"The ExpressLRS devs are doing all the R&D for this stuff for free", yup that's what I want to do with my life, because we can make all the coolest stuff! Nice overview of all the models available, with even more coming.
Thanks a lot for all ELRS devs! Most people don't realize how hard it is sometimes to do opensource development. And how high professional level required to create something of industrial-level quality. Thanks again. You rocks!
Thanks for the shout out! Yes, I have switched to the T-Lite, so much so I bought another. Full disclosure: I do from time to time use the DJI radio when testing vista only quads.
ExpressLRS is a blessing to this community! Just waiting on radios and all-in-one boards with it built-in now, that would be prefect and all I want to run.
and 8 months later the MKII RadioMaster TX16 have started coming out and good old JB has his own one with ELRS built in! It's a bright future my friend! 😁 oh, and other new RC's have got it built in too lol
It is a game changer for me. $30 module, and $13 receivers? Significantly lowering the price per quad in a way that I have not seen happen in the 5 years ive been in the hobby. Converting all of my racing quads and micros to this system.
@@MT-xy7fw you might be able to modify a tbs nano servo board to work with one of the betafpv rx's since the design and size looks very similar to tbs nano at least on the pics 🤷♂️
As a new pilot looking to upgrade from R-XSR, this video is super helpful. I've been holding off upgrading just because there are so many options at various price points, but ExpressLRS seems like a no-brainer. Thanks JB!
@huhhman bruh lmfao why u so hurt man calm down. I do build my drones and I’m just trying to say that not everyone has a lot of money to spend. Sure 200 dollars is cheap in your eyes but for people who are trying to make the most out of their money elrs is the way to go. Elrs is pretty reliable too.
@huhhman i agree. Crossfire is reasonable cost comparing to model cost. More that i am wondering if it will not disapear suddenly leaving you with no way do get another receiver.
i just ordered the happymodel 2.4 express lrs module for 36 bucks and 13.50 for EP2 RX Receiver from my favorite store RACE DAY QAUDS these guys are great very helpful
Happymodel T-Lite module bypasses the external power issues with the T-Lite. you have to open the radio and install the power board. Not a big deal really. It does get hot on 250mW but at 100mW you get more range and penetration than you need unless you plan to fly 10k out. I love mine and have converted all my quads to either EP1 or EP2.
Same here, also loving the T-lite and converted to it from a much more expensive radio.. I was actually planning to get the tango and use only ELRS on it, but decided to try T-lite first while it was on sale, ended up loving it after some greasing it's bearings with some nyogel ;)
Very cool package. I'm very happy to see the hobby continue to evolve. It's a shame when things either reach a peak, or become stagnant and forgotten. The hobby is still changing, and it's exciting. I'm looking forward to trying this out for myself. Certainly a golden time for the hobby imo.
A little point on power output: With an EP1 receiver and at 10mW, I have the exact same range as DJI video at 500mW. Yes, it's that good. No, you don't really need more than 250mW for freestyle 😬
I actually flew some freestyle at 10mw (was testing range at home, forgot to change back to something higher) with basically only a connector for antenna, and while I was puzzled that when I flew behind a large building with a ton of metal on it, I saw low LQ I did not failsafe, nor notice that antenna ripped out of the reciever until day ending crash. And that's with the happymodel 1.8 DBI piece of wire antenna. Ordered betafpv 5.5 DBI to test out, kinda imagine even with its directionality it likely won't be worse than stock happymodel. Is there a need for it? No. But it looks kinda good. TBH the whole betafpv elrs tx stuff looks very neat.
@huhhman we're talking about 2.4gHz protocols though, that have historically not had amazing range. To have almost-900mHz-like range with the latency and jitter benefits of 2.4gHz it's pretty amazing.
I've got the T-lite......Brilliant prefer it to my Tango 2. Also the express lrs from Happymodel with 4x happymodel receivers. All have been faultless........ Fantastic price I can buy 3 Expresslrs for price of 1 Tbs. :-)
I went with the BetaFPV Nano and it's working like a charm. I am very much a beginner, into the hobby for less than a year, and I was able to get everything going without too much of a problem.
Well I see this as being an overall positive if the hardware & support is there for it. Personally though I'll stick with crossfire since I'm already invested in the system & TBS support has always been good along with quality hardware.
Great timing! Just received TX and EP-1 receiver this week, installed it on the quad and (as I'm new to the hobby) just opened YT to find your past videos on configurating OpenTX, ELRS configuration... Thanks for all the links! 😉👍👍
Radiomaster should get on this. Being that they’ve already takin on with frsky with zero problems. Why not ? Such a reliable resource for Fvp radios receivers ext . Best receivers. Best transmitters. If only they get together with ELRS. And go a full 900 MHz longe distance applicant./modules/receivers/transmitters/+ additions
@@sanjikaneki6226 That is why I build my own stuff. Just now working on a fpv gimbal because I can't find one small enough on the market for my project.
@@sanjikaneki6226 My design is now finalized and I am writing the build manual. It will be on a 3d printing website market place soon. :) It turned out great.
ive done this before, and idk why but i should always come to first, spent last hour half looking for confirmation about compatibility with Brands. Thanks JB, your the best!
I have the fullsize Happymodel and the T-Lite Happymodel transmitter module. And they're both great and I've had no issues with either. Only complaint i have about the fullsize module is that it feels a bit cheap.... That's just the case though, the board itself is great. Got the Naminmo module coming in the mail and excited to try that one.
Maybe I haven't been paying attention long enough, but it certainly seems that ELRS is close to the "holy grail" of RC links. When is something like this coming to the area of video links? Open source digital with resolution, range, latency comparable to DJI at a lower price?
I agree. ELRS certainly is exciting, but not nearly as impactful as a proper DJI digital FPV competitors. I really hope this happens. Especially if there is an option to flash the DJI hardware with ope source firmware.
