FPV Raptor overview

The CarbonFlite Project just recieved our FPV Raptor from Cheapdrones.com.

First impressions: Wow! It is a huge plane. With a 1.6 meter wingspan(about 5.25ft for us Americans), it has the potential to carry a massive amount of weight. Because we received the ARF version without electronics, I cannot give you a flight review until the motor and esc come in the mail.

The assembly of this plane is simple and quick. All the parts locked together in a nice fit. I was very impressed that not one part needed modification or elbow grease. This plane does not require glue to assemble, which is nice, but I chose to use epoxy to strengthen the tail. 

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One thing you will notice in my pictures is that the foam is shiny. That is due to laminate film I pressed onto the plane. IT DOES NOT COME LIKE THIS! You can choose to add it later.

The body of the plane is made of blown molded nylon and looks indestructible. There are plywood trays inside of the body that you can place your battery, esc, fpv gear, whatever on. It has two velcro straps on the inside for the battery.

As you can see, the elevator and rudder control rods are already in place. 

The motor "tower" is a bit weak. I was a bit disappointed to see that it wobbled with just the screws. I fixed this with some epoxy and now it is very strong. The motor mount is very cool. The mount comes out so you can attach your motor, then you slide it back into the case and secure it with a screw. It should work great.

The 8x4 prop that was supplied just barely fits, so you wont be able to upgrade to a larger prop.

The wings are the best part of this plane. They are SUPER rigid, no problem with reinforcing them. They have a carbon spare along with plywood spars on the outside. I added laminate film and it made the wings even more rigid. They have pre-cut slots for your servos along with optional flaps. I decided to cut out the flaps to use them. These wings are much better than the ones on my Super Cub!

Finally, the good part. The camera mount on the front of the plane. It is made of EPP foam and secures by a latch. I would suggest adding Velcro if you plan on using a GoPro or other heavy camera. It fits into place nicely and leaves no seams. There is also a section up above the main  plate where you can place your receiver or transmitter and run the antenna up through a hole in the foam.

The plane came with too many screws. I don't know if I am missing something, or what. It also came with a foam piece that appears to have no function...

Other than that, it comes with your control linkages for the ailerons and flaps along with servo extensions and a poorly translated manual.

Well, there you have it, the FPV Raptor. I think for the price it is quite the bargain. Great quality, I have no complaints. I hope you guys enjoyed the review, don't forget to rate it!

~Ben