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What if you could find out how any drone will fly, how it feels to fly it, how long it will fly for, and how far out it can go? And all without building it first? With a little bit of math and readily-available part specs, you can get a solid idea without the huge initial time and cost investment.

Summary

In this article, we estimate flight characteristics with only product information and specs by using formulas derived from Leonard Bauersfeld and Davide Scaramuzza's paper on Range, Endurance, and Optimal Speed Esimates for Multicopters and other empirical formulas.

By doing these calculations, you can get an idea of how your quadcopter will perform before acquiring drone parts, and assembling and programming the drone. Things you'll find out are:

Thrust to weight ratio - How a drone will feel in the air

Maximum endurance - How long the drone can stay in the air

Flight time at maximum range - How long it takes for the drone to fly to its furthest point

Maximum range - How far out the drone can travel

Optimal flight speeds for max endurance - The best speed to fly the drone for the longest time

Optimal flight speeds for max range - The best speed to fly the drone to fly out the furthest

We estimated these values using only information provided in product data with empirical data and assumptions about multicopters.

All of these calculations build on top of one another and are intended to be done sequentially. More advanced drone designers may tweak the assumptions or incorporate real-world data into these formulas.

Are these calculations you want to see done automatically on QuadPartPicker? Tell us below!

Disclaimer: All calculations are best estimates given the input parameters and assumptions and may not reflect accurately in real life scenarios. The intention is to get quick estimates to rapidly prototype.

1. Thrust-to-Weight Ratio (T:W)

What it is:

The thrust-to-weight ratio is a crucial performance metric for multicopters, particularly for assessing their ability to hover, accelerate, and maneuver. It is typically denoted as x:y, where x is the thrust, and y is the weight.

Why it matters:

It's one of the easiest calculations to do to get an idea of how your drone will feel, without having to build and test it first. Calculating thrust-to-weight ratios is great for rapid prototyping.

A ratio of 1:1 will feel heavy, while a 1o:1 ratio will feel fast and nimble. Typically, drone builders aim for a 2:1 thrust-to-weight ratio which results in an aircraft that's balanced between flight time, range, and speed. Depending on your use cases, you can adjust your drone's powertrain to fit those needs.

What variables you need:

You only need to calculate the thrust produced by the motors and the weight of the drone in grams.

For the drone's weight, estimate with your frame, motors, electronics, and payload. For our example, we'll say our all-up weight is 700 grams.

For thrust, there are two ways without doing the testing yourself:

Method 1. Use a thrust chart from manufacturer's data for the motor and propeller combination, usually found in the product's description. We cover this in our article on FPV Powertrain. Using this method is more accurate because it utilizes test data from the motor's manufacturer.

OR

Method 2. Determine motor RPM given a battery's voltage. This approach provides a reasonable estimate of the drone’s performance capabilities based on readily available part specs. To use this method, you will need: motor KV rating, battery voltage, prop diameter, and some assumptions about efficiency and power.

Step-by-step calculation:

Skip to Step 3 if you already know your thrust from the manufacturer's data from Method 1.

1. Determine Motor RPM:

• KV: Motor KV Rating
• V: Battery voltage

Formula: KV ⋅ V = RPM

2200Kv ⋅ 14.8 (voltage from a 4S battery) = 32,560RPM

2. Calculate Propeller Thrust:

A commonly used formula for estimating the static thrust of a propeller is:

T ≈ C_T ⋅ ρ ⋅ n² ⋅ D⁴

Where:

• T: Thrust in Newtons
• C_T: Thrust coefficient (typically ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 for common hobby props)
• ρ: Air density (approx 1.225 kg/m3 at sea level)
• n: Rotational speed in revolutions per second (RPS)
• D: Propeller diameter in meters

Convert RPM (rotations per minute) to RPS (rotations per second):

n = RPM/60

For RPM = 32,560:

n = 32,560/60 ≈ 542.66 RPS

Our prop diameter is 0.13 (5 inches) and we assume C_T =.01 (a reasonable estimate for small propellers)

T ≈ 0.1 ⋅ 1.225 ⋅ (542.66)2 ⋅ (0.13)4

Simplify and calculate:

T ≈ 0.1 ⋅ 1.225 ⋅ 294,479.87 ⋅ 0.000286

T ≈ 10.317 N

Convert thrust to kilograms (since 1kg ≈ 9.81 N):

T ≈ 10.317 / 9.81 = 1.05kg

3. Calculate Thrust-to-Weight Ratio:

Total thrust for 4 motors:

Total thrust = 1.05 kg ⋅ 4 ≈ 4.2

Assume/estimate the total weight of the multicopter is 700g = 0.7kg

Thrust-to-weight ratio:

Total Thrust / Weight = 4.2 / 0.7 ≈ 6kg or 6:1

Using this empirical method, you can estimate the thrust produced by each motor without needing the manufacturer’s data by utilizing the motor’s KV rating, battery voltage, and propeller dimensions. The calculated thrust can then be used to determine the total thrust and the thrust-to-weight ratio of your multicopter. By understanding your drone's thrust-to-weight ratio, you can get a high-level idea of how strong or weak your drone is.

Limitations

While thrust-to-weight ratios are easy to calculate with few variables needed, they are dimensionless and use assumptions not representative of real-time flight conditions.  

2. Induced Velocity at Hover (v_i,h )

What it is:

Induced velocity at hover calculates how fast the air moves down through the propellers when the drone is hovering in place.

Think of it like how fast you need to blow air down to keep a balloon floating in one spot.

Why it matters:

This calculation helps determine how fast the air needs to be pushed down by the propellers to keep the multicopter hovering. It is crucial for understanding the hover efficiency and the power required to maintain a stationary position in the air.

Induced velocity at hover is the foundation for understanding how fast the air needs to move through the propellers to keep the multicopter hovering. It's the first variable to calculate to use in further calculations to determine other flight characteristics.

What variables do you need:

Weight (𝑚): .7 (700g from our example above)

Propeller Radius (𝑟_prop): 0.065 (0.13 diameter from our 5" example above/2)

Air Density (𝜌): 1.225 kg/m³ (approx at sea level)

Gravitational Force (g): 9.81 m/s² (constant)

Number of Rotors (𝑁_r​): 4 (4 total motors)

Step-by-step calculation:

Formula: v_i,h  = √ ( T_h / 2𝜌A_prop ) = √ (𝑚g / 2𝜌𝜋r²_propN_r)

1. Calculate the Thrust Required to Hover (T_h):

T_h = 𝑚g = .7 ⋅ 9.81 ≈ 6.867 N

2. Calculate the Propeller Area (A_prop):

A_prop = 𝜋r²_prop = 𝜋(0.065)² ≈ 𝜋 ⋅ 0.004225 = 0.01327 m²

3. Insert the Values into the Formula:

v_i,h  = √ 6.867 / 2 ⋅ 1.225 ⋅ 𝜋 ⋅ 0.01327 ⋅ 4

Simplify for Induced Velocity at Hover:

v_i,h  = √ 6.867 / 0.4085 ≈ √16.81 ≈ 4.10 m/s

Next, we'll use this variable to calculate hover power.

3. Hover Power (P_h )

What it is:

Hover Power is the amount of power (energy per second) the drone uses to stay in one spot in the air.

Imagine how much effort you need to keep holding a heavy book above your head without moving. That effort is like the power the drone uses to hover.

Why it matters:

Hover power indicates the amount of electrical power needed to keep the multicopter hovering. This is important for estimating battery consumption and flight duration in hover mode.

Hover power builds on the value calculated from induced velocity at hover above, and used to calculate optimal endurance and range below.

What variables do you need:

Weight (𝑚): .7 (700g from our example above)

Gravitational Force (g): 9.81 m/s² (constant)

Air Density (𝜌): 1.225 kg/m³ (approx at sea level)

Propeller Radius (𝑟_prop): 0.065 (0.13 diameter from our 5" example above/2)

Number of Rotors (𝑁_r​): 4 (4 total motors)

Propeller Efficiency (𝜂​_P): 0.6 (typical assumption for small multicopter propellers)

Thrust Required to Hover (T_h): 6.867 N (calculated from previous formula)

Induced Velocity at Hover (v_i,h): 4.10 m/s (calculated from previous formula)

Step-by-step calculation:

Formula: P_h = T_hv_i,hN_r / 𝜂​_P

1. Insert Values into the Formula:

P_h = (6.867 ⋅ 4.10 ⋅ 4) / 0.6

2. Simplify for Hover Power:

P_h = 112.6 / 0.6 ≈ 187.67 W

Next, we'll use this value to calculate power at optimal endurance and range.

4. Power at Optimal Endurance (P_e​ ) and Optimal Range (P_r )

What it is:

Power at Optimal Endurance and Range are the amounts of power the drone needs to fly in the most efficient ways.

• Optimal Endurance: The least amount of power to stay in the air the longest.
• Optimal Range: The least amount of power to fly the furthest distance.

It’s like finding the best speed to drive a car to save fuel over a long trip.

Why it matters:

These calculations provide the power consumption at speeds that optimize either flight duration (endurance) or distance traveled (range). These are critical for mission planning and optimizing flight efficiency.

Power consumption at optimal endurance and range builds on the value for hover power calculated above. It is used to calculate electric power demand below.

What variables do you need:

Hover power: 187.67 W (calculated above)

Power consumption for optimal endurance: 91.4% (constant derived from studies and experiments on multicopter performance)

Power consumption for optimal range: 109.2% (constant derived from studies and experiments on multicopter performance)

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Calculate Power at Optimal Endurance (P_e ):

P_e = 0.914 ⋅ 187.67 ≈ 171.58 W

2. Calculate Power at Optimal Range (P_r ):

P_r = 1.092 ⋅ 187.67 ≈ 205.05 W

Limitations:

These empirical factors provide a quick and reasonable estimate for the optimal flight speeds without requiring detailed aerodynamic modeling or extensive flight testing. They are especially useful for preliminary design and performance estimation of multicopters.

Next, we'll use these values to calculate electric power demand.

5. Electric Power Demand (P_mot,e ), (P_mot,r )

What it is:

Electric power demand is how much electrical power the drone’s motors need to run efficiently.

Imagine how much battery power your smartphone needs when running a heavy app.

Why it matters:

These values represent the actual electrical power drawn from the battery, accounting for the efficiency of the motors. This step is crucial for determining the battery load and ensuring that the power system can support the multicopter's operational needs. It is essential for designing the power system and ensuring the battery can support the desired flight times.

Electric power demand builds on the optimal endurance and range values calculated above, and used to calculate normalized power consumption below.

What variables do you need:

Power at Optimal Endurance (P_e ): 171.58 W (calculated above)

Power at Optimal Range (P_r ): 205.05 W (calculated above)

Motor Efficiency (ηM​): 0.75 (assumed, typical value for electric motors)

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Calculate Electric Power Demand at Optimal Endurance (P_mot,e):

Formula: (P_mot,e) = P_e / ηM

Insert values into formula:

(P_mot,e) = 171.58 / 0.75 ≈ 228.77 W

2. Calculate Electric Power Demand at Optimal Range (P_mot,r):

Formula: (P_mot,r) = P_r / ηM

Insert values into formula:

(P_mot,r) = 205.05 / 0.75 ≈ 273.4 W

Next, we'll use these values to calculate normalized power consumption.

6. Normalized Power Consumption (P_cell,e ), (P_cell,r )

What it is:

Normalized Power Consumption adjusts the power the motors need based on the size of the drone’s battery.

It’s like figuring out how much energy a small battery versus a big battery can provide for the same task.

Why it matters:

Normalizing power consumption per cell helps in understanding the load on the individual battery cells, which is important for battery longevity and safety.

Normalized power consumption builds on the power demand value calculated above, and used to calculate effective battery capacity below.

What variables do you need:

Power Demand at Optimal Endurance (P_mot,e): 228.77 W (calculated above)

Power Demand at Optimal Range (P_mot,r): 273.4 W (calculated above)

Battery Cell Count (N_cell): 4 (based on the battery we picked)

Battery Capacity (C_batt): 1500 mAh (based on the battery we picked)

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Convert Battery Capacity from mAh to Ah:

C_batt = 1500 mAh / 1000 = 1.5 Ah

2. Calculate Normalized Power Consumption at Optimal Endurance (P_cell,e):

Formula: P_cell,e = P_mot,e / (N_cell ⋅ C_batt )

Insert values into formula:

P_cell,e = 228.77 / (4 ⋅ 1.5 ) = 228.77 / 6 ≈ 38.13 W / Ah

3 . Calculate Normalized Power Consumption at Optimal Range (P_cell,r):

Formula: P_cell,r = P_mot,r / (N_cell ⋅ C_batt )

Insert values into formula:

P_cell,r = 273.4 / (4 ⋅ 1.5 ) = 273.4 / 6 ≈ 45.57 W / Ah

Next, we'll use these values to calculated effective battery capacity.

7. Effective Battery Capacity (κ_e ), (κ_r )

What it is:

Effective Battery Capacity tells you how much usable energy the battery really has when the drone is flying. Batteries work differently under different loads, so this step adjusts for that.

Think of it like knowing how long your phone battery lasts when you’re watching videos versus just texting.

Why it matters:

These values account for the reduced effective capacity of the battery under load, providing an adjusted battery capacity based on the actual power draw, and helping in more accurate predictions of flight time and range.

Effective battery capacity builds on the normalized power consumption values calculated above, and used to calculate maximum endurance and flight time below.

What variables do you need:

Normalized Power Consumption at Optimal Endurance (P_cell,e): 38.13 W / Ah (calculated above)

Calculate Normalized Power Consumption at Optimal Range (P_cell,r): 45.57 W / Ah (calculated above)

Polynomial coefficients for effective capacity (assumed, based on empirical data)
d₀: Constant term = 1.0
d₁: Linear term coefficient = -0.01
d₂: Quadratic term coefficient = 0.0005
d₃: Cubic term coefficient = -0.00001

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Calculate Battery Capacity at Optimal Endurance (κ_e):

Formula: κ_e = d₀ + d₁P_cell,e + d₂P²_cell,e + d³_cell,e

Insert values into formula:

κ_e = 1.0 + (-0.01 ⋅ 38.13) + (0.0005 ⋅ 38.13²) + (-0.00001 ⋅ 38.13³)

Simplify:

κ_e = 1 - 0.3813 + 0.7263 - 0.5536 ≈ 0.7914

2. Calculate Battery Capacity at Optimal Range (κ_r):

Formula: κ_r = d₀ + d₁P_cell,r + d₂P²_cell,r + d³_cell,r

Insert values into formula:

κ_r = 1.0 + (-0.01 ⋅ 45.57) + (0.0005 ⋅ 45.57²) + (-0.00001 ⋅ 45.57³)

Simplify:

κ_r = 1 -0.4557 + 1.0378 + 0.9450 ≈ 0.6371

Limitations:

These coefficients may not accurately reflect the performance of all batteries, especially those with significantly different discharge characteristics or those used in extreme conditions such as high current draws and/or very low temperatures.

Next, we'll use these values to calculate maximum endurance and flight time.

8. Maximum Endurance and Flight Time (t_e ), (t_r )

What it is:

Maximum endurance is how long the drone can stay in the air on a full charge. It focuses on staying airborne for the longest possible time.  Max endurance is about maximizing flight time by minimizing power consumption, typically by using lower flight speeds.

Flight time at maximum range is how long the drone can fly the furthest distance on a full charge. It focuses on covering the greatest possible distance. Flight time at max range is about maximizing the distance traveled by balancing power consumption and flight speed.

It’s like knowing how many hours you can use your phone before the battery dies by prioritizing minimal use, or getting the most things done.

Why it matters:

These calculations determine how long the multicopter can stay in the air (endurance) and how long it can fly at maximum range. This is crucial for planning flights and ensuring the multicopter can complete its mission without running out of power.

Maximum endurance and flight time builds on the affective battery capacity, and normalized power consumption calculated in the above.

What variables do you need:

Effective Battery Capacity at Optimal Endurance (κ_e​): 0.7914 (calculated above)

Effective Battery Capacity at Optimal Range (κ_r​): 0.6371 (calculated above)

Electric Power Demand at Optimal Endurance (P_mot,e​): 228.77 W (calculated above)

Electric Power Demand at Optimal Range (P_mot,r​): 273.40 W (calculated above)

Battery Cells (N_cell): 4 (based on the battery we picked)

Battery Capacity (C_batt): 1500 mAh (based on the battery we picked)

Nominal Cell Voltage: 3.7 V (constant)

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Convert Battery Capacity from mAh to Ah:

C_batt = 1500 mAh / 1000 = 1.5 Ah

2. Calculate Total Effective Battery Capacity in Watt-hours (Wh):

For Endurance:

Formula: C_eff,e = κ_e ⋅ C_batt ⋅ N_cell ⋅ 3.7 V

C_eff,e = 0.7914 ⋅ 1.5 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 3.7 ≈ 17.56 Wh

For Range:

Formula: C_eff,r = κ_r ⋅ C_batt ⋅ N_cell ⋅ 3.7 V

C_eff,r = 0.6371 ⋅ 1.5 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 3.7 ≈ 14.13 Wh

3. Calculate Maximum Endurance (t_e):

Formula: t_e = ( C_eff,e ⋅ 3600 seconds in an hour) / P_mot,e

t_e = 17.56 ⋅ 3600 / 228.77 ≈ 276.37 seconds ≈ 4.61 minutes

4. Calculate Flight Time at Maximum Range (t_r):

Formula: t_r =  ( C_eff,r ⋅ 3600 seconds in an hour) / P_mot,r

t_r = 14.13 ⋅ 3600 / 273.40 ≈ 186 seconds ≈ 3.1 minutes

These calculations tell us:

• The maximum endurance (t_e​) is approximately 4.61 minutes.
• The flight time at maximum range (t_r) is approximately 3.10 minutes.

