The Emax Tinyhawk ($99) is a small FPV quadcopter that touts powerful brushless motors. Right now it is my absolute favorite FPV quad and that includes much bigger and more powerful 5″ quads. While it may not have the power of a full-size FPV quad I believe that it is versatile enough to make up for that. If you are looking to get into FPV flying or if you are looking for something a little different, then you want to take a look at the Emax Tinyhawk.
The Tinyhawk isn’t going to win any freestyle competitions, nor will it be able to hang on the DRL circuit. It was built to be a “whoop” style quad that can be flown both indoors and out. There is a handful of good brushless whoops out there right now but I believe that the Emax Tinyhawk is better than them all. Yes, that even includes the 2S Mobula 7. It may not be fair to compare it to a 5″ quad but if you want something smaller then this is the drone you want.
Emax Tinyhawk
Emax builds quality products. They engineer their drones from scratch and they focus on details. That is apparent with the Tinyhawk. You will notice right away the inverted motors and the different ducted design. In fact, when you look closer you’ll notice that they aren’t actual ducts and that is a good thing. Ducts are good for stability but get in the way of some maneuvers. This frame was built to be fast and durable and it most definitely is.
I have yet to find a frame that can withstand the beating I have given this Tinyhawk. I’ve crashed it countless times and only in severe cases have I managed to damage it at all. I have a few cracked struts that were quickly repaired. It flew just fine even with the minor damage but the fix was easy and it is as good as new. There isn’t a similar quad that has a more durable frame.
A lot of people shy away from the Tinyhawk because it is limited to 1S batteries. But let me tell you that it is plenty of power. Especially for a beginner. If you plan on flying indoors you don’t want a Mobula or a Trashcan. You want a Tinyhawk. It just performs better. I had a conversation with Francis of Good Venture Drones at the last GoDronex event and he told me that most of the winners in the micro classes were flying Tinyhawks, not 2S quads. It just handles so much better.
The Tinyhawk, the Babyhawk, and the Babyhawk-R are all solid micros by Emax but the Tinyhawk is the one you want.
The Tinyhawk is a 75 mm drone, so it is 10 mm larger than a typical whoop like an E010. It utilizes powerful 08025 brushless15000KV motors. The camera is a solid 600 TVL connected to a 25 mW transmitter. The F4 flight controller has 4-in-one ESC and supports the latest version of D-Shot. The quad is really well built. Emax does the little things right. They have even preloaded 3 different flight profiles and rates for the beginner, intermediate and advanced pilot.
Included in the basic package is the Tinyhawk, a 450 mah LIHV battery, a multi-battery charger, a small case, tools, and some Emax swag. The tiny case and multi-charger were both a pleasant surprise. There weren’t any extra propellers, but I yet to lose or even damage a propeller. It is a solid deal for less than $100. I opted to purchase mine from Amazon. I paid a little more ($117) but I got it faster and it came with an additional 600 mah battery. You will definitely want to pick up some extra batteries. Batteries aren’t expensive and if you fly like me don’t expect them to last more than about 4 minutes each.
The version that I purchased had a built-in Frsky receiver. You can opt for that or add your own. Personally, I’d go with the Frsky BNF option and bind it to a Taranis QX7. It just seems like the winning combination.
The Emax Tinyhawk RTF is a great option for beginners
There is even an all-in-one package (RTF) that includes the drone, battery, goggles, Frsky remote and case for only $165. That is hands down the best and most inexpensive all-in-one package on the market today. If you are looking to get into flying FPV and don’t know where to start, this is it. Start with the Tinyhawk. If you opt for the BNF version and use your own remote take a look at this carrying case. It makes transporting your Tinyhawk and remote simple and easy and only costs about $25.
No, the Tinyhawk isn’t perfect. I love it because I can fly it inside and out. It doesn’t have the power of a full size and you won’t be winning any freestyle competitions with it. One thing that I found a bit frustrating was that it doesn’t flip over in turtle mode when you crash. This is an easy fix. If you swap out the tri-blade propellers for quad blades it works like a charm. In fact, I think the quad blades make it a little smoother. It is a little frustrating that you have to purchase them separately, however.
So is the Tinyhawk the best FPV drone out there right now? Well, that is incredibly subjective. I love it. I would have to say it is absolutely the best drone in its class and price range. If you want something to fly both indoors and out then I’d take a look at the Emax Tinyhawk. If you want to learn more about flying FPV check out these articles on getting started. Flying FPV part 1. Flying FPV part 2.
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