A 2" that flies like a 5" - the Eachine Lizard95

[French]

I'm not one that's into BNF quads much. I generally prefer to build my own. However, when I started seeing the reviews of this little monster in mid-May, I decided to pick one up.

https://m.banggood.com/Eachine-Liza...25MW100MW-VTX-600TVL-Camera-3S-p-1141589.html

PROS
This thing screams on 3S with its 6000kv 1104s. I rarely get over 45% throttle. Full throttle punch outs are nuts. This thing is faster than my 5" build
It's 68g without the battery and 110g with TATTU 450mah 3S (3+ min flight times)
The 10A four-in-one ESC seems very adequate.
A betaflight OSD has started to be a must have for all my builds.
The receiver has analog voltage telemetry, just add one wire!

CONS
I couldn't stand the look of the antenna protectors and knew I wanted to use a dipole antenna instead.
The original AIO camera and VTX wasn't that great even though it was nice it was switchable between 25 and 100mw. The wires to the FC were not soldered very well and were mostly held on by liquid electrical tape. I got a ton of interference when hitting the throttle, likely because it was shorting on the frame.
There also isn't much room to mount a camera (15mm wide). If you use all four mounting screws with any tilt, the camera/wires hit the receiver's bind button.
Ultimately, I replaced the AIO with a 25mw version from Amazon that directly plugs into the Lizard's FC/OSD.
Lastly, the stock PIDs are too high.





My Changes/Mods
New AIO
Betaflight 3.1.7 with airmode always on
Lower PIDs
d_lowpass_type = PT1
I added a cap to reduce noise
Change motor/prop directions and yaw_motor_direction to reduce propwash
Voltage Telemetry Mod (FrSky) - run a wire from VBAT plus on the bottom of the ESC to the A1 or A2 header on the receiver. It can take a full 3S voltage. Then discover the sensor.


I'll get some DVR footage up shortly, but in the meantime you can watch Stew rip around with it. He's a better pilot anyway

 

[French]

The ~3 second full throttle punch out at the beginning easily got me over 200' high
The run down the street starting at 0:40 was at about 60% throttle.

I'm going to start playing with 50-60 degree camera tilt.

 

[ElectriSean]

Awesome, you finally got it

 

[French]

I can never leave well enough alone. I got this idea around 2am this morning, so I mocked it up and printed it. I'm loving the angle, but I'm going to go a completely different direction with the help of another forum member.





I also ordered some conformal coating to hopefully stop my damp grass issues. I think I may have damaged my OSD and/or second camera.


Buying this BNF Lizard95 has been a valuable experience for me. My first quad 18 months ago was a PNF NightHawk Pro 280. It is a total cow (over weight and under powered). I didn't know quads enough to be comfortable scratch building. I never got comfortable with it because it wouldn't react fast enough for me to learn how to control it.

When I started getting the itch again, I researched and carefully planned my QAV-X 5". I love that quad. I know every millimeter of it. It's reliable and it's given me so much confidence. I can dust it off after the toughest crash, flip it over, and take off again.

I kept telling myself that I didn't need a brushless micro. Then I started realizing that my skills and speed with the 5" made it pretty unsafe (and loud) to fly down my street and through my neighbor's yards. Then I saw a video for the Lizard and was addicted. Again, I was concerned with scratch building a 2", but in hindsight, I wish I would have just purchased solid components and built it from the ground up myself. The Lizard is a good ship, just my choices of flying it in damp weather and reversing my prop directions to fling things into the side of the stack resulting in a straight-up salad bar between the FC and ESC wasn't the best choice.

I'm excited about what will soon be... it's going to be awesome.

 

[Tmarter]

I'd see if you're able to print some side panels to keep the dirt out of the center. Might be challenging with tight space but seems it would be worth it

 

[Tmarter]

Looking at the pic...maybe just some kind of aerodynamic dome to cover the stack?

 

[French]

I started mocking something up last night, but I've decided to go a completely different direction.

I've purchased a XLR-2 frame from mpbiv (on here) and I'm going to transplant the motors, ESC, and fc. I'll add an XM+ (I loved the analog voltage telemetry on the the Eachine receiver, but it's a bit annoying the signal always drops out of the transmitter is within 3' of the quad).

I'm still trying to determine what I want to do for a camera.

 

[ElectriSean]

My buddy is running a Micro Swift on is Atom, it is pretty awesome - at least as good as a full size 1177.

 

[French]

As much as I'd love a swift, it's a bit large (19mm across and 6g) for what I have planned.

My "topless" Lizard is 103g all up weight.

 

[French]

Silly Stew

(Keeping this thread updated in case anyone else wants to use it as a resource)

 

[Cyberdactyl]

I've fallen into the trap of the 95mm micros as well.

Not only is it a waste of time to make your own frames now, unless of course, you just enjoy it, it is cheaper to buy them. The argument over carbon fiber is close to a joke now with the decent quality in most of the Chinese kits.

These new micros on 3S are as fast as many 5 and 6 inch minis on 4S. Plus they are much more maneuverable.

But the HUGE selling point is they simply don't damage as badly in a crash. Even the props can be bent back into position much of the time. Something that is almost unheard of with 5" and above.

So. . .unless I have another hobby shifting revelation, I am done with building from scratch.

I suppose, the only thing still in the plus column with the minis and larger, is they have more inherent flight time. The micros just can't seem to break out of the upper 3 and low 4 minute barrier when flying aggressively.

 

[French]

My lizard got a facelift!

 

[Darkback2]

question before I pull the trigger on this...I want to swap out the receiver...Is that possible or is it built into the FC?

Thanks,

DB

 

[French]

It's built into the stack (top board). You can easily change it by carefully snipping 5 standoffs (3 for the receiver and 2 for the buzzer). You'll lose the buzzer unless you find another way to attach one.

 

[Cyberdactyl]

Also know, if you don't already, when you order, you can choose between what type of receiver is attached.

 

[Darkback2]

Cyberdactyl...I can't choose because I fly graupner. :-( I should have been cool like you guys.

If someone has one opened up a close up of the stack would be appreciated. Then again, maybe I should just invest in an FrSky.

DB

 

[French]

Here is what the FC looks like "topless" and with the pins removed.




The yellow, red, and black wires are for the serial connection to the receiver. Remember, this thing is tiny!

 

[Darkback2]

guess I'm going to have to break out a fine tipped soldering iron.

 

[French]

One more I just found on my phone. No, I don't have gigantic fingers, this thing is that small.

Note, this is the bottom of the FC, as I had to flip it to put it in my stack. Here is more info on the FC from banggood - https://files.banggood.com/2016/12/Eachine MiniCube F3 6DOF integrate OSD Manual.pdf

 

[Cyberdactyl]

I also grabbed the Eachine EChaser 88 2S. Stock, it was extremely tame. So much so, I gave up on it as an FPV quad and stripped it naked for a LOS flier. Once the props were changed and it lost 15g, it became a very peppy little 2S 95mm flyer.



I also had to do a bit soldering on a card that tight and compacted, a modded PIKOBLX, and it was a challenge.



It made be consider what kind of beast the Lizard95 would be if it was stripped down to the bare essentials and flown as an LOS? Probably dropping 16-20g.

On 3S, I am positive I would not have the skill, or the eyesight, to fly it aggressively.