The Cyclone 5040 is the new addition to the vast Cyclone fleet of propellers.
The first generation 5045C was renowed as being one of the best racing propeller, having the grip of a 5040 and the power of a 5045 bullnose.
Building on this success DAL released the new 5046C, increasing pitch and therefore creating more thrust, but at the cost of a very small increase of current draw.
As there wasn’t a good dual blade on the market DAL once again released the killer T5050C, this time in dual and triblade configurations, making this a very good choice for top of the line pilots and speed addicts.
But they didn’t stop there, releasing the super light T5051, a prop that has the speed of the T5050C but weights just 3.2g. This was a great handling prop, but there was still something missing in the Cyclone lineup.

Until now…​
DAL has finally catered to everyone upon releasing their new T5040C.

So what stands out?

By finally releasing a lower pitch and lighter prop, DAL has released one of the best, if not the best freestyle prop.
Coming in at just 3.9g, the T5040C weighs as much as the T5040 V2, which already was a good prop, but the new Cyclone takes it to a whole new level.

I had some good experience with freestyle catered props, like the original HQ 5x3x4 glass nylon, the newer HQ 5x4x3 V1S, HQ 5x4.3x3 V1s and the DAL T5040 V2.

In terms of stiffness the new T5040C wins hands down. While the original HQ just shattered on the tiniest impact, the V1S fixed this by switching to polycarbonate, but it is nowhere near the level of durability presented by the Cyclone series.

Control is at an all time peak with this prop. It may lack in top speed, but it wasn’t designed to be as fast as the T5045 or T5050, since they fulfill different roles, but it’s no slouch!
Cornering is at an all-time high. I’ve never had such good cornering control, even with the HQ props, which were, in my honest opinion the best freestyle prop until now.

Is everything perfect?

Sadly no. While the prop is perfect, the lower weight and thinner hub connection has made this the 2nd lower durability prop in the Cyclone series, only being beat by the ultra-light T5051.
In the one set I had I chose to fly in a grass field, so that crashes didn’t break any of the only 4 props I had. Sadly this wasn’t the case, as in 5-6 flights I managed to break a prop right in the hub.
While the other Cyclones would certainly bend and I’d bend them back in place, this new T5040C just shattered at the hub.

I managed to get another set from a friend and flown probably 20 packs on them, but I broke 2 more in the hub once again.

Here’s a flight footage of the T5040C.
(Sorry for the weird vibrations, was flying with a broken arm)

Would I recommend this prop?

Absolutely, the control it gives is mind blowing and it’s a worthy replacement to my HQ props.

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing the T5040C head over to Surveilzone.

Purchase link: http://bit.ly/2iRZT94

Welcome to my review of the Xero S5M "Silver Edition".
Before heading further into this review, I’d like to thank Eddie for sending over the frame for review.

The Xero S5M is a new frame by Avant designed to be used with the new generation of micro cameras, the Foxeer Arrow Micro and Runcam Micro Swift.
It sports a stretched-X configuration, making it ideal for racing, where the stretched-X profile has advantages over the classic true-x configuration.
Nothing on this frame feels cheap or poorly made. The carbon is cut in 45º degrees, offering more stiffness than a standard cut.
Both the bottom and top plates are chamfered, allowing for better resistance in case of heavy crashes, since it helps to prevent delamination of the carbon fibre layers.
The frame also allows for 20mm x 20mm and 30.55mm x 30.5mm mounting which is usefull nowadays since 20mm x 20mm eletronics are becoming more popular due to higher amperage AIO ESC and tinier flight controllers.
So last but not least, the frame features 3 motor mounting points instead of 4. This has been a recent update to the design to help add stiffness in that area since there have been some issues regarding heavy crashes.
The FPV camera can be screwed in two places, either closer or further away from the flight controller.
The frame comes in at 65$, which I consider to be a steal! It’s cheap when you factor in the quality you’re getting here.

What’s in the box:

So what stands out on this frame?
One of the first things that stood out to me was the extremely good build quality of all the parts present in this frame!
The machining on the carbon is top notch. It even comes pre-chamfered from the factory.

The carbon being cut in 45º also makes a huge difference. The flex is almost non-existent, allowing just for a tiny bit of flexing (this is good, because if a frame is too rigid it won’t allow for flexing in a hard crash).

How does this all go together?
The Xero S5M is a very easy frame to assemble. It sports countersunk nylon screws on the bottom side of the main plate and countersunk high tensile steel screws on the top plate.
This makes for a very clean and aesthetically pleasing build.

Final build:
In order to save the most possible space I used a Racerstar StarF3S AIO FC + PDB + 30A ESC, making this a single stack machine.
A Foxeer Micro was also used along with a Eachine VTX03 w/ a dipole antenna.
BoltRC 2207 2450KV motors were also used, making this a super light and capable racer.

