Review: Furious Mini RX

by Oscar

A new Frsky receiver option for light weight and tiny mini/micro quad builds – the Furious Mini RX! It’s even smaller than XSR!

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Thanks to HeliDirect for sending in this FuriousFPV Mini RX for testing. For a list of Frsky Compatible RX’s, please check out our list.

furious mini rx receiver top

Furious Mini RX Features

  • Dimension 17mm x 24mm.
  • Weight: 2.4g (with antenna) and 1.9g without antenna.
  • Uninverted SBUS output
  • Telemetry HUB
  • Input voltage: 4-6V
  • Compatible with FrSky Taranis, Taranis Plus, & XJT module
  • Range: 500m (by manufacturer)

The signal output is SBUS without inversion! Which means it works even on Naze32 Rev5 without any hacks. But because of this, SBUS inversion needs to be turned off on F3 FC in CLI:

set sbus_inversion = OFF save

Another thing to be aware of is it only provides 8 channels instead of 16 normally.

furious mini rx receiver back

Why you should or shouldn’t use it?

Firstly, it’s small and light weight compared to the X4R/D4R-II (5.8g), even the XSR (3.8g).

furious mini rx size compare D4R-II receiver furious mini rx size comparison x4r-sb xsr

However, the Furious Mini RX doesn’t have diversity, like the XSR or X4R-SB does (only using single antenna instead of two). This could affect range. But I imagine whoever use this RX, would be putting it on a micro quad. They probably only fly around within a few hundred feet. Even if you are using it for racing, you don’t need long range so this should not be a problem.

I haven’t tested the range of this unit yet. But I tried it within 300 meters with perfect signal. Although I did occasionally get “signal low” warning on my Taranis, when flying behind trees 200 meters out (where I didn’t have problems with X4R-SB). There are other similar micro Frsky RX out there (which I used for my micro brushed quad), but the range is normally less than 100 meters.

Anyway, it’s also good to know that FuriousFPV are currently working on a diversity version. (According to FuriousFPV’s facebook page)

It doesn’t have S.Port Telemetry! Only support telemetry Hub according to the spec.

There is no mention of failsafe anywhere, but after using it on my Toretto 130 quad, I think the default failsafe action is low throttle for 1 second, then cut throttle. (I need to come back and confirm, and find out how to set user failsafe)

And finally, it’s a perfect match with the PiKo BLX FC on a tight build :)

furious mini rx connect piko blx fc

One problem I had though was the end points and mid points wasn’t what I was expecting. The range seems to be shifted to the right by about 20us.

furious mini rx channel mid point problem not centre

A quick fix was to change the settings in your Servo page as follow (or Output page depends on your Taranis firmware version).

furious mini rx channel mid point problem not centre fix output servo page

Fun Fact

Did you know that if you strip all the pins off a X4R-SB or D4R-II, and replace the 2 antennas with thin magnet copper wires, you can get the weight down to 2.7g?!

Yes, someone has done it before LOL.

D4R-II-RX-Receiver-stripping-pins-lightweight-

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23 comments

Paul 21st November 2017 - 1:36 pm

I purchased two of these units after having read this review…

Range in both units on two different quads is dreadful!! I am not getting more than 300-400 FEET before my ques simply drops out of the sky!!

Reply
Oscar 28th November 2017 - 2:02 pm

that sounds unusual, have you contacted their support for advice?

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jeremy 13th April 2017 - 8:41 pm

hey oscar could you assist me? i have a naze32 rev5 and ive done sbus_invert = off command, set rx_serial on the ports tab and set the config tab accordingly. ive bound the receiver to my taranis set the mode to d8 but when i go to the radio tab in betaflight im not getting any response on my sticks. the receiver is connected because i get the telemetry warning. ive tried soldering to the 3 signal pads on my fc and still nothing is working. please help

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Merin kumar SP 15th January 2017 - 10:14 am

does it work with DJT ?

