Best Eachine E013 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

The Chinese manufacturer Eachine markets a string of mini-drones of the “Tiny Whoop” type. Small all-purpose and very playful devices, which generally do not fear shocks and can therefore fly indoors. They are even more pleasant to pilot in immersion, but the invoice can quickly become salty. It is necessary to lean a little on the subject to choose well its equipment. For small budgets, Eachine therefore offers a turnkey solution for less than € 100: the E013, consisting of a mini-drone accompanied by a VR006 mask and a small radio control. Perfect for a first experience in FPV?

Presentation

The small drone and the radio control making up the E013 set are not sold separately, unlike the VR006 immersion mask that accompanies them. The version of VR006 supplied with the E013 is however less advanced (a single antenna, of the bipolar type, against an omnidirectional and a patch for the version sold alone).

This E013 pack from the manufacturer Eachine is obviously offered by other brands as well, as shown by the offers in our price table above (Redpawz R011, for example). Small differences may exist, but the overall experience should not be affected a priori as long as the technical characteristics displayed are identical.

Best Eachine E013 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Part & Accessories Original Eachine E013 Micro FPV Racing Quadcopter RTF With 5.8G 1000TVL 40CH. Camera VR006 VR-006 3 Inch Goggles Glasses Headset – (Color: With FPV Goggles)

2. BETAFPV Beta65S Lite Mini Drone 1S Brushed FPV Whoop Quadcopter with Lite. FC Silverware Firmware M01 AIO Camera 7X16 19000KV Motor for Tiny Whoop FPV Racing

3. EMAX Tinyhawk Brushless Micro Indoor Racing Drone Whoop 75mm BNF FRSKY. Ready to Fly FPV Beginners Durable Inverted Motors Full Acro Level Horizon Mode

4. HAPPYMODEL Snapper7 1S Brushless Whoop Racer Drone Mini FPV Quadcopter BNF Basic Version (with frsky Receiver)

5. HUBSAN H111 Nano Q4 4-Channel 6 Axis Gyro Mini RC Quadcopter with 2.4Ghz Radio System Mode 2 RTF. Carton Case White

Getting started

It is cute this little red and black drone, despite the side “not convenient” that give it the eyes glued on both sides of the shell that protects its electronics. A look that suits its name: “Small Pepper”, or “Petit Poivron”.

Compact, the device fits in a square 8 cm side and its chassis does not exceed 4 cm in height. It is therefore intended to be versatile and transportable; ideal for indoor fun and take it with you for small improvised flight sessions.

The Eachine E013 is also quite well finished despite its entry-level positioning. Admittedly, plastics are fine and flexible and do not seem very robust, but in a world where weight is the number one enemy, we especially ask them not to break at the slightest shock and to protect the electronics. Luckily or not, our copy has only had a few scratches after the inevitable crashes it suffered.

Lightweight, it weighs only 20.1 g without its removable battery. No proprietary format here, but a small 6.1 g 1S battery that fits simply under the device. As soon as you plug it in, the device turns on, waiting for pairing. The motors – 615 models of 17,000 KV (number of revolutions per volt), according to the technical sheet – are also connected to the printed circuit via connectors and can therefore easily be replaced.

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Connection point with a smartphone here, the Small Pepper works only with a radio control. Configured in mode 2 (throttle on the left), the one supplied with the Eachine E013 takes the form of a very small joystick, however with analog sticks suitable for flight – the vertical axis of the left stick is free, without return to the automatic center, and the top of the axes are concave and beveled for maximum grip of the thumbs – at the expense of comfort.

The manufacturing quality is not extraordinary, but the assemblies remain correct. Of course, such a small radio control does not offer great comfort, especially for large hands. However, the sticks are quite easy to handle if you hold it like a joystick, the thumbs placed on the sticks, despite a stiffness a little high for our taste.

We did not expect much from the VRV6 FPV mask provided. Its level of finish is comparable to that of the lever, namely correct for entry-level. We quickly notice, however, that it is not intended for large heads or for spectacle wearers.

The elastic straps allow a good plating on the face and the foams ensure a sufficiently comfortable port while isolating well from outside light. On the other hand, the narrowness of the opening and the absence of any adjustment in relation to the eyes can make the use of the mask delicate. In our case, it would have been necessary to be able to move the screen away from the eyes in order to avoid having to squint a little to properly focus on the image.

