Here we have a new Bind and Fly (BNF) FPV drone from AxisFlying, the Manta5 Pro. According to the manufacturer, this is a pre-built FPV drone designed for cinematic and freestyle flying. It has a strong focus on aesthetics, which makes it stand out in the competitive FPV drone market. With its sleek design, it aims to provide an exceptional flying experience for both amateur and professional pilots. But does it live up to the promise? Let’s find out in this review.
Table of Contents
Where to Buy?
You can purchase the AxisFlying Manta5 Pro from the following vendors:
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFdYd1Z
- GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-yhmq
- FPV24: https://oscarliang.com/product-z5bl
Available Receiver Options:
- TBS Crossfire 915MHz
- ExpressLRS 2.4GHz
Frame Configuration Options:
- DC (Deadcat) frame
- Square X frame
The DC configuration is designed for cinematic-style flying, keeping the propellers out of the camera’s view. The X configuration is preferred by freestyle pilots due to its symmetrical motor layout.
It appears they are selling this drone with the DJI O3 Air Unit installed. However, in my review unit, the DJI O3 Air Unit was not included, and I had to install my own.
The AxisFlying Manta5 Pro includes the following accessories:
- Two sets of spare propellers
- Detailed manual
- Two battery straps
- Two antennas for the DJI O3
- Spare screws
- M2 Hex screw Allen key
Specifications
- Frame: AXISFLYING MANTA 5 PRO
- Frame Weight: 143g
- Frame Dimensions: DC wheelbase 228.8mm, Wide X wheelbase 226.5mm
- Top Plate Thickness: 2mm Carbon Fibre Plate
- Bottom Plate Thickness: 3mm Carbon Fibre Plate
- Arm Thickness: 6mm Carbon Fibre Plate
- Max FC Stack Height: 30mm
- FC: AXISFLYING-F722-Mini
- Gyro Options: MPU6000 or ICM42688-P
- ESC: 55A BLHeli_32 4in1 ESC
- VTX Options: DJI O3 Air Unit or Analog 5.8G
- Motor: C227-1960KV
- Propellers: 5.1×3.8×3 (Maximum support 5.1-inch blade)
- Antenna: AXISFLYING Branded 5.8GHz LHCP Antenna
- Power Connector: XT60
- Receiver Options: TBS Crossfire Nano RX, ELRS 2.4GHz RX
- Drone Weight (without battery): 472g without O3, 504g including O3, 690g including 6S 1100mAh LiPo, 844g including GoPro Hero 12.
- Recommended Battery: 6S 1300-1800mAh LiPo (not included) See my battery recommendations: https://oscarliang.com/lipo-battery-guide/
Closer Look
Out of the box, I was impressed by the claimed “forged” carbon fibre frame, which has a unique marble-like pattern. Durability remains to be seen, but it seems expensive to produce and adds to its aesthetics.
The body is fully enclosed with plastic side plates, giving it a sleek look and protecting the electronics from dirt.
The frame design seems to have a water creature theme, as from the sides it looks like a shark.
The battery pad also has a unique design shaped like a fish. It has an anti-slip and rubbery texture, though perhaps a bit thin. However, this is offset by the use of counter-sunk screws on the top plate, eliminating the worry of puncturing the battery.
The receiver is mounted at the rear under the VTX antenna mount.
A massive heatsink on the bottom aids in VTX cooling, which is a nice touch. The air intake design directs cool air from the front, over the VTX, and out the back through the heatsink, enhancing video transmitter cooling, especially in hot weather.
There are over 30 LEDs throughout the drone, all connected to the dedicated LED control board in the front, which is impressive.
You can customize these LEDs individually in Betaflight for different functions, adding to its versatility. I have a guide on how to set up LEDs in Betaflight: https://oscarliang.com/setup-led-betaflight/
There is an LED light panel under the center of each arm, giving it a unique effect. However, there is a concern that this might impact frame durability, which remains to be seen in the long run. I found it to be a little pointless since the light from these panels is not very visible even at night.
The bottom plate is made of CNC aluminium, which looks strong and premium.