I have the happymodel 1404 motors for my helicopter's tail. Their build is extra light, only 80% the weight of the common 1404 motors. It is good for flight time and for trimming for 250 gram.
It is worth mentioning that Betaflight, OpenTX, EdgeTX, INAV, Ardupilot and most of the other firmware/software we use in this hobby are also open source. From that perspective, TBS and IRC are kind of outliers, being closed source.
The Happymodel module quality is not bad at all, and proven to be reliable, at least over the past few months. Happymodel and Namimno were actively in communication with the devs, and the elrs discord during development. Probably why they got it right and Betafpv didn't... Happymodel modules have been in the wild for a few months already, and the only complaint was the fit and finish of the original pre-production resin 3d printed cases (white ones), which were quite badly made. Those 3d printed ones are what people were complaining about, not the current black injection molded cases, which are quite good. JR bay fit is perfect. Screws are standard plastic screws, the only reason they would strip is if you really over tighten them.The claim that the pcb is unsupported and going to cause issues is also just nonsense. I received 20 of the first production batch, and have had only praise from customers.
@Joshua Bardwell I did buy the BetaFPV nano module the day it hit the stores(pryo) I did initially experience the inability to flash via Uart, but it only took less than a week for the Wi-Fi flashing capabilities to hit the configurator. After that no issues, seems like an awesome well-built product. LOL, it fits my Tango 2 well😜. I may end up installing the capacitor, but for now I am able to flash via Wi-Fi, and I’m happy with the module I chose. Can’t beat the price/build quality
Are these modules brand specific. I ordered the happymodel Express lrs pro 2.4ghz today that puts out 1000mw will it work betafpv Express lrs receivers or other brands or do brands have to match.
I've honestly had a far easier time with my 2.4 ghz happymodel ELRS system than my crossfire. Almost every time I have updated the firmware on my crossfire systems, I have had issues with when it tries to update the RX, either not wanting to bind afterward or whatever. ELRS just works. It's so easy to update and it always connects just fine. I love ELRS. I still use crossfire, but only with my longer range 7in quads. ohh and I 3d printed and built an adapter for a happymodel elrs module for my Tango 2 and it works fine! Although the Tango 2 doesn't support 500hz yet for it, which is a bummer.
Troll News Excellent broadcast! I have to say:: haircut very professional, tone well placed, sincere, mature and respectful. Episode is interesting, timely and very informative. No I will take not credit for transformation/rev2/2.0/upgrade But I will say to the general audience so called “trolls” care just because their views do not align with your does not mean we have a valued viewpoint. Post script adding Easter eggs to end is brilliant even if it’s just a moonlit night lol :) Cheers
Just bought one of the Namimno 1tx+ 3rx kits and Banggood shipped it next day - Should have it by end of month and will install it into my jumper t8sg. The TBS tracer has worked well up until now in this radio but am excited to try this!
Awesome video, Joshua! Thanks a lot! 😃 I've already decided to flash my R9 and I'm also going to get the 2.4Ghz stuff for my micros... But, well... I can't be soon, so... We'll see what happens until there. 😊 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I'm happy with my happymodel elrs module and recievers, I put an ep2 into my tinyhawk 2 yesterday, so now I don't use frsky at all anymore, don't use the internal module on my t16 so I've turned it off and removed the antenna for that part of my radio
You can also flash the Ghost Tx and Ghost Rx with ExpressLRS but its one way trip. You can't flash back to Ghost if you change your mind. But if you want awesome hardware quality - its hard to beat.
Hi, I bought the Namimno module. The disign is very nice and it was working good at beginning. Unfortunatly the fan start to be noisy quit fast. Namimno does not sell spare part so I openned the box to check the fan size. The fan looks to be 25x25x6 5v, then I broke the antenna ipex, I did not force but the male ipex just broke inside the female connector. So, I just put some oil in the fan and solder the antenna, time to receive my new Betafpv module !
I’m one of those customers that purchased. Betafpv lite radios and felt burned and will never buy a product made from them! I might try Different mage tho
Okay JB, now that you got me into all this elrs, I'm excited and have been watching. If I'm non long range, not even digital video yet, just flying behind houses, schools, bandos, whatever, can I get the tiny ceramic antenna and stick it in the body of a evoque f5 quad with its side plates and led's and carbon all around and be okay? Just your opinion, I'm a big boy and understand the risks. Or, should I mount it in open air and tape it up? Or not run it. Because control antennas don't last long in the 100 acre woods. -ChristopherR
I went ahead and ordered 4 Happymodel EP2 2.4 ceramic receivers and I’ll order the BetaFPV module as soon as batch 2 becomes available. Finally moving away from FRsky R9!
I am happy to see other options on market but I would say buying TBS is like buying Iphone .. you want support and quality you pay for it. And as for me range has higher priority over latency I still prefer crossfire.
Me too, I prefer the simplicity of Crossfire and just not having to even think about flashing, updating etc. it just works with little/no effort required and that frees up time to fly. When they release a ELRS module with the same ease of use and same simplicity I might make the shift to save a few quid on receivers but until then its Crossfire, I'm invested in it and its actually way more than good enough already to feel the need to switch.
I'm new long range control links and when I was researching TBS it looked really complex to me. Again, its new to me and i watched all the videos about firmware always in beta, the old and new cloud configurator, it sometimes not binding, and the LuaScript complexity. To me, I decided to take the initial long range plunge with ExpressLRS and to me it feels very simple. I think we're all different and I was new to it all.