These calculations provide the expected flight duration under optimal conditions for endurance and range, considering the effective battery capacity and power consumption.

9. Optimal Flight Speeds (v_r )

What it is:

Optimal flight speeds are the best speeds for the drone to fly to either stay in the air the longest or to travel the furthest.

It’s like finding the perfect driving speed to get the best fuel efficiency on a road trip.

Why it matters:

Optimal flight speeds for endurance and range help in determining the best speeds for different mission objectives, such as conserving battery life or covering the maximum distance.

Optimal flight speeds builds on induced velocity at hover (2) and the coefficients from empirical data or further aerodynamic analysis. We'll use these values later to calculate maximum range.

What variables do you need:

Induced velocity at hover (v_i,h) : 4.10 m/s (calculated above)

Empirical coefficients for optimal speeds (for simplicity, we use typical empirical factors):
For Maximum endurance v_e ≈ 1.1 ⋅ v_i,h
For Maximum range v_r ≈ 1.5 ⋅ v_i,h

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Calculate Optimal Flight Speed for Maximum Endurance (v_e):

Formula: v_e ≈ 1.1 ⋅ v_i,h

v_e ≈ 1.1 ⋅ 4.10 ≈ 4.51 m/s or 10.09 MPH

2. Calculate Optimal Flight Speed for Maximum Range (v_r):

Formula: v_r ≈ 1.5 ⋅ v_i,h

v_r ≈ 1.5 ⋅ 4.10 ≈ 6.15m/s or 13.75 MPH

These calculations tell us:

• The optimal flight speed for max endurance is approximately 4.51 m/s or 10.09 MPH
• The optimal flight speed for max range is approximately 6.15m/s or 13.75 MPH

10. Maximum Range (x_r )

What it is:

Maximum Range is the farthest distance the drone can fly on a full battery charge.

Imagine knowing how far you can drive your car before you need to fill up the gas tank again.

Why it matters:

This calculation provides the furthest distance the multicopter can travel on a full battery charge, which is critical for mission planning and optimizing flight paths.

Maximum range builds on the calcuations for flight time and optimal flight speed.

What variables do you need:

Flight Time at Maximum Range (t_r): 186 seconds, 3.1 minutes (calculated above)

Optimal Flight Speed for Maximum Range (v_r): 6.15 m/s (calculated above)

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Calculate Maximum Range:

Formula: x_r = t_r ⋅ v_r

x_r = 186 ⋅ 6.15 ≈ 1.14km or 0.71 miles

This calculation tells us that the maximum range for this drone is 1.14km or 0.71 miles.

In Conclusion

We estimated:

We only used these variables found in product specs:

To get to the estimations, we assumed based on empirical data:

How These Calculations Relate to Multicopter Design

Power System Design:

• Understanding power requirements helps in selecting the appropriate battery size and type, ensuring the multicopter can meet its performance goals without overloading the power system.

Propeller and Motor Selection:

• Calculations like induced velocity at hover and hover power inform the selection of propellers and motors that match the desired performance characteristics, optimizing thrust and efficiency.

Battery Management:

• Effective battery capacity and normalized power consumption help in designing battery management systems that maximize flight time and ensure safe operation.

Mission Planning:

• Knowing the maximum endurance and range allows for better mission planning, ensuring the multicopter can complete its tasks within the available battery life.

Aerodynamic Optimization:

• Calculating optimal flight speeds and understanding aerodynamic forces help in designing the multicopter's body and selecting the right components to minimize drag and maximize efficiency.

QuadPartPicker suggests parts for you based on the parts already in your Build List. To get an idea of how your drone build will feel, you can do these calculations using the product specs. Start your drone build on QuadPartPicker.com.

Tell us below if you're interested in integrating these calculations into QuadPartPicker! We can do the math for you with just the parts in your build lists.

If you're designing and building drones to mass produce, this one is for you.

Why should I care?

The biggest drone news of 2024 is the federal legislative push to ban DJI drones in the United States under the Countering CCP Drones Act. The bill continues to be changed and amended, and is currently not law yet. However, the implications, if passed, are huge. As of 2021, DJI holds market share for 90% of the US hobby drone market, 70% of the industrial drone market, and 80% of the first-responder market.

More widely, as geopolitical tensions rise, uncertainty about what types of drones and drone parts can be procured and used in your country and/or organization also rises.

Given this landscape, there are several overlapping frameworks that continue to be updated. These frameworks give us an idea of what can go into a compliant American drone.

If you work for the US government, it's contractors, state and local law enforcement, you're already impacted as you have to continuously purchase and replace older fleets. And those who work with DJI drones in any capacity will be impacted next. This begs the question: what can you replace DJI drones with?

Currently, there are no 1:1 US-compliant drones that match DJI's product line in capability, price, and availability to purchase. This opens an opportunity for any drone designer and entrepreneur to fill the void in the sUAS space. Even if the government doesn't fully ban DJI drones, trends indicate that more drone options are needed just to keep current operations going. This doesn't even account for the wider adoption of drones for all sorts of use cases in coming years.

If you're just building drones for fun, this is still an interesting read on how drones might be designed and built in the near future.

What is NDAA Compliance?

The NDAA framework is derived from a law signed in 2019 called the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. It covers more than just drones, but for our purposes, we'll only get into what it means for drones and drone parts.

NDAA compliance mainly deals with where drone or drone parts come from and means two things:  

• Drones are not manufactured or designed by a company based in a covered foreign country (China, Russian, Iran, and North Korea)
• Drones do not use flight controllers, radio, data transmission devices, cameras, gimbals, ground control systems, or operating software manufactured or designed by a company based in a covered foreign country (China, Russian, Iran, and North Korea)

The implication is: If your drone or drone parts are not NDAA-compliant, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) cannot procure and use them. This also applies to contractors that work for the DoD.

There is no certifying board or review process for NDAA compliance. If you're building a drone to be used by the federal government, you have to ensure and prove NDAA-compliance based on the two bullets above.

What is Blue UAS Cleared?

Blue UAS is a program created by the Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). It evaluates drones, drone platforms, and parts for compliance including, but not limited to supply chain and cyber security compliance. All Blue UAS certified drones and components are also NDAA-compliant.

Drones that pass this certification are added to the Blue UAS Cleared List.

Drone parts, components, and software that pass this certification are added to the Blue UAS Framework.

It's worth noting that it takes a large investment to get Blue UAS cleared. In order to be considered to be on the Blue UAS Cleared List, you need a DoD sponsor organization that is able and willing to fund your platform to be continuously certified. In addition, what you build must offer a new capability or do something in a new way/method.

Because of this, you won't get Blue UAS clearance until you've found a potential government customer. If you're in the stages of building out a new capability, a fast track to ensuring compliance is to use components on the Blue UAS Framework.

Also note that given some of the requirements to be Blue UAS, a drone must not be connected to the internet (among other things). These rules will often be a barrier for manufacturers who want to sell their drones for both government and other commercial and enterprise purposes. Some companies make a variation just to be BlueUAS cleared while selling an NDAA-compliant version with more features for non-government uses.

One example of this is the Cube Blue flight controller which is essentially a Cube Orange, but modified to conform with NDAA, and certified for BlueUAS. Another example is the Skydio X10D drone which is essentially the same drone as their Skydio X10, but certified to BlueUAS specifications and specifically sold for military use.

Learn more from the Defense Innovation Unit.

What is TAA Compliance?

TAA stands for the United States Trade Agreements Act (TAA) of 1979. In short, TAA restricts the General Services Administration (GSA) from entering into certain procurement contracts if your drone or drone parts don't come from a TAA-compliant country. If your drone or drone parts are not TAA-compliant, it will make it difficult and/or impossible to sell to the US government.  

By definition, a product is TAA-compliant if it is manufactured or substantially transformed in the United States, OR manufactured in a TAA-designed country.

We won't list the entire list of TAA-compliant countries. But it comes down to whether your drone or drone parts come from the United States, WTO Countries, Caribbean Basin Countries, Least Developed Countries, and Free Trade Agreement Countries.

Among the countries that export the most microelectronics for drones: China is not a TAA-compliant country. Japan and South Korea are TAA-compliant countries.

What are the Broader Industry Implications?

We're not here to debate whether its right or wrong to ban drones from a specific country or the benefits of on-shoring a nascent American drone industry. What's clear is that the government is taking the ban on DJI very seriously.

Legislators don't understand the wide implications of such a move. With most drone operators using DJI drones in their toolkit, if DJI is banned, the effects will be immediate. Infrastructure inspections will stop taking place, first responders will lose a critical tool, and small businesses focused on drone operations will be rendered useless.

While the US government leads the charge in banning DJI, many state and local governments have also enacted similar policies in the name of security. Whether substantiated or not, the current landscape is a patchwork of national, state, and local policies continue to change and confuse drone operators.

While many national, state, and local governments are using DJI drones today, the drone-operators using them just want products that will get their jobs done and be confident that what they use today will work tomorrow.

Regardless of the DJI ban and geopolitics, there's still a wide use case gap. This is an opportunity to engineer, design, and build small UAS to fill the needs of people who need them, and people who don't know they need them yet. Ultimately, starting your journey with compliant and off-the-shelf parts will make supply chain auditing much easier for you later.

QuadPartPicker recently updated to include parts that are NDAA-compliant, and soon, BlueUAS-cleared drone components.

FPV drones have advanced substantially in recent years. When getting into FPV today, enthusiasts often face a crucial decision: should they build their own FPV drone from scratch or opt for a pre-built model? This choice impacts not only the initial experience but also the long-term journey in the FPV hobby. We look at the major considerations below.

The Joys and Challenges of Building an FPV Drone

Building your own FPV drone is an enriching and satisfying experience. It offers a level of customization unmatched by pre-built models. You select each part, from the frame to the motors to the camera, tailored to your specific needs. Whether you want a drone for high-speed racing or smooth aerial videography, building your own drone lets you focus on exactly what you need.

The process also serves as an invaluable learning process. Through building, you gain a deep understanding of the mechanics and electronics of your own quad. This is crucial when you need to troubleshoot or repair your drone when you inevitably crash. The skills developed during the building process, like soldering and firmware configuration, not extend beyond the hobby and can be applied in broader technological contexts.

Advantages of Building Your Own FPV Drone

Building your drone is more cost-effective in the long run. It allows you to choose components within your budget and upgrade your drone part by part as technology advances, rather than investing in a new pre-built drone. By being able to select your own components, you options are almost limitless, whereas buying a pre-built drone, you might be locked into a certain motor, or radio link, or video link that may not be ideal for your use cases.

The sense of achievement in successfully building and flying your own drone is immense. It’s a testament to your skill and patience. For many pilots, this personal accomplishment is a significant draw to building their own FPV drone, and sometimes more fun than flying a finished build.

Engagement with the FPV community is another benefit. The DIY nature of building a drone immerses you in a world of enthusiasts and experts who are often eager to share their knowledge, tips, and experiences. This community aspect can be incredibly rewarding and can be found both online and offline.

Advantages of Buying Pre-Built FPV Drones

Despite the benefits of building your own quad, there are compelling reasons to opt for a pre-built FPV drone. The most obvious is convenience. Pre-built drones are ready to fly out of the box, making them ideal for beginners or those who prefer not to spend time on assembly and setup.

Reliability and warranty support are also significant advantages. Some pre-built drones come with professional assembly and often include warranties, offering peace of mind that isn’t always present with a self-built drone. That said, if you crash, you likely won't get your money back.

For those who want to fly immediately without delving into the technical aspects of drone building, a pre-built drone is the ideal choice.

Browse a wide array of pre-built FPV drones on QuadPartPicker.

Making the Choice to Build or Buy – Factors to Consider

Your intended use for your quad and what type of quad you want plays a crucial role in this decision.

The Case for Building a FPV Quad

If your interest is in drone hardware and software, how parts work and interact with each other, and you love to tinker, you should absolutely build your first FPV drone.

If you want to become a racer, it's crucial to build your own. You will crash and will be spending as much time fixing your quads as much as you fly them.

If you do want to do cinematography and videography, building is also beneficial. Because you'll most likely attach a high quality camera and other payloads like gimbals, you will need to understand if and how your drone flies with varying payloads and in varying environments. There are also certain flight dynamics with motors and propellers that you can make a quad more efficient for filmography. Being able to chose your own combination of parts allows you to tweak the drone to your exact needs.

If you have a very specific use for your quad, building your own allows you to install the exact parts you need, you should build your own.

If you want to use the exact drone set up your favorite pilots are flying, you will want to build. Often, pilots build their own drones and tune them to their flying style.  

If you want premium and reliable parts, you should build your own quad. Often, manufacturers will cut corners by using cheaper or lower quality parts.

If you've looked through the pre-built quads available today, and they do not fit your needs. You can always build exactly what you need.

Budget considerations are also vital. Today, buying a quad can be as cheap as building, but without knowing how to troubleshoot and fix your quad, you will spend money on unnecessarily more quads instead of simple fixes and upgrades to your existing fleet.

The Case for Buying a Pre-Built FPV Quad

If you want to get flying as quickly as possible, buying a pre-built quad will remove a lot of barriers that keep you from getting in the air.

If you want to fly tiny drones like whoops and micro quads, consider buying pre-built first. A common path to learning FPV is to start by buying a tinywhoop to learn how to fly. Because of the smaller form factor, these small quads are more difficult to solder and more difficult for beginners. And since tiny whoops can handle a lot more crashes, you will not likely have to repair them as often.

Find pre-built tinywhoops on QuadPartPicker.

Conclusion

Whether to build your own FPV drone or buy a pre-built one depends on personal preferences, goals, and commitment to the hobby. Both paths offer unique benefits and challenges. Prospective drone enthusiasts should consider technical skills, budget, and what they hope to achieve with their drone before making a decision. Ultimately, whether you build or buy, the world of FPV drones is more accessible than ever and offers a rewarding experience.

Start a drone build list on QuadPartPicker and find compatible parts.

Browse a wide array of pre-built FPV drones on QuadPartPicker.

Our most popular posts of 2023 were how to choose a VTX and how to choose FPV goggles. This year, we streamline the decision making process to help you make the best FPV video system choice for you.

In 2024, the most important considerations when choosing a video transmitter are your required range, signal penetration, signal latency, and budget.

Scroll down to see our VTX and goggle recommendations for 2024.

Overview and History

Your quad’s video transmitter (VTX) processes the video from your FPV camera and transmits the video to your goggle’s receiver, which processes the video and displays the video feed in your goggles.

Before 2019, all VTXs were analog, meaning that the video processed from the camera were in standard-definition, VCR-quality (for those who know what a VCR is). In July of 2019, DJI released the DJI Air Unit which sends and receives video signals in high-definitely 720p to high definition goggles called the Goggles V1. This leap revolutionized the hobby and popularized FPV among an even wider audience.

Today, there is a wide variety of both digital and analog VTX and goggle options. Analog options tend to be the cheapest and fastest, while digital options have superior video quality.

Digital or Analog

Most analog VTXs and goggles are cross-compatible and mostly open source. If you choose an analog system, you can rest assured that there will always be gear that will work with what you have.

Because the competition is in the new digital ecosystems, today's digital VTX and goggle options are mostly proprietary and closed-loop systems. When you buy a digital VTX or goggles, you buy into a video system, and therefore, your parts options are narrowed. By choosing the right system for your needs, you can avoid a costly do-over down the line.

Digital Video Transmission

DJI HD FPV System

DJI created the digital HD category and currently has two systems, V1/V2 and O3, that are somewhat cross-compatible.

DJI V1/V2 is the transmission system used by the Caddx (DJI) Air Unit, Caddx Vista, or Runcam Link paired with the DJI FPV Goggles V1 or V2. These units display video in 720p. The DJI Air Unit can record video in 720p, while the Vista does not have DVR capability on-board.

DJI O3 is the successor to the V1/V2 system. The O3 Air Unit records video up to 4K and displays video in 1080p. The O3 system works with the DJI Goggles v2, DJI Goggles 2, and DJI Integra Goggles.

The video quality of the V1/V2 system in good conditions is clear and crisp with medium latency that is unnoticeable to most people. The O3 video quality is substantially better—also clear and crisp with latency about the same as in the V1/V2 system. Signal penetration is also great on the DJI systems, meaning that an ordinary wall in the way of your signal won't degrade your video quality too much.