The build ended up weighing 259g w/ a strap and 4x Cyclone 5045C props.

Would I recommend this frame to anyone who’s looking for a premium build quality and durability?
Absolutely! AvantQuads has definitely hit a sweetspot here.
A good compromise of weight, durability, looks and most important price!
It’s sleek, good looking, great durability and has spare parts in case you ever need them.
Did I even mention you get 40% off in case you break something? Now that’s good business practice!

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing the Xero S5M, head over to AvantQuads!

Purchase link: http://avantquads.com

Welcome to my overview and first look of the Wraith32 BLHeli_32 ESC.
Thanks to Airbot for sending me these ESC for an overview!

Before heading further into this overview please take into consideration that these ESC are a pre-production test sample that are not representative of the final product in any way.
They cannot be updated to the final firmware neither have functions like telemetry and current sensing working as of now.

Once I opened the package I was greeted by a letter explaining that this was a test sample and the limitations that it has.

A small BLHeli_32 manual was also included, of which I will disclose the first page.

The ESC packaging was very simple, just an antistatic bag, no cables, or anything.
Remember this is a test sample ESC.

As you can see on the top side of the ESC, you have a current sensor on the bottom, as well as big solder pads for your main battery leads.

On the bottom side you can also solder if you wish to.
This is also usefull in the rare case a pad is ripped off the PCB.

More shots of the ESC.

As of today (10th of May of 2017) DSHOT1200 is functional, but can only be used on F7 boards.
Current F3 and F4 boards aren’t able to keep up with the increased PID calculation speed.

Also, the only way to connect to these ESC is via an Arduino since BLHeliSuite does not recognize them.
This being said, this ESC works perfectly on DSHOT600 with no desyncs and once DSHOT1200 is working 100% I’ll be sure to try it out.

Soldering to the pads was a dream. I’m a fan of bare ESC so I can cut my own cables to length.
The only possible downside would be the GND and PWM pad, which I found a bit small but workable nonetheless.

Below I have linked some DVR footage of a friend flying the Wraith32.

Would I recommend that you jump on BLHeli_32 once it releases?
No. Sadly it will probably be a "green" software in the first times and it being closed-source is a letdown for me.

I’d recommend you’d wait some weeks at least to get some solid feedback from early adopters.

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing the Wraith32 once it releases, head over to Airbot!

Purchase link: http://shop.myairbot.com/

Welcome to my review of the Dquad Obsession V2 frame.
Before heading further into this review, I’d like to thank the folks over at Dquad for making this review possible!

Sadly I’m yet to assemble this frame as I am waiting for some EFAW 2407R motors, so I’ll be using images provived by Dquad.
Once I have completed the build I will create a new post regarding my thoughts after flying for a while.
So for the time being I will leave my thoughts after seeing and testing the frame on the bench.

So let’s take a closer look at the frame itself.

What’s in the box:

How does this all go together?

As you can see in the gif above, the Obession is based on a modular design, so in case you snap an arm it’s an easy swap.

A nice touch by Dquad is the included spare top plate, which is used to give structural rigidity to the frame in case you desire to use your own PDB. (shown in the picture above)

They also include a PETG XT60 holder that is used to secure the XT60 connector to the frame. This is a very nice touch that diminishes the chance of your battery lead plugging out when crashing. (shown in the picture above)

What’s the difference between this and the first iteration?

So what stands out on this frame?

One of the first things that stood out to me was the extremely good build quality of all the parts present in this frame!
The use of Aluminium 7075 really improves the rigidity of the frame, resulting in a very strong cage that protects both lenses and the components inside.

The carbon cut is also excellent, one of the best I’ve ever seen, nothing like the cheap clone frames that are sold everywhere. I’d put this right beside my SCX-200 V2.3 by Armattan in terms of carbon fiber quality.

Another great touch is the HD camera mounting options.
Gladly Dquad provides a way to quickly attach an HD camera to the rollcage via 4 screws, making this a very quick and easy installation.
They also provide the STL files required to print your own protection right on their website, alongside arm and LiPo protectors and XT60 mounts.

Would I recommend this frame to anyone who’s looking for a premium build quality and durability?
Absolutely. Aside from the hefty price tag I cannot think of a single reason not to recommend this frame.

It’s sleek, good looking, great durability and has spare parts in case you ever need them.
Great job Dquad!

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing the Obsession, head over to Dquad!

Purchase link: http://www.dquad.nl/obsession/

Welcome to my review of the Kiwi.F4 V2 Flight Controller and the Kiwi PDB.
Before heading further into this review, I’d like to thank the John Lemon for making this review possible!

Let’s start off by taking a closer look at the packaging.
As we can see FlyingLemon is using a nice cardboard box, which may not seem special at first, but after opening it up we see specially cut holes for both the Flight Controller and PDB.

In the box we’ll find both the Flight controller and PDB, plus some nylon hardware.
An overall good package from FlyingLemon.

