I’ve been testing the GEPRC Cinebot25 V2, a 2.5-inch cinewhoop constructed round a modular DJI O4 Professional digital camera system. It’s one of many extra attention-grabbing FPV drones I’ve reviewed lately—not as a result of it reinvents construct high quality, however due to its modular design philosophy. After spending a number of days with it, right here’s my hands-on take.
Find out about cinewhoops: https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/
The place to Purchase
You will get the Cinebot25 V2 from:
Equipment Included
- Handbook and stickers
- A spare set of HQ DT63mm×3 propellers
- Cover substitute elements, screws, and grommets
- Instruments and an additional battery strap
Specs
- Body: GEP-CT25 V2
- Primary Carbon Plate Thickness: 2.0 mm
- Wheelbase: 123 mm
- FC: TAKER F722 35A 32-bit AIO
- MCU: STM32F722RET6
- Gyro: ICM42688-P
- FC Firmware: GEPRC_F722_AIO
- Flash: 16MB
- ESC: 32-bit 35A
- Motors: SPEEDX2 1404 4600KV
- Props: HQProp DT63mm×3 V2
- Battery Connector: XT30
- FPV Setup: DJI O4 Professional Air Unit
- Receiver: PNP / ELRS 2.4GHz
- Weight (ELRS Model): 219±5 g
- GPS: GEP-M10 Nano
- Really useful Battery: LiHV 4S 750–1100 mAh
- Flight Time: 5–8 minutes (examined beneath gradual cruising circumstances; precise flight time will depend on flying fashion)
Construct High quality
What stood out instantly is the development high quality. The ducts are injection-molded plastic, forming a unibody decrease construction, paired with a 2mm carbon fiber prime plate that integrates the arms. It feels stable and refined.
The flight controller’s USB-C port is definitely accessible from the rear of the drone.
It may not be instantly apparent, however there’s an M10 Nano GPS module hidden beneath the rear cowl. It’s positioned far-off from the VTX antennas, which is good for sturdy GPS reception.
There’s a brilliant blue LED strip beneath the ducts. It isn’t RGB—only a single-color LED strip. It can’t be programmed in Betaflight, however you possibly can flip it on or off utilizing a swap in your radio.
The digital camera sits fairly far ahead, so there are not any props in view. Nevertheless, the digital camera is pretty uncovered, and the lens could possibly be susceptible in crashes.
Swappable O4 Professional Digicam Cage
The actual spotlight of this drone is the modular digital camera cage.
This idea might have been impressed by Speedybee (they have been among the many first I noticed doing one thing comparable), though I can’t verify that. Both approach, it’s a intelligent thought.
What does it matter? You may take away the digital camera cage and set up it on one other appropriate drone. Meaning you could possibly share a single DJI O4 Professional Air Unit throughout a number of quads, which may prevent cash.
Nevertheless, this modular system solely is sensible if GEPRC releases extra appropriate BNF drones and frames, so let’s hope they achieve this sooner or later.
The cage itself is fabricated from CNC aluminum and feels extraordinarily sturdy. It’s hard-mounted to the body utilizing 4 M2 screws, making it fast to take away and set up. Contained in the cage, the O4 Professional digital camera and air unit are soft-mounted utilizing rubber grommets, which helps cut back jello and vibration in recorded footage.
The O4 Professional antennas are additionally simple to put in and are held securely as soon as mounted.
Weight & Battery Selection
Curiously, the Cinebot25 V2 is heavier than the bigger GEPRC Cinelog30 V3.
- Cinebot25 V2: 219 g (with out battery)
- Cinelog30 V3: 192 g
Realistically, there isn’t any sensible solution to make this quad beneath 250g. Even a tiny 4S 300mAh battery weighs round 40g, and that might solely give about 1.5 minutes of flight time, which isn’t sensible.
GEPRC recommends 4S 750–1100mAh batteries.