Flight

Once the drone’s battery is connected and the joystick turned on, you just have to orient the throttle stick up and then down for the device to be operational. A balance adjustment is necessary with the trim buttons to be sure that the drone is properly calibrated. Although it is in principle already out of the box. Then just take the gas to take off and be ready to correct the trajectory, since the Eachine. E013 is simply stabilized horizontally and easily deviates from its initial position. This is not a problem, since the controls are flexible and responsive and the objective here is not to make videos or to stand still, but to explore the surroundings.

We start by first taming the little beast in visual flight to adapt to its behavior. Three control modes are then possible depending on the degree of nervousness that is desired. The first mode thus smoothes the controls for a smoother flight; it is recommended for a first experience. The next two leave more control and make the drone more nervous to operate in more congested spaces that require greater precision.

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But the real vocation of this Eachine E013 is immersion flight! We then put on the VR006 mask to enjoy a direct view from the device’s on-board camera, giving us the impression of being on board. Thanks to a radio link in 5.8 GHz, the video signal is reactive and we therefore quickly get into the game. As long as we do not suffer from latency (less than 50 ms).

In terms of flight behavior, there is a good nervousness of the aircraft, which however requires careful handling of the sticks. However, the E013 is struggling to go around: beware of sudden falls from height and changes of direction at high speed. If it is possible to perform automated aerial figures, we would rather have been able to take advantage of an “acro” mode to learn to fly without stabilization. Only solution to progress longer with this device: start to modify it (change of engines, flight controller, batteries …), at the risk of ending up changing everything in the end. The architecture of the E013 allows this, but if you have acquired a taste for piloting in. It is undoubtedly preferable to then invest in more durable equipment.

Image quality

We are talking about the quality of the video feedback and the display in the. FPV mask provided, since this mini-drone is not designed to take pictures. We do not expect a particularly defined image. But sufficiently sharp and contrasted to provide a comfortable and precise video feedback to the pilot. Of course, the better the quality, the better the comfort and accuracy. But the signal stability and transmission latency take precedence here.

On the drone side, the video is captured by a small camera “M7 1000TVL”, according to the technical sheet. It is not orientable, but its viewing angles of 120 ° vertically and 170 ° horizontally provide a wide field of vision sufficient to see well in front of the drone, even when it is launched at full speed ( and therefore tilts down). The signal is sent to the mask at 5.8 GHz thanks to a 25 mW transmitter on 40 channels (settings possible in the mask menu), connected to a small antenna which comes out on top of the device. This one undergoes the shocks and often folds, but it supports well this mistreatment.

The range is enough to have fun exploring medium-sized accommodation – if you live in a castle … you certainly can afford a more advanced drone! -, provided that the walls are not too thick and numerous. It will not be fun to fly over your house, however, the range is insufficient to fly elsewhere than in a small garden and the sensitivity to the wind too strong to really enjoy the E013 outdoors.

Autonomy

Delivered with a modest LiPo 1S 3.7 V battery of 200 mAh only, the E013 cannot fly very long. It runs out of steam quickly, after about 3 minutes of flight, while the manufacturer announces 5 to 6 minutes. Charging takes approximately 30 minutes. Better to provide a charger with additional batteries.

The mask, for its part, can operate for an hour thanks to its 500 mAh battery, which is already more reasonable. It is recharged via a micro-USB connector.

STRONG POINTS

• Ready to use.
• Agile, good responsiveness.
• FPV mask provided.
• Light, not very dangerous and suitable for children / teenagers (+14 years according to the manufacturer).

WEAK POINTS

• Low autonomy / Not directly compatible with 1S plus “standard” batteries.
• Lack of power for gas recovery.
• Mask especially suitable for children and not at all for glasses wearers.
• Rather weak range / Indoor flights only.

CONCLUSION

Ready to fly, the Eachine E013 is a good entry point for those who wish to try immersion flight at lower cost and without too much risk. It is however not without flaws. Its power, in particular, leaves something to be desired, making it difficult to recover, which affects its maneuverability. We can always tweak it to improve its performance, or opt for a more powerful model later, the mask provided can be used with other devices.

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