Eachine Racer 250: One of The Top Drones on The Market

Eachine is a brand that has been known over the years to produce top-quality drones and this time they are back on the market with the impressive Eachine Racer 250. This medium-sized drone comes with a built-in OSD, a camera that you can easily dismount and replace, as well as beautiful LED lights.

Product specifications:

Buy Eachine Racer 250 on Amazon

There are also many spare parts and upgrades available for your Eachine Racer 250 and these will enable you to modify it and make it into the drone of your dreams. However, these are not the only features of the Racer 250 as it comes with a lot of other additional characteristics that make this drone one of the bad boys of racing. And speaking of bad boys and races, you might also want to check out our article about drone racing, as it offers plenty of interesting information and videos from this new, adrenaline-filled sport.

Build specifications

Packaging

The Eachine Racer can be found on the market in 3 possible formats:

1. The Assembled and Ready to Fly version
2. The Assembled Bind and Fly version, and
3. The Unassembled Do it Yourself Version

We will discuss the first version today. However, this is also the most expensive one, so if you don’t mind assembling and binding your drone yourself, then you can easily grab any of the other 2 kits.

For the RTF version, you will find in the box:

• 1 x remote control strap
• 1 x 600MW 5.8G 32CH transmitter built in OSD
• 1 x 1000TVL camera
• 2 x headlight LED white 3W
• 1 x tail light LED colorized
• 2 x 11.1V 1500mAh 25C 3S battery
• 1 x B3AC balance charger
• 1 x mushroom antenna
• 2 x white CCW propeller
• 2 x white CW propeller
• 2 x black CCW propeller
• 2 x black CW propeller
• 2 x CCW 2204 2300KV motor
• 2 x CW 2204 2300KV motor
• 4 x Simonk 12A ESC
• 1 x CC3D Flight controller with Flexi port and Main port
• 1 x monitor holder
• 1 x 7 inch 5.8G 32CH monitor
• 1 x Eachine I6 2.4G Receiver
• 1 x Eachine I6 2.4G Transmitter
• 1 x Eachine Racer 250 FPV Drone

You won’t have to worry about all these separate parts because if you buy the RTF version, everything would have already been attached for you. But if you want to manually configure any aspect of your flight control, you can connect it to your PC using the USB flexi-port that is included with the package.

From there you can use its auto-tune (OPtune) software or use free open source software, such as librepilot or openpilot to configure it.

The on-screen display is already built into the transmitter and you’ll see it displays information such as the transmitting channel, the elapsed flight time and the current battery voltage.

Design and durability

The Racer 250 has an excellent build quality. Aesthetically, it is not the best of quads, since it looks more like a frame than the typical ‘spaceship look’ that most popular drones nowadays have. But most people who buy this drone will not buy it for its good looks but will instead buy it for its remarkable speed, easy upgradability and of course, its unbeatable price.

Regarding durability, the fact that you can find even the smallest of pieces on the market makes this drone very easy to recover from any type of crash. However, keep in mind that disassembling and reassembling the Eachine Racer 250 will require Eachine OEM parts or hobby grade hardware.

These parts can easily be found at your nearest local hobby retailer and many online stores too. You can replace the antenna, the propellers, the camera, the transmitter, the motor and so much more! You can even find various files on line that will allow you to print the replacement parts for your Eachine Racer 250 if you own a 3D printer. How cool is that?

It is also obvious that the Racer 250 was made to withstand crashes. Its carbon fiber body fared well in all crash tests. Even more the drone also sports some pretty bright headlights! These are bright enough to help you navigate during the night time and so this drone would be perfect for those who love night time racing and flying.

There is also a convenient switch on the body of the drone that you can use to turn the headlights on or off.

Camera

We were pleasantly surprised about the camera quality of this machine. Although it will not compete with the more expensive brands of CCD based cameras on the market, we did manage to get some pretty impressive shots with the included camera. The camera even performs well in low lighting conditions and changing light conditions and it does a good job in handling shadows.

