Good Insights Joshua. I use for my daily driver the Zorro radio, after starting with the Jumper T-Lite. I like the gamepad style and hate the giant box style of the TX-16S so I had been waiting for a quality radio. Gamepad style does not have to equal cheap. I bought the CC2500 version, tricked it out with the new set of AG01 Gimbals, added a Happymodel ELRS Slim Pro module for my radio links and attached a 2s battery to the bottom to fix the battery problem. Expensive, yes, but worth every penny as the quality and power I have over just a stock ELRS version is way worth it. Those of you looking for a quality gamepad style radio should look into doing the same. Don't buy just the stock ELRS version. With ELRS' dynamic power, its nice to know I can go to a full watt when needed. For those of us that like the gamepad style its nice to have options instead of being told (like we so often are) "just go get a TX16S durr." Although in my mind there is only one good option, and the Zorro is it.
I just wanna say Mr. Bardwell that when i made my iFlight purchase last year, this video helped me immensely decide which options to go with for my intended flying. As always JB, you are a wealth of knowledge. 👊🇺🇸 📻
If you absolutely need/want ELRS then get the cheapest Zorro option without ELRS and buy an external ELRS module. As a piece of hardware, in my opinion its absolutely outstanding and provides the best bang for your buck, considering all the switch/button options and the bigger screen. (ignore what anyone says about the strangely small sized batteries, a full charge can last for several hours of flying... if you're the kind of person to bring with you tens of flight packs to get you flying for that amount of time, then there's no problem simply also bringing with you spare batteries for your radio) The reason I say get a radio without ELRS but buy a ELRS module is that you don't really want to be "locked in" to a specific bit of ELRS hardware. The Devs are working hard and evolving ELRS all the time, and at some point the project will outgrow older TX hardware and you'll have to choose between using old ELRS firmware or upgrading the radio again. If you get a radio that can accept an external ELRS module (like the Zorro), you will ALWAYS be able to stay abreast of the latest developments and new hardware, for a relatively low cost (a new ELRS module instead of a whole new radio). Just my view on things 👍
@@calisti9308 2x reasons, The elrs in zorro is only 250mw, the zorro without elrs is cheaper than the elrs version. You open yourself up to a better choice of external modules and reduce your initial outlay. Put the money you save getting non-elrs zorro towards a more powerful module. Again this is just my experience and opinions, I'm sure 250mw would be enough for many people but JB did mention it as a minor negative for the Zorro out of the 3 radios he was comparing so it must be worth considering the possibility that 250mw might not be enough 👍🏻
@@cccagley5276 Yes, I'm super happy with the Zorro. I don't actually use ELRS, I've got a crossfire module in the back of mine, but at least I know that if I want to dabble with ELRS or any of the other protocols in the future, my radio can take a module on the back 👍
I like my ELRS 1 Watt module. Until radios start coming with 1 Watt internal modules, I think there's a compelling argument to use an external module for ELRS.
Super happy with mine after calibration of the gimbals. Took a while to get used to the menu etc, but now I'm rocking Lua scripts with GPS finder etc. Best feature is the usb-c quick charge and long battery life together with its compactness
I second the t-lite v2! I got the OG t-lite with a built in happymodel ELRS module inside the body (credit MrSnake for the idea). I use this for gorilla flying because it’s super small. The V2 is a factory version of my tinkering… Otherwise I rock the Zorro. Neither is perfect. I really like the sticks that come stock on the AG01 minis though… like a lot!
@@KOrnhOliO1 I don’t think the module the radio came with ever worked (cc2500), either that or I am dumb and couldn’t figure it out (ELRS is great up to 500hz @ 3.75M baud, but with errors), I had to redo the wiring inside the radio as gimbal jitter was unusable from the factory, as were the sticks ends and switches which I also had to change/modify… but it was $50 new so… idunno. I do agree with you Sco0t, especially if I had no skills 100% with you. But it was cheap and small so I still use it occasionally. Those are the major issues I remember off the cuff honestly there is probably more… but of course they will come out with a V2 they sold a million of the V1, I don’t know if it will do as good as there’re a bunch more options nowadays.
Joshua thanks for your honest review, its very nice when hear your honest opinion and not feel like any commercialization on the subjects discussed implied like others did. You project honesty on the evaluation of these products and balanced evaluation on the goods and bad on all options at top of these category. Its just what we as newbies need. Thanks a lot.
Joshua, Another great video... thank you! I got the Commando 8 with the Chimera 7 Pro as a package from iFlight. I opted for 915mhz version which came with a 1W module installed. As far as using it with the Chimera... I love it - no complaints so far (mine doesn't have the spongy throttle gimbal like yours). I will likely use it with other quads as well. I tend to agree with your review overall... having a few more switches/buttons would be nice. However, I can see where this stripped down form factor may be a nice option for someone just getting into the hobby that doesn't want to worry about fat-fingering a switch when the nervous jitters kick in.
Hey Joshua, thanks for the video. Just a quick comment on your comment "It's best to get a radio with the radio link built in". I don't feel that is entitly true. Take the Radiomaster TX16S MK2 for example with built in ELRS. Its maximum output is 250MW. If somone buys the 4in1 then they can buy the 1W ELRS module for it and have a lot more options. Granted it's more money but I'd go for a 1W ELRS module for the extra 40 bucks with the benefit of 4-1 radio links over a 250MW ELRS link. Maybe it's a personal preference but 250MW isn't that good for penetration compared to 1W signal. Just my thoughts. 🙌
The TPro relies on a passive heatsink (so that 1W isn't going to be 1W for long once it's heated up), and the Commando8 has an always running fan, so should be fine to do 500mW continuous. Given TX16S MKII is 250mW, it should be fine as is. And most (all?) external high power modules have cooling fans... so you can go 1W that way. Just have to keep in mind the jump from 250mw to 1W is only double the range (4x increase in power to double range). Antenna selection, orientation, and using the right frequency (i.e. 2.4Ghz vs 915Mhz) are much more important than just ramming more power at the problem.
I had ordered this radio back in May I believe and recently was contacted by iFlight letting me know that the 900MHz wasn't available any longer so I had to retract my order. I wanted this radio to be the best new thing so bad but it just was not... I agree with your final choice, I made the choice to continue using my XLite which has been awesome with ELRS. Good review, thanks!!
I’m so happy that I got the Zorro with the 4 in 1 board, and I also have the tbs crossfire nano module. I definitely think it’s the best setup overall. As far as the output power goes, it doesn’t matter to me as I also have Radiomaster tx16s if I want to go long distance as I have the full size crossfire module for it. As far as this new one goes it looks just a little too cheap, but maybe for someone starting out it might be okay.
zorro with elrs is even better tbh, the 4 in 1 module connects to protocols that shouldn't even be used anymore in 2022, ELRS everything, and crossfire for 915mhz
@@avgvstvs96 , I have multiple protocol planes as well as quads, I’ll probably get another module for the back of my Zorro so that I can have elrs one day, just haven’t done so as yet.
I have the jumper t-pro with aion ELRS module, I programmed the switches following your video and I just love it, I fly a 5” freestyle at 50mW, never had a problem. I choose that mainly because I come from the dji fpv drone and I love the dji remote, to me the jumper t-pro was the closest
Joshua I didn't want to get another radio with a big screen so I got myself T-PRO. I tested T-PRO and Zorro before I got mine and I have to say that I prefer Jumper radio in this round. Out of the box gimbals are pretty much the same level IMO. 6 independent switches in the middle are just great. I didn't need two sliders so for $5 I got the new back plate with 2p switch that I use for arming. Commando 8 to me is like a poor version of T-PRO, but much more expensive.
