Why this matters
Chris Rosser breaks six 6S Li‑Po packs to find which batteries actually suit modern 5‑inch freestyle and racing quads. The results change what you should buy.
TL;DR
Dogcom Ultralite 1480 tops performance and power density. Zot Power 1800 underdelivers badly—avoid. Bonka, Boss Lipo and many CNHL/FPV packs deliver reasonable value if priced correctly.
How the tests work
Rosser runs two main tests: a constant‑power discharge that simulates a four‑minute freestyle flight, and a burst power ramp that stresses peak delivery. Tests start at 4.2V/cell and stop at 3.1V/cell.
Constant power discharge — usable capacity matters
Rated mAh rarely equals usable mAh under FPV loads. Rosser uses 22.2V × 15C as a constant power load to approximate real flights and compare usable capacity.
The Zot Power 1800 shows the clearest failure. It hits only ~1,100 mAh during the 15C test — roughly half its printed capacity. That difference shows up in flight time and confidence.
Voltage sag — why volts beat mah for feel
Higher pack voltage under load means more RPM at the prop and sharper throttle response. Rosser reports voltage at 50% discharge as a simple comparison metric.
Dogcom and Bonka lead with ~22.1–22.2V at the midpoint. Zot Power 1800 drops near 21V at 50%—a landing‑time voltage for many pilots. That sag kills punch.
Weight and energy density — the unsung spec
Energy density = Wh per gram. Lighter chemistry or thinner pack construction buys better handling and acceleration on a quad.
Dogcom Ultralite and Boss Lipo S8 stand out. Both are light enough to convert good power into real world agility. Heavy packs can hide decent power numbers on a bench but feel slow on a quad.
Burst power test — how the pack behaves when you scream the throttle
Rosser warms packs with a 15C constant current for 48 seconds, then ramps current by 2C per second until cells hit 3.1V. Longer ramp time equals higher effective C and more peak watts.
Bonka Dandelion 1680 (200C) posts top raw watts. The real surprise: Dogcom Ultralite 1480 spits out >2.5 kW, beating many larger packs. Zot Power 1800 performs worst—only about 1 kW.
C‑rating and effective C
Rosser computes effective C by dividing peak current by rated capacity. That normalises big and small packs.
Dogcom Ultra‑Lite scores near 90C effective. Bonka Dandelion and Boss Lipo also deliver very strong effective C. VFPV V3 and Zot Power 1800 rank low.
Power density — watts per gram
Power density merges peak power and mass. Rosser treats ~10 W/g as good, ~12 W/g as state of the art in 2025.
Dogcom Ultralite hits ~12 W/g—excellent. Several budget U‑cells and Bonka/Boss offerings reach ~10 W/g, giving solid performance for the money. Zot Power 1800 sits at ~4 W/g—unsuitable for racing or modern freestyle.
Final scores and buying advice
Rosser averages energy density and power density relative to the test set to produce a simple score. He sorts packs into three buckets: don't buy, price/availability, performance.
Don't buy: Zot Power 1800. Rosser flags likely QC or design failures—stay away. Zot Power 1500 is merely 'ok' and suspect if availability or price entice you.
Price/availability tier: TheFPV, Bonka Dandelion/HEIM, Boss Li‑Po P7 and S8, Dogcom U‑Cell, CNHL Ultra Black. Buy the cheapest decent option locally—value is the driver here.
Performance tier: Dogcom Ultralite 1480. Worth a small premium if you race or prioritise punch and weight. In the UK it retails around £25–£26, which Rosser calls good value for top performance.
Data, spreadsheets and the source
All raw test data lives on Rosser's Patreon (patreon.com/chris_rosser). If you want every plot, the spreadsheets are available there.
Related reading from Unmanned Tech
Battery handling and lifecycle matter. Read Unmanned Tech's lithium disposal guide before you retire packs: https://www.unmannedtechshop.co.uk/2024/04/12/safely-disposing-of-lithium-polymer-lipo-batteries-a-guide-for-rc-hobbyists/
FAQ
Which battery should I buy for racing?
Buy the Dogcom Ultralite 1480 if you want top power and low mass. It hits ~12 W/g and near‑90C effective on Rosser's tests.
Are Zot Power 1500 packs safe to try?
1500 looks acceptable in Rosser's tests but Zot Power 1800 shows serious failure modes. If 1500 is cheap and local, you can try, but exercise caution.
Do I trust the printed C rating?
Not blindly. Rosser shows printed C often reflects slow discharge specs. Trust real tests or choose packs with solid power and energy density numbers.
Takeaway box
- Dogcom Ultralite 1480: top performance, best watts per gram. Worth the small premium.
- Avoid Zot Power 1800: severe capacity loss and voltage sag under FPV loads.
- Bonka and Boss Lipo: solid mid‑pack performers—buy by price and availability.
- Energy density matters more than raw mAh on the bench—lighter packs feel faster.
This article was based from the video One Li-Po Battery to buy 🎉 and one to AVOID! 😱 FPV Battery Testing
