Just got my Turnigy Evolution today. I have used it with FPVFreerider. LOVE IT!!! The feel is great, very comfortable in my hands. Stew, I am so glad I watched your review months ago. I started saving and finally was able to get it. SO glad I did. No regrets. There will definitely be "Happy Flying"!!
I went with the QX7 because it seems to be the cheapest fully-featured radio. It has enough featured to keep me in the air with pretty much any model. I can add a radio module in the future, the FRsky protocol has a pretty solid link. Add in the fact that it has full openTX support, and you got a radio that will last you for a lifetime (nearly). It'll also be easier to re-sell if you don't want it :)
One huge factor you missed is the recievers! frsky has the largest selection of recievers based on size and function. some transmitters don't have a very good selection or any options on receivers. keep up the great work!
I started with the fsi6 and it has been a great starter radio. No regrets with starting on it! i have used it for 7 months. Great signal, super easy to setup. I even picked up the CVT-01 and was able to get battery telemetry to the radio which helped me a lot. having an audible beep when the battery was low helped me more than my OSD. I highly recommend it to beginners in the hobby that don't want to spend a lot. I just picked up a taranis SE, and Man!!! This thing is crazy. I'm glad I didn't get it when I first started or I would have been so lost. I have spent a week just setting it up, getting telemetry, RSSI, and setting my switches. I can't wait to take it to the field and try it out!! Great review as always Stu!
thank you I've been flying planes and racing cars with futaba for years and when I wanted to get into FPV so I went out and bought a vortex 285 and a frsky compatible receiver and started to search on the fourms and youtube I was disappointed to find out there wasn't much support for futaba . so to make a long story short I scrapped the project and put everything away....now after watching your video I think I'm wanting to give FPV another try after so I went out and got a Taranis qx7s I think I made a great choice, so I have 2 year old quad and some ol' fatshark PREDATOR V2 to start with...... thanks for the great videos, all have been awesome and entertaining.....
Whers is Spektrum? I know they are a bit more expensive than the others and there is a lot of hate for Spektrum, but I use a DX6 and I love it. I own a Flysky and it was good for the beginning. The Flysky will definitely get the job done on a budget I don't own a Taranis, but I have held one and it feels cheap, compared to my Spektrum. I have heard the recievers are better and the telemetry is way cool, I just think the Spektrum feels like better quality.
That's what I hear, but I think that has more to do with the recievers, not the radio. I don't fly long range and I have heard Frsky is better for that, but I have seen Taranis guys failsafe in spots that I don't so,(close) it's hit or miss I guess. I am thinking of gtting th QX7, just for fun, since it is so cheap.
Steady FrSky protocol is simply the best. People like Chad (FinalGlideAus) flew with spektrum but just gave up with their crappy signal. Even LeDrib talked about how he's having range issues with the Spektrum protocol.
I understand that, and I believe it. I'm just saying the radio itself, feels of better quality in my hand and I don't fly long range, so I personally like Spektrum. Until I have issues, I'm going to continue using it. I think they all have their good and bad, but you get a lot of protocol snobs out there. If I had started on a Taranis, I'm sure I would stick with that, but I'm very good with the one I have. I am new to quads, so if I ever start having issues, I will certainly get something different, but I'm not one to buy something, just because the "cool kids" are uing it.
Steady though I feel the value is not as good as the radios on this review, there is much to be said for the simplicity of navigating a Spektrum radio as opposed to any Taranis radio.
great vid stu, i've got flyskys and taranis, both good radios, ive recommended flysky i6 to mates who've just started, most within a year have upgraded to taranis, but sold their flyskys to others just starting out- so its good all round, everyones happy!!. all the best matey.
Had the Taranis X9D and actually sold it and went with the QX7. Did the OpenTX upgrade and haven't missed a thing with regards to the X9D. The QX7 does everything I need it to do and it does it well. I have large hands and the controller fits nicely in them. The rubber grips on the back give you added confidence it's not going to slip out of your hands also. Frsky is also releasing the upgraded gimbles for the QX7 soon.
The right transmitter is very important. Getting the right one the first time is important too. Another important aspect of the radio system is the receiver some receivers are a lot smaller than others making them a lot easier to fit in these smaller and smaller drones these days.
I don't know if you mention it later on in the video, but the Flysky i6 does both AFHDS and AFHDS 2A, while the i6s and Turnigy Evolution only do AFHDS 2A. The i6 needs a "special" dedicated cable to use on a simulator, but the other two can use their USB ports. I only mention it because there are some pre built quads which only do AFHDS and not 2A. For me personally I like the evolution, but don't mind the i6. I've never used the i6s, but I imagine (like you said) it is pretty close to the evolution.
Hey .... I just ordered the F I6X. I didn't really want to spend the money on the QX7 until I really decided if I like FPV racing or not. Hope I don't regret buying the I6X though. I also ordered a few receivers. I already have a few quads however they are camera quads and come with their own transmitters. I think I am going to save up for the Leader 120 or ET 125 or something. ....I will probably end up getting a FRSKY receiver like the QX7 one day and just switch out the receivers. Thanks again for your videos. I am learning so much !!
