Serial charging, like parallel charging, is a method to get more batteries onto your existing battery charger at the same time. Parallel charging is a popular method to put many batteries onto a single charger so that they all charge at once. (We’ve got our own parallel charging guide right here on Propwashed.) Serial charging has limitations, but it also brings a few very unique advantages. For a certain set of pilots, these features may finally fill a long-missing piece in battery management. What is Serial Charging? Battery cells can be connected in parallel or in series. In parallel, each ..read more

2020 has been a wild ride for everyone. Retailers everywhere are desperate for a good holiday season this year, so you can expect to see some fantastic sales! Here’s our usual round-up of deals that you’ve come to expect from us. As always, we’ll keep this post updated as we learn more. Exclusives Starting with something a little different and exclusive! At Propwashed we love all things FPV that aren’t necessarily quad parts. We’ve got a 20% off coupon for you to the propagandaFPV store where you can by FPV-inspired jewelry and accessories! Use code PROPAGANDA20 for 20% off, valid 11/25–12/1 ..read more

The BetaFPV LiteRadio 3 is an 8-channel budget radio control transmitter. The predecessor Literadio 2 was an impressive controller for the price, and the Literadio 3 has only gotten better—but can the improved features justify the increase in cost? Features and Specs 2.4GHz 8 channel FrSky (D8, D16 FCC, D16 LBT) or ELRS versions Mode 1 / mode 2 options USB-C port USB charging USB joystick mode Trainer output 2000mAh internal battery Nano module bay Included in the box is the radio, a help card, a printed manual, a USB-C cable, and a set of gimbal protectors. (The lanyard in the feature photo ..read more

It wasn’t that long ago that we were looking at BetaFPV’s first ELRS module. Since then, both BetaFPV and ELRS have come quite a ways in performance and reliability. Today, we’re going to look at BetaFPV’s latest take on the same product, the 1W Micro TX Module. Specs and in the Box The upgraded module offers only a few differences in specs, but the improvements are pretty important. Perhaps even more important was done under the hood. 1W output power (up from 500mW) Integrated Backpack Improved cooling: fan and heatsink These are in addition to the specs the system shares with the older 500 ..read more

The NewBeeDrone AcroBee changed the way I looked at the entire FPV hobby. It wasn’t the first 65mm brushed micro I’d flown, nor was it the first 1S I’d flown, even on Betaflight. But NewBeeDrone brought the best of these all together into a comprehensive package that was easy to build, tuned perfectly, and a ton of fun to fly. This craft pretty much cemented my love for indoor racing and is responsible for keeping my angle-mode skills sharp. Since then I’ve acquired a small fleet of micros including a BeeBrain Lite, Pro, Brushless, and Brushless V2; all of them equally great craft in their own ..read more

The market for radio links has flipped on its head. FrSky’s ecosystem has become more closed and confusing and new offerings like Ghost and Tracer have expanded user choice. ExpressLRS is one of the most interesting developments: a high performance radio link that’s also open source. It’s an impressive project that’s grown from needing to DIY hardware or void your warranty to manufacturers making ELRS modules available off the shelf. Today, we’re looking at BetaFPV’s ELRS offerings, specifically the Micro TX module and ELRS Nano Receiver. ExpressLRS The ExpressLRS project makes a lot of promis ..read more

Back in early 2018 I pulled together a list of field tools and tool sets for FPV. The number of dedicated FPV tool sets then was very limited. Now it’s 2021, and time for an update. While a lot of the tools and kits in the first round are no longer available, several manufacturers have now stepped up to fill the void and the discerning FPV enthusiast has much more choice. We’re going to take a closer look at these dedicated sets to see how they stack up. All of the kits in this roundup cover the absolute minimum for quad repair, which is hex drivers in 1.5mm, 2.0mm, and 2.5mm, some form of sid ..read more

FPV is still in danger. You might remember an uproar back in January, when the community came together to comment on a proposal by the FAA regarding Remote ID for drones. While the process to put it in place stopped being public, this terrible proposal did not simply go away. We’re expecting it to resurface next month, and when it does we need to be ready. Why is the Proposal Bad for FPV? If you’re not familiar with the proposal, take a look at my Remote ID Proposal article on GetFPV that was published in January. From there you can learn about the proposal and also find links to many other do ..read more

It was just back in April that we got a look at the BeeBrain Brushless, but the V2 is already here. The NewBeeDrone AcroBee BeeBrain Brushless V2 is a refinement of the original rather than a brand new overhaul, but it brings to the table a number of improvements that make it a better indoor racer than its predecessor. It’s worth reading the original BBBL review because the V2 carries over a lot of its characteristics. This review will focus on the differences between the two. Features and Specs Much of the flight controller and BNF craft is identical to the V1: Frame, canopy, camera, motors ..read more

The HTRC T240 Duo is a 150W/240W AC/DC battery charger with two independent charging channels for lithium batteries and other battery chemistries. In recent years, battery chargers have become smaller, cheaper, and more powerful. Chargers have also acquired touchscreen interfaces that promise much better ease of use over traditional “4-button” chargers. HTRC brings us a budget option that packs a pretty big punch, but can it beat out brand-name competitors? Features and Specs Two independent charge channels and controllers On AC: 150W total power, user-distributable between channels On DC: 24 ..read more