Review: GEPRC Darkstar22 Cinewhoop – Better Than the Pavo 20 Pro or Not?

The GEPRC Darkstar22 is a small cinewhoop that uses 2.2inch propellers. The extra thrust from slightly larger props makes a noticeable difference in flight performance, especially when carrying the heavier DJI O4 Pro Air Unit — without increasing the overall size compared to typical 2inch counterparts. In this review, I’ll break down my impressions of the Darkstar22’s design, build quality, flight performance, durability, and how it compares to the Pavo20 Pro II, and who this drone is best suited for.

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New to FPV? Learn about cinewhoops in this buyer’s guide: https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/

Where To Buy

Get the GEPRC Darkstar22 from:

AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3VXf1wP
GEPRC: https://oscarliang.com/product-hhuf

There are two versions available:

A version with DJI O4 Pro pre-installed
The “WTFPV” version where you install your own FPV system

It comes with these accessories:

1 × Spare prop guard (grey)
1 × Spare O4 Pro mount and camera cover (grey)
1 × Battery pad
1 × Spare set of Gemfan 2219×3 props
1 × L-shaped 1.5mm hex wrench
1 × Battery protector with landing feet
1 × Extra battery strap
1 × Damping ball punch tool
1 × Binding pin
1 × USB adapter
All required screws, tools, grommets, and rubber dampers
Stickers and quick-start sheet

Specifications

Frame: GEP-DS22
Carbon Fiber Plate Thickness: 2.5mm
Wheelbase: 100mm
FC: TAKER F405 20A ELRS 2.4 2–4S AIO Board
- MCU: STM32F405
- Gyro: ICM42688-P
- FC Firmware: GEPRC_TAKER_F405 AIO
- Flash: 16MB
- ESC: 8-bit 20A
Motor: SPEEDX2 1104 7500KV
Propellers: GEMFAN GP2219-3
Power Connector: XT30U-M
VTX: None
Camera: None
Antenna: None
Receiver: Built-in ELRS 2.4GHz
Recommended Battery: 3S 720mAh LiHV

Design

The GEPRC DarkStar22 is a compact cinewhoop running 2.2-inch propellers:

Small enough to fly in tighter spaces and close to objects
Equipped with prop guards, designed for flying near people, cars, and property with reduced risk
The ducts make it surprisingly tough — light bumps are far less catastrophic
Powerful enough to carry the DJI O4 Pro
The camera is soft-mounted to reduce vibration and jello, ideal for cinematic footage

The canopy and ducts are injection-molded plastic. They feel rigid, stiff, and strong. On a quad this size, the plastic feels beefy — not cheap or brittle. The motors and flight controller are mounted on a 2.5mm thick carbon fiber base plate, which reduces flex and improves flight performance.

The XT30 connector is integrated into the rear duct using a neat 3D-printed holder. It’s well protected and nicely integrated, but your battery lead must be long enough to reach it. One downside is that unplugging batteries can be slightly annoying because it stretches your battery wire.

The camera lens is relatively well protected without any plastic appearing the camera’s view. However, I’d still recommend using an ND or UV filter for additional lens protection, as the camera mount itself is entirely plastic.

An LED strip is integrated inside the ducts. It’s not RGB — just a single color (blue). You can turn it on or off using a switch on your radio. It’s already configured in Betaflight and assigned to Channel 8 (AUX 4) in the Modes tab.

That said, it does add extra weight (roughly 10g). If you’re not a fan of LEDs, you can simply swap to the spare duct instead of ripping out the LED strip from the original frame.

Soft-Mounted Camera Canopy

Similar to the Pavo20 Pro, the Darkstar22 soft-mounts both the camera and the air unit, it works very well at isolating vibration and minimizing jello in the footage.

However, unlike the Pavo20 Pro, which secures the canopy with bolts, the Darkstar22 relies on five rubber grommets to hold the canopy in place. In harder crashes, the canopy is likely to pop off.

It’s also quite fiddly to remove and reinstall. You have to push the grommets through very tight gaps, and installing or removing them — especially when fitting the DJI O4 Pro — can be tedious.

Limited FPV System Options

Like many BNF manufacturers, the canopy and camera mounting recently appear optimized primarily for the DJI O4 Pro air units more than anything else.

DJI cameras use different screw spacing compared to traditional analog or Walksnail cameras. If you plan to mount camera other than DJI, you may need to do some DIY modifications.

That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it’s worth knowing before you buy a “no FPV system” version expecting universal drop-in compatibility with analog or Walksnail or other systems.

Camera Angle Limitation

The maximum camera angle is limited to roughly 0° to about 30°.

For typical cinewhoop use — indoor flying or relaxed outdoor cruising — this range is perfectly adequate. However, if you prefer higher camera uptilt for faster flying, you may need to modify the mount yourself.

Learn about how camera tilt angle affect your flying: https://oscarliang.com/camera-angle/

GPS Mounting: Great Idea, Imperfect Execution

If you don’t use GPS, this won’t concern you.