If you’re debating between DJI HD vs. analog for your quad build, it generally comes down to price, video quality, and latency. Both DJI systems are much more cost prohibitive if you’re on a small budget, but the video quality is arguably the best with the O3 Air Unit, and no contest when compared to analog. A combination of the goggles, air unit, and FPV camera hovers around $800. This doesn’t include all the other parts you’ll need for your quad! If you’re a racer or on a smaller budget, you’ll likely opt for an analog VTX, which tends to have cheaper options and lower latency (faster responsiveness) than DJI.

In our How to Get Into FPV post, we recommend that if you’re starting out in FPV, go from the simulator to a tinywhoop to a larger quad. However, because even the smallest DJI unit is so heavy and shielded, it's typically not suited for tinywhoops. If you want to go in this direction, Flywoo makes a Lite and Ultra Lite version of the O3 Air Unit that are perfect for tinywhoops. Alternatively, you can graduate to a 2.5 inch digital whoop after you feel comfortable in the sim.

HDZero

In an effort to fill the void for pilots who want all of the good things that come with analog along with excellent video quality, HDZero entered the market with the intent of building an open and accessible HD video system. Jump to today, and HDZero now offers a well-rounded video ecosystem with their own set of goggles, a video receiver compatible with most goggles, and video transmitters in all shapes and sizes.

The HDZero Goggles are one the most versatile digital goggles available for FPV today. Not only does it come with HDZero compatibility right out of the box, the HDZero Goggles can be configured to work with the Walksnail video receiver (below) and analog video receivers.

The video quality from the HDZero system is the lowest-latency of all the digital video transmitters, but more likely to become choppy like analog signals in less-than-ideal situations. Signal penetration is worse than DJI and Walksnail.

Walksnail

In 2022, Walksnail, a subsidiary of Caddx, introduced the Avatar goggles along with a HD VTX to rival the DJI system. Today, they have a suite of video transmitters and a video receiver that fill a variety of needs, whether for extra-light builds or racing quads.

Walksnail's current flagship goggles are the Avatar Goggles X, which incorporates a removable receiver for future upgrades and is compatible with the current suite of Walksnail VTXs.

Walksnail most recently announced the Avatar Goggles L in July 2024. They are an entry-level option that's also compatible with the entire lineup of Avatar video transmitters priced at an appealing $199.

The video quality from all of the Avatar VTXs are similar, and comparable to the V1/V2 DJI system. Like the DJI system, when compared to HDZero, in less-than-ideal situations, video quality turns fuzzy instead of choppy. Signal penetration is also about the same as the DJI system.

All of the digital FPV video systems provide high quality video feeds in good conditions. Below is an example of all of these systems all in one shot. The differences are mostly negligible for flying.

If you're sold on a digital system, skip to our digital recommendations below.

Analog Video Transmission

When choosing analog VTX or goggles, your considerations are typically down to cost and availability. Since digital goggles mostly come with their own video receivers, note that when choosing analog goggles, video receivers are not always included.

These are some features to consider when choosing an analog VTX:

Output Power

One of the most important factors when choosing a video transmitter is the output power. This is measured in milliwatts (mW). The output power of your VTX determines how much video range you’ll get with your quad. Most modern VTXs have switchable output power which allows you to configure the mW output to suit your flying needs. The key is to find the range that works for you, rather than to max it out for future-proofing.

In general, these are the differences and trade-offs between low and high power VTXs:

Low mW VTX:

• Provides less range
• Consumes less power
• Produces less heat
• Produces less interference with other pilots

High mW VTX:

• Provides more range
• Provides better signal penetration for flying in places with walls or obstacles
• Consumes more power
• Produces more heat, which contributes to the degradation of the VTX

High output signals can bounce off of other surfaces causing interference with your goggles, and other pilots’ signal with their quads.

Typically, choose a lower mW VTX (50 - 100mW) if you’re flying indoors and/or racing. And choose a higher output (1W+) for longer range flights. Or anything in-between to fit your preferences. You want to find a good balance for your flying needs.

When you’re browsing for video transmitters, retailers usually denote switchable power by noting the power settings in the title or description of the product (ie. 25mW/100mW/250mW/600mW). If output power switching is available, the retailer will also note the protocol for switching (ie. SmartAudio, Tramp, physical switches)

Find video transmitters by max output power on QuadPartPicker.

VTX Control

The main settings you’ll likely be toggling between the most are channels and max power output. Many modern VTXs allow you to change their settings from your goggles via Betaflight firmware or from your radio transmitter via EdgeTX, OpenTX or other proprietary firmware. These features come in the form of SmartAudio or Tramp communication protocols. If you purchase a VTX with SmartAudio or Tramp enabled and have compatible goggles or radio, you’ll be able to configure these settings.

SmartAudio / Tramp

If you plan to fly with other people, being able to quickly configure your video channel will reduce the likelihood that you transmit video to someone else’s goggles nearby. It is common courtesy if you’re flying around other pilots to yell out your intended channel around other pilots before you power on. This way, you don’t interfere with anyone else’s video and TX feeds, thereby lowering the chances of causing an accident.

Being able to quickly toggle your max mW output allows you to use a high max power VTX at a lower power output in indoor racing situations, or to reduce the interference you’re getting from signals bouncing off of nearby surfaces.

For most modern quad builds, we suggest getting a VTX that has multiple power levels and supports SmartAudio or Tramp. The cost difference is almost negligible for the versatility.

Frequency, Channels, and Bands

If you’ve ever dealt with tuning the radio or a TV antenna, this is essentially what you’re doing when pairing your VTX to your goggle’s video receiver. To ensure a quality signal, you need to match the band, then the channel of your VTX and VRX.

If you fly alone, this isn’t as important. You just need to ensure that the technical specs of your goggles support the frequency, channel, and band as your VTX. If you don’t, you will not be able to get a signal from your VTX to your goggles. That said, it’s beneficial to understand these nuances when you want to casually fly with your friends or attend a race.

Frequency - Almost all video transmitters run on 5.8GHz frequency. But there are some specialized VTXs that run on 1.3GHz among others.

• Analog VTXs run on 30MHz bandwidth.
• DJI, Caddx Vista, and Runcam Link units on the 25mbps bitrate run on 20MHz bandwidth.
• DJI, Caddx Vista, and Runcam Link units on the 50mbps bitrate run on 40MHz bandwidth.

Band - Every VTX will be compatible with at least 1 band. This is denoted by a capital letter (A, B, D, E, F, R, etc). Check your VTX’s documentation to see what bands your VTX is compatible with and confirm that it is compatible with the video receiver on your goggles.

Channel - Every band will support up to 8 channels. This is denoted by a number (1-8). You will also have to make sure your VTX and your goggles are on the same channel of the same band.

Channel Switching

Depending on the VTX you select, you can change your VTX’s channel via your radio or your goggle’s OSD if you have one that is SmartAudio or Tramp-enabled. If not, typically the VTX will have a physical push-button or dip-switch on the VTX itself. Refer to your VTX’s documentation to see how channels are changed.

When you’re at an FPV event or flying at the park with other pilots, assume everyone is flying on the 5.8GHz frequency, on either 20MHz, 30MHz, or 40MHz bandwidth. Depending on what VTX each pilot is using, they could be on any band (A, B, D, E, F, R, etc). Each pilot needs to be on a different channel within these bands. You need to make sure no one else is using the same band and channel as you are before you plug in. This is not only common courtesy, but you can severely impact another pilot’s flying if you don’t do this.

If you’re flying DJI HD, realistically, you can only fly with up to 8 pilots because you’re limited to the 8 channels in the DJI band. Here are some tips when flying with DJI or Caddx Vista units in groups:

• Don’t fly near analog pilots. Your goggles can cause interference with analog goggles.
• Fly only at 25mbps. If you fly at 50mbps, you can cause even more interference with analog pilots.
• If you’re flying with 8 total DJI pilots, the person using channel 8 should plug in last because that is the public channel.

Other Analog VTX Considerations

Integrated or Standalone VTX

As a result of the proliferation of the FPV hobby, part markers have created a lot of different parts to choose from, especially if you fly analog. Among some of the options, you can find VTXs that are integrated with a flight controller or VTXs that also integrate a radio receiver. Your choice for going with integrated or standalone is based on preference and total cost.

The argument is: if you buy integrated parts, you have to replace the entire part if one of the functions is damaged or becomes non functional. On the flip side, if you buy integrated parts, they tend to work seamlessly with each other and physically fit well together. You can use QuadPartPicker to choose a configuration that is right for you. You can find all-in-one flight controllers with a VTX integrated, or you can find standalone VTXs that suit your needs.

If you want something that just flies with the least amount of building, consider a flight controller with an integrated VTX. If you’re looking for more range, more versatility, or certain features, you’re better off getting a standalone VTX.

Find VTXs on QuadPartPicker.

Find flight controllers with an integrated VTX on QuadPartPicker.

Antenna Connector

Most modern day video transmitters come with U.FL (sometimes called IPEX) or MMCX antenna connectors. These are small connectors that snap onto your VTX. In some cases, your VTX will come with a U.FL or MMCX adapter to SMA or RP-SMA that will allow you to use more common types of antennas with larger connectors.

Connector types include:

• U.FL/IPEX
• MMCX
• SMA
• RP-SMA

Antenna tips:

• Never turn on your VTX without an antenna attached. You can burn out your VTX immediately.
• Use an adapter if possible. In the event of a crash, antennas usually get caught up the most and can cause strain on the VTX, potentially damaging or rendering the entire VTX unusable.

Find antennas on QuadPartPicker here.

RHCP vs. LHCP Antennas

On the note of antennas, when selecting an antenna to use with your VTX or VRX, you’ll encounter these acronyms. Both of these are circular polarized antennas. RHCP is right-hand circular polarized, LHCP is left-hand circular polarized. The best practice is to match RHCP with RHCP, and LHCP with LHCP. You can still get a RHCP signal with LHCP, but you will get less range and more interference, especially if flying around other pilots. If you fly with the DJI goggles, use LHCP antennas on your VTX because the goggles come with LHCP antennas. If you upgrade the goggle’s antennas, you can choose either RHCP or LHCP as long as they match.

When selecting a VTX to suit your flying needs, make sure you account for the range you need. Unless you have major budget constraints, opt for one with SmartAudio or Tramp. And double confirm that your VTX and goggles’ receiver have compatible bands. Otherwise, connector differences are easy problems to solve with a variety of adapters and pigtails. Digital HD video options are limited and expensive, but your build will be a lot more streamlined.

We believe the future of FPV video is HD video, but for those on a smaller budget, an analog setup might be preferable. If price allows, we recommend going with a HD video transmitter and receiver setup, but recognize that that's not possible for a lot of people as well. You can price out your quad on QuadPartPicker and see what’s right for you.

Use Case and Size

Racing

FPV Racers are concerned with seeing things quickly and reacting quickly. Depending on the racing community near you, or the league you're participating in, they may have VTX requirements. First, ensure that you meet those requirements. Then, consider analog or HDZero video transmission systems which are most optimal for racing. Some races organizers use the HDZero Race Event VRX which means you should also use HDZero gear.

Videography / Cinematography

For filmmakers and creators, high definition video and a stable connection are top priorities making the DJI and Avatar systems more appealing. HDZero, while still usable, is not as good when there are walls or obstructions in the way. Many top pilots who film and make content have been using the DJI V1/V2 system and stick with it for consistency and reliability.

Range and Physical Size

Every FPV VTX ecosystem has its advantages and disadvantages.

The DJI O3 system is made to be an all-in-one system and there is only 1 VTX available. While the O3 Air Unit excels on specs, there is only one type available and can limit what type of FPV frame you can get.

The DJI V1/V2 system has been around for a while, and parts are starting to dwindle. While still supported in many FPV frames today, finding Air Units and Air Unit Lites in stock has been more cumbersome. It's unclear whether these Air Units are still being manufactured.

The HDZero and Walksnail systems have a variety of VTXs in both range and size, so whether you're freestyling or racing, there's a VTX that will suit your needs. Both the Walksnail and HDZero Goggles are also versatile because you can use them with an analog VTX.

QuadPartPicker's Recommends the Best FPV Goggles and VTXs

VTX Ecosystems

Given all the considerations in this article below, if you are leaning toward digital HD video systems, choose the best ecosystem for your uses. If you're leaning toward an analog video system, it comes down to budget and quality. Scroll down to learn more about how to pick the best goggles and VTX for you.

DJI V1/V2

Air Unit or Vista and Goggles V2. This is the choice for those who want a tried-and-true system. It was a game-changer when it was released and continues to be a top option for many pilots. Note that this is the oldest and least supported option next to analog.

DJI O3

O3 Air Unit and Googles V2, Goggles 2, or Integra Goggles. This is the option for the pilot who wants the best camera quality out of the box without additions like a GoPro. Note that you will be limited to the O3 Air Unit and the lighter Flywoo O3 VTXs.

HDZero

Any HDZero VTX and HDZero Goggles or HDZero VRX. This is the option for the FPV racer, hands down.

Walksnail

Any Walksnail VTX and Walksnail Avatar Goggles, Avatar X Goggles, Avatar L Goggles, or Avatar VRX. This is the option for someone who wants DJI-quality with the most versatility. Since its launch, the Walksnail system has become a very viable video transmission system for all kinds of FPV pilots.

Analog

Analog goggles can range widely in price and quality. This decision really comes down to cost. The more the goggles and receiver cost, the higher video quality and lower latency they tend to have.

Low-end Analog

High-end Analog

See all the available video transmitters across retailers on QuadPartPicker.

See all the available analog and digital goggles across retailers on QuadPartPicker.

Start your FPV build on QuadPartPicker.

When getting into FPV, your first purchase is most likely going to be your radio transmitter (or TX). The radio takes your inputs and sends them to your quad’s receiver, enabling you to control the quad. Your radio is a piece of equipment that you won't need to replace, even as you go from beginner to pro. While there are many considerations to take when selecting your radio, this is one place where a larger initial investment will go a long way, especially if you decide to stick with FPV long-term.

You might be reading this to just decide which radio you buy before jumping into a sim to learn to fly FPV, but understand that you are buying into a RF system as a whole when you buy a radio (akin to choosing Android vs. iOS), and should consider what kind of flying experience you’re looking for. Below, we'll go over considerations for getting a radio, along with some of our recommendations.

If you don’t have time to read through this, the TL;DR here is to invest in a radio that supports the RC link you want to fly with, features a module bay for future support, and offers your preferred form factor. In 2024, the general consensus is to select a radio that supports ExpressLRS (ELRS).

Value

Value is subjective, but if you’re someone who plans to dive deep into FPV quads, and just RC in general, you’ll get a lot of value from selecting a radio that gives you options. You can purchase a radio for as little as $45 like the BetaFPV LiteRadio 2 SE. And while that will allow you to fly in a simulator and with most quads that support the Frsky receiver protocol, its range is limited and you will not have the ability to upgrade it. However, with quality radios like the RadioMaster Zorro ($120) and TX16S MKII ($200), you won't outgrow these radios if new equipment comes out in later years, because you have the ability to upgrade them by purchasing external modules to make the most of what you’ve already purchased.

RF Systems

Before selecting a radio, you’ll have to decide what RF system you’ll be going with. These are radios/modules and receiver combos. Every time you build or purchase a quad, you’ll need to make sure it comes with, or install, a receiver that’s compatible with your radio. When considering your RF system, you’ll be weighing the pros and cons between range, flying style, openness/continued support, and reliability.

ExpressLRS

ExpressLRS (or ELRS) is a relatively new protocol that has had an incredible adoption rate in FPV. The general consensus in recent years is that if you’re starting FPV today, buy a radio that has ELRS built in or has the ability to upgrade to ELRS via radio modules. This is primarily because ELRS has incredible range compared to other proprietary TX protocols and continues to be improved upon by a large dev base.

ELRS is an open source TX protocol. This means any manufacturer or brand can make their own ELRS equipment in a variety of form factors that will support existing gear. And because of this, it creates competition and drives down prices. Because ELRS is open source, anyone can contribute to the project and improve upon it. So if you buy ELRS gear today, chances are likely that it will continue to be supported long into the future.

The most common drawbacks and criticisms of ExpressLRS tend to fall into two camps:

• Poor User Experience - Compared to something like TBS Crossfire (below) which has comparable power and range, setting up ELRS, binding your radio and receiver, and configuring preferences is more difficult. If you’re looking for the iPhone experience, go with TBS, but if you’re willing to spend a little more time or effort, ELRS is a better option because we love open-source anything.
• Consistency - Here, we mean build quality and compatibility between devices. In theory, all ELRS products should work with each other. But because of “newness” and fragmentation between firmware versions, your initial setup might be difficult. There have also been reports of inconsistencies between brands, so your mileage might vary. Compare ELRS equipment on QuadPartPicker.

