Video summary
The video introduces the Upgrade Energy Dark Lithium battery as a revolutionary upgrade for FPV drones, promising significantly extended flight times compared to traditional LiPo batteries. The host explains that these lithium-ion packs offer a much higher energy density within a smaller physical package, allowing pilots to carry larger capacity batteries without increasing weight or drag. While standard LiPos typically provide around five minutes of flight time on a 7-inch drone, the new technology is expected to double this duration, potentially offering up to twenty minutes of airtime. This increased range is achieved by utilizing advanced cell chemistry and manufacturing techniques that prevent heat damage during operation, enabling the battery to sustain power delivery even when voltage drops significantly lower than what conventional batteries can tolerate.
During the flight test, the drone demonstrates its ability to cruise smoothly for an extended period, with the host noting that the battery continues to provide substantial power well past the point where other batteries would fail. The pilot pushes the drone to its limits, flying until the voltage per cell reaches as low as 2.8 volts and the total pack voltage drops below 10 volts, yet the aircraft remains airborne and responsive. This performance highlights a key advantage of lithium-ion technology: it does not suffer from the immediate voltage sag that plagues LiPos when high throttle is applied, allowing for consistent power delivery throughout the flight. However, the host also notes that while the battery excels at long-range cruising and slow flight, it lacks the explosive initial "pop" or high-throttle response required for aggressive freestyle maneuvers, making it less suitable for short, intense runs typical of 7-inch drones.
To optimize performance with these batteries, the video suggests pairing them with lower KV motors, such as those in the 200 to 210 range, which can operate efficiently at the lower voltages maintained by lithium-ion cells. The host expresses excitement about the potential for these batteries to compete with LiPos in long-range applications, where their ability to maintain voltage under load provides a distinct advantage. Despite the impressive flight duration and low-voltage resilience, the pilot decides not to attempt further freestyle flying to avoid damaging the battery or risking safety issues. Ultimately, the video concludes that while these batteries are not ideal for high-intensity freestyle racing, they represent a game-changer for pilots seeking maximum endurance and range on 5-inch drones, effectively solving the trade-off between flight time and battery size.
Read the full video transcript
[music]
Hey guys, finally here in Hawaii.
We're about to do some ripping.
>> It wasn't abrupt stuff.
>> It was It wasn't abrupt. It got me all
head over here.
>> My bad chat. My bad, chat. Don't let a
child drive.
>> Don't let a child [music] drive.
>> Backing out.
>> How you doing,
>> Jay? Good. I'm good,
>> Jay. Yeah.
>> I'm Jeff.
>> Jeff.
>> Hey, I'm James.
>> Big big fan.
>> Oh, thank you. Thank you. Yeah, we're
excited. [music] I've been watching you
fly here for a while and it's just so
beautiful and
>> amazing.
[music] What are you
>> [music]
>> What's up guys? This is the upgrade
energy battery. This is a lithium ion
battery which is known for super long
flight time, super long packs. With the
upgrade energy dark lithium batteries, I
mean we these are available for 5 in,
for 7 in, all kinds of options in your
quads. What are we gonna see? How far we
can fly these things? Hell yeah.
>> That's the goal.
>> How much more flight time do you think
you'll get from these? Since a regular
lipo from a regular lipo?
>> At least double.
>> Double.
>> At least double. Yeah. Like I would say
that normally on a regular lipo battery,
I only get about 5 minutes max. But with
these, I can get about 20 minutes. With
a lithium ion, you get a lot more energy
and a lot smaller of a package. So you
can go a lot farther with a lot smaller
of a battery.
>> For sure. If this was a lipo, it'd be
like that big.
>> Yeah. Big. Big. Big. Much bigger. Well,
then you can get a way bigger capacity
battery on your rig.
>> Lot more capacity, a lot more stuff
inside there in a smaller package.
>> So, were we saying 15 minutes on a 7 in?
>> At least.
>> At least on a 6 in.
>> See that guys? 15 minutes on a 7 in.
What are we saying? 10 minutes on a
five.
>> What's your opinion? I don't know. 10.
>> 10? Yeah.
>> 15 10. We're going to see if these uh
we'll put some numbers on these flights
to see how far we're actually
>> do 20 minutes on a four.
>> I don't believe it. Yeah. Let's do it.
>> Let's do it. Battery powered.
>> [music]
[music]
>> Oh, the battery is amazing. I kind of
already knew that I've flown these
before, so I'm not really like testing
the uh how hard I can push it. I'm just
trying to cruise smooth. Voltage is at
3.78.
It'll probably
probably sit there for like another 10
minutes.
[music]
>> 145.
>> Oh my gosh, you guys are going to get
bored waiting for me to finish this
flight. [laughter]
>> I'm at 362.
>> 362
>> per cell.
>> Safely. You can go down to 27,
>> right? I could be going way long. We'll
just have to ignore our uh voltage
warnings, too, cuz they're scaled
differently. [music]
>> Wow. I'm just now at 14.
>> That's wild.
This thing will usually fly for 20
minutes, but I think with this battery,
I'm going to get even more.