I examined with a 4S 850mAh LiPo from BetaFPV, bringing whole weight to 315g:
- 6–7 minutes cruising
- 5–6 minutes aggressive flying
Battery choices are additionally restricted by bodily house. The battery compartment measures:
- Width: 35.5 mm
- Size: 64 mm
So when you’re selecting battery, be certain they’ll match. In order for you advice, these are good selection:
BetaFPV LAVA 4S 850mAh LiPo:
Weight Distribution Points
The Cinebot25 is noticeably rear-heavy because of battery placement. Because of this, the rear motors should work tougher than the entrance motors—even in hover, they look like working roughly 10% tougher.
This has a number of implications:
- Rear motors can attain saturation sooner throughout punch-outs
- Lowered most efficiency
- Potential instability throughout aggressive maneuvers
There isn’t a lot you are able to do to repair this. The digital camera cage takes an excessive amount of prime plate house, so you possibly can’t transfer the battery ahead any additional.
You may attempt rotating the aluminum battery mounts 90° and mount the battery sideways. This barely improves stability, however the quad nonetheless stays tail-heavy.
ESC Firmware
Just like the Cinelog30 V3 we reviewed beforehand, this drone shares the identical ESC firmware concern.
It makes use of BLHeli_32, which is now successfully discontinued. Much more regarding, the firmware model put in is just not an official launch however a prototype construct (31.9.2). In my testing, it labored advantageous, however we can’t be positive whether or not there are bugs we don’t learn about. And even when points are found, they can’t be fastened since you possibly can now not replace BLHeli_32 ESCs.
You may’t even change ESC settings on this model (the “Write Setup” button simply gray out), I assume that’s why it’s caught on the 24KHz PWM frequency setting and never utilizing 48KHz which is smoother.
It might work with out issues, however because the individual flying it, try to be conscious of this limitation and resolve whether or not you might be snug with the danger.
Flight Efficiency
Some flight footage:
GPS
GPS lock was fast—beneath a minute to amass 8 satellites.
GPS Rescue is just not enabled by default. As soon as I enabled it, it labored nicely in my flying discipline (principally open house) with out altering any settings.
Learn to arrange Rescue Mode right here: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/
Stability & Tuning
In calm climate, the Cinebot25 cruises nicely. It’s steady and fairly environment friendly. Nevertheless, in windy circumstances, it will possibly get pushed round extra simply and should present some wobble.
Throughout extra aggressive flying, there’s reasonable prop wash throughout descents.
The tuning itself is just not dangerous, however not excellent both. For relaxed cinematic flying in calm circumstances, it’s completely usable. If you happen to stay someplace that’s typically windy, a bigger drone such because the Cinelog30 will deal with wind higher.
Energy & Pace
The drone hovers at round 27% throttle, which displays its weight. It’s not significantly highly effective.
You discover this when recovering from dives or split-S maneuvers—typically it struggles to “catch” itself because of restricted thrust. This isn’t an excellent platform for acro-heavy freestyle.
With that stated, it will possibly nonetheless be fairly quick, with a prime pace round 110km/h.
Noise degree is just like the bigger Cinelog30 V3.
Present Sensor
The present sensor calibration is inaccurate. Setting it to 190 provides extra practical readings.
Electronics & Upkeep
Let’s take the quad aside and take a look at what’s inside.
Eradicating the digital camera cage solely requires 4 screws.
Inside, all the pieces is related utilizing plugs, and all cables are clearly labeled. This makes upkeep and half substitute simple, with no soldering required most often.
Nevertheless, GEPRC decides to make use of each obtainable screws measurement on the planet 🙂 which could be complicated. Take images and notes when tearing it down.
Buzzer is built-in into the USB extension board.
Soldering high quality seems to be good.
Receiver is mounted on the duct, held by 3D printed elements, not simply double sided tape, exhibits nice consideration to element!
FC boot button is on the USB extension board and accessible from the aspect
Is the CineBot25 V2 Newbie Pleasant?
This drone is beginner-friendly in some methods, however not in others.