I feel like all of these radios have too many compromises to really be worth picking up right now. My primary radio is currently a TX16S MK2 with ELRS, and a full 2W crossfire module. My secondary radio is a Tango 2 Pro with a HappyModel Slim Pro Tx and the boost board so 1W works. The Zorro IMO would be pretty much perfect if it had a color screen (I don’t care much about touch), and at a *minimum*, 18500 batteries. Using 18350 cells makes the radio pretty much a hard pass for me. I know I can strap a battery to it, but that’s true of just about any radio. It’s not something I’d be willing to do every time I want to go fly, and I’m usually either on the simulator or out flying for much more than an hour. (Sim is a big deal to me since RadioMaster seems to refuse to make the data USB-C port also work for charging). The T-Pro really should have come with at least a single two position switch on it (though I think you can buy one as an accessory now, that replaces one of the momentary switches?). Other than that, the T-Pro is okay, but I’d really like the ability to put nicer gimbals on it, in the way the Zorro has the AG01 gimbals. Additionally, I am a pincher so the Zorro seems to really be the only one of the compact radios that would support pinching. The Commando is too small for me overall, and it seems to me like it’s essentially a smaller version of the T-Pro, with even fewer features, which means it’s a very hard pass for me.
I still like the tx12 with the same module bay as the tx16s as a backup. Bigger battery, and the size and format isn't hugely different than the zorro with the add-on battery holder. It will take the same AG01s as the zorro as well.
I can't comment on the other 2 radios but I'm confident in defending the Zorro. The 18350 cell is a non-issue. There's no need to strap a lipo to it, we carry around all these quad lipos, how much hassle is it really, to spend 10 bucks on a few tiny 18350 cells and carry those too? It takes moments to change them over. Quicker in fact than changing a lipo on the quad. As for the requirement for a color screen, I admit that would be nice but if we're honest with ourselves, we spend a lot more time in the goggles than ever looking at the screen of our radios. The screen the zorro does have is the best of the 3 radios JB was comparing. I agree with you that the Zorro will never compare to the TX16S, it's a great radio. I have both. If you're very happy with the TX16S you don't need a gamepad style radio... But if you need/want a gamepad style radio, the quality and reputation radiomaster won with the TX16S makes the Zorro the better option on the market in my opinion 👍🏻 Safe flying bud✈️
@@grim-upnorth the battery life thing is still an issue for me - I fly quads in addition to fixed wing, and I do both long range. I have quads that can fly for ~40 minutes, and I have one currently flying fixed wing that is capable of ~2hr flight times. The Zorro wouldn't even last a full flight of my fixed wing, and I wouldn't even want to take off without a totally fresh battery when it comes to my LR quads. A Zorro would be a great fit for my LR gear too, as it would allow me to take a (much) lighter radio with me when I'm traveling or hiking out somewhere to fly. I love my TX16S, I just also want a smaller/lighter radio for when I won't even be taking off until I'm miles from my car. The reason I'd want a color screen is that both the iNav telemetry lua and Yappu telemetry lua scripts are much nicer to use when they're running on a color screen, and during LR flights it's not uncommon for me to pull the goggles off and look down at the radio if I'm even using the goggles at all, instead of a screen. I've owned a lot of radios by now, and I've gotten to the point of wanting some very specific features, many of which I recognize are pretty niche. If someone came out with a high quality small radio that had good battery life, a color screen, and great gimbals and build quality, I would happily pay $250+ for the base radio and another $100+ for upgraded gimbals.
@@KaminKevCrew totally agree with your use case, especially regarding long range fixed wing flights. I actually fly mainly fixed wing mid range myself, so I understand the battery problem in this instance, thing is, all of the 3 radios JB compared here, I wouldn't be confident flying a long range mission due to their battery life. With regards to inav telemetry, I actually have a video on my channel where I put it on the zorro, and while yes it's much nicer on my tx16s, it's actually still really decent on the zorro screen. Hopefully they come out with a zorro Pro or something with the features you want 👍🏻✈️
@@grim-upnorth awesome! Yeah - I've tried the Black and White version on the X9d before and it definitely works. It's just hard to go back once I've gotten used to the color version. In another review of the Zorro, (I think it was Albert Kim's?) I mentioned pretty much the same things being on my wishlist. The video author replied and said they were told by radiomaster that going to a color touchscreen would end up costing over $500 because it would be a custom screen. I think that's probably true if you stick with the same screen dimensions and aspect ratio since the Zorro uses a 2:1 screen, but I would think they'd be able to add a commodity 16:9 LCD touchscreen (or even sell one separately that requires some modifications to the casing) which wouldn't cost too much. I'd be particularly interested in a Zorro-ish formfactor Tx (maybe a larger area up top for the screen) that was able to hold the same 21700 cells that are used in the TX16S LiIon pack that radiomaster sells - a 5000mah 2s pack in a slightly larger than Zorro formfactor sounds epic.
I have the Commando8 ELRS 2.4, I bought it because I could get an RTF Nazgul from iFlight and not have to worry about compatibility while I was learning how to fly. Personally, I only use one of the switches and one of the three-ways, so having more toggles didn't matter to me. I'm not a fan about the throttle, just like you mention, but it is nice to ensure that I am consciously arming my drone because I have to hold down the throttle to zero out. Great review overall! I'm not going to buy anything new anytime soon. Not because the Commando is perfect, but there just isn't anything significantly better in the gamepad style at this time.
One gripe I have is it would have been nice for an indicator LED for both two pos switches. I guess I'll know when I plug the quad in it'll beep my ear off for aux 4
Been watching dozens of review videos about radios, none of them really pointed out true use-cases for all those fancy switches. So, being a newb, looking for my first radio, first sim and first quad, I am frustrated about whether those would ever be needed. The only one that should be there is the Master Arm. Which should be protected by a cover that protects from accidental switching. But none of radios has that kind of cover, like Master Arm is not a big deal. Ok, the other switch that is not mandatory but potentially could be useful is the sensivity limiter/curve preset selector to switch between several flight modes or several quads. That's TWO switches. What about the other 148 buttons, what are they for?
My basic switch setup includes: arm/disarm; buzzer (to find a quad that's crashed somewhere I can't find it); angle mode activate/deactivate (autolevel vs. acro); turtle mode (to flip the quad right-side up if I crash and it's upside-down). On quads with GPS, I may have a switch for GPS rescue. I have one knob set up as volume dial for the radio so I can silence it if I want to. I have one knob set up to control screen brightness. I have one switch set up as a throttle cut, so that on quads that are too powerful, I can dial down the throttle. If the quad has GPS function, I may set up a switch to activate GPS rescue. On some quads, the FC can be configured to switch the video transmitter off and on, which keeps it from overheating if you're not flying. Those are some examples.
At 8:49, the problem of the throttle not fully going down is quite a pain in the b**t to set up but there’s a tight spot with the two screws at the back of the radio to find and, I mean, when your radio is set up once, you don’t have to do it anymore so that’s alright for me as I had to do it because I fly mode 1. Edit: i just saw you do change the tightening of the screw, but there’s TWO screws to play with.
I noticed the low throttle slop issue on my Commando8, and pinned it down to the throttle recentering adjustment just not quite going down properly, and managed to pop the adjustment arm and spring off completely as I don't intent to change modes. Removing the spring did help, but then it could sometimes be present, or not present, depending on where it fell. The gimbals on these should be good as they are digital hall effect gimbals, and iFlight did take the radio back to the drawing board after the first gimbal design had a lot of jitter. Compared to the TPro, I find the Commando8 to feel a much more solid radio. I do find it annoying that the fan for the ELRS isn't controlled by the ELRS chip (and hence Lua), but always on when the module is enabled. The antenna is nice, with the ball and spring clicky detent, and that it *also rotates 90 degrees*, for proper polarization ;) The number of inputs is probably right for what I think is their intended market (drone flyers). And that joystick interface is so confusing after having all the other radois... And the Zorro is just so nice! lol Then again. I also like the TLite, and the T-Lite V2 with built-in ELRS is a nice little radio. Oh the choices! I see you didn't mention anything about the different style of turning it on and off! 🤭😂 btw, to double the distance, you need 4x the power, not double, since RF propagation follows an inverse square law for power density rule. If only it were double!