I bought the Evolution because i saw your rewiew and i am amazed by the quality and the fonctionalities that you get at this price It is a great radio for all the people that played or are still playing video game :)
I have 3 radios. A Turnegy Evolution with longer sticks as Im a pincher in a smaller fold out tier tray holdall that fits the radio, Fatsharks in the case and 2 micro quads. A Taranis Q X7 with a TBS Crossfire module for my quads, and a Taranis 9XD+ for all my fixed wing. I can't rate these radios high enough. I started with Spektrum.....enough said on that one.
I've used spektrum 4 years and I have recently had a ton of brown outs so I went to the qx7 and I love it! and then I fly my quads on the turnigy evolution. both great radios for their purpose
I would suggest getting the qx7 or even the flysky. I'm in a group that builds large balsa nitro models and one member argued to a group of futaba/spektrum guys that his plane will be a dot in the sky and he will still have control with the flysky
I decided to try something a little different, I've got an FS-I10 on it's way. The reason I chose it was it's a different form factor, it's very thin body. It had dual aerials built in, it has an amazing interface built in. Can be used for any model type and comes with a bunch of telemetry modules. Price wise it was about the same as Qx7. Note, the Turnigy model is different, it's got different circuit boards inside and has different body missing the rubber base pad, rubber grips and only runs turnigy firmware.
I can't say that much in the way of miniquads but I fly planes and the turnigy i6s is amazing for the money. It has all the functions I need with ten channels and six auxiliary switches. It is really easy to use program as well. I choose to fly with it over my spectrum or graupner radios.
I have the original i6. Added audio jack cable (soldered to the inside of the trainer port) - with smartpropoplus It is easy to use in simulator. I have upgraded firmware to the moded one, got 10 channels, timers, alarms, telemetry and such. If you are willing to do the hacks it is awesome value. However now I feel sticks are imprecise - didn't notice this at beginning. Either I got better and now can feel it or they got worn out with time. If i was buying radio now I would probably go with QX7 + hal gimbals. Flysky is awesome but you can definitely feel why it is cheap
Turnigy 9xr seemed to work alright for the price running frsky, it can be under 100 usd with the frequent sales. Very similar features to the taranis. Cheaper construction but feel only slightly worse when you're flying.
Thumbs up!! I love my Turnigy Evolution for how it feels, how it's not overly large, and especially the cover that snaps over the gimbals and it just fits nicely in my "flybox" that I take when I go flying. I also loved using my Evolution when learning to fly on a sim. Couldn't be easier- just plug in the usb cable and go. I don't fly planes or anything- just multirotors- so I think your points are spot on! Since FrSky is so prevalent and popular among all the new micro's and pretty much everything else I am considering getting a qx7 also (sometimes it can be a bit tricky to snag a bnf micro for the Evolution imo). Just a small investment in these two radios has all your bases covered in multirotors... Why argue Flysky or frsky when you can have BOTH for 200 bux!! lol. Great vid Stu!
My favorite is the Flysky i6. Reason: It can do both the new AFHDS 2A and the old AFHDS protocols. The other i6_ only seem to do the newer protocol and won't work with the older receivers like the super tiny 1g (or less) ppm iRangeX receiver that is $5-10. That's amazingly cheap! I'm using a GoolRC branded Flysky transmitter ($35, comes with receiver and a case at that price). It works awesome with my Eachine Lizard95. Such a better transmitter than my Turnigy 9x (was $80-90 a year ago). You can upgrade the Flysky to 10ch, but I haven't needed that many yet and the stock firmware is incredibly simple.
Good video for getting started with radios in fpv, BUT! You didn't go into receivers, and which is compatible with which radio, obviously I'm a bit of a noob, I've only ever flown whoop classed drones with the dodgy little controllers. I'm trying to build my first (real) kwad to try out some acro and when it came down to buying a radio, my biggest drama was, with what reciever is compatible with what transmitter. I went with the flysky i6 because like you said it's cheap, but still useable. Now I'm only building a small quad for my first, so I can still goto the local park and fly. The frame I chose was the hornet 120mm for its small size and the components are a lot cheeper then a 5inch. But the question I keep asking myself is will the reciever for the flysky i6 even fit in a 120mm frAme, (waiting on delivery of transmitter and reciever) and what is the smallest reciver you can get for the i6? any help would be great. Love your work, and passion you have for the hobby. You've inspired me on many levels to build a real quad(as a posed to just buying a rtf). And always happy flying
Nurk is flying Futaba these days, the only drone racer I know of who does. I've got the Flysky i6s, I've been very happy with it. it's the same radio as the Evolution, but I actually prefer the look and feel of it over the Evolution. I flew with an old Spektrum starting out, but it just wasn't cutting it. The end points were always messed up on betaflight and it was just a pain to set up. I'd say if you're interested in flying some planes as well as quads, don't get the i6s or the Evolution. They don't even have trim buttons, which you don't need for quads but are essential for fixed wing models. If you're really on a budget but want to fly planes as well as drones, get the Flysky i6 or better yet the i6x, which has even more channels for about $50. I still use my old Spektrum dx6i for planes, the i6s or evolution won't cut it.