FrSky ACCESS/ACCST

Radios and receivers with Frsky’s ACCESS or ACCST protocols are some of the most common in the FPV world. Frsky makes a suite of radios and receivers that works well together and have stood the test of time. If you buy a pre-built quad, chances are that it will come with a Frsky receiver. If you have a Frsky radio, these quads are guaranteed to be supported. And almost all multi-protocol radios support Frsky receivers. It’s also worth mentioning that Frysky equipment tends to be cheaper than equipment supporting other protocols. In 2024, FrSky is still great for line-of-sight and fixed-wing drones, but in FPV, given the cost, performance, and user experience of FrSky compared to ELRS, ELRS is the superior choice.

TBS Crossfire

The Crossfire protocol by TBS offers one of the best radio experiences available. It operates on the 915MHz (or 868MHz in Europe) frequency that allows for better range and penetration when compared to 2.4GHz. The user experience for setup is generally easy and painless. TBS makes a suite of radio controllers, modules, and receivers that is easily accessible. While TBS is one of the best TX protocols available today, ELRS is receiving a lot of attention these days because ELRS is also available in 915MHz, is cheaper, and continues to be improved upon.

TBS Tracer

The Tracer protocol is the TBS version of 2.4GHz that offers low latency while still providing more range than your typical 2.4GHz FrSky connection. It’s also easy to set up like TBS Crossfire.

ImmersionRC Ghost

ImmersionRC’s answer to TBS’s Crossfire is the Ghost RC System. It operates on the 2.4GHz frequency, providing low latency and long range capabilities. With 2.4GHz, you can fly long range with less interference from other pilots. Ghost also tends to align with FPV racers more than long range pilots, but still provides the range that TBS pilots want. The decision between choosing TBS and ImmersionRC depends on whether you plan on doing more racing or long range flying. If you tend to race more, Ghost is better for you. For long range, Crossfire has demonstrated better reliability from just having been around for longer than Ghost.

Spektrum, FlySky, Futaba, etc.

There are a variety of other transmitter and receiver combos out here including Spektrum, FlySky, Futaba, etc. We won’t cover these in detail because they tend to fall outside of the “best” category when it comes to features and value for FPV. There are certainly use cases in which these RC links are better, but for beginners in FPV, we wouldn't consider them given the other options above. In 2024, these protocols are still supported, but they aren’t widely developed anymore, especially given that ELRS surpasses these systems in both price and range.

Frequency

Typically, your radio’s frequency will either be configured with 2.4GHz or 915/868MHz. Some people use 1.3MHz gear, although it's more rare with less support.

• 2.4GHz provides standard range and can give you a clear range of 1 mile (1.6km). It also encounters less interference with other pilots, has lower latency, and features smaller RX antennas.
• 915/868MHz is typical for long range setups and can give you about 25 miles (40km) of range and up to 60 miles (100km) in good flying environments.

It’s worth noting that ELRS offers both 2.4GHz and 915/868MHz options. The 2.4GHz version has been tested for up to 18 miles (30km).

Unless you’re planning on flying long range, you can stick to a 2.4GHz radio/receiver combo. If you ever need the range and have a radio with a module bay, you can easily upgrade to a long range setup by purchasing a transmitter module.

Form Factor

Radios tend to come in two distinct form factors: classic block style radio (TX16S) or video game style (Zorro). Your biggest decision when considering form factor is whether your radio comes with enough switches and buttons. If you ever want to use your radio for wing drones or really specific use cases that require additional switches and functionality, the classic style radio is a more future-proof choice. If you’re someone who pinches your gimbals rather than just using your thumbs, the classic style is also the better choice. But if you’re looking for portability and just want to fly quads, the video game style is the better choice. Form factor comes down to personal preference.

Other Considerations

Channels/Switches

Channels are the data equivalent of the switches/controls on your radio. Your gimbals each have 2 channels (throttle, yaw, pitch, and roll). Each of your radio’s switches and knobs are additional auxiliary channels that allow you to arm, disarm, flip (turtle mode), and toggle between flight modes and other features that augment your quad beyond just flying it. FPV quads don’t require that many channels and most radios come with at least 4 switches.

Operating System

You don’t need to read anything else as a beginner, just buy a radio that runs EdgeTX or OpenTX which are industry standards and highly configurable. These days, EdgeTX has the edge (sorry) over OpenTX because of wider developments and features released.

Gimbal-Type

There are two types of gimbals, the stick and mechanism on your radio:

• Hall Sensor - Uses magnets to keep the sticks positioned and are more accurate.
• Potentiometer - Cheaper and not as durable as hall sensors.

As a beginner, you won’t notice much of a difference between the two. You also have the ability to upgrade to hall sensors on some transmitters. If price is a sticking factor, you won’t be disappointed with a radio that has potentiometers.

Mode

Radio mode refers to the configuration of your radio’s sticks. The most common is Mode 2. If you want to be consistent with other pilots and learn the industry standard, go with Mode 2. If you think you’ll ever use anyone else’s quads or follow tutorials, they will likely be using Mode 2. Ultimately, this is a personal preference.

Telemetry

Most modern radios support telemetry. If your quad’s receiver has telemetry support, it allows your quad to send information, like signal strength and current battery draw, back to the transmitter for display on your radio’s screen or goggles.

QuadPartPicker’s Radio Recommendations

Alright, so which radio should you get? These are our recommendations.

Versatile, Upgradeable, and High-Quality

Our Pick - RadioMaster TX16S MKII

The TX16S and its higher-end versions are time-tested and industry standard when it comes to radios. It offers wide support; if you come across a challenge with this radio, chances are someone else has it figured out already.

The Mark 2 version of the TX16S comes with an option for a ELRS transmitter or multi-protocol built-in. It has upgraded hall sensor gimbals, the ability to adjust stick tension from the front, slightly altered ergonomics, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C ports, improved internal circuitry, and improved knobs and sliders.

Open-Source, Upgradeable, and Portable

Our Pick - Radiomaster Zorro

With multi-protocol and ELRS options available, the Zorro takes everything that’s great about the TX16S and shoves it into a much smaller form-factor.

Runner up - Jumper T-Pro

Easy-to-Use, Portable, and High-Performing

Our Pick - TBS Tango 2

The Tango 2 is one of the few radios available with Crossfire built in. If you plan to use Crossfire, this radio is for you.

Cheap, For Beginners, Gets the Job Done

Our Pick - BetaFPV LiteRadio 2 SE

The LiteRadio 2 SE works with simulators, tiny whoops, and anything else really. You’re limited to a single receiver protocol, but it’s available in both ELRS and FrSky options, so as long as you have receivers that support your chosen protocol, you’re all set.

Runner up - RadioMaster Pocket - Slightly more expensive, but has an expandable module bay.

Receivers

Lastly, when considering a radio, you'll also need to account for your quad's receiver. A multi-protocol radio gives you a wide variety of receiver options, but always double check if your receiver is supported. If you've chosen a single protocol radio, here's a handy chart of popular RF protocols and receiver options.

Find receivers by protocol across various retailers on QuadPartPicker.

Was this article just a very long love better to ExpressLRS? Yes — ELRS is definitely having a moment, and for good reason. We're optimistic that with continued development and support, ELRS will become a leading standard in both standard and long range radio links.

So, which radio are you going with? Find the radio for you on QuadPartPicker.

So you know what kind of FPV quad you want to build and fly, but what are the parts you need? In our issue for beginners on picking FPV parts, we provided some general guidelines on what to choose for your entire quad. In this issue, we’re going over how motors, propellers, ESCs, and lipo batteries all work together. We consider these parts the powertrain or drivetrain of your quad — the parts that directly correlate to how your quad performs.

At this stage of the FPV hobby, there are two common approaches to picking these FPV powertrain parts:

• Find a parts list for a quad that someone else built and adjust to your liking based on the availability of those parts.
• Calculate the thrust-to-weight ratio of your potential quad build by adding up the total weight of your quad components (all-up weight; AUW) and comparing it to the estimated thrust for your motor/prop/lipo battery combination.

We’ll be doing the latter in this issue to demonstrate how the combination of these parts work together to affect how quad. By calculating your quad’s thrust-to-weight ratio, you can get a good idea of how light or heavy your quad feels while in the air.

Motors

Calculating Thrust-to-Weight Ratio For FPV Quads

You can easily calculate a quad’s all-up weight by adding up all the weight information of your parts and payload (like a GoPro if you intend to fly with one) in grams. Then add another 20-25 grams for wiring and ancillary parts like battery straps.

Understandably, if you haven’t chosen any parts yet other than your frame, you can estimate this and adjust it later. If you've chosen the other parts for your quad, like the flight controller or video transmitter, use the product information to find out how many grams each one of these parts weigh.

Calculating thrust without buying the parts first and doing your own tests is more tricky. So we can only estimate thrust with available product information. This estimating method is great because it's easy to do and gives you a good idea of how much thrust to expect. You can use this method with any motor that provides thrust table data. Alternatively, you can Google thrust tests for motors that others have already performed.

To estimate thrust without buying your parts first, you need to go to the motor’s product details and view the thrust tables. These tables give you information on how the motors perform with a specific combination of prop and battery. Look for the maximum thrust in grams at maximum throttle for a particular prop and battery combo.

Example Thrust-to-Weight Ratio Calculation:

Let’s say we estimated the all-up weight of our 5-inch quad to come out to 700g.

Using our guidelines for motors, we know 2207 motors are typically good for 5-inch quads. So we found the T-Motor Pacer V3 P2207. Scrolling down on the product page, we found the table below that details a propeller, the Kv variation of that motor, throttle at x voltage, and the thrust (boxed in red).

In this example, we have our T-Motor Pacer 2207 motors paired with the T-Motor P49436-3 propellers, and 6S battery (denoted by the voltage). For this specific combination, we can see the thrust is 1696.9g. Since we're building a quad copter, we'll multiply that by 4, which equals 6787g of thrust.

So for this combination, we get a quad with:

1696.9g of thrust * 4 motors : 700g all-up weight

or

6787g of thrust : 700g all-up weight

or

9.7 : 1 thrust-to-weight ratio

With your thrust-to-weight information, you can determine if this is the kind of quad you want. In most cases, you should plan for at least a 2:1 ratio which allows your quad to hover at half-throttle. Depending on what kind of flying you want to do, you can adjust your motor needs by doing this exercise. You can also swap out parts to reduce or increase your all-up weight for a different feel.

The higher the thrust-to-weight ratio, the more responsive your quad will be. Freestylers and racers tend to build quads with high ratios, while cinematic pilots look for lower ratios for more controlled flying. Cinematic flyers may want something close to 2:1. Freestyle pilots routinely use quads between 3:1 - 7:1. And it's not uncommon to see quads with a 15:1 ratio or higher.

By calculating your potential quad's thrust-to-weight ratio, you establish a baseline to measure your future builds against. For your first build, it's about making a strong educated guess and adjusting from there. Once you build your quad and fly it, you'll be able to experience how your quad's thrust-to-weight ratio feels, and you can use that feel to determine the ratio you want in a rebuild or your next build.

Using the same principles, you can use a thrust-to-weight calculator to play around with the numbers. A more advanced calculator can be found here.

Motor Kv

We want to mention motor Kv, but for the purposes of the example we've illustrated in this issue, there aren't meaningful differences when comparing motor Kv between types of motors.

Check out our beginner’s guide on motor Kv to learn more.

For our example quad, we decided on these T-Motor 2207 1750Kv motors because we like that our calculations landed on a thrust-to-weight ratio of almost 10:1.

Propellers

Now that you’ve chosen your motors and know what kind of propellers were used to calculate your quad's estimated thrust, you can either choose the same props (or props with the same length, pitch, and blades) to get the thrust-to-weight ratio you calculated earlier, or you can use this opportunity to tweak and achieve a larger or smaller thrust-to-weight ratio.

Length and Pitch

Generally, longer props and pitch mean more speed at the expense of more power draw. And shorter prop length and pitch spin faster and are more responsive.

Blade Count

It's very common to fly with 2 or 3-blade propellers. The fewer the blades on the props, the more efficient and less power intensive the quad. With more prop blades, the quad gets more inefficient while drawing more power.

Blade Shape

Blades can be narrow and pointy, or fat and stubby. Bullnose-shaped props offer more thrust, but draw more power. And regular pointed props can be weaker, but draw less power.

For this example quad, because the T-Motor P49436 prop wasn't available, we chose a similar one, the T-Motor P4943 prop, which shares the same length and pitch. This allows us to maintain the estimated thrust-to-weight ratio that we calculated earlier.

ESC

Amp Rating

The most important factor when selecting an ESC is the amp rating. When you look at the specs for an ESC, it will denote whether it’s 15A, 30A, 40A, etc. The amp rating refers to the continuous amps your ESC can handle.

ESCs have two amp ratings, the continuous rating and the burst rating. The continuous rating refers to how many amps your ESC can draw continuously. This correlates to the current you draw during most of your flight. Your ESC also has a burst rating which refers to how many amps your ESC can draw for just a couple seconds at a time, like when you throttle to 90-100%.

Both of these amp ratings are important because if your ESC's amp rating is too small, it may fry or fire, especially under high throttle situations.

In our Beginner’s Guide, we provided general guidelines based on frame size. In this issue, we’re diving deeper to determine what kind of ESC you’ll need based on your motor and propeller choice.

To do this, let's go back to our chosen motor’s thrust table and look at the column for Throttle and Current.

100% throttle can refer to your burst rating because you’ll rarely put in 100% for sustained amounts of time. Looking over to the Current column, you can see that at 100% throttle, this quad requires 37.9A current draw. This means that with this motor/prop combo, you need to choose an ESC with a burst rating of at least 37.9A.

To determine the continuous amps you need for an ESC, you can conservatively use the amp draw at 80% throttle. So for our example motor/prop combo, we would need an ESC that is rated for at least 23A continuous. Some pilots use the amp draw at 50% or 60% which is totally fine too. We just lean a bit more conservative to save us the hassle of a potentially ruining our ESC and other parts.

But wait! Using this method only gives you an estimate. Even if you're perfectly accurate, you may, one day, decide on swapping to different props or different motors, so you want to future-proof your ESC. The general best practice is to pick an ESC rated for a slightly higher amperage than what your motor and propeller combo will draw continuously and during bursts.

So going back to our example, for our motor/prop combo, we chose an ESC that is rated for 30A continuous, and 45A burst. Depending on your flying style and risk tolerance, you may choose to be more aggressive or conservative when determining your ESC’s amp rating.

Mount

If you’re using a 4-in-1 ESC, ensure that it’s mount size matches your flight controller and frame.

Lipo Input

In most cases, you’ll be fine, but it’s a good idea to ensure that your ESC supports your lipo’s cell count. Some ESCs support up to 4-cell lipos, while others up to 6-cell lipos.

Lipo Battery

Speaking of lipos, choosing the right lipo battery for your quad means ensuring that you have the correct cell count for your motor and ESC combo, and finding a good balance between capacity, discharge rate, and weight.

Cell Count (S)

Since we’ve chosen our motors already, we can go back to our motor’s thrust table and see what voltages were being run and use that to determine what cell count lipo was used.

By looking at the voltage column for our 1750Kv motor, we can see that voltage ranges between 24.8 - 25.2V. A fully charged 6S lipo is 25.2V, so it’s safe to assume that we should get 6S lipos for this build. Looking at our motor’s thrust table, only the 2550Kv variation was tested with a 4S, 16.8V lipo.  

Here is a handy guide on lipo cell count and voltage:

Capacity (mAh)

The lipo’s capacity is correlated to how long you can fly. This isn’t so much a science, and most pilots follow roughly the same guidelines. The quad's lipo battery is one of the heaviest components of a quad. The larger the capacity, the heavier the battery. Therefore, having a larger battery may not get you longer flight times, because the extra weight diminishes any gains from the extra capacity. Generally, the weight of your battery should weigh about half as much as the dry-weight of your quad.

Here are some guidelines based on frame/prop size:

Since we are building a 5 inch quad, we chose a 1500mAh lipo.

Discharge Rate (C)

The lipo’s discharge rate refers to the maximum current you can draw from it without potentially damaging it. We can easily measure our discharge rate going back to our example motor’s thrust table and using this formula to calculate burst and continuous current draw:

Continuous C Rating = 50% of Burst C Rating = Max Current Draw / Capacity

Continuous 49C = Burst 98C = (37.9V * 4 motors) / 1500mAh (1.5Ah)

While calculating discharge rate to ensure compatibility is useful, note that almost all lipos are rated for at least 50C. In fact, take this with a grain of salt because many manufacturers, especially lesser-known ones, have in recent years inflated the C rating for marketing. These calculations come in most handy when you’re doing very high-throttle flying and want to ensure that your lipo and ESC can handle it.

For this example quad, we’ve selected a 6S, 1500mAh, 75C lipo battery.

Summary

How We Chose Our Motors, Propellers, ESC, and Lipo Batteries

Knowing what kind of flying we want to do, we started out with a frame in mind. We also had an idea of what radio receiver, VTX, flight controller, antennas, FPV camera we wanted to use.

We estimated the total all-up weight of our quad in grams.

We browsed for motors within the range for our size quad, and used motors' thrust tables to estimate the thrust for several motors.

We calculated our quad's thrust-to-weight ratio using the two numbers above.

We chose propellers similar to those in the motor thrust table to maintain a similar thrust-to-weight ratio.

