The TBS Oblivion is a pre-built racing drone. According to Team black Sheep, it’s designed with usability and durability in mind. They also claim the Oblivion has a top speed of 120Km/h and up to 11 mins of flight time (hover time). But is it really worth spending money on? Let’s take a look.
You can get the Oblivion from: GetFPV | Amazon
Note: This is not a review, it’s just my thoughts based on the spec of the quad. Learn about how to get started with drone racing and mini quad FPV in this article.
Spec
- Flight Controller: TBS Colibri F3
- Motors: Custom Cobra CT-2205 2400kV
- ESC: TBS PowerCube 25A (3S-6S, BLHeli-S, No DShot)
- VTX: FPVision (Unify 25-800mw)
- FPV Camera: TBS 650TVL
- Motor to Motor Distance 190mm
- Dry weight (without battery): 315g
I am sure the 2205 motors are great for light weight builds, and the low KV choice is probably great too for efficiency. But the quad might feel under-powered when carrying an HD camera due to this motor choice.
Another disappointment to me would be the ESC’s. Not only the PowerCube is a bit outdated (runs BLHeli_S with no DShot support), it’s also pretty heavy and takes up more space than a typical 4-in-1 ESC’s. It’s a pretty tall stack with 6 boards in total: four single ESC boards, plus the FC and VTX stacking together with copper standoff’s for transferring the power.
The TBS Oblivion doesn’t come with a radio receiver, you need to get your own and install it in the quad. However it does support popular RX protocols including CRSF, S-Bus and Spektrum DSMX.
What’s Special about the TBS Oblivion? Just the Frame?
I have been asked multiple times by viewers to review this quad, but I just wasn’t too excited about it when I saw the spec. It’s mostly old TBS components, and I am a bit worried about under-power when carrying a GoPro.
The most interesting part about this drone would probably be the frame. It’s using plastic (injected composite polymer) instead of the commonly used carbon fibre. The plastic frame and canopy also allows for a more aerodynamic shape and better efficiency.
If you want, you can pick up just the frame for around $40 from GetFPV.
According to TBS, the modular design minimizes the amount of soldering which makes repairing and upgrading relatively easier. The frame accepts 20x20mm and 30x30mm stacks for a wider range of hardware.
I’ve already seen people “making upgrades” to the Oblivion. But what’s the point of spending more money upgrading it when you can just get all the parts you want in the first place? It doesn’t make much sense to me.
I wish the Oblivion was more than just the frame.
23 comments
I’ve read this article a few times, and I want to give a beginner’s view point. As someone who wanted to get into flying, I wanted something I couldn’t break. Anything is too fast when you first start, and everything feels not locked in. You haven’t mastered turning or control of the drone, and this leads to TONS of crashes. While you’re learning throttle control, this drone pays for itself 5 times over. I crashed this thing multiple times….I mean horrific crashes, and it never broke. I broke the antennas, I broke and bent props, but NEVER broke this drone.
To this day it is a wonderful cruising and cinematic machine in addition to more powerful drones I’ve built. Stop trying to make this the best thing for everyone. It has 1 job, and it does it extremely well. You want a drone that your kid can’t break – here ya go. You want a drone you can’t break…even from a hundred feet when you accidentally disarm it — here you go. You want something for cruising and long flight times out the box — here ya go. Stop overthinking and making this something it isn’t. This is built for beginners, and honestly, I think there are faster and more powerful drones, but none will outlast the beginner stage into the intermediate stage like this. I NEVER had to replace an arm or anything. It just works.
I started FPV building cheap kits. Spent so much time repairing, fixing random bugs… It ended up costing quiet more than expected aswell. My wife wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t so happy either because I wanted to spend less time fixing stuff and more time flying.
Then a friend of mine advised me to buy an Oblivion. Bought it second hand. It saved my mariage I guess, it’s the strongest quad i’ve seen. Countless times freestyle in bando I was the last pilot standing, sometimes other pilots killed a couple of quads on small crashes while I was taking hard crashes all day…
I killed a motor once, racing in an indoor parking. Replacing it took 1 minute. I was the fastest pilot that day, mostly because I had the confidence to go fast from the beggining.
No reviewer is really testing the quads ability as far as long range. I live in the alps and love long range. Oblivion is awesome for that, the way it’s built (pdb, individual capacitors on each esc) and the FPVision (video tx) is top-notch. Also this quad is a camel, because it’s well built and the Cobras are super efficient.
All in all, the Oblivion is the quad for the ones who likes to fly.
If you want to brag you have the fastest drone on the planet, don’t buy it.
If what you are into is long range, freestyle and non competitive racing, you will love it.
I’ve had the Oblivion for about 6 months and it’s just sat there, as I contemplate how I’m gonna run the antenna wires for my XM+ receiver… ?
I have no idea how to run them… Out the sides and then taped to the arms? Or, out the back and taped to the arms? Ugh! Any ideas?
I’ve looked at hundreds of pics of other owners and i can’t see how they run theirs, other than Crossfire “T” style antennas and I’m not financially comfortable yet for the Crossfire upgrade…
And what about the motors too? I bought an Oblivion frame as well, as they’re online now for $20 and I had no idea that the motors were and odd fit! Wow TBS what were you guys thinking? Or were you! Trappy must have had his head “in the clouds” that day! And I mean really “HIGH” in the clouds…
Thanks Oscar, for all your help and hard work!
I just ordered the TBS OBLIVION RTF with Fat Sharks. I am the ‘Target’ audience for this Wuad as I have only owned Mavic Pro’s. I’m super excited to get this and once I get better I’ll just build my own Alien 5’..
Cheers
Hi Oscar
Kindly need an advise to choose electronics for long range purpose, im going with runcam split for the cam, but idk best component to build this frame, could you give me an insight about the electronics?