@@cagmuer Its great to hear you found it simple, I'd watched a few ELRS videos a few months ago and it looked quite a convoluted process getting everything working in comparison but maybe its a lot simpler now. For my Crossfire, I updated it via usb and Crosffire Companion, plugged it into my TX changed the RF to external module, Ran the Crossfire lua script, bound my Rx and updated that OTA, changed a few Tx settings and also Rx settings via lua script (power, channel count etc) headtracker worked straight away and that was basically it. It has been a good buy. It performs really well, no failsafes yet and I cant fault it. Hopefully ELRS will push the TBS receiver prices down now. :)
Been using the HM elrs 2.8 with EP1 for a month or so and yes its good but something that's not mentioned in reviews is it's 4 full servo channel limit, this most likely won't be a problem for quads but for fixed wings this short fall should be considered before parting with any cash. Also those super low latency numbers may only be possible without telemetry, stable telemetry is a juggling match between packet rates and TLM Ratio and finding the sweet spot often means lower packet rates.
I bought the betafpv ELRS module with the flash issue, I contacted betafpv to receive a compensation for the lacking of a capacitor, their answer was that there was no issue with the module and they said that they had designed the board that way on porpuse, so that we can flash it by pushing the "flash botton". So irresponsable...
Put a strip of double stick tape on your module bay before you plug it into the radio. It may save you the confusion and pain of intermittent binding that plagued me for a day or two. It was the stupid module bay not fitting tight the whole time.
Haha OMG i soooo know what you mean by the Betafpv lite radio gimbals, i first thought that i was getting voltage spikes from my drone, I tried changing different PIDs and everything but the jumpy throttle would just never go away, i even bought 2 betafpv radios thinking i'd get lucky the 2nd time, but nope! Faulty gimbals on both copies lol complete garbage, I ended up buying a Frsky X-lite S with hall sensor gimbals and a Crossfire Nano module, soooo much better! My GepRC Skip HD3 flies perfectly smooth now.
Yeah, I'm new long range control links and when I was researching TBS it looked really complex to me and that's likely because I'm new to it. They have other issues like firmware that's always in beta, the old and new cloud configurator, sometimes not binding, and the LuaScript complexity. To me, I decided to take the initial long range plunge with ExpressLRS and to me it feels very simple.
Sorry, I'll keep my tbs crossfire , for $25 a quad the difference is not so significant considering there is no question with build quality. Just because it's the latest and greatest means nothing to me. My crossfire has served me well with zero dropouts or failsafes. If I'm flying less than 2 km I'll stick to my crossfire and open tx, gives me everything I need without any headaches. As for 500 hz, Steele does fine without it so I guess I'll be ok too.
I should have folding TPU holders for Happymodel's ExpressLRS RX's done by the weekend, and their antennas. But need a bit of input regarding mounts for the antennas. What mm width center-to-center for the rear 5mm diameter standoffs are popular? These numbers I know: QAV-S = 19mm, Source One V3 = 30.5mm, Source One V4 / HD / Apex = 23.5mm.
@@jumpstartfpv Will do, in the meantime you can check out my existing designs including folding TPU holders for Crossfire Nano, Tracer & Ghost by searching for "haku3d" on Thingiverse.
I went thru 2 out of 3 of betafpv lite radio that the center was so bad. It never center to same number. One time stop at 1524 next time center at 1490. It had a dead center of 34 on all axis. But they were helpful and so was getfpv.
Happymodel have been working fine for me (JR module TX, PP, EP1 and EP2 receivers). The downside is their antennas: except for the ceramic one, the TX and RX dipole antennas varies in size and simply don't match the standard dipole calculation formulas, besides being very flimsy :(
I swirtched all my kwas to elrs with the pp2 module. Love the fact that i have not to deal with chopped antennes ... I switched the antenna on the HM TX to a short 2,4 ghz one and get still a range up to1,5km on 100W (maybe more but i didn't go futher until now). I Love the tbs stuff but atm i feel its more expansive and for my flying i have no benefits. Comparing the UAV Tech sheet, its the best atm in kind of jitter and latency.
I just bought my third crsf rx, before learning about elrs. Hope it wasn't a waste. But tbf how much cheaper is elrs? the rx was 20 dollars in this vid, which is what I payed for csrf, and the modules are 40 dollars? which isn't that far off from crsf. I guess if I am to switch to elrs I will wait for a better module to come out :) Would be cool to fly my whoops and my big quads all on the same link. Love my moblite 7, hopefully mobula will make a new version if it with elrs included.
@@definingslawek4731 crossfire is no waste. It’s a great system. I love the idea of open source but I have a bad conscience because in my open non tbs has an positiv impact to our hobby .The main reason is the small smd antenna. It is so convenient in my opinion. Im from Germany, I pay 30€ for one tbs receiver. I guess it’s 35$. The Happymodel rx is 17€ (20$). The module was 45€
you have the ep2 rx mounted inside the carbon frame and still get decent range? How about penetration? my main worry with a control link is to make sure it out runs my video as I hate failsafing when I can still see, so penetration is important to me. Though I think i will get the new happymodel 1 watt TX and a rx or two as i'm interested in trying this super high refresh rate mode, the 400 hz? I forgot what tha max speed on elrs is. I wonder if I will feel more connected to the quad.
Great value but unfortunately not perfect for most of my planes which require more than 4 full res (10 bit) channels. Maybe the lower res channel would work ok for headtracker with my headtracker'd planes but I'll keep using my Crossfire for now until they release a version with a couple more full res channels... Got an R9 module waiting for when they do.
I'm working with someone right now for a 433 system with lora and sbus capability for wings. I will be recieving 2 sets to try out, for now it will be hard wired to my x lite.
I have had soooo many stuff from happy model, bought over so much time. The only thing that makes problems is with (all) mob6 FC, but that is a design problem not QC (black outs). But I have like 36 motors flight boards (no esc burnt) no caps that popped. I really don't see the problem with HappyModel.
