For years, FPV pilots have had to decide on between LiPo and Li-ion on the subject of batteries, and that selection has all the time include a compromise.
- If you need most energy, you employ LiPo.
- If you need most flight time, you employ Li-ion.
Now, NewBeeDrone has launched a brand new battery that tries to bridge that hole: the Nitro Nectar Gold 6S 3000mAh tabless 18650 Li-ion battery pack. On paper, it promise a lot better discharge efficiency than a conventional 18650 pack, whereas nonetheless holding the energy-density benefit that makes Li-ion so interesting for lengthy vary flying.
Serious about lengthy vary flying? Take a look at my information: https://oscarliang.com/long-range-fpv-flying-mini-quad/
The place to Purchase
Purchase this Li-ion battery from NewBeeDrone: https://oscarliang.com/product-48av
Specs
- Configuration: 6S1P
- Cell kind: JP30 high-discharge tabless 18650
- Nominal voltage: 22.2V
- Absolutely charged voltage: 25.2V
- Capability: 3000mAh
- Whole vitality: 66.6Wh
- XT60 connector
- XT60 wire size (together with connector): 100mm
- Steadiness lead size (together with connector): 50mm
- Weight: round 315g
- Dimensions: 71mm × 38mm × 55mm
Undecided what the specs imply? Take a look at my newbie’s information on batteries: https://oscarliang.com/lipo-battery-guide/
There may be an attention-grabbing discrepancy within the acknowledged discharge rankings.
On the leaflet, it says:
- Steady discharge: as much as 36A
- Pulse discharge (
- Minimal discharge voltage: 2.8V per cell
However the battery label it says:
- Steady present: 60A
- Burst present: 160A for 10 seconds
- Voltage vary: 2.6V to 4.25V per cell
That could be a fairly significant distinction, and I might deal with these greater numbers with warning till I see extra real-world testing. 160A for 10 seconds is a particularly daring declare, even by LiPo requirements. Nonetheless, even the decrease official score would already make this a severe step up over many conventional 18650 FPV packs.
Why Use Li-ion in FPV?
I have already got an article explaining intimately why we use Li-ion in FPV: https://oscarliang.com/li-ion-battery-long-range/
Right here, I’ll simply summarize the principle causes.
In comparison with LiPo, Li-ion normally provides you:
- higher vitality density (extra capability per measurement)
- longer flight occasions
- typically solely a small weight penalty, or typically even a weight benefit for a similar watt-hours
That’s the reason Li-ion packs are so in style for lengthy vary FPV and cruisers.
The issue has all the time been discharge efficiency.
Conventional Li-ion cells merely can’t ship present as aggressively as LiPo. So whereas they’ll maintain you within the air for longer, they normally really feel noticeably sluggish. Voltage sags more durable, peak RPM is decrease, and the quad loses that punchy, responsive really feel individuals need for freestyle or racing.
That’s the core weak spot this NewBeeDrone pack is making an attempt to repair.
The Cells in This Battery are Higher?
The NewBeeDrone battery pack is constructed utilizing JP30 tabless 18650 cells.
I examined these cells within the Lionbee 1S lengthy vary drone earlier this 12 months, and I can affirm they have been among the many greatest 18650 cells I’ve examined, backed by actual knowledge: https://oscarliang.com/newbeedrone-lionbee-3inch-1s/#Battery-Nitro-Nectar-Gold-18650-3000mAh
The essential declare behind tabless cells is that they’re supposed to supply:
- the identical vitality density as conventional 18650 Li-ion cells
- with discharge efficiency a lot nearer to LiPo
So it makes excellent sense to bundle them into bigger, higher-cell-count packs to be used on larger quads like 5-inch or 7-inch, long-range rigs, and stuck wings.
Weight and Dimension Comparability
Let’s evaluate this battery to a LiPo (Auline XR 6S 1550mAh) and a conventional 18650 pack (Auline V45 6S 3000mAh).
- NewBeeDrone 6S 3000mAh Li-ion: 315.3g
- Auline XR 6S 1550mAh LiPo: 268.6g
- Auline V45 6S 3000mAh Li-ion: 314.0g
So you might be getting nearly double the capability for lower than 20% extra weight, whereas solely being barely bigger in measurement.
Weight and measurement are nearly an identical to different conventional 6S 18650 packs.
As a result of it’s bigger than a traditional 6S LiPo, you’ll most likely want an extended battery strap. That isn’t an enormous challenge, however it’s value mentioning.
Testing
Apparently, the NewBeeDrone battery pack confirmed nearly an identical efficiency to the Auline V45 6S 3000mAh pack I examined final 12 months. I think they could be utilizing the identical cells.
Each the NewBeeDrone and Auline packs are manner higher than different conventional 6S 18650 packs I’ve examined thus far, together with different so-called high-discharge cells just like the Molicel P28A and the Lumenier NAV battery.
With that mentioned, they’re nonetheless not similar to typical LiPo batteries.
In flight, each carry out extra like a really outdated LiPo. The quad feels extra sluggish and fewer responsive than when utilizing a correct LiPo. However at the very least the voltage doesn’t sag as badly as typical Li-ion packs, which is a large bonus. Nonetheless, for those who push them laborious, they’ll get very heat after a flight. On the plus aspect, they do offer you nearly double the flight time.
They aren’t actually the most effective batteries for freestyle or racing, however for individuals who simply need one thing that provides noticeably longer flight time with out sacrificing an excessive amount of efficiency, that is clearly a terrific choice.
In terms of capability, it’s roughly correct. My discharger stops at 2.9V per cell, and it managed to tug 2818mAh from the NewBeeDrone pack. Based on NewBeeDrone, you possibly can discharge this battery all the way down to 2.6V per cell. Because of the limits of my testing tools, I couldn’t discharge it that low, however in actual flight I reckon it ought to get you very near the rated 3000mAh capability.
Ultimate Verdict: Is It Going to Substitute LiPo?
Not likely, however it may actually change LiPo in some functions.
It’s clear that LiPo batteries nonetheless supply a lot greater discharge charges and fewer voltage sag than this battery. That issues as a result of they instantly have an effect on:
- motor RPM
- thrust
- acceleration
- total punch
So for those who care about pace and energy, LiPo continues to be the higher selection. But when your aim is long-range cruising, this battery appears extraordinarily promising.
Purchase this Li-ion battery from NewBeeDrone: https://oscarliang.com/product-48av
One factor value noting is that the Auline V45 battery has nearly an identical efficiency and is priced barely cheaper: https://oscarliang.com/auline-v45-6s-3000mah-s70-4500mah-li-ion-battery/.
That mentioned, each of those packs supply the most effective efficiency I’ve seen thus far on this class, and you actually can’t go incorrect with both.