Hey, fellow RC enthusiasts!
I’m back with an exciting new drone review that I think a lot of you have been eagerly awaiting.
The GEPRC MARK5 has just hit the market and is already causing quite a stir in the FPV community. As GEPRC’s newest flagship 5″ quadcopter designed for freestyle and cinematic flying, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one and put it through its paces.
In this in-depth review, I’ll be going through everything you need to know about the GEPRC MARK5 – from unboxing and setup to features, flight performance, and how it compares to rivals like the iFlight Nazgul Evoque.
Whether you’re a seasoned FPV pilot or dipping your toes into the hobby, let’s find out if the GEPRC MARK5 is the right addition to your drone fleet!
Table Of Contents
Overview
Main Features:
- 5″ quadcopter for freestyle & cinematic FPV
- Choose between 4S or 6S power options
- Supports DJI Air Unit or analog FPV system
- 1407 3600KV motors
- 30A BLHeli_S 4-in-1 ESC
- Caddx Ratel 2 or Caddx Vista Nebula camera options
- F4 flight controller with BLHeli_S ESC 32bit
- Carbon fiber unibody frame with TPU dampening
- Includes Foxeer Lollipop 3 Pagoda RHCP antenna
- ~239g takeoff weight
Unboxing and Contents
I purchased the Mark V HD version, which comes ready to fly with a Caddx Vista Nebula camera system. Inside the box you’ll find:
- 1 x Mark V HD Drone
- 4 x GEPRC 1407 3600KV Motors
- 4 x Gemfan 5143 Propellers
- 1 x Caddx Vista Nebula FPV Camera Unit
- 1 x Foxeer Lollipop 3 RHCP Pagoda Antenna
- 1 x FPV Camera Mounting Plate
- Spare screws, O-rings and adjustable camera mount
- User manual
It comes neatly packed with all the components protected inside plastic shells or bags. The review unit I received came perfectly undamaged.
For tools, you will need the following to get it built:
- 2.5mm hex driver
- 1.5mm hex driver
- Adjustable wrench
Features & Hardware
Now, let’s take a closer look at the components that make up the GEPRC MARK5.
Frame
The Mark V features a clean and simple 5” unibody frame made of durable carbon fiber. The seamless one-piece construction makes it extremely rigid and impact resistant. GEP RC says it’s designed specifically for 5” propellers, unlike some other frames that can stretch to accommodate different sizes. This optimized 5” design contributes to the Mark V’s great handling and stability.
The sleek symmetrical shape utilizes an X-style layout with open propeller guards on all four sides. This provides easy access for repairs, upgrades and battery swaps. It also allows maximum airflow across the stack for better cooling.
The front of the frame incorporates two aluminum side plates that provide added protection for your camera and FPV system in crashes. They also allow for easily swappable camera plates. More on that later.
At the rear are some cool customizable elements. You get a blank aluminium LED light plate that can be configured to your liking. There’s also a 3D printed “shark fin” canopy above it for your antenna. Both of these parts are held on with reusable sticky pads.
Finally, the bottom plate is CNC machined with a clean FB style design. There are high quality silicone dampers fitted in each corner to absorb vibrations and impacts.
Motors
The Mark V comes with a set of 4 x GEPRC 1407 3600KV brushless motors. These are powerful enough for 6S batteries, yet still very responsive on 4S power. The stator size and KV provides a good balance of thrust and efficiency.
Maintenance is easy thanks to the hollow motor shafts and self tightening propeller nuts. The balanced bell design also runs smoothly with minimal vibrations.
FPV System
My review unit came with the stellar Caddx Vista Nebula digital video system, which uses DJI’s latest air unit module. You get crystal clear low-latency video and reliable performance.
The Caddx air unit is neatly protected within the camera housing. The whole system weighs just 26g so it doesn’t hamper the quad’s agility.
Out the front I’ve added the included Foxeer Lollipop 3 RHCP pagoda antenna. This matches nicely and provides great reception clarity.
If analog video is more your thing, there’s also a Mark V version with Caddx Ratel 2 camera. You still get great image quality and the option to tweak camera settings via OSD using your radio.
FC / ESC
The flight controller brain is a GEPRC F4 board running the latest Betaflight firmware. It has all the usual sensors and gyros to provide a super stable and reliable flying experience.
The 30A 4-in-1 BLHeli_S ESC is built onto the FC stack for clean wiring. It can support up to 6S power smoothly.
