The Eachine CVATAR is the first true Cinewhoop to fall under the Eachine Brand. A Cinewhoop is a larger ducted quadcopter which is safer around people and objects thanks to shrouding of the propellers and soft foam padding which allows it to bump off objects without damage to the quad or object. It is available in 4s and 6s version which differ only in motor KV. The Eachine CVATAR is available exclusively from Banggood.
No doubt there has been an explosion in the popularity of Cinewhoops because of the kind of footage you can capture in HD - slower, smoother and more stable akin to a gimballed camera but without the limitations.
The CVATAR follows the increasingly common format of 3 inch ducted cinewhoop in a very versatile package with mounting options for all the popular HD options including compact session-style cameras, full size go pro 6, 7, 8 cameras and the necessary parts for securely mounting the full DJI air unit.
Specification
20mm F7 Flight controller 2-6s with barometer. F7 is the latest processor size and is well future proofed plus it is inbuilt UART inversion - no separate pads for SBUS required
20mm 35A BLHeli_32 2-6s ESC Plenty of current overhead here and BLHeli_32 means rpm filtering is supported natively
TXC 0/25/200/600/800mW vtx Looking closely it looks like Eachine have used the same manufacturer for this VTX as the Eachine TX805 i.e. AKK which make excellent VTXs. Plenty of power options up to 800mW on this one
Runcam 2 Nano FPV Cam Cost effective lightweight cam that has been proven to work well.
1507 2400kv motors I like the low kV option that gives you lots of choice with batteries. Tall stator offers a little more high rpm power than I think is necessary but they do look well made with the 1 piece bell and flux ring to stop magnets slipping.
Gemfan 3 inch cinewhoop props. These are specifically designed for cinewhoop ducts and supposedly offer very good life in this application
RHCP RP-SMA VTX antenna. UGH! why RP-SMA when SMA is the accepted standard. I swapped to SMA since I used LHCP antennas. Fine if you use RHCP though
Flight performance
Flying a cinewhoop takes a little getting used to for the first time and it really helps if you consider the objective when you do - getting clean footage. This is because the ducts hugely change flight performance compared to regular non-ducted quads. Specifically they are more sluggish on pitch and roll, more hesitant to move quickly and are a little more uncomfortable with big stick inputs.
All of these down sides actually helps to smooth footage though because they really take the 'jerkiness' out of flying. Furthermore the ability to fly close to the group and remain stationary to get your shot is vastly superior to conventional quads.
Cinewhoop style quads including the Eachine CVATAR are really sensitive to with. this is because they have such a large surface area and relatively low thrust to weight. On one flight on a particularly gusty day the quad had to work very hard to get back to me against a strong wind.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a cinewhoop, the Eachine CVATAR seems like a good option and I'd recommend the 6s version as it gives you more versatility with batteries. Like every other cinewhoop in this size they make a lot of noise but this can be somewhat mitigated with the new generation of cinewhoop props that have more blades. The quad is very smooth and the design seems to remove the jerkiness from less controlled stick inputs which gives you a better opportunity to get the perfect shot.
Want to learn more? Check the official page for the latest discount.
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