Rimzler unboxes and flies the iFlight Nazgul Evoque V3, a premium 5" FPV BNF that trades one-trick usefulness for a clever, switchable-arm design.
TL;DR
High-quality 5" BNF. Swivel arms let you run True X or Deadcat geometry without swapping parts. Solid build, O4 Pro stack, 2207 1750KV motors, predictable tuning out of the box. Performance: ~165–180 km/h in sprints; 3–4 minutes on hard pulls, up to ~9 minutes cruising. Main gripe: only one set of mediocre props in the box.
What’s in the box and first impressions
Box includes the drone, one set of F5 props, a GoPro mount, prop nuts, two 5.8GHz antennas, connectors and a receiver mount. Paperwork and stickers complete the package. The props are weak. Buy better ones straight away.
The Evoque feels premium. Anodised aluminium plates and an anodised green stack protector give a mechanical, engineered look. Multi-jet fusion 3D printed panels add texture instead of cheap plastic gloss.
Frame, weight and build quality
Stiff carbon throughout. Six-millimetre arms and three-millimetre top and bottom plates make the frame heavy but damage-resistant. The drone weighs about 480g—on the heavy side for a 5". Expect higher inertia and longer stopping distances in freestyle moves.
LEDs run inside the arms and on the sides. They’re addressable. They add visibility at night and look flashy without feeling tacky. Antenna routing, a front VTX, and an accessible O4 Pro stack all show practical thought.
Electronics and motors
The stack: iFlight Borg with an F7 flight controller and an AIO 60A ESC. DJI O4 Pro sits on vibration-damping silicone pads and behind a protective chin. There’s a big cap, anti-spark filter and a collapsible GPS mount—neat for transport.
Motors are 2207 1750KV Shing II. They look polished and perform predictably. iFlight’s choice of components leans quality over bargain-bin parts, which shows in flight stability.
Variable arm geometry — Deadcat vs True X
Primary innovation: swivel arms that switch geometry with four screws. In a minute you move from Deadcat (propellers out of camera view) to true X (props visible; freestyle-friendly). No arm swaps. No motor removal. No rewiring hassles.
The tuning ships for Deadcat and remains usable in X. Rimzler expected retuning but found both geometries fly well on the same PID profile. Differences are subtle—X feels slightly snappier and less wobbly under throttle, but not night-and-day.
Flight tests and battery performance
Rimzler ran four flights with three battery sizes: 1500mAh 6S, 1600mAh 6S (Turnigy Graphene), and 1800mAh 6S. Flights mix Deadcat and True X. Conditions were damp and windy—so top numbers are conservative.
Sprint results: 165 km/h with the first pack; almost 180 km/h on a later pull. Hard-flying runtime: ~3–4 minutes per pack. Cruise could stretch to ~9 minutes if you throttle back. Despite the weight, efficiency is reasonable.
How it actually flies
Tuning is remarkably good out of the box. The Evoque feels locked in, even in Deadcat. The heavier frame adds inertia—moves feel committed. Freestyle snaps translate cleanly, and the O4 Pro imaging remains well protected by the chin.
Switching to True X tightens the feel slightly. Rimzler calls the change minimal but notes less wobble under throttle and a snappier response. For pilots who do both cinematic and freestyle work, single-drone versatility is useful.
Pros, cons and market positioning
Pros: built like a tank, quality components, clever geometry switch, good O4 Pro integration, addressable LEDs. Cons: only one poor prop set included and higher weight.
Competition matters. The GepRC Vapor 5" hits similar flight quality at lower cost but with cheaper parts. The Evoque trades price for build quality and extra features. Buy if you want a single, polished platform; buy the Vapor if you want cheap speed.
Conclusion
iFlight solved a practical problem: switch flight geometry without disassembling the quad. They paired that with solid builds and sensible electronics. If you value a premium, multi-role 5" BNF, the Evoque V3 earns its place. If you chase the cheapest top speed, look elsewhere.
FAQ
Does switching geometry require a retune?
No. Rimzler left PIDs unchanged. Both Deadcat and X flew well on the same tune, with only slight feel differences.
What motors and ESCs are fitted?
2207 1750KV Shing II motors and an iFlight Borg stack with an F7 FC and 60A AIO ESC. DJI O4 Pro handles video with good vibration isolation.
How long does one battery last?
Pushing hard gives ~3–4 minutes. Cruising stretches to around nine minutes. Heavier frame increases hover time slightly; expect more inertia during manoeuvres.
Takeaways
Three short nuggets for skimmers—tweet-sized and actionable.
- Switchable arms mean one drone can film or freestyle—no hardware swap required.
- Premium frame and parts cost weight—and money—but give durability and stable tuning out of the box.
- Expect 165–180 km/h sprints and 3–9 minute runtimes depending on throttle and pack size.
- Buy better props; the included set underwhelms.
Credit: original video by Rimzler. Watch his full play-by-play for raw flight clips and more footage.
This article was based from the video Two Drones in ONE! The IFLIGHT Nazgul Evoque V3 5" can be both True X and Deadcat!