Having the ESC integrated like this saves weight versus separate ESCs. It also avoids interference issues and reduces latency for faster response times. The whole system is neatly shrink wrapped for protection and stiffness.
Other Components
Some other neat touches worth mentioning:
- Low-profile 90-degree SMA FPV antenna connector
- Plug-in XT30 battery lead with GEP RC branded silicone wire
- 3x LEDs (red, blue and white) for orientation visibility
- Dual buttons for binding and changing video transmitter
- Bluetooth module for wireless drone configuration
Overall the Mark V just oozes quality in its design, components and construction. There are no weak links here.
Camera Options
One of the Mark V’s unique features is its swappable camera mounting system. The kit includes several different plates allowing you to easily change between camera types and tilt angles.
Standard GoPro Mount
The default plate is designed for GoPro style action cameras like the Hero 5 and up. It holds your camera securely in place while absorbing vibrations through the rubber dampeners.
GoPros remain a popular FPV camera choice for their reliability, image quality and endless mounting options.
Low Profile Camera Mount
This mount drops the camera 5mm lower for a more streamlined profile and improved forward vision. It’s ideal for smaller camera cubes or naked GoPros.
15° & 25° Foam Mounts
The foam camera plates allow you to achieve positive and negative tilt angles. This can help eliminate jello and horizon roll in your video when tuned correctly.
The soft foam also acts as a dampener against vibrations for smoother footage. Installation is easy – just use the included double sided tape to stick your camera to the foam surface.
I find these foam mounts particularly useful for capturing cinematic drone footage, while the hard plastic mounts are better protected for freestyle flying. It’s great having both options included.
Bungee Camera Straps
To keep your camera securely fastened, there are adjustable bungee straps included that slide through the slots around the camera cage. This prevents your expensive action cam from rattling loose in a heavy crash.
So in summary, the Mark V gives you unrivaled flexibility to configure your camera setup perfectly, whether flying for film or thrill.
Initial Setup
With the Mark V coming pre-built, the initial setup is quick and straightforward:
- Install your receiver (if using radio control). The drone includes ribbon cables for connecting to FrSky, FlySky, Futaba, Spektrum and JR receivers.
- Attach your chosen camera mount & camera.
- Add your preferred receiver antenna tubes and mount. The side plates have slots for holding most common styles.
- Install your propellers with the rotation arrows matching the motor rotation (counter-clockwise on top row, clockwise on bottom).
- Insert your fully charged 4S or 6S LiPo battery and power up! The rear LEDs will initialize and change color to confirm when GPS lock is acquired.
That’s it! The Mark V is ready to bind to your radio and start flying.
For complete beginners, it would still be wise to watch some instructional videos on basic quadcopter setup and safety before the maiden flight. But the Mark V doesn’t require any intimidating soldering or configuration out the box.
Programming & Configuration
One of the Mark V’s most beginner-friendly features is the built-in Bluetooth module. This allows you to wirelessly connect the drone to your smartphone and use the SpeedyBee app for changing settings and parameters.
Here’s a quick guide on how to connect it:
- Turn on your drone and connect the battery. The blue LED light will flash indicating it’s in Bluetooth mode.
- Open the SpeedyBee app on your mobile device. On Android look for SpeedyBee in the Google Play Store. For iPhone, search TestFlight and install from there.
- Select your Mark V model and tap “Connect”. It should automatically find and pair with the drone.
- You can now view and modify various settings like rates, filters, receiver configuration, VTX settings and more.
I found the app worked flawlessly connecting to the Mark V. The simple GUI makes it very intuitive even for beginners to tweak their quadcopter how they like. No more fiddling with cables or adapters!
More advanced pilots can still hook up via USB and configure the quad through Betaflight as per normal. But for most, the wireless option will be way more convenient.
Flying the GEPRC MARK5
Alright, let’s get to the part you’ve all been waiting for! Here I’ll share my impressions on how the Mark V handles in the air and some flight characteristics to be aware of.
Handling and Performance
In one word – incredible. The Mark V flies like an absolute dream right out the box. The power from the 1407 motors on 4S felt very comparable to my other 5” quads running 1408s. On 6S it really comes alive with insane thrust and agility.
Despite the high power ceiling, it still feels smooth and locked in at lower throttle ranges for cruising around and filming. The rates felt spot on for freestyle flying without being too twitchy. No tuning was required for it to handle precisely how I wanted.