When installing the mounting plate on the O4 Pro air unit, you may notice a square slot in the plate. After securing the air unit, this slot faces upward through the canopy cutout. It’s designed to hold a GPS module, keeping the build clean and tidy.

It appears to fit GPS modules with dimensions around 15.5×15.5mm. GPS like HGLRC M100 Mini would fit perfectly.

However, because the GPS sits very close to the O4 air unit and antennas, there’s potential for interference. This can reduce GPS performance — fewer satellites locked and longer time to achieve a 3D fix.

In my opinion, it would have been better to place the GPS mount on top of the camera protector. It would be slightly more exposed, but GPS modules are generally quite robust. More importantly, mounting the GPS farther away from RF sources would likely improve satellite reception and reliability.

Adding GPS allows you to enable:

Position Hold: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-position-hold/
GPS Rescue Mode: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/

A Small Annoyance: External USB Adapter

On the DarkStar22, you have to plug in a small adapter to access the USB port for Betaflight configuration. It doesn’t make the quad harder to use, but it’s exactly the kind of tiny part you’ll eventually lose — especially if you own multiple quads with different adapters. It quickly becomes messy.

It’s the same situation with the Pavo20 Pro. It seems fairly common nowadays for small cinewhoops to break out the USB port to a separate adapter.

The reasons for this design choice are obvious: weight savings and easier access in compact builds.

And there are two identical connectors on the board, which makes it easy to plug into the wrong one.

Flight Performance

https://youtu.be/mxR3EnRN2Mg

Testing GEPRC Darkstar22 2.2inch FPV cinewhoop (https://youtu.be/mxR3EnRN2Mg)

The Darkstar22 hovers at around 21% throttle. It doesn’t feel particularly powerful. A full throttle punch is noticeably slower than the Pavo20 Pro, likely due to the extra weight.

That said, I don’t have complaints about handling. It’s a very smooth and stable whoop. Turns feel clean and predictable.

There is some propwash oscillation during sharp turns and when recovering from dives, but that’s expected for a heavier micro cinewhoop.

I also noticed a tiny bit of vibrations when flying in windy conditions (around 15 MPH in the flight footage). However, these can be smoothed out easily in post using Gyroflow.

For a micro cinewhoop, it actually performs surprisingly well in for freestyle and acro. Flips and rolls feel snappy and responsive.

GEPRC recommends a 3S 720mAh LiHV battery. I didn’t have one available, so I tested it with some BetaFPV 3S 550mAh LiHV packs instead.

With a mix of freestyle and cruising, I was getting around 4–5 minutes of flight time. If you use a 720mAh pack, you can probably expect about one extra minute.

Darkstar22 vs. Pavo20 Pro V2

They’re essentially the same size — both use 2.2-inch propellers — but there are some important differences.

Weight

The Darkstar22 is heavier than the Pavo20 Pro. With the DJI O4 Pro and LED strip installed, it’s roughly 17g heavier.

Pavo20 Pro II: 116g
Darkstar22: 133.5g

That likely explains why GEPRC recommends a larger battery — to compensate for reduced flight time due to the extra weight. However, a bigger battery makes the drone even heavier, which noticeably affects performance.

Takeoff weight including manufacturer-recommended batteries:

Darkstar22 (133.5g) + Storm 3S 720mAh (50.5g): 184g
Pavo20 Pro (116g) + LAVA 3S 550mAh (43.2g): 159.2g

That’s about a 25g difference, which is significant on a small cinewhoop.

If you’re happy with 4–5 minutes of flight time, I actually think a 3S 550mAh pack is the better choice for overall flight performance.

Pusher vs. Standard Configuration

The Pavo20 Pro uses a pusher configuration — motors are mounted upside down, and the props sit below the frame.

The Darkstar22 uses a standard configuration — props are on top, like a traditional quad.

There are arguments that pusher setups can be slightly more efficient, potentially translating to marginally better flight times. However, the downside is that propellers are more exposed during landings and crashes. This can lead to:

More bent or damaged props
Increased chance of micro vibrations (and jello in footage) over time
More frequent maintenance and prop replacements

With the Darkstar22’s standard configuration, propellers are more protected. When it lands or tumbles, the ducts and arms hit first rather than the propellers.

I’ve written a more detailed article discussing these configurations here: https://oscarliang.com/pusher-configuration-explained/

Which One Flies Better?

If you are an experienced freestyle pilot, the Pavo20 Pro is more fun. Being almost 20g lighter makes a noticeable difference in handling, responsiveness, and efficiency for drones in this size class. That said, you won’t be disappointed by how the Darkstar flies. It’s still smooth and nimble, and you can absolutely freestyle with it.

With the same battery, the Pavo20 Pro gives you almost a full minute more flight time, mainly thanks to its lower weight.

Range

The Darkstar has the edge when it comes to range.

It uses an external ELRS receiver with a better-positioned antenna. On the Pavo20 Pro, the antenna is just a simple copper wire tucked inside the frame, which significantly limits maximum range. Flying within 300m is generally fine, but beyond that it becomes increasingly risky.

If range and signal penetration capability matters to you, the Darkstar is clearly stronger in this area.

