FPV drone racing has exploded in popularity over the last few years, with events and competitions happening all over the world. For those looking to get into the fast-paced sport of drone racing, having the right equipment is key. One of the latest ready-to-fly FPV racers hitting the market is the GARC Razer, a high-performance quadcopter built for speed.
I recently got my hands on a GARC Razer to take it for a test flight and provide an in-depth review. In this post, I’ll share my experience with the Razer, including an overview of the drone’s specs, a look at what comes in the box, footage of some high-speed flights, and my final thoughts on whether this racer is worth the investment.
Let’s dive in!
Table Of Contents
Overview of the GARC Razer Drone
The Razer from GARC (GepRC) is marketed as an “ultimate racing” quadcopter thanks to its focus on two key elements – speed and maneuverability. This ready-to-fly racer features high quality components to make it fast and durable, while still trying to keep costs down compared to other high-end racing drones.
Here’s an overview of the key specs and features on the Razer:
- Motors: 2207 2500KV motors (upgrade to F60 Pro 2450KV motors available)
- ESC: HGLRC Zeus F7 45A BLHeli_S ESC
- Flight Controller: HGLRC Zeus F7 with OSD
- Frame: 3K carbon fiber X design, 4mm arms
- Props: 5043 tri-blade props
- FPV Camera: Runcam Nano 4 camera
- VTX: Rush Tank Ultimate 800mW VTX
- Receiver: FrSky XM+ (can be purchased with Crossfire or ELRS receivers)
With these components, GARC says the Razer can hit a top speed of 150 mph or 240 km/h. Pretty impressive! Having this level of power and speed potential does mean the Razer requires some decent piloting skills and is best suited for experienced FPV racers.
Some other quick notes on the Razer – it has an all analog FPV system, the camera tilt is fixed forward, and the battery mounts to the bottom of the drone. I’ll go into more detail on these aspects later in my review.
Unboxing the GARC Razer
I always like taking a look inside the box when I get a new drone, so let’s open it up and see what comes included with the Razer.
[INSERT IMAGE OF BOX]
Here’s an overview of what I found inside my Razer box:
- GARC Razer drone (motor wires/ESCs connected, but props and other components need installing)
- 2 sets of 5043 tri-blade props
- 2 sets of battery straps
- 2 battery grips
- Set of tools (hex drivers, etc.)
- Manual and support info
- GARC stickers and keychain
The drone itself comes partially pre-built, which is nice for getting in the air more quickly. You will need to install the battery straps, battery grip, props, and antenna horns yourself. Total weight without the battery is 276g.
I’ll talk more about getting the Razer fully setup in a minute, but first let’s take a closer look at the drone itself.
Razer Design and Build Quality
GARC designed the Razer frame to be strong, yet lightweight and aerodynamic. It has an X-shape with 4mm thick carbon fiber arms. There are multiple camera mounting options and the flight controller stacks in the center protected by the frame.
[INSERT IMAGE OF FULL DRONE]
In terms of build quality, everything feels really solid and well made. The carbon fiber frame is stiff with no flexing and all of the components are cleanly integrated.
One thing that immediately stood out to me is the forward facing camera tilt. The RunCam Nano 4 camera is fixed in place angled upward. This is likely great for racing as it will keep the horizon in view as you pitch forward, but does take some getting used to when doing freestyle flying.
The Rush Tank VTX provides up to 800mW of video transmission power. For FPV flying, the Razer utilizes an all analog system. So no HD digital footage or long range transmission like you’d get with DJI. But most racers still use analog, so GARC stuck with that here.
The motors provided are GARC’s own 2207 2500KV motors. For true competitive racers, GARC offers an upgrade to the T-Motor F60 Pro 2450KV motors for maximum speed and responsiveness.
One other note – the battery mounts to the bottom of the drone using an included strap. This helps centralize mass, but means you will be flying at an angle and land upside down. The horn on top helps get it flipped back over.
Overall, you can tell GARC put a lot of thought into the Razer’s design. It’s packed with premium components optimized for FPV racing and freestyle. Now let’s get this speed demon configured and in the air!
Setting Up the Razer Drone
To get my Razer ready to fly, there were a few components I had to install myself:
- Props
- Battery strap
- Battery grip
- FPV camera antenna
- Receiver (not included)
Putting the battery strap and grip on was very straightforward. Just slide them into place and tighten.
The tri-blade props screw onto the motors easily using the included prop tool. Make sure to get prop direction right!
For the receiver, the Razer does not come with one included since everyone has their own preferences. I pulled a FrSky receiver from another quad and soldered that onto the flight controller.
If you buy the Bind-N-Fly version, GARC has options for FrSky, Crossfire, or ExpressLRS receivers pre-installed. I’d probably go for an ELRS receiver these days for that sweet long range control link.
