Review: Axisflying Manta 5 SE V2 – Bad Component Choices Ruin This Great Budget 5inch BNF

I reviewed the Manta 5 SE BNF (V1) one year ago, and it was one of my favorite budget 5-inch FPV drones — not perfect, but excellent value for money. Axisflying just released a new version, the Manta 5 SE V2. Not only did they introduce several upgrades, they also added a DC (Deadcat) version.

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This could have been an awesome drone — but in my opinion, they messed it up by choosing some questionable components. In this review, we’ll look at what’s new, how it flies, and whether you should buy it (and which version).

If you’re in the market for a cheap analog 5-inch FPV drone, check out my parts list here: https://oscarliang.com/cheapest-fpv-drone-build/.

Where to Buy

Manta 5 SE V2 (X frame + 2207 1960KV motors):

• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-c2ss
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3K2uWAF

Manta 5 SE DC V2 (Deadcat frame + 2505 1750KV motors):

• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-vb80
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3K2uWAF

The quad comes in a minimalist package.

Included accessories:

• 2 sets of propellers (8 total)
• 1× VTX antenna
• 1× screwdriver (M3 hex)
• 1× action camera mount screws (with nuts)

Specifications

The original Manta 5 SE only came in an X frame. The V2 now offers two frame options: X and DC (Deadcat). Besides the frame difference, the motors, propellers, and arm thickness are also different for both versions. I’ll discuss which option to choose later in the review.

I will be reviewing the DC version with the analog setup.

Frame & Design

Let’s compare the new Manta V2 to the V1 and see what changed.

At first glance, the Manta V2 looks quite similar to the V1, but with a more streamlined design.

The frame still uses a split-deck design, but the carbon plates no longer have the “blue marble” paint finish — likely to save cost. The edges of the carbon fiber parts are still chamfered, giving a smooth, premium feel.

Notable changes:

• Added plastic side panels to protect electronics from water splashes and debris (removable to save weight)
• XT60 connector is now fixed in a rear mount — no more dangling battery lead
• All frame screws are now countersunk, improving aesthetics and premium feel
• Built-in buzzer is loud and helpful for locating the quad after a crash
• Front bumper for increased durability

Compatible FPV Systems

The original Manta 5 SE launched just after DJI released the O4 and O4 Pro air units, which was bad timing for buyers wanting the latest video system.

With the V2, Axisflying finally added O4 support — but there’s a catch:

• X frame: supports O4 Lite, O4 Pro, and analog
• DC frame: supports O4 Pro and analog only
• Neither frame supports O3 anymore

If you want to use the O3 Air Unit, the V1 X frame is still available at the time of writing.

FC & ESC “Upgrades”

The flight controller has been upgraded from an F405 to an H743 processor. Realistically, you probably won’t notice any real difference in flight performance or user experience. It may offer better future-proofing, but right now the there’s no real benefit.

The board also features a dual-gyro setup (two gyroscopes). Again, I didn’t notice any difference in flight characteristics. The main advantage IMO is redundancy if one gyro fails — though that’s extremely rare case.

Axisflying also switched from 8-bit Bluejay ESC firmware to 32-bit BLHeli_32.

Performance-wise, you’re unlikely to notice a difference. Personally, I don’t consider this an upgrade — arguably the opposite, since BLHeli_32 is effectively discontinued and you can no longer update your ESC. Bigger numbers don’t always mean better.

One welcome change: Axisflying no longer mounts the flight controller upside down in the BNF. That design caused a lot of confusion for beginners when updating Betaflight and having to re-configure everything.

And soldering quality appears excellent.

Weight and Balance

Once again, just like the V1, the actual weight of the quad is higher than what Axisflying claim in the specifications.

The Manta 5 SE V2 (analog version) weighs:

• 471g without battery
• 663g with a 6S 1100mAh LiPo

The V2 is heavier than the V1. While my V1 has the DJI O3 setup (461g) and my V2 has the analog setup (471g), I don’t have a direct comparison. However, considering the O3 air unit (camera, transmitter, and antenna) typically weighs 10–15g more than an analog setup, I estimate the V2 to be roughly 20g heavier than the V1, likely due to the thicker 6mm arms and additional plastic side plates.

Left: X frame; Right: DC frame

The X version of the Manta 5 SE V2 has the same frame design as the V1, meaning it still suffers from the rear-heavy weight balance issue. It’s difficult to position the center of gravity (COG) in the middle even if you move the battery all the way forward or mount a GoPro. It’s a shame Axisflying didn’t address this flaw in the updated X-frame design.

The DC version, however, does not have this problem. Its main body is shifted forward, placing the mass in a more ideal position. This makes it much easier to keep the COG in the middle, simply by adjusting battery placement, whether you’re carrying an action camera or not.

GPS and Rescue Mode

Axisflying relocated the GPS module to the front, where there is less interference from the VTX antenna. This is generally a good design decision. However, if you mount an action camera on the front, it will sit directly above the GPS module and partially block the signal, reducing reliability. If you don’t use an action camera, this shouldn’t be an issue.

When testing GPS performance on the V1 Manta, I found it mediocre — it works fine, but slow to acquire satellites. It took about 2–3 minutes to get a lock. The V2 appears to use the same GPS module, as performance is similar: approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds to lock, with a maximum of around 18 satellites, which is acceptable but not outstanding.

