Dromida Voyager RCGroups Review
Dromida Voyager RCGroups Review
The Voyager is a nice scale-looking micro for beginner pilots
| Product: | Dromida Voyager |
| Wingpsan: | 19.5 in (495 mm) |
| Weight: | 1.9 oz (54 g) |
| Length: | 15 in (381 mm) |
| Transmitter: | 4-channel SLT compatible radio w/built-in LiPo charger |
| Battery: | 3.7V 1S LiPo |
| Price: | $89.99 |
| Available from: | Dromida.com |
| PDF Manual: | Click Here |
As you may have seen, Dromida has just recently started to release a series of airplanes to add to their quad-heavy product line. These first releases, much like most of their quads, are aimed at the beginner pilots with little to no experience. Their first two, the Twin Explorer and the Sky Cruiser 2 are ultra-durable foam and designed to handle crashes with ease. The new Voyager has very nice scale Beaver-style looks, but is made from a depron style foam that may be a little more fragile. Like the HobbyZone Champ, the Voyager is 3 channel with throttle, rudder and elevator. The Voyager was also designed with a pop-off wing using a tab on the front and magnet on the back.
Note the dip switches hidden behind a rubber plug on the transmitter. The first are servo reversing switches, which you shouldn't ever need to touch. Activating MIX1 didn't seem to change anything on the Voyagers controls. Flipping MIX2 will give you a rudder & elevator combination, which would normally be helpful for new pilots...but this is giving down elevator with right rudder. Not sure the purpose or use of up elevator one way, down on the other...but I wouldn't recommend trying it. And finally the D/R switch will allow you to get slightly larger control surface throws. On the back of the transmitter is the flight battery charger, hidden under a slide-out panel. The integrated charger will take about an hour to charge an empty pack. With a full charge, you can get upwards of 10 minutes flying if you take it easy on the throttle.
Flying Tips
Our first flight was a little crazy until we learned to back off the throttle to calm it down. You can launch and fly comfortably at half-throttle and under. The elevator is a little touchy but has nice authority, but the rudder seems to lag. It took a bit to gain some comfort with how much left or right input to give to make the turn. Start by giving no more than half the stick movement left or right, and then be ready to swing the stick the other way to level it out. Rudder control seems ineffective to start, and then it'll suddenly start turning harder when the airflow hits it right. I noticed 2 things that might be contributing to this... 1) The rudder is small - a slightly larger surface would give more authority 2) the rudder control rod has a lot of play in the side of the fuselage - which could cause the surface to move unreliably/inconsistently once in the air.
I wouldn't feel comfortable flying this in the front yard, but a baseball field sized area on a calm evening would be perfect. It is quite light, so any winds over 4-5mph is going to make this a handful. Loops are easy with a little extra throttle, but that and a stall turn/hammerhead is about the only aerobatics the Voyager can perform. The promo video showed it flying inverted, which I was able to do via a half loop and holding full down elevator at the top...however keeping it up and in the oval pattern was tricky, and there really isn't enough down elevator to get back upright. I wouldn't recommend trying it until you have a wide open area and some extra altitude. With all of that said, the Voyager flies pretty smoothly once you get the hang of its characteristics!
Landing could only be simpler if it were automated. Line the plane up, level the wings and chop the throttle while pulling the elevator stick slightly back as it nears the ground. Even if it hits the nose first, as long as the throttle was off I'd expect no damage at all. Charge it up and go again!
Features
- Scale details (wing ribs, wheel pants, panel lines)
- Built-in charger in transmitter
- Fully assembled
- Everything included to get flying
Promo video
| Dromida Voyager Airplane : Spotlight (1 min 9 sec) |
Pictures
Flight Video
| Dromida Voyager - RCGroups Review (2 min 57 sec) |
Summary
The Dromida Voyager is a nice scale micro for beginner pilots. If you're just starting out, keep the throttle under half until you get used to flying it. In no time, you'll be doing nice scale speed circuits and floating in for a landing. For $90, you're getting a great looking micro plane that includes everything you need.
Last edited by RCG_Jason; Dec 16, 2022 at 09:54 AM..| Thread Tools |
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Looks like a cute little bird.
Don't know where the 'Beaver-Style Looks' comes from, it ain't nothing like a Beaver, but rather is a pretty generic GA design, in the Cessna 150/Aeronica Champ vein. |
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Latest blog entry: A Couple Quick ELRS Notes for the ETHOS...
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Thread OP
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Latest blog entry: 93" AJ Laser 230z
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Looks like the same manufacturer as the one that made my "UMS 3AXG" Spitfire and Mustang, they also make a AM6M Zero.
Really cool small planes! The Tx looks identical (except the stickers), The mixes seem to be the same, but on the Spit and Mustang "Mix2" is interesting... Left rudder is coupeled to Up elevator, right rudder to Down elevator??? |
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Looks like the same manufacturer as the one that made my " Airnox UMS 3AXG" Spitfire and Mustang, they also make a AM6M Zero.
Really cool small planes! The Tx looks identical (except the stickers), The mixes seem to be the same, but on the Spit and Mustang "Mix2" is interesting... Left rudder is coupeled to Up elevator, right rudder to Down elevator??? EDIT A link, seems to be a Swedish "Brand" (made in China by a different Company name)... http://www.rubinrc.se/782-airnox Website is in Swedish, but if you click on the planes, the description is in English Jimjim |
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Last edited by jimjim06; Sep 19, 2016 at 11:31 AM.
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Latest blog entry: MAAC Wings
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Thread OP
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Nice find!! |
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Latest blog entry: 93" AJ Laser 230z
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Thread OP
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I do like the scale details on this vs the Champ. I've never personally flown the Champ, but from what I have seen they're pretty similar flight-wise. I think a little mod restricting the play on the rudder pushrod will help it be more responsive. |
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Latest blog entry: 93" AJ Laser 230z
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As I wrote I have the same Tx, only with Another brand name on it. The problem, with the planes i got is not actually with the planes nor the Tx, its the total lack of information in the Manual, not one Word about the switches. I didnīt have a hard time testing the functions of the switches, so I knew wich ones were useless... BUT the Spit and the P-51 are labelled as "Beginner level", wich They are not, but a good first low-wing trainer, after flying something like the "Champ"... Its interesting that a Company can spend all that time and money making amazing Products like theese, and then totally ignore making a manual that tells you how to use it... Again, No big problems for me, but for a rank beginner? I Think so. Hope this Voyager comes with a better manual! Jimjim |
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Wing struts can be added using 1/16 balsa strips sanded to a slight airfoil shape and painted. I have done it many times on the Hobbyzone Champs. It does not affect flying and adds a lot of personality to the plane.
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