Self powered buzzers have built-in LiPo battery. They can help locate your crashed RC model even after the main battery is ejected. We will compare a few popular options to help you decide which one to get.
Table of Contents
Self-Powered Buzzers Comparison: Weight, Volume, Power Time
Here is a basic spec comparison of all the self powered buzzers:
| Price | Size (mm) | Weight* | Volume** | Battery | |
| Standard Buzzer | $0.7 | 12x12x9.4 | 1.5g | 89dB | n/a |
| HellGate Buzzer | $30 | 16x11x10 | 2.1g | 88dB | 40mah |
| HellGate Duo | $25 | 13.2×14.8×27.4 | 5.8g | 111dB (TBC) | – |
| ViFly Finder V2 | $13 | 24x16x13 | 4.9g | 106dB | 80mah |
| ViFly Finder Mini | $13 | 19x11x12 | 2.8g | 90dB | 40mAh |
| Vifly Wireless Beacon | $18 | 24x15x14 | 6.0g | 106dB | 80mah |
| JHE42B | $7.8 | 23x17x17 | 7.4g | – | – |
| JHE42B_S | $10.2 | 18x17x15 | 4.3g | 110dB (TBC) | 75mAh |
| FullSpeed Lucky Box | $11.7 | 16x14x11 | 2.3g | – | – |
| Aurora AR Tracker | $10 | 18x17x15 | 4.3g | – | 100mah |
| Lantian Finder | $9 | 36×36 | 3.8g | 110dB (TBC) | – |
| URUAV UR6 | $5.5 | 36x18x9 | 6.8g | 110dB (TBC) | 75mAh |
| SKYSTARS Finder | $12 | 26x16x13 | 5.4g | 80dB (TBC) | – |
* Weight is measured without any wires ** Volume is measured with a sound level meter, at 20cm from the buzzer
See this article for other standard active buzzer options. Buzzer volume is measured in dBA (decibel), here is a chart to give you an idea how noisy each dB level is with examples.
HellGate FPV Buzzer
Slogan: NO QUAD WILL BE LEFT BEHIND
Where to buy
- GetFPV: http://bit.ly/hellgate-buzzer
- RDQ: http://bit.ly/2vUidVR
Accessories including:
- 3x 10cm silicone wire (black, red, white)
- 2x spare heat shrink
- Sticky double sided tape
- Sticker
I am surprised how tiny the HellGate buzzer is, it’s only slightly bigger than standard buzzer.
By connecting it to your FC, it acts as a normal buzzer (can be triggered with your TX). When the LiPo is connected, it charges the built-in battery so it’s basically maintenance-free. There are three wires, GND, Buzzer+ (or 5V) and Buzzer-
It doesn’t have any button, to stop the beeping you just need to power cycle your quad (plug in and unplug battery once).
Despite having a tiny battery (40mAh), HellGate claims to be able to beep for up to 2 weeks! This is achieved by cleverly reducing the beeping frequency as the battery level decreases. Hopefully you would have found the model by then :)
Conclusion: An original idea/product, durable and easy to use, but it’s not as loud as other options. I really like the compact form factor, only if the price could come down a bit! I have way too many quads, and I don’t think I can afford putting one in each of them… The volume is nearly as high as a standard buzzer already, but louder is always better.
VIFLY Finder
Slogan: Never Lose Your Drone Again
Update (Dec 2018): They released a new version, which we reviewed in this post.
Where to buy
- Banggood: http://bit.ly/vifly-finder-2
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Bqa5iu
Accessories include a manual, zip tie and cable.
Everything is bigger in the VIFLY Finder compared to the HellGate: the buzzer, the battery as well as the PCB. It also has a push button so you can deactivate the buzzer by either power-cycling your quad, or holding down the button. I wish it had more advanced functions, for example selecting different beeping patterns/modes.
The connection is the same as the HellGate, GND, Buzzer+ and Buzzer –
By connecting it to your FC, it acts as a standard buzzer, and when the LiPo is connected it charges the built-in battery.
The buzzer is noticeably louder than the Hellgate, it’s so loud it actually hurts my ear when testing it on the bench. The battery is twice as big as the HellGate’s, but I don’t know the exact capacity as there is no label on it. My guess is around 80mAh just based on the size.
Despite the bigger battery, run time is only up to 6 hours. This is mainly due to the beeping pattern as VIFLY sets it to beep continuously in the loudest volume when activated (main battery disconnected). VIFLY explained this is to maximize the chance of finding the crashed quad in the first few hours.
Conclusion: Cheaper and louder. Unfortunately it’s pretty bulky and doesn’t last as long as the Hellgate does. I wish they can introduce an optional, more durable mode that lasts longer, it would be useful for the long range pilots, where hiking to the crashed site could take hours…
A side by side size comparison between the HellGate and VIFLY Finder.
JHE42B Finder
Not yet tested, but seems to be the cheapest option so far. The downsides are the large form factor, and much heavier weight than the rest at 7.4g! It’s equipped with a high power LED and push button. You can get it from:
- Banggood: http://bit.ly/2Lbt5UF
FullSpeed Lucky Box Beeper
I haven’t tested this beeper yet. It seems to be another tiny beeper, the dimension and weight is similar to the Hellgate. It has a button for disabling the buzzer, as well as selecting different beeping modes. It also has an LED built-in but there is no mention about it in the manual.