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SYLVAIN 26th June 2017 - 8:53 pm

Yes, it’s works. I have this Rx and DFT modul on a old futaba ff9. I don’t know why but it’s work well on piko blx in sBus

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monacoharry 12th December 2016 - 7:39 pm

hello oscar, my mini rx is bind to my taranis with eu software, but I can not connect it to my fc holybro kakute, can’t see anything in my receiver on betaflight, no chance :-(

best regards, harry

Reply
Alfonso Irwin 26th November 2016 - 1:37 am

Hi. I just bought a Tarot 130 quad. and the Mini RX for Frsky.. Do you guys has Any diagram or picture of how to connect it on this particular quad?
Thanks.

Reply
SaGô 12th November 2016 - 3:36 pm

i am a little confused about the telemetry. i’m only interested in VFAS being sent to my Taranis. can this thing do that? of course, i wire a pin to UART TX, go to BetaFlight and select FrSky (not SmartPort), correct? thanks for clarifying!

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Randy Bolton 14th October 2017 - 10:40 pm

Last responose but I just had the same problem and was able to get VFas to work. I selected FrSky and AutoBaud but the FuriousFPV documentation is wrong. It says to set telemetry inversion off, but you must invert the telemetry (at least on my Nano F3 FC). So for BetaFlight at the CLI prompt type “set tlm_inversion = on” then “save”. Sometimes it’s “set telemetry_inversion = on”. You can see the parameter if you type “set” and scroll through the list. Not sure about CleanFlight but probably the same.

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Tony Vitone 13th October 2016 - 5:47 am

I’m having trouble getting the rx to show any output from my taranis. I believe it’s bound, because it shows telemetry on the taranis when battery is plugged in. And says telemetry lost when battery is unplugged. Betaflight doesn’t show anything coming out of my radio, and Clean flight freezes when I click on the radio tab. Any ideas?? I am using the Pikoblx set up for a doinker. Followed all steps to the very last detail. Could the rx be faulty?

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Oscar 13th October 2016 - 3:47 pm

In cleanflight GUI
1. have you setup serial RX in the Port Tab
2. have you chosen serial RX type in config tab? and choose SBUS as receiver type?

also make sure the wiring are correct? I would also try the RX on a different FC just in case… if still no luck then it could be faulty unit

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Tony Vitone 21st October 2016 - 12:38 am

Wiring is correct, just like the picture above with the piko blx. Just installed a new rx, and I still have the same problem. Super frustrating, all of my screens in beta flight match what it is supposed to be. I seriously don’t get it.

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ben w 2nd December 2016 - 3:42 am

i have same problem let me know if you work it out

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Ryan Ganley 5th February 2017 - 4:21 am

I am having the same exact issue, how did you solve it?

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Jess 15th September 2016 - 1:08 am

I am looking to build a small brushed LoS quad using maybe something like the efficiency 80 from Picnic, however I want to build it with an SBUS Rx (or at least PPM) so I can use my Taranis (instead of my DX-6). I see in the image “https://oscarliang.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/furious-mini-rx-size-comparison-x4r-sb-xsr-300×208.jpg” there is a Furious Micro Rx, however I am getting the feeling that image is from an alternate universe because it is the only place I have seen it. Was it discontinued or just a prototype or something?

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Oscar 19th September 2016 - 3:02 pm

it’s a prototype, and the micro RX isn’t available yet i think…

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ronald 28th July 2016 - 5:27 am

hi oscar

will u able to get the constant vfas reading?
i can get that update every few second. but sometime it takes 30s to update once.

pls advise and thanks for ur help.

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Oscar 7th August 2016 - 2:16 pm

have you tried Cells?

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Austin Chopra 27th July 2016 - 2:38 pm

You can always set up fail safe in cleanflight / beta flight

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Oscar 7th August 2016 - 2:11 pm

it’s best to have both :)

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Indy 27th July 2016 - 11:31 am

Hi Oscar,
Cool product…
The only thing, is it compatible with the Taranis EU firmware? I guess not?

Thanks for your blog,

Reply
Oscar 7th August 2016 - 2:11 pm

My taranis is none EU, so it’s probably not

Reply
Flying fox 27th July 2016 - 8:46 am

Slim wires?

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