Happymodel Mobula6 Review: The Ultimate Tiny Whoop for Traditional Indoor Flying (2024 Updated)

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RCHobby Lab’s Author: Daniel Henderson
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Reviewed by Kristen Ward
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Reviewed by Kristen Ward

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The eagerly anticipated Mobula6 2024 edition has finally hit the market, and whooping enthusiasts everywhere are buzzing with excitement. As a successor to the popular and long-standing Bwhoop65 frame, the Mobula6 2024 promises to deliver a cutting-edge tiny whoop experience optimized for traditional indoor flying.

In this in-depth review, we’ll take a close look at the specs, performance, and overall feel of this diminutive powerhouse to help you decide if it deserves a spot in your whoop fleet.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Upon unboxing the Mobula6 2024, the first thing that stands out is the redesigned canopy and frame. The canopy features a raised front lip to provide some additional camera protection in head-on crashes.

The frame has been completely overhauled, shaving a full 0.5g off the Bwhoop65 frame that has been a staple of the tiny whoop scene for over six years. While half a gram might not sound like much, anyone in the whoop game knows that every fraction of a gram counts when it comes to maximizing performance.

In the box, you’ll find:

  • Mobula6 2024 quadcopter
  • Spare set of GemFan 31mm tri-blade props
  • 2x BetaFPV 300mah BT20 1s batteries
  • Accessory bag with:
  • Motor mounting screws
  • Canopy mounting screws
  • Prop removal tool
  • Mini Phillips head screwdriver
  • Battery strap
  • User manual & Sticker sheet

The quad itself arrives fully assembled and ready to bind with your favorite ExpressLRS transmitter. The craftsmanship is top-notch as we’ve come to expect from HappyModel. Everything is neatly wired and solidly put together.

However, it’s worth noting that unlike the Bwhoop65, the new Mobula6 frame no longer includes the option for clip-on AVAN 4 or 7 ducts. This helps cut weight but does leave the props a bit more exposed.

Specs & Components

  • Super_X 5-in-1 Flight Controller (F4 FC with 5A ESC, ExpressLRS, OSD, 400mW VTX)
  • 1102 28000kv motors
  • FX117-B CMOS 800TVL AIO Camera
  • GemFan 31mm tri-blade props
  • 17.5g dry weight (without battery)
  • BetaFPV 300mah BT20 batteries included
  • BT20 & A30 (BT20 style) battery connectors

The heart of the Mobula6 is the Super_X 5-in-1 AIO flight controller. This ultra-compact board manages to pack an F4 FC, 4in1 5A BLHeli_S ESC, ExpressLRS receiver, onboard OSD, and a 400mW VTX into a single 16x16mm package. It’s a marvel of miniaturization that allows for an incredibly tidy build with no excess wiring.

The 400mW VTX is a particular standout, providing a robust signal even when diving multiple floors in a concrete building. It supports pitmode, Raceband, and FOSS-C frequencies to help avoid interference.

The included ExpressLRS receiver is also a nice touch, allowing you to take advantage of the low-latency, long-range link without having to source your own receiver. Even better, you can update the ELRS firmware via WiFi for future performance improvements and compatibility.

However, all this integration does come at the cost of repairability. The camera, motors, and radio receiver are all directly soldered to the board without any intermediate plugs. So any repairs or replacements outside of swapping props will require some hands-on soldering.

The 1102 motors are wound for a whopping 28000kv which provides tons of power even on a single cell. The 5A BLHeli_S ESCs are able to provide that juice smoothly thanks to their 48kHz PWM frequency. Despite the high kv, throttle response is smooth and linear without any jumpiness.

The FX117-B AIO camera is a solid 800TVL CMOS that provides a clear image with good dynamic range for an all-in-one solution. Is it as crisp as a standalone Nano3? Not quite, as you’d expect. But it’s more than adequate for indoor proximity flying. My only nitpick is that the focal depth is a bit shallow which can result in some blurriness during high-speed forward flight.

On the scale, the Mobula6 clocks in at a svelte 17.5 grams without battery. That’s a full 1g lighter than the original Mobula6 which is already an impressively lightweight quad. With one of the included 300mah BT20 batteries, the all-up weight comes to 26.3g which is still safely under the 250mah AUW cutoff for most tiny whoop races.

Speaking of batteries, the Mobula6 2024 edition includes two BetaFPV 300mah BT20 packs to get you flying right out of the box. The A30 connector is also BT20 compatible so you can use any other BT20 packs you might already have lying around. I got great performance out of both the BetaFPV and HappyModel BT20 packs.