We chose an ESC by determining the necessary continuous and burst amp ratings from the motor thrust table, and selecting an ESC with a slightly higher amp rating.

Using the thrust tables, we first chose our motors, then the lipo battery with a cell count to match. Then we chose the capacity of the lipo by using general guidelines for a 5in quad.

The Powertrain Parts We Chose

Motors - 2207, 1750Kv (4x)

Props - 4.9in length, 4.3in pitch, 3-blade (2x CW, 2x CCW)

ESC - 30A continuous, 45A burst

Lipo - 6S, 1500mAh, 75C

The Many Ways to Choose Motors

In this issue, we demonstrated one method for beginners to be able to assess what motors to choose. We admit this is not the perfect and all-encompassing way to choose motors, but this method allows first-time builders to establish a baseline for themselves and provides a process to choose the parts needed to build a flyable quad.

We also want to mention a couple other resources if you want to go more in-depth on motors:

• Joshua Bardwell's guide on calculating motor volume to determine torque and recommended stator size against prop size.
• Chris Rosser's guide on the physics of motors.
• MiniQuadTestBench database for thrust tests.
• The Drone Dojo's guide on motor thrust.

Now that you know how to estimate thrust-to-weight ratios using readily available product information and motor thrust tables, you have the tools available to spec any type of quad out. You can adjust this process to prioritize certain quad parts and still get a good idea of how your quad will feel. Use QuadPartPicker to spec out the perfect quad for you.

Maybe you’re here after watching some incredible videos of drones racing through an indoor course, or chasing race cars on the track, or diving down a 1000ft waterfall, or just smoothly flying through beautiful landscapes. In any case, we’re glad you’re here! This means you’re serious enough to Google “how to get into FPV” and want to know what it takes. Well you’re in the right place. This is a comprehensive overview on what to expect. If you’re wondering if getting into FPV is worth it, you’ll find out here. Spoiler alert: the answer is yes, it’s worth it!

The Short Answer

• Learn about the different kinds of FPV drones and consider what's right for you
• Get a radio and start in a simulator
• Learn to fly via Youtube videos or simulator tutorials
• Learn about the different parts of a FPV drone and how they work together
• Choose a video transmission system - analog or digital
• Consider a tinywhoop first
• Decide to build or buy a drone
• If buying: buy a type of quad based on your needs and that is compatible with your radio and goggles
• If building: spec a quad out using QuadPartPicker
• Get accessories, tools and spare parts like a lipo batteries, propellers, battery charger, and soldering iron
• Take stock of all your gear and test your quad
• Get flying!  

What Is FPV?

You probably already know that FPV stands for first person view. The name comes from the fact that you’re maneuvering a device from a first-person perspective. FPV drones are drones outfitted with a camera that sends a video feed to the pilot, providing a first-person-view of the drone.

While FPV usually involves a quadcopter drone, technically, any kind of radio-controlled device can be called FPV if you’re looking from the view of the camera embedded on the device. These include fixed-wing planes, RC cars, and even boats.

For all intents and purposes, we’ll really only be talking about quadcopters because over the years, the popularity of FPV quads has surged. Prices for drones and parts have dipped allowing more people to get into the hobby. Parts for quadcopters have continued to improve over time. And a community of support across the hobby has continued to grow. We at QuadPartPicker aim to expand this even further to help newbies and veterans alike to get into the air faster and more efficiently by giving you a centralized place to find and pick parts and equipment for your own custom setup.

What Will This Cost?

If you’ve purchased or flown other drones before, like a DJI Mavic, getting into the FPV hobby can be pretty cost-comparable. While an FPV quad can be cheaper to purchase than a DJI drone (and even cheaper to build) up front, keep in mind that you’ll need to factor in costs for maintenance and upkeep. That said, you can ease into purchasing required equipment as you explore whether or not you want to jump all-in.

When flying an FPV drone, you have to assume that sooner or later, usually sooner, you will crash. Depending on the severity of the crash, you might just need to dust it off, or you might have to replace any or all of the parts before you can get back in the air. This means purchasing replacement parts. QuadPartPicker is great for finding replacement parts at the best prices because we compare costs between retailers and even let you know if parts are in stock. It’s a good idea to stock up on parts that you know will eventually need to be replaced like propellers and batteries.

So to answer the question, there’s a lot of variability in cost. You can get in the air for as cheap as $300 for a tinywhoop kit or as high as $1,500 for a specced out 5-inch HD quad all-in. Like with most things, you do get what you pay for. And depending on whether you fly analog or digital DJI (more on this later), the type of quad you purchase or build, and the parts and features you want, your overall cost will vary drastically. Quadpartpicker can help you choose parts by tallying up price totals and editing your parts list all in one place.

From here on out, we will provide a cost estimate of what to expect as you get into the hobby.

How to Start

Cost estimate: $60 (low-end) to $300 (high-end)

To get into the feel of flying, you want to download an FPV flight simulator, buy a radio transmitter and practice flying from your computer. You can learn the controls and crash as much as you need without purchasing anything else. Sims like Velocidrone and The Drone Racing League Sim are great for racers and feel more realistic, while Liftoff has environments that are great for those who want to get into freestyle and cinematic flying. These sims cost between $10 to $30. When flying in the sim, fly in acro mode (full manual) before trying any of the other flying modes. By doing so, you are priming yourself to become an excellent pilot.

If you’re on a smaller budget, you can get a cheaper radio transmitter that is compatible with a sim and a drone for $40, like the Betaflight LiteRadio 2. Or if you want something that will work in pretty much all instances, you can grab the RadioMaster TX16S MKII for around $200 and rest easy knowing it’ll be compatible.

As you practice in the sim, find some tutorials on YouTube. There is a wide variety of resources from some really good creators that just want to help you fly! Rotor Riot has a lot of newbie-friendly tutorials on flying. And Joshua Bardwell knows absolutely everything about the FPV hobby and breaks topics down in ways nobody else can.

Anatomy of a FPV Quad

If you’ve ever built a PC, building a quad is similar. There are a set of required parts that work in unison to make your quad fly. There are also other parts that can augment the flying experience.

Required Parts:

Frame - This holds your quad and all of its components together. In the United States, frames are standardized to the propellers’ size in inches (i.e. 5 inch). Outside of the U.S., frames are measured by its wheelbase, or the diagonal distance between the motors in millimeters (i.e. 240mm). Measuring in millimeters is more precise, while measuring in inches is an easy way to group different types of quads together.

Flight controller (FC) - This processes all the inputs and outputs of your quad. Think of it as the brain of your quad.

Electronic speed controller (ESC) - This controls your motors’ speed like a car’s gearbox. Sometimes these are included or integrated on a flight controller.

FPV camera - This captures the image from your quad.

Video transmitter (VTX) - This processes the FPV camera’s video and sends it to your goggles. You can purchase VTXs that send either analog or digital signals.

Motors - These spin to create lift for your quad’s propellers.

Propellers - These lift your quad off the ground with the help of motors.

Radio receiver (RX) - This processes the inputs from your radio transmitter and sends it to the flight controller.

Antennas - These send signals from your radio transmitter and video transmitter, and receive signals from your radio and video receivers.

Battery - This provides all the necessary power to your quad.

This is a basic description of the most important and required parts for a typical FPV quadcopter. On QuadPartPicker, you can easily find and compare these parts, plus compile them into a list from which you can purchase those parts and refer back to as you build your quad.

What Are the Different Types of Quads?

Cost estimate: $60 (low-end) to $600 (high-end)

The type of quad you need is entirely dependent on what kind of flying you’ll be doing. The key here is to find balance based on your needs. You don’t want something too underpowered or overpowered because you’ll just have a hard time controlling the quad instead of having an enjoyable time in the air. As you’re starting out, don’t think that you’re boxed into one type of flying style if you build or buy a certain kind of quad, but rather, the more flying you do, the more you’ll know what your style is. Below are common classes of quads and a description of each.  

Starting Out Quad - Tinywhoop

When you’re ready to get off the sim, it’s recommended that you buy a tinywhoop. Tinywhoops are the best beginner FPV drones because they're small and durable, allowing you to practice in any environment. Tinywhoops are the smallest quads available. They are usually ducted or come with propeller guards which make them safer to fly. They are very lightweight. They usually have propellers that are 1.5 inches to 2 inches. And most importantly, they can take a lot of hits which is great for beginners. Since you bought a radio for practice on the sim, you’ll easily be able to pair it to your tinywhoop. There are a variety of tinywhoops available in analog and digital versions. If you want to get right into the air, consider purchasing a fully-built tinywhoop and when you eventually outgrow it, build one of the following.

Freestyle Quad

If you want to do awesome flips and tricks and fly totally unrestrained, a 5 inch mini quad is right for you. 5 inch quads are very common because they offer a good balance between power, efficiency, and size. Frame parts and electronics are generally compatible with 5 inch frames, or you’ll easily be able to find a way to make them work. These quads can also carry full-sized GoPros which allow you to record your freestyle sessions in HD.

Racing Quad

Similar to freestyle quads, 5 inch quads are great for racing. They can pack a lot of power and are very responsive. If you’re dead serious on getting into professional racing, we suggest an analog 5 inch because of the latency that comes with flying HD video. It’s not noticeable when flying casually, but it will make a difference when you need every competitive advantage to win. The differences between freestyle and racing quads primarily lie between PID tuning and frame design. If you want to do both freestyle and racing, you don’t have to get too caught up in which 5 inch quad you choose, as long as it’s a 5 inch quad.

Cinematic Quad

If you like smooth, buttery cinematic footage whether for cityscapes or landscapes, you should fly with a cinewhoop. These are ducted quads in which the propellers are guarded, making them safer to fly in smaller spaces. By design, cinewhoops tend to be slightly underpowered and can feel heavier than a 5 inch racing quad because they are easier to fly and control. You can still do tricks and flips, but you’ll feel a big difference in responsiveness compared to a 5 inch quad.

Cinewhoops can come in any size, but typically, you want a 3 inch mini quad that can carry a full GoPro to capture the beautiful imagery. Pioneered by Andy Shen who created the Squirt, cinewhoops have evolved considerably in the last couple of years, and now come in a variety of form factors.

Indoors and Small Spaces Quad

You might be here because you saw that video of a drone flying through a bar and behind a bowling alley, or you just want to fly through really small gaps or in small spaces with the option to record HD video. In your situation, 2.5 inch to 3 inch micro quads are for you. This is a slightly newer class of quads that allows pilots to fly indoors with enough power to carry a stripped down (naked) GoPro so you don’t need to compromise on video quality. You can fly these outdoors, but you’ll be able to feel even the slightest gust of wind. You might not be able to do crazy tricks with a full payload, but these can still be capable of doing flips and rolls.

Long-Range Quad

If you’re looking to fly up a mountain or a mile or more out, you should select the most efficient frame size possible with the most reliable electronics. You’ll likely opt for 6 inch or 7 inch mini drones which can carry larger batteries and additional electronics like GPS. Larger frames also accommodate larger propellers which are more efficient. If you want something smaller, but still long-range, you can build a 4 inch micro quad by essentially taking parts designed for a traditional micro quad and adding them to a frame that’s slightly smaller than a traditional mini frame.

Flying long-range will also prompt you to upgrade your equipment because both standard video transmitters and radio transmitters don’t have reliable range for a quad to fly so far out. You’ll likely want to upgrade your transmitter (and receiver on your quad) to support the ExpressLRS or TBS Crossfire radio protocols. And you’ll need to use a powerful video transmitter with enough power to send video signals to your video receiver.

Flying long-range is generally not recommended for beginners because there’s a lot of room for error, both with your drone and your surroundings.

So all in all, there are these distinctions between quads, but also understand that the hobby continues to evolve and these lines are blurring more and more every day:

• 2 inch or smaller tinywhoops
• 2.5 inch to 3 inch micro quads
• 3 inch mini cinewhoops
• 4 inch long-range micro quads
• 5 inch freestyle or racing mini quads
• 6 inch or 7 inch long-range mini quads

If you’re a beginner who wants to freestyle, race, or eventually fly long-range, we suggest you build or purchase a tinywhoop for practice coming off the simulator, then upgrade to building your larger quad of choice. If you’re primarily flying slowly or indoors and will likely stick to smaller quads for cinematic footage, we suggest you go straight from the sim to building or purchasing a ducted micro quad. Or you can be this guy.

The TLDR: Start off small, whether it’s a tinywhoop or a 2.5 inch quad. The more you fly, the more you’ll know what your flying style is and build a quad optimized for that style.

What to Know About Radios and Goggles

Cost estimate: $100 (low-end) to $800 (high-end)

From the ground, you’ll be manipulating the quad using your radio, and seeing the effect of those inputs from your goggles. If you’ve practiced on a simulator, you’ll probably have bought your radio already. These days, there are a variety of radio options to start with, plus module attachments that allow you to upgrade your radio should you ever need the functionality.

Your goggles are used to see what’s happening around your quad’s surroundings. Your goggles are connected to the video receiver which takes the signals from your quad’s video transmitter (VTX) and processes the image onto the screens in your goggles. VTXs can either be analog or digital. Think VCR tape quality for analog, and HDTV quality for digital.

Some analog goggles will include a video receiver built-in, while others are sold separately. In 2024, you have a lot of great options, between DJI, HDZero, and Walksnail in the digital VTX space. So if you’re on a budget, you could be breaking the bank just with the DJI goggles purchase. Some people shun digital because it’s so cost prohibitive, while others can’t live without it.

The TL;DR: If your budget permits, select a radio like the RadioMaster TX16S or RadioMaster Pocket that supports multiple protocols and is easily upgradable. If you want the best video experience, purchase the DJI FPV Goggles 2.

If you’re on a tighter budget, select a cheaper radio and analog goggles/VTX.

Use QuadPartPicker to add your parts and equipment to your list and see what works within your budget.

Choosing Between Analog and Digital Video

This is the age old question, and it really just comes down to the cost and the tradeoffs.

Racers generally fly analog video because there is a noticeable latency difference between analog and digital. Analog is just faster than digital. The quality of your analog video is dependent on your video transmitter, video receiver, and goggle’s screen quality.

Digital, on the other hand, is newer and has only been on the market for a couple of years, but the difference in video quality compared to analog is unparalleled. In 2024, there are a lot of options. DJI, the leader in consumer and prosumer drones, entered into the FPV market with a kit for FPV quads that allows pilots to stream 720p video. Up until the introduction of the DJI (now Caddx) Air Unit, FPV camera, goggles, and radio, FPV quads were limited to analog-quality video. This was a massive step up and made the FPV hobby more accessible because DJI simplified the building process giving you just one family of products to choose from that allows a huge jump in video quality. Today, the flagship DJI digital FPV is the Goggles 2 and O3 Air Unit which can record up to 4k, and stream up to 1080p.

More recently, HDZero entered the digital market with their own digital system that competes with DJI in an attempt to fix the pitfalls of DJI HD digital video. And even more recently, Walksnail (a Caddx company) released a digital ecosystem, called Avatar, that so far, performs similarly to the DJI v1 system.

Learn more about FPV digital VTXs and goggles.

Learn more about FPV analog VTXs and how to choose them.

The TL;DR: Choose analog if you want to race or are on a budget. Choose DJI digital video if you can afford it and want a streamlined building experience and unrivaled video quality.

To Buy or Build?

We get it, by now, you just want to know how long until you can fly. And it seems like a long commitment, doesn't it? So should you build your quad, or buy one that’s pre-built?

The Case For Buying

If you want to get in the air as soon as possible, you can just buy your quad, whether that is a tinywhoop or a 5 inch mini quad. There’s a small price premium, but you will certainly fly sooner. That said, sooner or later, you’ll crash your pre-built quad and will need to know how to repair it. FPV quads are very repairable unlike a DJI drone. If you learn how to build a quad first, you’ll be more familiar with your hardware and better equipped to troubleshoot and repair your quad. When you need to find replacement parts for your pre-built quad, you can find them on QuadPartPicker.

Pre-built quads usually come in two versions from retailers: RTF or PNP/BNF

RTF stands for Ready-to-Fly, which generally means that your quad also includes a radio and goggles. It’s everything that you need to fly minus the batteries and charger.

PNP stands for Plug-n-Play, and BNF stands for Bind-and-Fly. Retailers usually use these terms interchangeably. But most often, BNFs are pre-built quads with a radio receiver built in, and PNPs are pre-built quads that don't come with a receiver, and you will need to buy and solder it on yourself.

If you’ve been following this guide up to here, you’ll likely have a radio already. So if you choose to purchase a pre-built quad, you can just purchase a PNP/BNF quad with your receiver of choice, and your goggles+VRX, and you’ll be ready to get flying.

If you decide to buy, you can find pre-built quads on QuadPartPicker here.

The Case For Building

Building a quad is our preferred method. Everyone will have their own preferred approach, but we suggest that you purchase your first tinywhoop to scratch your flying itch, get the hang of flying, and validate that you really do love it. By then, you’ll have developed your preferred flying style and you can build a quad with that in mind. And if you hate it (you won’t!), you haven’t committed to buying a whole suite of gear and parts.