I have Cetus x and lite radio 3 which has a place for the Elrs module to go. I feel like I can’t fly very far with the original bnf setup. I am new so this may be a dumb question, but if I buy a module and set it up, will that alone allow me to see further in my goggles or do I have to buy a different receiver? Thanks for the help Mr Bardwell and community!!!
Namimno is under Happy Models umbrella. If you get a NamimnoRC FLASH 2400 OLED ESP RX/TX, do yourself a favor ! don't flash it 3.0 ! crunch ! stock its 2.0
How did you know this was burning a hole in my soul the past week... that Mambo sure has a perty module bay back there... I see some cheap whoop aio's with elrs built in... Hrmmmm.... Should I chop up the Tango2?
Why jumper t lite is not in your shopping list. I mean you said that is so good radio that is very nice for newcomers and even pros like it, but don’t add it to your list. Does it has some issues or something?? Maybe it’s nice to have some section in shopping list why this item not in the list, because I have just understood why lite radio is not there.
Hi Joshua I bought the new happymodel express LRS ELRS fan. Can you help me please. Where do I connect the fan for power on the board. Kind regards Johan
I've been struggling with ELRS for a while now and have yet to be able to fly. I finally figured out the configurator and how to build and flash the firmwares and get the radio to bind...sorta but not completely. I am a beginner and maybe bit off more than I can chew and unfortunately I dont have any friends that are into this hobby so i am solely on my own when it comes to learning this crap. And I've watched all the tutorials over and over I've gone thru several of the EP1 and EP2 receivers and several flight controllers and it's getting awfully expensive. I just wish I had someone that I could sit down with that could help get this all ironed out cuz I'm about ready to just toss the whole pile in a dumpster and scratch this hobby from my bucket list of interests.
I’m with ya. I’m pretty technically inclined but just starting this hobby opened up a worm hole of ignorance and misunderstanding. Seems like there are so many choices of hardware and nothing is compatible. If you just want to fly get a DJI. Basically turn it on and go. They’re freaking amazing and ez to fly. With all the rest - race, freestyle, cinewoop etc - you’ll need to get out the soldering iron and trudge through wiring diagrams, message boards and TH-cams. It’s a long discouraging road but with a ton of patience might be worth the effort to eventually get to JohnnyFPV level.
"The ExpressLRS devs are doing all the R&D for this stuff for free", yup that's what I want to do with my life, because we can make all the coolest stuff! Nice overview of all the models available, with even more coming.
Thanks a lot for all ELRS devs! Most people don't realize how hard it is sometimes to do opensource development. And how high professional level required to create something of industrial-level quality.
Thanks again. You rocks!
If only it weren't for capitalism 😢
Thanks for the shout out! Yes, I have switched to the T-Lite, so much so I bought another. Full disclosure: I do from time to time use the DJI radio when testing vista only quads.
Hi Nick 👋
@@filiped7298 Hello!
@@NickBurnsFPV In my head I heard the rest of your catchphrase "Hello everyone, today we are taking a look at..."
@@Tokyo_Dom lol, its a bit notorious is this point eh?
The legend has spoken
ExpressLRS is a blessing to this community!
Just waiting on radios and all-in-one boards with it built-in now, that would be prefect and all I want to run.
Happymodel already has AIOs with built-in ExpressLRS Rx.
@@sansjunk BetaFPV has one too
and 8 months later the MKII RadioMaster TX16 have started coming out and good old JB has his own one with ELRS built in! It's a bright future my friend! 😁 oh, and other new RC's have got it built in too lol
It is a game changer for me. $30 module, and $13 receivers? Significantly lowering the price per quad in a way that I have not seen happen in the 5 years ive been in the hobby. Converting all of my racing quads and micros to this system.
I've converted all my quads from frsky already... i've only got 2 quads lol. Just waiting for a servo type RX so I can do my planes as well.
@@MT-xy7fw you might be able to modify a tbs nano servo board to work with one of the betafpv rx's since the design and size looks very similar to tbs nano at least on the pics 🤷♂️
@@MT-xy7fw I am waiting for ExpressLRS with PWM as well...
how is it cheaper if you have to convert everything from something you already own? lol j/k do what you want.
@@jwanda10 i did purely because my frsky gave me too many RXloss. Sold the xm+ for similar money to buy ep1. Now i dont even need to check FS.
Namimno also has receivers with an integrated ceramic antenna. AndyRC did a review (or more a lengthy unboxing) of the whole Namimno lineup.
As a new pilot looking to upgrade from R-XSR, this video is super helpful. I've been holding off upgrading just because there are so many options at various price points, but ExpressLRS seems like a no-brainer. Thanks JB!
@huhhman why? Just curious.
@huhhman and expensive..
@huhhman bruh lmfao why u so hurt man calm down. I do build my drones and I’m just trying to say that not everyone has a lot of money to spend. Sure 200 dollars is cheap in your eyes but for people who are trying to make the most out of their money elrs is the way to go. Elrs is pretty reliable too.
@huhhman also building is pretty ez (nothing special) idk why u think people who don’t build are simpletons.
@huhhman i agree. Crossfire is reasonable cost comparing to model cost. More that i am wondering if it will not disapear suddenly leaving you with no way do get another receiver.
i just ordered the happymodel 2.4 express lrs module for 36 bucks and 13.50 for EP2 RX Receiver from my favorite store RACE DAY QAUDS these guys are great very helpful
Happymodel T-Lite module bypasses the external power issues with the T-Lite. you have to open the radio and install the power board. Not a big deal really. It does get hot on 250mW but at 100mW you get more range and penetration than you need unless you plan to fly 10k out. I love mine and have converted all my quads to either EP1 or EP2.