Another feature that caught our eye was the fact that you can tilt the camera upwards by about 10°-15°; doing this will help to maximize the speed of your drone while you race. Eachine also included an isolation plate fixed on the body so users can mount a video camera, such as a Runcam or a Mobius. Furthermore, if you pair this camera with a pair of FPV goggles, the fun factor flies to the roof! If you want to read reviews of some of the best goggles models on the market, we suggest checking out our article about the best FPV goggles.

Battery and flight time

Eachine sells two stock batteries for this drone: the 3S Racer 250 battery and the 4S Racer 250 battery respectively.

The 3S version is the one used for this review. It weighs 119 grams and it has a size of 88mm x 18mm x 35 mm. It has a capacity of 1500mAh and a voltage of 11.1 V. It is made up of 3 cells and has a C-rating of 25 C. The 3S battery will give you a total flight time of 10-14 minutes. This battery has a relatively long charging time of one hour.

The 4S racer has a similar capacity of 1500 mAh but that is where the similarity ends. It boasts a weight of 143 grams and has a size of 75 mm x 32 mm x 28 mm. Its voltage is 14.8 V, it has one extra cell and it has a C rating of 35C.

But you don’t have to limit yourself to the stock batteries provided by Eachine. There are many compatible battery replacements available on the market for this drone.

Controller

The CC3D flight controller that ships with the Eachine Racer 250 was made in close collaboration with the OpenPilot Company and community and it provides you with all the control you’ll need to fly your new quadcopter well. It is favored among UAV fans because of its tidy circuit, small volume and also because of the excellent control that it grants drone owners.

It has an operating voltage of 5V and it supports GPS and data transmission at high rates. It is integrated with MPU 6000 (3-axis high performance accelerometer and 3-axis high performance gyros), with 16 MIC. Its powerful STM32 32-bit micro-controller runs at 72MHz. It weighs only 12.6 grams and it has a dimension of 36mm X 36mm X 5mm.

This controller also offers Flexi-port, which provides a second serial port or I2C connectivity. This will give you the flexibility to use dual serial ports or I2C and a single serial port according to your connectivity needs.

Each CC3D controller has been pre-flashed with the latest firmware and bootloader, and it arrives in a fully assembled state, thereby negating the need for additional soldering. Each CC3D controller is also quality tested and approved before they are sent out to customers.

Flight performance

You will definitely have fun when you take your drone outside for its first flight! When you get it airborne, you will be pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it flies. Don’t worry, whether you are a beginner or seasoned flyer, you will be completely comfortable while flying the Eachine Racer 250 and you will have effortless control over your machine.

You may notice some lines of interference on your goggles produced by the video transmitter (VTx). This is a common issue with the Racer 250 and all you have to do in order to fix it is make sure there aren’t any loose screws with the video transmitter. After you tighten all the screws in place, everything should be back to normal and the video transmission should be perfect.

One feature that is worth mentioning is that you will be able to fly your quad about 1.8 km away before you lose connection with the transmitter.

Since this drone was actually built for racing, there a few different flying modes that are quite easy to understand once you get the hang of it. The quad is also very responsive, so you won’t have any trouble controlling it mid flight.

The speed it is capable to reach is highly dependable on the type of motors, rotors and props you’re using. Not to mention the battery. However, there are users who managed to make it fly at about 45mph.

Value for money and guarantee

If you are looking for a speedy quadcopter, or if you are interested in drone racing then the Eachine 250 will definitely be the drone for you. It has a lot of features, it is quite affordable and it will give you value for your money.

As for the guarantee, nothing was mentioned on the Amazon site about the guarantee and so you will have to check the manufacturer’s website directly to find more details about their guarantee and their return policies.

Unique features

Despite its unattractive exterior, you can easily see that the Eachine Racer 250 was built for speed. Its specially crafted and streamlined body makes it easy for the drone to speed through the air and its powerful motors give it quite a boost too. The exceptional picture and video quality of the Eachine Racer 250 camera also make it quite a unique and desirable drone within its price range.

Another unique quality of the Eachine Racer 250 is its near flawless upgradability. Because of this, you can upgrade your drone with more powerful components as your skills as a flyer improve. This means that you will be able to tweak different aspects of your drone and make it comparable to even the best professional drones on the market.

