It has only been a few months since I reviewed the Blade 350 QX2 AP Combo. I liked the flying qualities of the quad and the stabilizing effect of the 2-axis camera gimbal, but the included CGO1 camera wasn’t up to par. Well, the multi-rotor industry gathers no moss. A new version of this quad is already on the market, the 350 QX3 AP Combo. This new ship has a different (better) camera on a 3-axis gimbal and several other improvements that I didn’t even know it needed! I've been flying it for a while to test, and here are my thoughts on this $1000 RTF quad.
What’s Included
As before, the AP Combo includes everything you need to go flying: prebuilt quad, camera/gimbal unit, transmitter, battery, and charger. It also has a few extras not found in the previous version, such as an 8GB micro-SD card for the camera and a USB programming cable for configuring the onboard firmware. As before, you’ll also find a spare set of props in the box.
Blade includes a quick start guide that covers the basics of operation. You’ll want to download the full manual to keep as a reference. I found the video tutorials on Blade’s YouTube channel to be especially helpful.
What’s New
The 350 QX3’s new camera is an eyeball-like unit called the CGO2. The camera is an integral part of a 3-axis gimbal. This gimbal stabilizes the camera in the pitch, roll, and yaw axes, but only the pitch (tilt) of the camera can be commanded by the pilot. The camera is capable of 16MP stills and 1080p video at 60fps, which is a significant boost over the CGO1’s 1080P frame rate of 30fps.
Power for the camera is provided by the flight battery, so you don’t have to worry about managing a separate battery for the camera. Other than tilt of the gimbal, the camera functions can only be controlled via the CGO2 app on a smart phone or tablet with 5.8 GHz Wi-Fi.
The only other obvious change to the 350 QX3 is the relocated GPS antenna. It is now on a flip-up mast on the top of the quad. This new location helps to isolate the antenna from electronic noise created by other components which could negatively impact GPS reception. Some Go-Pro Hero3 users have indicated that the camera’s wi-fi system can affect GPS reception on multi-rotors. Although the CGO2 negates the use of a GoPro on the AP Combo, other versions of the 350 QX3 will accept it. Time will tell if the hinged mast is a structural weak point.
The Spektrum DX4 transmitter included with this model appears to be unchanged, but a closer look reveals significant updates. It is still a full-sized radio with the same switch layout and a removable clamp for a smart phone. However, the 3-position toggle switch on the top left now lets you choose between two flight modes or “Return Home”. This switch previously provided three flight mode options while Return Home was engaged using the right toggle switch.
By default, the two selectable flight modes are Smart Mode and AP (Aerial Photography). With a series of control inputs, you can change the selectable modes to be Stability and Agility. Other than Agility Mode, I covered the differences between the different flight modes in the 350 QX2 review. So, I won’t rehash them here. Agility Mode removes all bank angle limits and self-leveling, making the quad capable of flips, rolls, and other aerobatics.
The 2-position toggle switch on the right side of the transmitter now lets you temporarily control the tilt of the camera using the throttle stick. Once you flip the switch to ”Gimbal Control”, you have five seconds to manipulate the tilt of the gimbal. The stick reverts back to throttle control even if you do not reposition the switch.
The throttle stick is now self-centering rather than ratcheted. This simplifies altitude control in Smart and AP modes. You push the stick forward to climb and pull back to descend. At neutral position, the quad will hold its present altitude. In Stability and Agility modes, the stick position is a linear relationship to the throttle (i.e. full back is idle and full forward is 100% power).
Flying the 350 QX3
My experience with the 350 QX3 in Smart and AP modes is very similar to that with the 350 QX2. I still don’t like Smart Mode and the orientation-independent control inputs that it requires. I understand the appeal of Smart mode for some rookie flyers, but it’s just confusing for me.
AP mode feels natural and easy, with solid, but sedate control response. It isn’t too hard to generate smooth flights for the camera, which is the whole point of AP mode. I really like the new throttle control set-up. It’s very intuitive and works well. Want the quad to stay exactly where it’s at? Just let go of both sticks--easy.
Stability mode is really just a sportier version of AP. As with the 350 QX2, Stability is my favorite mode for most flying. With subtle inputs, I can get smooth camera footage, but I still have the control authority necessary for some exciting interludes. It’s a nice balance.