One welcome improvement: Axisflying has preconfigured GPS Rescue Mode in the Failsafe tab, meaning it works out of the box. That said, I strongly recommend going through the settings and tuning the settings for your environment before relying on it. Learn more here: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/

Flight Performance

Axisflying puts heavy emphasis on PID and filter tuning on their product page. Based on Blackbox logs, I can confirm it’s a very clean build and not noisy at all. However, most filter settings are left at default, leaving plenty of room for optimization. Reducing filtering can lower latency.

Possibly due to this conservative tune, the quad felt somewhat sloppy and unresponsive in flight. There was also terrible propwash during sharp turns and when recovering from dives. Don’t get me wrong, this is a smooth quad — which is ideal for cruising — but if you want a freestyle drone that feels agile, precise, and locked-in, a custom tune will significantly improve performance.

Flight time results (a mix of freestyle and cruising):

• ~5 minutes with BetaFPV LAVA 6S 1100mAh LiPo
• ~7 minutes with Auline 6S 1450mA

Top speed is only about 140–150 km/h, which is noticeably slower than the V1’s 170–180 km/h. This is likely due to the smaller 2505 1750KV motors, which have both a smaller stator volume and lower KV compared to the 2207 1960KV motors used in the X version.

The Deal Breaker: FPV Camera

The biggest weakness of the Manta5 SE V2 is probably the analog FPV camera.

First of all, the camera is extremely exposed — it sticks out of the camera cage significantly, so one heavy frontal impact could easily destroy the lens.

Secondly, it’s a 16:9 camera. That caught me off guard because most analog cameras are 4:3, so in my goggles, the image looked distorted and made it harder to fly. Fortunately, my goggles (SKY04X Pro) can switch between 4:3 and 16:9. If your goggles are 4:3 only, you might struggle with the distorted image. If you want a cheap pair of goggles with a native 16:9 display, the BetaFPV VR04 is worth considering.

Lastly, the camera’s field of view (FOV) is quite narrow, which makes freestyle and proximity flying difficult. This camera might be acceptable for fixed-wing aircraft where you mostly cruise, but for multirotors it’s simply not enjoyable to fly – it actually makes it more challenging to fly.

If you’re buying the analog version of this drone, replacing the camera should be your first upgrade.

How to Setup

Before the first flight, I did the following:

• Removed the motor direction cards—these indicate the motor spin direction (The Manta is using Betaflight default – props in).
• Removed the lens cap.
• Install the VTX antenna.
• Plug in a battery using a smoke stopper for testing, make sure it powers up fine.

Firmware

• The flight controller (FC) board target is AXISFLYINGH743PRO, and it comes preloaded with Betaflight firmware version 2025.12.1. For stock CLI Diff, see here.
• ESC Firmware: ESC BLHeli_32 firmware v32.9.
• ELRS Receiver Firmware Target: Cyclone 2.4GHz Nano RX, version 3.6.0

Betaflight Setup

• Bind the ELRS receiver – Tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/bind-expresslrs-receivers/
• Load the ExpressLRS preset according to your packet rate – Instructions: https://oscarliang.com/rc-link-preset-betaflight/
• Set up custom rates – My Rates: https://oscarliang.com/rates/#My-Rates
• Configure the Modes tab: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-modes/#How-to-Setup-Arm-Switch
• Set up OSD, you can copy my CLI lines: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-osd/#My-OSD-Setup-CLI-Commands
• GPS and Rescue Mode is configured out of the box (Failsafe it set to Rescue mode), but you should go through the settings to make sure it works for your environment. Learn more here: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/
• Current sensor is wrong, change it from 400 to 250 for more accurate reading (probably still need a bit more adjustment)

Before first flight, put on the propellers, it’s using “props out” configuration.

Which Version Should You Get: X or DC?

I personally prefer the DC (Deadcat) frame for two reasons:

• No props in view
• Better weight balance

However, the DC version comes with 2505 motors, and I’m not a big fan of them. They are wider but shorter than the 2207 motors used in the X version, and the overall stator volume is about 8% smaller, which means less torque. On top of that, the KV rating is considerably lower.

While wider motors can offer better cooling which is important for efficiency and consistent performance, if most of your flying is cruising, 2207 motors are perfectly adequate — and when you want more power for freestyle, it’s there. It doesn’t make much sense to me to use a weaker motor, or at least not give buyers the option to choose.

Learn more about how motor size impacts performance: : https://oscarliang.com/motors/#Motor-Size-Explained

My ideal combination would be: DC frame + 2207 1960KV motors + DJI O4 Pro.

Unfortunately, they don’t currently offer this configuration. So your decision comes down to whether you prefer no props in view (DC version) or better flight performance for freestyle (X version).

Final Thoughts: Is the Manta 5 SE V2 Worth It?

I have mixed feelings about this BNF quad.

On paper, at around $240, it’s an extremely good deal for an analog 5-inch BNF FPV drone with solid build quality — not to mention the high-spec flight controller and ESC.

Manta 5 SE V2 (X frame + 2207 1960KV motors):

• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-c2ss
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3K2uWAF

Manta 5 SE DC V2 (Deadcat frame + 2505 1750KV motors):

• Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-vb80
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3K2uWAF

However, the analog camera is a major letdown. If you’re buying the analog version, that should be the first component you replace (here are my analog cam recommendations) — or simply choose the O4 Pro version instead.

I’m also disappointed by the decision to use 2505 motors – they should just use the 2207 motors, or at least give people the option.

Finally, the Manta 5 SE V2 is on the heavy side. With some DIY modifications, there’s likely potential to reduce weight by 30–50 grams, or more, which would significantly improve both flight performance and flight time.