The one fiddly part was getting the camera antenna installed securely. I ended up needing some zip ties to get the wires routed cleanly. Not a huge issue, but would be nice if the antenna horn was pre-installed.
That covers the physical assembly and connections. For software, the flight controller came pre-tuned, so no PID tuning required. Just bind up your radio and the Razer was ready for its first flight!
Flying the Razer FPV Drone
The moment I’d been waiting for – taking this speed demon to the sky! For my initial test flights, I stuck with my tried and true Fat Shark goggles. Let’s see how the Razer performed.
First Flights Line of Sight
Since this was my first time flying the Razer, I thought it wise to make a few line of sight test flights first. No need to immediately strap on the goggles and zip out of sight.
I took off in angle mode and just lightly pushed the sticks to get a feel for the power. Even at half throttle it immediately shot forward – this thing has some serious punch!
After a few cautious line of sight laps, it was clear the Razer lives up to its speed claims. Now it was time to slap on the goggles and open it up!
High Speed FPV
Changing into acro mode, I did my pre-arm checks and took back off, climbing to altitude before throttling up.
[INSERT RAZER FPV FOOTAGE]
Accelerating to full speed, the Razer absolutely rockets across the sky! It can move from one side of the field to the other in the blink of an eye. Very impressive, but also a little intimidating!
Doing high-speed laps was a blast, but honestly it was almost too fast for me. The Razer is so responsive even small stick movements translate into big movements in the air. It took everything I had just to keep it under control.
I only had a few minutes of flight time due to really gunning the throttle, so I brought it in for a landing. Since the camera points forward, you are basically landing blind, which takes some practice.
The speed was great, but overall a bit too much for me. Next I wanted to test the handling by doing some lower speed freestyle.
Freestyle & Cinematic Flying
For the second flight, I focused on slower speed acrobatic freestyle. I left the rates lowered and tried to fly smooth deliberate lines.
The Razer felt really nice here, able to flick and turn very precisely. Since it’s so lightweight, it almost hovers at lower speeds allowing you to hold a position. With some practice, I think the Razer could be an awesome freestyle drone.
I also wanted to see if it was capable of more cinematic flowing footage. The fixed forward camera angle isn’t ideal, but by lowering the camera tilt in Betaflight you can get some nice sweeping shots.
[INSERT CINEMATIC CLIPS]
While not purpose built for cinema like a cinewhoop, the Razer surprised me with its potential for smooth video. Flying at about 50% throttle produced very nice looking footage.
So the Razer definitely excels at racing speeds, but has good low-end handling for freestyle and video shooting as well. Next I wanted to take some objective performance measurements.
Top Speed & Battery Life Tests
One of the Razer’s biggest claims is its 150+ mph top speed. To put that to the test, I strapped on a GPS module to get some real-world measurements.
For this speed run, I used a fully charged 6S 1300mah LiPo battery and made a few high speed passes across the field, really opening up the throttle at full power.
Bringing it back to the bench, the GPS showed a max speed of 92 mph or 148 km/h! Very impressive, and right in line with GARC’s claims. And that was just on the standard motors – with the upgraded Pro motors you may hit even higher speeds.
After that speed run, the battery was still at a decent 73% charge. For comparison, I also did a full acro/freestyle flight and ended up with just over 5 minutes, draining the battery to around 20%.
So battery life is pretty good, especially if you aren’t constantly at full throttle. Just be aware that really pushing the limits will drain the battery quickly.
Who is it good for?
This ready-to-fly racer is aimed at intermediate pilots looking to get into FPV racing and freestyle. It has the speed and performance for racing through courses, combined with the agility for tricks and flips.
The more expensive Pro version with upgraded motors is likely best for experienced racers needing every bit of performance. But even the stock version is extremely quick and fun to fly.
For anyone looking to get into this exciting area of drone flight, the GARC Razor is a great option at a reasonable price. Just be ready for the intense speed when you punch that throttle!
Final Thoughts
After multiple flights, I came away very impressed with the GARC Razer drone. The carbon fiber frame feels rock solid and can clearly handle some abuse at high speeds. All of the included components are high quality for a racer in this price range.
It lived up to its speed claims, hitting 92+ mph on the GPS speed run. Beginners should be wary as that level of power can get away from you quickly. But in the right hands, the Razer absolutely rips!
The fixed camera angle takes adjustment for freestyle and cinematic flights. But with some tuning, the Razer is capable of nice smooth video in addition to racing. Battery life is also pretty decent at 5+ minutes when not constantly at full throttle.
So in summary, I think the Razer is a great ready-to-fly FPV racing drone option that won’t immediately break the bank. GARC really nailed the formula on this one. For intermediate to advanced pilots looking to get into drone racing, the Razer comes highly recommended!
I hope you enjoyed this in-depth review and flight test of the new GARC Razer drone. Let me know if you have any other questions on the Razer. And as always, happy flying!