Durability

Both the Darkstar and Pavo20 has strengths and weaknesses.

I’m not a big fan of pusher config and try to avoid it when possible. Props on the bottom tend to get damaged more often, and takeoffs can be harder if the quad gets caught on debris. The O4 Pro camera is also slightly better protected on the Darkstar. The battery protector is also a very nice touch.

However, the soft-mounted canopy is the main weak point. Hard crashes can cause the canopy to separate from the frame. Repeatedly removing and reinstalling the rubber grommets can also damage them over time.

In contrast, the Pavo20 Pro canopy is secured with bolts, making it more robust and secure. For that reason, I would avoid aggressive flying that could lead to heavy crashes with the Darkstar.

Maintenance

Maintenance largely comes down to how the canopy is mounted.

Pavo20 Pro: Four screws to remove. Easy to work on and easy to reassemble.
Darkstar22: To access the bottom of the FC, you remove six screws from underneath. For the top side, you must remove the canopy — and reinstalling those rubber grommets properly can be frustrating.

If you enjoy tinkering and don’t crash much, it’s manageable. But if you crash often and want quick repairs, the Pavo is just easier.

Noise

Noise matters especially when you’re flying close to people, indoors, or around animals.

Pavo20 Pro: Quieter, with a lower-pitched sound.
Darkstar22: Slightly louder, with a higher pitch.

Neither is anywhere near as loud as a 5-inch quad. A few hundred meters away, both fade into background noise. But if stealth is a priority, the Pavo has a slight advantage.

Price

The Darkstar is roughly $35 more than the Pavo20 Pro as a full BNF:

Pavo20 Pro II (O4 Pro + ELRS): $364.99
Darkstar22 (O4 Pro + ELRS): $399.99

When comparing PNP versions (without O4 Pro), the Darkstar is $65 more expensive!

You’re paying a noticeable premium for the Darkstar22, so the real question is: do you get what you pay for?

Installing the DJI O4 Pro Air Unit

If you order the version without the DJI O4 Pro, you’ll need to install it yourself.

I’m slightly disappointed by the lack of instructions on how to do this. For experienced pilots, it’s not a big issue — you can probably figure it out fairly quickly. But for beginners, this could be frustrating. At the very least, they should explain which screws go where and how the air unit should be mounted.

The quad includes a leaflet in the box, but it’s just generic information for all their BNF drones — not a proper manual for this specific model. I also checked their website for documentation, but couldn’t find anything. Not the most beginner-friendly experience.

Anyway, I’ll show how I installed mine here to make things clearer.

How to Setup

Before the first flight, I did the following:

Installed O4 Pro Air Unit
Installed the battery pad

Firmware

The flight controller (FC) board target is TAKERF405, and it comes preloaded with Betaflight firmware version 2025.12.0-beta. For CLI Diff, see here
ESC Firmware: Bluejay, 0.21.0, 48kHz (Q-H-30)
ELRS Receiver Firmware Target: GEPRC Nano 2.4GHz RX, firmware 3.5.4

DJI O4 Pro OSD Setup

Betaflight is not configured for the O4 Pro, so there isn’t any OSD on screen. Follow this guide to set it up: https://oscarliang.com/how-to-setup-dji-o4-pro/#Setup-OSD-in-Betaflight
O4 Pro is connected to UART1
Pair the DJI O4 Air Unit with your goggles – Guide: https://oscarliang.com/how-to-setup-dji-o4-pro/#Pairing-DJI-Goggles-3-with-O4-Air-Unit-Pro

Betaflight Setup

Bind the ELRS receiver – Detail tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/bind-expresslrs-receivers/
Load the ExpressLRS preset according to your packet rate – Instructions: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-presets/#Loading-RC-Link-Configurations
Set up custom rates – My Rates: https://oscarliang.com/rates/#My-Rates
Configure the Modes tab (arm switch, turtle mode, etc. AUX4 is for turning on/off LED by default): https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-modes/#How-to-Setup-Arm-Switch
Set up OSD, you can copy my CLI lines: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-osd/#My-OSD-Setup-CLI-Commands
Magnetometer can be disabled in Configuration tab as it’s not used
RC Deadband is set to 5, which can be reduced in Receiver tab – not necessary IMO if your radio/receiver isn’t jittering.
By the default the drone runs “props in”, so no changes in Motors tab needed. If you experience excessive yaw washout, you can try running “props out”.
Current sensor scale needs adjustment for accurate readings: 350

Manual:

Final Verdict

If size doesn’t matter and you just want the best flying cinewhoop, I still prefer the GEPRC Cinelog30 V3. It’s more efficient, more powerful, more stable, and surprisingly quiet.

But if you just want a small 2-inch cinewhoop with the DJI O4 Pro, it really comes down to the Pavo20 Pro vs. Darkstar22.

Overall, the Pavo20 Pro flies better and longer due to the lighter weight, and it’s better suited for close-range freestyle. It’s also easier to maintain and more affordable.

That said, the Darkstar22 also flies well and has a solid PID tune, but the heavier weight makes it better suited for relaxed cruising. Its better receiver and antenna setup give it noticeably better range.