Eachine EX3 – 2K drone with long flight time
The Eachine EX3 is a foldable drone with a 2K camera and the ability to broadcast live FPV images. The compact quadcopter has GPS, is capable of flight functions such as Follow Me and waypoint navigation, and allows flight times of about 20 minutes.
Design and weight
The design of the Eachine EX3 is relatively simple, and except for a red logo on the top of the rectangular drone body, the drone is completely black.
With the arms folded out, the EX3 measures 45 x 45 x 7.5 cm, making it about the same size as a DJI Mavic Air 2.
For transport, the arms of the drone can be folded. In this state, the drone measures only 19 x 13 x 7.5 cm.
The take-off weight is about 640 grams with batteries.
Equipment and flight characteristics
Unlike many inexpensive drones, the Eachine EX3 has a GPS module that can connect to both GPS and Russian GLONASS satellites. This means that there are always enough satellites available for positioning.
In addition, the multicopter is equipped with brushless motors (2204 1400KV). Compared to the cheaper brushed motors, these have both a longer service life and lower noise generation.
The Optical Flow Positioning System, which consists of a barometer and an ultrasonic sensor on the underside of the drone, ensures an even more stable flight position near the ground.
To help you keep an eye on the drone in the sky and tell the front and rear of the drone apart, the Eachine EX3 has four dual-color LED lights that can be manually turned on and off via the remote control.
Takeoff and landing work conveniently at the touch of a button. During takeoff, the drone rises to a height of about 5 feet (1.5 meters) and then hovers on the spot. Unlike many mini-drones that require you to constantly press the throttle lever, the Eachine EX3 automatically maintains the current altitude when you release the control joysticks.
Once in the air, there are two different speeds to choose from. A maximum of up to about 25 mph (40 km/h) is possible. For an uncomplicated return of the drone to the take-off position or landing platform, the Return to Home (RTH) mode ensures that the drone returns and lands at the push of a button.
Flight time and range
The flight time of the Eachine EX3 is about 20 minutes, which is a very decent value for a drone in this price segment.
The long flight time is made possible by a 165 gram 7.4 V, 3400 mAh LiPo (lithium polymer) battery.
We generally recommend ordering a second battery right away when you buy a new drone. This way you can change the battery after 20 minutes of flight time and thus fly with the drone twice as long.
The battery is charged in the included charger, in which up to two batteries can be charged in parallel. The charging time of the battery is about 4 hours.
The range in which you can control the Eachine EX3 is about 330 to 550 yards (300 to 500 meters). In the height up to 492 feet (150 meters) are possible. The control distance always depends on the external conditions. Obstacles such as buildings and trees reduce the maximum possible range, as do other devices that also transmit on the 2.4 GHz frequency.
The transmission of the FPV live image works up to distances of about 165 to 220 yards (150 to 200 meters). The image signal is transmitted via the 5.8 GHz frequency. Therefore, please make sure that your smartphone can handle this frequency. However, this should be the case with most current cell phones. You will also need to download the “X-Drone” app, which is available for free download for both Android and iOS devices.
Important flight parameters like distance and altitude of the drone as well as GPS reception and more are conveniently displayed directly on the OLED display of the remote control. By the way, 2 AA batteries or rechargeable batteries are still needed to use the controller, which are not included.
Very practical, especially for lefties, is the possibility to reverse the assignment of the two control joysticks.
Another cool feature is the acoustic warning when the battery level is too low. As soon as the charge level drops below a certain value, a beep sounds from the remote control, alerting you to land the drone promptly.
The camera of Eachine EX3
The 2K camera of the Eachine EX3 has a 1/3″ CMOS sensor, has a viewing angle of 110° and is attached to the drone with a 1-axis gimbal. The small gimbal dampens in-flight movements for a slightly smoother camera image. Of course, the EX3’s camera mount still can’t keep up with high-quality 3-axis gimbals like those installed in more expensive camera drones.
To capture different perspectives, the angle of the camera can be adjusted vertically by up to 90° during flight. The camera’s aperture is f/2.4.
Photos and videos are recorded in 2048 x 1152 pixels. Unfortunately, the frame rate of the videos is only 20 fps, which is not really bad, but still noticeable to the trained eye.
The photos are saved in JPEG format, RAW is unfortunately not available. However, the drone can independently select the ISO range from 100 to 1600, but unfortunately no manual selection can be made here, the drone independently selects the value that it thinks is suitable.
Photos and videos are stored on a maximum 32 GB microSD card, which has to be purchased separately. Photos and videos can also be stored directly on the smartphone without a memory card, but they are only available in HD quality.
Intelligent flight modes
Thanks to the built-in GPS module, the Eachine EX3 also masters some intelligent flight modes. For example, the drone can follow you independently in Follow Me mode and record a video of you in the meantime. The range at which this works best is around 10 to 33 feet (3 to 10 meters), according to Eachine.
Waypoint Navigation, also known as TapFly, allows you to create a flight route in the app before flying, which the EX3 then flies autonomously.
In Orbit mode, the drone can orbit an object or person and capture video at the same time.
Scope of delivery
- 1 x Drone
- 1 x remote control
- 1 x 7.4 V, 3400 mAh battery (LiPo)
- 1 x Balance Charger charger
- 1 x USB charging cable
- 4 x spare propellers
- 1 x wrench
- 1 x instruction manual
Conclusion
The Eachine EX3 is an affordable foldable drone with 2K camera and FPV live image function. The inexpensive quadcopter has a relatively long flight time of about 20 minutes and can be controlled at distances of about 330 to 550 yards (300 to 500 meters).
Thanks to GPS module and Optical Flow Positioning System, it is stable in the air and can be controlled precisely. Equipped with Follow Me, Waypoint Navigation and Orbit Me, you can make exciting video recordings with the EX3.
Thanks to Return to Home, one-touch takeoff and landing, and two different speeds, Eachine EX3 is suitable for both drone novices and those looking for an affordable camera drone with good features and long flight time.