TEST: Eachine Q90C Flyingfrog

[Drone News]

WARNING !!!! DO NOT CHANGE ANY SETTINGS OTHER THAN PIDs AND ONLY WITH BETAFLIGHT CONFIGURATOR 3.1.1

INTRODUCTION

The Eachine Q90C represents the new revision of the Eaching “Flyingfrog” Q90, a 2S brushed FPV racer with boosted 8520 motors. For this second edition, the Flyingfrog still integrates a 1000TVL CMOS camera but the 200mW 40CH VTX has been replaced by a 8CH/25mW where the Vfreq can be selected via the radiocommand. The full open F3 board is modified is also replaced by another variant integrating a more limited version in term of Betaflight interaction: only PIDs can be ajusted. The new revision includes a transmitter where a vibration’s motor is here to warn when the quadcopter is in low voltage sitation or when the transmission is lost. One major adding is the possibility to select angle, ratitude and acro flight modes from the transmitter directly. The Q90C is also sold with the VR006 3″ inch FPV mask.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x Cheerson CX-10C (with a 1S 120mAh LiPo directly soldered)
+ 1 x Transmitter (using 4xAA batteries not included)
+ 1 x 2S 300mAh/25C LiPo with microLOSI connector
+ 1 x USB charging cable
+ 2 x Stick extender
+ 4 x Spare props (2 CW, 2 CCW)
+ 4 x Prop guards
+ 1 x Wrench remover tool
+ 3 x Spare battery rubber bands
+ 2 x 3M double side tape
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)

OVERVIEW

In term of visual aspect, no real change… still the same 95mm full plastic chassis but now the plastic is fully transparent. The 2.4G and the 5.8G antennas have been installed vertically in the read side. It will boost the control and FPV range at least in the horizontal plan.

One difference at least about the upper canopy part. With the new version, the pastic is more rigid, more based on a recycled plastic.
Another major adding is now the usage of “Hubsan” triblades to boost the general thrust.

-FRONT VIEW

-SIDE VIEW

The microUSB is still located on the right side, where you will be able to connect the machine to Betaflght.

-REAR VIEW

-UPPER VIEW

The VTX board is installed on top. No visible button to select the Vfreq. It’s normal since the selection must be done with the dedicaced transmitter button.

-BOTTOM VIEW

The rubber band is more a classic one… Three spare are offered in the bundle.

No sign of buzzer installed….. a must to install for such compact and light machine…. It’s super easy to lost in tall grass.

-WEIGHT

Motors and props

2S edition of the 8.5mmx20mm motors are installed. No RPM indications… but in anycase, it’s strongly advise to stock at least one CW and one CCW motors in advance.

44mm triblade props are now installed. They are efficient but relatively fragile. It’s strongly advise to stock a lot in advance.

LiPo

Here “only” a 2S 300mAh LiPo with also a downgraded discharge rate to 25C.

For the the original Q90, a 350mAh/30C was provided

Camera module

The same 1000TVL CMOS camera locked in PAL system. The field of view is relatively large about 110 degrees…. The lens is in M7 format.
As its ancestor, no possibility to set the lens orientation and for high speed manoeuver it’s a real drawback.

Transmitter

A basic chassis …. without shoulder buttons. 6 front panel buttons. Each time you press on one, you have a vibration feedback. Three speed modes are here. The bind button need to pressed and hold while turning on the radiotransmiter. The bottom left button selects one of the eight Vfreq in the racerband.

The three right buttons select respectively the classic 6-axis stabilized angle mode, the rattitude and a real acro mode !!!! Perfect for FPV flight. No specific need to configure it in Betaflight. Acro is here out of the box.

Good news, on the RF daughter board, associated with the XN297L, a Power Amplifer module to boost the transmission range. SPI data can be easily grabbed and the radio protocol if not yet deviated can be probably without problem.

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, BETAFLIGHT OVERVIEW, RESCUE/RESTORE PRECEDURE AND DEMO FLIGHT

As for all my Betaflight based machine, I always dump all command … and first bad surprize with the new Q90C… any CLI command work…. so no possibility to dump any settings. More no information about the specific Flight controller installed. Officially in the instruction it’s possible to change PIDs settings… but no extra indication if we can change or not other settings ….. Especially it’s surprizing to see that the failsafe is set to “land” instead of classic “fall” …. Now the main problem is as soon as you change any other setting than PIDs ones …., you will change indirectly some other important settings for motors. The machine will let spin the motors at full speed and also will be flipped. breaking main probably some props!!!!… !!!!!!!! Incredible !!!! no specific warning about to not touch other settings. in the instruction !!! . Super weird for beginners. How to solve this ? You will need to manually install the older BF 3.1.1 and press the reset button!!!!. In betaflight whatever the version, only the four first channels are visible.

Ok, as soon as the misadventure away….. since there is no specific arm button, the arming procedure is non-traditional: the throttle stick down and the right stick to the right. The machine take off smootlly from 40% of input. The Q90C is relatively powerfull for a brushed motors and the help of the hubsan triblade props. Thrust are compatible with acro figure style without problem. Ok ok it’s not yet comparable with a real brushless machine…. but it’s already not bad at all. The rates associated with each speed mode are well balanced but in expert mode, I would prefer more velocity’s angle… The yaw command is proportional with the speed mode. I am very pleased with the FPV feedback. For a 25mW VTX module the signal is strong and the 1000TVL camera rendering superior to other classic 600TVL. Light sensitivity is also above the average. As expected, after a nominal crash, props will be damaged/broke fast. The flight time in average are far from the 6 min advertized… we have something more about 4min-4min30 in practice. One remark with the panel buttons: there are not easy to pressed when you wear a FPV goggles/mask. you will probably press on a neighbour one… Shoulder buttons would have been a better choice for the speed and flight modes. Notice, when the battery voltage is about 3.7V, the transmitter vibrates…. so there is a kind of telemetry feedback. Strange because the XN297L AFAIK can’t support two way protocols.

CONCLUSIONS

The Eachine 90C is a good RTF brushed FPV machine as soon as you use it out of the box without betaflight modification attemp. The 2S brushed compatibility coupled with these triblades props boost general performances. stronger than the first Q90 edition. The Eachine 90C flies very well , stable and can handle moderate breeze without problem. Both the control and FPV range are good but I don’t advise long FPV flight since no buzzer is installed. The durability of the pastic structure is acceptable but arms will break easily when impacted on hard surfaces. The bundle including the VR006 FPV mask represent a good deal only if you have a perfect view….

PROS

+ Powerfull brushed machine
+ Fast machine
+ Good 1000TVL FPV camera
+ Acro & Rattitude flight modes
+ Cheap full RTF bundle
+ Good control and FPV ranges
+ Antennas pre-installed vertically
+ Wireless simulator feature
+ LVC vibration alarm on transmitter

CONS

– MOTOR LOCKED AT FULL SPEED IF ANY NON-PIDS SETTINGS ARE CHANGED
– No possibility to change the lens orientation
– No builtin Buzzer
– No Failsafe “drop” preset in BF
– Eat a lot of props without propguards
– Need to desolder for motor maintenance
– Downgraded LiPo versus first Q90 edition
– Full plastic structure

This quadcopter have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 63USD at https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Q90C-Flyingfrog-FPV-Racing-Quadcopter-1000TVL-Camera-VR006-Goggles-Switch-Freq-Transmitter-p-1194257.html

Cet article TEST: Eachine Q90C Flyingfrog est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.

View the full article