Hi, thanks for all the great videos, I currently have a mavic. But now I'm thinking I need to get into an acro drone ( not so much track racing for me ! Sorry :-) ) So being completely new at all this. I am kinda thinking the Qx7 or turnigy evolution look great for me, lower cost as I'm unsure I will be any good or get hooked yet, my first concern is how do you know you battery level with the turnigy evo if it doesn't have voice thing like the qx7 and you are in your fpv goggles? I'm loving the look of the chameleon, so if I were to get a turnigy with its receiver would that fit in the chameleon ? Sorry for what might be dumb questions. I'm watching hundreds of videos on UA-cam and figuring things out bit by bit. And don't panic my plan is to get a transmitter first and spend time on a simulator before buying a quad. Thanks for your help and keep up the great work.
Stuart, I've been flying cheapie drones to get back into RC. I like the looks of the Turnigy Evolution for the same reason you gave. I understand it doesn't work with the Eashine Wizard (the one I'm looking at) without some modifications. As a nubee du you think I should go that route? I'm not afraid to make changes and solder I just don't know how much it's going to take.
I have Flysky i6 which I'm using for flying with simulators. Works great with Velocidrone and Liftoff. While for real flying I'm using Taranis X9D Plus.
Thanks Stu! When I start I'll probably get that Turnigy. Being a noob, I definitely won't be needing loads of extra features and also I want that kind of game controller feel.
Brick Craft antenna upgrades. dont recommend the higher db linear ones but a split dipole or cloverleaf which will have a more uniform radiaion pattern
Hi Stu. Nice review. I run a Spektrum DX6and QX7. I see a lot of people changing to the Spektrum now the quad race receiver is available. The Spektrum feels the best quality as well and for those two reasons it would have been appropriate to review that one in my opinion. One last thing..:Stu, I bought my wife the evolution. The recover is horribly large. What's the best recover for the Evolution to fit in small race drones.
I fly a Spectrum DX18 Stealth Edition with DSMX protocol. I love the feel of it. Its premium quality and the sticks are comfortable and smooth. The menu system is a tad cumbersome, but there is not much that it wont do it you spend the time programming it. I use it for camera quads and hexes as well as planes and helicopters too. Love it but wish it had modules like my old futaba Field Force 7 for connections to other control protocols.
The i6X is what I fly with and is barely any more cost, but offers 10 channels out of the box and I think the stickers look better. I'd recommend this over the old i6. :)
Nice review Stu! I started with the FlySky FS-i6 (still have it) but I recently bought the Q X7 for it's versatility with the iRangeX iRX4 module. I never was a gamer so the Turnigy Evolution was not appealing to me. The Q X7 with the OpenTX is a bit of a challenge to learn but there are so many options. Thanks for the review.
Hey Stu, What about the TBS Tango? I know you did a review on it a while back and you weren't too thrilled about it but that one includes an option for changing modules, USB for simulators, FPV screen, cables for goggles and some fantastic gimbals on it.
Ive been using the FlySky I6X since the get go. I LOVE em. Cheap or not, ive had no problems except the batteries. Wish it was a re-chargable unit. Ive actually used a Taranis like your friend and I liked the Flysky better. It does what it needs to do ;) great video as always brother
hi Stew , great video, now we will appreciate one of fpv googles as you were reviewing them lately!! I was speaking with kabab last week and he was telling me that there will be some new googles hitting the market the next months, we would love to hear from you what brands to have a close look to , for new googles coming out, and what we can expect from each brand, we all know , you guys will have already some prototipes to have a look at before the end model hits the market!¡! thanks for all the love and passion for this hobby you leave in your videos, and your huge contribution in the hobby. regards from spain!
Excellent video -- got a couple buddies getting into the hobby and need to pick out a radio. I have the QX7 -- glad to see my recommendation matches yours! :)
Great video mate! Whish I'd seen this before I got the FS-i6 as my first TX, would have gotten the Evolution instead. Might still buy one later on though. Just through it in the bag with an ET100 and EV100 and you have a really nice portable set-up.
i6 got lowend kinetis MCU, i6X got more powerful STM chip that I think could but probably wont support opentx. As far as rest of hardware goes I think it is the same
first time flyer, looking at radios. Quad is just for fun not racing at this point. Like the Evolution and its about the same price as other Turnigy radios, etc... Would you recommend this for a non racing radio? I have PS4 so this body style seems like a great fit.
Stu I have the FSI6s and purchased Qx90c quad and I seems like some of these quads you buy when you select flysky its actually not the newest version and isnt supported. its pretty annoying being a newbie to the hobby. the quad comes with poor instructions saying you need to solder bind pads when actually there is a button and its also an absolute pain to return to China. hope this helps some of the newbies if I could I should have gotten the Taranis Q7X Cheers
Stu, you da man, great videos for the beginner and a straight up funny educated personality. I've been flying for about 4 months now, I bought the Hubsan H502S model with the Hubsan H901A Remote Controller to get a feel for the sport .I'am HOOKED. I just started building your $99 racer drone with all the modifications you suggested. My question is this: is it possible to use my Hubsan Radio to fly the $99 Quad. Thanks JimiG Why is Grumpy Fred Grumpy.
Hey STEW!! Love the channel very informative keep it up! I myself have just moved to the QX7 from the FlySkyi6 and in my opinion i think the X7 is the best one in terms of quality and what you can do with it... but reason why i also went for the X7 is the price point on the X9D way to overpriced IMO... cant wait for the M7 hall sensing gimbals for the X7!!! Hopefully you will do an instillation video when they become available??
