The SpeedyBee Bee25 is a sub-250g cinewhoop designed with the DJI O3 Air Unit in thoughts, making it a wonderful possibility for FPV drone pilots searching for a compact, versatile, and feature-rich drone. With its glossy modular design, considerate engineering, and stable flight efficiency, the Bee25 affords loads in a small bundle. On this assessment, I’ll share my expertise with the Bee25, discussing its construct high quality, flight efficiency, and general worth.
New to FPV? Try my purchaser’s information for cinewhoops: https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/
The place to Purchase
You should buy the SpeedyBee Bee25 from the next retailers:
Battery just isn’t included, try my suggestions right here: https://oscarliang.com/whoop-toothpick-lipo-battery/#4S-LiPOLiHV. Get the 4S 650mAh if you wish to keep below 250g restrict, or get the 4S 850mAh if you need longer flight time.
Don’t overlook to get some spare propellers too: https://oscarliang.com/product-rw6u
The Bee25 bundle features a person information, a set of stickers, spare {hardware}, antenna holders, and two screw drivers— a pleasant contact, contemplating many BNF drones don’t normally include any.
I’m reviewing the ExpressLRS model.
Specs
- Body: SpeedyBee Bee25 Normal Model
- Wheelbase: 120mm
- Flight Controller: STM32F405 with ICM42688-P Gyro, 8MB Blackbox, Bluetooth Assist
- ESC: 35A 8-bit ESC (BlueJay firmware)
- Motors: 1404 4600KV
- Propeller: HQprop DT63mm-3 blades
- VTX: Not included (Appropriate with DJI O3 Air Unit)
- Digicam: Not included (Appropriate with DJI O3 Air Unit)
- Receiver Choices: ELRS 2.4G / TBS Crossfire Nano / With out Receiver
- Battery Connector: XT30
- Battery dimension: Helps 4S 650-1100mAh batteries, Most 64*31*40mm (Vertical), 75*31*40mm (Horizontal)
- LED System: Meteor LED with 88 LED beads (absolutely customizable through SpeedyBee app)
- Receiver: ELRS 2.4G / TBS / None (select primarily based on model)
- Weight:
- With out DJI O3 and Battery: 123g
- With DJI O3: 172g
- With DJI O3 and 4S 650mAh: 248g
- With DJI O3 and 4S 850mAh: 266g
Construct High quality and Design
The Bee25 drone boasts a glossy design with a clear tinted plastic body that homes its parts. This offers the Bee25 a novel and fashionable aesthetic, whereas additionally permitting you to see the internals, particularly these lovely LEDs across the body.
The built-in Meteor LEDs not solely add visible attraction however are additionally useful. They show the drone’s standing, comparable to whether or not it’s armed or in fail-safe mode, and assist with finding the drone in low-light situations. This function, together with the flexibility to manage the LEDs by Betaflight or the SpeedyBee app, provides one other layer of practicality and usefulness.
Regardless of the light-weight supplies, the Bee25 feels sturdy. SpeedyBee has carried out good design selections to guard delicate parts, such because the hard-mounted XT30 connector and protecting housing for the GPS. Nonetheless, my assessment unit didn’t include a GPS module, so I couldn’t check the Rescue mode. Moreover, the easy-access USB-C port on the flight controller makes altering the drone’s settings far more handy.
Weighing round 165g with out the battery, the Bee25 is designed to remain below the 250g restrict with a appropriate 4S battery. That is vital for complying with drone rules in some areas. Should you’re including the DJI O3 Air Unit, be conscious of the battery weight to remain inside this restrict. The most important battery you should use to stay below 250g is a 4S 650mAh, which brings the full weight to round 248g.
The elastic battery band, although unconventional, works surprisingly effectively to safe batteries of assorted sizes. A minor concern arises with longer batteries (over 60mm), which can have hassle becoming correctly as a result of fastened XT30 connector placement. You’ll be able to work round this by rotating the mounting brackets to suit the battery sideways. Whereas a small inconvenience, it’s value noting when you plan to make use of bigger batteries.
Made For DJI O3
The Bee25 is particularly designed to accommodate the DJI O3 Air Unit, although my assessment unit didn’t include one, so I needed to set up my very own. Fortuitously, the set up course of is easy. The modular digital camera mount for the O3 might sound a bit complicated initially in comparison with minimalist designs just like the BetaFPV Pavo20 Professional, nevertheless it’s effectively thought-out. It offers wonderful safety for the O3 Air Unit, which is vital for sturdiness and reliability.