You guys are going to be tired of
waiting for me to finish flying,
honestly. Yeah. So, you hear that, guys?
So that means don't get your friends to
buy these cuz the answer to that is
you'll just be waiting for them
>> to fly.
>> So you just pull your you go buy one.
Don't tell anybody that
>> I just now hit 14.
>> Does it fall off when when you get low
battery or is that
>> Bro, this thing will go for a long time.
>> Oh yeah, that's awesome. [music]
>> It's screaming at me land now, but I'm
still at 3.2.
>> Damn.
All right, I'm at 10.3
at the end, right?
>> And that's about as far as I usually
take it, but it's still got power. I
can't What?
>> At 10 10 volts on my other batteries.
This thing is like ready to fall out of
the sky. And this thing's Oh, okay.
Well, I hit a tree.
>> So, yeah, I'm down. But it wasn't the
battery that put me down. I still had
voltage left. I feel like I mean, I was
at 10.2. That's as low as I usually ever
take a lia,
>> but it still felt like it had juice,
which is wild. It's over here.
>> I'm going to try to turtle mode it.
>> I'm at 2.8 per cell and I have this much
burnt left,
>> which is It doesn't sound impressive,
but if any other lipo battery was that
low, that would have just killed it.
>> I'm at 98 now.
I'm at 9.5
9.4.
I'm still flying though. Oh,
>> I could not fly at this voltage on the
other lithium ions I've been flying.
This is I mean I'm pushing it way below
where it's supposed to go, but I'm still
flying somehow. Watch out. Landing.
Wow. 9.2.
I brought it down to 9.2 and it was
still flying. I don't even want to push
it any further next cuz I don't want to
damage the battery. But oh my gosh,
>> I'm pumped. I want to I'm actually very
interested to see like if this can
compete with like a regular lipo like to
do a little bit of freestyle. So I
believe what they're doing is they have
a different metal they're using to weld
[music] everything together. And also
the technology they use doesn't apply
heat so it's not damaging the cells.
Usually with lithium ion when you punch
the throttle you're going to lose it
all. So if I can get like 80% of what
like a regular lipo feels like I think
that would be pretty good.
This is weird.
>> Yeah. Check to see how it pulls out of
the
>> It certainly has more power. Yeah.
>> Right.
>> Cuz you have flown some ion packs
before, right?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've done long range
with lithium ion, but never like
>> And they like usually immediately sag as
[music] soon as you get on the throttle,
right?
>> Yeah. That this feels good. I mean,
definitely not uh durable for freestyle.
But
>> okay, so definitely doesn't have that
like initial pop juice like you got to
wind it up a little.
>> To get better performance out of lithium
ion batteries, use a higher KV motor
because it's going to be sitting lower
throughout the whole, you know, pack. I
think for lithium ion maybe around
2,2100.
>> Now it's starting to dip, right? Like so
that initial that initial bit was great.
Like it had a lot of power, but now I'm
at like 215.
It's got a lot less, you know, like. So,
that initial that initial bit was great.
Like, it had a lot of power, but now I'm
at like 215.
It's got a lot less, you know, like
oops.
>> Yeah.
>> So, I I'm definitely use I wonder if I'm
cooking [music] this back though. You
know what I mean? Yeah, it's definitely
interesting. Like, it's it's got it's
got power, but you know, it's still the
still lithium ion, right? But yeah, I'm
definitely impressed by it, but
Dive that thing, James.
>> Where the center on the water?
>> Yeah. Get it.
>> Right here.
>> Oh, yeah. This is it, James. You got it,
James.
>> I mean, I might have trouble pulling
that.
>> All the way up. All the way up. Let me
get out the way
>> more.
>> All the way up. Look how high.
>> All the way up.
>> That littlest one. All the way to the
top. Keep going. No. Oh, next one. Next
one. Next one. All the way up.
>> Next one.
>> Oh.
>> Oh, but then I got to I got to come out
like I [music] can't come out the
middle, right?
>> You got it. I got to come out. You got
to come out one of the sides.
>> Left or right side when you come out?
>> You got it. Left or right side?
[screaming]
[laughter]
>> That 18 volt line.
>> Uh, very impressed. I wouldn't actually
freestyle with this, but it's crazy that
you, you know, could for a little bit
there. Not too hot. I I thought it'd be
smoking hot
>> for me. Oh, it's that's very warm.
>> It's warm, but it's not like
>> for me. I think where this battery can
shine is like fast, slow cruising. like
stuff you wouldn't do with a 7 in drone
cuz it's too tight in proxy, but you
need a 5 in drone to be like long flight
times, long tight runs. So,
>> yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Totally.
>> Well, it's your battery now, James. You
keep it.
[music]
>> Oh.
Heat
[music]
up [music]
[music]
here.
That's what I'm like when like do this.
He's like I got IT
[laughter]
[screaming]
on camera.
[laughter]
>> I THOUGHT WE HAD A TRUTH.
>> I THOUGHT WE HAD A TRUCE. [laughter]
>> WHAT IS THIS? We didn't