He says that the Evolution uses the same protocols as the FlySky i6s. Does that mean that they are compatible? Eg an Evolution could control a FlySky reciever?
I flew an i6 for a short while. I had issues with momentary signal drop out, I think because the quad I was using was short on space so the receiver was right next to my powerful vtx.
I personally love the size of the evolution wish the moved up the screen so it would be more comfortable for pinching. Qx7 is awesome now that the hall gimbals are around the corner. Spektrum gimbals always felt better to me. I need a new radio though since I have a 6dxe and can't stand double aa batteries. Probably going to go with the qx7 and grab the new hall sensors unless I can find the x9d for cheap.
Love my Evolution. All you need is 1 switch. SWa Down- buzzer disarmed, middle disarm, up arm. Set your timer same switch down reset middle stop up go.
great video. fs-i6 w/ 10 ch mod firmware is great bang for the buck! nothing can touch it for the price. you can use esky type simulator cable for sims. the i6x's ability to add an extra 3-pos switch is an awesome upgrade as well. you don't really need fancy 2km range for drone race/freestyle flights anyway.
great vid, i've had the evolution and taranis x9d plus sold them both. the evolution feels like a toy and takes forever with support and the taranis all that programming you have to do but a great radio. i fly spektrum dx6 programming is much simpler and i have a lot of blade, horizon hobby products and this 1 radio flies them all. Keep up the good work love your vids
Want to buy FPV for my son and myself for xmas, but I am confused about all the different receiver versions of these things, plan to buy Mobulas 7 start with and build 5 inch drones later. I am in Australia if that makes any difference.
Hey Stew! Great video! I personally fly Spektrum but I think it has more to do with coming from the fixed wing side of the hobby than anything else. If I were just starting out with drones I'd be looking at Taranis.
Hey Stu not sure how to get in touch with u other than comments but was wondering if u can make a video on keeping lipo in place and connected in crash I lost mine once and my beeper didn't work was still powered so I used my fatshark goggles to locate my battery stays on most of time but my xt60 connecter may come loose I use electric tape but maybe a better option thx
The one thing that you forgot about the special edition and the plus Edition one the plus Edition has upgraded display and then the second edition also has upgraded switches
I have a Spektrum DXe for my rc plane and I think I'm going to build a quad (probably the $99 build). Should I buy a different remote? I noticed a lot of drone pilots don't use Spektrum.
@UAVfutures I completely agree with you on the radio choice. I come from a gaming background, and the Turnigy Evolution is most definitely the choice for me. Your brain can just transfer to it easily, when you are used to the last 4 generations of consoles. I tried holding a Taranis in my hands, and it was just all wrong. The Turnigy is just right! I think that soon we will be seeing a new wave of radios specifically build for quads that have that game controller feel to pull more people into the hobby.
Just got my Turnigy Evolution today. I have used it with FPVFreerider. LOVE IT!!! The feel is great, very comfortable in my hands.
Stew, I am so glad I watched your review months ago. I started saving and finally was able to get it.
SO glad I did. No regrets. There will definitely be "Happy Flying"!!
Is there any chance in getting a 2019 updated video please?
I went with the QX7 because it seems to be the cheapest fully-featured radio. It has enough featured to keep me in the air with pretty much any model. I can add a radio module in the future, the FRsky protocol has a pretty solid link.
Add in the fact that it has full openTX support, and you got a radio that will last you for a lifetime (nearly). It'll also be easier to re-sell if you don't want it :)
One huge factor you missed is the recievers! frsky has the largest selection of recievers based on size and function. some transmitters don't have a very good selection or any options on receivers. keep up the great work!
nice point
I ordered my drone parts 2 days ago..,, IM SO EXCITED
I started with the fsi6 and it has been a great starter radio. No regrets with starting on it! i have used it for 7 months. Great signal, super easy to setup. I even picked up the CVT-01 and was able to get battery telemetry to the radio which helped me a lot. having an audible beep when the battery was low helped me more than my OSD. I highly recommend it to beginners in the hobby that don't want to spend a lot.
I just picked up a taranis SE, and Man!!! This thing is crazy. I'm glad I didn't get it when I first started or I would have been so lost. I have spent a week just setting it up, getting telemetry, RSSI, and setting my switches. I can't wait to take it to the field and try it out!!
Great review as always Stu!
thank you I've been flying planes and racing cars with futaba for years and when I wanted to get into FPV so I went out and bought a vortex 285 and a frsky compatible receiver and started to search on the fourms and youtube I was disappointed to find out there wasn't much support for futaba . so to make a long story short I scrapped the project and put everything away....now after watching your video I think I'm wanting to give FPV another try after so I went out and got a Taranis qx7s I think I made a great choice, so I have 2 year old quad and some ol' fatshark PREDATOR V2 to start with...... thanks for the great videos, all have been awesome and entertaining.....
firmware update for Turnigy Evolution was released back in March. worth to looking into. firmware is available at the Hobbyking site
Whers is Spektrum? I know they are a bit more expensive than the others and there is a lot of hate for Spektrum, but I use a DX6 and I love it. I own a Flysky and it was good for the beginning. The Flysky will definitely get the job done on a budget I don't own a Taranis, but I have held one and it feels cheap, compared to my Spektrum. I have heard the recievers are better and the telemetry is way cool, I just think the Spektrum feels like better quality.
