The NewBeeDrone Hummingbird V3 is among the most budget-friendly tiny whoops at the moment available on the market. Regardless of its low value, this tiny whoop provides spectacular sturdiness and a set of options that make it a superb selection for these new to the FPV world. Nevertheless, it additionally has some limitations, which I’ll cowl on this evaluate. I’ll stroll you thru its specs, efficiency, and the way it compares to different in style tiny whoops available on the market.
Try my tiny whoop and associated accent suggestions: https://oscarliang.com/best-tiny-whoop/=
The place to Purchase
You should buy the Hummingbird V3 from:
For $89.99, the Hummingbird V3 package deal consists of:
- The Hummingbird V3 drone
- A spare set of Triblade props
- A propeller removing software
- A Nitro Nector 1S 300mAh battery
- A fast-start information and binding directions
Specs
- Propellers: NewBeeDrone Azi 31mm Tri-Blade (1.0mm Shaft)
- Flight Controller: Hummingbird V3 ELRS AIO Flight Controller
- Body: Cockroach65 V3 Body
- Complete Weight with out battery: 21.6g (PP Materials Cockroach65 body)
- Motors: Hummingbird 0802 25000KV
- Cover: Goober Cover v1
- Digicam: BeeEye Digicam
- Drone Dimension: 65mm
Flight Controller (FC) Specs:
- MCU: STM32F411
- Gyro: BMI270
- VTX: 25mW with BeeTX 5.8GHz Antenna
- ESC: 12A BLHeliS pre-flashed with Bluejay 0.19.2 Goal: O-H-10 48kHz
- ESC Connector: JST-1.0 3Pin
- OSD: NBD7456 Graphical OSD appropriate with Betaflight OSD
- Receiver: 2.4GHz ExpressLRS (SPI)
- Battery Enter: 1S Solely
- Battery Connector: Nectar Connector Gold Plated PH2.0 Stable Pin
Design and Construct High quality
The Hummingbird V3 stands out with its sturdy design and engaging white body accented by black and crimson particulars. It’s constructed round NewBeeDrone’s signature Cockroach body, which is famend for its sturdiness.
Not like the newest tiny whoops, the body and cover are thicker, making the drone extra sturdy and appropriate for brand spanking new pilots who’re nonetheless studying the ropes. Nevertheless, this added bulk comes at the price of elevated weight.
Weighing in at round 21.6 grams, the Hummingbird V3 is 20% heavier than the BetaFPV Air65, which weighs simply 17.1 grams. This extra weight considerably impacts flight efficiency, as I’ll focus on additional.
On the optimistic aspect, the bigger polycarbonate cover not solely shields the interior elements but in addition provides the drone a glossy look. The eye to element is obvious, with small foam foot pads for smoother landings and solder pads on the motor base for straightforward replacements. Moreover, the brilliant RGB LEDs on the 4 corners of the flight controller add a pleasant visible contact, which will be configured in Betaflight.
Aside from weight, one other notable draw back is the usage of the older PH2.0 battery connector as a substitute of the extra fashionable BT2.0 or A30 connectors, which supply higher flight instances and diminished voltage sag. Whereas the PH2.0 connector isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s one thing to think about when you choose to standardize your battery connectors throughout your fleet.
Flight Efficiency
Utilizing the included 1S 300mAh Nitro Nectar LiHV battery, I used to be capable of get round 3 minutes of flight time with the Hummingbird V3. As compared, the BetaFPV Air65 can obtain over 4 minutes, highlighting the influence of the additional weight on flight time. To compensate for this added weight, NewBeeDrone outfitted the Hummingbird V3 with bigger 0802 25000KV motors, which ship extra energy however on the expense of effectivity.
You may undoubtedly really feel the additional weight, particularly throughout turns. It looks like flying a heavier 75mm whoop however with the ability of a 65mm. The extra momentum requires earlier response and bigger stick actions, making it much less nimble and tougher to fly than the Air65. Nevertheless, the drone flies easily and feels locked in, exhibiting that NewBeeDrone has accomplished a strong job tuning the whoop straight out of the manufacturing facility.
The ESCs come pre-flashed with Bluejay 0.19 firmware (48kHz PWM Frequency), with the RPM filter enabled in Betaflight out of the field, which boosts flight efficiency. Nevertheless, the ESC settings may use a bit extra optimization, as some motors don’t all the time begin correctly when armed inflicting the drone to flip over at takeoff. That is a simple repair, which I’ll cowl within the “Learn how to Setup” part on this evaluate.
One other minor annoyance is the continuously altering RGB LED lights. Whereas they give the impression of being cool, the reflections on the prop guards will be distracting for the pilot, particularly in low-light circumstances. Luckily, you may disable them within the settings.
The picture high quality from the BeeEye digital camera is okay, on par with what you’d count on from different finances choices like Happymodel or BetaFPV.
What NewBeeDrone Might Enhance
The Hummingbird V3 would have been a superb tiny whoop 2-3 years in the past, however the specs really feel considerably outdated in late 2024. Listed here are a couple of recommendations for NewBeeDrone to modernize this drone and enhance its efficiency:
- Improve to a BT2.0 or A30 battery connector.
- Use a lighter body and cover to cut back weight (ideally within the 17-18g stage).
- Straight solder motors to the ESC pads to reduce resistance and additional scale back weight.
- After lowering weight, think about using barely greater KV motors to maximise efficiency (e.g., 27000KV or 28000KV).
- Swap from an SPI receiver to a UART receiver for futureproofing.
One other limitation we now have not touched on is the video transmitter, which is capped at 25mW RF output energy. Whereas this may be enough for many indoor and short-range flights, it’s much less versatile than different newest tiny whoops, which usually supply as much as 350mW and even 400mW. Larger energy output will be useful when flying by means of a number of rooms in a home or outside the place extra vary and sign penetration are most popular.
Lighter LiteAF Racing Body
The Hummingbird V3 makes use of the sturdy Cockroach V3 body. NewBeeDrone lately launched a brand new “LiteAF” body manufactured from polypropylene materials, with a barely decrease profile, lowering the load by about 0.5 grams. That is designed for racing, however I believe most pilot can profit from a lighter body. You may take a look at the LiteAF body right here: https://oscarliang.com/product-oexn.
Learn how to Setup
The flight controller comes with Betaflight 4.4.0 (launched a yr in the past), with the goal firmware being BETAFPVG473. Yow will discover the default CLI diff right here.
To arrange your Hummingbird V3 for its maiden flight:
- Bind the Receiver: Enter your bind phrase within the Receiver tab.
- Load ExpressLRS Preset – what packet charge you’re utilizing.
- Set Your Charges within the PID Tuning tab.
- Configure Switches: Arrange your arm change, angle mode change, and turtle mode change.
- Tweak ESC Settings in Bluejay: Enhance the Minimal Startup Energy to 1070 and alter ESC energy settings to 1S. The default of 1020 is just too low and may trigger some motors to not spin when armed.
Closing Ideas
To be fully trustworthy, after flying the BetaFPV Air65, it’s onerous to advocate anything at this level. Whereas the Hummingbird V3 has some good options and considerate design touches, its heavier weight and use of the older PH2.0 connector really feel outdated. The Air65 is extra nimble, provides longer flight instances, has higher specs (like a better energy VTX and a UART receiver), and is even cheaper.
That mentioned, the Hummingbird V3 nonetheless has its deserves. It will not be my best choice for racers, however it may be a enjoyable tiny whoop for normal use, providing good sturdiness because of its sturdy body. Plus, being a product from a U.S.-based firm would possibly enchantment to some pilots seeking to help home manufacturers.
You should buy the Hummingbird V3 from: