TBS X-Racer

[pvolcko]

So it didn't show up in time for the event I had this past Saturday, but it did show up: I have a TBS X-Racer!

I've done some hovering with it during setup, but that's about it so far. Got some pictures for you below.

What I like:
- Size: Bigger than the Inductrix size micro quads but still small enough to go through most micro size gates without issue.
- Power: Just in hovering it is far more responsive, has great punch out compared to an Inductrix, and the size/weight of it makes it far less touchy to throttle jitter around the hover point.
- Features: This has a full featured betaflight controller on it. Gyro allows for self-leveling modes, full acro mode with fantastic stability control. Full betaflight configurator control to allow for all the tweaking and mode control you want.
- Price: It's a full-on racing quad with built in FPV camera and vtx (tbs unify system, supposed to be very good, though I haven't screwed with it much yet), two batteries, built in frsky, futaba, or spectrum rx and a bunch of extra props and a couple extra motors for $150. You pay $99 for an Inductrix FPV that has one battery, no extra props, and far less capability. That's fantastic value for the money, especially if you aren't interested in piecing something together yourself or going with ultra-cheap BG/HK stuff.

More after I get some flights in on it. I expect this will become my go to quad for indoor season.

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[Graham Lawrie]

Nice one Paul:) thats the same one DOG is getting:) read about these they look great:)

[DOG]

I knew you'll get yours before mine arrives I'm jealous but glad for you I'm hoping this weekend . Diffidently post your review on this bad boy. I would like to here your opinion on how she fly's. Good luck and can't wait to see a video

[pvolcko]

So far I've just done some hovering and slow flight around my kitchen/living room. Our of the box the roll/pitch rates were way way too slow for me. In betaflight I found that they were set to something like 166 deg/sec. I switched to profile 2 which had much faster rates and that got things responding better.

But I'm still not happy with the sluggishness around center. Feels like I'm having to bang the sticks to make quick attitude changes. Have been trying to get the expo out of the curves displayed in PID tuning on betaflight configurator, but I can only get them to what looks like a 40 or 50% expo setting on my transmitter (if it were being set in the transmitter). Still looking for a way to linearize it more. May end up cranking the rate settings in betaflight and then using D/R on the transmitter to limit the range used to something thats in the linear range, then I can use transmitter expo to set it how I like. Other option will be to use some reverse expo on the transmitter to snap it up a bit around center. Will try that first since it involves less hacking around with settings.

Overall though I'm quite pleased so far. Stability and controlability in flight is great. Have self-leveling and acro mode available. 2 profiles with three sets of PID settings in each profile availabel on a switch (if I want to set it up). Has a ton of power compared to an Inductrix. If they were brushless motors with braking in the ESCs it would be perfection. But this is fine for my skill level and my intended use for indoor course flying.

[Graham Lawrie]

Paul you should try flashing it with Boris B and it will change the responsiveness:)
https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/releases

[pvolcko]

I need to pull the board and solder a jumper to do a flash. Not gonna happen until I have no other option.

[DOG]

Well I'm a little disappointed in the postal system . My Xracer was suppose to be here today but not It just arrived in Jacksonville FL this afternoon which means it will be here tomorrow My question is the stock setting on this quad will be fine to fly out of the box I like fast response, so like Paul should I switch to profile 2 right from the start I like to say many thanks for helping me out and I'm sure I will have more questions down the road .

[pvolcko]

Try it out in profile 1 default first. It was sluggish for me, but it was flyable. Yours may not have that issue. The defaults listed in the manual (online) did not have the ultra low flip rates so it's possible something was funky about mine.

If you think it is sluggish, then flip it into profile 2 (I think stick position left stick down and left, right stick up center).

[pvolcko]

Well, my X-Racer released the magic blue smoke. One of the FETs fried after spinning a motor uncontrolled full throttle for about 20 seconds. I tried to get to it before it happened, but no luck. There's an open ticket with TBS support, but no reply yet. I sent email to AMainHobby and also no response (except for auto-response).

I really like this thing, but if I can't expect to get more than a handful fo flights out of it before it cooks itself, it isn't really a viable option. It wsn't crashed hard or anything. Perhaps a motor was damaged internally, leading to the overload on the FET. I think I've found a replacement SMD part I can solder onto the board in place of the existing part, but I'd rather one of these companies stood by the product and honored the warranty.

[DOG]

Hey there Paul. Sorry about the TBS smoking. Good luck on TBS helping you out or anyone else who carry's this product. I've got my TBS a week after yours and just yesterday I got an e-mail from TBS stating that are sure you bind the quad the proper way. You got to be kidding me! Instead of how can we help or something like, we've been having problems and will take of it. A month later I get a note with nothing about resolving the situation out. I decided to keep the TBS because I like the frame and I really don't feel like dealing with people that think your an idiot. I installed QX90c in the TBS frame and call it done. works great for me. I wish you the best of luck Paul. I didn't have any luck, few document from others stating that they're having problems also with TBS and HeliNation, that who I bought the quad from to save $10.00. It not worst the 10 dollars for the headache I've been dealing with this problem. Please let us know how it goes. I just want to see if there CS department will take care of you.

[Graham Lawrie]

Thats a shame to hear:( I have has no issues this side of the Pond with TBS and their products are normally very good quality:)

[pvolcko]

Well TBS is still a no answer, but AMain responded and they are going to swap me a new XRacer. TBS warranty is 2 years (no frikin way this thing would last two years, I barely stressed it and it frikin went up in smoke) and AMain is their point of contact for warranty work in the US (at least for sales from AMain), so that's that. AMain pays shipping both ways too. Good deal. Hopefully be up and flying again next week sometime. Sadly there is a tiny whoop race this weekend I wanted to use it at, but not gonna happen. Will have to slum it with the Invertix FPV.

[DOG]

Well TBS is still a no answer, but AMain responded and they are going to swap me a new XRacer. TBS warranty is 2 years (no frikin way this thing would last two years, I barely stressed it and it frikin went up in smoke) and AMain is their point of contact for warranty work in the US (at least for sales from AMain), so that's that. AMain pays shipping both ways too. Good deal. Hopefully be up and flying again next week sometime. Sadly there is a tiny whoop race this weekend I wanted to use it at, but not gonna happen. Will have to slum it with the Invertix FPV.

I'm glad to here that A Main took care of you Paul. I should of dealt with someone like, A Main, HeliDirect and other company's that I have done business with before. This was the first time dealing with HeliNation and it's the last. Same with TBS. There slow response or if any, doesn't impress me. Lesson learn for me. Good luck Paul and video please, if you can .

[pvolcko]

TBS did respond a day after AMain. Basically said to deal with AMain. Long time to wait for them to tell me that.

[DOG]

TBS did respond a day after AMain. Basically said to deal with AMain. Long time to wait for them to tell me that.

Seems like nobody wants to step up to the plate . They rather pass the buck down the line to someone else.

[pvolcko]

AMain took care of me. I got the replacement in the mail a week or two ago. Work and other stuff has kept me very busy though so haven't had a chance to try it out yet.