BetaFPV Meteor75 Professional HD: Small dimension, No compromises

The BetaFPV Meteor75 Professional HD drone combines spectacular visuals and highly effective efficiency in an ultra-small dimension. The upgraded body can now match bigger 45mm propellers, which supplies the facility to hold a digital FPV system on a 1S LIPO battery. On this evaluate, we may have a more in-depth have a look at the Meteor75 Professional HD Walksnail, however there may be additionally out there an HDZero version that, resulting from its fastened latency design, will in all probability be extra appreciated by racing pilots.

BetaFPV’s Meteror collection contains three sizes: M65, M75, and M85. Often, the quantity within the FPV drone’s product identify represents its wheelbase (motor-to-motor distance in mm). Due to this fact with an 80mm wheelbase, the Meteor75 Professional needs to be named Meteor80. Whereas the M65 and M75 run on 1S LIPO, the M85 makes use of 2s batteries for extra energy. Within the desk under, yow will discover the distinction between the Professional and non-Professional Meteor75 HD.

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BetaFPV Meteor75 Professional evaluate

Disclosure: I acquired this digital FPV Whoop as a part of a product evaluate collaboration with BetaFPV. Product specs and high quality might fluctuate in response to the producer’s reliability, so I can not assure that you’ll get a drone that performs the identical as seen in my article.

BETAFPV was established in February 2017 with a major give attention to creating FPV drones and components with superior high quality. In addition to the Meteor collection, they’ve a bigger Whoop household named Pavo and a few different FPV quadcopters. BetaFPV was among the many first producers that joined ExpressLRS by offering suitable receivers, TX modules, and distant controllers.

The Meteor75 Professional is available in a classy compact cardboard field with two batteries, a USB charger, a USB Kind-C cable, a Walksnail USB cable, a set of spare propellers, and a few bonus stickers. 

Design and construct high quality

Like most comparable Whoops-tyle micro FPV drones, the Meteor75 Professional additionally adopts a unibody polypropylene (PP) body. Spare frames can be found in seven colours: black, blue, cyan, orange, white, yellow, and pink.

Underneath the protecting cover, there may be the F4 5A AIO brushless flight controller and the Avatar HD MINI digital VTX. The tiny Walknsnail FPV digital camera is put in instantly into the cover, and its angle might be adjusted inside 0-40°. For indoor flying, you must regulate all of it the way in which down for slower cruising. On this place, the ducts are barely seen within the digital camera footage. A easy pink wire serves as an antenna for the built-in serial 2.4G ELRS receiver.

Its tiny 1102 22000KV brushless motors are geared up with black 45mm 3-Blade propellers. In my view, this propulsion system ought to enable carrying a further small digital camera such because the Insta360 GO2 or RunCam Thumb.

The drone has a footprint of about 110×110 mm and weighs simply 36 grams with out the battery or 50g with the 1s 550mA LIPO. It’s a bit wider than its predecessor (w/o Professional) but additionally 4 grams lighter. The general construct high quality could be very good, designed with simplicity and straightforward upkeep in thoughts. The FC has an easy-to-access micro USB port for configuration and firmware updates. Every motor has a connector, to allow them to get replaced in lower than 5 minutes with none soldering required.

Value, availability, and choices

The Meteor75 Professional HD is out there with two FPV choices. The Walksnail model proven on this evaluate is priced at $229.99, and the HDZero version for $219.99. You’ll be able to go for ELRS 2.4GHz, FrSky/PNP, or TBS radio receiver in response to your current transmitter. You get two flight batteries and a 2-ch USB charger at this worth. In case you want extra enjoyable time, a set of 4 550mAh batteries is out there for $23.99, and a 6-port parallel charger for $19.99. If you’re on a good finances, the analog model is out there with a beginning worth of $109.99.

HD Digital FPV system

The Meteor75 Professional HD is provided with a Walksnail Avatar HD Mini 1S Lite Package that weighs simply 7.8 grams. The system is meant for 65-75mm FPV drones and offers 1080@60fps onboard recording, 22ms low latency, and wonderful Canvas mode. It has a mini linear polarized antenna and 350mW transmission energy.

