Back in November 2017, we reviewed the Strix Goblin which turned out to be, quite simply, a beast of a plane that we were extremely impressed with. It just ripped! This month, we checked out the original Goblin's smaller brother, the Nano Goblin. It's quite a different airplane with one fantastic feature - it's flight time. Check it out.
Spec
The Nano Goblin is a smaller airframe than the original version. It weighs in at 250g, including its battery. It is a PNP (plug and play) aircraft, meaning that all you need to do is plug in your own receiver, charge up the Li-ion battery and you're good to go.
It has a 1407 3500KV motor and a 10 amp ESC. This power package is actually quite quiet which is great for stealthy FPV missions. It's not a screamer like it's bigger bro!
There is also a switching BEC circuit meaning that you have the flexibility to power more than just your receiver and servos from the main flight battery. This is pretty handy for your custom FPV setups!
The fuselage and wings are made from moulded EPP foam with a 3mm square tubular spar running through the wings.
About the battery tech
The Nano Goblin is extremely efficient thanks mostly to its Li-ion battery. According to Strix themselves, 92 minutes (!) of flight time and up to 40 miles of flight distance can be achieved. That seems a little crazy.
Lithium-Ion batteries are incredibly popular these days being used in phones, laptops and other hand-held devices that need to be small yet powerful. Time for some science: the electrodes of a lithium-ion battery are made of lithium and carbon. Lithium, being a very reactive element, allows a ton of energy to be stored in it's atomic bonds. This effectively means that Lithium-Ion batteries can be extremely energy dense. If you'd like to find out more, have a look at this article on howstuffworks.com
The Original 100mph Strix Goblin
The Strix Goblin is almost an entirely different machine to the Nano, despite appearing very similar. If you're looking for more adrenaline-fueled adventures in the sky, this one may be more up your street. You may need a bit of practice to master the art of flying FPV at eye-watering speeds though!
Ultrafast FPV Tips!
Here are some helpful nuggets of advice for anyone out there who's wanting to get a taste for some seriously fast flying in first person. This may equally be helpful to any pilot out there wanting to get into normal FPV, so take a look.
1) Know your playground and set your limits:
You're going to be covering ground quite quickly, so it's worth knowing what the ground looks like. One common problem for FPV pilots, sometimes even with heads-up telemetry, is getting lost. To make sure you don't fly away and never come back, check out google maps or any aerial view of the area you will be flying in. If you have a smaller aircraft, it may be worth picking one big field and then attempting to circuit around it. Keep it simple and it'll be less stressful!
2) Thoroughly plan out what you're going to do:
This carries on from the first point - you should always have a clear plan of where you're going to fly and for how long. Try setting a timer on your transmitter or phone to avoid running out of battery. Draw up a rough flight plan in your mind and try to stick to it.
3) Make sure you know what the weather is doing:
Choose a nice day for your first flight as you'll be concentrating so hard on keeping the thing up there that you won't want to contend with annoying gusts of wind! Be patient and you'll have a better experience.
4) Know your aircraft:
It's best if you've flown your plane a lot before in line of sight. This way you get to know all of its little quirks and tendencies. When you finally pull down your goggles and see the first person perspective from your aircraft, you'll be a lot more prepared. This is especially important if you're flying a 100mph machine!
5) Be safe and have fun:
Follow all of the safety procedures that you would normally such as not flying too close to buildings or roads and make sure that you do all of your pre-flight checks. It seems obvious, but sometimes the moment can get the better of you. It may feel like a video game flying in first person view, but there could be some nasty consequences if you plough into the side of your next door neighbours garage. Pick a nice open field and you should be fine - that way, all you have to worry about is your plane.
To conclude, both the Original Goblin and Nano Goblin are both wonderful aircraft in their own rights. If you'd like to pick one up for yourself, just head on down to our FT Store to check out all of our RTF and PNP planes that we have available.
Helpful links!
Article written by James Whomsley
FliteTest.com Editor
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