The only thing missing is an ergonomic, 2W (ELRS) module WITH the 'big boi's' accelerometer, (As per Ranger!) that would fit the Zoro's bay AND behave like/better than a (two handed) DJI Motion Controller! ; )
i got mine. it's weird that your throttle gimbal is not all the way down which is not seen on my unit. i can confirm also, dji fpv remote gimbal stick ends is the exact fit if you want to change it.
As someone that likes the safety of a GPS hold build the main switches i use are, Acro, Slow, GPS (Freestyle, tilt limited for 5m/s near people and GPS which then acts like a DJI drone with hover etc...) On top of that i have my arm/disarm (With safety so 2nd switch for that) and finally a "Ow shit" button which activates RTH if i panic or lose sight of the drone. So total of 1x3pot 1xarm/disarm 1xsafety and 1xRTH = 4 switches which this controller does nicely since the 2pot switches can be my RTH and Arm/Disarm and the 3pot can be my flight mode leaving me a spare 3pot for say the safety arm switch maybe. It does look nice and i bet it feels amazing but i do like the customability of my Jumper T16 not s-model tho :(
DJI has really excellent range especially at 1200 mW and with patch antenna. If you're running ELRS at like 50 Hz then range is pretty good at 250 mW but if you're running at 500 Hz it's shorter.
I’m in the market to replace my X-Lite Pro transmitter, but the lack of a momentary switch for use as a pre-arm is a deal breaker for me. I suppose the Zorro with updated AG01 gimbals is as close as I can get to my X-Lite Pro. Really wish the Zorro didn’t have such a large screen though because it adds a lot to it’s overall size.
None of the internal ELRS modules seem to be supporting 1w which means if you want 1w ELRS, you still need to buy an external module. 1w needs a fan. I would rather have that fan built into an external module that would be easier to replace if it failed. FrSky or a multi module supports using a USB dongle for simulator use. I have not been able to get Bluetooth mode on ELRS to work reliably and the only USB dongle options available now require you to assemble it yourself. The only thing I would use FRSky for now is the simulator dongle, but because you don’t get 1w with internal ELRS, FrSky support seems like a better option for the internal module.
Could you make a video like you did on Betafligth, showing how to change the settings of the Command 8 v2, because if I press aux1 on the radio, for example, it accelerates or the right stick is pushed down, something else happens, the assignments are very mixed up and I can't change them. PS I like your videos, keep it up.
The springiness could be wires getting stuck... Had that problem on my taranis and its awful to fly because the wires get damaged and create wrong input
Unfortunately not... the screw adjustment that allows it to be center sprung is either just a little bit too short, or slightly out of alignment (the latter I think) as even if you take the string off you can just feel it. I ended up just pulling it off on mine - just has a pin that lets it pivot, as with the spring off it would still bind slightly. Hopefully something they will fix in a later production batch.
This is the only radio I've found that ships with 900mhz LRS, and since I want to fly canyons and rock formations and trees, that's what I've settled on. Even so, the Zorro and a module will probably be my choice.
Hi Josh. Glad you made this one :). I previously had tarnis x9d and have little to none experience with this joystick style radios. Yet I love the form farctor and I am eager to buy zorro. The question I have is how much will it compromise the comfortability of handling? I feel like you would give me most accurate answear since you are a pincher too. Cheers
didn't watch the review yet but I want to say that I really love my iflight commando, came from frsky xlite and the difference is huge, so much smoother than the xlite was. Now lets watch the review and see your thoughts :D
I like the simplicity, but honestly, the BetaFPV Literadio 3 Pro is cheaper (where I'm located, anyway) and possibly more fully featured. Agree with your order of choice though, Zorro- T Pro- Commando. Satisfied Zorro user here.
Yeah, I've got to agree with you. The Tango2 seems the best of all of these, but also far more expensive. The Commando seems too basic and too cheap looking, even though the price is nowhere near cheap! I won't buy anything JUMPER because of their HORRID QUALITY! Design is also a huge issue with Jumper. The RadioMaster seems so much better built and with quality components that the other too. Doesn't it just look better quality than the other too?! To me, that is readily apparent. I don't care much about the smaller game style controllers, so I'd pay the slight more for the TX16S, and get all of the features.
I’ve held and flown with both radios, and the tango falls short. The added ability for the ag01 gimbals just blows it out of the water for the style of radio. However the tx16s is the best radio you can currently buy and always run the ag01 just unparalleled stick feel
@@GrauFPV Maybe so, but those AG01 gimbals put the price way out of sight when compared to all other radios. Even the TX16S is way cheaper than the Zorro with AG01's. Not a fair comparison...and, quite frankly, I don't care how good those gimbals are, I'd never buy them when they cost as much as a TX16S does! :(
I like my Commando. It sits better in my hand than the Zorro (a lot of space for the ring finger because no buttons, and a great ridge to find always the same spot). I don't need buttons. And I don't want to care about battery life for at least one whole flying day.
@@conndog9792 is this you first radio? In the menu you can somewhere say which button is send on which channel and the rest happens in betaflight (or whatever you use).
@@conndog9792 yes, with the middle-left "mini stick" you can get into the menu (there are at leat two menus, i dont remember if it is down or another direction). The Operating System is EdgeTx, so you can look up online how to set this up. JB definetly has a full setup guide for this!
@@conndog9792 betaflight doesn't know how your remote is set up. Maybe the remote is already set up, the you can set the aux for arming to auto and click the desired button on the ratio. Betaflight can then detect whicht channel changed (only if this button is configured as output channel, of course)
No momentary switches is a dealbreaker for me because I use your method of arming with a logical switch by holding the momentary... I feel like they don't ask anyone (or don't ask enough people) when they design these things.
@@BlueskyFR_ it's from one of JB's videos from about 5-6 years ago, where you create a sticky logical switch in OpenTX/EdgeTX. I don't think YT will let me post a link but search the channel for "safer switch arming" and it'll come up.
I just want a Tango2 with 1w ELRS inside and CNC gimbals... This is close, but not close enough. Zoro doesn't tick the boxes with it bulbus screen and excessive switches. Guess I'm not switching to ELRS yet.
I feel like if the radiomaster zorro had 1watt elrs and maybe the cc2500 all in one it would be the best radio out😁 for "game style radios" I love the bigger screen to be able to see what the heck your doing in the field lol and I think the layout of the zorro is just way better than the others the placement of the switches and buttons are just perfect and the cherry on top is the ability to put the AG01 gimbals in it🤌🏽 However....my favorite radio is the tx12 I just find that the size is absolutely perfect for me and it's like having the cross between a game style and full size radio....and the fact you can hop it up also is awesome 😁 great review JB👍🏽✌🏾
You forget a important thing, commando have not build in module with elrs version it’s mean they put module in the radio but lose latency and lose extra module bay
I’ve watched a ton of these videos where it’s mentioned that express LRS can get up to 50km range but nobody ever mentions that no video system is capable of 50km range. So how do you control an aircraft 50km away if you can’t see the video?
@@JoshuaBardwell Thanks, I didn’t know that. I’m somewhat of a newb so please excuse my ignorance. Are you referring to 5.8ghz analog or DJI digital? I don’t recall seeing any videos about this so maybe it would be a good topic for a future video on how to achieve such long range video capability? BTW, I’m a huge fan of your channel and all that you do!