Steady Team failsafe though if you fly long range. Good enough for racing
That's what I hear, but I think that has more to do with the recievers, not the radio. I don't fly long range and I have heard Frsky is better for that, but I have seen Taranis guys failsafe in spots that I don't so,(close) it's hit or miss I guess. I am thinking of gtting th QX7, just for fun, since it is so cheap.
Steady FrSky protocol is simply the best. People like Chad (FinalGlideAus) flew with spektrum but just gave up with their crappy signal. Even LeDrib talked about how he's having range issues with the Spektrum protocol.
I understand that, and I believe it. I'm just saying the radio itself, feels of better quality in my hand and I don't fly long range, so I personally like Spektrum. Until I have issues, I'm going to continue using it. I think they all have their good and bad, but you get a lot of protocol snobs out there. If I had started on a Taranis, I'm sure I would stick with that, but I'm very good with the one I have. I am new to quads, so if I ever start having issues, I will certainly get something different, but I'm not one to buy something, just because the "cool kids" are uing it.
Steady though I feel the value is not as good as the radios on this review, there is much to be said for the simplicity of navigating a Spektrum radio as opposed to any Taranis radio.
Any plans on a review of the Wizard X220S ??
Jim O'Reilly I'm sure he has one on the way
great vid stu, i've got flyskys and taranis, both good radios, ive recommended flysky i6 to mates who've just started, most within a year have upgraded to taranis, but sold their flyskys to others just starting out- so its good all round, everyones happy!!. all the best matey.
Got the turnigy evolution as my first radio and I love it! easy to use and comes with everything I need. awesome value for $
Had the Taranis X9D and actually sold it and went with the QX7. Did the OpenTX upgrade and haven't missed a thing with regards to the X9D. The QX7 does everything I need it to do and it does it well. I have large hands and the controller fits nicely in them. The rubber grips on the back give you added confidence it's not going to slip out of your hands also. Frsky is also releasing the upgraded gimbles for the QX7 soon.
I fly with the futaba T10J, and the Radio Link AT9, both have been rock solid for the past several years, no problems at all.
Just got into the hobby of flying drones and this has been a great help for new comers into the hobby! Cheers
The right transmitter is very important. Getting the right one the first time is important too. Another important aspect of the radio system is the receiver some receivers are a lot smaller than others making them a lot easier to fit in these smaller and smaller drones these days.
I don't know if you mention it later on in the video, but the Flysky i6 does both AFHDS and AFHDS 2A, while the i6s and Turnigy Evolution only do AFHDS 2A. The i6 needs a "special" dedicated cable to use on a simulator, but the other two can use their USB ports. I only mention it because there are some pre built quads which only do AFHDS and not 2A. For me personally I like the evolution, but don't mind the i6. I've never used the i6s, but I imagine (like you said) it is pretty close to the evolution.
i pinch a Evolution and i love it, cant be beat
I love how you said what the prices were for only the first and last remote
Hey .... I just ordered the F I6X. I didn't really want to spend the money on the QX7 until I really decided if I like FPV racing or not. Hope I don't regret buying the I6X though. I also ordered a few receivers. I already have a few quads however they are camera quads and come with their own transmitters. I think I am going to save up for the Leader 120 or ET 125 or something. ....I will probably end up getting a FRSKY receiver like the QX7 one day and just switch out the receivers. Thanks again for your videos. I am learning so much !!
I bought the Evolution because i saw your rewiew and i am amazed by the quality and the fonctionalities that you get at this price
It is a great radio for all the people that played or are still playing video game :)
I recommend the Flysky - I6X because it has 4096 stick resolution and 10 channels! The Flysky-I6 has 1024 stick res and only 6 channels. ;)
Better hardware and can do SBus. I'd definitely go for i6X.
IRFZ44 :D
Do you have skype? We need to talk like pros :P
Unfortunately, no. But if you're interested, I'll send you my contacts : )
Instead of having two FlySky radio, buy an Q X7. It even has way more feature.
I have 3 radios. A Turnegy Evolution with longer sticks as Im a pincher in a smaller fold out tier tray holdall that fits the radio, Fatsharks in the case and 2 micro quads. A Taranis Q X7 with a TBS Crossfire module for my quads, and a Taranis 9XD+ for all my fixed wing. I can't rate these radios high enough. I started with Spektrum.....enough said on that one.
I've used spektrum 4 years and I have recently had a ton of brown outs so I went to the qx7 and I love it! and then I fly my quads on the turnigy evolution. both great radios for their purpose
If you're into more than only drone racing, I would recommend the Spektrum radio's like the DX6G3
I would suggest getting the qx7 or even the flysky. I'm in a group that builds large balsa nitro models and one member argued to a group of futaba/spektrum guys that his plane will be a dot in the sky and he will still have control with the flysky
got into the hobby using this video to choose my radio, now back to look into upgrading, thanks!
