The new HGLRC Talon is a 2-inch cinewhoop that promises to be a powerful and durable option for both beginners and seasoned pilots. This review will cover my personal experiences, insights, and opinions on the Talon, providing you with all the details you need to know before making a purchase.
New to cinewhoops? Check out our buyer’s guide: https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/
Table of Contents
Where to Buy?
There are two FPV system options: DJI O3 and Analog. I will be reviewing the DJI O3 version here.
Get the HGLRC Talon 2-inch cinewhoop from:
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFaotzd
- Banggood: https://oscarliang.com/product-0tf6
- FPV24: https://oscarliang.com/product-9nj9
Specifications
- Flight Controller: SPECTER F411 15A AIO
- Flight Control Firmware: HGLRC F4EVO
- ESC Continuous Current: 15A
- ESC Firmware: Bluejay 0.19
- FPV System: DJI O3
- Motor: SPECTER 1303.5 5500KV
- Propeller: Gemfan 2020-5-D51 (2-inch 5-blade)
- Recommended Battery: 4S 650mAh or 850mAh LiPo (XT30 connector)
- Weight: 146g (without battery)
- Weight: 241g (with 4S 850mAh)
Closer Look at the Talon
First Impressions
The HGLRC Talon impresses right out of the box with its sleek, high-quality construction, reminds me of the GEPRC Cinebot25 I reviewed last week. Both are great-looking cinewhoops with fantastic, user-friendly design features.
Out of the box, you will find the drone has stickers in various places, offering important information to new users.
Build Quality and Design
The Talon is a blend of injected molded plastic, metal, and carbon fiber. This frame construction not only makes the Talon durable but also allows for easy repair if you crash and damage the frame.
The drone has bright LED lights on the sides of the prop guard that change from red when the drone is not armed to bright green when armed. This feature adds to the overall aesthetics and makes it easier for beginners to determine the drone’s status at a glance.
It also comes with a 3D-printed mount for an external HD camera, adding to its versatility.
Weight and Power System
At under 250 grams (241g with a 4S 850mAh battery), it’s ideal for complying with drone regulations in many countries. However, it’s not considered a lightweight cinewhoop in the 2-inch category due to its focus on durability and protection. For comparison, the BetaFPV Pavo20 weighs 94g (without battery) while the Talon weighs 146g (without battery). The difference in weight is quite substantial.
Left: HGLRC Talon; Right: BetaFPV Pavo20
Probably due to the heavier weight, HGLRC opted for 5-blade propellers to increase its power. This design choice seems appropriate, but if you want longer flight times, it’s probably better to use 3-blade propellers.
Drawbacks
Despite its many strengths, the Talon has notable downsides. Access to the flight controller is somewhat restricted, requiring removal of the battery strap, which can be a hassle for frequent adjustments or repairs. The camera mount offers very limited adjustability for the camera angle (around 15-25 degrees), which could be a deal breaker for pilots preferring high camera angle for aggressive flying.
The flight controller uses the reliable MPU6000 gyro, but it only has two UARTs—one for the receiver and the other for the DJI O3—so it does not leave a spare UART for GPS.
FPV System
Under the O3 camera, there’s a front bumper offering extra protection, a feature missing in most other micro cinewhoops. In ultra-wide video mode, this bumper may be visible in the footage, which might be a drawback for some pilots. However, switching to Wide can eliminate this issue. I personally never use Ultra Wide anyway, as Wide or Normal modes are needed to record gyro data for Gyroflow stabilization.
Note that the HGLRC Talon does not have soft mounting for the DJI O3 camera, it’s hard-mounted inside the frame. In my testing, I didn’t notice any jello or vibration thanks to the decent PID tune and filter settings, so even without camera soft mounting, it still produces great image quality.
Unlike many other 2″ cinewhoops that focus on lightweight builds (they replace the original O3 antenna with smaller dipole antennas), the Talon uses the original O3 antenna, which is heavier but offers better video signal and durability in crashes.
There’s heatsink on the bottom for cooling the O3.
Easy access to the O3’s USB-C port and SD card slot through the rubber cover.
Flight Performance
The Talon uses a “toilet tank” battery mounting style. I tested the drone with the recommended 4S 850mAh batteries, providing close to 5 minutes of flight time. However, because it’s considerably heavier than some other 2-inch cinewhoops, the Talon is noticeably noisier, especially when you switch from 5-blade to 3-blade propellers, which increases the RPM.
The batteries I used were the BetaFPV Lava 4S 850mAh, which I tested here: https://oscarliang.com/whoop-toothpick-lipo-battery/#4S-LiPOLiHV
The HGLRC Talon is surprisingly fast and agile for a heavy 2-inch cinewhoop. Its 1303.5 5500KV motors deliver impressive power, making it more zippy than I initially expected. This speed is great for exploration but requires careful control, especially in areas with obstacles or people.
It showed some propwash when doing sharp turns and recovering from dives, which is common in heavier cinewhoops. But it’s highly responsive and handles well, even in windy conditions. This is an advantage over the Pavo20 thanks to the heavier weight and more powerful motors. The drone feels locked in and in control, which is crucial for capturing smooth cinematic footage.
Conclusion
The HGLRC Talon is an impressive 2-inch cinewhoop that is well-suited for beginners looking to get into FPV flying, as well as experienced pilots wanting a more durable cinewhoop for exploration. For those who prefer a lighter, more nimble micro drone, the Pavo20 or Flylens85 might be better choices. But for those who prefer more protection for the DJI O3 camera and better video link, the Talon is a compelling option.
Get the HGLRC Talon 2-inch cinewhoop from
- AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFaotzd
- FPV24: https://oscarliang.com/product-9nj9
While the Talon has a few minor drawbacks, its robust design, flight performance, and build quality make it a strong contender in the FPV drone market.
4 comments
helo Oscar, is it still have power if we put a 3S battery on this quad?
It will still fly but will have a lot less power.
Hello Oscar, can I connect gps to softserial on this fc?
Sure, but not recommended, softserial is quite slow.