I'm referring to analog. I won't be making any "how to long range" videos because flying BVLOS is prohibited in the USA and there is no way to film a video like that without it being obvious that you're breaking the rules. The risk of getting fined would be too high and I would end up having to take the video down anyway.
Awesome review as always. 2.4ghz is highly attenuated by water. Trees are something like 50% water, and the leaves are the worst for radio penetration. Broad leaf trees like oaks are much worse than pine trees for blocking 2.4ghz. 900mhz is not nearly as attenuated by water, meaning trees aren't much of an issue for Radios running 900mhz. It kind of doesn't matter for many people, especially at 1 watt. But if you're running at 1 watt in 2.4ghz, you may be stomping on other people's wifi.
Sorry - I am sure this has been answered in other videos - I just wanted to clarify - 900mhz for LONG RANGE best penetration, 2.4ghz for regular stuff? What is the drawback of 900mhz? Sorry - newbie question. I apologize
I found the commando to be more like the tango 2 which is my favorite radio so i did like quite a few people did got them all but i find myself using the commando with my elrs quad's and my tango 2 with crsf quad's.
I am the only one who likes the T-Pro. Just take it apart modify the case and solder in a normal metal knob latching switch, what's so hard about that?
I think t-pro is a clear winner, it's the cheapest, has highest output power, easily swappable batteries and doesn't have enormous screen tumor. They even offer replacement backplate with built in latching 2 pos switch.
I think there are serious QC issues with LiteRadio in the past. I don't know if the Pro is the same, but I would be suspicious. The LiteRadio Pro has a screen which is nice.
I'm looking to get into 4" long range flying, for my first drone. I need some advice as to what components i should get, googles and controller for something like the Flywoo Explorer. I was looking at the DJI mini 3 but it's too expensive for my first drone. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I have been following all your reviews and you do a great job, thank you for all the info. Thank you.
The only good thing about this RC is the ELRS 915mhz/2.4G. The quality of the gimbals is…I have no words to describe it. Already changed 2 sets of gimbals, in just 9 months…
Whenever you talk about 2.4 vs 900 and long range flying, you recommend 2.4 for all but the truly longrange flying. I wish you'd stop doing that, because midrange flyers are usually flying mountains, and we all use 900. Whenever I help someone get started, I definitely want them to have that extra diffraction angle, and I think I speak for all of us mountain flyers when I say we wouldn't think of switching to 2.4. We fly behind rocky peaks all the time, sometimes on accident. And we dive through narrow chutes with questionable LOS.
ho do you make the roll and pitch stick to work iam able to calibrate it but when in beta flight the chanel 1 and 2 do not work on the remote screen it do not work but work perfect in flight simulator🤔 oh and no show in chanel monitor
hey mate! I've been practicing in the simulator for a couple of days and now suddenly the commando's left stick is totally out of sync... Even though it is down and centred, it thinks that it is pushed to the upper right corner and I can't get it back to normal! I can not even calibrate it because I can not centre it... Have you had this issue with any radio before? I don't know what to do and I am so keen on practicing more...
How would you grip a gamepad style controler on the sticks? I fly the DJI one and it feels great, but I can't seem to get used to any grip style that is usual for fpv pilots. Being a longtime gamer I just put my thumbs on top of the sticks because it feels natural. The issue I have though is that the stick always centers on yaw and roll, so if I wanna fly cinematic and do a transition on the sticks from one side to the other I can't seem to make it smooth because of the hard click in the middle. I tried opening up the back and loosen up the screws but I can only loosen up and down on both sticks and not left right. I had throttle loosened up since day 1. I was thinking that loosening up all axis would be nice to make smoother transitions. I have a hard time especially on the left stick when I wanna keep the throttle the same but change yaw and because of that hard click in between left and right it makes me also change the throttle input by a little bit. So are all radios the same by centering right stick and yaw or can they be custom tuned to fit your need? I've only tried the DJI one so far. Do I just need more practise? :) Any "input" from you people is welcome and appreciated.
Joshua, please help, when I throttle a little more than walf way, the dron throttle to max and when I down throttle in commando 8 doesn't down the speed of the motors, all this I made it whiteout the propellers, I have fear to fly my drone and lose it for that reason
Good Insights Joshua.
I use for my daily driver the Zorro radio, after starting with the Jumper T-Lite. I like the gamepad style and hate the giant box style of the TX-16S so I had been waiting for a quality radio. Gamepad style does not have to equal cheap. I bought the CC2500 version, tricked it out with the new set of AG01 Gimbals, added a Happymodel ELRS Slim Pro module for my radio links and attached a 2s battery to the bottom to fix the battery problem. Expensive, yes, but worth every penny as the quality and power I have over just a stock ELRS version is way worth it.
Those of you looking for a quality gamepad style radio should look into doing the same. Don't buy just the stock ELRS version. With ELRS' dynamic power, its nice to know I can go to a full watt when needed.
For those of us that like the gamepad style its nice to have options instead of being told (like we so often are) "just go get a TX16S durr." Although in my mind there is only one good option, and the Zorro is it.
I just wanna say Mr. Bardwell that when i made my iFlight purchase last year, this video helped me immensely decide which options to go with for my intended flying. As always JB, you are a wealth of knowledge. 👊🇺🇸 📻
after years of your videos im building my first quad, also getting the baby ape. thanks a bunch for the knowledge ! I learn sum every time !
Happy I bought the Zorro as a first controller. Did it after seeing your review. So Thanks!
If you absolutely need/want ELRS then get the cheapest Zorro option without ELRS and buy an external ELRS module.
As a piece of hardware, in my opinion its absolutely outstanding and provides the best bang for your buck, considering all the switch/button options and the bigger screen. (ignore what anyone says about the strangely small sized batteries, a full charge can last for several hours of flying... if you're the kind of person to bring with you tens of flight packs to get you flying for that amount of time, then there's no problem simply also bringing with you spare batteries for your radio)
The reason I say get a radio without ELRS but buy a ELRS module is that you don't really want to be "locked in" to a specific bit of ELRS hardware. The Devs are working hard and evolving ELRS all the time, and at some point the project will outgrow older TX hardware and you'll have to choose between using old ELRS firmware or upgrading the radio again.
If you get a radio that can accept an external ELRS module (like the Zorro), you will ALWAYS be able to stay abreast of the latest developments and new hardware, for a relatively low cost (a new ELRS module instead of a whole new radio).
Just my view on things 👍
Why not just get the ELRS Zorro and add an external ELRS module layer if the firmware outgrew the old internal module?
@@calisti9308 2x reasons, The elrs in zorro is only 250mw, the zorro without elrs is cheaper than the elrs version. You open yourself up to a better choice of external modules and reduce your initial outlay. Put the money you save getting non-elrs zorro towards a more powerful module.
Again this is just my experience and opinions, I'm sure 250mw would be enough for many people but JB did mention it as a minor negative for the Zorro out of the 3 radios he was comparing so it must be worth considering the possibility that 250mw might not be enough 👍🏻
@charlierc - I have your suggested setup with the Zorro and am super satisfied. Recent convert from DSMx.
@@cccagley5276 Yes, I'm super happy with the Zorro. I don't actually use ELRS, I've got a crossfire module in the back of mine, but at least I know that if I want to dabble with ELRS or any of the other protocols in the future, my radio can take a module on the back 👍
Not a bad suggestion! hmmm....
I absolutely 100% love my Zorro so glad I bought it🙏🙏🙏
Had same bouncing back on the bottom of the throttle, adjustment screw helped with that. Gimbals actually quite good.