Specifications:

One of the first things that stood out to me was the extremely good build quality of both parts!
I’m also glad that they are now using pads instead of through holes on the FC, which makes for much easier wiring.

On the back side we’ll find the SD Card slot, the ATMEL chip that runs the OSD, the 5V step-down and a special pin connector that we’ll discuss further in this review.

So what makes the Kiwi.V2 any good?
For once, it’s a completely modular system that doesn’t require the use of the Kiwi PDB.

The other major selling point to me is the combination of both FC and PDB.
I believe the Kiwi.V1 was the first available product to use such a ingenious system!
Wire your motors and signal wire to the PDB and through pins, connect both the FC and PDB for a super clean build and short stack.

Here’s how it looks.

Would I recommend this FC and PDB? Yes!
I’m yet to find someone that combines this well.

I may be a huge fan of my RROSD and FC combo, but this stack is way smaller and cleaner looking.
The video feed is just perfect and extremely clean.

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing the Kiwi, head over to FlyingLemon!

Purchase link: https://flyinglemon.eu/

Welcome to my review of the Bumpbee 30A BLHeli_S ESC.
Before heading further into this review, I’d like to thank the folks over at AirBot for making this review possible!

Let’s firstly take a look at the package that the BumpBee ESC comes in.

Specifications:

One of the first things that stood out to me was the extremely good build quality that these ESC have!
I’ve never seen anything like this.
Another great thing about them is the big solder pads! No more fiddling around with tiny solder pads that can potentially fry your ESC.

So why is this ESC any special?
They are rocking the BB21 MCU (48Mhz) and have support for DShot600. While this may seem like standard at the moment of writing it wasn’t the case when they launched.
They are using large IR5301 NFETs which are rated up to 100A, and a 4-layer PCB w/ 3oz copper.

One unique thing about this ESC is that it has a status LED. This LED changes colour based on the quadcopter status. If it is armed the LED turns red and when unarmed it stays orange. The other colour is green, which is displayed when the quadcopter isn’t connected to a radio.

They are also agressively priced, you can find them for around 12-14$ each, and if you buy a pack of 5 it becomes even cheaper!

This ESC is so good that it’s sold under various names, the most notorious being Raceflight.
It’s their official ESC, so you can see how good they are!

What can I say about this ESC? Is it good enough to recommend purchasing?
Shortly, yes, definitely!

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing some of these ESC, be sure to order them from AirBot!

Purchase link: http://shop.myairbot.com/index.php/bumpbee-s.html

Welcome to my review of the SkyRC Q200 charger.
Before heading further into this review, I’d like to thank Shawn Tong over at SkyRC for making this review possible and Pedro over at Ibermodel for sending the actual unit!

Let’s firstly take a look at the box that the Q200 comes in.

It’s a well built box that includes all the information you might need to know printed on the box.
It clearly specifies the total wattage on AC and DC input, as well as the type of batteries it can charge.

Specifications:

Inside the box we’ll find the following items:

But what is the big deal about this new charger from SkyRC?
It’s the latest 4-port charger from SkyRC, making it very useful for charging multiple LiPo batteries at the same time without resorting to parallel boards that can often cause unbalanced cells or other issues.

This is a very well built charger, and while made of plastic, it’s a very high quality finish.
I rather enjoy the plastic unit instead of aluminum due to the impossibility of accidentally shorting something on the metal frame.

All the cables are made of high quality silicone wire, which is a must nowadays.
The manual is also very well printed and has everything needed in case you are unware how the charger works.

The front part of the charger clearly specifies which buttons are which, as well as the 4 channel order. They work the same way as in a standard 4-button charger, the first button being for channel selection.

On the back we’ll find the two energy input sources, AC and DC. The charger has a built-in power supply, so thats a huge plus for me.
There’s also a power switch for added safety (the power switch only works for AC current).

After powering the unit up we’ll be greated with a warning message, after which we’re ready to start charging.

The charger has a power switch, which I consider very useful and also has two cooling fans, which while charging are very silent, but when discharging 4 batteries at the same time they can ramp up quite easily.

The Q200 main advantage over it’s competition is it’s compact size and the 4 completely independent charging ports, that can easily be configured to charge different chemistry batteries at the same time, without causing issues to other packs. This is very useful when charging LiPo and Li-Ion 18650 cells. It’s also LiHV compatible, which not all chargers are.

This charger also has reverse polarity protection, useful in case you accidentally plug in the banana plugs the wrong way. Very well done SkyRC!

What can I say about this charger? Is it good enough to recommend purchasing?
Shortly, yes, definitely!

Pros:

Cons:

If you’re interested in purchasing a SkyRC Q200, be sure to reach out to Pedro over at Ibermodel. He’ll be sure to have one shipped to you at a very affordable price.

Email: pedro@ibermodel.es
Telephone: 945601444 (Spain)