TEST: Eachine US/UK65

[Drone News]

INTRODUCTION

After the excellent Happymodel Snapper6, and the even more better URAV UV65, here is probably the ultimate 65mm microbrushless FPV machine, i.e. the Eachine US/UK65. One more time, it’s based at 95% with the same incredients: same Crazybee F3 board, same bundle… but now the frame, the KV of the 0603 motors and the AIO FPV Module are differents. For the US65, we have a machine a 1.2g heavier structure but with faster 0603 motors: 19000Kv vs 17000kv. The crazybee integrates now a 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… For both RSSI is also sent for the OSD directly via SPI connexion. The AIO is also updated: still a good 700TVL CMOS model with a builtin 48ch/25mW VTX but now with Smart Audio connection to change the Vfreq/Vband via the OSD, ideal for indoors competition with several machines. Let’s discover the Eachine US65. From now since, I will make shorter the written review part to concentrate elements more in the video and the conclusion parts.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x Eachine US65
+ 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

For the Eachine version, no instruction manual…. Luckely it’s almost the same machine than the URAV UV65.

OVERVIEW

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1.2g more heavier ….. Will this extra weight will be an handicap for the 19000Kv motors ?

The green wire is the smart audio connexion directly done to a pad of the F3 MCU. I guess the crazybee board will be updated soon with a new direct pad to connect smart audio more easily.

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS, CONFIGURATION AND DEMO FLIGHT

By default with the FrSky edition, the selected protocol is the LBT/non-EU D16 so called FrSky_X in betaflight. If your favorite taranis/openTX radio is not flashed with the non-EU firmware, you can select instead the FrSky_D, i.e. the D8 mode. It will work whatever the EU or non-EU firmware. For both the D16 & D8, good news, telemetry informations are also sent back to the radio. Important information: since the receiver is directly connected with the F3 MCU via SPI, you don’t have to select an AUX channel for the RSSI in the receiver tab. If you select the AUX4 (D8) or AUX12 (D16) as usual with a SBUS connexion, paradoxally the RSSI information won’t be here anymore.

The bind procedure is a little bit unsual for a FrSky receiver. No need to press & hold the micro bind button while powering. Here … first power the machine then only short press on the bind button. The green light will continue to blink slowly…. so no real feedback to know if the binding procedure was correctly done. You will need to repower the machine to complete the binding operation.

The machines comes with betaflight 3.4 (ESC buzzer, flip over crash ready) and …. with a working smart-audio protocol. If the smart-audio works flawless out the box… the ESC buzzer is not preconfigured in betaflight…. It’s a minor detail…. but they could do it from factory. Luckely it’s only a question of software turning.

As for the Snapper6 and the UR65, the voltage threshold are set too high…. and after a couple of seconds you will see “low voltage” displayed on the screen. A solution is too decrease the two voltages and also to remove from the OSD informations the “warning” element.

The new AIO module for a CMOS sensor offer great vivid colors and for a 25mW module the FPV range is just great despite a basic linear antenna. You can reach up to 200m… in a open wide space. It’s not bad at all. The Vband/Vfreq selection from OSD is a big plus…

Ok … let’s now speak about probably the more important question. Are the 19000Kv boosting performances versus the 17000Kv of the UR65…. and the answer is no….. In fact the 1.2g extra grams kills the potential gain. But don’t worry, the US65 is at the end as powerfull as the UR65… so it’s already a super great machine much more powerfull than any 65mm brushed machines. The US65 is fantastic little indoors machine going through any tiny spaces. For outdoors, the machine can handle pretty well moderate wind. The powerlift are strong enough for acro figures even powerloop….
This is a super fun little machine ideal for winter times. Flight times are in average of 3min with indoors application and down to 2min with more agressive acro outdoors flights.

As for the two other models, the FPV feedback presents some little jello due to the three blades props, highly unbalanced. If you replace them with some four blades (Eachine E010/E011) models, the machine will fly on air-rails.

Last point, the throttle answer is a bit strange…. a lot of power will be here when the stick will be above 85%. It’s advised to apply a non-linear curve on your radio or betaflight to have a more classic throttle response.

CONCLUSIONS

The Eachine US/UK65 is probably currently the best 65mm machine. The new AIO smart audio module deserves the buy versus the UR65. The US65 is powerfull… fun, easy fo fly, ultra light and absoluptly not dangerous to anyone/anything. It’s clearly one of my favorite machine. How to improve it ? Swap the top canopy for the UR65 model or you can even find some even more lighter. You can also install the new 22000Kv 0603 brushless motors. Finally some >40C batteries are a minimum to enjoy all the power of this machine. It’s an highly recommanded machine already a hit. More currently it’s sold about 70USD !!!!! What else ?

PROS

+ 0603/19000Kv 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
+ Smart Audio
+ Uptiltable camera
+ BF 3.4/BLheli_s 16.7 pre-flashed
+ ~3min of flight time
+ Good LiHV battery
+ Silent

CONS

– Not more powerfull than the UR65 (due to the 1.2 extra gram)
– Micro bind button hard to access/press
– ESC buzzing & flip over crash not pre-configured out of the box
– Motorÿs screws easy to loose. Need to be thread locked
– Little jello due to unbalanced props

Dump_BF_3_4

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 79USD at https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-US65-UK65-65mm-Whoop-FPV-Racing-Drone-BNF-Crazybee-F3-Flight-Controller-OSD-6A-Blheli_S-ESC-p-1339561.html

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