I decided to try something a little different, I've got an FS-I10 on it's way. The reason I chose it was it's a different form factor, it's very thin body. It had dual aerials built in, it has an amazing interface built in. Can be used for any model type and comes with a bunch of telemetry modules. Price wise it was about the same as Qx7. Note, the Turnigy model is different, it's got different circuit boards inside and has different body missing the rubber base pad, rubber grips and only runs turnigy firmware.
I think all the Spektrum pilots just got pissed... lol
Skitzo
LOL Spektrum... My dad is still using his old Futaba radios, he's like "whats this new spektrum stuff?"
Simply, Spektrum is German and targets more Planes. In Germany nearly everyone uses Spektrum.
I can't say that much in the way of miniquads but I fly planes and the turnigy i6s is amazing for the money. It has all the functions I need with ten channels and six auxiliary switches. It is really easy to use program as well. I choose to fly with it over my spectrum or graupner radios.
I love my Taranis X9D plus. But I use it for more than just quadcopters. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it will serve all my RC needs.
Thumbs up for the QX7, over my eachine i6. I'm hooked
I have the original i6. Added audio jack cable (soldered to the inside of the trainer port) - with smartpropoplus It is easy to use in simulator. I have upgraded firmware to the moded one, got 10 channels, timers, alarms, telemetry and such. If you are willing to do the hacks it is awesome value. However now I feel sticks are imprecise - didn't notice this at beginning. Either I got better and now can feel it or they got worn out with time. If i was buying radio now I would probably go with QX7 + hal gimbals.
Flysky is awesome but you can definitely feel why it is cheap
Turnigy 9xr seemed to work alright for the price running frsky, it can be under 100 usd with the frequent sales. Very similar features to the taranis. Cheaper construction but feel only slightly worse when you're flying.
Do a video on wether a top mounted lipo or a bottom mounted lipo is better
Good video, but why don't you give us the advertised Transmission range on these?
Stew could you do a review on the receivers and what you use on your quads for the turnigy evolution
What would you use as a go pro 4 mount
But for a beginner what do you recommend?
hey stew did you know that diatone is releasing the crusader 2017 edition it comes with a heap of new features. it even has a stretched frame edition
Everyone in our flying group run spectrum, so i feel you should do a line up on them also.
Thumbs up!! I love my Turnigy Evolution for how it feels, how it's not overly large, and especially the cover that snaps over the gimbals and it just fits nicely in my "flybox" that I take when I go flying. I also loved using my Evolution when learning to fly on a sim. Couldn't be easier- just plug in the usb cable and go.
I don't fly planes or anything- just multirotors- so I think your points are spot on! Since FrSky is so prevalent and popular among all the new micro's and pretty much everything else I am considering getting a qx7 also (sometimes it can be a bit tricky to snag a bnf micro for the Evolution imo). Just a small investment in these two radios has all your bases covered in multirotors... Why argue Flysky or frsky when you can have BOTH for 200 bux!! lol. Great vid Stu!
My favorite is the Flysky i6. Reason: It can do both the new AFHDS 2A and the old AFHDS protocols. The other i6_ only seem to do the newer protocol and won't work with the older receivers like the super tiny 1g (or less) ppm iRangeX receiver that is $5-10. That's amazingly cheap!
I'm using a GoolRC branded Flysky transmitter ($35, comes with receiver and a case at that price). It works awesome with my Eachine Lizard95. Such a better transmitter than my Turnigy 9x (was $80-90 a year ago). You can upgrade the Flysky to 10ch, but I haven't needed that many yet and the stock firmware is incredibly simple.
Good video for getting started with radios in fpv, BUT! You didn't go into receivers, and which is compatible with which radio, obviously I'm a bit of a noob, I've only ever flown whoop classed drones with the dodgy little controllers. I'm trying to build my first (real) kwad to try out some acro and when it came down to buying a radio, my biggest drama was, with what reciever is compatible with what transmitter. I went with the flysky i6 because like you said it's cheap, but still useable. Now I'm only building a small quad for my first, so I can still goto the local park and fly. The frame I chose was the hornet 120mm for its small size and the components are a lot cheeper then a 5inch. But the question I keep asking myself is will the reciever for the flysky i6 even fit in a 120mm frAme, (waiting on delivery of transmitter and reciever) and what is the smallest reciver you can get for the i6? any help would be great. Love your work, and passion you have for the hobby. You've inspired me on many levels to build a real quad(as a posed to just buying a rtf). And always happy flying
Nurk is flying Futaba these days, the only drone racer I know of who does. I've got the Flysky i6s, I've been very happy with it. it's the same radio as the Evolution, but I actually prefer the look and feel of it over the Evolution. I flew with an old Spektrum starting out, but it just wasn't cutting it. The end points were always messed up on betaflight and it was just a pain to set up. I'd say if you're interested in flying some planes as well as quads, don't get the i6s or the Evolution. They don't even have trim buttons, which you don't need for quads but are essential for fixed wing models. If you're really on a budget but want to fly planes as well as drones, get the Flysky i6 or better yet the i6x, which has even more channels for about $50. I still use my old Spektrum dx6i for planes, the i6s or evolution won't cut it.
