EFL12550 – DRACO 2.0m Smart BNF Basic with AS3X and SAFE Select

By most estimates, planning and building the full-size DRACO should have taken years. Entrepreneur Mike Patey — whose exceptional drive and Back to Work™ ethic have inspired thousands of people — accomplished it in just over five months! Mike started with a Wilga 2000, replacing its Lycoming O-540 piston engine with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 turboprop boasting about twice the power at half the weight. Many additional modifications followed before Mike proudly unveiled his “ultimate bush plane”. It could go to the same places as a Carbon Cub, but also climb twice as fast; reach altitudes up to 28,000 feet; and cruise cross-country at 180 MPH while carrying four people plus gear. Changes from the Wilga were so extensive that the FAA approved Mike’s redesign as an experimental exhibition aircraft. The DRACO 2.0m is equally unique and astounding — and it’s also one of the most highly-engineered, detailed and feature-rich E-flite® aircraft yet!

Features:

The ultimate bush plane for an unmatched STOL, scale and beyond flying experience
The only officially-licensed scale replica of the one-of-a-kind DRACO by Mike Patey
One of the most highly-engineered, detailed and feature-rich E-flite® aircraft to date
Extra Scale details including an abundance of molded-in surface features, steps, antennas, wingtip skids, and much more
Functional Extra Scale features including licensed KING shocks on the main gear and tail wheel, leading-edge slats, slotted flaps, and more
17 total LEDs including navigation, landing, down, tail beacon, reversing and other lights with adjustable light controller
Clear windshield and windows plus a detailed cockpit with backlit instrument panel and pilot figure
Factory-installed, high-power 4S- to 6S-compatible brushless motor with large diameter 4-blade prop
Fits batteries from 4000–7000mAh to provide a wide range of performance and flight times up to 10–15+ minutes
100-amp Spektrum™ Avian™ Smart ESC provides real-time battery voltage, current draw, motor RPM, and other data via compatible receivers and transmitters
Optional-use motor reversing for special ground handling and other capabilities with compatible 7+ channel transmitters
Spektrum AR637TA receiver with full-range telemetry and industry-leading DSMX® technology
Easy to fly with innovative and optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection
The unmatched stability and locked-in feel of exclusive AS3X® technology
Six factory-installed metal-geared servos with internal, ball-link equipped linkages
Large and convenient, magnetically-secured top hatch with large battery compartment
Shock-equipped and steerable tailwheel for improved forward and reverse ground handling
Scale-like articulated and shock-absorbing main landing gear with oversized tundra-style tires
Custom-made and fully-molded carbon fiber gear to handle short takeoffs from and landings on a variety of surfaces
Two-piece wing with quarter-turn thumbscrews plus V2 hands-free servo connection system for quick and easy assembly/disassembly
Durable, fully-molded EPO airframe with carbon fiber and wood reinforcement throughout
Factory-applied paint plus decal finish looks great and saves time
Easy final assembly in less time than it takes to charge a battery

Inspired by the incredible ingenuity and effort Mike Patey put into building the full-sized aircraft, E-flite® offers the only officially-licensed scale replica of the ultimate bush plane! The amazing DRACO 2.0m is one of the most highly-engineered, detailed and feature-rich RC models ever produced. Beyond its complex design and the accurate shape of its fully-molded, lightweight and durable EPO airframe with a factory-applied finish, it also features an abundance of Extra Scale details including a variety of surface features, steps, antennas, wingtip “stinger” skids, and much more. The clear windshield and windows offer an excellent view of the detailed cockpit with pilot figure and backlit instrument panel. Functional Extra Scale features include licensed, scale-like KING shocks on the main gear and tail wheel, leading-edge slats, slotted flaps and more. There are also a total of 17 LEDs throughout the airframe — with a custom controller that allows you to select solid, strobing and other light combination options from your transmitter. Oversized, tundra-style tires on the custom-made carbon fiber main gear soak up bumps and provide excellent prop clearance, while the shock-absorbing and steerable tailwheel offers improved ground handling — even when taxiing backward with the optional-use motor reversing (compatible Smart receiver and 7+ channel transmitter required for reversing).

Factory-installed, metal-geared servos with ball-link equipped and internal linkages deliver crisp, precise control. The high-power brushless outrunner motor can drive the scale 4-blade propeller with a wide range of 4000–7000mAh batteries, from a 4S pack for slow and smooth scale flight to 6S power for better-than-scale vertical performance. It’s also equipped with a 100-amp Spektrum™ Avian™ Smart ESC, and the BNF® Basic version includes an AR637TA Smart receiver that delivers full-range telemetry including real-time battery voltage, current, motor RPM, ESC temperature, and more to compatible AirWare™ equipped transmitters. And even with its large-scale size and feature-packed design, the DRACO 2.0m can be flight-ready in less time than it takes to charge a battery! No tools are required for field assembly/disassembly because the two-piece wing is secured with quarter-turn thumbscrews. Best of all, if you’ve mastered flying at least one or two previous RC aircraft you can fly the DRACO 2.0m successfully, especially when taking advantage of the BNF® Basic version’s exclusive AS3X® and optional-use SAFE® Select technologies. And it all adds up to offer an unmatched STOL (Short Take Off and Landing), scale and beyond flying experience unlike any other!

