EMAX Babyhawk R 3 inch Micro Racing Drone
A modern day evolution of the original Emax Babyhawk with noteable improvements. While stretching its wingspan to 3” makes indoor flight no longer possible, outdoor flight now becomes improved to staggering levels. If you have never flown a 3” micro quad like the Babyhawk R 3” at under 100grams on a 4S battery, then you have not lived.
Whats in the box?
The Babyhawk R itself, an extra set of props, strap and a few other things. You also get the camera controller for the Foxeer Micro Arrow Pro camera.
Emax packaging is amazing as always, and they were some of the pioneers of making quadcopter packaging look like really nicely packaged consumer goods.
This is Emax first attempt at using both Emax and standard FPV products in a BNF. In case you haven’t seen the smaller 85 mm version here is the review: Emax Babwhawk 85mm.
Babyhawk R was listed under best brushless micro quad guide when released.
Initial Setup and build quality notes – The canopy sits on a hinge that can lift up if you remove the rear 2 screws, allowing you to lift it up if you adjust the camera angle down, to provide service to your Babyhawk without removing the canopy all together. This is an amazing feature that shows how well the design was thought out.
Where can you fly it: Reaching the limits of micro, this can fly in some tight outdoor places, but you really start to have fun when you have enough to room to spread its wings.
How does it flySimply amazing, the performance, the power, the speed. How are such things possible? Diatone and T-motor are finally attempting to release competitors to this dominant presence in the micro class but in my opinion none has done it better than this often overlooked version of the Babyhawk.
Recommended Batteries and antenna placement –3S recommended, 4S at your OWN Risk
Components Overview
Size and Weight – 136mm wingspan and 85.4 grams
Frame
The frame is the largest iteration of the Babyhawk R, and my personal favorite. The 3” frame is well spaced in the arms, and the arms are replaceable in a wishbone shape being front or rear sets. Arms have a distinct spike that acts as protection for the motors. And the hard molded canopy adds a very stylish and translucent carapace of protection that allows you to peak to the electronics inside and see the VTX read out from the exterior.
Flight Controller
The Flight Controller and Electronic Speed controller are Emax’s Mini Magnum F3 setup. It is small, easy to work on and very affordable. This is example of Emax’s approach to creating a bind and fly quadcopter from end to end.
The only non-Emax parts are the camera and receiver. This end to end production model allows Emax to offer unprecedented levels of performance at an industry changing level of low price.
Prior to the introduction of the Babyhawk R you could get similar models with off brand generic parts but never an assemblage of quality parts that performed so well and had a company backing it that stands by its products.
VTX (Video Transmitter)
The VTX is a pretty standard affair. It has a single push button to change channel and band, and is not equipped with smart audio. This is perhaps the one lingering deficiency of the Emax Babyhawk R that lags behind the competition today.
FPV Camera
The Foxeer Micro Arrow pro. On the Newest releases you will actually get the new 1.8mm lens which offers the affordable image performance that the Arrow Pro is known for, but with the new amazing field of view. I always personally loved he Arrow Pro but after a while I found the 2.1mm lens to not be wide enough. Foxeer has fixed this nicely and now it is perhaps the best value camera in the hobby.
Receiver
The Babyhawk R uses an FRsky receiver if you get the bind and fly. It is very similar size and shape to the xm+ and works fine.
Motors
The Emax Babyhawk R 3” has always used the Emax RS 1106 4500kv, but if you get the newest version it actually comes with the RSII naked bottom version of the motors. These are amazing powerful and light motors and handle 4S amazingly well.
Props
Emax’s new Avan 3” props are aggressive powerful and smooth. The props that it ships with are a translucent red that add an aggressive and stylish look to the already sleek Babyhawk R.
Antenna
The Emax Babyhawk R comes with a dipole antenna. This is good for weight but perhaps not the best performance. I find them to do just find up to about 100-150 yards if you are on the 200mw setting.
Batteries
Recommended is 650-860 mah 3-4S lipo. It already comes with an XT30 installed, and is ready to accept either size. In my opinion the 4500kv motor that it ships with just BEGS to be put on 4S. The performance is superb.
Initial Setup
Initial setup is easy especially if you use an Xm+, just setup your modes in Betaflight and off you go. I would recommend doing a few short test flights hovering and checking motor temps if you decide to fly on 4S.
I found out of the package it flys well, if your motor temps are a little warm, lower the D by 3, and fly for another 15 seconds or so. Then lower by 2 and keep repeating until motors are only cool to warm. I find if you have one that shipped with 3.5 or later very little tuning is needed. If you have an older shipped one, just note the settings in betaflight and update to 3.5 or later and enjoy.
Flight Performance
On 4S, there is nothing quite like the combination of light weight and 3” disk surface of these Avan props. These are the levels of performance and tossability that we only dreamed of a few short years ago. Speed wise this thing is maneuverable and nimble enough to give most 5” a run for their money on a track.
This is such a great way to learn FPV, since you can fly it tame if you are easy on the throttle or full out release the beast in the flick of a throttle stick.
Final thoughts
This is a safe and reliable buy. Sure the new Diatone and T motor offerings do have some additional features like smart audio, but do not underestimate the performance and durability of this combination. I am a little surprised Emax is not advertising these new changes to the 3” Babyhawk R more.
The updates to the motors and camera are not small, and I would say in this configuration I would recommend it more than the Babyhawk R pro, as the ability to run 4s more easily and 3” props are some nice upgrades that would make this my personal choice of Babyhawk R.
- EMAX Babyhawk R 3 inch Micro Racing Drone - March 8, 2019
- Emax Babyhawk 85mm Review | Still Rippin - February 2, 2019