Hi, thanks for all the great videos, I currently have a mavic. But now I'm thinking I need to get into an acro drone ( not so much track racing for me ! Sorry :-) )
So being completely new at all this. I am kinda thinking the Qx7 or turnigy evolution look great for me, lower cost as I'm unsure I will be any good or get hooked yet,
my first concern is how do you know you battery level with the turnigy evo if it doesn't have voice thing like the qx7 and you are in your fpv goggles?
I'm loving the look of the chameleon, so if I were to get a turnigy with its receiver would that fit in the chameleon ?
Sorry for what might be dumb questions. I'm watching hundreds of videos on UA-cam and figuring things out bit by bit. And don't panic my plan is to get a transmitter first and spend time on a simulator before buying a quad.
Thanks for your help and keep up the great work.
Stuart, I've been flying cheapie drones to get back into RC. I like the looks of the Turnigy Evolution for the same reason you gave. I understand it doesn't work with the Eashine Wizard (the one I'm looking at) without some modifications. As a nubee du you think I should go that route? I'm not afraid to make changes and solder I just don't know how much it's going to take.
awesome insights stew...thanks once again. just a question, what are the recommended gimbal upgrades and its respective reviews...thanks mate
I have Flysky i6 which I'm using for flying with simulators. Works great with Velocidrone and Liftoff. While for real flying I'm using Taranis X9D Plus.
Thanks Stu! When I start I'll probably get that Turnigy. Being a noob, I definitely won't be needing loads of extra features and also I want that kind of game controller feel.
How can i upgrade the Range of my Evolution?
Brick Craft antenna upgrades. dont recommend the higher db linear ones but a split dipole or cloverleaf which will have a more uniform radiaion pattern
Switch to a Taranis :)
Stand closer, get higher ;-) I jest... someone will figure it out sooner or later
Hi Stu. Nice review. I run a Spektrum DX6and QX7. I see a lot of people changing to the Spektrum now the quad race receiver is available.
The Spektrum feels the best quality as well and for those two reasons it would have been appropriate to review that one in my opinion.
One last thing..:Stu, I bought my wife the evolution. The recover is horribly large. What's the best recover for the Evolution to fit in small race drones.
I fly a Spectrum DX18 Stealth Edition with DSMX protocol. I love the feel of it. Its premium quality and the sticks are comfortable and smooth. The menu system is a tad cumbersome, but there is not much that it wont do it you spend the time programming it. I use it for camera quads and hexes as well as planes and helicopters too. Love it but wish it had modules like my old futaba Field Force 7 for connections to other control protocols.
The i6X is what I fly with and is barely any more cost, but offers 10 channels out of the box and I think the stickers look better. I'd recommend this over the old i6. :)
Nice review Stu! I started with the FlySky FS-i6 (still have it) but I recently bought the Q X7 for it's versatility with the iRangeX iRX4 module. I never was a gamer so the Turnigy Evolution was not appealing to me. The Q X7 with the OpenTX is a bit of a challenge to learn but there are so many options. Thanks for the review.
Hey Stu,
What about the TBS Tango?
I know you did a review on it a while back and you weren't too thrilled about it but that one includes an option for changing modules, USB for simulators, FPV screen, cables for goggles and some fantastic gimbals on it.
Sir what do you use to mount your drones on your wall. Thanks. Robert
Ive been using the FlySky I6X since the get go. I LOVE em. Cheap or not, ive had no problems except the batteries. Wish it was a re-chargable unit. Ive actually used a Taranis like your friend and I liked the Flysky better. It does what it needs to do ;) great video as always brother
Can you remake a video covering radios in 2022? would be awsome!
Which has the best range and reliability?
hi Stew , great video, now we will appreciate one of fpv googles as you were reviewing them lately!!
I was speaking with kabab last week and he was telling me that there will be some new googles hitting the market the next months, we would love to hear from you what brands to have a close look to , for new googles coming out, and what we can expect from each brand, we all know , you guys will have already some prototipes to have a look at before the end model hits the market!¡!
thanks for all the love and passion for this hobby you leave in your videos, and your huge contribution in the hobby.
regards from spain!
Excellent video -- got a couple buddies getting into the hobby and need to pick out a radio. I have the QX7 -- glad to see my recommendation matches yours! :)
Thanks, great review, I fly with Evolution, and QX7, both are the biz, just cant beat these two in my view.
Great video mate! Whish I'd seen this before I got the FS-i6 as my first TX, would have gotten the Evolution instead. Might still buy one later on though. Just through it in the bag with an ET100 and EV100 and you have a really nice portable set-up.
What is the Battery Situation on the Turnigy evolution? Can you swap it? is it internal?
i6X should be above both i6 and i6S. It has better hardware.
Yeah, absolutely no point in the old i6 over i6X.
IRFZ44 better firmware, not hardware
both.
wildchildFPV wich is the hardware difference?
i6 got lowend kinetis MCU, i6X got more powerful STM chip that I think could but probably wont support opentx. As far as rest of hardware goes I think it is the same
Good buying guide. I love my Turnigy Evolution.
Would the flysky is work well with planes
first time flyer, looking at radios. Quad is just for fun not racing at this point. Like the Evolution and its about the same price as other Turnigy radios, etc... Would you recommend this for a non racing radio? I have PS4 so this body style seems like a great fit.
