As winter approaches, it’s whoop season again! BetaFPV has something special for us — a new Air65 II frame and canopy for their popular 65mm Tiny Whoop. The upgrade promises better performance and durability. On paper, it looks like a small update, but after testing it, I can confidently say this version takes the Air65 to a whole new level. Let’s dive into what’s changed, how it performs, and how it compares to the original frame.
Learn more about tiny whoops in this buyer’s guide: https://oscarliang.com/best-tiny-whoop/
Table of Contents
Where to Buy
Get the new Air65 II Frame:
- BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-l0zu
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4430gVH
Get the Air65 Whoop BNF (original frame):
- BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-6qwg
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DCFw2kf
- GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-b8vn
- RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-4tup
Specifications
- Frame: BetaFPV Air65 II Frame
- Wheelbase: 65mm
- Propeller Size: 31mm
- FC & ESC: Air 5-in-1 FC (FC + ESC + ELRS RX + VTX + OSD)
- ESC: 4-in-1 5A, running Bluejay 96kHz firmware
- VTX: Integrated 5.8GHz (adjustable from 25mW to 400mW)
- Receiver: Integrated ExpressLRS 2.4GHz UART
- Camera: C03 Camera
- Motors: 0702 27000KV
- Propellers: Gemfan 1219 (3-blade)
- Battery Connector: BT2.0
- Recommended Battery: 1S 300mAh LiHV (≈4 minutes of flight time)
- Weight (without battery): 17.27g
New Air65 II Frame and Canopy
Left: Original Air65; Right: Air65 II
At first glance, I was a little confused why BetaFPV sent me another Air65, since I had already reviewed it last year. But upon closer inspection, I realized this new version features the updated Air65 II frame and canopy. While the changes might seem minor at first, they bring some meaningful improvements in durability, performance, and flight feel.
Left: Original Air65 Frame; Right: Air65 II Frame
Frame Design Improvements
The most noticeable update is the reduced number of support struts beneath each propeller — from six down to four. This allows more unobstructed airflow, improving thrust efficiency and overall flight performance. The ducts are also slightly narrower, which helps reduce drag and improve handling in forward flight.
Interestingly, despite having fewer struts, BetaFPV claims the frame is more durable. The remaining supports are positioned more strategically in high-impact zones, helping the frame absorb crash energy better.
In hand, the new frame feels stiffer than the original, which likely contributes to the quad’s sharper and more responsive flight characteristics. After plenty of indoor flights — and the inevitable bumps into walls and furniture — I can confirm that this frame holds up really well. It feels tougher and more resilient than before.
Weight-wise, the Air65 II frame is virtually identical to the original Air65 frame (V2 weighs 2.57g vs. V1’s 2.63g — essentially no difference in practice).
V1 Frame Weight (left) vs V2 Frame Weight (right)
A small but thoughtful design detail: the motor mounting pads now include three raised contact points just outside the screw holes. This helps prevent the metal motor screws from scratching your floors or furniture during indoor flights — a nice touch for whoop pilots flying around the house.
Updated Canopy
BetaFPV also updated the canopy, and this is an improvement I really appreciate. The camera angle adjustment belt on the back has been extended, allowing the camera to tilt lower than before. This makes a huge difference for indoor flying — you can now comfortably fly at slower speeds with a lower camera angle, perfect for beginners or relaxed cruising around tight spaces. It makes the Air65 much more enjoyable to fly straight out of the box for slower, more casual pilots like me.
Left: Original Air65; Right: Air65 II
Left: Original Air65; Right: Air65 II
As of this writing, the BNF Air65 still ships with the original frame, but you can purchase the new Air65 II frame separately and swap it yourself. Hopefully, BetaFPV will start including the updated frame in future batches of the Air65.
The rest of the hardware remains essentially identical to the original version, which I’ll go over briefly below.