Love the goofy intros you've been doing. Great content as always!
While you're talking about built-in ELRS radios, don't forget the Betafpv light radio 3 pro!
you Sir, are absolutely right.
I like my ELRS 1 Watt module. Until radios start coming with 1 Watt internal modules, I think there's a compelling argument to use an external module for ELRS.
This
Honestly, 1W is oversized. I use the HM ES24TX and with 250w it gave me more than 7km of range with 50hz.
@Hasch Katze i never fly km away, but i do want to fly through walls of concrete, 500mw 900mhz wasnt enough, but 1000mw gets me there.
I personally run a tbs tango 2 and I would definitely recommend it I’ve never had a fail safe and I’ve done some sketchy stuff with it
You mean the radio that everyone tries to copy, but nobody stacks up to 💪😎✊️
Super happy with mine after calibration of the gimbals. Took a while to get used to the menu etc, but now I'm rocking Lua scripts with GPS finder etc. Best feature is the usb-c quick charge and long battery life together with its compactness
You forgot the "new" v2 Jumper t-lite with built in elrs. That is an option again too.
I second the t-lite v2! I got the OG t-lite with a built in happymodel ELRS module inside the body (credit MrSnake for the idea). I use this for gorilla flying because it’s super small. The V2 is a factory version of my tinkering… Otherwise I rock the Zorro. Neither is perfect. I really like the sticks that come stock on the AG01 minis though… like a lot!
maybe he cant get one :D
@@LalapopApple He can do anything. 😉🙂
Would never be an option for me as Jumper's quality absolutely SUCKS! They've proven that many times over the years!
@@KOrnhOliO1 I don’t think the module the radio came with ever worked (cc2500), either that or I am dumb and couldn’t figure it out (ELRS is great up to 500hz @ 3.75M baud, but with errors), I had to redo the wiring inside the radio as gimbal jitter was unusable from the factory, as were the sticks ends and switches which I also had to change/modify… but it was $50 new so… idunno. I do agree with you Sco0t, especially if I had no skills 100% with you. But it was cheap and small so I still use it occasionally. Those are the major issues I remember off the cuff honestly there is probably more… but of course they will come out with a V2 they sold a million of the V1, I don’t know if it will do as good as there’re a bunch more options nowadays.
Joshua thanks for your honest review, its very nice when hear your honest opinion and not feel like any commercialization on the subjects discussed implied like others did. You project honesty on the evaluation of these products and balanced evaluation on the goods and bad on all options at top of these category. Its just what we as newbies need. Thanks a lot.
These intros are just awesome 😂
Was about to say the same. The intros lately are top notch
Joshua,
Another great video... thank you!
I got the Commando 8 with the Chimera 7 Pro as a package from iFlight. I opted for 915mhz version which came with a 1W module installed. As far as using it with the Chimera... I love it - no complaints so far (mine doesn't have the spongy throttle gimbal like yours). I will likely use it with other quads as well.
I tend to agree with your review overall... having a few more switches/buttons would be nice. However, I can see where this stripped down form factor may be a nice option for someone just getting into the hobby that doesn't want to worry about fat-fingering a switch when the nervous jitters kick in.
Hey Joshua, thanks for the video. Just a quick comment on your comment "It's best to get a radio with the radio link built in". I don't feel that is entitly true. Take the Radiomaster TX16S MK2 for example with built in ELRS. Its maximum output is 250MW. If somone buys the 4in1 then they can buy the 1W ELRS module for it and have a lot more options. Granted it's more money but I'd go for a 1W ELRS module for the extra 40 bucks with the benefit of 4-1 radio links over a 250MW ELRS link. Maybe it's a personal preference but 250MW isn't that good for penetration compared to 1W signal. Just my thoughts. 🙌
As someone who lives in the hot desert region of the US, I would also ask how are transmitters like this keeping internal modules cool?
The TPro relies on a passive heatsink (so that 1W isn't going to be 1W for long once it's heated up), and the Commando8 has an always running fan, so should be fine to do 500mW continuous. Given TX16S MKII is 250mW, it should be fine as is. And most (all?) external high power modules have cooling fans... so you can go 1W that way. Just have to keep in mind the jump from 250mw to 1W is only double the range (4x increase in power to double range). Antenna selection, orientation, and using the right frequency (i.e. 2.4Ghz vs 915Mhz) are much more important than just ramming more power at the problem.
I had ordered this radio back in May I believe and recently was contacted by iFlight letting me know that the 900MHz wasn't available any longer so I had to retract my order. I wanted this radio to be the best new thing so bad but it just was not... I agree with your final choice, I made the choice to continue using my XLite which has been awesome with ELRS. Good review, thanks!!
went from xlite to this radio and it is sooo much better tbh
I’m so happy that I got the Zorro with the 4 in 1 board, and I also have the tbs crossfire nano module. I definitely think it’s the best setup overall. As far as the output power goes, it doesn’t matter to me as I also have Radiomaster tx16s if I want to go long distance as I have the full size crossfire module for it. As far as this new one goes it looks just a little too cheap, but maybe for someone starting out it might be okay.
zorro with elrs is even better tbh, the 4 in 1 module connects to protocols that shouldn't even be used anymore in 2022, ELRS everything, and crossfire for 915mhz
@@avgvstvs96 , I have multiple protocol planes as well as quads, I’ll probably get another module for the back of my Zorro so that I can have elrs one day, just haven’t done so as yet.
Tango2 For Life 🙌
I have the jumper t-pro with aion ELRS module, I programmed the switches following your video and I just love it, I fly a 5” freestyle at 50mW, never had a problem.
I choose that mainly because I come from the dji fpv drone and I love the dji remote, to me the jumper t-pro was the closest
Isn't it just a TBS Tango 2 that looks more like the DJI FPV controller?
Happy the Zorro came out on top. Got one on the way
“Where’s my menu key?”😂 Looks like another great addition to the gamepad Elrs lineup. Excellent review as always.
Joshua I didn't want to get another radio with a big screen so I got myself T-PRO. I tested T-PRO and Zorro before I got mine and I have to say that I prefer Jumper radio in this round. Out of the box gimbals are pretty much the same level IMO. 6 independent switches in the middle are just great. I didn't need two sliders so for $5 I got the new back plate with 2p switch that I use for arming.
Commando 8 to me is like a poor version of T-PRO, but much more expensive.
I feel like all of these radios have too many compromises to really be worth picking up right now. My primary radio is currently a TX16S MK2 with ELRS, and a full 2W crossfire module. My secondary radio is a Tango 2 Pro with a HappyModel Slim Pro Tx and the boost board so 1W works.
The Zorro IMO would be pretty much perfect if it had a color screen (I don’t care much about touch), and at a *minimum*, 18500 batteries. Using 18350 cells makes the radio pretty much a hard pass for me. I know I can strap a battery to it, but that’s true of just about any radio. It’s not something I’d be willing to do every time I want to go fly, and I’m usually either on the simulator or out flying for much more than an hour. (Sim is a big deal to me since RadioMaster seems to refuse to make the data USB-C port also work for charging).
The T-Pro really should have come with at least a single two position switch on it (though I think you can buy one as an accessory now, that replaces one of the momentary switches?). Other than that, the T-Pro is okay, but I’d really like the ability to put nicer gimbals on it, in the way the Zorro has the AG01 gimbals. Additionally, I am a pincher so the Zorro seems to really be the only one of the compact radios that would support pinching.
The Commando is too small for me overall, and it seems to me like it’s essentially a smaller version of the T-Pro, with even fewer features, which means it’s a very hard pass for me.
I still like the tx12 with the same module bay as the tx16s as a backup. Bigger battery, and the size and format isn't hugely different than the zorro with the add-on battery holder. It will take the same AG01s as the zorro as well.
