BetaFPV Air65 II: Not Shite, Shockingly.

The 65mm whoop market is usually a depressing landscape of compromises and broken promises. The BetaFPV Air65 II, however, has managed to arrive with rare competence. At $99, it’s an analogue 1S brushless quad that actually flies well straight out of the box, which is apparently a novel concept for some manufacturers. It’s light (sub-18g), packs a 400mW VTX, and uses a UART-based ELRS receiver, meaning you spend less time fighting SPI nonsense and more time actually flying. The stock tune in Acro mode is, surprisingly, excellent.

Of course, because the universe demands balance, there are some predictably annoying caveats. The review unit shipped with alpha firmware—a charming choice if you enjoy unnecessary risk. The C03 camera has a mild yellow tint and some fisheye distortion, proving it is merely adequate rather than good. And while it flies beautifully in Acro, Angle mode is hot garbage, demanding massive stick travel for minimal response. It’s perfect if your preferred flying style is 'awkward and restricted.'

Despite these flaws, the sheer flying competence in Acro makes the Air65 II genuinely difficult to dislike. BetaFPV is also selling replacement frames for $4.99, which suggests they understand how tiny plastic drones inevitably end up after meeting a particularly solid tree. If you have $99 and need a decent 1S micro that doesn’t feel like an abusive relationship, this is it. It’s not flawless, but it gets the important bits right—a combination rarer than it should be.