Newbie-Pleasant Features
- Labeled inner wiring
- Plug-based connections for straightforward restore
- USB extension board and exterior boot button
- Total stable construct high quality
Much less Newbie-Pleasant Features
- Too many various screw sizes
- DJI O4 Professional is just not configured out of the field—you should set it up in Betaflight
- Included handbook is generic and never particular to this mannequin. For instance, it covers the O3 however not the O4
- GPS Rescue is just not enabled by default
- The digital camera protrudes from the entrance and is uncovered in crashes
GEPRC O4 Professional ND Filters
ND filters are important for cinematic footage, however on this case they serve one other essential position: lens safety. The Cinebot25’s digital camera is sort of uncovered, so any additional safety is welcome.
GEPRC presents its personal branded ND filters for the DJI O4 Professional, and so they match the Cinebot25 completely. Get it right here: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_c3f5zFb9
These filters are an especially tight match—I really broke a nail putting in one. As a result of the digital camera is soft-mounted, becoming the filter is much more difficult. Eradicating it’s even tougher. The upside is that it’s not possible to fall off throughout flight or crashes.
How you can Setup
Earlier than the primary flight, I did the next:
- Eliminated all labels on the drone.
- Put in the 2 O4 Professional antennas within the antenna mount (simply push them in, friction match).
- Eliminated the protecting movie from the digital camera lens.
- Peeled off the movie on the battery pads
Firmware
- The flight controller (FC) board goal is GEPRC_F722_AIO, and it comes preloaded with Betaflight firmware model 4.5.2. For CLI Diff, see right here (not inventory, i forgot to put it aside earlier than altering settings, this diff is barely modified).
- ESC Firmware: BLHeli_32 Proto: 31.9.2 (24KHz)
- ELRS Receiver Firmware Goal: GEPRC Nano 2.4GHz PA100 RX, firmware 3.4.2
DJI O4 Professional Setup
Betaflight Setup
Handbook:
Areas for Enchancment
- A bit heavy for two.5inch cinewhoop
- Higher heart of gravity and battery placement flexibility
- Use an lively, up-to-date ESC firmware
- Pre-configure DJI O4 Professional and Rescue mode
- Present a model-specific handbook
- Provide a GoPro-style mount for thumb measurement motion digital camera / bare GoPro
Ultimate Ideas: Ought to You Get the Cinebot25 or Cinelog30?
The GEPRC Cinebot25 V2 cinewhoop is a well-built, thoughtfully designed FPV drone with an modern modular digital camera system. The construct high quality and engineering are spectacular, and the general person expertise is great.
That stated, I’m a bit torn between these two new fashions from GEPRC. The Cinebot25 V2 has a number of beginner-friendly qualities: it’s simple to restore and preserve, comes with GPS put in out of the field, and the ability is tame, making it simpler to deal with for newcomers. Nevertheless, the uncovered digital camera is a priority. Whereas the general design is sort of sturdy, the digital camera sits far ahead with out safety and is susceptible in crashes. If you happen to crash continuously, this may not be the only option. Alternatively, should you primarily fly indoors (for instance, actual property or indoor cinematic work), the Cinebot25 is a greater possibility because of its decrease profile and talent to suit by tighter gaps.
You will get the Cinebot25 V2 from:
The Cinelog30 V3 is extra enjoyable to fly total. It’s barely greater, extra highly effective, and surprisingly lighter. It’s higher suited to skilled pilots who take pleasure in aggressive freestyle. You’ll additionally get smoother cinematic footage as a result of it handles wind higher and is extra steady within the air. Nevertheless, in order for you GPS Rescue, you’ll want to put in your individual GPS module, so it’s not probably the most beginner-friendly setup. The Cinelog30 V3 can be extra environment friendly—you possibly can count on 1–2 minutes of extra flight time on common utilizing the identical battery. It may well additionally carry bigger batteries because of the additional house on the highest plate.
In brief: