Want something compact yet has decent flight performance? Check out the GEPRC Smart 35 – a 3.5″ freestyle FPV drone. It’s well tuned and flies great out of the box, if you don’t want to build it from scratch and tune it, you have to check out the Smart35.
Table of Contents
Where to Buy?
There are 3 receiver options: PNP (no receiver), Frsky R-XSR and TBS Crossfire Nano. There are two versions based on what FPV system you want to run. I will be reviewing the DJI HD version.
DJI HD Version (Caddx Nebula Nano + Vista): https://oscarliang.com/product-9up7
Analog Version (Caddx Ratel V2 + 600mW VTX): https://oscarliang.com/product-9z7t
You might also want to get some spare props as it only comes with one set:
The GEPRC Smart 35 comes with the following accessories in the box.
Should You Get the GEPRC Smart 35?
Just like the GEPRC Rocket, I am super happy with the PID/Filter tune of the Smart 35. It just flies so damn well and I can’t recommend it enough.
And let me explain what the GEPRC Smart 35 FPV drone is designed for.
Why 3.5″?
This is the first time I tried a 3.5″ drone. Normally there are either 3″ or 4″, so you can imagine the performance is in between these two more common sizes. Comparing to a 3″, it’s pretty hard to spot the difference until you put them side by side.
Left: GEPRC Smart 35 (3.5″); Right: HGLRC Sector (3″)
4″ is also a popular size for sub 250-gram builds (weight limit for registration in some countries), but normally it would have to use skinny frames and under-powered motors, especially with the extra weight from an HD camera on top.
3.5″ aims to strike for that perfect balance between durability, weight and performance, to offer the best possible handling while staying under 250g all-up-weight.
Notice there’s a power cable already soldered to the FC, and it comes with a 3D printed mount. Both of them are for the new GEPRC Naked GoPro 8. Of course you can also use other HD cameras of your choice.
Flight Performance
GEPRC never disappoints when it comes to factory PID and filter tuning. My good experience started with the GEPRC Rocket and it continues with the Smart 35. It flies like it’s on rail and is free of jello even when doing punch outs. Little to none when it comes to bounce backs and prop wash, just amazing tune. If you don’t know much about building and tuning, the Smart 35 will save you many headaches. Check out my flight here:
In terms of flight performance, the GEPRC Smart 35 feels like the Flywoo Explorer 4″ on steroid. Of course, it’s not as energy efficient, but it’s more powerful, nimble and aggressive with those 1404 3850KV motors.
Higher KV and smaller props means RPM is much higher, hence the quad feels faster and more responsive. It’s definitely more suited for freestyle and acrobatic style flying. Yet if you take it easy, a relax cruise flight can still give you 7 – 8 minutes of flight time on 4S 850mAh.
Those 3.5″ props are Emax 3528 triblade, they are the same props used in the Babyhawk II HD.
If you find 5″ quad too scary to fly in your busy local parks, this 3.5″ might be a better option. It’s quieter and handles very much just like a 5″.
Closer Look at the GEPRC Smart 35
Specs:
- GEP-F411-35A AIO FC
- MCU: STM32F411
- MPU6000 Gyro
- BLHeli_S 35A 4in1 ESC
- Input Voltage: 4S
- Caddx Vista VTX
- FPV Camera: Caddx Nebula Nano V2
- VTX Antenna: Momoda 5.8g UFL LHCP
- Motors: GR1404-3850KV
- Props: EMAX 3.5*2.8*3 (3528×3)
- Weight without LiPo: 150g
The arms are 4mm thick, I crashed and fell on concrete a few times and it held up well. But if you are still looking for more strength, there are carbon fibre braces included in the kit that you can add to the arms.
It’s a compact frame, so you will see some props and top canopy in the FPV camera view, but it’s not the end of the world.
The Vista is mounted under the top plate, and not on the bottom plate which is an interesting idea.
You have these plastic covers on each arm to protect the motors wires from getting chopped by bent prop in crashes.
The FPV camera doesn’t extrude from the frame and is well protected by the front standoffs. If yours came extruding from the frame, you can push the camera back by loosening the side screws in the camera plates.
There’s no strain relief on the battery lead (XT30), you should probably zip tie it to one of the rear standoffs. The Smart 35 is equipped with GEPRC’s own LHCP antenna for the Caddx Vista VTX.
