Introduction

Proto-X FPV RTF (1 min 24 sec)



Dimensions: 4.5" x 4.5" diagonal between motors Blade Length: 2.2" Width blade tip to tip: 5 3/8" Length blade tip to tip: 5 3/8" Flying Weight: 2.05 oz. Camera: 1280 x 720P HD, 30FPS 120 degree FOV Operating Video Range: 240' Transmitter: 2.4GHz Transmitter Screen: 4.5" diagonal with sun screen Battery: 1S 650mAh LiPo Charger: USB charge cord Camera Accessories: 4 GB memory card & reader Manufacturer: Estes Available From: Tower Hobbies and Fine Hobby Stores Everywhere Price: $229.98 RTF

Last year I reviewed the Proto X Nano and was so impressed by the control I had of her that I bought several of them for Christmas presents. It had and still has a very stable hover and flew where I directed her with no bad habits. This year they have the larger Proto X FPV and she not only carries a camera she broadcasts the video image on 5.8 GHz and the video can be seen on a 4.5" screen on the front of the transmitter. Thanks to that screen I, my family and friends can see what a pilot in the Proto X FPV would see and they can see it in real time. While waiting for my Proto X FPV to arrive I downloaded the instruction manual and read it completely and learned quite a bit about her. Some of that information is worth sharing. I learned the transmitter is designed to automatically find the best frequency for best quality live video feed. If there is a problem the frequency can be programmed on the transmitter from 5.75 to 5.945 GHz to get better video transmission.

The Proto X FPV system has not one but two recording systems. There is space in the Proto X in back for a micro memory card. There is a button near the card and by pressing it once it starts to record and an LED flashes to let you know recording has started. Pressing the button again stops the recording. The second recording system is in the transmitter and it records the video signal received from the Proto X. A second memory card goes into the right side of the transmitter when the transmitter is off. There is a button on the front of the transmitter by the bottom right corner of the video screen. With the Proto X FPV linked to the transmitter one just pushes the record button and recording to the memory card in the transmitter is started. The word REC appears on the screen. Press the button for a second time and the recording stops. The recording made in the transmitter can be viewed on the video screen by playing the recording. I had no idea about these transmitter functions until I saw the instructions.

A video signal is not the only signal transmitted from the Proto X FPV to the transmitter. It also sends information on its battery voltage via telemetry and that information is displayed on the transmitter's screen at the top via voltage readout (4.5V is a full charge) as is the voltage of the transmitter with a separate graph bar. This way I can know how much voltage the quad has and plan on ending my flight before she runs out of voltage.

The camera is 1280 x 720P HD and shoots at 30 frames per second with a 120 degree field of view. The Proto X FPV comes set for Mode 2 operation which is the common method used here in North America with throttle and rudder on the left stick and forward and reverse and side to side controls on the right stick. It can be converted to Mode 1 operation for those that prefer that method of control. There are even trim tab location bars that can be viewed on the transmitter screen to know where the trim tabs are set.

The transmitter has two connections on the left side of the transmitter. One is for video FPV glasses and the other is for an ear piece. I will have to experiment with those once I get into the actual review. The servos can be reversed in the transmitter but I don't expect to be using that. I can also change the sensitivity setup to allow for faster or slower movements in standard/normal or expert mode. Expert mode is obtained and exited by pushing in the right stick. I also learned how to flip my Proto X FPV but I will share that in the main review. In fact lets get into the main review now.

Kit Contents

INCLUDES

Estes Proto-X Quadcopter with HD Camera

6-ch 2.4GHz Controller with Video Screen

Memory Card and Card Reader

USB Charge Cord

Sun Shield (five pieces) for Video Screen protection

Four Spare Rotor Blades

Blade Removal Tool

Seven LED Lights on Proto X FPV

Instructions

Additional Items Required

4 Alkaline AA batteries for transmitter

Separate micro memory card for the transmitter

Features

FEATURES

Equipped with a 1280 x 720P camera that shoots HD videos that pilots can watch on the transmitter's 4.5" (114.3mm) screen

Memory card and card reader allow videos and images to be downloaded to a computer

3-axis gyro and 3 accelerometers create extremely stable flight

May be flown indoors or outdoors (In relatively calm conditions per reviewer)

6-channel 2.4GHz transmitter with hooded video screen for easy outdoor viewing

650mAh 1S LiPo battery with USB charge cord

Ninety day limited warranty beginning at date of purchase

Assembly

The Proto X FPV came fully assembled and ready to fly. No assembly was required of the Proto X FPV.

