The world of first-person-view (FPV) drone flight is continuously evolving with new technology that pushes the boundaries of what is possible. Innovations in areas like flight controllers, motors, batteries, video transmission systems, and frame design have led to drones that can fly faster, longer, and capture incredible footage. The latest advancement comes in the form of a new 10-inch propeller drone from Iflight called the Helion.
Iflight is an established FPV component and drone manufacturer known for high quality and unique designs. When they unveiled the Helion, it immediately grabbed the attention of long-range explorers. Its elongated frame and structural reinforcements suggest that this drone is optimized for maximum efficiency and endurance. The powerful motors and 10-inch propellers also imply that it should have no trouble carrying large camera payloads with steadiness and control.
Could the Helion represent the next evolution in long range FPV drones? Does its large size and unique design elements make it an ultimate explorer and cinematic flyer? I take an in-depth look at the Helion’s features and flight characteristics to find out if it lives up to the hype.
Read on to see how this 10-inch beast has totally reinvented and reinvigorated my personal long range flying!
Design & Build Quality
When I first laid eyes on the Helion, I could immediately tell that an immense amount of thoughtful design work went into it. The flowing lines of the canopy, rear-mounted GoPro enclosure, and signature Iflight LED lighting give it an aggressive yet enticing look. But beyond aesthetics, it is the structural elements of the frame that are most impressive.
Iflight went with an X-shaped, 8mm thick carbon fiber twin boom design to give the necessary rigidity to this large airframe. The booms extend quite far back to allow ample space for the arms, eliminating vibrations and oscillations. The arms themselves also utilize 8mm carbon for precision strength. Despite the Helion’s size, it feels remarkably solid when handled. There is no twisting or flexing of components, just a locked in feeling of sturdiness. Clearly this drone was engineered for performance, not economy.
Another standout structural component is the quick-access canopy secured by just two screws. Opening up the shell gives immediate access to the flight controller, air system module, and wiring. While convenient for making parameter changes, inserting SD cards into the air unit does require removing both antenna tubes. Still, complete shell removal is tool-less and faster than most drones.
I also appreciated the thoughtful component placement including the front-facing air unit antennas and the encapsulated GoPro mount in the rear. My flying buddy Babang helped me coat all electronics in corrosion inhibiting conformal coating for weatherproofing. This is absolutely essential for flying in cold climates!
Overall, the design quality, durability, and attention to detail built into the Helion is evident. Iflight set out to create a high performance long range rig and certainly succeeded when it comes to frame and hardware.
Batteries & Payloads
Perhaps the most important factor for long range drones is the battery system. Having flexible battery mounting options along with good power economy helps determine useful flight times. The Helion was designed for endurance and payload carrying capability from the beginning. The integrated battery tray has more than enough room for the largest 6S LiPos on the market. There is also support for lion packs up to 16,000 mAh for extreme flights!
My go-to long range battery is the Pulse 5200 mAh 6S pack which easily provides between 16-20 mins depending on how aggressively I’m flying. For most of my mountain surfing flights, I still have plenty of juice left when I voluntarily land because of numb fingers! Going with the Lion option could extend this to 30 minutes or more. However Lipos offer a good balance of long flight times while still providing snappy punch outs to combat strong winds.
While the Helion has no issues lifting heavy bricks, this does negatively impact overall agility. Hauling around a 5000+ mAh 6S Lipo is not ideal and makes the drone handle somewhat sluggishly. Dive recovery also suffers a bit. The sweet spot for me was running 4200-4600 mAh packs for long range missions where I needed a balance of flight time and performance.
In the payload department, the Helion can lift absolutely massive GoPro rigs with ease. This makes it easy to run heavy ND filters, battery backups, and other camera accessories with minimal impact on flight characteristics. For any filmmaker looking to capture cinema quality aerial footage, the incredible lift capacity, vibration dampening, and stability opens up a realm of creative possibilities!
Performance & Handling
This is where the Helion really shines and shows what 10-inch propellers can do when perfectly integrated into a frame this large. Simply put, the Helion delivers an incredibly locked-in feeling unmatched by smaller quads. It cuts through turbulence effortlessly and holds its position against strong winds with authority. While precise, it does not feel twitchy or erratic. Iflight nailed the flight controller tuning enabling both sharp acrobatic response along with position hold steadiness.
Comparing it to my old 7-inch drone is night and day. The Helion feels like flying with a heavy, dense piece of timber rather than balsa wood. High speed passes and complex lines through gaps are not problem for a craft this size. The 10-inch prop discs provide stability in ways that smaller quads cannot match. Yet it still zips around very capably thanks to the selected motors and lower overall weight.
Testing the top speed using just my typical cruising style and rates netted between 70-80 kph – not blazing fast but reasonably quick. Burst acceleration felt adequately peppy thanks to the Lipo power on tap. Honestly for long range flights I was perfectly happy sacrificing all-out speed for the stability, precision, and confidence the Helion delivers by the truckload!
Speaking of confidence, navigating the Helion through complex mountain lines and ridges was exhilarating. The position hold capability is extraordinary allowing me to release the sticks momentarily to relax my thumbs without losing its place. Vertically it maintains heading beautifully during high speed descents without wobbles or deviation. Diving out of the clouds and pulling up safely takes only small, measured inputs rather than aggressive corrections.
The locked-in traits along with silky propwash translates to remarkably cinematic footage with only basic tuning and practice. If you want to push the envelope for filming while zipping over mountains, through forests, and against ocean backdrops, then I can definitively say the Helion is the ultimate cinema rig!
Conclusion
After many hours of intense long range flights, it’s clear to me the Iflight engineers achieved their objectives with the Helion 10-inch drone. The confluence of design elements including the rigid frame, protected electronics, smart component layout, and 10-inch propellers result in a precise machine. It simply performs exceptional well even under challenging conditions.
Despite its large footprint, I had little trouble transporting the Helion on various trips and adventures this past year. The convenience and flight time benefits far outweighed the minor hassle of packing bulkier batteries. I also managed to capture unique footage that would have been impossible on a smaller, less powerful craft.
So is the Helion the ultimate explorer for long range drones? For anyone wanting to push boundaries in terms of distance, resilience, flight times, cinematic footage, and overall performance the answer is absolutely yes! While certainly not the only long range option, the Helion represents a new pinnacle thanks to its evolutionary integration of big props onto an ultra rigid airframe. This drone flies likes nothing else I’ve tried – and it has forever raised my personal standards for long range quads.
