Caddx recently released the Protos FPV drone kit featuring their new digital FPV system, the Ascent. The kit looks surprisingly good value and comes with everything you need to fly, which initially had me intrigued. I was even planning to buy it for review — but after looking into the details a bit more, I changed my mind. Let’s take a closer look at what the Protos is, and explain why I’m not rushing to pick one up.
New to FPV? Check out our beginners guide: https://oscarliang.com/fpv-drone-guide/
Table of Contents
What Is the Caddx Protos Kit?
The Caddx Protos is an affordable all-in-one FPV drone kit priced at $359 – less than the price of a pair of high end goggles! It includes essentially everything you need to get started:
- FPV goggles
- The Protos drone
- Radio controller
- Batteries and charger
Interestingly, the drone uses Caddx’s new Ascent digital FPV system. It isn’t Walksnail Avatar and it doesn’t match DJI in terms of image quality, range, or latency. However, it does appear to look noticeably better than analog.
This drone kit is clearly aimed at beginners who want a simple, plug-and-play way into FPV. But as I’ll explain later, there are some compromises.
Where to Buy
You can get the Caddx Protos kit from:
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c30auJO3
- Caddx: https://oscarliang.com/product-t2z8
What’s Included in the Caddx Protos bundle:
- FPV box goggles
- Protos micro FPV drone with Ascent VTX
- ExpressLRS radio controller
- USB charger (can charge three batteries at once)
- Three proprietary batteries
- Accessories (case, cables, battery lead, etc.)
The Ascent FPV System
Ascent is a brand new digital FPV system. The user interface looks almost identical to Walksnail Avatar, but they are not related, and appears to be a completely different ecosystem. From the footage available so far, image quality isn’t better than Avatar — so based on the low price of the Protos drone, it seems Caddx positioned Ascent as a budget-friendly digital option rather than aiming for high-end performance.
If you already own Walksnail or DJI, there’s currently no compelling reason to switch in my opinion – it would be a downgrade. Also, the maximum VTX power is only 100mW right now, which is fine for indoor whooping or park flying within line of sight, but pretty limiting for freestyle or longer-range flying.
Interesting remarks from early testers about the Ascent system:
- The way it handles low signal is quite unique: when the link gets weak, the image shrinks to the center (“focus mode”). At very low bitrates, it switches to black & white to maintain flyable detail.
- Bitrate is relatively low compared to AVatar or DJI — often around 20–25Mbps.
- Only 50FPS and 60FPS refresh rates available. Latency is flyable, but noticeably higher than Avatar/DJI making it challenging to do precise maneuvers.
- Image quality is better than analog, but not as good as Avatar, and nowhere close to DJI.
The Protos Drone
The Caddx Protos is essentially a small cinewhoop style drone. Thanks to the prop guard, it’s relatively safer for flying in tight spaces or around people compared to open-prop micro quads.
Battery & Power System
It uses 40mm propellers and weighs around 62g dry, or about 104g with the battery installed. For reference, that puts it in the same size and weight class as BetaFPV Femto. Given that it also runs 1102 motors, I’d expect similar levels of power and handling — fun for cruising, but definitely not a freestyle beast. However, the Protos comes with Li-ion battery, not LiPo, so it will have less punch and power. Learn more about LiPo battery here: https://oscarliang.com/lipo-battery-guide/
The included batteries are 2S 840 mAh Li-ion packs.
| Li-ion (used here) | LiPo |
| Higher energy density → longer flight time | More power + better throttle response |
| Lighter for the same capacity | Heavier for the same capacity |
| Lower current output → weaker punch-out power | High current output → Better for freestyle and acro flying |
The battery has a proprietary design— it slides and clip into the drone. It’s convenient and beginner-friendly, but it also locks you into Caddx batteries only. No 3rd-party 2S LiPo options here.
Expect longer flights than a similar whoop on LiPo, but less power when climbing or doing sharp inputs.
Frame & Build
The Protos uses a pusher configuration (propellers are mounted upside down). The frame is entirely plastic, no carbon fibre. The thick shell makes it more durable but also a bit heavier than typical hobby builds.
One interesting feature: the Protos includes down-facing LiDAR and optical flow sensors. These enable Altitude Hold and Position Hold modes — good for helping absolute beginners hover without panic. I have seen this concept in BetaFPV’s Cetus drone kit a few years back, personally I’m not a fan of these assisted flight modes for beginners, firstly they don’t work that well, and they don’t really teach you how to fly an FPV drone and practicing in a simulator is still the best place to build skills IMO. Fortunately, when you’re ready, you can switch into Acro mode for proper FPV flying.
Note that the VTX has no onboard HD recording, you can only record in the goggles (1080p).
Lastly, the Protos drone does not run Betaflight; it uses Caddx’s own firmware. If your goal is to learn Betaflight, then this drone isn’t the right path.