The Sun Shield came in five pieces with a base, two sides a front and a back. The pieces snap together and I used no glue. The shield snaps onto the transmitter to shield the video screen from the sun. It is easily removed and is not needed when watching the transmitter screen inside a room.

Completion

I installed the four AA batteries I supplied into the back of the transmitter.

To complete the Proto X I had to charge the flight battery. It came already installed in the Proto X FPV. I plugged the charge cord into a USB connector on my computer. I plugged the other end onto the tab for it on the back of the Proto X. Nothing! I read the instructions and connected the battery to the Proto X and the red LED in the USB connector turned on and the battery was charging. The instructions say a fully discharged battery can take up to 2 1/2 hours to recharge. I will want to get a spare battery or two in light of that information. The initial charge took about an hour and a full charge with a depleted battery took two hours and 18 minutes. Most of my recharges were with only a partially discharged battery.

For recording I installed the supplied 4 GB micro memory card into the Proto X FPV. The micro memory card was included along with a reader in the kit. I installed the 4 GB micro memory card into the back of the Proto X FPV. Only one memory card was included so I supplied a 2 GB micro memory card for the recorder in the transmitter. I installed it into the right side of the transmitter. The button to start and stop recording on the transmitter there is a button located on the right side front of the transmitter by the bottom right corner of the transmitter. The recorder in the Proto X is activated with a button on the back right of the Proto X before the start of the flight. The recorder in the transmitter can be activated and turned off with the button on the transmitter during the flight. Thus if something interesting is encountered during a flight the recorder in the transmitter can capture it. The memory card in the transmitter must be formatted in the transmitter the one in the Proto X FPV is not formatted. I do not switch these micro memory cards EVER!

Transmitter information and programming

When I turn on the transmitter it initializes and then tells when it is ready to bind to the Proto X FPV.

As discussed above the transmitter screen gives information on the voltage for both the Proto X FPV and the transmitter. The Proto X when fully charged reads 4.5 Volts on the screen and as it goes down the reading drops by .1V. The transmitter's voltage has been a bar as seen below.

The trim tabs allow for individual adjustment of the controls if needed. The screen has tab bars in the bottom corners to show how the trim tabs have been adjusted if at all.

Push the right stick down on the transmitter and hold it down for one second and you get into the programming menu. Make your selection by moving the stick up and down and when the one you want is high lighted press down on the stick again. In the menu area I can program the clock in the transmitter. I can select between standard/normal and expert flight modes and individually adjust the expert flight mode settings. The video card in the transmitter can be formatted and any transmitter recorded video can be played back on the screen on the front of the transmitter. The frequency for the FPV transmission can be manually programmed if needed (I didn't need to use this.). There is also set reverse but I didn't use that in this review.

Flight Modes

In Standard/Normal Mode the rates are set at 50%. Flips cannot be performed in this mode. 50% limits the amount the Proto X FPV will tilt and limits its movement and helps keep its speed down (But it is still capable of pretty fast flight.). The instructions says to switch between Normal rates and Expert rates high light the set sensitivity and push the right stick to the right. I found that did nothing but they switched if the stick was pushed down. In Expert Mode the rates are set at 100 and the Proto X FPV is much more responsive and aerobatics and flips can be performed. The rates can be adjusted in both modes. The rates are adjusted by using the trim tabs. I lowered the trim rates for aileron, elevator and rudder to 40 and that has made it an even more stable video platform. I have left the expert setting at 100. I have discovered that I can switch between standard/normal mode and expert mode with just a tap of the right stick down so the switch is quick and easy in operation.

Transmitter & Proto X FPV Videos

To use the transmitter recorder and play back it is necessary to format the memory card and this makes many little sections in the memory card. It will greatly reduce the recording available with that card if used in the Proto X FPV without removing the formatting. I used a separate 2GB micro memory card that I supplied in the transmitter. I used that recorder only to record something to show back on the screen. It is a nice feature to have to share something interesting spotted in a flight. I used the supplied 4 GB memory card only in the Proto X FPV and they are the videos recorded there that are shared later in this review. I treat the transmitter recorder as one for immediate view back or sharing and the one from the Proto X FPV as my recorder to share via my computer. For that reason I did not try and download the video from the transmitter recording. It is a nice feature to have and it can be activated while the Proto X is in flight by a push of a button on the front of the transmitter. The recorder on the Proto X FPV must be activated on the Proto X FPV before the start of a flight or it must be landed and activated and then the flight resumed. As with all video the quality of the picture depends in part on the amount of light available when recording.

