Racing drones are usually expensive. However, the EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit FPV Racing Drone is quite affordable. It gives you a good option to get started on drone racing hobby without spending too much money.
This is not the first micro-racing drone that you can get from this brand. Some time back, we looked at the Tiny Hawk 2.5 micro-racing drone. In addition to the Tiny Hawk series that is mainly for racing, other popular drone series from Emax-USA include BabyHawk and NanoHawk. Thus, they are the one-stop center for affordable racing drones.
Racing drones, especially the affordable ones such as this one, are very popular. However, they also have their downsides. For instance, some owners complain that it is hard to tell when the drone’s remote controller is on or off. Others say that the drone becomes too hard to trim in beta flight mode.
Mostly, these small problems are not really deal breakers. And now that you are aware of these issues, you can take better care of your Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF racing drone.
EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit Features & Technical Details
First, we need to define some terms. RTF means ready to fly and again, this is a kit. It comes with much more than just the Tiny Hawk drone. It comes with VR goggles, remote controller and the drone itself. Therefore, this drone comes ready to plugin and fly.
Design and Build Quality
This is a beginner drone, so it is quite sturdy and it will go through crashes without damaging the props. Also, the props are well protected and in case of a crash, they mostly seem to drop off whole rather than break. You just click them into place and continue flying.
The drone material is faux carbon fiber, which is pretty strong and protective of the interior electronic parts.
The propellers are red in color while the body is white. To make sure you have installed the propellers correctly, check that they match diagonally.
This RTF racing drone comes with a storage and transport bag. The batteries and charging cables are also part of the package. This includes the goggles battery and charging cable.
The weight of this drone is low. Thus, you won’t need to register it with the FAA before you can fly it.
Battery and Flight Time
Reviews say that the EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF will give you a flight time of 4 minutes. That is incredible for such a small racing drone.
Although there have been complaints of the battery running out in less than a minute of flying, this does not seem to be an across board issue. It is for isolated cases.
The 1S HV battery with a capacity of 450mAh performs well, thanks to the low weight of the drone. It also comes with a second battery, a 2S.
The drone also comes with powerful 16000 KV motors for a better flight performance, minimal noise and slightly better wind tolerance.
The drone also comes with Avan Turtlemode 4-Blade propellers. They snap into place nicely and they have their guards for protection. In case of a crash, they snap out rather than break. Snapping them back into place is so easy.
FPV Quality, Camera and Goggles
When a racing drone comes in a complete kit, it means it comes with the goggles, remote controller and other accessories. And this one does.
This drone has a built-in Nano 2 1/3″ 700TVL FPV camera. It is a tiny camera for a tiny drone, but it has built-in filter capabilities for the best signal quality.
This camera transmits the signal to your goggles and you see everything as if you were in the cockpit of the drone. The filters will work with 25, 100 and 200mW wireless signals. You can set the frequency before you start to fly the drone.
The camera mount is also adjustable for the best view. For such a tiny drone, such little things count a lot. The 1/3 inch CMOS sensor offers good performance in both good and low lighting.
The only downside is that the goggles fit a bit too snugly for many adults. Also, it is impossible to wear them with glasses and that can be an issue for far-sighted people.
Remote Controller
The EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF kit also comes with a remote controller. It is light in weight, so it will not cramp the wrists of a child user.
The remote controller has a rechargeable battery and it comes with its USB charging cable. It is recommended that you charge it using the provided accessories to enhance their lifespan.
There have been complaints that the remote controller refused to charge in some cases. Again, this is in isolated cases, and not across all units.
The throttle feels a bit sensitive so you will have to be careful with it.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
This drone will race across spaces so fast. It is a great performer and I just wish the batteries would last longer. I will buy more soon to prolong my flight time. Rufus J.
I must admit this is the sturdiest small drone I have ever flown. I have crashed it two times already and it does not even show a scratch. Denny W.
I was looking for a cheap racing drone so that I could graduate from the simulator to the real thing. My friend suggested the EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF. I am so glad I found this tiny racer. Laurie N.
If you are looking to get into the drone-racing hobby, I suggest you try this one. It is cheap, does not break easily and it comes as a full kit, including goggles and a carry bag. Dave B.
The goggles hardly fit around my head, but I have a big head. Also, the remote controller has refused to charge totally. Rick S.
EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit Pros
- It comes ready to use, with everything that you need
- Safe to use even for kids
- It is light in weight
- Balance charger for the battery
- Good flight time of 4 minutes for such a low capacity battery
- Sturdy build with propeller guards
- Good FPV experience, clear signal via the goggles
EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit Cons
- Issues with remote controller not charging
- Battery does not always get to the advertised flight time
Who Should Buy the EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit?
This is an RTF kit, so anyone can get it to learn how to fly a racing FPV drone. The recommended minimum age for users of this drone is 14 years. This is a lowly-priced drone, so anyone can buy it.
If you do not want to learn how to fly an FPV drone with a simulator, you need an affordable drone like the Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF. It can also make a good gift for someone who loves a good drone, even an adrenaline junkie.
Conclusion and Recommendation
One reason why the EMAX Tiny Hawk II 2 RTF Kit is such a hit is that it is cheap and secondly, it comes ready to use right out of the box. It also comes as a complete kit, so you do not need to buy goggles or other things.
Before you fly it though, take note of a few things. First, you should not fly it in the wind because it is too light in weight. Secondly, the throttle is too sensitive, so the drone can be a bit hard to trim.
Study the user manual before you can fly the drone to know how to control it. If you can find more batteries, get them to increase the flight time.
Lastly, charge the battery with the provided charger only.