Because you’ll be flying (and crashing) more with your daily-driver quad, it’s smart to be able to fix it when something goes wrong. Having deep knowledge of your quad will be instrumental in getting back in the air faster.

Building a quad almost always means that you have to also learn how to solder. Whether it's connecting the FPV camera to the VTX, or the VTX to the flight controller, or the motors to the ESC, all these connections are held together by solder. It’s not a particularly hard skill to learn, but we understand it’s another obstacle that prevents you from getting in the air. There are a lot of great tutorials on YouTube that are particularly relevant to soldering for FPV quads. Here’s a great soldering guide by Joshua Bardwell

When you’re ready to build your quad, start your parts list on QuadPartPicker where you can choose a frame, and our tool guides you to compatible parts.

The TL;DR: Buy your quad if you want to fly sooner and money is no problem. Build your quad if you want to know everything there is to know about FPV, including the convenience of troubleshooting yourself, and want to save some cash.

Learn to Build and Fly

We’ve gone over what FPV is, what to expect, types of drones, and a general sense of how to get started, but how do you actually learn how to build and fly a drone? We’re not going to go deep into it here, but there is a wide variety of free YouTube tutorials for pretty much everything FPV related. Here are a couple of resources to help you get started.

Joshua Barwell - Aptly named the FPV-know-it-all, Bardwell is known for his comprehensive approach to breaking down complicated FPV subjects in a way that anyone can understand.

RotorRiot - This is a Florida-based FPV retailer that also creates beginner-friendly content in partnership with well-known FPV pilots.
Both Bardwell and RotorRiot have excellent flying and building guides that will take you step-by-step to get you in the air.

Mr Steele - One of the most well-known freestyle pilots, Mr Steele creates high-quality content on YouTube.

Paul Nurkkala (NurkFPV) - A racing expert turned cinematic pilot who creates tutorials and vlogs on YouTube.

Johnny Schaer (JohnnyFPV) - A racing and cinematic FPV pilot who creates excellent reels on YouTube and other social channels.

Alex Vannover (CaptainVanover) - A racing and cinematic FPV pilot who creates excellent reels on YouTube.

By no means is this an exhaustive list, but these are some of the best resources on YouTube for info and inspiration.

The State of the FPV

Interest in FPV has steadily grown in the last decade as FPV racing took off. Between the rise of freestyle and cinematic flying and pilots gaining recognition as content creators, FPV has transformed from a niche hobby to a mainstream one. Video production companies now frequently hire FPV pilots to shoot custom scenes. And as DJI and other drone companies gain more prominence, the FPV hobby grows with them.

Continued improvements on open and closed-source software has made programming for FPV much easier than before. If you want to do something specific with your FPV quad, chances are, someone has done it before.

Leaps in hardware technology have provided the FPV community with more accessibility and have allowed for more premium experiences. Parts continue to improve, meaning older, but still capable, parts can now be found for more affordable prices. This constant iteration has also allowed for more frequent production of products and use-cases that were previously considered custom just a couple years ago. For example, you need GoPro quality footage in a very tight space, but your 2.5 inch quad can’t handle the weight? You can just take apart a full size GoPro and place the only-necessary parts into a kit resulting in more than 5x weight reduction. Trends suggest the FPV hobby is only going to rise in popularity.

2021-22 COVID Chip Shortage and 2023 Ukraine War

If you’ve heard about cars getting more expensive, or the unavailability of your favorite PC graphics cards, it’s due to a world-wide computer chip shortage. And unfortunately, FPV drones are not spared. Most flight controllers are built by STMicro which is expecting shortages to continue through mid-2023. Even DJI and other prominent drone companies don’t have enough supplies. While a ramp up in chip production is well underway, it will be awhile until supply catches up. With the Ukraine war and their adoption of FPV drones in the battlefield, a lot of parts for consumers are staying more expensive. The shortages can be felt, and it does prevent newer products from getting introduced into the market.

You can use QuadPartPicker to find parts in stock across retailers.

FAA Remote ID

The FAA controls all the air space including the air you fly your quad in (within the United States). In an effort to regulate drones in U.S. airspace, the FAA has most recently introduced new rules called Remote ID to require all drones to broadcast identifying location information while in the air. In short, it means that you'll need to add a module to your quad with these features to be in compliant. As of 2024, there are a few RemoteID modules available today, but many pilots are awaiting further guidance before adopting them. For those using FPV drones for work or within commercial uses and need to be in compliance with Part 107, a RemoteID module on your FPV quad is required. That being said, the community has yet to see any FAA enforcement on RemoteID.

Check out our guide on Remote ID for FPV here.

FAA UAS Safety Test (TRUST)

Previously, for recreational pilots, no test was necessary to fly as long as you followed the FAA’s Recreational UAS Guidelines. But starting in 2021, all recreational pilots are required to pass a very easy safety test online and print the proof of completion in case it’s ever requested by an authority. The test includes some very basic safety questions and can be completed in no longer than 10 minutes. It’s recommended that you understand the rules, because, as they say, it only takes one person to ruin it for everyone. Find information about TRUST from the FAA.

If you made it this far, you now have a solid foundation for the FPV hobby. There are nuances among nuances for everything we’ve gone over. This is an extremely long overview, but it’s still just an overview. We encourage you to find more resources to answer your questions and to use QuadPartPicker when picking and pricing out your FPV gear.

Whether you're just thinking about it, beginning to research, or learning to pick parts, getting into FPV can be overwhelming. This is a set of guides to help you start flying. No matter where in the process you are, you'll find guidance and useful information below.

How to Get Into FPV Quads in 2024

What's the right way to get into FPV? There isn't one. But we all start somewhere. This is an organized overview of what FPV is and what to expect getting into FPV today. You'll learn about starting points, choosing HD vs analog video, building vs buying a quad, and much more.

How to Get Into FPV Quads in 2024

This is a comprehensive overview on what to expect in FPV. If you’re wondering if getting into FPV is worth it, you’ll find out here.

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

How to Choose an FPV Radio Controller and Quad Receiver

Your radio is your first FPV purchase and the piece of equipment you'll use the longest. Make sure you get the radio that's right for you. The TL;DR: get a radio that's ELRS-compatible.

How to Pick the Best FPV Radio Controllers, Modules, and Receivers

Your radio is one place where a larger initial investment will go a long way, especially if you decide to stick with FPV long-term.

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

How to Choose FPV Goggles and Video Transmitters in 2024

Choosing FPV goggles in 2024 means locking yourself into a video ecosystem, making this decision more important than ever. Here, you'll find the pros and cons for FPV goggles and video systems available today.

How to Pick the Best FPV Video Transmitter (VTX) and Goggles in 2024

Your quad’s video transmitter (VTX) processes the video from your FPV camera and transmits the video to your goggle’s receiver. Choose the best option for you.

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

How to Choose FPV Quad Parts For Beginners

There's so much nuance with FPV parts that, if you take the time to learn every single thing, you'll never get flying. This is an FPV parts picking guide for beginners that gives you just enough information for you to start picking parts.

The Beginner’s Guide to Picking FPV Drone Parts

There’s the learn-everything-before-starting way, and then there’s our slightly unconventional method of learning only what’s necessary to get in the air.

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

How to Methodically Choose FPV Powertrain Parts

Your quad requires several parts working together to get it off the ground. Above, we provided some general guidelines on choosing these parts. Here, we walk through one of many processes you can use to pick FPV motors, propellers, ESCs and lipo batteries.

How to Pick Motors, Propellers, ESCs, and Lipo Batteries For Your FPV Quad - FPV Powertrain

So you know what kind of FPV quad you want to build and fly, but what are the parts you need? Find out how to pick your FPV quad’s powertrain parts

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

Choose FPV Parts Using the QuadPartPicker Quad Builder

No matter what kind of FPV quad you want to build, QuadPartPicker helps guide your process, with parts from reputable retailers that will work together.

The Quad Builder automatically filters for things like mount sizing, antenna connectors, motor sizing, and propeller sizing to help you narrow down your options and ensure compatibility.

Quad Builder — QuadPartPicker

Find FPV Parts. Compile Lists. Build Your Quad.

QuadPartPicker

Assemble Your FPV Quad by Following the Best Video Guides on the Internet

Now that you've picked and purchased the parts for the FPV drone you want to build, put your parts together using any of these step-by-step guides from our favorite YouTubers.

The Best FPV Drone Building Guides and Tutorials

Now that you’ve picked your parts on QuadPartPicker, we rounded up the internet’s best video resources to put together your parts, configure your quad, and get it ready for flying.

QuadPartPickerQuadPartPicker

There’s the learn-everything-before-starting way, and then there’s our slightly unconventional method of learning only what’s necessary to get in the air. Here, we're not only providing you with the basics, but we're also pointing you to the right place if you want to understand more. Veteran quad builders might oppose this method, but this is really meant for beginners who need a bit of guidance on picking parts for their first build.

Like we mentioned in our How to Get into FPV in 2024 issue, there are so many nuances with each part type, that as a beginner, you’re going to be overwhelmed. This is our take on learning just enough about the considerations and interdependencies of each part to be able to build a quad yourself and get in the air faster.

The Parts List

These are the parts you'll need to build a FPV drone:

• Frame
• Flight Controller
• ESC
• Motors
• Propellers
• Video Transmitter with antenna
• FPV Camera
• Radio Receiver with antenna
• Battery

Frame

Your quad is purpose-built. By now, you probably have a good idea of what you want to build and what kind of flying you want to do. Using this, you can select the frame size you need. To assess a frame, most pilots look at availability, price, and reviews. As a beginner, if price permits, you should look for a frame that lots of people have used. This way, when you inevitably have an obscure question, someone likely has gone through the same thing and can answer your question.

In the United States, frames are denoted in inches referring to the propeller size they accommodate. In pretty much everywhere else in the world, frame sizes are detonated in millimeters by their wheelbase, or the diagonal distance between the motors.

We in America love to mess with measurements so here is a handy list of rough guidelines for frame sizes based on wheelbase, prop size, and typical use cases.

Find frames by quad type and by size on QuadPartPicker.

Flight Controller

Your quad’s flight controller is your quad’s brain. It’s responsible for linking all electronics together to process all the possible inputs and outputs. As a beginner, you’ll likely only need to find a flight controller with a mount size that matches your frame. Keep in mind that some frames only have a center mount, while other frames have center and rear mounts allowing for more configurations for your electronics.

Here are the common mount sizes:

Processor

As a beginner, another consideration is your flight controller’s processor. In short, select an F4, F7, or H7 flight controller and you’ll have a modern processor that works with the latest firmware. F4s are the cheapest and most time-tested, while H7s are newer and more expensive.

Stack / AIO

The last beginners’ consideration when selecting a flight controller is if you want a stack or AIO. These are flight controllers that have other necessary components that come together as a kit or built into the flight controller board. Usually, these additional parts are ESCs and/or video transmitters. The advantage of getting a stack or AIO is that sometimes the wiring is plug-and-play between the parts, and you know that there was some testing between the parts to validate that they work as intended. As you select your FC, just know that if you select an AIO or stack with these components included, you don’t have to purchase them separately.

Find flight controllers by size, processor, and stack on QuadPartPicker.

ESC

Think of your ESC as your quad’s gearbox. It handles all the voltage from your battery, takes signals from your flight controller, and controls how your motors spin. You will either select a flight controller with an ESC included, or select a stand-alone ESC.

Amp Rating

The most important factor when selecting an ESC is the Amp Rating. When you look at the specs for an ESC, it will denote whether it’s 15A, 30A, 40A, etc. The amp rating refers to the continuous amps your ESC can handle. This is important because if your ESC's amp rating is too small, it may fry or fire, especially under high throttle situations. The general best practice is to pick an ESC rated for a slightly higher amperage than what your motor and propeller combo will draw at full throttle.

But how do you know how much amperage you need? You can do a lot of math to figure out what the best ESC amperage is for your quad based on your motor and propeller choices, but for beginners, we like Oscar Liang’s approach. He notes that realistically, a 50A ESC will never die on a 5 inch quad due to too much current, because a 6S lipo battery is limited by how much current goes through the ESC. If you want to learn more about ESCs, his article linked above is a great resource.

Here is a list of typical ESC amp ratings for each frame size:

Depending on your flying style, you may want to adjust this. If you fly slowly and cinematically, these are good guidelines. But if you’re freestyling or racing and putting in a lot of throttle, it’s a safer bet to go with a ESC with a higher amp rating. You can’t have an ESC that has too high of an amp rating, but the higher you go, the more expensive and heavier it will be.

4-in-1 or Single ESCs

There are two types of ESCs: 4-in-1 and single. Every motor needs its own ESC. Assuming you’re building a quadcopter, 4-in-1 ESCs are a great option for beginners. The case for using single ESCs is if one breaks, you only have to replace 1 ESC, and not the entire board. We generally recommend 4-in-1 ESCs because they will stack nicely on your frame.

Note that for 4-in-1 ESCs, the amp rating is for each ESC, so a 20A 4-in-1 ESC can handle up to 80A of total current.

Stack Mount

Speaking of stacks, 4-in-1 ESCs typically come in the same mount sizes as your flight controller and frame. The best practice is to select a frame with matching mounts for your flight controller and ESC. Single ESCs do not mount, but are adhered to the frame arms.

Find ESCS on QuadPartPicker.

Motors

There are so many motors available and even more nuance to how a motor performs. For beginners, we’re giving you the most basic guidelines, but you can spend weeks understanding how motors work.

Stator Size

Motor sizes, which are commonly denoted as stator size, give you the dimensions for your motor. For example a 2207 motor has a 22mm width and 7mm height. You can use these dimensions to calculate the volume of your motor, which gives you a good idea of that motor’s performance. This is useful for comparing motors of similar stator sizes.

Here is a list of typical stator size range for each frame size:

Kv

Unless you’re a serious motor tester or want to get super nerdy about it, selecting a motor on Kv shouldn’t be that difficult. There’s just so much information and so many motor options out there. For a beginner, all you need to know is that higher Kv typically means that the motor will be able to rotate the propeller faster, but at the expense of torque. Lower Kv motors have more torque, but spin slower.

When building for efficiency, larger props are typically paired with lower Kv motors. And smaller props are typically paired with higher Kv motors. This is why tinywhoop motors can go up to 20,000Kv, while large motors for cinelifters are only around 300Kv.

When selecting a motor with different Kv options, most pilots pair higher Kv motors with 4S batteries, and lower Kv motors with 6S. For example, a 2207 stator size motor with 1,800Kv would work well with a 6S battery, while the same motor with 2,400Kv would be paired with a 4S battery. This is because Kv represents the speed that the motor rotates per volt applied. So in our examples for the same 2207 motor:

4S battery at 14.8 volts * 2,400Kv = 35,520 RPM

6S battery at 22.2 volts * 1,800Kv = 39,960 RPM

Both of these combinations are similar with the 6S/1,800Kv combo providing ~10% more RPM.

For a bit more precision when selecting motors, learn our easy method to calculating your all-up weight (AUW) and thrust in our Quad Drivetrain issue.

To get much deeper into motors, Chris Rosser is a great resource. And MiniQuadTestBench is an excellent site to view performance for different motor and prop configurations.

Find motors by stator size and Kv on QuadPartPicker.

Propellers

There’s nothing better than trying out a lot of different propeller combinations yourself. Props are going to break when you inevitably crash, and you can take the crash opportunity to try out different kinds of propellers.

With your frame already determined, the main consideration is your prop length. So if you were to choose a 5 inch frame, you would choose 5 inch props.

Reading Prop Names

There are two common ways to read propeller product names and descriptions:

Length x Pitch x Blades (ie: 3.5x2x3)

or

LengthPitch x Blades (ie: 3520 x3)

Both of these examples mean 3.5-inch length, 2-inch pitch, 3-blade propellers

Length and Pitch

Generally, longer props and pitch mean more speed at the expense of more power draw. And short prop length and pitch spin faster and are more responsive.

Blade Count

It's very common to fly with 2 or 3-blade propellers. The fewer the prop blades, the more efficient and less power intensive the quad. With more prop blades, the quad gets more inefficient while drawing more power.  

Blade Shape

Blades can be narrow and pointy, or fat and stubby. Bullnose-shaped props offer more thrust, but draw more power. And regular pointed props can be weaker, but draw less power.

Clockwise and Counterclockwise

When you purchase propellers, they usually come in a set signified CW or CCW and are usually inscribed on the prop itself. You need 2 of each on your quad and they must be installed correctly for your quad to fly correctly. Refer to the image below on how to position your props. When installing your props to the motors, the CW/CCW inscription should be visible if you have the correct orientation.

Find propellers on QuadPartPicker.

Video Transmitter

Your quad’s video transmitter (VTX) processes the video from your FPV camera and transmits the video to your goggle’s receiver. This is where choosing analog vs. digital HD comes in.

If you’re flying analog, you’ll need an analog receiver connected to your goggles. The biggest consideration is choosing the maximum output power of the VTX. Smaller output power like 25mW are suited for racers, while 1W+ VTXs are suited more for freestyle flying.