Flight Performance

Enough about the specs, let’s get down to how this bird actually flies. I put the Mobula6 through its paces across a variety of indoor environments, from my living room to some abandoned office spaces with lots of tricky obstacles to navigate.

Right off the bat, I was impressed by the sheer speed and power the Mobula6 displayed. Those 1102 28000kv motors paired with the tri-blade props have some serious thrust, especially on a fresh pack. Coming from larger quads, the initial punch felt almost “floaty” as the quad leaped into the air. It took a pack or two to recalibrate my fingers to the sensitive throttle.

Despite the insane power-to-weight ratio, throttle control was surprisingly manageable even when dancing around near the floor at low throttle. The BLHeli_S 48kHz ESCs provide excellent resolution and smooth throttle response without the jumpy, binary feel you sometimes get with undersized ESCs. I could inch forward slowly just above the stall point of the props or slam the throttle for a blistering full-speed launch with equal ease.

The tune was decent out of the box but I did find it a touch underdamped which led to some oscillations when cornering hard or recovering from a dive. Adding a couple notches of D-gain cleaned that right up and had the Mobula6 tracking true even when railed through tight gaps. P and I felt pretty dialed already so I only made minor tweaks there.

One thing I did notice is that the frame is significantly more flexible than the old Bwhoop65 frame. You can visibly see the arms flex on hard crashes. The upside is that this dissipates some of the impact force and helps prevent catastrophic frame cracks.

The downside is that your props will take more of a beating. I definitely chewed through props faster than usual, even with the tri-blade GemFans. Expect to replace props every dozen packs or so if you fly aggressively.

I started my tests with some indoor power loops and technical gaps to really stress the tune and handling. The Mobula6 felt laser precise as I dove around corners and threaded the needle through tight doorways.

The FloatPro tune and F4 FC provide excellent tracking and the 400mW VTX never once failed me, even when I pushed multiple floors away in a steel and concrete building.

The Mobula6 has no problem throwing down some impressive acrobatics like matty flips, dives, and sharp snap rolls. It’s got power for days and the RPM filter keeps propwash in check nicely. I could see this being an absolute ripper on some flowy indoor race tracks.

Flight times were solid considering the power on tap. I consistently got a solid 3-4 minutes of mixed freestyle and cruising even with the relatively small 300mah battery. Babying the throttle a bit, I was able to push that to nearly 5 minutes. Not too shabby for an all-out racer.

Indoor Flight Experience

Since the primary use case for the Mobula6 is going to be indoor ripping, I spent a ton of time just cruising around my house, dive-bombing my dog, and generally causing a ruckus. The small size and lightweight combined with the absurd power make it an absolute joy to fly around furniture and terrorize your loved ones.

The floaty, precise throttle combined with the high-res camera make it easy to dice technical gaps even if you’re a newer pilot. I could see this being an excellent learning platform thanks to its stability and durability. You can focus on learning the lines without constantly fighting the quad.

One of my favorite spots to rip the Mobula6 was in a large open industrial space with tons of metal columns, pipes, and bars to use as impromptu gates. The bright LEDs were more than visible even during the day and the loud beeper made it easy to locate after particularly spectacular crashes. I did manage to break a motor wire at the solder joint but I can’t even be mad. That’s just the price of sending it.

For newer pilots, the Mobula6 might actually be a bit too powerful if you get ham-fisted with the throttle. It’s got enough thrust to quickly overwhelm a small indoor space if you’re not careful. Luckily, the tune is forgiving enough that you’re unlikely to just spin out of control wildly as you might with a more aggressive race build.

As much as I loved ripping the Mobula6 around my house, the real magic started to happen when I took it out to a local park and set up some DIY gates and obstacles. The precise handling and infinite power made weaving through the trees and playground equipment an absolute blast. I could dive full-throttle at the ground and pull up at the last second or throw a matty flip over the picnic tables. Pure. Joy.

Here’s where the Mobula6 really starts to shine: night flying. I set up a small course in my backyard with some spare tiny whoop gates I had lying around and an LED light strip gauntlet. In the pitch black, the Mobula6’s LEDs glowed bright, cutting through the smoke from a nearby fire pit. Diving through the gates and threading the LED “sticks” was mesmerizing. The flickering warm glow of the LEDs contrasted beautifully with the cool white light of the quad. I felt like Luke Skywalker bulls eyeing womp rats in my T-16. Minus the whole space fascism thing.