Whereas the modular system requires a bit extra effort to put in, detailed directions can be found on SpeedyBee’s web site, making the method simpler. It’s a one-time process, and as soon as put in, the modular design makes accessing the microSD card and USB-C port very handy. Moreover, the drone features a cooling duct built-in into the antenna mount, which helps to forestall the O3 Air Unit from overheating throughout longer flights—a sensible and welcome function.
I did ask SpeedyBee about compatibility with the Walksnail VTX system, however sadly, this mannequin doesn’t assist it. For the most effective person expertise, keep on with the DJI O3 Air Unit.
Flight Efficiency
The Bee25 flew rather well, higher than I anticipated to be trustworthy, probably the most effective 2.5inch cinewhoop I’ve flown this 12 months. It’s tuned straight out of the field for cinematic flying, making it simple to seize fluid, stabilized photographs.
The Bee25’s 1404 4600KV motors are highly effective and responsive, providing loads of thrust with out compromising flight stability. Paired with HQ 63mm props, this mixture offers wonderful efficiency for clean, cinematic flying. Even with a big 4S 850mAh LiPo, it nonetheless managed to hover round 25% throttle providing you with loads of headroom for extra aggressive maneuvers if wanted which is fairly spectacular.
Battery life on the Bee25 is stable. Utilizing a 650mAh 4S battery, I used to be capable of get about 5.5 minutes of clean, cinematic flying. After I upgraded to an 850mAh battery, flight time prolonged to about 7.5 minutes.
Whether or not I used to be flying gradual and regular for cinematic photographs or pushing the drone with extra freestyle maneuvers, it dealt with the whole lot with ease. I did discover some minor prop wash right here and there, however nothing important sufficient to influence the general expertise.
However as a 2.5″ drone, it’s simply as noisy as different cinewhoops of comparable dimension – you’ll draw some consideration when you’re flying in public areas. It’s a lot louder than even my 3″ open prop drone just like the Sub250 Oasisfly25 I lately reviewed, however that’s to be anticipated for a cinewhoop, one thing you need to be conscious of.
Areas for Enchancment
First off, the Bee25 doesn’t include spare propellers, which might be inconvenient. You’ll wish to decide some up right here: https://oscarliang.com/product-rw6u.
From a efficiency perspective, I’d recommend eradicating the LED strip to save lots of weight, and probably make the DJI O3 “bare” as effectively utilizing this equipment: https://oscarliang.com/flywoo-naked-o3-lite-ultra-kit/. This is able to will let you use a bigger 4S 850mAh battery whereas nonetheless staying below the 250g weight restrict, providing you with longer flight occasions and improved efficiency.
GPS isn’t vital for indoor or close-proximity flying, however when you’re flying outside or need an added layer of safety, I’d advocate including GPS and establishing Rescue Mode. Right here’s a information: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/.
The prop guards are light-weight, which makes them much less sturdy. Should you anticipate frequent crashes, it’s sensible to choose up some spare body components to keep away from downtime.
SpeedyBee all the time delivers distinctive designs with cautious consideration to element. Nonetheless, the tendency to design frames that require numerous sorts and sizes of screws could make repairs and upkeep a bit extra sophisticated. They do present two further screws for every kind, however this complexity won’t attraction to everybody. Should you admire distinctive, aesthetically pleasing frames, SpeedyBee is a good possibility, however when you want simplicity, it might not be your most suitable option. On a constructive observe, I do love that they embrace screwdrivers within the bundle, which is nice for freshmen.
One other limitation is the Bee25’s lack of compatibility with FPV methods outdoors of DJI. If you wish to use one thing just like the Walksnail system, it will require modifications and tinkering, which might be a problem for some customers.
How one can Setup
Establishing the Bee25 for its first flight was easy:
Authentic CLI Diff may be discovered right here.
Remaining Ideas: Is the SpeedyBee Bee25 Value It?
The SpeedyBee Bee25 is definitely one in every of my favourite 2.5-inch cinewhoops for 2024. It flies exceptionally effectively proper out of the field, affords nice worth with its considerate design, and pairs completely with the DJI O3 Air Unit. Whereas there are just a few areas for enchancment as talked about within the assessment, the general efficiency and construct high quality of the Bee25 make it a standout possibility within the sub-250g class.
Should you’re searching for a light-weight cinewhoop that gives nice flight efficiency, the Bee25 is a incredible alternative. Whether or not you’re flying indoors, filming cinematic photographs outside, or just need a dependable sub-250g drone, the SpeedyBee Bee25 delivers on all fronts.
