The WLToys V272 is a micro quadcopter based on the highly popular Estes Proto X micro quadcopter. It is also the same quadcopter that’s shipped with the WLToys V282/V292 kits but comes with a much larger hobby-grade transmitter that is normally shipped with larger models such as the V636. If you find the mini transmitter that comes with the V282/V292 too basic for your liking, the V272 may just be your right choice.
Being a micro quad, the V272 is so tiny it can fit easily into the palm of your hand. In fact, the V272 is really one piece of flying PCB (printed circuit board) with four motors, propellers, a battery and a plastic cover attached to it. It is so tiny that there is no room for anything else.
Due to its diminutive size and the use of cheap plastics, the V272 is built rather fragile. Care should be taken when flying close to hard furniture or walls as the quad’s arms are rather fragile and may break upon impact. The V272 canopy can be a bit of a pain since it gets dislodged quite easily during crashes. When flying the V272, I found myself frequently adjusting or reattaching the canopy after crashing the quad. Since the canopy itself is built to be rather flimsy, I found myself spending more time fidgeting with it than actually flying the quad.
The V272’s 100mAh battery takes up the entire real estate on the body and is held down by the canopy. To charge the battery, simply plug in the supplied charger into the charging port at the rear of the quad. The V272 is shipped with 2 sets of propellers, a user manual and a USB charger.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 47 x 47 x 25mm
- Diagonal motor distance: 50mm
- Motor size: 5mm coreless
- Weight: 14g
- Flight time: 5 to 6 minutes
- Battery: 3.7V 100mAh Li Po
- Charging time: 30 minutes
- Control distance: approximately 50m
- Transmitter power: 6 x 1.5V AA batteries (not included)
Flight Performance
Like the V282/V292, the V272’s flight performance isn’t something to shout about, especially when flown at 100% speed mode. However, the better hobby-grade transmitter does allow for more freedom in choosing the right speed mode to suit your flying style. While the V282/V292’s mini transmitter only provide dual-speed modes, the V272’s transmitter lets you choose between 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% speeds.
I find the V272 to be best flown at 60% speed, especially when flying indoors. 60% is where you’ll find the V272 most well behaved. If you have more airspace to fly around such as in an outdoor location or in some large hall then you can switch to 80% speed.
The V272 becomes extremely twitchy and nervous at 100% speed, where flying angles get ridiculously aggressive. The high speed combined with a terribly slow yaw rate makes for a horrible flight performance. Although capable of flying very fast in a straight line, the V272 simply cannot turn fast enough due to its slow yaw rate, making tight and fast funnels and turns impossible.
Like other micro quads, the V272 is capable of performing automated flips and it does this smoothly, recovering quickly from each flip. Due to its small size and light weight, it shouldn’t be flown in any sort of wind.
For those who are not familiar with flying micro quadcopters, the sound of the V272 can be quite amusing. Due to its micro size, the V272 actually sounds like a giant mosquito. It has this smooth and spirited buzz that’s just loud enough but not too loud to disturb the peace in your home or annoy your neighbor.
The V272 has an average flight time of about 5 to 6 minutes, which is really short. It gets even shorter if you do a lot of flips and fly aggressively. Fortunately, the batteries are cheap and retail for less than $12 for 5 pieces at Amazon.
The V272’s bright LED lights greatly help in keeping you oriented. Thanks to its tiny size, it’s very easy to lose orientation of the V272 even when it is just a few meters away from you. Without these LEDs, flying the quad can be a real pain since it can be quite difficult to distinguish front from rear. Unlike the V282/V292, the rear LED’s on this quad can be turned off by pressing a button on the transmitter, leaving only the front LEDs on.
Transmitter
Using such a large transmitter for the tiny V272 can feel a bit awkward at first but you’ll soon appreciate it once you realize how much control it gives you over the quad. As mentioned earlier, the transmitter allows you to toggle between 4 different speed modes and also allows you to turn off some of the LED lights on the quad.
It also features a small LCD screen at the bottom that shows you important information such as throttle position, trim values, speed modes and battery level.
The transmitter is powered by 6 AA batteries which I believe is simply overkill when most other transmitters with similar size can run well with just 4 AA batteries.
Like many other RC transmitters from Chinese manufacturers, the V272 transmitter is exceptionally ugly. Personally, I think the V282/V292 transmitters, although small, actually look a lot better. However, the V272 transmitter makes up for its ugliness by being reliable while offering more controls over the quad. After several test flights with the V272, I’ve not had any serious issues with it.
Conclusion
The V272 pales in comparison to WLToys’ other micro quads such as the V676/V646 which provide a far better flying experience and a better overall package. It, however, makes up for that with a transmitter that gives you more control options.
Build quality is rather poor with a flimsy canopy that detaches quite easily during crashes. Other parts such as the frame itself are quite fragile and vulnerable to damage.
The V272 is best flown at 60%-80% speed indoors. These speed modes best complement the rather slow yaw rate which makes flying at 100% speed not an enjoyable experience. At 100%, the V272 becomes extremely difficult to control, twitchy and nervous. To keep it flying in the air and doing circuits at such speeds requires the reflexes of a spider. This makes the V272 not a beginner-friendly micro quad when flown at 100% speed.
Overall, the V272 offers a rather mediocre package for a micro quad. Due to its more sophisticated and larger transmitter, it is roughly 5 to 7 dollars more expensive than the V282/V292 which still makes it very affordable. The V272 is a micro quad you go for if you like flying fast in straight lines and don’t bother much with funnels or circuit flying. This is a micro quad that can unleash the micro drag racer in you.