Exclusive Technologies (BNF® Basic only)

The DRACO 2.0m is equipped with exclusive Spektrum™ AS3X® and SAFE® Select technologies. AS3X works behind the scenes to smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence to deliver a locked-in feel that makes it seem like you’re flying an even larger airplane. Optional-use SAFE Select offers pitch and bank angle limits along with automatic self-leveling that can be turned on and off at the flip of a switch! And if you don’t want to enable the SAFE Select features, simply bind the receiver normally and only AS3X will be active.

Smart Technology

The exclusive Spektrum™ Avian™ Smart ESC provides a variety of real-time power system related telemetry data including motor RPM, current draw, overall flight battery voltage and more via compatible receivers (including the AR637TA installed in the BNF® Basic version) and Spektrum AirWare™ equipped transmitters (including the DX6e and 8e, DX6 G2/G3 and 8 G2, the DX9, the NX6, 8 and 10, the iX12, iX20 and others) while you fly. It will even show individual cell voltages, temperature of the flight pack and other data when using Spektrum Smart LiPo batteries. Plus, optional-use motor reversing offers special ground handling and other capabilities (compatible Smart receiver and 7+ channel transmitter required for reversing).

Versatile Power System

The factory-installed Spektrum™ Avian™ 100-amp Smart ESC and high-power brushless outrunner motor can drive the large-diameter four-blade propeller with a wide range of batteries. Install a 4S battery for slow and smooth scale flying, a 5S battery for added power, or a 6S battery to deliver better-than-scale vertical performance. Best of all you can install a 4000mAh battery to keep the weight and wing loading down, a 5000mAh battery for a great balance of performance and handling, or up to a 7000mAh battery to achieve long flight times up to 10-15+ minutes.

Extra Scale Details

The DRACO 2.0m features an abundance of Extra Scale details including molded-in panel lines, hatches and other surface features, steps, antennas, wingtip skids, and much more. A clear windshield and windows plus a detailed cockpit with backlit instrument panel and pilot figure add to the incredible scale appearance.

Functional Scale Features

Licensed, scale-like KING shocks on the main gear and tail wheel, leading-edge slats, slotted flaps and more are functional Extra Scale features that take your experience to another level.

LED Lights

There are a total of 17 LEDs throughout the airframe to simulate navigation, landing, down, tail beacon, reversing and other lights. They’re connected to a custom light controller with different settings you can control from the transmitter to choose which lights turn on and off with various functions, glow solid, strobe and more.

Capable Gear

Like the full-scale DRACO, the articulated and shock-absorbing main gear is equipped with oversized, tundra-style tires to soak up the bumps of rough surfaces and provide excellent prop clearance. It’s also custom-made from fully-molded carbon fiber to handle short takeoffs from and landings on a variety of surfaces. The shock-equipped and steerable tailwheel offers excellent ground handling, whether moving forward or when utilizing the optional-use motor reversing to taxi backward too.

Durable Precision

Construction with fully-molded EPO material makes it possible to replicate the complex details and shapes of the full-scale DRACO in a lightweight yet durable form. The result is an outstanding scale appearance that’s easy to maintain and delivers the best possible flight experience, plus the factory-installed metal-geared servos with ball-link equipped, internal linkages deliver crisp and precise control.

Added Convenience

The two-piece wing is secured with unique, quarter-turn thumbscrews so no tools are required for field assembly/disassembly, and along with the V2 hands-free servo connection system, makes storage and transport as easy and convenient as possible. Best of all, you can have the DRACO 2.0m ready to fly in less time than it takes to charge a battery!

Factory Finished

The factory-applied paint and decal finish saves you time and makes for a scale replica you’ll be proud to show off everywhere you go.

Specs:

Approximate Assembly Time: Less than 1 Hour
Battery: Sold Separately
Battery Type: LiPo (3.7V per cell)
Charger: Sold Separately
Completion Level: Bind-N-Fly Basic
Flaps: Yes
Material: EPO
Minimum Required Radio: 6-channel
Motor Type: Brushless
Power Type: Electric
Product Length: 53″ (1346 mm)
Product Weight: 10.0 lbs (4535 g) with 6S 5000mAh 30C battery; 8.5 lbs (3855 g) without battery
Propeller Size: 14.5 x 9 4-blade
Radio: Sold Separately
Receiver: Included
Recommended Motor Battery: 4S 14.8V to 6S 22.2V 4000-7000mAh LiPo (sold separately)
Servos: Included
Skill Level: Level 2
Speed Control: Included
Technology: AS3X and SAFE
Wingspan: 77.7″ (1974 mm)