I can't comment on the other 2 radios but I'm confident in defending the Zorro.
The 18350 cell is a non-issue. There's no need to strap a lipo to it, we carry around all these quad lipos, how much hassle is it really, to spend 10 bucks on a few tiny 18350 cells and carry those too? It takes moments to change them over. Quicker in fact than changing a lipo on the quad.
As for the requirement for a color screen, I admit that would be nice but if we're honest with ourselves, we spend a lot more time in the goggles than ever looking at the screen of our radios.
The screen the zorro does have is the best of the 3 radios JB was comparing.
I agree with you that the Zorro will never compare to the TX16S, it's a great radio. I have both. If you're very happy with the TX16S you don't need a gamepad style radio... But if you need/want a gamepad style radio, the quality and reputation radiomaster won with the TX16S makes the Zorro the better option on the market in my opinion 👍🏻
Safe flying bud✈️
@@grim-upnorth the battery life thing is still an issue for me - I fly quads in addition to fixed wing, and I do both long range. I have quads that can fly for ~40 minutes, and I have one currently flying fixed wing that is capable of ~2hr flight times. The Zorro wouldn't even last a full flight of my fixed wing, and I wouldn't even want to take off without a totally fresh battery when it comes to my LR quads.
A Zorro would be a great fit for my LR gear too, as it would allow me to take a (much) lighter radio with me when I'm traveling or hiking out somewhere to fly.
I love my TX16S, I just also want a smaller/lighter radio for when I won't even be taking off until I'm miles from my car.
The reason I'd want a color screen is that both the iNav telemetry lua and Yappu telemetry lua scripts are much nicer to use when they're running on a color screen, and during LR flights it's not uncommon for me to pull the goggles off and look down at the radio if I'm even using the goggles at all, instead of a screen.
I've owned a lot of radios by now, and I've gotten to the point of wanting some very specific features, many of which I recognize are pretty niche. If someone came out with a high quality small radio that had good battery life, a color screen, and great gimbals and build quality, I would happily pay $250+ for the base radio and another $100+ for upgraded gimbals.
@@KaminKevCrew totally agree with your use case, especially regarding long range fixed wing flights. I actually fly mainly fixed wing mid range myself, so I understand the battery problem in this instance, thing is, all of the 3 radios JB compared here, I wouldn't be confident flying a long range mission due to their battery life.
With regards to inav telemetry, I actually have a video on my channel where I put it on the zorro, and while yes it's much nicer on my tx16s, it's actually still really decent on the zorro screen.
Hopefully they come out with a zorro Pro or something with the features you want 👍🏻✈️
@@grim-upnorth awesome! Yeah - I've tried the Black and White version on the X9d before and it definitely works. It's just hard to go back once I've gotten used to the color version.
In another review of the Zorro, (I think it was Albert Kim's?) I mentioned pretty much the same things being on my wishlist. The video author replied and said they were told by radiomaster that going to a color touchscreen would end up costing over $500 because it would be a custom screen. I think that's probably true if you stick with the same screen dimensions and aspect ratio since the Zorro uses a 2:1 screen, but I would think they'd be able to add a commodity 16:9 LCD touchscreen (or even sell one separately that requires some modifications to the casing) which wouldn't cost too much.
I'd be particularly interested in a Zorro-ish formfactor Tx (maybe a larger area up top for the screen) that was able to hold the same 21700 cells that are used in the TX16S LiIon pack that radiomaster sells - a 5000mah 2s pack in a slightly larger than Zorro formfactor sounds epic.
8:37 a nano drone just flew left of Joshua's head.
😁❤I love the themed references paired with a great review. 👍 Great stuff JB! 👏
I have the Commando8 ELRS 2.4, I bought it because I could get an RTF Nazgul from iFlight and not have to worry about compatibility while I was learning how to fly. Personally, I only use one of the switches and one of the three-ways, so having more toggles didn't matter to me. I'm not a fan about the throttle, just like you mention, but it is nice to ensure that I am consciously arming my drone because I have to hold down the throttle to zero out.
Great review overall! I'm not going to buy anything new anytime soon. Not because the Commando is perfect, but there just isn't anything significantly better in the gamepad style at this time.
Is it good? Do you recommend the whole rtf, I’m thinking but it’s coming out at 1500
I bought the zorro with your link on your review of it. Glad you affirmed my choice
I got the Zorro and I just love it. There’s no better in its class right now.
Thanks for the video. Been using crossfire for years but with all the new craft coming out this protocol, I’m stepping up to the plate.
One gripe I have is it would have been nice for an indicator LED for both two pos switches. I guess I'll know when I plug the quad in it'll beep my ear off for aux 4
Awesome review, Joshua! Thanks! 😊
You just forgot about the external module issue there... 😬
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I second that
What issue?
@@powdermonkey447 You need to remove the ELRS module to put a module bay.
This might be the one 😁 finally some ELRS with back compatability. Very nice review. Thank you.
Who would of thought Thanos from the multiverse would be flying fpv drones LOL JB you're killing me!! keep them creative intros coming! haha
It looks like a white Tango 2. I love it!
Been watching dozens of review videos about radios, none of them really pointed out true use-cases for all those fancy switches. So, being a newb, looking for my first radio, first sim and first quad, I am frustrated about whether those would ever be needed. The only one that should be there is the Master Arm. Which should be protected by a cover that protects from accidental switching. But none of radios has that kind of cover, like Master Arm is not a big deal.
Ok, the other switch that is not mandatory but potentially could be useful is the sensivity limiter/curve preset selector to switch between several flight modes or several quads. That's TWO switches. What about the other 148 buttons, what are they for?
My basic switch setup includes: arm/disarm; buzzer (to find a quad that's crashed somewhere I can't find it); angle mode activate/deactivate (autolevel vs. acro); turtle mode (to flip the quad right-side up if I crash and it's upside-down). On quads with GPS, I may have a switch for GPS rescue. I have one knob set up as volume dial for the radio so I can silence it if I want to. I have one knob set up to control screen brightness. I have one switch set up as a throttle cut, so that on quads that are too powerful, I can dial down the throttle. If the quad has GPS function, I may set up a switch to activate GPS rescue. On some quads, the FC can be configured to switch the video transmitter off and on, which keeps it from overheating if you're not flying. Those are some examples.
At 8:49, the problem of the throttle not fully going down is quite a pain in the b**t to set up but there’s a tight spot with the two screws at the back of the radio to find and, I mean, when your radio is set up once, you don’t have to do it anymore so that’s alright for me as I had to do it because I fly mode 1.
Edit: i just saw you do change the tightening of the screw, but there’s TWO screws to play with.
I noticed the low throttle slop issue on my Commando8, and pinned it down to the throttle recentering adjustment just not quite going down properly, and managed to pop the adjustment arm and spring off completely as I don't intent to change modes. Removing the spring did help, but then it could sometimes be present, or not present, depending on where it fell. The gimbals on these should be good as they are digital hall effect gimbals, and iFlight did take the radio back to the drawing board after the first gimbal design had a lot of jitter.
Compared to the TPro, I find the Commando8 to feel a much more solid radio. I do find it annoying that the fan for the ELRS isn't controlled by the ELRS chip (and hence Lua), but always on when the module is enabled. The antenna is nice, with the ball and spring clicky detent, and that it *also rotates 90 degrees*, for proper polarization ;) The number of inputs is probably right for what I think is their intended market (drone flyers). And that joystick interface is so confusing after having all the other radois... And the Zorro is just so nice! lol Then again. I also like the TLite, and the T-Lite V2 with built-in ELRS is a nice little radio. Oh the choices!