“Wisp” Limited Edition
BetaFPV is offering a limited “Wisp” edition of the Air65 II frame — and it glows in the dark! Simply leave it under a light source for a while, and it’ll absorb energy to glow in the dark. Get it here: https://oscarliang.com/product-ft4s
Unfortunately, BetaFPV told me this special glowing frame isn’t sold separately; it’s only available with the Air65 BNF Wisp Edition. They also mentioned that due to the different material composition, this glow-in-the-dark frame is less robust than the standard Air65 II frame. So if you plan to fly aggressively, it’s best to stick with the regular version for durability.
To be honest, it’s a fun but somewhat gimmicky idea. The glowing effect fades quite quickly — after about 30 minutes, the brightness drops noticeably and becomes barely visible, even in darkness. If you want consistent, bright lighting on your whoop, you’re still better off adding RGB LEDs instead.
Flight Controller: The Air 5in1 FC
In this Air65, it continues to use the same Air 5in1 flight controller. As the name suggests, it integrates the flight controller (FC), ESC, ExpressLRS receiver, video transmitter (VTX), and on-screen display (OSD) into a single compact board. This design saves weight and simplifies wiring — ideal for tiny whoops where every gram counts.
There’s no USB-C port on the FC itself. Instead, BetaFPV includes a USB adapter cable that you use to connect the board to your computer. It’s a minor inconvenience, but a fair compromise for keeping the board lightweight.
The ESC runs Bluejay firmware at 96kHz PWM frequency, which improves motor efficiency and makes throttle response smoother and quieter. If you prefer stronger braking and snappier throttle response, you can re-flash to 48kHz, but keep in mind that doing so can reduce flight time noticeably.
Another noteworthy detail: the motors are soldered directly to the FC instead of using plug connectors. While that makes repairs slightly less beginner-friendly, it’s a good design choice. Direct soldering lowers electrical resistance, improves power delivery, and saves a small but meaningful amount of weight. And realistically, motor failures on whoops are quite rare, so it’s not something most pilots will have to worry about often.
VTX and Camera Setup
The built-in VTX supports output power from 25mW up to 400mW, adjustable in Betaflight OSD menu. For indoor flying, I found 25mW to be perfectly sufficient — higher power isn’t always better unless you need more penetration or range. In fact, running higher power indoors can cause the VTX to overheat and drain your battery faster.
The lightweight dipole antenna performs surprisingly well for short-range flights. While you could upgrade to a circular polarized antenna for improved penetration, I’d argue it’s unnecessary for an indoor whoop — every extra gram counts here. The antenna connects via a U.FL connector, making it easy to upgrade, or replace if it gets damaged.
If you experience video interference from your home WiFi, try switching to a Raceband channel that’s farther from your router’s frequency — Raceband 8 (R8) is a great option for a cleaner signal. Learn more in my FPV channel guide: https://oscarliang.com/fpv-channels/
The C03 camera delivers clear analog video. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s perfectly capable for freestyle and racing practice.
Flight Performance and Durability
On paper, the Air65 II’s new frame design sounds promising — but does it make a noticeable difference in flight? I flew the new Air65 II and the original Air65 back-to-back, and honestly, the difference wasn’t huge. Perhaps the new version felt slightly more responsive and snappier — though that could also be because my older Air65 has seen over 100 flights and the motors aren’t in the best conditions.
One thing I did notice, however, is the increased frame rigidity. When you twist the new frame by hand, it feels stiffer with less flex. In the air, this translates to a firmer response and sharper control feel. It’s possible that BetaFPV tweaked the material mix or frame geometry to improve structural stiffness. A stiffer frame can also produce cleaner gyro data that helps PID tuning.
That said, the improvement isn’t dramatic — most pilots likely wouldn’t notice unless flying both versions back-to-back.
With a 1S 300mAh LiHV battery, you can expect around 4 minutes of flight time, depending on how hard you push it — pretty typical for a 1S 65mm whoop.
After about 20 packs of indoor flying (and plenty of crashes into walls, doors, and furniture), my Air65 II frame is still holding up perfectly. Compared to my older Air65, which started to show visible scuff marks and minor duct deformation, the Air65 II remains in noticeably better condition.