Similar models or main competitors

Walkera Runner 250

One model that is similar to the Eachine Racer 250 is the Walkera Runner 250. Like the Racer 250, the Walkera comes in several different configurations, from a DIY version to a ready to fly (RTF) version.

Aesthetically, it is more attractive than the Eachine as it has a very sleek and appealing design. However, it is not as sturdy as the Eachine drone and many of its pars are thinner and break much more easily.

Both drones don’t have a built-in GPS system and so they will not hover in place if you let go of the controls. To get them to hover, you would have to use the controller to steady the drone manually.

But this shouldn’t be a problem since you can easily upgrade both of these drones with GPS navigation if you like. Don’t worry, their controllers will still work well and take advantage of the GPS upgrade.

The Walkera Runner 250 is similar to the Eachine Racer in many aspects and it is the drone that is most compared to the Eachine Racer on the majority of drone review sites around today. The Eachine Racer definitely beats it out in price and popularity since many users prefer this model.

If you interested in this product you can purchase it on Amazon.

Immersion Vortex

One competitor to look out for is the Immersion Vortex drone. It is a speedy little drone that is made out of vortex carbon fiber. It is unique in that it has a foldable frame and it comes with an integrated full graphic on-screen display and a custom 5.8 GHz video transmitter.

It also boasts a flexible camera mount that supports both an HD camera, such as Mobius or GoPro and even a flight cam too. It has a 3A switching regulator that will power the HD camera from the flight pack itself, thereby allowing you to leave the extra camera batteries at home.

It also boasts a barometer, 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyro which are all included in the integrated flight controller of the drone. It also supports future updates and programming via the USB port on its back and it comes pre-programmed with CleanFlight. The Immersion Vortex is a drone that you will enjoy flying just as much as you enjoy flying the Eachine Racer 250.

If you interested in this product you can check its price on Amazon.

Storm Type A Racing Drone

The Storm Type A racing drone is another competitor to look out for.  It is a good match for experienced drone racers who are looking for a speedy drone with high performance and easy customization. This drone is an RTF model too and its 2300KV motors will give you some of the fastest speeds on the planet!

The drone is equipped with a lost-and-found buzzer that will make a sound to help you find your drone if you ever crash it or get it lost. Its camera can be tilted up to 110° in any direction, thereby giving you a remarkable degree of freedom.

Its flight controller also comes pre-installed with auto-leveling software that will enhance your drone’s stability during high speeds or strong winds. Its transmission range is also very impressive at a whopping 300 meters, although the Eachine Racer 250 trumps it with its transmission range of 1.8 kilometers.

Like this great product? Then you can buy it from Amazon.

Overview

Let us now have a look at the advantages and disadvantages offered by this product.

Pros

• It flies really well
• It has a secure battery compartment that will protect your battery completely while you fly
• It has beautiful and bright headlights, which you can easily control with an on/off switch found right there on the body. These bright headlights make the Eachine Racer 250 one of the best drones around for night racing.
• It also has a tilt-able FPV camera that captures impressive pictures and videos.
• It is very fast and it is one of the best drones that you can get on the market for a very reasonable price.

Cons

Like most drones on the market, it is not perfect and it does have its faults.

For example:

• The battery that is supplied with the drone is not very good and many users have complained that problems start after a couple number of charges; some even say that the charging time doubles after having it for a couple of months.
• The packaging that the drone ships in is also lacking and I believe more could be done to secure the device inside.
• The drone also comes with no instructions and so you will have to go on the internet to find out how to use it. Therefore, if you are a beginner and you purchase the unassembled version, you will have problems putting it together unless you browse the net for instructions or request the help of a seasoned drone owner.
• Some people have also complained that they can not find certain spare parts when they need them.

If you have not bought your Eachine Racer 250 drone yet, then you are really missing out on some fun. Grab yours today and learn to fly it quickly.

Who knows, maybe one day you will be competing in a professional drone race and you’ll owe your success to this little guy. Until then, keep racing!