Same here, also loving the T-lite and converted to it from a much more expensive radio.. I was actually planning to get the tango and use only ELRS on it, but decided to try T-lite first while it was on sale, ended up loving it after some greasing it's bearings with some nyogel ;)
When you install a Express LRS module into a Tango 2... Trappy’s manhood shrinks by .1 mm. In case you were wondering 🤔
Very cool package. I'm very happy to see the hobby continue to evolve. It's a shame when things either reach a peak, or become stagnant and forgotten. The hobby is still changing, and it's exciting. I'm looking forward to trying this out for myself. Certainly a golden time for the hobby imo.
My happymodel e-lrs system, has worked flawless. Not a single problem.
I put ELRS on R9 Lite Pro. It's been great. And on T-Lite I have run 500mw and didn't have an issue. Tested 1W at home and radio was still working.
A little point on power output: With an EP1 receiver and at 10mW, I have the exact same range as DJI video at 500mW. Yes, it's that good. No, you don't really need more than 250mW for freestyle 😬
I actually flew some freestyle at 10mw (was testing range at home, forgot to change back to something higher) with basically only a connector for antenna, and while I was puzzled that when I flew behind a large building with a ton of metal on it, I saw low LQ I did not failsafe, nor notice that antenna ripped out of the reciever until day ending crash. And that's with the happymodel 1.8 DBI piece of wire antenna. Ordered betafpv 5.5 DBI to test out, kinda imagine even with its directionality it likely won't be worse than stock happymodel. Is there a need for it? No. But it looks kinda good. TBH the whole betafpv elrs tx stuff looks very neat.
@huhhman we're talking about 2.4gHz protocols though, that have historically not had amazing range. To have almost-900mHz-like range with the latency and jitter benefits of 2.4gHz it's pretty amazing.
I've got the T-lite......Brilliant prefer it to my Tango 2.
Also the express lrs from Happymodel with 4x happymodel receivers.
All have been faultless........
Fantastic price I can buy 3 Expresslrs for price of 1 Tbs.
:-)
The good news is that you can still flash Frsky R9 stuff with ExpressLRS if you want good build quality.
I went with the BetaFPV Nano and it's working like a charm. I am very much a beginner, into the hobby for less than a year, and I was able to get everything going without too much of a problem.
Well I see this as being an overall positive if the hardware & support is there for it. Personally though I'll stick with crossfire since I'm already invested in the system & TBS support has always been good along with quality hardware.
Great timing!
Just received TX and EP-1 receiver this week, installed it on the quad and (as I'm new to the hobby) just opened YT to find your past videos on configurating OpenTX, ELRS configuration...
Thanks for all the links! 😉👍👍
How are you doing with FPV? I am just starting
FPV is great! It's little hard for you, starting now with the hobby with the current prices of equipment but it worth the hassle 😉
I just appreciate this channel. Thanks Josh, your work is cutting edge and your research is on point. Love it.
Radiomaster should get on this. Being that they’ve already takin on with frsky with zero problems. Why not ? Such a reliable resource for Fvp radios receivers ext . Best receivers. Best transmitters. If only they get together with ELRS. And go a full 900 MHz longe distance applicant./modules/receivers/transmitters/+ additions
"Build your own, see if you can do better"
Best advice you can give. That is exactly why I build my own.
How hard was it?
@@sanjikaneki6226 That is why I build my own stuff. Just now working on a fpv gimbal because I can't find one small enough on the market for my project.
@@Willy_Tepes NICE i am building an ESC atm
BTW are u from romania?
@@sanjikaneki6226 No, I just admire a man with iron principles and courage to stand against impossible odds.
@@sanjikaneki6226 My design is now finalized and I am writing the build manual. It will be on a 3d printing website market place soon. :)
It turned out great.
Dude, thank you for bringing the world coverage of the wild world that is motorsports in Thailand. Nobody does it like you. #liked #subbed
ive done this before, and idk why but i should always come to first, spent last hour half looking for confirmation about compatibility with Brands. Thanks JB, your the best!
Thank you dearly express Elrs Devs I truly thank you for your time and help In the development of this wonderful hobby
Next purchase of a reciever will trigger me to jump to Express LRS. Love what is happening there.
I have the fullsize Happymodel and the T-Lite Happymodel transmitter module. And they're both great and I've had no issues with either. Only complaint i have about the fullsize module is that it feels a bit cheap.... That's just the case though, the board itself is great. Got the Naminmo module coming in the mail and excited to try that one.
the tlite module is way better built than their full size, as if it was built by different manufacturer
@tillyFPV - where did you buy the Namimno gear from?
@@ElmoSaid_what oh, mine is all from happymodel from banggood. Reciever from alie.
@@ElmoSaid_what banggood
@@grabejud agreed. The T-Lite module is so nice!
ELRS documentation is really good. Website covers everything plus the discord.
Maybe I haven't been paying attention long enough, but it certainly seems that ELRS is close to the "holy grail" of RC links. When is something like this coming to the area of video links? Open source digital with resolution, range, latency comparable to DJI at a lower price?
I agree. ELRS certainly is exciting, but not nearly as impactful as a proper DJI digital FPV competitors. I really hope this happens. Especially if there is an option to flash the DJI hardware with ope source firmware.
2:10 Masterful use of significant looks to communicate information. Bravo, sir.
Don't forget about FatBoyFPV if you want a receiver made by hand.
I have the happymodel 1404 motors for my helicopter's tail. Their build is extra light, only 80% the weight of the common 1404 motors. It is good for flight time and for trimming for 250 gram.
the happy model tx has a new revised module case
It is worth mentioning that Betaflight, OpenTX, EdgeTX, INAV, Ardupilot and most of the other firmware/software we use in this hobby are also open source. From that perspective, TBS and IRC are kind of outliers, being closed source.
SIYI mini receiver is better than any other product because it has a diversity antenna.