If you’re flying digital HD, as of today, you have a few options: DJI v1/v2, DJI O3, HDZero, or Avatar. We recommend looking at YouTube videos to see examples of video quality for each. Generally speaking, DJI has the best video link, while HDZero has the lowest latency. Avatar, the system that Walksnail and FatShark use, are the newest and are showing signs of good performance.

Once you decide, you’ll just need to choose the VTX that fits your needs. The options are limited and mostly perform the same. These digital VTXs also often come with a FPV camera.

Learn more about digital VTXs and Goggles here.

Lastly, for any VTX you choose, make sure an antenna is attached before powering your quad on. If you don’t, you may destroy the VTX.

We’re keeping VTXs short in this issue, but you can learn the ins and outs of VTXs and our recommendations in our other issue here.

Find video transmitters on QuadPartPicker.

FPV Camera

There are a variety of FPV cameras out there. Digital FPV cameras are only compatible with the digital VTXs noted in their product descriptions. An analog camera will not work with digital. And a DJI-compatible FPV camera is not compatible with an HDZero video receiver and vice versa.

The first thing to consider is the size of your camera which is denoted by the width between the mounting holes. This corresponds to what FPV camera mount size your frame supports. There are also adapters that come with frames or that you can purchase, and they allow you to use different sized FPV cameras with unsupported mounts if there is a specific camera you want to use.

These are four standard sizes, most FPV cameras made today are either Nano or Micro:

The other considerations are aspect ratio and field of view (FOV). Aspect ratio is whether you want a wide view (16:9) or a standard view (4:3) when you look in the lens. Field of view refers to how wide or narrow your image is. This is denoted by the FPV camera’s lens focal length. A shorter focal length (1.8mm) results in a wide field of view, while a longer focal length (3mm) results in a much narrower view. Both of these are based on personal preference. Choose what you think will work best for you.

Find FPV cameras on QuadPartPicker.

Receivers

Your quad’s receiver takes the inputs from your radio and tells the flight controller what to do. Since you have a radio from flying on the sim already, (and if you don’t, you should figure this out first!), this decision is already made for you. Our recommendation is to get an ExpressLRS (ELRS) receiver and a compatible transmitter or transmitter module if you don’t have one already. We believe the future in radio links is ELRS because it is open-source, inexpensive, and performs very well compared to other available options.

You can learn more about receivers and radios here.

Find receivers on QuadPartPicker.

Antennas

Your antennas send or receive the signals from your video receiver, video transmitter, radio receiver, and radio transmitter. In some cases, antennas may be included with those parts mentioned above. In other cases, you'll have to purchase them separately. There is a large variety of antennas available, but for beginners, these are the main considerations:

Frequency

The antenna frequency on your radio transmitter and radio receiver need to match. Common radio frequencies are 2.4GHz or 868/915 MHz. If you’re using a 2.4GHz ELRS receiver, you’ll need 2.4GHz antennas for your receiver and radio.

Most video transmitters transmit on 5.8GHz so for VTXs, you’ll need 5.8GHz antennas.

Polarization

Video transmitter and receiver antennas typically have circular polarized antennas. We won’t get into it too much, but you’ll need to pair antennas to the same polarization to get the best signal. If your goggles have RHCP antennas, your video receiver should also have RHCP antenna(s).

Connector

Lastly, you want to consider what type of antenna connector your radio, receiver, VTX, and VRX each support. This way, you can match them without an adapter, which can slightly degrade your signal.

Find antennas on QuadPartPicker.

Alright, we can go on and on! But now you have the bare minimum considerations to choose parts for your first quad build. We encourage you to look for more resources about each part to better understand their nuances and how they can best support your purpose-built quad. Spec out your own quad on QuadPartPicker using our quad builder.

FPV Drone Racing Leagues offer a way for FPV racing pilots to compete for titles, prizes, and clout. Ultimately, doing well in these leagues means winning races. We break down how the major FPV leagues work, how you can get involved, and what you need to do to become the world's fastest FPV pilot. Want to be the next MCK, Killian, or Vanover? Your FPV racing journey starts here.

FPV Racing Leagues

There's a wide variety of FPV racing leagues across the world. There are the large, institutional leagues like DRL and MultiGP, but also smaller local leagues that you can find through Facebook and your local hobby shops. You can compete in any league you want as long as you meet the league's requirements, and there is nothing keeping you from participating in more than one league, other than your own time. Rules for each league change year-to-year, so make sure to check out the official league websites for the latest information.

Drone Racing League (DRL)

The Drone Racing League is arguably the most well known FPV racing league. If your goal is to become the best FPV racer, doing well in DRL is a requirement.

DRL is a tiered league that is composed of both IRL (in real life) races and Sim (Simulator) races where competitors race using the same quad provided by DRL, like the Racer 4. Both types of racing are comprised of Levels, which are single races of multiple heats in which competitors race to earn Season Points and the title of Level Champion. The pilot with the most Season Points at the end of the DRL season is crowned the new DRL World Champion.

The great thing about DRL is that all you need to get started is an RC controller that you can plug into your computer, and you can start practicing in the DRL Sim and racing real people online.

The DRL season typically starts with a Qualifier Circuit open to anyone interested, where racers compete to land one of 64 spots to move into Stage 1 of the Semifinals.

In Semifinals Stage 1, two IRL groups compete and two Sim groups compete. The IRL groups race to determine the top six who move on to Stage 2. The Sim groups are given 30 minutes in individual time trials to practice and record their best time. The top six move on to Stage 2.  

In Semifinals Stage 2, the two groups of six race, and the top three of each group move on to the Finals.

Sudden Death is a single heat that happens if fewer than three pilots from each group in the Semifinals Stage 2 don't qualify for the finals. In Sudden Death, pilots who have not won a Semifinal heat compete to secure the remaining slots in the Finals.

In the Finals, six pilots compete in six heats. Pilots placing first in a heat automatically advance to the Golden Heat. Pilots who place twice in second-place advance to the Golden Heat.

In the Golden Heat, pilots race in a single heat to determine the winner of the Level and is crowned Level Champion.

Throughout the 13 Levels across the DRL season, the pilot with the most Season Points is crowned DRL World Champion.

DRL is a must for anyone who wants to become a FPV drone racer. The DRL Simulator is a low-investment effort to learn the ropes with a path to become the best in the world.

In 2023, the Qualifier Circuit started on July 3rd, and the Finals concluded on July 14th. Sign up for DRL's newsletter to be the first to know about the qualifiers.

More information on how DRL works.

MultiGP

MultiGP is a global FPV racing league that focuses more on in-person racing. As such, they have the widest network of Chapters — local racing groups affiliated with MultiGP. MultiGP provides the framework allowing for standardized racing across distributed local Chapters. Unlike DRL, in which pilots race the exact same drone, MultiGP provides class requirements. You can fly any quad as long as you conform to the class requirements for a corresponding event or race type.

MultiGP holds several main events throughout the year, but most notable is the National MultiGP Drone Racing Championship. This is how the format works:

Pre-Global Qualifier: Racing in your local MultiGP chapter will give you a good idea of where you stand against your likely competitors, especially in your local Chapter's qualifiers.

Global Qualifier: Your ranking in this qualifier will determine whether you qualify for the national championship. Your local Chapters will host Global Qualifiers that feed into the global rankings. Your fastest three consecutive laps determine your ranking.

This MultiGP Racing Championship is split between Pro and Sportsman classes.

• Pro: The top-ranked 150 pilots qualify.
• Sportsman: The pilots ranked between 151-300 qualify.

The Sports Class races take place one weekend, and the Pro Championship takes place the following weekend.

Both the Pro and Sports races follow the same format:

The top 64 Pro Pilots and 52 Sportsman pilots race to make it into brackets called Mains, from E Main to A Main.

E Main: Pilots placing 49 to 64 race in E Main. The top four pilots advance to D Main. E Main does not exist/apply in the Pro Championship since they start with fewer pilots.

D Main: Pilots placing 37 to 48 (Sports: 36 to 56) race in D Main. The top four pilots advance to C Main.

C Main: Pilots placing 25 to 36 and the top four pilots from D Main race. The top four pilots advance to B Main.

B Main: Pilots placing 13 to 24 and the top four pilots from C Main race. The top four pilots advance to A Main.

A Main: Pilots placing 1 to 12 and the top four pilots from B Main race. The top three make it to the podium.

The winner of the Pro Championship is crowned the MultiGP Drone Racing Champion.

Compared to DRL, MultiGP is great for those who want to be more involved in the racing community and fly real quads rather than in the simulator. The National Championships are just one of many events that MultiGP hosts. If you are interested in MultiGP, be sure to first look up your local MultiGP Chapter and start getting involved in local races.

Find races and local MultiGP Chapters at MultiGP.

Other Leagues

Both DRL and MultiGP offer easy and low-barrier ways to get into drone racing and achieve the clout associated with winning. Depending on where you live, you may also want to compete in other leagues. There are leagues held by creators of FPV simulators like The Drone Champions League (DCL) and The Velocidrone Racing League (VCL). If you live near a hobby shop, they can also point you to racing communities.

How to Get into FPV Drone Racing

As you can probably tell by now, winning in any league requires winning races and/or accumulating points. Depending on the year, the meta may change, but your focus should be on winning races.

Getting into FPV drone racing is similar to getting into FPV in general. You can follow our beginners guide to FPV to get an idea of what's ahead.

Which League Should I Race In?

If you're debating between which of the two main leagues to participate in, you should choose the one with the larger community near you. If both DRL and MultiGP are available in your area, it comes down to your format preference and time commitment. MultiGP is a bracketed event in which you out race other competitors over a weekend. DRL is a season-long event of both online and offline races and generally consists of more races and events.

Practice in the Simulator

If you're aiming to become a FPV racer, spending time in the sim is the most important thing you can do. The more time you spend in the sim, the more likely you'll succeed. Start with DRL's Sim where you can race with others online.

Find Your Local Group

One of the best things about FPV racing is the communities it fosters. Local hobby shops often host racing events and leagues, and there is likely a FPV community near you. Your local FPV community is going to be your most connected and up-to-date on the races happening near you.

An easy way to find a group near you is looking for your local MultiGP chapter using their MultiGP Chapter search tool. Another way is to go on Facebook Groups and search for groups with the query: [City/town/metro] + FPV group.

Acquire Gear and Build Quad

Once you decide to make it out of the sim, you'll need to acquire a quad to practice in real life. If you've found your local group, you can go to your local meetups and races to practice.

You'll need to build or buy a bind-and-fly racing drone. Learn more about building your drone here.

You'll also need lipo batteries, a battery charger, and extra propellers.

When you inevitably crash, you'll need a suite of tools like a soldering iron and smoke stopper to fix your quad.

Practice, Practice, Practice

And it really does need to be said again. If you want to race, you need to practice. A lot. Don't get discouraged if you crash, we all do. If you don't crash, you're not improving. Get flying, crashing, fixing, and flying again. Report back when you've become a champ!

Becoming a FPV racing champion doesn't happen overnight. But becoming a top FPV pilot unlocks opportunities outside of racing. Many champions and top pilots become pilots for film production companies or start their own businesses providing FPV flight services.

This is a running and updated list of all FPV stores, their shipping deals and shipping locations. Bookmark it for reference!

🌀 - When you see this mark, it means QuadPartPicker is an affiliate with this retailer. Every time you purchase from these stores through QuadPartPicker, you're supporting us in keeping the site live and updated with new features and content.

FPV Shipping Tips:

USA/EU/AU customers shopping at retailers that ship from China or Hong Kong:

Check store shipping policies to make sure you're getting your items when you expect them. Shipping from China usually takes the longest because of country of origin and because your shipment has to clear customs. Since many FPV parts are manufactured in China, you'll find the largest variety of parts. Customer support quality can vary depending on retailer.

Expedited shipping from China typically means air shipping, while standard shipping typically means ship shipping.

EU/AU customers shopping at retailers that ship from USA:

Ensure that all the items you purchase from a USA retailer can be shipped to you. In many cases, batteries cannot be shipped via air.

Similar to ordering from China, ordering from the USA requires air shipping and clearing customs. Many large retailers in the USA have excellent customer support.

If there's interest, we'll work on incorporating European FPV retailers into QuadPartPicker.

USA customers shopping at retailers that ship within the USA:

Whether you choose ground or expedited shipping within the USA, you'll typically get your parts and gear within a week or two. Take advantage of the list below to get tips on free shipping.

FPV Retailers:

AddictiveRC

Ships From: Arizona, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

BetaFPV 🌀

Ships From: China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: We offer free standard shipping on orders of $99.99 or more.

BuddyRC

Ships From: Ohio, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Retail orders above $100 may be eligible for free shipping.

Caddx 🌀

Ships From: USA 🇺🇸 or Shenzhen, China 🇨🇳

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

Diatone US

Ships From: Hong Kong 🇭🇰

Ships To: USA 🇺🇸

Shipping Policy: Qualifying orders over $99 will be eligible for Free Economy Shipping.

DJI

Ships From: International 🌎

Ships To: Domestic USA 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free shipping on orders of $149 or more.

Drone Racing Parts

Ships From: New York, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free shipping on most orders over $75 and shipping within the continental USA.

EMAX USA 🌀

Ships From: California, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

Five33 🌀

Ships From: Tennessee, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

FlyHighFPV

Ships From: Alabama, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

Flywoo 🌀

Ships From: Shenzhen, China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: For standard shipping, the shipping fee depends on the value of your orders. Free standard shipping for orders over $99 for GEPRC’s own branded products.

FPVCycle

Ships From: Shenzhen, China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free Shipping on USA Orders Over $75.

GEPRC 🌀

Ships From: China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: For standard shipping, the shipping fee depends on the value of your orders. Free standard shipping for orders over $99 for GEPRC’s own branded products.

GetFPV 🌀

Ships From: Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Qualifying orders over $99 and shipping within the USA will be eligible for Free Economy Shipping.

GoPro

Ships From: International 🌎

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free Shipping on orders over $99

Grayson Hobby

Ships From: Georgia, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸

Shipping Policy: All parts orders over $99 receive Free Standard Shipping with restrictions.

HDZero 🌀

Ships From: Shenzhen, China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

iFlight 🌀

Ships From: China 🇨🇳

Ships To: International 🌎

Shipping Policy: iFlight offers Free Air Post For Orders over $100.

MyFPVStore

Ships From: Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free Shipping in the US for orders over $100.

NewBeeDrone

Ships From: California, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free domestic shipping on orders above $100.

Pyrodrone 🌀

Ships From: California, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Shipping is free for first order when purchasing via QuadPartPicker. All domestic orders over 99$ qualify for free shipping.

RaceDayQuads 🌀

Ships From: Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free shipping on orders over $99.

RC Depot

Ships From: California, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free domestic shipping on all orders over $99 and under 5lbs.

ReadyMadeRC 🌀

Ships From: Ohio, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Orders are eligible for free shipping if the least expensive shipping option available for the items in the cart is less than 5% of the value of the order.

Rotor Riot

Ships From: Florida, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: Free Shipping on domestic orders over $100. Batteries excluded.

Team BlackSheep

Ships From: Hong Kong 🇭🇰

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

WeBleedFPV 🌀

Ships From: USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

WREKD 🌀

Ships From: Ohio, USA 🇺🇸

Ships To: USA domestic 🇺🇸, International 🌎

Shipping Policy: No free shipping offered.

Did we miss your favorite FPV store? Please let us know!

If you are a FPV retailer and want to be added to this list and on QuadPartPicker, we'd love to have you! Please reach out: contact@quadpartpicker.com

Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are a type of rechargeable battery widely used in FPV drones. LiPo batteries are lightweight and compact, making them ideal for use in FPV drones. They also have high energy density, which means they can store a lot of energy in a small package.

LiPo batteries provide power to the motors and other electronics, like the flight controller, video transmitter, and FPV camera. LiPo batteries are typically rated by their voltage, capacity, and discharge rate which determine how long the battery can provide power to the drone and how quickly it can discharge its energy.

It's important to choose LiPo batteries that are compatible with your FPV drone and to use them properly to ensure that they last as long as possible. LiPo batteries should be stored in a safe place, charged properly, and never over-discharged, as over-discharging can cause damage to the battery and reduce its lifespan. Jump down to read more about LiPo charging and storage.

How to Choose Lipo Batteries for your FPV drone

Capacity

The capacity of a battery, measured in milliampere-hours (mAh), determines how long the battery will last before it needs to be recharged. For FPV drones, you will want a battery with a high capacity to ensure that you have enough power for your flight.

Voltage / Cells

The voltage of a LiPo, measured in volts (V), determines the power output of the battery. Every LiPo cell has a nominal voltage of 3.7V. LiPo batteries for FPV typically use 1 or more cells.

Typical LiPo capacity by frame size and LiPo cell count

Use this table as a starting point for choosing the right LiPo capacity and cell count for your next build.

Shop 1S LiPo batteries for FPV

Shop 2S LiPo batteries for FPV

Shop 3S LiPo batteries for FPV

Shop 4S LiPo batteries for FPV

Shop 5S LiPo batteries for FPV

Shop 6S LiPo batteries for FPV

Connector

Ensure that the battery you choose has the right type of connector for your quad. If you're building a quad, follow the guidelines below to choose which battery connector and pigtail you need for your build.

