Sure, we’re reviewing yet one more cinewhoop. This time it’s the HGLRC Talon Professional 3-inch. What makes it completely different? The digicam cage is detachable and could be put in on a distinct quad, so in idea you may share the identical digicam and air unit throughout a number of quads and doubtlessly avoid wasting cash. On this evaluate, we’ll take a look at what’s particular in regards to the Talon Professional and whether or not it’s the proper cinewhoop for you.
Study extra about cinewhoop on this purchaser’s information: https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/
The place to Purchase
Get your HGLRC Talon Professional cinewhoop from AliExpress: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_c2IzQXwT
It doesn’t include spare propellers, so ensure you seize some right here: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_c3qhynw3
Specs
Listed here are the specs supplied by HGLRC:
- FC/ESC Board: F722 40A 6S V2 AIO
- FC Dimensions: 175mm × 175mm × 56mm
- Motor: SPECTER 1804 2450KV
- Wheelbase: 116mm
- VTX configuration: Energy equipment model (no FPV Setup), Draco A1 LITE+Air Unit / Zeus 800mW VTX, HGLRC L2 digicam (analog model)
- Receiver: Hglrc ELRS dual-band single antenna receiver
- Flight time: 10 Minutes With hglrc 6s 1450 mah 160c battery
- GPS: M100 Mini
- Propeller: 3inch (HQProp DT75MMX3)
- Advocate battery: 6S 850-1450MAH
- Battery connector: XT60
- Drone weight: 233g (HD model) / 218g (analog model) / 198g (energy equipment model)
Putting in DJI O4 Professional
In relation to FPV digicam and VTX choices, it appears HGLRC is transferring away from DJI. While you order the Talon Professional, the obtainable variations are analog, their very own Draco system, or the Energy Package model, which comes with out an FPV setup. It does assist the DJI O4 Professional Air Unit, however you need to purchase and set up it your self.
Personally, I believe this is perhaps a mistake. DJI continues to be by far the most well-liked FPV system. Realistically, only a few persons are utilizing HGLRC Draco, which places their new merchandise right into a extra area of interest market. Perhaps they’re making an attempt to push adoption of their very own FPV system, however that’s going to be an uphill battle. I believe they need to enhance the system first and develop the person base earlier than making an attempt to power it onto their BNF quads.
I shall be utilizing the DJI O4 Professional on this quad for my evaluate.
Be aware that it doesn’t include any directions, handbook, or diagram exhibiting how you can set up the air unit, so it took me some time to determine it out. I’m going to indicate the method right here.
It’s also lacking some screws for mounting the air unit and digicam cage, which is barely annoying, and it doesn’t include the O4 cable both, so ensure you have these readily available.
Lacking screws:
I had spare M2 screws, however no M2.4 screws. For now, I needed to “steal” the 2 M2.4 screws from the body, use them for the digicam cage, and safe the body with small zip ties as a substitute. And why use M2.4 screws? They’re so unusual that it’s actually puzzling.
Design and Nearer Look
The primary promoting level of this cinewhoop is the modular digicam cage design, which implies you may share the identical digicam and air unit throughout a number of HGLRC quads. Proper now, although, there is just one quad that makes use of this cage, so for the time being there isn’t any actual benefit to this modular design. So far as I do know, HGLRC is planning to launch one other cinewhoop in a distinct dimension that will even be suitable within the close to future.
It has an RGB LED strip across the ducts that exhibits a rainbow sample by default, which seems to be cool at night time. Sadly, it’s not configurable in Betaflight. You may disable it by disconnecting the facility plugs contained in the quad.
On the rear, the receiver antenna has two parts: the shorter one for two.4GHz and the longer one for 868MHz/915MHz. Don’t get too excited, it’s only a dual-band single-antenna receiver, which implies you should utilize both 2.4GHz or 900MHz, however not each on the identical time. It’s also not Gemini-X suitable.
What’s Gemini-X? https://oscarliang.com/expresslrs-gemini/#Gemini-Xcrossband-Gemini-X
Flight Controller
The FC is an AIO (multi functional – the whole lot is built-in on the identical board): HGLRC F722 40A 2–6S BL32 AIO V2. It doesn’t have a devoted BEC for the air unit, so the O4 is powered instantly from the battery. That’s not best, as a result of voltage spikes are dangerous for the VTX, however to date in my testing it has held up advantageous.