Thank you so much for teatching Joshua ! I'm gonna learn because of you ! 🤗😃
Totally agree Joshua. Thanks for being so up front
The Happymodel module quality is not bad at all, and proven to be reliable, at least over the past few months.
Happymodel and Namimno were actively in communication with the devs, and the elrs discord during development. Probably why they got it right and Betafpv didn't...
Happymodel modules have been in the wild for a few months already, and the only complaint was the fit and finish of the original pre-production resin 3d printed cases (white ones), which were quite badly made. Those 3d printed ones are what people were complaining about, not the current black injection molded cases, which are quite good. JR bay fit is perfect. Screws are standard plastic screws, the only reason they would strip is if you really over tighten them.The claim that the pcb is unsupported and going to cause issues is also just nonsense.
I received 20 of the first production batch, and have had only praise from customers.
I've been waiting for this video for months! Perfect timing and description JB!
Another fantastic video, thanks!
I cannot understand why some fpv youtubers don't say a word about expresslrs....
@Joshua Bardwell I did buy the BetaFPV nano module the day it hit the stores(pryo) I did initially experience the inability to flash via Uart, but it only took less than a week for the Wi-Fi flashing capabilities to hit the configurator. After that no issues, seems like an awesome well-built product. LOL, it fits my Tango 2 well😜. I may end up installing the capacitor, but for now I am able to flash via Wi-Fi, and I’m happy with the module I chose. Can’t beat the price/build quality
happy model works great for my jumper t18 and jumper t lite.
how about jumper elrs or radiomaster elrs or iflight elrs maybe ?
Are these modules brand specific. I ordered the happymodel Express lrs pro 2.4ghz today that puts out 1000mw will it work betafpv Express lrs receivers or other brands or do brands have to match.
@@Matt-xy6cf you can mix and match any brand. That's the point of open source. 😁
JB also mention this on this video. @ 10:37
1 year later and sooooo much happened ❤️
I've honestly had a far easier time with my 2.4 ghz happymodel ELRS system than my crossfire. Almost every time I have updated the firmware on my crossfire systems, I have had issues with when it tries to update the RX, either not wanting to bind afterward or whatever. ELRS just works. It's so easy to update and it always connects just fine. I love ELRS. I still use crossfire, but only with my longer range 7in quads. ohh and I 3d printed and built an adapter for a happymodel elrs module for my Tango 2 and it works fine! Although the Tango 2 doesn't support 500hz yet for it, which is a bummer.
Happymodel tlite elrs been fine for me switching all my drones from frsky to elrs
Troll News
Excellent broadcast!
I have to say::
haircut very professional,
tone well placed, sincere, mature and respectful.
Episode is interesting, timely and very informative.
No I will take not credit for transformation/rev2/2.0/upgrade
But I will say to the general audience so called “trolls” care just because their views do not align with your does not mean we have a valued viewpoint.
Post script adding Easter eggs to end is brilliant even if it’s just a moonlit night lol :)
Cheers
Just bought one of the Namimno 1tx+ 3rx kits and Banggood shipped it next day - Should have it by end of month and will install it into my jumper t8sg. The TBS tracer has worked well up until now in this radio but am excited to try this!
Awesome video, Joshua! Thanks a lot! 😃
I've already decided to flash my R9 and I'm also going to get the 2.4Ghz stuff for my micros... But, well... I can't be soon, so... We'll see what happens until there. 😊
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I'm happy with my happymodel elrs module and recievers, I put an ep2 into my tinyhawk 2 yesterday, so now I don't use frsky at all anymore, don't use the internal module on my t16 so I've turned it off and removed the antenna for that part of my radio
You can also flash the Ghost Tx and Ghost Rx with ExpressLRS but its one way trip. You can't flash back to Ghost if you change your mind. But if you want awesome hardware quality - its hard to beat.
Hi, I bought the Namimno module. The disign is very nice and it was working good at beginning. Unfortunatly the fan start to be noisy quit fast. Namimno does not sell spare part so I openned the box to check the fan size. The fan looks to be 25x25x6 5v, then I broke the antenna ipex, I did not force but the male ipex just broke inside the female connector. So, I just put some oil in the fan and solder the antenna, time to receive my new Betafpv module !
I’m one of those customers that purchased. Betafpv lite radios and felt burned and will never buy a product made from them! I might try Different mage tho
Okay JB, now that you got me into all this elrs, I'm excited and have been watching. If I'm non long range, not even digital video yet, just flying behind houses, schools, bandos, whatever, can I get the tiny ceramic antenna and stick it in the body of a evoque f5 quad with its side plates and led's and carbon all around and be okay? Just your opinion, I'm a big boy and understand the risks. Or, should I mount it in open air and tape it up? Or not run it. Because control antennas don't last long in the 100 acre woods.
-ChristopherR
Thank you sir. Now making the transition to long range.
U can find the elrs happymodel for 28$ in pyrodrone
I went ahead and ordered 4 Happymodel EP2 2.4 ceramic receivers and I’ll order the BetaFPV module as soon as batch 2 becomes available. Finally moving away from FRsky R9!
You could flash your R9 Tx to ExpressLRS in the meantime while you wait.
I am happy to see other options on market but I would say buying TBS is like buying Iphone .. you want support and quality you pay for it. And as for me range has higher priority over latency I still prefer crossfire.
Me too, I prefer the simplicity of Crossfire and just not having to even think about flashing, updating etc. it just works with little/no effort required and that frees up time to fly.
When they release a ELRS module with the same ease of use and same simplicity I might make the shift to save a few quid on receivers but until then its Crossfire, I'm invested in it and its actually way more than good enough already to feel the need to switch.
@@paulhope3401 Just to clarify ExpressLRS also does over the air flashing
@@mad3st Thanks, I'm not really up to speed with where its at now. That is encouraging, nice progress thought it was still a lot more involving.
