The Eachine E013 Micro FPV Drone's jam-packed with features you'd never expect for such a great price. Plus, it's tough enough for beginners to learn how to fly.
Flying First Person View (FPV) drones are amazing. For me, though, they can sometimes makes me feel a bit nauseous. I have two full-size racing drones and an aerial photography drone.
The Eachine E013 -- also known as the "Small Pepper" -- is a tiny FPV drone that's great for learning to fly. It's tough and can take a beating. This little quadcopter features a remote control (RC), 5.8G 1000TVL 40CH Camera and VR006 3-inch goggles.
[taq_review]
Here are some photos of the Eachine E013 "Small Pepper" Drone
The Eachine E013 Micro FPV "Small Pepper"drone shown in overhead view.
Eachine's E013 Small Pepper drone, frontal view.
A peek "under the hood" of this little quadcopter.
A rear-view of Eachine's E013 Micro FPV RC Drone Quadcopter.
 Eachine E013 Drone Specs | |
|---|---|
Quadcopter Size: | 8.3x8.3x4.35 cm |
Box Size: | 30 x 19.5 x 9.5 cm (with goggles) 24.3 x 12.8 x 8.2 cm (without goggles) |
Gyro: | 6-axis |
Frequency: | 2.4 G |
Channel: | 4 CH |
Battery: | 1s 260 mAh (included) (upgrade) |
Motor: | 615-17000KV 63000 rpm (upgrade) |
Flying Distance: | 70 m |
Transmitter Power: | 3 * AAA battery (not included) |
Flight time: | About 5 minutes |
1000 TVL 1/3 CMOS FPV Camera | |
Frequency: | 5 8 G |
Wireless channel: | 40 CH |
Output power: | Table Text |
Operation voltage: | 3v-5.5v |
Current: | 200-340 mA |
Camera sensor: | 1.3" CMOS |
Clarity: | M7 1000TVL camera |
View angle: | 120°FOV H170° |
Signal system: | NTSC/PAL |
VR006 Goggles (One-Antenna Version) | |
Size: | 138 x 129 x 79 mm (without antenna) |
Weight | 164.7 g |
Display | 3" |
Resolution: | 500x300 pixels |
Antenna connector: | RP-SMA |
Working voltage: | 1s Battery (3.7-4.2 v) |
Working current : | 350-450 mA |
Receiving sensitivity: | -95 dBM |
Built-in battery | 500mAh 3.7V |
Working time: | 1 hour |
Features: | Small and light, convenient to carry. Can display current power. |
Unpacking the Box
In the box you will find the Drone, Goggles, Controller, Battery, Charger and spare props. Pretty standard RC drone pieces. The manual is pretty easy to read even though it's small print. Banggood was kind enough to send me extra batteries to help with the review. Each battery only lasts 5 minutes and takes 25 minutes to charge. Since the batteries don't cost much, it's worth it to buy a 5 or 6 pack.
What comes with the Goggles version of the Eachine E013
- 1 Quadcopter
- 1 Transmitter
- 1 1S-260mAh Battery (Upgrade)
- 1 Goggles Charging Cable
- 4 Blades
- 1 pair of goggles
- 1 Straight pole antenna
- 1 USB charging cable
- 2 Cloths
- 1 Blade removal tool
Here's the box the Eachine E013 Small Pepper drone comes in.
Here's the E013 fresh out of the box, and all the things that come with it.
The Eachine E013 Small Pepper manual is clear and helpful, even though the print is very small.
Make sure you buy some extra batteries so you won't need to wait while charging.
Video: Getting Started with the Eachine "Small Pepper" Drone
The Eachine E013: Better Than a Simulator?
I've been trying to learn FPV racing for some time now. I have a couple of full size FPV drones which are tough to learn and expensive to replace if you destroy them. The E013 is cheaper to repair or replace. Many online suggest learning on a simulator. I don't agree. Sure, a simulator has the benefit of using a full size controller. But that is it. The downsides are that you don't get to use the goggles and it doesn't feel the same as a real drone to me.
At $69.99 in US dollars, the E013 is cheaper than a simulator. Better yet, at the time of this writing, it's on sale at Banggood for just $38.99 USD.
The goggles that come with it are not adjustable and are very small so they won't be right for everyone. They do fit kids well though and my brother in-law had no issues using them. It's fine for me because I have a bigger and adjustable pair. Even if you have goggles of your own, it's worth it to spend the bit extra and buy the drone with the goggles.
Side-by-side comparison of the more standard-sized Eachine VR D2 Pro goggles (left) vs. Eachine's VR006 goggles that come with the E013 (right).
Taking the Kids for a "Ride"
While I used my goggles the kids got to be a passenger with the smaller ones. This is because the signal is broadcast and any receivers can watch without causing problems for the pilot. I say, "Pilot," because when you wear them you feel like you are in the cockpit flying the drone. That is why drones are becoming more and more popular. Now you don't have to be a pilot to enjoy the awesomeness of looking down on the town and feeling in control.
I have been obsessed with flight my entire life. My favourite dreams are of me flying through the air. Although the E013 can only be flown indoors (Unless there is zero wind) it gets you started. Once you are happy with that then the next step is a cheap full-size drone you can fly outdoors. Then move up from there. FPV Racing isn't for everyone. Some will get nauseous. If that's you, then you can move on to aerial FPV which is slow and steady and makes you feel like you are flying a helicopter.
Just One Mod
The one modification I did to this drone was to poke the FPV antenna out the top of the drone. I had to put a small hole in the top but it helps the signal strength.
Poking the FPV antenna out the top allowed a stronger signal.
The E013 has a lot of features that you wouldn't expect from a tiny drone with such a great price. Features such as headless mode which means the drone will come toward you when you press down on the right stick no matter which direction the drone is facing. That feature is good if you are flying without the goggles. It has a Return to Me button and a 360 Degree Roll button. It has three levels of difficulty for flight modes.
So if you are looking to get into fast-paced flying with twists and loops then the E013 is for you. It has a lot of features and fun packed into a small drone. It's so easy to fly my 12-year-old daughter flies it well. But that shouldn't be a surprise with kids these days.
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