Out of the box, the tune from BetaFPV is excellent — smooth, locked-in, and responsive. It handles sharp turns smoothly, throttle control feels clean, and there’s no noticeable oscillation or jello. That said, I think there’s still some room to fine-tune it further. Would you like to see my custom PID and filter tune for the Air65 II? Let me know in the comments below — I’d be happy to share it.
Improvements
If you’re looking to squeeze a bit more performance out of your Air65 II, here are a few simple upgrades worth trying.
First, consider replacing the stock metal motor screws with PEEK screws (m1.4). They’re lighter and have a lower tendency to come loose during flight. Get them here: https://oscarliang.com/product-afj6
There are also a few small areas where you can trim unnecessary plastic or material to save weight:
- Remove the “arrows” on the frame
- Trim any excess heat shrink on the VTX antenna.
These tiny tweaks shaved off around 0.7g from my build, reducing the total weight from 17.3g down to 16.6g. That might not sound like much, but it’s about a 5% reduction — and in a tiny 1S whoop, that’s enough to notice improvements in flight time, throttle response, and agility.
Battery Tips and Charging Advice
Proper battery care is key to getting consistent performance and long lifespan from your 1S packs. Here are my recommendations:
- Avoid discharging below 3.0V during flight. Land before it hits 3.2V per cell, after landing, the voltage should recover to around 3.6–3.7V.
- For safety, it’s recommended to charge at 1C (0.3A). If you decide to charge at faster rates, make sure to monitor battery temperature regularly for safety.
- If you won’t be flying for more than a week, store your LiPos at 3.8–3.85V per cell to prolong battery life.
I recommend using a dedicated 1S charger with storage mode, such as the Vifly WhoopStor V3 or GEPRC WooPower. Both are compact, easy to use, and feature-packed 1S battery chargers.
How to Setup
Firmware:
- The FC comes with Betaflight 4.5.0, and the FC target is BETAFPVG473. You can find the default CLI diff here.
- ELRS Receiver: BETAFPV 2.4GHz AIO RX ExpressLRS firmware version 3.5.6
- ESC: A-X-5 – Bluejay, 0.19, 96kHz
Firstly, bind the receiver, follow this guide if you don’t know how: https://oscarliang.com/bind-expresslrs-receivers/
Here are the Betaflight configurations:
- Load ExpressLRS Preset
- Set Your Rates
- Enable Telemetry
- Set Arm switch, angle mode switch, turtle mode switch
- Set OSD (disable “Core Temperature” under warnings)
- Reduce current sensor scale to 660 for more accurate mah reading (might need further adjustment).
Conclusion – Should You Get the Air65 II (or the New Frame)?
The BetaFPV Air65 was my favorite whoop of 2024, and with the new Air65 II frame, I can confidently say it remains my favorite going into 2025. It’s one of the most well-balanced whoops available today — offering an excellent mix of power, efficiency, build quality, and tuning right out of the box.
While the Air65 II doesn’t look drastically different from last year’s version, the refinements add up. The frame is stiffer, more durable, and the new canopy design allows for a lower camera angle, making it more enjoyable for beginners or anyone who prefers slower, more relaxed flights indoors.
That said, the performance improvements are subtle in real-world flying. If you already own the original Air65, there’s no urgent need to upgrade. But if you’re in the market for a new whoop, or planning to replace the frame, the Air65 II frame is absolutely worth getting — it’s a refined evolution of one of the best 65mm whoops you can buy.
Get the new Air65 II Frame:
- BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-l0zu
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4430gVH
Get the Air65 Whoop BNF (original frame):
- BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-6qwg
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DCFw2kf
- GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-b8vn
- RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-4tup
4 comments
Hey Oscar,
Great post! I just got the air 65 and smashing the hell out of it already :).
Sharing your PID tunes and filter settings would be awesome!
All the best,
Dom
It would be great if you could share your custom PID and filter tune for the Air65 II. :)
Is the canopy the same material as before? I find it quite fragile. I use printed canopy which is much more flexible and it is unbreakable.
Whoop season?? Whoops are limited to a season like the other crafts they’re a year round thing.
Did you have the issue with the new run of C03’s where the color temperature is extremely orange? Had a bunch of people here run into it