I'm new long range control links and when I was researching TBS it looked really complex to me. Again, its new to me and i watched all the videos about firmware always in beta, the old and new cloud configurator, it sometimes not binding, and the LuaScript complexity. To me, I decided to take the initial long range plunge with ExpressLRS and to me it feels very simple. I think we're all different and I was new to it all.
@@cagmuer Its great to hear you found it simple, I'd watched a few ELRS videos a few months ago and it looked quite a convoluted process getting everything working in comparison but maybe its a lot simpler now.
For my Crossfire, I updated it via usb and Crosffire Companion, plugged it into my TX changed the RF to external module, Ran the Crossfire lua script, bound my Rx and updated that OTA, changed a few Tx settings and also Rx settings via lua script (power, channel count etc) headtracker worked straight away and that was basically it.
It has been a good buy. It performs really well, no failsafes yet and I cant fault it.
Hopefully ELRS will push the TBS receiver prices down now. :)
Great review Joshua. I watched your video twice and as an ExpressLRS tester I agree with all your pros and cons. Cheers mate!☺️🍻
Been using the HM elrs 2.8 with EP1 for a month or so and yes its good but something that's not mentioned in reviews is it's 4 full servo channel limit, this most likely won't be a problem for quads but for fixed wings this short fall should be considered before parting with any cash.
Also those super low latency numbers may only be possible without telemetry, stable telemetry is a juggling match between packet rates and TLM Ratio and finding the sweet spot often means lower packet rates.
I bought the betafpv ELRS module with the flash issue, I contacted betafpv to receive a compensation for the lacking of a capacitor, their answer was that there was no issue with the module and they said that they had designed the board that way on porpuse, so that we can flash it by pushing the "flash botton". So irresponsable...
I saw ers from HGLRC too
Put a strip of double stick tape on your module bay before you plug it into the radio. It may save you the confusion and pain of intermittent binding that plagued me for a day or two. It was the stupid module bay not fitting tight the whole time.
Haha OMG i soooo know what you mean by the Betafpv lite radio gimbals, i first thought that i was getting voltage spikes from my drone, I tried changing different PIDs and everything but the jumpy throttle would just never go away, i even bought 2 betafpv radios thinking i'd get lucky the 2nd time, but nope! Faulty gimbals on both copies lol complete garbage, I ended up buying a Frsky X-lite S with hall sensor gimbals and a Crossfire Nano module, soooo much better! My GepRC Skip HD3 flies perfectly smooth now.
I somewhat agree with the pricing argument, if you already have a TBS module the savings per quad will really only be 12 bucks or so
Receivers: BetaFPV receiver have a more powerful telemetry signal (20 dbm / 100mw) than happymodel and namimno (12.5 dbm / 18mw)
"Are you the key-master?" ELRS transmitter on Tango 2 ---- all kwads are now either EP2, EP1 or Crossfire.
It's not like TBS has the absolute best hardware quality especially in electronics.
Yeah, I'm new long range control links and when I was researching TBS it looked really complex to me and that's likely because I'm new to it. They have other issues like firmware that's always in beta, the old and new cloud configurator, sometimes not binding, and the LuaScript complexity. To me, I decided to take the initial long range plunge with ExpressLRS and to me it feels very simple.
HGLRC did came out of their own ELRS hardware, i think
Joshua there's allready happymodel lite model over a month ago.
Great video! It is always great to here when you say that we gonna learn something new today ^^
Sorry, I'll keep my tbs crossfire , for $25 a quad the difference is not so significant considering there is no question with build quality. Just because it's the latest and greatest means nothing to me. My crossfire has served me well with zero dropouts or failsafes. If I'm flying less than 2 km I'll stick to my crossfire and open tx, gives me everything I need without any headaches. As for 500 hz, Steele does fine without it so I guess I'll be ok too.
Can you invert the pitch with this though ? :-P
If you invert the pitch twice, it works perfectly! It's the only way I fly.
Just mirror and flip the image in your cam and fly the quad inverted with your tx upside down, I found I was up to 2 seconds faster.. at crashing.
I should have folding TPU holders for Happymodel's ExpressLRS RX's done by the weekend, and their antennas.
But need a bit of input regarding mounts for the antennas. What mm width center-to-center for the rear 5mm diameter standoffs are popular?
These numbers I know: QAV-S = 19mm, Source One V3 = 30.5mm, Source One V4 / HD / Apex = 23.5mm.
Do link it here when you're done making them!
@@jumpstartfpv Will do, in the meantime you can check out my existing designs including folding TPU holders for Crossfire Nano, Tracer & Ghost by searching for "haku3d" on Thingiverse.
@@jumpstartfpv hello sir 😂
@@licensetodrive9930 pyrodrone hyperlite freeranger, geprc Mark 4, Astrox x5 have 20mm rear end distance between standoff
I went thru 2 out of 3 of betafpv lite radio that the center was so bad. It never center to same number. One time stop at 1524 next time center at 1490. It had a dead center of 34 on all axis. But they were helpful and so was getfpv.
Joshua we need a 2024 version of this video
Can you pls review the speedybee V2 frame?
Happymodel have been working fine for me (JR module TX, PP, EP1 and EP2 receivers). The downside is their antennas: except for the ceramic one, the TX and RX dipole antennas varies in size and simply don't match the standard dipole calculation formulas, besides being very flimsy :(
I swirtched all my kwas to elrs with the pp2 module. Love the fact that i have not to deal with chopped antennes ... I switched the antenna on the HM TX to a short 2,4 ghz one and get still a range up to1,5km on 100W (maybe more but i didn't go futher until now).
I Love the tbs stuff but atm i feel its more expansive and for my flying i have no benefits. Comparing the UAV Tech sheet, its the best atm in kind of jitter and latency.