Outdoor Ripping

While definitely not the main use case, I did steal the Mobula6 out for some park flying on a few unusually still mornings. In calm conditions, this little monster can definitely hold its own outdoors. Ripping through trees and playgrounds is a blast and the 400mW VTX provided solid video even once I got a ways out.

However, the lightweight build does start to become a liability in anything more than a gentle breeze. Those svelte 31mm props and ultralight frame just don’t have the momentum to knife through heavy wind. I found myself struggling to make any forward progress at all in a stiff breeze, often getting blown off-course or tossed around like a leaf despite my best efforts.

Additionally, the VTX started to overheat after a few packs without the cooling effect of prop wash. I didn’t experience any burnouts, but the quad was definitely hotter than I was comfortable with. So while it’s totally possible to rip the Mobula6 at your local park, I’d keep it limited to short sessions on calm days. This is really an indoor machine at heart.

Repairs & Maintenance

So you got a little too spicy with the throttle and lawn darted into a brick wall. It happens to the best of us. How hard is it to get the Mobula6 back in the air? Well, that depends on your soldering skills.

The Mobula6’s highly integrated design and direct solder components mean that any repairs outside of swapping props will require some hands-on soldering. A broken motor or camera can’t just be unplugged and replaced – you’ll need to disassemble the stack and break out the iron.

Luckily, the solder pads are clearly labeled and easy to access. Anyone with even basic soldering experience should have no trouble making common repairs. And HappyModel has a good track record of keeping spare parts in stock should you need them.

One thing to note is that the frame is a bit more fragile than the beefy Bwhoop65. The slimmed-down arms are great for saving weight but do seem to break a bit more easily. Luckily the frame itself is quite inexpensive to replace if you do manage to snap an arm.

Overall, I wouldn’t call the Mobula6 a “tinkerer’s quad”. It’s not something you’re going to be constantly repairing and upgrading like you might a more modular 5″. But when things do break (and they will), it’s totally manageable to get it back in the air with a little basic soldering.

Conclusion

So where does that leave us? Is the Mobula6 2024 edition the ultimate indoor ripper? In short, yes. I think for experienced tiny whoop pilots looking for the most advanced, lightest tiny whoop possible, the Mobula6 is going to be very hard to beat.

The F4 FC, BLHeli_S ESCs, and 5A 4in1 provide the most advanced electronics package of any tiny whoop on the market. The 1102 28000kv motors, tri-blade props, and fully optimized tune allow for absolutely blistering speed and incredible control. This is a quad that won’t just keep up with your skills, it will push you to develop them.

But that racing-level performance does come with some notable drawbacks in durability and repairability. The ultralight frame is a blast to zip around but does make the Mobula6 more prone to prop and arm damage compared to a beefier whoop. You’re also locked into only using specific batteries due to the E50 connector. And any repairs will require direct soldering.

For someone newer to the hobby or just looking for a more durable, versatile tiny whoop, I think the regular Mobula6 is still going to be the better choice. That quad is only a hair heavier but features a much beefier frame, pluggable motors and camera, and standard PH2.0 sockets that open up your battery options significantly.

But if you’re an experienced pilot looking to squeeze every last gram of weight and ounce of performance from your whoop, the Mobula6 2024 edition is an absolute revelation. The insane power-to-weight, buttery smooth throttle response, and cutting-edge electronics make it hands-down the most capable and exhilarating tiny whoop I’ve ever flown. Ripping this thing around a technical course or diving through trees is a simply unmatched experience.

Just be prepared to burn through some props and maybe knock the dust off your soldering iron. The Mobula6 2024 edition is a thoroughbred racer, with all the pros and cons that entails. It’s not the quad I’d necessarily recommend for a first tiny whoop. But if you’re ready to put in the work to push yourself and develop your skills, I can’t imagine a better platform.

After countless packs and more than a few trips to the smoke shop for more props, I can confidently say this: if you’re an experienced tiny whoop pilot looking for the most ridiculously capable and exhilarating indoor quad on the market, the Mobula6 2024 edition is an absolute must-buy. Just maybe keep a few spare arms on hand.

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Written By Daniel Henderson

My name is Daniel Henderson and I'm an avid FPV pilot and videographer. I've been flying quadcopters for over 5 years and have tried just about every drone and FPV product on the market. When not flying quads, you can find me mountain biking, snowboarding, or planning my next travel adventure.

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