Finally, I wish it had a beeper which can help you find the model more easily after crashing. ESC beacon is setup out of the box, which uses motors as beeper but they are not quite as loud.
Battery and Weight
I recommend running 4S 850mAh LiPo batteries on the Smart 35, and without using an HD camera you should be able to stay under 250g comfortably. Here’s my battery recommendation.
However, with an HD camera like the Naked GoPro Hero 8, you probably want to use a smaller battery if you want to hit that 250gr weight target, e.g. a 4S 650mAh.
The GEPRC Smart 35 is not really designed for long range. With that powerful motor and prop setup, it can be quite power hungry if you fly aggressively. Flight time is not too bad though, I am getting 4-5 mins on 4S 650mAh, and 6min on 4S 850mAh.
How to Setup
Stock CLI dump can be found here.
- Board: GEPR/GEPRC_F411_AIO(STM32F411), loaded with Betaflight version 4.2.3
- BLHeli_S 16.70 Firmware (G-H-30)
Bind Crossfire receiver (you will have to push the bind button on the receiver first), then check in Betaflight Configurator receiver tab if you get response from stick movement.
Check if the motors are running correctly in the motors tab. DO NOT mount props while testing motors on the bench. Use a smoke stopper if you have one. For some strange reason, motor #1 in my quad spins the opposite direction and needs to be corrected in BLHeli Configurator.
Betaflight setup:
- In Modes, assign switches to Arm / Beeper / Flip over after crash
- Disable RX_LOST in DShot Beacon in Configuration tab to avoid motor overheat when you crash and lost signal
- Setup OSD elements
Activate and update Caddx Vista. Do this with a fan blowing as it can take several minutes and you don’t want the VTX to overheat. Stock firmware is 1.05 and you want latest version 1.06 to use 50Mbps mode.
Further Reading:
Finally bind it to to DJI FPV Goggles.
You can now mount the props and get ready for first flight!
15 comments
I just built one of these with a 6000kv 1404 and 70% motor limit in 5s and am having trouble with the quad doing rolls mid air after flying fine for 1-3 minutes
Geprc are liars. They talked about 10 minutes per 850 battery, which was not the last reason to buy. in reality I have about 6 minutes, which simply discourages me from flying. This is despite the fact that the price of the device is extremely high.
Personally I get about 9-10 minutes on a Tattu R-Line 850mah 95c battery. The only time I get below 7 minutes is if it is very cold or I’m really ripping that quad.
Which is the most controlable in tight environment rocket or smart 35?
of course the rocket, it’s smaller and lighter
Does this come acro out of the box?
yes it does
Will this frame fit a 19×19 camera, or only the nano size? I bought just the frame going to build it with a state nebula pro Vista I have.
It also fits Micro size (19×19). With the Nano camera it uses a micro adapter actually.
Great review – totally agree to all your points. I got this kinda as a suprise from GepRC (I asked them for a review sample of the gopro8 which they didnt send). Totally enjoy this copter especially for it’s good 5″ like freestyle flying with lowest efforts and lowest attention. So as you say: you can fly this everywhere without ppl even noticing it or being bothered by. And if someone acts weird and asks you to leave or wanna threaten you, you’re totally legal.
The only little downside again is the cam. The normal DJI cam is so much better. The stock nebula is flyable – but it really takes away half of the HD advantange (over analog). greets, Mario
Basically every BNF maker is sending the Nebula Nano these days, I have stopped complaining because they never listen :D Or maybe they just can’t find the Nebula Pro at a decent price i guess.
Funnily enough I had build a 3’’ using a very similar frame as this one and the same motors. That build was a slow poker. Lots of throttle resolution and very linear in the first 50%. That lack of pop made be switch these out for some 1204…
I then put these onto a 4’’ frame (racerx mutant). On 4s I have quite some fun and with the biblades it is sufficiently loud to make people look at you. This said the larger props make it for the missing pop and the low weight does not make it unresponsive. All good ?
So maybe that half an inch is the panacea?!?
at what throttle % does it hover?
about 25-30%? I don’t have throttle on OSD as it’s DJI so can only guess.
I had the oportunity to review this quad thx to GEPRC and I have to say It is great to fly it.
Two things that surprised me were how silent It is and how strong. I had a hard Crash and nothing happened to It. Great drone!