Check out my 6S build :) I think 6S has an advantage over 4S for long range :)
Every single person here who looks at the Oblivion and says, “What a waste of money,” is not the audience for the Oblivion. The Oblivion is for the people who aren’t here yet.”
Whilst it is probably a good way of clearing the shelves of unwanted stock, the rtf oblivion is literally plug in a pack and fly, the pnp oblivion takes minutes to set up with no need for betaflight configurator.
Think about the eachine wizard. $200-250 and how long before something went bang and you needed to replace it, and then the price goes above $300. it’s intended to be a quality pnp that get people into the hobby with as little effort as possible
For the stack, they must have some stock from time ago :)
It’s an industry litmus test. If you have a favorable or neutral review of this thing, it’s clear the reviewer can’t be trusted.
It’s a pantry build from junk parts they’re not selling anymore.
I’m sorry what? What parts of the oblivion do they not sell on their own? All of hte powercube parts are still sold, as is the fpvision, hs1177, crossfire, tango, motors and frame.
I only bought the frame looks good .
Way over priced / outdated for the rtf version and not worth the money . Sorry tbs maybe ok for beginners (but hey that’s where there targeting lol)
It’s 100% aimed at beginners, but the rtf version is definetly not overpriced. crossfire setup on it’s own is $150, the tango can be kept as you upgrade, comes with battery, charger. It’s literally plug and go, no configuration needed at all
Be honest here, how much did it cost you to get into the hobby?
I did the same. I agree about the outdated parts. They probably still make a pretty good whole, but nothing that’s going to be a contender. So like you, I decided to build a DIY because I had better parts lying around. And no doubt (as you’ve probably found since posting) the frame is amazing. Flies like butter, insanely aerodynamic, perfectly balanced and surprisingly robust. In fact it would be perfect. But…..
Not only do they use outdated motors in the PNP oblivion, but the Cobra motor mounting holes are mounted 90 degrees out of phase with every other cobra-bottom motor out there. And sadly the Oblivion copies that. So instead of being a 19×16 hole pattern, its a 16×19 hole pattern. So when you line up your motor wires to the wire channels, the screw holes in your motors don’t line up with the holes in the frame. I tried 3 different brands of motors and none matched. So unless you pay $20+ each for crappy 2205s from Cobra, you have to use 18×18 motors. But the problem with that is that you can only get 2 screws to fit. And inevitably the frame cracks around the 2 motor screws due to the unbalanced torque (I’ve been flying for 4 years, and I pretty much never crash. Its clear to me the cracking is the result of the sub-optimal motor mounting. I got identical cracks around the same screw hole on both front motors). I would buy 100 of these frames and never use anything else if this wasn’t the case. Because it is a marvel of engineering and nothing else I’ve ever flown can match the smooth feel. But instead I spent $40, couldn’t use the motors I wanted, and had to pitch it after it cracked itself useless in 2 weeks. Small oversight, epic fail IMHO. TBS has blown the chance to capitalize on the best part of this quad, the frame, just to stuff it with substandard parts. Call me disappointed. Unify and Crossfire are literally the greatest things ever. Can’t believe they blew it this bad with Oblivion.
Hi,
thanks for the quick review. I’m also often disappointed about some “Famous” frame on the market.
But i can imagine we are not the target of this frame.
For beginners it’s one of a good choice but as i can read, i would recommend the wizard S instead, more classic components and well improved !
Thanks Oscar
Read up on the oblivion and wow it’s components, all of them are close to two years outdated. How can they possibly ask 300$ for the BNF? That’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s like they have turned into the one trick pony show and the unify’s And crossfire components is their thing and this was tossed together to grab $$ off of newcomers. I already had stopped buying from them cause of an asshat response to a question I emailed them. I straight asked why isn’t their a newer version of the PowerCube and why is the PowerCube at its price sill when it’s not even in the top twenty stacks con the market right now but it’s priced like it’s number one. Well guess the truth hurt and they are well asshats.
Is there a flight video where you test this or is this just a review based upon specs? If so maybe do a flight video on performance and come up with a more fair review.
He says in the first paragraph this is not a review and just his thoughts based on specs
The stack has 2 x 2in1 esc board not 4 single esc boards.
Just to keep the article correct. But you are right, the standoff’s + large boards waste to much payload.
It’s 4 single ESC boards. Look more closely.
my mistake, that’s even worse haha
Good article!
I have an Olivion (first batch)… few things I noticed (my personal thoughts):
(+)
– looks great, even my kids/wive like it ;-)
– the frame is a tank, smashed it into several trees and into a wall of a castle ruine, one motor died, frame still intact
– FPvision is quite cool, like it, event if I still do not know how to connect to my crossfire nano rx for bst (is ground really needed?)
– the tune is good, flys solid
(-)
– no manual (at least I can not find one), for a newbee :-) may be problematic – com’on TBS… thats not “Beginner Friendly”
– too long motor wires
– its a 4 x 1 ESC Stack (@Assbreaker), means also the whole stack is heavy
– motor mount holes/pattern… strange… just one of my older zmx 2205 fits (tried: hypetrain, mr steele, t-motor f40 pro 2 [this one shout fit with 2 screws], hyperlight] with a go pro this bird feels really “heavy”, the motors may be overwhelmed
– camera mount, mmh, I do not like it, but the cam is “ok” (how to mount an micro eagle is the question).
– price, I feel its too expensive, sure the components work, but some stuff ist just outdated or below average specs (expect FPVision)
– had no luck with the TBS Agent… colibri updater does not recognice it
Another reviewer did state that it was 2in1 ESC. Probably why you thought that — so did I!