Stu I have the FSI6s and purchased Qx90c quad and I seems like some of these quads you buy when you select flysky its actually not the newest version and isnt supported. its pretty annoying being a newbie to the hobby. the quad comes with poor instructions saying you need to solder bind pads when actually there is a button and its also an absolute pain to return to China. hope this helps some of the newbies if I could I should have gotten the Taranis Q7X Cheers
Stu, you da man, great videos for the beginner and a straight up funny educated personality. I've been flying for about 4 months now, I bought the Hubsan H502S model with the Hubsan H901A Remote Controller to get a feel for the sport .I'am HOOKED. I just started building your $99 racer drone with all the modifications you suggested. My question is this: is it possible to use my Hubsan Radio to fly the $99 Quad. Thanks JimiG Why is Grumpy Fred Grumpy.
Hey STEW!! Love the channel very informative keep it up! I myself have just moved to the QX7 from the FlySkyi6 and in my opinion i think the X7 is the best one in terms of quality and what you can do with it... but reason why i also went for the X7 is the price point on the X9D way to overpriced IMO... cant wait for the M7 hall sensing gimbals for the X7!!! Hopefully you will do an instillation video when they become available??
He says that the Evolution uses the same protocols as the FlySky i6s. Does that mean that they are compatible? Eg an Evolution could control a FlySky reciever?
are racing drones and acrobatic drones the same?
I'd like to see you do a radio range test sometime.
My i6X gets great range. 10ch etc. best bang for $50.
I flew an i6 for a short while. I had issues with momentary signal drop out, I think because the quad I was using was short on space so the receiver was right next to my powerful vtx.
Dude, you're opening is crazy! keep it up ;)
great info sir. my first and only radio is the i6s and I recommend it highly. the only draw back are the receivers, fr has better receivers.
Super helpful video man. Could you please do something similar with goggles?
What do you think of frsky x lite
Thanks for this roundup and review! I'm just getting ready to step up to this level of the drone hobby, and this video really helps!
hello, which radio from the 3 cheap Radios is the best for you = the flysky i6, i6s or the Turnigy Evolution?
many thanks for your feedback!
Hi Stu I have a Devo F7 pro do you think it would be any good for the racing quads help or
do I just get a taranisssssss great video's help me heaps.
You said you use the middles switch for the buzzer, could you explain whats a buzzer is?
I personally love the size of the evolution wish the moved up the screen so it would be more comfortable for pinching. Qx7 is awesome now that the hall gimbals are around the corner. Spektrum gimbals always felt better to me. I need a new radio though since I have a 6dxe and can't stand double aa batteries. Probably going to go with the qx7 and grab the new hall sensors unless I can find the x9d for cheap.
What about the 9x and the ability to put in a module for FrSky?
Love my Evolution. All you need is 1 switch. SWa Down- buzzer disarmed, middle disarm, up arm. Set your timer same switch down reset middle stop up go.
great video. fs-i6 w/ 10 ch mod firmware is great bang for the buck! nothing can touch it for the price. you can use esky type simulator cable for sims.
the i6x's ability to add an extra 3-pos switch is an awesome upgrade as well.
you don't really need fancy 2km range for drone race/freestyle flights anyway.
I've only seen a futaba radio like twice.
And I'm a QX7 guy...!
Everyone should just get a QX7 imo. It does everything you'll ever need and then some.
great vid, i've had the evolution and taranis x9d plus sold them both. the evolution feels like a toy and takes forever with support and the taranis all that programming you have to do but a great radio. i fly spektrum dx6 programming is much simpler and i have a lot of blade, horizon hobby products and this 1 radio flies them all. Keep up the good work love your vids
I'm ordering taranis SE. any advice on antenna upgrade?
Can all drones connect to all radios
Want to buy FPV for my son and myself for xmas, but I am confused about all the different receiver versions of these things, plan to buy Mobulas 7 start with and build 5 inch drones later. I am in Australia if that makes any difference.
Hey Stew! Great video! I personally fly Spektrum but I think it has more to do with coming from the fixed wing side of the hobby than anything else. If I were just starting out with drones I'd be looking at Taranis.
Hey Stu not sure how to get in touch with u other than comments but was wondering if u can make a video on keeping lipo in place and connected in crash I lost mine once and my beeper didn't work was still powered so I used my fatshark goggles to locate my battery stays on most of time but my xt60 connecter may come loose I use electric tape but maybe a better option thx
I really love my Flysky FS-i6X.
The one thing that you forgot about the special edition and the plus Edition one the plus Edition has upgraded display and then the second edition also has upgraded switches
I have a Spektrum DXe for my rc plane and I think I'm going to build a quad (probably the $99 build). Should I buy a different remote? I noticed a lot of drone pilots don't use Spektrum.
Will the Turnigy work with the Emax Tinyhawk?
@UAVfutures I completely agree with you on the radio choice. I come from a gaming background, and the Turnigy Evolution is most definitely the choice for me. Your brain can just transfer to it easily, when you are used to the last 4 generations of consoles. I tried holding a Taranis in my hands, and it was just all wrong. The Turnigy is just right! I think that soon we will be seeing a new wave of radios specifically build for quads that have that game controller feel to pull more people into the hobby.
Also, the Spektrum DXe has a model selection for multirotors and is around $150 USD