Hubsan X4 Quad Plus updates
At CES 2015, Hubsan had a good presence and brought out their new line up. Many of us are familiar with the original Hubsan X4 and it’s rebrands such as the Traxxas QR-1…as well as the many, many clones that tries to mimic the form and function of the first Hubsan X4. That does say something about Hubsan’s design and engineering prowess.
First up, the regular Hubsan X4 with LED gets an update. The H107L is now known as the H107P aka Hubsan X4 Plus.
Next up, the Hubsan X4 (H107C) with camera is now known as the H107C+, aka Hubsan X4 Camera Plus. The camera records at 720P and the quad itself gets an altitude mode. This should allow for smooth flights, making it easier to maintain the same altitude level without too much throttle management. Smooth flights at the same altitude level regardless of speed or entering and exit turns are signs of a proficient pilot.
Here’s a photo of the bottom. You can see where the micro SD card resides. You can also see that Hubsan uses more screws to secure that part of the X4 that used to pop apart during crashes. These new micro quads do feel very solid in the hand.
Then there’s the Hubsan X4 (H107D) FPV. It gets the plus designation and now known as the H107D+, aka Hubsan X4 FPV Plus. From the product manual, it appears they are still keeping the old H107D in the lineup with the H107D+. The H107D+ maintain the same 720P recording resolution. It’s unknown if the quality is better or not. It also get the altitude mode upgrade. This is definitely a welcome feature for FPV beginners.
And a couple of images from the CES show…
Finally, the new additions to the X4 family. Both are much bigger than the size of the X4.
The H109 aka Hubsan X4 Brushless, is a quad that was leaked a year ago and many have been awaiting with bated breath. It’s Hubsan’s first brushless quad. The size reminds me more of a Blade 200QX. And it keeps the Hubsan styling, with lights on each of the motor pods. Along with the X4 Brushless, Hubsan introduced a new, larger transmitter to help tame that brushless power. Hopefully, the protocols are backwards compatible and will allow flying the smaller X4. Many of us Devo 7e users know that a X4 flies soooo much better with a good TX.
Besides the design aesthetices, the brushless power plant obviously makes the H109 attractive. What really get me interested though is the claim of a 20min flight time.
And finally, topping up the line up is the Hubsan’s DJI Phantom Vision+ competitor. The H109S, aka Hubsan X4 Pro. It touts a 1080P HD camera, GPS and automatic return to home. Even has a parachute in case something goes very wrong up in the air. The video at the bottom that Hubsan was running at their CES booth will give more highlights of the feature the H109S has.
It definitely looks like a badass and FPV ready. 3axis gyro stablization gimbal. And an Android power TX to control to round out the package. Very pro looking.
And I also saw a Hubsan FPV goggle on display. However, I don’t see it mentioned in their brochure. So I would be curious as to how they compare to Fatshark or SkyZone goggles.