I see you didn't mention anything about the different style of turning it on and off! 🤭😂
btw, to double the distance, you need 4x the power, not double, since RF propagation follows an inverse square law for power density rule. If only it were double!
Thanks for your very in depth review. High quality video as always!
Zorro Elrs with AG01 mini Gimbals 🤤 perfect setup
thank you for being honest, funny and informative!
The only thing missing is an ergonomic, 2W (ELRS) module WITH the 'big boi's' accelerometer, (As per Ranger!) that would fit the Zoro's bay AND behave like/better than a (two handed) DJI Motion Controller! ; )
i got mine. it's weird that your throttle gimbal is not all the way down which is not seen on my unit. i can confirm also, dji fpv remote gimbal stick ends is the exact fit if you want to change it.
As someone that likes the safety of a GPS hold build the main switches i use are,
Acro, Slow, GPS (Freestyle, tilt limited for 5m/s near people and GPS which then acts like a DJI drone with hover etc...)
On top of that i have my arm/disarm (With safety so 2nd switch for that) and finally a "Ow shit" button which activates RTH if i panic or lose sight of the drone.
So total of 1x3pot 1xarm/disarm 1xsafety and 1xRTH = 4 switches which this controller does nicely since the 2pot switches can be my RTH and Arm/Disarm and the 3pot can be my flight mode leaving me a spare 3pot for say the safety arm switch maybe.
It does look nice and i bet it feels amazing but i do like the customability of my Jumper T16 not s-model tho :(
Great vid. Wouldn't you lose video (DJI) before you lost control even at 250mW?
DJI has really excellent range especially at 1200 mW and with patch antenna. If you're running ELRS at like 50 Hz then range is pretty good at 250 mW but if you're running at 500 Hz it's shorter.
@@JoshuaBardwell good to know, thanks.
How about a vid on patch antenna - are they all pretty much the same?
I’m in the market to replace my X-Lite Pro transmitter, but the lack of a momentary switch for use as a pre-arm is a deal breaker for me. I suppose the Zorro with updated AG01 gimbals is as close as I can get to my X-Lite Pro. Really wish the Zorro didn’t have such a large screen though because it adds a lot to it’s overall size.
None of the internal ELRS modules seem to be supporting 1w which means if you want 1w ELRS, you still need to buy an external module. 1w needs a fan. I would rather have that fan built into an external module that would be easier to replace if it failed. FrSky or a multi module supports using a USB dongle for simulator use. I have not been able to get Bluetooth mode on ELRS to work reliably and the only USB dongle options available now require you to assemble it yourself. The only thing I would use FRSky for now is the simulator dongle, but because you don’t get 1w with internal ELRS, FrSky support seems like a better option for the internal module.
The T-Pro is the only one with built in 1W module, but yeah it's better to get external bc it needs a lot of cooling.
That's quality thumbnail right there!
Could you make a video like you did on Betafligth, showing how to change the settings of the Command 8 v2, because if I press aux1 on the radio, for example, it accelerates or the right stick is pushed down, something else happens, the assignments are very mixed up and I can't change them. PS I like your videos, keep it up.
The springiness could be wires getting stuck... Had that problem on my taranis and its awful to fly because the wires get damaged and create wrong input
Unfortunately not... the screw adjustment that allows it to be center sprung is either just a little bit too short, or slightly out of alignment (the latter I think) as even if you take the string off you can just feel it. I ended up just pulling it off on mine - just has a pin that lets it pivot, as with the spring off it would still bind slightly. Hopefully something they will fix in a later production batch.
I was wondering why your thumbnail was purple... Lol! Nice Thanos reference!
This is the only radio I've found that ships with 900mhz LRS, and since I want to fly canyons and rock formations and trees, that's what I've settled on. Even so, the Zorro and a module will probably be my choice.
Hi Josh. Glad you made this one :). I previously had tarnis x9d and have little to none experience with this joystick style radios. Yet I love the form farctor and I am eager to buy zorro. The question I have is how much will it compromise the comfortability of handling? I feel like you would give me most accurate answear since you are a pincher too. Cheers
didn't watch the review yet but I want to say that I really love my iflight commando, came from frsky xlite and the difference is huge, so much smoother than the xlite was. Now lets watch the review and see your thoughts :D
I like the simplicity, but honestly, the BetaFPV Literadio 3 Pro is cheaper (where I'm located, anyway) and possibly more fully featured. Agree with your order of choice though, Zorro- T Pro- Commando. Satisfied Zorro user here.
Betafpv build quality is too inconsistent for me to feel confident recommending the literadio.
@@JoshuaBardwell Fair comment. I've had mixed success with their stuff.
I prefer the Tango 2 with the Happymodel slim. Best of both worlds and a much better radio than this.
Yeah, I've got to agree with you. The Tango2 seems the best of all of these, but also far more expensive.
The Commando seems too basic and too cheap looking, even though the price is nowhere near cheap!
I won't buy anything JUMPER because of their HORRID QUALITY! Design is also a huge issue with Jumper.
The RadioMaster seems so much better built and with quality components that the other too. Doesn't it just look better quality than the other too?! To me, that is readily apparent.
I don't care much about the smaller game style controllers, so I'd pay the slight more for the TX16S, and get all of the features.
I’ve held and flown with both radios, and the tango falls short. The added ability for the ag01 gimbals just blows it out of the water for the style of radio. However the tx16s is the best radio you can currently buy and always run the ag01 just unparalleled stick feel
@@GrauFPV Maybe so, but those AG01 gimbals put the price way out of sight when compared to all other radios. Even the TX16S is way cheaper than the Zorro with AG01's. Not a fair comparison...and, quite frankly, I don't care how good those gimbals are, I'd never buy them when they cost as much as a TX16S does! :(
Lol. Love the shirt.
FLY HIGH 🙌
If you don't push the 2-way switches all the way down they are momentary :)
I like my Commando. It sits better in my hand than the Zorro (a lot of space for the ring finger because no buttons, and a great ridge to find always the same spot). I don't need buttons. And I don't want to care about battery life for at least one whole flying day.
How do you arm your drone with the commando? I can’t figure mine out
@@conndog9792 is this you first radio? In the menu you can somewhere say which button is send on which channel and the rest happens in betaflight (or whatever you use).
@@conndog9792 yes, with the middle-left "mini stick" you can get into the menu (there are at leat two menus, i dont remember if it is down or another direction). The Operating System is EdgeTx, so you can look up online how to set this up. JB definetly has a full setup guide for this!
@@kaptn_kapton Betaflight says my arm is AUX1
@@conndog9792 betaflight doesn't know how your remote is set up. Maybe the remote is already set up, the you can set the aux for arming to auto and click the desired button on the ratio. Betaflight can then detect whicht channel changed (only if this button is configured as output channel, of course)
No momentary switches is a dealbreaker for me because I use your method of arming with a logical switch by holding the momentary... I feel like they don't ask anyone (or don't ask enough people) when they design these things.
What is that arming method you use?
@@BlueskyFR_ it's from one of JB's videos from about 5-6 years ago, where you create a sticky logical switch in OpenTX/EdgeTX. I don't think YT will let me post a link but search the channel for "safer switch arming" and it'll come up.
How these controllers compare to the dji controller in terms of built quality and performance?
Can’t wait for the V2
Excellent, well structured and succinct review. Very interesting, but will stick with my TX16S with AG01s :-)
I just want a Tango2 with 1w ELRS inside and CNC gimbals... This is close, but not close enough. Zoro doesn't tick the boxes with it bulbus screen and excessive switches. Guess I'm not switching to ELRS yet.