I just bought my third crsf rx, before learning about elrs. Hope it wasn't a waste. But tbf how much cheaper is elrs? the rx was 20 dollars in this vid, which is what I payed for csrf, and the modules are 40 dollars? which isn't that far off from crsf.
I guess if I am to switch to elrs I will wait for a better module to come out :)
Would be cool to fly my whoops and my big quads all on the same link. Love my moblite 7, hopefully mobula will make a new version if it with elrs included.
@@definingslawek4731 crossfire is no waste. It’s a great system. I love the idea of open source but I have a bad conscience because in my open non tbs has an positiv impact to our hobby
.The main reason is the small smd antenna. It is so convenient in my opinion.
Im from Germany, I pay 30€ for one tbs receiver. I guess it’s 35$. The Happymodel rx is 17€ (20$). The module was 45€
Wow that's super impressive
you have the ep2 rx mounted inside the carbon frame and still get decent range?
How about penetration?
my main worry with a control link is to make sure it out runs my video as I hate failsafing when I can still see, so penetration is important to me.
Though I think i will get the new happymodel 1 watt TX and a rx or two as i'm interested in trying this super high refresh rate mode, the 400 hz? I forgot what tha max speed on elrs is.
I wonder if I will feel more connected to the quad.
i think the namimno [ tx + 3x rx ] is the absolute best deal you can get. bought it for 85€.
Waiting for this
thank you for making this video because this is literally what I'm struggling with right now lol
My EP2 was DOA but the replacement part was OK the TX was fine (t-lite backpack module)
Oh boy, I’ve been waiting for this one!
The summary is EPIC !!!
Great value but unfortunately not perfect for most of my planes which require more than 4 full res (10 bit) channels.
Maybe the lower res channel would work ok for headtracker with my headtracker'd planes but I'll keep using my Crossfire for now until they release a version with a couple more full res channels...
Got an R9 module waiting for when they do.
I was just having this discussion on the ELRS discord, a no frills FC to do on board mixing would be an easy solution for this.
It would be nice if ELRS would give a full-fat option of like 8 full range channels at 50 Hz for the plane guys.
I'm working with someone right now for a 433 system with lora and sbus capability for wings. I will be recieving 2 sets to try out, for now it will be hard wired to my x lite.
HGLRC already launch their elrs module... they call it herme
I have had soooo many stuff from happy model, bought over so much time. The only thing that makes problems is with (all) mob6 FC, but that is a design problem not QC (black outs). But I have like 36 motors flight boards (no esc burnt) no caps that popped. I really don't see the problem with HappyModel.
10:57 That is not a ceramic antenna. That is a helical antenna on a plastic support.
My happymodel t lite module did not come with an additional backing plate but I bought one right at launch
I have Cetus x and lite radio 3 which has a place for the Elrs module to go. I feel like I can’t fly very far with the original bnf setup. I am new so this may be a dumb question, but if I buy a module and set it up, will that alone allow me to see further in my goggles or do I have to buy a different receiver? Thanks for the help Mr Bardwell and community!!!
JB can you do a video with setting up the betafpv ELRS module with the tango 2 and binding it with the different rx thank you
Tango2 with betafpv nano elrs Tx that’s my setup 🥰
ELRS should also add mavlink telemetry support to catch up with Crossfire
ELRS supports Mavlink via the "AirPort" project.
@@JoshuaBardwell but for that we have to get additional transmitter and receiver pair increasing the cost and complexity.
Why not go with tbs instead?
Do some digging into how well TBS Mavlink support actually works before you decide.
Namimno is under Happy Models umbrella. If you get a NamimnoRC FLASH 2400 OLED ESP RX/TX, do yourself a favor ! don't flash it 3.0 ! crunch ! stock its 2.0
How did you know this was burning a hole in my soul the past week...
that Mambo sure has a perty module bay back there...
I see some cheap whoop aio's with elrs built in...
Hrmmmm....
Should I chop up the Tango2?
Why jumper t lite is not in your shopping list. I mean you said that is so good radio that is very nice for newcomers and even pros like it, but don’t add it to your list. Does it has some issues or something??
Maybe it’s nice to have some section in shopping list why this item not in the list, because I have just understood why lite radio is not there.
Hi Joshua I bought the new happymodel express LRS ELRS fan. Can you help me please. Where do I connect the fan for power on the board.
Kind regards
Johan
I've been struggling with ELRS for a while now and have yet to be able to fly. I finally figured out the configurator and how to build and flash the firmwares and get the radio to bind...sorta but not completely. I am a beginner and maybe bit off more than I can chew and unfortunately I dont have any friends that are into this hobby so i am solely on my own when it comes to learning this crap. And I've watched all the tutorials over and over I've gone thru several of the EP1 and EP2 receivers and several flight controllers and it's getting awfully expensive. I just wish I had someone that I could sit down with that could help get this all ironed out cuz I'm about ready to just toss the whole pile in a dumpster and scratch this hobby from my bucket list of interests.
Join the ELRS Discord. The people there are super helpful. Or wash out. Your call.
I’m with ya. I’m pretty technically inclined but just starting this hobby opened up a worm hole of ignorance and misunderstanding. Seems like there are so many choices of hardware and nothing is compatible. If you just want to fly get a DJI. Basically turn it on and go. They’re freaking amazing and ez to fly. With all the rest - race, freestyle, cinewoop etc - you’ll need to get out the soldering iron and trudge through wiring diagrams, message boards and TH-cams. It’s a long discouraging road but with a ton of patience might be worth the effort to eventually get to JohnnyFPV level.
Happymodel for sure
My BetaFPV Literadio 2 gimbals stopped working. That's really unacceptable. I don't have but maybe an hour or two total on that radio.