Ascent Box Goggles
The Ascent goggles appear to be a reworked version of the Walksnail Goggles L — very similar in shape, size, features, and they also use 1080p 60hz displays.
Key points:
- Requires an external battery, powered via a barrel plug
- Some users report light leaks, but typical in box goggles
- Internal antennas, no external modules or replaceable antennas
- No AV input, does not support analog
- No HDMI input, doesn’t support other digital systems
- Joystick + back button control, familiar if you’ve used Walksnail goggles
- OSD doesn’t burn into DVR footage — OSD data is saved in separate file
Radio
The included radio is a gamepad-style controller — compact and basic. It looks somewhat like DJI’s remote controller but has ExpressLRS built in (with an internal antenna).
However:
- There’s no display and no EdgeTX interface
- No ability to change radio settings on the device
- Limited long-term growth for pilots who plan to stick with the hobby
The good news? The Protos drone uses an ELRS receiver, so you can bind it to any third-party ELRS radio later. If you want upgrade ideas, check out my recommendations:
https://oscarliang.com/radio-transmitter/
Battery and Flight time
The kit includes 3 batteries and a charger.
Battery specs:
- 2S 840 mAh Li-ion packs
- Advertised 8.5 minutes of flight per pack (real-world times may vary)
These batteries have a proprietary slide-in design, so you must buy replacements from Caddx, which locks you into their ecosystem. Yes — with modifications you could run standard 2S packs, but that defeats the simplicity that this kit is designed to offer.
The 3-bay USB-C charger can charge all three batteries simultaneously — similar to DJI Avata 2’s charging solution.
Who Is This For?
It’s important to be clear: the Protos is not a performance drone. It is a beginner-focused FPV trainer, designed to get new pilots flying with little setup and minimal technical hurdles. It’s not built for freestyle ripping, racing, or long-range.
Because it uses Li-ion batteries and tiny 1102 motors, power is limited. Not to mention Ascent is very new, and isn’t as capable as DJI or even Walksnail (and isn’t cross-compatible), you’re buying into an ecosystem that has an uncertain future.
That said — if your goal is simply to learn the basics of FPV and have fun cruising around a small space, it does exactly that.
Buy it if…
- You’re brand-new to FPV and want a complete FPV drone kit for only $359
- You value plug-and-play convenience over tinkering
- You plan to fly mostly indoors/backyard, where long range or signal penetration doesn’t matter
Skip it if…
- You already own Walksnail, DJI, or HDZero. There’s no reason to switch to Ascent at this point.
- You need low latency or good range/signal penetration
- You want Betaflight configurations (the Protos drone doesn’t use Betaflight but their own firmware).
- You want a nimble drone for freestyle or racing.
- You want to avoid proprietary batteries.
Conclusion: Would I Buy It?
The Protos Drone Kit
The Protos seems to be a solid beginner trainer: easy to set up, durable, and surprisingly well thought-out. At only $359, it’s a tempting entry point into digital FPV. But the trade-off is that you’re locked into Caddx’s new ecosystem (batteries + FPV system), and the performance ceiling is low.
If I were starting FPV today on a tight budget, I’d still personally choose something like this with open ecosystem:
- Radiomaster Pocket radio ($65)
- BetaFPV Air65 analog whoop ($90–100)
- Affordable analog goggles ($100–200, e.g. Skyzone Cobra SD)
With batteries and charger, this setup costs similarly to the Protos kit, but would be more future-proof, more flexible, and arguably more fun in the long run — especially if you plan to grow in the hobby.
However, judged purely as a plug-and-play beginner bundle, Caddx has done a great job here. I just wish it:
- Ran Betaflight
- Used standard LiPo packs
- Offered more FPV system options, e.g. Walksnail, Analog or even DJI O4 Lite.
The Ascent System
Announcing their new Ascent system in a budget drone kit is a smart move — people who buy this are likely beginners who are still on the fence which FPV system to get, so Caddx has a chance to win them early.
But today, Ascent is still in its infancy:
- Only one goggles option, a budget box goggles with low specs display
- Only one VTX option with limited 100mW power, and it’s not even sold separately yet
- Needs time to prove reliability and community support
Ascent might improve over time — and if Caddx expands the lineup with better goggles, more VTX options with better specs, it could eventually become a compelling budget ecosystem. For now I’d pass. I already have DJI and Walksnail, both of which offer better latency, better image quality, more hardware selection.
2 comments
The CaddxFPV Protos can be flashed with Betaflight firmware, shifting it from its stock PX4-based system to a more agile, freestyle-oriented platform. This update is intended for users who want better performance and control, though it is currently considered a “test” or early-release firmware.
Me, I plan to stay the hell away from proprietary stuff. And like you said there’s much better value for money with analog drones, a beginner doesn’t really need digital.