The ESC makes use of BLHeli_32 firmware. That’s not actually a problem proper now, however it is best to know that BLHeli_32 is successfully discontinued, so you may now not replace the firmware on this ESC: https://oscarliang.com/end-of-blheli_32/
Additionally notice that the FC is mounted the wrong way up, then rotated 45 levels. That’s not an actual drawback in case you plan to fly the quad out of the field, however it may make issues extra difficult whenever you determine to flash Betaflight and need to reconfigure the whole lot once more.
The board alignment must be set to:
- Roll: 180
- Pitch: 0
- Yaw: -45
I believe that is going to catch a number of novices off guard. After updating Betaflight, they’ll marvel why the quad flips over the second they attempt to take off. If you don’t want to cope with that, keep away from flashing Betaflight until essential.
GPS Module and Rescue Mode
GPS Rescue Mode is a implausible characteristic — it’s primarily a return-to-home perform that brings your drone again to its takeoff level whenever you lose sign. It’s particularly priceless for novices and long-range pilots who need peace of thoughts in case of a failsafe or lack of orientation.
The Talon Professional ships with a GPS module pre put in on the rear, however the location shouldn’t be best. It sits beneath the RX antenna, so the sign is partly blocked and might also undergo from interference.
The GPS module itself is definitely fairly first rate. In my testing, it was capable of lock onto 8 satellites in a few minute, however on this quad it took over 2 minutes due to the best way it’s mounted. See my GPS testing right here: https://oscarliang.com/gps-review/#Efficiency-Testing
That mentioned, it nonetheless carried out admirably in flight when Rescue Mode was activated. To verify GPS Rescue works correctly, don’t forget to tune it in your particular flying atmosphere. Right here is my full tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/
Battery and Weight
The producer recommends 6S 850mAh to 1450mAh batteries, that are principally the identical sizes generally used on 5-inch freestyle quads.
The Talon Professional weighs:
- 233.5g with out battery (with DJI O4 Professional put in)
- 425.6g with a 6S 1100mAh LiPo
Flight Efficiency
My first impression: the Talon Professional is extraordinarily loud. It’s in all probability louder than my 5-inch freestyle quads. You may nonetheless hear it from 300 to 400 meters away.
The quad hovers at round 36% to 38% throttle, and it feels heavy within the air, which is smart as a result of it’s heavy.
Regardless of being powered by 6S, the quad shouldn’t be quick. Prime pace is just round 100 to 110km/h.
It’s nonetheless able to doing Acro and freestyle strikes, however there may be some yaw washout when recovering from dives. It turns into unstable and makes a sudden uncontrolled yaw motion. This was once a quite common challenge with whoops due to the ducted design, but it surely has improved quite a bit over the previous 12 months or two as a result of producers have discovered how you can handle it via higher tuning and design. It’s disappointing that HGLRC didn’t catch this, and that the Talon Professional nonetheless suffers from it.
In calm climate, the Talon Professional 3-inch is usually secure and clean. When the wind picks as much as round 20MPH+, it might wobble a bit, however you may often clean that out in submit utilizing Gyroflow.
In relation to effectivity, I’m truly impressed. With a 6S 1100mAh LiPo, I get round 6 to 7 minutes of flight time with a mixture of freestyle and cruising. For those who stick with light cruising, you could possibly in all probability push that to 7 to eight minutes.
There is no such thing as a bodily buzzer, so in case you crash in tall grass it may be onerous to seek out. The motors are usually not particularly loud both as soon as it’s sitting within the grass.
Methods to Setup
Firmware
- The flight controller (FC) board goal is HGLRC_F722_S, and it comes preloaded with Betaflight firmware model 2025.12.1. For inventory CLI Diff, see right here.
- ESC Firmware: BLHeli_32, Rev. 32.10
- ELRS Receiver Firmware Goal: ELRS C3 900/2400 Twin Band Nano RX, firmware 3.6.3
Betaflight Setup
Conclusion
To be trustworthy, I don’t suppose this cinewhoop advantages that a lot from 6S. I believe it might make extra sense if it have been lighter and ran on 4S as a substitute. Proper now it’s a bit too heavy and a bit too loud for my style.
Get your HGLRC Talon Professional cinewhoop from AliExpress: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_c2IzQXwT
The modular digicam cage additionally doesn’t provide a lot worth proper now, as a result of no different quad helps it but. I hope HGLRC follows via and releases extra suitable quads quickly, ideally not simply extra cinewhoops, however open prop designs too.
They need to additionally forestall the lacking screws challenge, and possibly cease utilizing unusual screw sizes.
In case you are searching for a 3-inch cinewhoop, the GEPRC Cinelog V3 stays my go-to alternative, which provides higher flight efficiency and person expertise: https://oscarliang.com/geprc-cinelog30-v3/
