I like to scan the new products at HobbyKing to see if there are any cool things worth trying out. They recently made available the Q Brain 4 x 20A Brushless Quadcopter ESC, which is featured in the video above. The idea of a 4x ESC has been around awhile with the Hobbywing Skywalker Quattro available in many different sizes and prices. I have been hesitant to give them a try because I didn’t want to change the whole thing out if it goes bad. Replacing just one ESC made more sense to me.
However, with the cost of these 4x ESCs dropping, I decided to order one and give it a try. The total cost ends up being less than ordering 4 separate ESCs of most brands.
An obvious advantage to using the 4x is that it can be mounted conveniently in the center of the quad with all of the other electronics where it is can be protected and perhaps less vulnerable in a crash. Also, it should look cleaner than a bunch of ESCs dangling on the quadcopter arms and could make for some interesting builds. On the other hand, it may require an additional center plate on some quads.
It appears that it uses the standard Turnigy or Hobbywing programming cards. However, I can’t verify this until I try it. I also don’t know if it can be reflashed. When I find out, I will post the information.
