Fun-Factor Overload

Coming in below 250 gram the Vortex 150 is not considered a ‘drone’ in many parts of the world. This allows the Vortex 150 Mini to be flown in many more places than its big brother the Vortex 250 Pro.

Doors are opened to fly in a typical garden, or small park. A swing-set becomes a perfect power-loop target and garden furniture becomes a race gate, a new world of possibilities has just been opened up!

Fusion2 + Tramp = Synergy

The new ImmersionRC ‘Synergy’ flight controller integrates a full-graphic OSD and an onboard video transmitter based on the new Tramp HV design.
Twin F3 processors ensure an 8kHz loop time and full support of BetaFlight 3.x.
Factory calibrated power levels from 1mW -> 600mW, glitch-free channel changing, and a micro-power pit-mode ensure that the Vortex 150 will receive a warm welcome at any race event.

The Synergy weighs in at a mere 6.41g, vs. the Fusion Gen2’s 10g, the latter without a video transmitter!

Integrated Leading-edge 5.8GHz Video Tx

The fully integrated ‘Tramp’ video transmitter has all the bells and whistles. Support for all standard FPV channels and power levels from sub-1mW to >600mW.

Dynamic Power Control, introduced with the Vortex 250 Pro, is taken to a new level, pre-take-off power level may be dropped to sub-1mW while waiting on the starting grid, saving precious battery power, and keeping temperatures low.

After a crash landing the power level is dropped to a minimum to preserve battery life during the search and to help with localization using a directional antenna.

Integrated Touch’n’Race

A TNR (NFC) antenna integrated into the side of the quad provides full support for the ImmersionRC Personal and Race Director’s wand. The latter enables additional channels for events with special spectrum use permissions.

Setting your video transmitter frequency and power without touching the quad, greatly simplifying casual and race channel setup. No fiddly dip switches, no push-buttons and key-press sequences to remember and no guesswork.

DSMX Video Transmitter Control

Another first in the FPV world, ImmersionRC has teamed up with Horizon Hobbies to integrate video transmitter control into certain Spektrum(tm) radios.

Quads using this feature power up safely in pit-mode, and after finding a free channel on the video goggles, the menu on the Spektrum radio may be used to select frequency band, channel, and power level.

PitStick Mode for Simple Channel Changing

When placed in this mode, the Vortex 150 Mini will power up with the video transmitter disabled, and will only start transmitting when instructed to by a the R/C transmitter.

For mode 2 pilots, the right stick is used to select channels 1..8 using the extremes of stick movement. Up for CH1, Up-Right for CH2, etc.

Lights! Music! Action!!!

Ok, there is no music, we’ll leave that to the post-processing, but there are lights, and plenty of action!

A set of RGB LEDs sit on the tail of the Vortex Mini shine through a light-pipe diffuser, ensuring visibility from a wide angle.

Since Airgonay’s now-famous ‘Star Wars’ video, rear lights on mini-quads have become not a ‘nice to have’, but a ‘no fun without ‘m’.

‘Gen3’ 32-bit, 16-20A ESCs, with OneShot42 and 125 

Custom 16-20A ESCs supporting all of the common standards provide regenerative braking, for crisp-responsive flight using CleanFlight, or BetaFlight. A 32-bit ARM processor runs each ESC, ensuring plenty of processing power to drive even the most fussy brushless motors.

These third-generation ESCs include advanced de-sync detection critical for use with tiny brushless motors running at high rpms.

Of course no ImmersionRC ESC would be complete without our innovative rotorSENSE, which programs prop direction with the flick of a finger. No more swapping motor wires.

Full Graphic OSD, with EzOSD pedigree

An on-board full-graphic OSD provides in-flight updates of critical parameters and sports a menu which allows all options to be programmed in the field using the R/C Tx and a set of goggles, or, alternatively, an LCD screen.

A real-time interface with the flight controller enables artificial horizons, F-18 style displays and exchange of critical flight parameters.

Automatic warnings for battery capacity, voltage, and remaining flight time keep the pilot updated before batteries are exhausted.

Seven! 32-bit ARM processors

There are not many quads out there with that claim to fame, especially not in the 150mm class… the Vortex 150 Mini, like its 250 and 285 sized big-brothers sports no less than seven 32-bit ARM processors, all working together for maximum fun-factor and reliability.

A dedicated ARM for the flight controller, another for the full-graphic OSD, a third one to drive the RGB LEDs and support the TNR functionality, and finally four high performance ARMs for the custom ESCs.

Custom OSD Layouts

Several OSD layouts are included in the package:

• A classical EzOSD-type layout, with all critical parameters available on-screen.
• A Heads-Up display which would be more at home in a fighter-jet, with artificial horizon and altitude indicator.
• A Race layout, with just the critical parameters, tucked around the edges of the display.

All OSD layouts include screen-center alerts for critical warnings, such as battery voltage, EzUHF Link Critical, etc.

Pimp It!

The Vortex 285 and 250 were the first race quads supported by a large array of ‘pimp kits’, enabling users to customize their quad. The 150 Mini continues this trend, and greatly simplifies their installation, no soldering-iron required!

Physical meets Virtual

ImmersionRC’s FPV Racing Simulator, LiftOff, has been used by many pilots to develop their skills without breaking a single prop.

Since its introduction the simulator has steadily increased it’s feature set, now including all of the Vortex airframes, many race environments (including the famous Dubai World Drone Prix circuit), and recently a fantastic multi-player mode.

Race against other pilots in multiplayer mode, create tracks with the track builder, and download tracks built by the community.

The Vortex 150 Mini will soon join it’s 285 and 250 brothers in this simulator.

Vortex 250 vs. 150-Mini Comparison

The Vortex 250-Pro and 150-Mini share the same roots, but are quite different quads.

The following table demonstrates the differences:

(1) Any similarly sized receiver will fit in the 150’s Internal Rx Bay, larger receivers can fit outside.