Proto X FPV Features and Functions

To charge the flight battery it is necessary for the battery to be plugged into the Proto X FPV as the charger plugs into the Proto X FPV to charge the battery. No separate stand alone charging of the battery is available as sold.

Flying

Basics

There are two flight modes for the Proto X FPV: Standard/Normal and Expert modes. Expert mode allows the Proto X to bank more and thus fly faster. Also in expert mode it can do flips which cannot be performed in standard mode. I recommend that the first few flights, especially flights using FPV be performed in standard mode. The exception is if you are flying outside in a breeze. Then you might need Expert mode and flying in an open space as the greater rates lets you fight against a breeze better. The Proto X FPV will fly quite a bit faster than the Proto X Nano that I reviewed last year and it is quite a bit bigger. It is also a little more responsive to direction control input so some might find it slightly more hands on to keep in a hover as they may need to make more correction to stop initial directional input as they get use to the handling of the Proto X FPV. This learning curve was quickly learned by me but there was a short learning curve as the handling of the two is different. That said, the controls remain the same. In Mode 2 the left stick controls the throttle for climb, hover and descent as well as rudder for rotational turning in either direction. The right stick controls direction: forward, backward and to the left or to the right or a combination of directional moves.

To transition from Standard Mode to Expert Mode just push and hold down the right stick for a moment and they change. If you hold down the right stick for a second you get to the menu page. There one can scroll down to "Set Sensitivity" and select the mode by pushing down on the stick. Here you can select Expert Mode or back to Standard Mode. Standard Mode is the default mode when the Proto X FPV is turned on and bound to the transmitter initially. Thus there are two methods to change modes. The first is quick and easy the second is slow and complex.

Taking Off and Landing

From a flat level surface just power up the Proto X FPV and she will rise into a fairly stable hover in calm conditions. If outside in a breeze she will drift with the breeze and some correction will have to be applied to correct for the breeze. Even in calm conditions some minor correction is necessary to stay in a hover but it was easy to do with just a little practice and using only small stick movements.

To land just fly over the desired landing spot and get into a hover and slowly lower the throttle until the Proto X FPV touches down and then turn off the throttle completely. The Proto X FPV with a fully charged battery has plenty of power and can fly for a full ten minutes plus depending on throttle management.

Aerobatics/Special Flight Performance

In Expert Mode the rates come set at 100. When in that 100 setting a flip can be performed in any direction. With the Proto X FPV in a basically level position give some positive throttle for a slight climb. Move the right stick first in the opposite direction from which you want to flip and then rapidly to the direction you want to flip and then back to the center position. It took me some practice to get mine to flip and if I am not quick enough I just get directional flight and then reverse direction. The keys are rapid movement in Expert Mode and rate at 100.

This transmitter will also bind with and control my original Proto X Nano and I do better flips with it in Expert Mode than I do with the Proto X FPV. Possibly because I don't worry about it with the smaller Nano model. I recommend practicing over thick soft grass to protect the Proto X from damage should there be a crash.

I consider the FPV and the ability to record videos in flight to really be the special performance. I have other multi-rotors that are more aerobatic and I plan to use the Proto X FPV only as a camera platform.

Flying using FPV First Person Video

If you haven't flown FPV before I recommend you start in an open space as there is a learning curve to get used to flying this way. There is also a very slight lag between what the screen is showing on the transmitter and where the Proto X is actually flying. Although this is a very short lag I recommend you leave yourself some space from foreign objects, especially while getting used to this method of flying. Some propeller guards would have been helpful during this adjustment period as well but they don't have any with the Proto X FPV. If flying outside the sun screen is very helpful to keep the screen visible even in bright sunlight.

