I’ve always had a pile of spare motors and ESCs sitting around, and for the longest time, I toyed with the idea of building a handheld fan. It just seemed like a no-brainer project—simple, fun, and functional. But the thought of 3D designing a proper housing always held me back. Apparently, DarwinFPV had the same idea—and they beat me to it. Enter the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan, a purpose-built, ready-to-use solution that taps into the same components we use in FPV drones. But is it just a gimmick, or is it genuinely useful? Let’s dive in.
Where to Buy
You can pick up the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan at:
Multiple color options are available, and it can be bundled with a 6S 1300mAh LiPo battery.
What Is the DarwinFPV Turbo Fan?
In essence, this is a ducted fan built using a brushless motor and propeller inside a 3D-printed housing. It’s powered directly by a standard FPV drone LiPo battery (4S or 6S). DarwinFPV claims it can push up to 1.3kg of thrust, pulling up to 1000W of power—and from my experience, that number seems believable.
Specifications
- Product Name: DARWIN X5 50mm Turbo JET Powerful Violent Fan
- Operating Voltage: 4–6S
- Operating Current: 80A
- Maximum Current: 120A
- Maximum Wind Pressure: 1300g
- Maximum Speed: 77,000 rpm
- Noise Level (at maximum speed): 114 dB
- Motor (Moor): 2627–3700KV
- Propeller: D50-12 (50mm diameter 12-blade)
- Battery Life (with a 6S 5000mAh Battery):
- 8 minutes at maximum air volume
- 60 minutes at minimum air volume
- Recommended Battery: 6S 1300–8000mAh (XT60)
- Dimensions: 72 × 97 × 200 mm
- Weight: 217.8 g
Design & Build
The fan is really simple—just a motor, prop, ESC, and a 3D-printed ergonomic housing.
Plug in a battery into the XT60 connector, and it powers on automatically (there’s no on/off switch). You’ll hear the familiar ESC initialization beeps just like plugging in an FPV drone.
You can secure the battery with a strap using the provided slots. The ESC is rated for 80A continuous and 120A burst, which offers a generous safety margin.
A variable-speed trigger lets you control the fan’s output—the more you squeeze, the faster it spins.
It also features an LED ring around the nozzle, which gets brighter as you increase throttle.
The nozzle itself is wide, similar to a hair dryer. So instead of focusing airflow like an air compressor, it functions more like a miniature leaf blower—broad and forceful.
While the price might raise eyebrows, it’s clear DarwinFPV put a lot of effort into the design and execution. Sure, you could cobble together something similar if you already have the parts, but for most people, buying a well-designed, fully functional unit off the shelf is the better use of time and money.
Performance Testing
Once powered by a 4S or 6S LiPo, the fan draws around 0.02–0.03A of current (even when the motor isn’t spinning), so it’s essential to unplug the battery after use to avoid over-discharging.
When testing the fan, it maxes out my 200W bench power supply at only half throttle—drawing almost 8A at 25.2V, so I am certain the fan is way more powerful than that. According to DarwinFPV, the fan can pull up to 40A at 6S (1000W), which is well within the ESC’s limits by the way (at 80A). However, you’ll need a solid battery—at least a 30C for a 6S 1300mAh pack—to unlock its full potential.
Airflow is impressive: the fan was able to move the curtains and leaves on the plant from over 5 meters (15 feet) away. That’s serious thrust in a compact form factor.
Potential Applications
So what can you use this fan for? Surprisingly, quite a lot:
- Using it just like a leaf blower – blow things off any surface, like leaves off your driveway, or water/snow off your car windshield.
- BBQing– it’s fantastic for getting coals going quickly
- PC cleaning – far more powerful than canned air, though it lacks a focused nozzle for precise application
- For FPV pilots, you can use it for clearing any debris off the ground before takeoff.
Suggested Improvements
The DarwinFPV Turbo Fan is a pretty clever idea, but there’s room to make it even better:
- Speed Levels: Would be nice to have buttons for selecting constant speed levels, especially for bench use (e.g., as a desktop fan in the summer, or cooling component during testing).
- Adjustable Tilt & Stand: Add a tiltable stand for hands-free operation.
- Battery Voltage Display: A simple voltage readout would help prevent over-discharge.
- Power Switch: An on/off button is a must for safety and battery management.
- Interchangeable Nozzles: A narrower, removable nozzle would allow for precision airflow—ideal for cleaning electronics.
Final Thoughts
The DarwinFPV Turbo Fan is an interesting gadget. It’s a bit pricey for what it is, but for those who need a powerful fan for whatever reason, you can now buy it off the shelf. Whether you’re cleaning your PC, blowing dust off your workbench, or just looking for an excuse to repurpose your drone batteries, this fan delivers powerful performance in a sleek, portable package.