The front arms and rear arms are interlocked, and all four arms are secured efficiently using only six screws.
There are cutouts in the side plates for the O3 and FC USB ports, which is thoughtful.
The soldering and build quality appear top-notch.
User Experience
You can tell AxisFlying has put a lot of thought into the design of the Manta5 Pro. The attention to detail is impressive. I also appreciate the small booklet they provide, explaining how to set up this drone, which is very helpful for beginners.
The biggest downside of this drone is the weight. Many parts are purely for aesthetics. For some, this might be appealing, but for those after performance, these parts might seem unnecessary, such as the plastic plates on the sides and the flashy LEDs. These LEDs are not very visible during the day and are mostly good for night flying.
On a related note, not only do these aesthetic details increase the weight, reducing the drone’s agility and flight time, but they also increase the cost of the drone. They also add to the assembly complexity and increase the difficulties of repair and maintenance. Luckily, this is a pre-built drone, so you should be able to just bind it and fly.
My review unit didn’t come with the DJI O3 Air Unit, so it was quite a bit of work to get this bird up in the air. Also, it didn’t come with the necessary UFL to SMA cables, so I couldn’t use the included antennas. In the end, I just went with the O3 Holder, which makes setting up much easier: https://oscarliang.com/dji-o3-holder/
The flight controller is running an AT32 chip, not the typical STM32 chips. The AT32 has comparable performance but at a lower cost compared to STM32, and it’s picking up in popularity within new FPV FCs. This is a very basic FC with only a 5V BEC. For a premium FPV drone, I wish it at least had a 9V BEC for powering the DJI O3, which is safer than using battery voltage directly. The good news is there are 6 UARTS, and it also has the good old MPU6000 gyro as an option when you purchase this drone.
The ESC uses BLHeli_32 firmware, with 32.9 firmware. Unfortunately, BLHeli_32 has been shut down and there’s no more updates. They could have used AM32 instead or used a BLHeli_32 ESC with the latest 32.10 firmware. And for some reason, they set the PWM frequency to 96KHz, which is not the optimal option for 5″ drones in my opinion. I’d probably go with 48KHz for a more balanced performance. See my guide for more detail: https://oscarliang.com/best-blheli-32-settings/
The current sensor also needs calibration, as the reported current and mAh in OSD is slightly off.
Flight Performance
Upon the first flight, it was clear that the quad is on the heavy side. It’s approximately 100g heavier than the iFlight Nazgul ECO I recently reviewed.
However, thanks to the powerful motor and propeller combination, it still offers decent power and punch, hovering at around 30% throttle when fully charged. The Manta5 drone is well-tuned out of the box. It is responsive with no noticeable bounce-backs during flips and rolls.
One feature I particularly like is the pre-installed GPS.
Despite being mounted very close to the VTX antennas, it performed quite well during my testing, getting a GPS lock within two minutes (while the VTX is powered on), averaging around 12 satellites in 5 minutes. The default GPS Rescue settings worked well in an open field; I didn’t need to change any settings, but you should double-check for the environment you plan to fly. This makes it great for long-range exploration. I do wish the GPS was mounted a bit further back, for instance using an extended mount, which might enhance GPS performance. In my experience, the O3 antenna can cause interference when they are mounted too close to each other.
Conclusion
The biggest selling point of the Manta5 Pro is probably its professional design. For acrobatics and freestyle flying, the Manta5 may not be the best choice due to its weight. The additional weight also means it’s not as durable as lighter drones, as impacts are stronger. It’s also not my top choice for long range, as the weight impacts efficiency significantly. However, the AxisFlying Manta5 Pro is a smooth-flying drone that is well-tuned out of the box, making it ideal for cinematic-style flying, and suitable for beginners who want to avoid building and tuning a drone from scratch.
Get it here:
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFdYd1Z
- GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-yhmq
- FPV24: https://oscarliang.com/product-z5bl
The aesthetic elements, while appealing to some, might not justify the added weight and complexity for performance-focused pilots. Overall, it is a professional-looking drone that performs admirably in its intended roles.