WLtoys Q282G RTF FPV Hexacopter from Tmart.com (4 min 3 sec)

Back around Halloween 2015, I had the opportunity to review a neat little machine from Tmart.com and I figured it was worth revisiting.

The WLtoys Q282G was the first micro hexacopter with a 5.8GHz FPV system and onboard video capabilities. At the time, I asked if the Q282G was a sort of heir apparent to the still popular V911 fixed pitch helicopter.

I said that despite the fantastic flight characteristics, the surprisingly good video and a battery powered FPV screen worthy of a more expensive model, there was a big bugaboo.

The radio range.

Try as I might, the model wouldn't fly out more than about 40 or 50 feet - if even that - before it lost signal and crashed. Some discussions here on RCGroups regarding truncated radio range on WLtoys transmitters led me to pick up a pair of 2.4GHz router antennas from Amazon.com for the princely sum of about seven bucks, shipped free thanks to Amazon Prime.

That did the trick after a bit of soldering and slicing of the phony antenna stub. I thought it would be fun to dust it off and give it a whirl since I hadn't done so since the successful test flights after the antenna mod.

Tmart.com had forwarded two additional li-pos for the model; one was still in the wrapper! I charged it up, powered up the little hexacopter and took it outside for a real boogie blast on both 80% and 100% control rates.

Not only will it go from full speed to turning around inside...Continue Reading

Eachine E5C RTF Quadcopter from Banggood.com (2 min 59 sec)

Back at the dawn of nano and micro quads, it was possible to pick up a halfway decent version for, oh, about a hundred bucks.

I know. That’s what I paid for mine and I still have it.

Like any other consumer (or hobby) item, R&D coupled with improved production methods send prices plummeting. Economics 101, as it were.

Today, a mere thirty dollars with free shipping nets a vastly improved mini quad. Or, if you prefer, $29.99.

That model is the camera equipped Eachine E5C from my friends at Banggood.com. Eachine dabbles in some higher end hobby quads, but their bread and butter seems to be little entry level machines like this one.

The E5C comes with the usual accessories such as propeller guards, two spare props, a small screwdriver, a USB charging cord and the model itself which only needs the installation of the camera and the landing skids for completion. Buyers need to ante up for a standard micro SD card and reader along with four AA-cell alkaline batteries to power the transmitter.

Unwrapping the plastic and foam used to ship the model revealed an attractive display box. Inside, the E5C came with propellers installed and with the 500mAh flight battery waiting inside the model itself.

An unexpected surprise came in the form of a neat little pair of sunglasses packed inside the box! I’ve tried doing some flying with them and I have to say that they work quite well.

Blue...Continue Reading

MJX X601H RTF Hexacopter from Banggood.com (3 min 5 sec)

As my ten years as an official RCGroups reviewer draw to a close, it’s my pleasure to state that I’ll continue to do the occasional casual review right here on the blogs.

I’ve been privileged to work with some of the hobby’s greatest distributors and manufacturers. Among them is Hong Kong-based mail order house Banggood.com. They often make product samples available for casual review by RCGroups bloggers. So, when I was given the opportunity to do the same, I jumped at the chance.

My first such review is of a fun, entry level RTF multirotor, the MJX X601H hexacopter. This affordable little machine comes fully assembled less the skids and optional propeller guards and comes equipped with a WiFi camera which sends recordable video back to an Apple or Android smartphone. What’s more, the free MJX app also allows the X601H to be operated via smartphone! Definitely a strange but fun experience.

As with every Banggood product I’ve ever reviewed, the X601H arrived wrapped in plastic and foam. Inevitably, the corners of the display boxes get dinged and the X601H was no exception. Still, the contents arrived unscathed. They include the fully assembled model with a 700mAh 7.4V lithium polymer battery, 2.4GHz transmitter, USB charger, spare props, prop guards, a small phillips screwdriver and an illustrated instruction booklet.

Banggood also sells an upgraded 1000mAh battery and...Continue Reading

As I'd pointed out a couple of entries ago, my ten-year run as an official RCGroups.com reviewer will come to an end after the publication of the two reviews I'm working to complete.

Since I'm a member in good standing, I'm able to do what many of you have done, i.e., post product reviews right here on the blogs.

I've cultivated a terrific relationship with lots of vendors, among them Banggood.com. Not long ago, Banggood put out the call on the blogs for product reviewers. Since I've already done a lot of reviews on their behalf - including the two I have on the electric flight page at present - I was accepted into the fold, as it were. It's my promise to continue to be unbiased since these are, after all, reviews and not ads.

So, my new contact "BG Well" offered up a couple of tasty little entry level RTF multirotors.

One is the Eachine H5C quadcopter with its outstanding HD video/still camera. The other is the fun new MJX X600H hexacopter with its WiFi camera system.

Some videos and more detailed reviews of both machines are forthcoming, but for now, let me simply say that both of these machines are worth considering.

The link to the Eachine quad's ordering page may be found here and the link to the MJX hexacopter may be found here.

Man, am I ever stoked!

At long last and thanks in no small part to an expert on the model, I finally put two successful flights on the HobbyKing Super-G autogyro which I'm reviewing for RCGroups.

I'd already done an initial review, but I wound up crashing on the maiden flight. I won't tip my hand to say what I did to get to this point for part two of the review, but let me simply say that it took practice, support and proper setup.

Here's the newest discussion page for the first review:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...4#post35229399

In my nearly completed second part of the review of this marvelous model, I'll explain just what I did to set it up for success. As HobbyKing rightfully states, it's a flying experience like no other.

This is the European ordering page:

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

Fun? Oh yes.

It's summertime in the desert which means hot weather.

So, a lot of flying is being done indoors and I just flew this little fellow:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2549610

The Eachine H8C, reviewed during much cooler temps in January 2016 is lots of fun to fly indoors and one I'd not flown in some time.

The low rates were just as I remembered them, namely too low. The medium and even the high rates are fun in an indoor situation and the LEDs make it easy to keep oriented. In this case, red is front and blue is rear, but with that in mind, orientation remains simple.

I didn't try the camera simply because I saw no point in filming my living room. I recall that the quality of the camera was so-so at best. However, the price has since been lowered to the odd price of US$22.59 and still with free shipping. Even at this low price, Banggood.com has a complete selection of spare parts.

While I don't often fly the H8C, it remains a fun indoor/outdoor flyer which is easily repaired should the unthinkable happen.

Quick update: Some batteries may be in this little guy's future. Flight times are way down.