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 wonderful selection for these new to the FPV world. Nevertheless, it additionally has some limitations, which I’ll cowl on this overview. I’ll stroll you thru its specs, efficiency, and the way it compares to different fashionable tiny whoops available on the market.
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The place to Purchase
You should purchase the Hummingbird V3 from:
For $89.99, the Hummingbird V3 bundle contains:
- The Hummingbird V3 drone
- A spare set of Triblade props
- A propeller elimination instrument
- 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 Measurement: 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 enticing 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 strong and appropriate for brand 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 constructive facet, the bigger polycarbonate cover not solely shields the inner parts but in addition offers the drone a glossy look. The eye to element is clear, with small foam foot pads for smoother landings and solder pads on the motor base for simple replacements. Moreover, the intense RGB LEDs on the 4 corners of the flight controller add a pleasant visible contact, which could be configured in Betaflight.
Other than weight, one other notable draw back is using the older PH2.0 battery connector as a substitute of the extra trendy BT2.0 or A30 connectors, which provide higher flight occasions and diminished voltage sag. Whereas the PH2.0 connector isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s one thing to think about for those who favor to standardize your battery connectors throughout your fleet.
Flight Efficiency
Utilizing the included 1S 300mAh Nitro Nectar LiHV battery, I used to be in a position to get round 3 minutes of flight time with the Hummingbird V3. As compared, the BetaFPV Air65 can obtain over 4 minutes, highlighting the affect 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’ll be able to undoubtedly really feel the additional weight, particularly throughout turns. It appears like flying a heavier 75mm whoop however with the facility of a 65mm. The extra momentum requires earlier response and bigger stick actions, making it much less nimble and more durable to fly than the Air65. Nevertheless, the drone flies easily and feels locked in, displaying 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 reinforces flight efficiency. Nevertheless, the ESC settings might 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 straightforward repair, which I’ll cowl within the “How you can Setup” part on this overview.
One other minor annoyance is the continually altering RGB LED lights. Whereas they appear cool, the reflections on the prop guards could be distracting for the pilot, particularly in low-light circumstances. Luckily, you possibly can disable them within the settings.
The picture high quality from the BeeEye digital camera is okay, on par with what you’d anticipate from different funds choices like Happymodel or BetaFPV.
What NewBeeDrone Might Enhance
The Hummingbird V3 would have been a wonderful tiny whoop 2-3 years in the past, however the specs really feel considerably outdated in late 2024. Listed below are a number 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 scale back weight (ideally within the 17-18g stage).
- Immediately solder motors to the ESC pads to attenuate resistance and additional cut back weight.
- After lowering weight, think about using barely increased KV motors to maximise efficiency (e.g., 27000KV or 28000KV).
- Change from an SPI receiver to a UART receiver for futureproofing.
One other limitation we’ve got not touched on is the video transmitter, which is capped at 25mW RF output energy. Whereas this is likely to be ample for many indoor and short-range flights, it’s much less versatile than different newest tiny whoops, which usually provide as much as 350mW and even 400mW. Greater energy output could be useful when flying via a number of rooms in a home or outdoor 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 not too long ago launched a brand new “LiteAF” body made from polypropylene materials, with a barely decrease profile, lowering the load by about 0.5 grams. That is designed for racing, however I feel most pilot can profit from a lighter body. You’ll be able to try the LiteAF body right here: https://oscarliang.com/product-oexn.
How you can Setup
The flight controller comes with Betaflight 4.4.0 (launched a 12 months in the past), with the goal firmware being BETAFPVG473. You could find 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 might be utilizing.
- Set Your Charges within the PID Tuning tab.
- Configure Switches: Arrange your arm swap, angle mode swap, and turtle mode swap.
- Tweak ESC Settings in Bluejay: Improve the Minimal Startup Energy to 1070 and alter ESC energy settings to 1S. The default of 1020 is simply too low and might trigger some motors to not spin when armed.
Last Ideas
To be utterly trustworthy, after flying the BetaFPV Air65, it’s laborious to advocate the rest 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 occasions, has higher specs (like the next 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 due to its strong body. Plus, being a product from a U.S.-based firm would possibly enchantment to some pilots trying to help home manufacturers.
You should purchase the Hummingbird V3 from:
