BETAFPV Beta65X Brushless Micro Whoop quadcopter

Written by Dillon Carpenter A tiny drone with a big attitude Product Review As seen in the May 2019 issue of Model Aviation.

At A Glance

Specifications

Model type: Micro FPV racing quadcopter Skill level: Intermediate Weight: 26 grams (without battery) Power system: Four 0802 12,000 Kv motors with connectors; all-in-one F4 flight control board with 12-amp ESCs Propellers: 31 mm four-blade propellers; 1.0 mm shaft hole Camera: Z02 AIO 35° Battery: 300 mAh 1S high-voltage LiPo Price: $129.99

Pluses

Better handling.
Betaflight preloaded and configured.
Extra propellers and canopy.

Minuses

Cannot change camera angle.
No option to use 1S battery without additional fabrication.

Bonus Video

The power from the brushless motors allows this drone to make turns and quick maneuvers without washing out. HOT ON THE HEELS of the Tiny Whoop craze is the instinct to make these micro-size racing drones faster and more powerful, while maintaining the tight handling and maneuverability that the Tiny Whoop and other micro drones have made popular in the realm of FPV drone racing. This new evolution of micro drones includes seemingly impossible small brushless motors and more powerful batteries to create a much higher thrust-toweight ratio. The BETAFPV Beta65X Brushless Micro Whoop quadcopter is one of the more popular choices in this developing niche of brushless micro Whoops. Don’t let its small size lead you into a false sense of complacency. This brushless quadcopter packs a serious punch. It comes equipped with four custom 0802 12,000 Kv brushless motors and an all-in-one F4 flight control board with 12-amp ESCs for an unbridled amount of power. The power that these brushless motors put out allows you to fly the Beta65X (the X is for Xtreme, according to the BETAFPV website) just like a larger quad in Acro mode, without dealing with the fallbacks of their brushed counterparts. Two 1S LiPo batteries are included with the BNF version and are wired in series when connected to the multirotor, effectively creating a 2S battery to power the aircraft. Instead of including a 2S LiPo and XT30 connector, BETAFPV decided to go with two 1S batteries to make it easier for pilots who are upgrading from Tiny Whoops to use their existing 1S 220 mAh to 300 mAh LiPo batteries. If 2S power is too much, a consumer could create a jump plug by shorting out one of the connectors to complete the circuit and using a single 1S battery. I have seen similar connectors included in other manufacturers’ kits, but this kit does not come with one, so exercise caution if you intend to fabricate one of these connectors. You could short out your flight controller or cause other problems.

The Beta65X BNF comes with everything shown, including an additional canopy and a set of propellers.

The author feels that the kit’s aggressive 35° angled camera tilt is too severe for his liking.

One of the major pitfalls of brushed micro drones is the tendency to wash out or be affected by propwash, causing an aircraft to dip and hesitate when turning. This type of multirotor would be unable to recover quickly from fast maneuvers such as flips and rolls. With the instant power response and the torque of the brushless motors, the Beta65X Whoop can recover from staccato maneuvers more smoothly than its brushed, motor-equipped counterparts. Another safeguard against the washout effect that was implemented in the Beta65X is that the default rotation of the propellers is in the Props Out (or reversed) configuration. The standard propeller configuration has the propellers rotating inward if you’re looking at the multirotor from the front, but the Beta65X comes with them configured to rotate outward. BETAFPV suggests that this helps keep the aircraft from dipping and washing out "even in the hardest cornering." Another major positive of using brushless motors and ESCs is the ability to run DShot 600, which is a digital ESC protocol commonly found in larger multirotors. DShot allows aircraft to take advantage of features such as Turtle Mode or Meow Mode, where pilots can set a switch on their transmitters to command the multirotor to right itself after landing upside down.

The Beta65X has an "outward" default propeller rotation to help counteract any negative handling effects while cornering.

Don’t let its size fool you—this is one powerful brushless micro Whoop!

The Beta65X comes with all software preloaded and preprogrammed for a true out-of-the-box BNF experience. All that is required is to bind your radio to the included receiver as you would normally bind any other receiver. BNF receivers that are available include FrSky XM, Spektrum DSMX, Futaba S-FHSS, and FlySky. All of the connections are presoldered or plugged and do not require assembly. Repairs are easy. The thick frame and ducts protect the motors and propellers, so broken propellers and dinged motors are less frequent. The included Z02 AIO camera and video transmitter (VTX) is of decent quality and supports the smart audio protocol, which allows you to program the camera and change the VTX settings and channels through the on-screen display (OSD) in your FPV goggles or monitor. My only gripe with the camera arrangement is the 35° tilt mount that is included in this kit. I would have preferred an adjustable tilt mount to be included because the 35° mount is too aggressive for my liking, but that can be boiled down to personal preference. You will be flying very fast with the 35° mount, so make sure that is something you’re ready for! Custom 3D-printed options are available for the mount and can be purchased separately for an additional cost. All things considered, the Beta65X is a hot rod of a micro-size quadcopter and is fun indoors (with enough space) and even outdoors on a calm day.

By Dillon Carpenter | [email protected]

Photos by Matt Ruddick and the author