In response to Caddx, the Avatar HD Mini 1S Lite might be powered from 3.1 to 5V, so when the battery stage drops beneath this worth, the VTX shuts down. This may happen midflight, when the battery stage is under half and also you push the throttle on the highest place.

The VTX has 8GB of constructed reminiscence that may retailer no less than 5 flights. The footage might be transferred utilizing the devoted USB cable. In the course of the copy course of, it turns into tremendous sizzling, so a mini cooling fan is welcomed.

Preliminary setup, BetaFlight configuration, ELRS Binding, Walksnail pairing, and OSD Canvas mode

The M75 Professional HD is provided with the second-generation F4 1S 5A AIO flight controller. The newer FC has a built-in serial ELRS receiver, whereas the older one has an SPI-RX. Out of the field, the RX comes with ELRS V2.4, and I needed to improve to V3.x to have the ability to use it with my BetaFPV ELRS Nano TX module that runs on the most recent software program model. The improve course of might be finished shortly through WIFI connectivity utilizing the ExpressLRS configurator. To place the RX module in bind mode, it’s essential to energy on/off the drone thrice.

The subsequent step was connecting the FC with the BetaFlight configurator, customizing OSD, and change&button capabilities (modes). I didn’t contact the PID values for the primary take a look at flights, however if you happen to fly completely indoors, Drone Camps RC shared in its evaluate video fine-tuned charges that remove throttle jumps.

Because the Avatar HD Mini 1S Lite contained in the Meteor75 PRO HD comes with the most recent firmware model (V32.37.10) and it paired with my Walksnail VRX module with no difficulty. You simply must press the bind button on each VTX and VRX and, in a number of seconds, the FPV feed will present in your monitorgoggles.

The Walksnail digital FPV system absolutely helps Betaflight OSD and LUA scripts. You’ll be able to function the OSD menu utilizing your sticks, and all of the OSD parts might be displayed. To show BetaFlight telemetry data in your FPV goggles, it’s essential to carry out the next two instructions:

• set osd_displayport_device = MSP
• set displayport_msp_serial = Y (The place Y is one lower than the variety of the serial port. e.g. Y = 2 for serial 3)
• save

For those who received this “###ERROR IN set: INVALID NAME: displayport_msp_serial” error message, it signifies that you run on the most recent BetaFlight V4.4 firmware, and you’ll skip over the second command. As a substitute, within the “Ports tab” beneath the “Peripherals”, you must choose the “VTX(MSP+Displayport)” possibility.

Meteor75 PRO HD battery choices and flight time

By default, the Meteor75 PRO HD comes within the field with two 1s 550mAh high-voltage LIPO batteries. BetaFPV says that their BT2.0 450mAh batteries are additionally suitable with the M75. LiHV batteries are just like commonplace LIPOs however let you cost them as much as 4.35V per cell safely, and common LIPOs might be charged as much as 4.2v solely. LiHV can retailer extra vitality than LiPo per weight, so that you get longer flight time per cost. In concept, a high-voltage lipo has decrease voltage sag on full throttle.

The Meteor75 PRO HD comes within the field with a dual-port charger that doubles as a battery meter. If you insert the battery within the ‘Take a look at’ port, its voltage shall be proven on a built-in display.

Throughout my checks, I received a median flight time of 5 minutes. If you’re cruising in no wind circumstances, you may in all probability get six minutes or perhaps much more by a number of seconds. Not a formidable flight time, however for a 50g digital FPV drone is just not unhealthy in any respect. If you wish to attempt a unique battery, you must contemplate that you’re constrained by the BT2.0 plug and the dimensions of the battery cage on the stomach of the drone.

Flight expertise

After I completed the configuration half, I went out for some take a look at flights. In no wind circumstances, it flies nice. It’s a pleasure cruising round your yard. I had no vary difficulty with the video feed and radio sign inside 200-400 meters. The inventory charges are excellent for outside flights. It’s very best for close-proximity flying and is ideal for newbies trying to enhance their flying expertise. You’ll be able to fly in tight areas with no fear. Nothing will occur if you happen to bounce in one thing resulting from its low weight and Whoop blade protectors. At greater altitudes (10meter+), you may barely hear it. It’s such as you fly in stealth mode.

For indoor efficiency, test Nick Burns‘s take a look at video. I’ve to confess that he’s a way more proficient pilot than me 🙂