT

First you will need to download the “WIFI-UFO” appz. Be aware, by default 720p preview is not turned on. The FPV WiFi is based on the 2.4G band only. At least no risk of imcompability with the new 5.8G WiFi… where it’s not really possible to find a channels working for china, US and europe simultaneously especially for android devices.

As many WiFI toyquadcopter machines, if you want to control the machine with the radio, you will need first to bind the radio with the quadcopter before to connect your smartphone to the device. You can also control the machine with the appz too. Since the radio and the appz for the FPV link share the same 2.4G link, when controlled with the radio, the max control range obtained is about 60-70m. When the connexion is lost, the machine enganges a slow descent after 3s. So if you are relatively high, there is a potential flyaway. The machine offers three speed mode and even for the beginner mode, the yaw rate is a bit too fast IMHO. In sport mode, funnels are so easy and the machine is relatively fast. Faster than other WiFi competitor for example. I was also super pleased to observe almost no Jello in the FPV video. The WiFI link is really good. No problem over 30-40m…. Of course over distance, the frame rate will drop and some little freezes will appear.
Notice also the max frame rate is bounded by the native 720p camera. For close distance, the WiFi frame rate converge to the one provided by the 720p DVR and unfortunatly closer to 15fps than 30fps. The larger FOV is a big plus …. not only to practice FPV more easily but also it’s improving the Dynamic Range of the camera to handle light transition zones. The general color rendition is good and the light sensitivity correct …. but far to reach the best CMOS cameras and far far far away from any CCD cameras. Another drawback… the video recording can be triggered only via the appz… The dedicaced radiocommand buttons are inefficient…. It’s a pity if you want to use the machine without any FPV link for pure LOS flights. 720p recording stored in the class 10 microSD presents a frame rate about 15fps….You wan’t be able to record videos in this case. In term of flight caracteristics, the machine is fun and well equilibrated. Flight times are about 8-9min in practice. Maybe we can regret that the appz don’t offer a Selflie flight mode with inverted command.

CONCLUSIONS

At the end, we have an acceptable WiFi brushed quadcopter with a camera FPV offering a more wider FOV than 99% of other competitors model. It’s insame that we had to wait 2-3 years to see models with a such important element, at least to hope fly FPV more or less normally. Don’t expect too much with a WiFi FPV machine… The frame rate is too slow and sometime erradic to hope to fly FPV in real confortable conditions. The WiFi link is more here to monitor the current scene you want to film. The XY017HW integrates also a 720p DVR module shooting jellofree videos but with a framerate about 15fps. For a 50USD machine, the XY107HW can be a real canditate for being a first WiFi machine.

PROS

+ 720p WiFi feedback
+ 720p recording
+ Lens with wilde angle
+ Jellofree
+ Efficient altitude hold
+ Sporty machine in expert mode
+ Foldable arms
+ 8-9min of flight time

CONS

– Too fast yaw rate in beginner rate
– Not possible to trigger camera/photo recording from the radiocommand
– Phone holder limited to 5.5″ models
– Potential flyaway (slow descent after 3s)
– New RF chip… Very weak probability to be Deviated
– 720p recordings with frame rate ~15fps

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 53USD at https://www.banggood.com/XIANGYU-XY017HW-WIFI-FPV-With-2MP-Wide-Angle-Camera-High-Hold-Mode-Foldable-Arm-RC-Quadcopter-p-1195757.html

Cet article TEST: XIANG YU XY017HW est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.

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