ArtLynk is a new HD digital FPV system. It’s cheap, the image quality looks promising, and for some people it could become a potential alternative to DJI and Walksnail Avatar. The BetaFPV Meteor75 Pro is the second BNF quad equipped with the ArtLynk P1 Air Unit, and in this review I’ll check out how it flies. I’ll also look at the latest ArtLynk V2.0.6 firmware and whether it brings any noticeable improvements.
Learn more about the ArtLynk FPV system in my original review: https://oscarliang.com/betafpv-artlynk/
Where to Buy
Product Page:
It comes with these accessories:
- 4 × GF 45mm 3-blade propellers
- 1 × USB adapter
- 4 × M1.4×4 Phillips flat-head screws
- 3 × decorative parts
- 1 × user manual for the P1 Air Unit
Specifications
- Wheelbase: 80.8mm
- Motors: 1102 22000KV
- Frame: Meteor75 Pro
- Propellers: Gemfan 45mm 3-blade propellers
- Camera/VTX: P1 Air Unit
- Canopy: Micro Canopy for HD Camera
- FC: Matrix 1S 3-in-1 HD FC
- Receiver: Onboard serial ELRS 2.4GHz
- Recommended battery: LAVA II 1S 580mAh / 680mAh battery
- Weight:
- Without battery: 37g
- With 1S 580mAh LiHV: 51.2g
Design
Nothing has really changed with this new Meteor75 Pro Tiny Whoop. It is basically identical to the Meteor75 Pro O4 edition I reviewed over a year ago. The only real difference is that this version comes with the ArtLynk P1 Air Unit instead of the DJI O4.
The ArtLynk FPV system is basically a budget HD digital FPV system. It costs about the same as analog, but offers significantly better image quality. The main downside right now is the slightly higher latency. I already reviewed the ArtLynk system, so check that out if you haven’t already: https://oscarliang.com/betafpv-artlynk/
The Meteor75 Pro P1 came with an old version of the Artlynk firmware (V1), and I updated it to V2 when testing it. I documented the process of flashing firmware here: https://oscarliang.com/update-betafpv-artlynk-firmware/
If you want to learn more about the components, such as the FC and motors, check out my original review of the Meteor75 Pro here:
https://oscarliang.com/betafpv-meteor75-pro-o4-whoop/
Flight Performance, Range, and Latency
Recommended batteries: LAVA II 1S 580mAh / 680mAh LiHV battery. I tested these batteries in the past and they were some of the best on the market: https://oscarliang.com/betafpv-lava-ii-1s-battery/#580mAh
I tested both on the Meteor75 Pro:
- 580mAh: 4–5 minutes flight time
- 680mAh: 5–6 minutes flight time
The quad hovers at around 33% throttle.
The way it handles, feels exactly like the older Meteor75 Pro with the O4. Here’s a video showing its performance.
As the second BNF quad equipped with the P1 Air Unit, the Meteor75 flies so much better than the Aquila20, even though it is only a 1S quad. The lower weight makes a huge difference in flight characterstics. It feels much more nimble, responsive, and quieter. I think BetaFPV should have used the Meteor75 in their bundle instead.
Range is good at 500m+. The bitrate only drops from 21Mbps to 16Mbps, so it can probably go a lot farther. However, bitrate can be a bit sensitive at times, and jumps around more than DJI and Walksnail, and when bitrate gets too low you get drop frames and stuttering video. It just does not feel as solid or reliable as DJI, so I would not really use it for long-range flying right now. Also the VTX is only 200mW max output power after all.
In my testing, latency has not changed much with the latest V2.0.6 firmware. It is still around 50–60ms, basically the same as it has been since launch. It is quite high for an FPV system. It can feel a bit weird when doing time-critical maneuvers, especially noticeable if you fly ArtLynk and other mainstream systems back to back (e.g. DJI). With that said, it is totally flyable for cruising and basic freestyle, but I would not trust it for bando flying or racing.
How to Setup
The FC target is BETAFPVG473, and it came loaded with Betaflight 4.5.3. The original CLI diff can be found here.
The onboard ELRS receiver firmware target is BETAFPV 2.4GHZ AIO RX, Firmware version is 3.5.6.
ESC: A-X-5 – Bluejay, 0.19, 96kHz
- Bind ELRS Receiver: For some reason, the ELRS receiver won’t go into WiFi mode after waiting a couple of minutes, so I had to bind the receiver using another method. I simply clicked the “bind receiver” option in the receiver tab in Betaflight. Then, on my radio, I went into the ExpressLRS Lua script and selected the Bind option. And binding was done.
- Pair P1 Air Unit to the VR04 HD Goggles:
- Simply power them on, and press the bind buttons on both devices
- If they are not binding, chances are they are on different firmware version (V1 won’t work with V2), you need to either downgrade or upgrade the firmware so they match: https://oscarliang.com/update-betafpv-artlynk-firmware/
- Presets tab in Betaflight Configurator:
- make a backup of your settings using the Backup button
- load ExpressLRS preset based on your packet rates, how to: https://oscarliang.com/rc-link-preset-betaflight/
- Modes tab: Configure the switches for arming, angle mode, and turtle mode.
- Power tab: Set the minimum cell voltage to 3.2V and the warning to 3.4V (land before 3.2V).
- Receiver tab: Enable Telemetry.
- PID Tuning tab: In Rates, disable Throttle expo by setting it to 0; If you want to set Throttle Expo properly, you should tune it following this guide: https://oscarliang.com/throttle-mid-expo/
- OSD tab: select HD Video Format, and load my CLI settings: https://oscarliang.com/betaflight-osd/#HD-without-GPS.
Improvements You Can Make
Try HQ triblade props (1.8×1.2×3). They are smoother than the stock props and may help reduce jello.
Use Throttle Mid/Expo if you struggle with flying indoor: https://oscarliang.com/throttle-mid-expo/
If you are a hardcore, experienced pilot, you can consider direct-soldering the motors to the FC instead of using motor connectors. I would not recommend this for beginners, because the solder pads are tiny and it is not an easy modification. But it does offer a few benefits:
- Less resistance, better performance (more power and more efficient)
- Prevents failure due to bad metal contact
PID/Filter Tune – The quad comes with a custom tune, but I am not sure it is optimized. Personally, I feel I would have tuned it differently using Blackbox. I will try to retune it and share my settings on my Patreon.
Conclusion
If you are heavily invested in the Artlynk FPV system, The BetaFPV Meteor75 Pro P1 is a great tiny whoop to consider. It’s not the best flying whoop out there because it’s still quite heavy, but there’s simply not that many choices on the market at the moment. Even so, compared to the Aquila20, this quad makes a much better showcase for what the ArtLynk system is actually capable of.
The main limitation is still the latency. While the latest V2.0.6 firmware does not seem to improve it, the system is still flyable for cruising and casual freestyle. It just does not feel as connected or confidence-inspiring as DJI or Walksnail when you are pushing harder or flying in more demanding environments.
If you are curious about ArtLynk and want an affordable way to get into this new digital FPV ecosystem, the Meteor75 Pro P1 is currently one of the best options available. It is relatively safe and fun to fly. Not perfect, but definitely promising.