The VTX signal from the Caddx Vista remained crisp and consistent throughout my flight tests, even several hundred meters out. I encountered no issues with video dropout, latency or breakup. Having active antennas in the quad and goggles makes a huge difference.
Overall the performance is right up there with the best bind-n-fly FPV drones I’ve had the pleasure of flying. GEP RC nailed the tune on this one!
Propellers in View
One thing to keep in mind with the X-style frame is you will see propellers in view at the edges of your FPV camera, especially when banking or pitching forward/backward aggressively. This is just the nature of the design.
It’s only really noticeable when running very wide camera angles. During normal flying it won’t get in the way or affect your GoPro footage, unless running an extremely low camera tilt.
Rates/Acro Mode
The stock rates on the Mark V felt fantastic for freestyle and flowing between tricks smoothly. However, for anyone newer to FPV looking to start with this drone, the high rates could feel overly sensitive at first.
My advice would be to lower the rates and max throttle limit when starting out until you become comfortable. This can easily be adjusted in the SpeedyBee Bluetooth app or Betaflight Configurator.
Once your skills progress, you’ll appreciate how nimble it is in Acro mode!
Prop Guards
Having open prop guards on all sides allows good access for repairs and swapping parts. But it does mean the motors are exposed, so be extra cautious flying around people or objects. The top guards do provide some protection from smaller branches or debris.
While I didn’t crash it to find out, the thick carbon fiber arms seem like they could take some decent hits before snapping. But some additional prop guards may be a wise accessory if you’re prone to smacking walls or poles.
Flight Times
Due to the cold winter temperatures while testing, my batteries sagged noticeably after just 3 minutes of flying. This won’t accurately represent the Mark V’s real-world flight endurance.
Geprc claims 6 to 8 minutes flight time which seems reasonable. When I test drones in warmer weather I usually get 6 minutes quite comfortably from 1500-1700 mAh packs.
Aggressive flying will shorten this, while cruising with lower throttle input could extend it. Just be sure to use quality HV LiPo packs from reputable brands.
GEPRC MARK5 vs iFlight Nazgul Evoque
The most common question I’ve seen about the Mark V is how it compares to iFlight’s popular Nazgul Evoque. Let’s break it down:
Performance
In terms of flight handling, I’d consider both the Mark V and Evoque equally fantastic. Their power, agility and out-the-box tuning are top notch and on par with each other. You really can’t go wrong with either from a performance standpoint.
Features & Design
This is where differences come into play depending on your preferences:
The Evoque’s enclosed frame offers better protection from the elements when flying in rain or snow. But the Mark V’s open wheel design allows better access and airflow.
The Mark V includes a quality HD digital FPV system, while the Evoque has analog camera options for more budgets.
For beginners, the Evoque does include more accessories like spare props and basic tools. But the Mark V’s Bluetooth module adds a nice quality of life benefit.
The Evoque gives you future GPS expansion potential, while the Mark V includes more configurable camera mounts and tilt options.
So in terms of unique features, there are pros and cons to both models that depend on your needs as a pilot.
Price
The pricing of the Mark V and Nazgul Evoque are in the same ballpark once you factor in the FPV systems:
GEP RC Mark V HD (w/ Vista): $519
Nazgul5 Evoque (w/ Vista): $569
Or for the budget analog versions:
Mark V Analog (w/ Ratel 2): $379
Nazgul5 Evoque (w/ Ratel 2): $419
At the end of the day, you’re paying premium but justified prices for top performance either way. The choice comes down to if you prefer an enclosed or open frame design.
Final verdict on the GEPRC MARK5
The new GEP RC Mark V firmly cements itself as one of the best ready-to-fly FPV drones in the 5″ class. It lives up to the exceptional quality Geprc is known for.
The Mark V absolutely nails it when it comes to flight handling and power on 4S and 6S configurations. It will thrill experienced pilots, yet doesn’t feel too intimidating for intermediate flyers to grow into.
While not the most original design, the durable carbon fiber frame, swappable camera mounts, built-in Bluetooth and Caddx Vista Nebula combo still makes it unique in the market right now.
For around $500 you’re getting immense value that saves you the hassle of sourcing components and building from scratch. Novices can simply charge a battery and go fly an exhilarating FPV quadcopter.
While rivals like the Nazgul Evoque will appeal to some, I can wholeheartedly recommend the GEP Mark V as your next high-performance FPV racing drone!
I hope you found this deep dive and review helpful. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions in the comments section below! Clear skies and happy flying!