Agility mode is just pure fun. You really have to stay on your toes, but the 350 QX3 rewards you with surprisingly nimble performance. I thought that the pendulum effect of the underslung gimbal might limit control response somewhat, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. It will perform flips and rolls in a very tight space. You can also build up impressive speeds with a high-tilt pass.
Agility mode is just pure fun. You really have to stay on your toes, but the 350 QX3 rewards you with surprisingly nimble performance.
Just for fun, I tried the Return Home feature several times. It always returned to a spot within a few feet of where it was armed. I also utilized the automatic landing feature on a few occasions, but not on purpose. When the battery reaches the end of its capacity, the 350 QX3 will autonomously descend and gently land. I was consistently triggering this event after about 13 minutes of flight. Now I set a 12-minute timer.
I wish that the stock transmitter had the ability to pair AP and Agility modes on the mode switch. If I ever link this quad to my Spektrum DX8 transmitter (as I did with the 350 QX2), I could select ANY flight mode or Return Home. At present, that is the only compelling reason I can see to ditch the stock transmitter (which I doubt I will do). Of course, the vast set-up options within the DX8 (or other Spektrum computer transmitter) would also allow for fine-tuning of the quad’s control response. But I like the stock settings well enough.
The 350 QX3 is configured at the factory with a “geo-fence” that limits how far away the quad can venture from its starting position. The idea is to keep it from getting too far away while new pilots are still unsure of the correct control inputs. The stock setting places the barrier at 100 meters away and 50 meters high…which is not that far. After a few flights with this setting, I used the programming cable and downloadable GUI (on my laptop) to reset the value to 200 meters away and 120 meters high. These values put the quad right at the extent of my comfortable viewing distance and automatically prevent me from exceeding the legal altitude limit of 400 feet.
CGO2 Camera
I’m happy to report that the CGO2 camera performs MUCH better than the CGO1. I don’t think it’s on par with the latest GoPros, but it’s still pretty good and I’m happy with it. Where my CGO1 had focus issues, I have not noticed any problems with the CGO2.
The 3-axis gimbal also performs well. I’ve noticed a few times when the gimbal hiccupped following a quick roll maneuver on the quad, but it quickly recovered. I have not seen any issues with pitch or yaw.
I’ve used the CGO2 app with an iPad Mini and an iPhone 5. With the iPad Mini, useful range was limited to about 100 feet and the latency was often maddening. Performance was much improved with the iPhone 5. Although I have not performed any tests to determine when the W-Fi link is lost, it rarely happens during normal flying. Latency is usually about one second, with occasional periods of better or worse performance. In short, the camera’s Wi-Fi system works well enough for photo and video shooting, but the receiving device is an important part of the equation. Even with a strong link, I wouldn’t reply on the Wi-Fi for FPV flying.
One thing I really like about the updated app is that you can capture still photos (.jpg) while shooting video (.mp4). When you do this, the still photo is the same size as the video (1920x1080 pixels). When shooting photos independent of video, the images are 4608x3456 pixels (with some vignetting).
It’s interesting to note that the coloring of the still photos is significantly muted when compared to the relevant video. The photos seem washed out and a little bland. Some of this can be corrected in post processing if you feel so inclined. The color of the video footage actually appears to be a little enhanced to my eye, but I think that it’s still much more accurate than the stills.
To transfer media from the camera, you must remove the micro-SD card from its slot (on the bottom of the camera) and place it in a card reader. The card slot is not spring loaded, so you have to pull the card out manually. I added a pull tab to the top of the card (made with tape) to make this job easier.
Conclusion
The latest iteration of the 350 QX series corrects the main flaw that I found with the 350 QX2 AP combo: the inferior camera. I think that most amateur aerial photographers will be happy with the image quality afforded by the new CGO2 camera. It isn’t top of the line, but it’s pretty good. Other updates to the quad make it both easier to fly (new throttle set-up) and more nimble (Agility Mode). Although I’ve never experienced any GPS failures with any of my quads (knocking on wood), the repositioned GPS antenna on the 350 QX3 mitigates the risk of any future problems.
Overall, I think that this 350 QX3 AP combo is a solid performer. Any hobbyists in the market for a camera-toting quad should put this one on their short list. It’s definitely worth a look.
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