Review: BetaFPV Pavo20 Cinewhoop with DJI O3 Air Unit - Better Than Pavo Pico? - Oscar Liang (2024)

BetaFPV previously released the Pavo Pico, the smallest FPV drone equipped with DJI O3 Air Unit. This month they released an upgrade version, the Pavo20. In this review, we will find out what they improved on, how the Pavo 20 compares to the Pavo Pico, and how it performs in the air. Finally I will show you how I set it up for my maiden flight.

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New to cinewhoop style FPV drones? Check out my buyer’s guide:https://oscarliang.com/cinewhoop/

Where to Buy?

You can get the BetaFPV Pavo 20 from these vendors:

• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-sdir
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-il57
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBYQrdp

In the box comes with the following accessories:

• DJI O3 mount
• Spare screws and rubber grommets
• two dipole antennas for the O3
• LED lights
• Spare propellers
• USB-C Adapter

Batteries are not included, get some here (make sure either the width or height is less than 20mm).

3S 450mAh:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmMzJNv
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-azvz
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-ba92

3S 650mAh:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFuP03p
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-rwpj
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-3amh

Get some spare propellers (Gemfan 2015 two-blade 1.5mm hole):

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBHf21H
• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-zjir
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-v7rs

Specifications and Key Features

• Frame Wheelbase: 90mm
• FC: BetaFPV F405 2-3S 20A AIO FC V1
• RX: ExpressLRS (integrated into the FC, UART based)
• Motor: 1103 8500KV
• Propellers: Gemfan 2015 2-Blade Props
• Intended FPV system: DJI O3 Air Unit, Caddx Vista/Runcam Link
• Battery connector: XT30
• Recommended Battery: 3S 450mAh – 650mAh
• Flight Time: 4min with 3S 450mAh
• Weight without Battery and FPV: 55g
• Weight with DJI O3: 94g
• Weight with 3S 450mah: 135g
• Weight with 3S 650mah: 140g

Installing DJI O3

Out of the box, the Pavo 20 doesn’t come with any video transmitter or camera, you have to install your own.

Installing the DJI O3 is easy just like the Pavo Pico. First, replace the original antenna with the provided dipole antennas, then install the camera in the plastic bracket.

The bracket holds the Air Unit securely without the need for any screws.

Fit the provided rubber grommets in the frame.

Then install the bracket with the O3 on the frame with the provided screws, that’s it.

First Impressions: Pavo20 vs. Pavo Pico

At first sight, the Pavo20 might look similar to its predecessor, the Pavo Pico, but the Pavo20 is basically the Pavo Pico on steroid.

The Pavo 20 is also designed to accommodate the full-size DJI O3 Air Unit, but it has a larger frame, uses larger motors and propellers and higher voltage battery (3S), which makes a more powerful drone that is faster and handles the wind better. The downside is the larger form factor and heavier weight. Price remains the same.

Here’s a comparison table between the two quads:

Closer Look

Frame

All the hardware in the Pavo20 sit on a 2mm thick carbon fiber plate, giving it a sturdy feel.The plastic used in the Pavo20 feels noticeably more sturdy and robust than the Pavo Pico’s, the ducts are thicker, should be able to take more abuse. The stiffer frame also aids in flight performance and tuning.

Camera View and Protection

The Pavo20’s design offers camera protection thanks to the camera mount extension. Camera protection is often neglected in other small O3 cinewhoop, BetaFPV has done a fantastic job here.

However this design choice, while protecting the camera, results in prop guards appearing in the footage, especially at lower camera angles. The good news is, you may see the frame in the goggles, but once you stabilize the footage using Gyroflow, it crops in enough and you won’t see the frame anymore. Using a higher camera angle also helps.I wish BetaFPV offered additional mounting holes further out, so users can decide between camera protection and clean camera view.

Note that the camera protection only reduces the chance of breaking the camera, it doesn’t prevent it completely. It can still get damaged in aggressive flights, so make sure you fly safely.

Also note that the camera protection prevents ND filters that install horizontally, only the ones that install vertically can fit. I am using Flywoo’s ND filters for the O3 which works like a charm.

Battery Mount

The Pavo20 supports batteries with less than 20mm width (or height), it doesn’t confine you to a specific battery size like the Pavo Pico, which I highly appreciate. The battery tray in the Pavo 20 is an open slot design, secured by a velcro strap, so you can use most 3S 450mAh – 650mAh LiPo batteries.

it fits standard 3S 450mah Lipo perfectly.

It also fits GNB 3S 650mah.

Flight Controller

The flight controller used in the Pavo 20 is a brand new design by BetaFPV, here’s the product page: https://oscarliang.com/product-yxbh

Like the Pavo Pico, the FC lacks a physical USB port. Instead, a small dongle is provided for connecting the FC to Betaflight Configurator. I understand this is to save space on the FC, but i am not a fan of this design as you have to constantly look for this dongle and if you lose it, you are in trouble. Most 1S tiny whoop FC has USB ports on those tiny boards, so I don’t see why it’s not possible to have a physical USB port on this FC.

Anyway, the flight controller has an onboard ExpressLRS radio receiver which makes setup super easy. It’s UART-based and not SPI, promising future support and making firmware updates straightforward.

Note that this new FC has no OSD chip for analog FPV system, as it’s designed strictly for HD systems.

This new FC has a 9V BEC that can be used for powering the DJI O3, instead of using VBAT like the first batch of the Pavo Pico (powering O3 directly from LiPo battery).

Motors and Props

Motors are 1103 8500KV, bigger than the Pico’s 1102. Props are press-fit, but those motors also support props with 2-screw T-mount.