I feel like if the radiomaster zorro had 1watt elrs and maybe the cc2500 all in one it would be the best radio out😁 for "game style radios" I love the bigger screen to be able to see what the heck your doing in the field lol and I think the layout of the zorro is just way better than the others the placement of the switches and buttons are just perfect and the cherry on top is the ability to put the AG01 gimbals in it🤌🏽 However....my favorite radio is the tx12 I just find that the size is absolutely perfect for me and it's like having the cross between a game style and full size radio....and the fact you can hop it up also is awesome 😁 great review JB👍🏽✌🏾
gone keep running my tx16s
9:45 Maybe that would be or act like a type of safety switch?
You forget a important thing, commando have not build in module with elrs version it’s mean they put module in the radio but lose latency and lose extra module bay
did you say 50KM / 31 Mile range? holy moly!!
I’ve watched a ton of these videos where it’s mentioned that express LRS can get up to 50km range but nobody ever mentions that no video system is capable of 50km range. So how do you control an aircraft 50km away if you can’t see the video?
5.8 GHz video can go 50 km too, under ideal conditions. In real world conditions you won't get 50 km out if elrs either.
@@JoshuaBardwell Thanks, I didn’t know that. I’m somewhat of a newb so please excuse my ignorance. Are you referring to 5.8ghz analog or DJI digital? I don’t recall seeing any videos about this so maybe it would be a good topic for a future video on how to achieve such long range video capability? BTW, I’m a huge fan of your channel and all that you do!
I'm referring to analog.
I won't be making any "how to long range" videos because flying BVLOS is prohibited in the USA and there is no way to film a video like that without it being obvious that you're breaking the rules. The risk of getting fined would be too high and I would end up having to take the video down anyway.
Awesome review as always. 2.4ghz is highly attenuated by water. Trees are something like 50% water, and the leaves are the worst for radio penetration. Broad leaf trees like oaks are much worse than pine trees for blocking 2.4ghz. 900mhz is not nearly as attenuated by water, meaning trees aren't much of an issue for Radios running 900mhz. It kind of doesn't matter for many people, especially at 1 watt. But if you're running at 1 watt in 2.4ghz, you may be stomping on other people's wifi.
Zorro has buttons on the back side too .
Sorry - I am sure this has been answered in other videos - I just wanted to clarify - 900mhz for LONG RANGE best penetration, 2.4ghz for regular stuff? What is the drawback of 900mhz? Sorry - newbie question. I apologize
I found the commando to be more like the tango 2 which is my favorite radio so i did like quite a few people did got them all but i find myself using the commando with my elrs quad's and my tango 2 with crsf quad's.
@joshua What would the performance comparison between the 2.4GHz and the 900MHz? What would have the best range?
All else being equal, 900 will have more range.
@@JoshuaBardwell copy that. Also have you got any tutorial video showing best ELRS settings for long range flying? I got 900 btw.
I've gone commando before and tbh I kinda like it and hate it at the same time, lightweight but lack of protection... wait wrong topic
I wish Radiomaster could make Zorro with color display placed *between* gimbles or FrSky could finally release Twin X-lite
Flysky NV14?
I am the only one who likes the T-Pro. Just take it apart modify the case and solder in a normal metal knob latching switch, what's so hard about that?
I think t-pro is a clear winner, it's the cheapest, has highest output power, easily swappable batteries and doesn't have enormous screen tumor. They even offer replacement backplate with built in latching 2 pos switch.
Lovin my Commando8
How do you arm your drone with the commando? I can’t figure it out
Is it possible to put those high-end gimbals into Jumper T12 Pro?
Did you try to connect it to MacBook? I want to try out this control in simulators, but MacBook Pro of Mine doesn’t see it…
Is it TBS tango II, but with express elrs? Or I'm in bad?
@Joshua Bardwell - What's your honest opinion, which controller is better? The iFlight 8 or the Betafpv LiteRadio 3 Pro,
I think there are serious QC issues with LiteRadio in the past. I don't know if the Pro is the same, but I would be suspicious. The LiteRadio Pro has a screen which is nice.
@@JoshuaBardwell Thank yoi so much for the reply, Joshua sir.
TweetFPV teaches how to add elrs internally to your radio.
I'm looking to get into 4" long range flying, for my first drone. I need some advice as to what components i should get, googles and controller for something like the Flywoo Explorer. I was looking at the DJI mini 3 but it's too expensive for my first drone. Any help would be greatly appreciated,
I have been following all your reviews and you do a great job, thank you for all the info.
Thank you.
Personally I still think DJI FPV goggles V2 and Caddx vista is a great choice if you plan to stay under 13 km.
@@JoshuaBardwell Thank you, I'm totally new to this and greatly appreciate any direction and suggestions.
Is there a budget friendly goggles and controller that I can get to use with 4" long range drone under 250 grams?
You would be getting analog goggles at that point. But the "budget friendly" gear is not "long range". It will have shorter range.
Jb! When’s your next q&a?
August 7.
@@JoshuaBardwell thanks looking forward to it!
The only good thing about this RC is the ELRS 915mhz/2.4G. The quality of the gimbals is…I have no words to describe it. Already changed 2 sets of gimbals, in just 9 months…
How do I activate aux1 with commando 8? I’ve been trying to arm my drone for weeks
Josh, I haven’t been able to connect with my simulator via Steam… I am so frustrated
Whenever you talk about 2.4 vs 900 and long range flying, you recommend 2.4 for all but the truly longrange flying. I wish you'd stop doing that, because midrange flyers are usually flying mountains, and we all use 900. Whenever I help someone get started, I definitely want them to have that extra diffraction angle, and I think I speak for all of us mountain flyers when I say we wouldn't think of switching to 2.4. We fly behind rocky peaks all the time, sometimes on accident. And we dive through narrow chutes with questionable LOS.
You know how lucky Bardwells kids would/are/will be?! Dang lucky snot nose kids lol
Not enough controls I'll stick with the Zorro
Doesn't the Zorro updated the max power to 500mW through firmware update?
ho do you make the roll and pitch stick to work iam able to calibrate it but when in beta flight the chanel 1 and 2 do not work on the remote screen it do not work but
work perfect in flight simulator🤔 oh and no show in chanel monitor
hey mate! I've been practicing in the simulator for a couple of days and now suddenly the commando's left stick is totally out of sync... Even though it is down and centred, it thinks that it is pushed to the upper right corner and I can't get it back to normal! I can not even calibrate it because I can not centre it... Have you had this issue with any radio before? I don't know what to do and I am so keen on practicing more...
You forgot about switches on bottom plate of zorro
How would you grip a gamepad style controler on the sticks? I fly the DJI one and it feels great, but I can't seem to get used to any grip style that is usual for fpv pilots. Being a longtime gamer I just put my thumbs on top of the sticks because it feels natural. The issue I have though is that the stick always centers on yaw and roll, so if I wanna fly cinematic and do a transition on the sticks from one side to the other I can't seem to make it smooth because of the hard click in the middle. I tried opening up the back and loosen up the screws but I can only loosen up and down on both sticks and not left right. I had throttle loosened up since day 1. I was thinking that loosening up all axis would be nice to make smoother transitions. I have a hard time especially on the left stick when I wanna keep the throttle the same but change yaw and because of that hard click in between left and right it makes me also change the throttle input by a little bit. So are all radios the same by centering right stick and yaw or can they be custom tuned to fit your need? I've only tried the DJI one so far. Do I just need more practise? :) Any "input" from you people is welcome and appreciated.
Joshua, please help, when I throttle a little more than walf way, the dron throttle to max and when I down throttle in commando 8 doesn't down the speed of the motors, all this I made it whiteout the propellers, I have fear to fly my drone and lose it for that reason
ua-cam.com/video/xBaefeQtA1c/v-deo.html