- Banggood: http://bit.ly/2Bv1PRs
Aurora AR Tracker Mini
Another affordable option featuring a large battery of 100mAh, an onboard bright LED and a claimed 100dB buzzer.
Banggood: http://bit.ly/2Ou4LDv
DIY
Can’t afford any of these expensive buzzers? Or are you just looking for a challenge? Why not build one yourself?! :)
Here is a tutorial on how to build a DIY buzzer with built-in battery.
19 comments
JR…
I know this post is a year old, but ViFly makes a version for fixed wings and DJI drones that don’t use a FC. The model is called Beacon, It charges a 80mah battery via usb cable, no soldering, just attache it to your glider, they claim a working time of 30hrs. Same size and weight as the FinderV2, this one though has accelerometer so it’s activated by a crash/impact. Same type beeping and led flash when it gets dark, but also has anti theft feature. Once in alarm mode, it beeps like every 12-15sec, if it senses motion again, and you don’t push the button in a certain pattern within 30sec, it beebs constantly and is supposed to annoy thief. Although, unless hidden, i guess they could take if off and toss it, still kinda cool though.
V2 is better IMO, just connect it to the receiver and it charges it from the battery. charging from USB is so annoying.
Do the black buzzer part degrade if left on too long? my JHE42B got stuck on for 30+ minutes. i finally was able to turn it off, but now it is not as loud. the JHE42B has two pads that are not connected to anything, by chance i discovered shorting these pads turned off the stuck-on alarm. i’m wondering if these pads were made for this purpose, or maybe they change volume modes. but suspect the buzzer was damaged after such a long ON state.
Yes buzzers do wear out over time because the beeping is made by physical movement
Oscar the luckybox beeper by fullspeed there are five solder pads. From top to bottom there’s 5v, gnd, bz-, ‘unknown label’ (any ideas on this), and from tracing the wiring the last one is ‘LiPo gnd’. Why the Chinese can’t put a manual together or a decent course to setup the beeper itself, I prob will lean to file this garbage anyways but still that forth solder pad can’t make out label and fullspeed support might as well be from MARS.
Oscar…
I just bought a Vifly, and the manual claims a battery life of about 30 hours. This is accomplished by the frequency and loudness of the buzzer.
Chris
Thanks Chris
Yea they keep making a new revision every 2 weeks and it’s very hard to keep track what the newest one does :)
I will look into that once they have settled on one version :)
I bought 2 of the lucky box buzzers. Be aware that they are not compatible with KISS FC, you cant activate it from the radio., Apparently it is a known problem, which is rather annoying. It has the interesting feature to beep after 7minutes of inactivity with the battery still connected, in case of crash with the lipo still attached. But on the two I have, one doesnt work with this feature.
+ cheap
+ light buzzer
+ beeps even with the lipo still attached
– not compatible with Kiss FC (no buzzer function usable from radio)
– bad quality product
Wish I could use this buzzer on my glider. Want to switch the buzzer on in case glider is lost in a tree or in the woods. As I am not using a FC, does anyone know if I cab activiteiten the buzzer with a switch on the radio? I using a Taranis radio.
scroll down to “Matek PWM Buzzer”: https://oscarliang.com/buzzer-quadcopters/
You can connect this buzzer to the PWM output of your receiver and use a switch to turn it on/off :)
After smashing the hellgate byzzer in a crash i replaced with the small one tbat came with my dys f4 fc. After smashing thst too (lol)…i got a 3.99 Matek lost model buzzer and desoldeted the buzzer off it and stuck it on hellgate….happy happy…oh and i soldeted5longer wires to place my buzzer further away from the battery and the fc.
Every one I no who has bought the hellgate buzzer they have all died , I took my friends one apart and the battery still had full charge something had blown inside but could not see what or were it was even under the microscope so I imagine one of the components has failed not good on a expensive buzzer, I have bought 3 vifly buzzers all working well and happy with them , I have made a charging board for charging the vifly so always has full battery just incase I loose it .
Full speed luckybox manual :
fullspeedrc.com/u_file/1808/file/17f295fb4e.pdf
Regards
Asierfpv
Hello, i want to use a JHE42B on a fpv aircraft.
Can you help me to understand how does the buzzer- on a flight controller works?
(Voltaje)
Tks
And another buzzer.
gearbest.com/rc-parts/pp_009580891376.html
youtube.com/watch?v=YLTUbWQhA8k
Just bought myself 3x Vifly because $30 for the hellgate is ridiculous for what it is.
My conclusions
1) I’d really prefer it if the Vifly did not have a plug and I could solder directly.
2) Would be great if the switch was solder too, then you could mount the buzzer in an obscure location and put the switch where it’s reachable. Think I might desolder and try this anyway. Not sure if power cycling all the time is good for the electronic components?
Anyway I’ve managed to fit it in an LX5 with GPS, Cap and SQ12, so not too bad!
Here is another buzzer. LOL
gearbest.com/esc/pp_009541558597.html?wid=1433363
110dB buzzer on JHE42B
I totally agree with you Oscar! I have made a review on this in spanish a few days ago and conclusións are very similar: youtu.be/izbrnWUBqqk