LED

An attractive feature of the Pavo 20 is the plug and play LED lights.

You can attach the provided LED strips around the prop guard using double sided tape, and plug it straight into the cable under the flight controller, no soldering required. LED can be turned on/off using a switch, which is configured in Betaflight out of the box. All you need to do is to assign an AUX channel to the USER1 in the Modes tab.

However, these LED adds about 5 grams to the quad, so I chose not to install them, prioritizing performance over aesthetics.

Flight Performance

Almost all other 2-inch cinewhoops carrying the DJI O3, like the Flylens 85 and Mobula8, runs on 2S. The Pavo20 runs on 3S, which makes it more powerful and handles the wind better. However it’s also considerably heavier (about 20-30g more). When recovering from dives, it struggles quite a bit due to that extra weight. But in steady flights it’s really locked in and smooth.

The BetaFPV Pavo 20 hovers around 30% throttle, and gives you a flight time of around 4 mins with 3S 450mah, or 5 mins on a 3S 650mah battery.

Without much vibration isolation design in the camera mount, I am surprised how well it performs, as there’s is no noticeabe jello or vibration in the video.When it comes to indoor flights, the Pavo20 is a bit on the noisier side compared to the smaller Pavo Pico.

If you are new to FPV, you should be cautious about the 3S power, as it might feel overwhelming. It requires good throttle management when flying aggressively, which can be challenging for beginners. The Pavo Pico is more manageable, especially when flying in tight spaces. However, for those wanting a bit more kick outdoors, the 3S power truly shines. It’s more nimble and more punchy than Pico, handles windy conditions better.

Conclusion: Which Micro Cinewhoop is Best?

If you’re after the smallest and lightest possible DJI O3 FPV platform, you might lean towards the Pavo Pico. It’s under 100g, extremely nimble and controllable, and it’s less noisy.

However, apart from size and weight, the Pavo20 outshines the Pavo Pico in nearly every aspect, while still under 250g. The Pavo 20 has a lot more power, more suited for outdoor flights, and is more crash resistant.

You can get the BetaFPV Pavo 20 from these vendors:

• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-sdir
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-il57
• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBYQrdp

3S 450mAh LiPo Battery:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmMzJNv
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-azvz
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-ba92

3S 650mAh LiPo Battery:

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DFuP03p
• RDQ: https://oscarliang.com/product-rwpj
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-3amh

Get some spare propellers (Gemfan 2015 two-blade 1.5mm hole):

• AliExpress: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBHf21H
• BetaFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-zjir
• GetFPV: https://oscarliang.com/product-v7rs

If you’re seeking speed, power, durability and wind resistance, go for the Pavo20. For purely indoor flying through tight gaps, the Pavo Pico might be more suitable. Ultimately, the “best” is subjective and hinges on your specific needs

How to Setup

FC comes with Betaflight 4.4.1, FC target isBETAFPVF405. Stock CLI dump can be found here: https://intofpv.com/t-cli-dump-for-betafpv-pavo20

PID and filters were tuned out of the box, here are the simple changes I made in Betaflight Configurator before my first flight:

• In Receiver tab, enable Telemetry.
• In Modes tab, assign switch to Arm.
• In OSD tab, config OSD elements.

You can bind ELRS receiver by flashing firmware with bind phrase. Stock RX firmware is ELRS V2.5.2, RX target is BETAFPV 2.4GHz AIO RX. Updating the ExpressLRS receiver is a breeze, thanks to its UART-based nature.

ESC comes pre-flashed with Bluejay, so no need to flash it yourself.

You also need to bind and setup the O3 Air Unit, I have a detailed tutorial here:https://oscarliang.com/dji-o3-air-unit-fpv-goggles-2/

Making It Lighter

I wanted to shave some weight off the Pavo20, and since I don’t fly indoor much, mostly outdoor, I decided to remove the prop guard, but keeping the base where the battery mount is. This alone saves around 10 grams.

I then made the DJI O3 Air Unit “naked” by removing the heatsinks and housing, reassembled using 3D printed spacers. This also saved another 10 grams. You could also use the Flywoo O3 Lite kit if you don’t have a 3D printer: https://oscarliang.com/flywoo-naked-o3-lite-ultra-kit/

The Pavo20 has a built-in receiver and a monopole antenna that is hidden under the FC, it’s good enough for flying within 500 meters, but beyond that would be risky.

I wanted a better radio link and “return to home” capability, so I added an external ExpressLRS receiver and a Flywoo Goku Nano GPS module. This only added around 4 grams of extra weight to the quad, but the improvement in reliability was worth it in my opinion.

This brought the total weight of the Pavo20 down from 94g to 76g, almost 20g lighter and now it also has GPS capability and much better radio link thanks to the external receiver and antenna.

I also previously modified the Pavo Pico in a similar way, bringing the weight down from 72g to 62g. However, it’s only 2S, using 1102 motors and 45mm props, so it just doesn’t have the “pop” of the Pavo20’s 3S power, bigger 1103 motors, and larger 2-inch props. Moreover, the overall size after the modification is roughly the same!

The receiver is connected to UART1 and the GPS is connected to UART6.

By default, UART6 is used for turning the LED on/off via PINIO so you need to config the pins for UART again by typing these lines in CLI:

resource PINIO 1 none resource SERIAL_TX 6 C06 save

Then configure GPS Rescue Mode (return to home) as explained here: https://oscarliang.com/setup-gps-rescue-mode-betaflight/

Some flight footage:

That’s it, happy flying.