I started with the Proto X FPV facing away from me so its right was my right. I knew I had wide open space in front and to my sides (Very helpful to my confidence level and keeping me relaxed.) I powered her up, lifted into a hover at about five feet and flew forward. Using the left stick I did a slow 360 degree turn in place and resumed flying away from me. I climbed up to about 20 feet and was approaching a tree. I stopped forward flight and put her in reverse. A slight breeze pushed me to my right and while backing up I bumped into a small twig on a branch which I didn't see flying towards the tree. The branch stopped a prop from turning. The Proto X FPV started to crash and I looked out to see the Proto X FPV with my own eyes. A crash onto the grass was unavoidable so I killed the power and she hit the grass. NO DAMAGE! Flying over carpet and soft grass is highly recommended by me, especially when learning. I set her back upright on a walk way and resumed flying FPV. With just a little practice I have gotten a lot better. I can now fly over and under a number of objects without trouble and fly closer to hazards than I do with my FPV equipped plane. I have had a few more minor incidents (crashes) with no damage to date thanks to landing on grass or carpet. I still don't get quite as close to objects such as Christmas trees when flying FPV vs. visual and I avoid flying over people or pets at any time. All in all it has been a very enjoyable learning experience.

Is This For a Beginner?

YES! The Proto X FPV is an easy multirotor to fly, especially in standard mode and when flown in an open area. I see no reason a beginner cannot be successful in flying the Proto X FPV with no previous flying experience.

I recommend that the beginner start with the Proto X FPV start facing away from them so that its right and left are the same as the pilot's left and right. This makes orientation and control much easier for the beginner. Slowly beginners start to get their heads into the Proto X FPV and can control it coming toward them as well. As discussed in past reviews I recommend beginners orient the transmitter to match the direction of the air craft to help maintain proper orientation with the craft. Take it slowly, in an open space and with small movements and soon it should become second nature to have proper orientation.

Flight Video/Photo Gallery

Video clips of the Proto X FPV flying indoors and out.

Proto X FPV RC Multi-Rotor Viewed in Flight (3 min 15 sec)

A video from the recorder on the Proto X FPV taken at night outside of Christmas lights.

Proto X FPV on board Recording Night Flight (2 min 7 sec)

Video of the FPV picture on the transmitter and then video from the on board Proto X recorder.

Proto X FPV First Person and Camera Video (2 min 35 sec)

RC Group Member, Bo Lorentzen, records a morning flight with his Proto X FPV

ProtoX FPV morning flight (4 min 28 sec)

Conclusion

I have been very happy with the basic handling and flying of the Proto X FPV and have very much enjoyed the ability to see first person video on the transmitter screen and with my Shark FPV goggles as well as sharing the experience with friends and family. The fact that my goggles receive the signal and work without being connected to the transmitter was a surprising plus for me and made sharing the flight experience even easier. The ability to record videos during the flights both on board the Proto X FPV and the transmitter has increased the fun. As discussed above I use the transmitter for immediate view back and the recordings from the Proto X FPV are downloaded to my computer and two have been shared in this review.

The Proto X allows someone to try the FPV experience first hand both indoors and out. It required no mixing and matching of components to get started it was just charge and fly after reading the short instruction manual. Almost anyone can operate this in just a matter of minutes. The range is limited to 240 feet for FPV signal but as small as this unit is I won't be testing that range again ever. I have even been able to share the experience with co-workers so they know a little bit more about my hobby. Relatively affordable, easy to use, good (not perfect) results. I am very happy with my Proto X FPV and I recommend it to those interested in having a close in FPV experience.

I will be buying some extra batteries for my Proto X FPV. If I don't find some at the AMA Expo I know Tower Hobbies is getting some in mid January.

Pluses & Minuses

Pluses

Ready to fly, fully assembled

Can record video from the Proto X FPV and or from the transmitter

Ten minute plus flight time with fully charged battery

Has standard/normal mode and expert mode

Takes little space to store or transport

Sun shade easily installed and removed

Spare propellers included with tool to remove props

Affordable and complete FPV system

Minuses

Battery must be in Proto X FPV to be recharged

Must supply second micro memory card

Must supply the four AA Alkaline batteries for the transmitter

No blade guard included or sold for the Proto X FPV

Thanks

My thanks to Hobbico and Estes for supplying the Proto X FPV for this review. My thanks to Dick Andersen for his help in getting the media pictures and to RC Group member, Bo Lorentzen, for sharing his You Tube video.