The most popular connectors for tiny whoops are JST/PH2.0 which are rated to handle up to 2 amps of continuous current, and BT2.0 which can handle up to 9A of continuous current.

For micro quads, the most popular connectors are XT30 and XT60 which are rated to handle 30A and 60A of continuous current respectively.

For mini quads, the most popular connector is the XT60.

For cinelifters and larger quads with heavy payloads, popular connectors are the XT90 and AS150.

If you're debating between a build with an XT30 or XT60 connector, a safe and easy way to choose is knowing your ESC's current rating. If it's less than 30A, get the XT30 connector. If it's more than 30A, get the XT60 connector.

If you're not sure how much current your quad needs to sustain, read more about how to choose your quad's powertrain parts here.

Weight

The weight of a battery is another consideration for FPV drones, as weight can affect the overall power balance of the drone. Bigger doesn't always mean better. The larger the LiPo capacity, the heavier the battery will be. Because of this, your quad will need more power to carry the extra weight.

Use the table above as a starting point to choose a LiPo capacity right for your build. Then compare the weight of LiPos of the same and different capacities. Some batteries that have the same cell count and capacity can weigh differently from each other.

Brand and reputation

It's also important to consider the brand and reputation of the battery manufacturer. Reputable manufacturers have a good track record of producing high-quality and reliable batteries.

Shop top tier brands include Lumenier and Tattu.

And shop other reputable brands include CHNL and Gaoneng (including RDQ Series).

Discharge rate

While we mentioned discharge rate affects how much power the quad can draw, brands typically inflate their discharge rate number. Testing by the community has shown that most brands' LiPos discharge between 40C and 50C.

High Voltage LiPo Batteries for FPV

High voltage LiPo batteries (LiHV) are very similar to the LiPo batteries we just described. LiHVs have the same chemistry has LiPos, but the difference is that they can be charged to 4.35V per cell vs 4.2V for normal LiPos.

The advantages of a LiHV battery vs a LiPo battery is that because the battery runs at a higher voltage, the quad's motors should see slight performance boost when compared to a LiPo of the same capacity and cell count. And because they maintain a higher voltage, they are able to store more energy with the same amount of weight resulting in slightly higher flight times.

Another consideration when choosing whether to use LiHV batteries is if your charger has the functionality to charge them to 4.35V. Some chargers have presets for LiHV batteries, others allow you to set your charge to 4.35V, while other chargers do not support LiHV batteries.

You can charge LiHV batteries to 4.2V, but you wouldn't be taking advantage of higher voltage. It's also worth noting that LiHV batteries are slightly more expensive that their LiPo counterparts. If you need the extra performance, you should certainly consider them. For beginners, stick to LiPos, but think about whether you want to have the capability to charge LiHV batteries when choosing your charger.  

Shop LiHV batteries on QuadPartPicker.

Lithium Ion Batteries for FPV

Some pilots opt to power their quads with lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries over LiPo batteries. In most cases, they are using Li-ion batteries for ultra-light builds designs for long distance flight.

Lithium ion batteries are heavier and have a much lower discharge rate compared to LiPos making them less ideal for freestyle and racing. However, they are great for long-range cruising. Lithium ion batteries also have a longer lifespan than LiPos and are typically safer because they are less prone to overcharging and over-discharging.

Shop Lithium ion batteries on QuadPartPicker.

Charging and Storing LiPo Batteries

LiPo batteries, due to their lightweight and high-discharge rates, are also their vulnerability. Unlike charging the smart batteries that come with DJI drones, LiPos aren't protected with an outer shell, and they don't automatically discharge to a safe storage voltage.

LiPo batteries are generally very safe when used and stored properly. However, when they aren't, LiPos are more susceptible to catching fire. LiPo fires are especially dangerous because water and normal fire retardant in fire extinguishers are less effective at putting these fires out. Fires are most likely to start when charging and discharging. Always stay within distance and keep an eye on your LiPos when charging them.

When your batteries are properly inspected, charged, and stored, your chances of a fire happening are very low.

What LiPo Charger is Right For You?

There are a few considerations to think about when deciding on the right LiPo charger for you. Below, we have two recommendations.

When buying a charger, think about how you'll likely be using it. If you plan on charging all your batteries at home, you won't need something portable enough bring with you. Some chargers can charge more than 1 battery safely at a time. Others require a separate AC power supply to power the charger.

QuadPartPicker's LiPo Charger Recommendations

There are two highly-rated chargers that are excellent for FPV pilots. They come from reputable brands and have been used by the community for years with solid reviews. These are:

Hota S6   |   ISDT 608AC

Both of these chargers come with AC power, so you won't need an additional power supply like some other LiPo chargers. Both of these are also compatible with LiHV batteries.

The main difference between the two is how quickly you can get flying again. The Hota S6 can charge two batteries at the same time and has a higher, 400W AC power supply, while the 608AC comes with a 60W AC power supply. This means that with the 608AC, you're limited to slower and single-battery charging.

If you decide to get these, note that they use an XT60 connector. You can get a XT30 to XT60 connector here.

Shop all LiPo chargers on QuadPartPicker.

How To Charge LiPo Batteries

No matter which charger you buy, charging your battery typically follows the same steps.

1. Power your charger, whether with AC power plugged into a power socket, or DC power through a LiPo battery pack.
2. Plug your battery's balance lead, the smaller plug, into the charger. The charger should display the voltage of each cell in your LiPo pack and they should all be about the same voltage.
3. Plug the XT60 battery (or XT30 battery with a XT30 to XT60 connector) into the XT60 port next to the balance lead port you just plugged in.
4. In the settings of your charger, ensure that you have the right battery chemistry set (LiPo).
5. In the charger's settings menu, set your charge rate to 1C. You may have to manually set this depending on what your battery's capacity is. For example, if you have a 1500 mAh LiPo, set your charge rate 1.5A. If you have a 500 mAh Lipo, set your charge rate to 0.5A. Similarily, if you have a 2000 mAh LiPo, set your charge rage to 2A. Doing this ensures you're charging safely.

When charging your high voltage LiPo batteries, first ensure that your charger has the function available. Then follow the same steps above, except set the battery chemistry to LiHV if available, or set your max charge to 4.35V instead of 4.2V.

How to store LiPo batteries

After discharging your batteries, always charge them back to storage voltage (3.8V). If you plan on using them again immediately or within a few days, you can charge your LiPos to full voltage (4.2V). However avoid leaving them at full voltage for too long as your battery will degrade faster.

If you aren't planning on using your fully-charged batteries, ensure they're in storage voltage (3.8V) and depending on your risk tolerance from low to high, put your batteries in a safe container like:

A LiPo-safe bag, which will not contain a fire, but provide slight protection.

A Bat-Safe Box, one of the most popular products for LiPo battery storage.

A ammo box with the gaskets taken out can contain a fire.

Any of the above with a bag of sand on top. If a fire starts, the fire breaks the bag holding the sand and dumps it on the fire.

No matter what the container, ensure that your batteries are stored in a cool and dry setting that's not extremely hot or cold, ideally between 68-75°F (20-25°C), and away from flammable materials. Store LiPo batteries in a location where they cannot be knocked over or damaged, and where they will not come into contact with other materials that could cause a fire.

Parallel charging

Parallel charging is a method of charging multiple LiPo batteries at the same time using a single charger. With this method, the positive terminals of the batteries are connected together, and the negative terminals are connected together on a parallel charging board. This allows all the batteries to be charged at the same time, which can save time and improve efficiency. There are precautions to take so it's not as simple as plugging in a parallel charging board.  

We're dedicating an entire issue to parallel charging coming soon.

It might seem like a lot to just maintain your LiPo batteries, but doing so ensures that your batteries will last as long as possible.

Shop All LiPo Batteries on QuadPartPicker.

Shop All Chargers on QuadPartPicker.

Start a new build on QuadPartPicker.

DJI has finally released the FPV Goggles 2, not to be confused with the Goggles V2. This is the most anticipated and significant update to DJI's FPV system since the FPV Goggles V1 were released back in 2019.  

In this issue, we're covering the specs of the very latest DJI FPV Goggles 2, the O3 Air Unit and Camera. We compare DJI's latest flagship FPV ecosystem to the V2 and V1 Goggles, including compatibility between all the Air Units and goggles.

How Do the DJI FPV Goggles 2 Compare With the Goggles V2 and Goggles V1?

The Goggles 2 are a significant update to the V2 and V1s. The Goggles 2 support 1080p Live View and a higher refresh rate. It's 36% lighter, and comes in a smaller form factor with foldable antennas.

The biggest improvement in the Goggles 2 is the 1080p OLED screens. If you're someone who cares deeply for improved optics and image quality, the Goggles 2 won't disappoint.

If you're new to FPV and looking for the most compatibility, the V2 Goggles are still the winner. They work with the O3 Air Unit, all of the current Air Unit and Air Unit Lites, and the Avata drone. Currently, the Goggles 2 are only compatible with the O3 Air Unit and Avata drone. If you're considering an Avata drone, you can consider the older Goggles V2 kit because it's cheaper and compatible with all DJI Air Units.

Due to the 5.8GHz single-band hardware, the Goggles V1 are not compatible with the O3 Air Units. Is this update worth upgrading from the Goggles V1 to the Goggles 2? The answer to this is highly use-case specific, but in general, while Air Units and Air Unit Lites are still readily available, we don't see a reason to overhaul your VTX system yet.

See a side-by-side comparison of all the Goggle specs below:

*V1 Air Units include the Air Unit Lites, which consist of Caddx Vista and RunCam Link.

How Does the O3 Air Unit Compare With the Air Unit V1 and Air Unit Lite (Vista)?

The latest Air Unit comes with a lot more features and its total weight measures in between the Air Unit and Air Unit Lite. The biggest difference in the O3 is the ability to record on-board DVR at 4K. With video quality that compares to that of some GoPros, expect a lot of people to adopt the O3 Air Unit just to shave off the extra weight, which will result in better maneuverability and flight time.

The O3 Air Unit has a 25.5 x 25.5 mm whoop mount, so it will fit in most standard 5-inch quads and 3-inch cinewhoops.

The O3 Air Unit comes with dual IPEX antenna connectors and the included hardware includes both antennas in a single housing.

If you're someone who wants to replace the GoPro on your quad, the O3 system is a great VTX option.

Unlike other VTX systems like HDZero and Avatar, DJI currently only offers the O3 system in this Air Unit form factor, which will be prohibitively heavy for certain use cases like tiny whoops.

Compare the new O3 Air Unit specs with the Original Air Unit and Caddx Air Unit Lites below:

How Does the DJI O3 Camera Compare to the Existing Options?

The new O3 camera is also a significant update from the first DJI camera and third party cameras in that it now has stabilization built in and is meant to serve as both the FPV camera and HD action camera. This means that you can get high quality footage without strapping on an additional GoPro or high definition camera.

Like the original DJI Camera, the O3 Camera comes with a non-standard mount. It's closest in size to 19x19mm micro mounts, but with two screws. And depending on the clearance between your standoffs and FPV camera, the new O3 Camera may be too big to mount in place, or adjusted after it's installed. We can expect frame makers to design new frames and adapters to work with the O3 Camera.

The video quality coming from the new 1/1.7 CMOS sensor rivals footage coming from GoPros. The footage from the O3 camera can be stabilized natively with DJI's RockSteady. While the footage can't be fed through ReelSteady, it can be used in Gyroflow for more specific stabilization needs.

Here are the specs of the new DJI Camera compared to widely-used FPV cameras available today:

Will you be upgrading or starting with the Goggles 2? What about the Goggles 2 makes it a buy or no buy for you?

Spec out your next quad on QuadPartPicker.

Beginners learning about FPV are almost always going to be overwhelmed by the FPV and drone-specific terms, acronyms, lingo. Are you getting into FPV? Bookmark this page!

This is our running list of commonly-used terminology, definitions, and further reading.

#

4-in-1

1. 4-in-1, as it relates to ESCs, is a common type of ESC that incorporates 4 ESCs on a single board. These are typically mounted on a flight controller rather than mounted on a quad's arms.
2. 4-in-1, as it relates to radios and radio modules, is a type of radio transmitter than includes RF chips from 4 manufacturers that support many 2.4GHz radio protocols including, but not limited to, Spektrum DSM/DSMX, FrSky, FlySky, and Futaba SFHSS. See more about compatible radio protocols in the 4-in-1 RF chip.

A

Accelerometer (ACC)

A accelerometer is a device that typically comes integrated with a flight controller that measures acceleration speed. The data from the accelerometer can be displayed on the goggle's OSD or used to facilitate semi-autonomous functions.

Acro Mode

Short for acrobatic, Acro mode (or rate mode), is a flight mode most consider as fully-manual flying. In Acro mode, the quad responds only to the pilot's inputs from the radio. Acro mode can be preset or toggled on the quad's radio.

Above Ground Level (AGL)

Above ground level, or AGL, is a measurement of altitude to describe an object's height above the ground. AGL is commonly used along with mean sea level (MSL) to describe the height of a plane, quad, or other object in the air.

Air Mode

Air mode is a feature in BetaFlight that allows pilots to control a quad's pitch, roll, and yaw while in free fall with zero throttle input. This is a great feature for freestyle pilots because typically, when throttle is at zero, the props either stop or spin at the same speeds which limits maneuverability.

All-in-One (AIO)

AIO, or All-in-One, typically refers to flight controllers that come with an ESC, video transmitter, and/or radio receiver integrated or in a stack. Find AIO flight controllers on QuadPartPicker.

All Up Weight (AUW)

All up weight refers to the total weight, usually in grams, of your quad with everything attached including batteries, camera, and other payloads. This metric is used to calculate thrust-to-weight ratio. Learn more about how AUW affects a quad.

Alternating Current (AC)

AC, or alternating current, is the type of electricity that comes out of your typical power outlets. In FPV, this primarily relates to LiPo battery chargers. AC battery chargers are chargers with a built-in power supply that allow you to plug in directly to outlets to charge without a separate AC power supply.

Analog

Analog typically refers to pilots that fly with analog video transmitters (as opposed to digital). The goggles may have digital screens, but the video transmitter sends signals in analog. Think VCR-tape quality. Analog is cheaper, widely available, and superior when it comes to signal latency. Read more about analog VTXs.

Angle Mode

Angle mode is a flight mode where the quad uses the accelerometer and gyro to self-level and is limited to an adjustable tilt angle. The quad cannot do flips and rolls in angle mode because the tilt limitation. Compared to acro mode, angle mode makes the quad easier to pilot. Angle mode can be preset or toggled on the quad's radio.

ArduPilot

ArduPilot is an open-source autopilot software platform that, when combined with a GPS module, allows for custom programming for UAVs, including quadcopters. These programs include return to home, hold position, and auto take off and landing.

Autopilot

Autopilot is a generic term for a feature where a quad has the ability to do software-driven flight using the quad's instruments, rather than user input. See ArduPilot for a commonly-used platform for quadcopters.

Auxiliary Channels (AUX)

Auxiliary channels are all of the switches and dials on your radio controller that aren't the control sticks. These can be programmed to do many things including arming and disarming your quad and changing flight modes.  

Avatar

Avatar is a proprietary HD digital video transmission system created by Walksnail / Caddx released in 2022 to compete with DJI's video transmission system. Currently, FatShark and Walksnail create goggles and video transmitters that support this system. Find Avatar VTXs on QuadPartPicker.

AWG

American wire gauge, or AWG, is a measurement for electrical wiring. This type of wiring is typically found on pigtails or the connectors from the quad to the battery. The larger the number, the smaller the wire.

B

Balance Charging

Balance, or parallel, charging is the act of charging two or more batteries using a single power source. This is usually done using a balance charging board that connects to the main power source. Find parallel charging boards on QuadPartPicker.

Band

A band refers to the line of video transmission within its radio frequency. Every frequency has several bands, and every band has several channels. Bands are separated like this to separate video feeds allowing pilots to fly near each other without interrupting each others' video signals.

Bando

A bando, short for abandoned, is an abandoned building popular with freestyle pilots because these buildings typically have a lot of obstacles and gaps for pilots to fly through.

Barometric Altimeter (Baro)

A baro, or barometric altimeter, is a device typically integrated into flight controllers that measures altitude using barometric pressure. The data from the baro can be displayed on the goggle's OSD or used to facilitate semi-autonomous functions.

Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC)

A battery eliminator circuit, or BEC, is a voltage regulator typically found on a quad's ESC, flight controller, and/or video transmitter that provides constant voltage to parts not directly powered like the receiver or FPV camera.

Betaflight (BF)

Betaflight is the most popular flight control platform for FPV quadcopters. The firmware can be flashed on almost all flight controllers, and it can be configured using Betaflight software from a computer, or wirelessly from a phone app.

Bind

Binding refers to the act of pairing a radio transmitter to a quad's receiver, or a goggle/goggle's video receiver to a quad's video transmitter.

Bind and Fly (BNF)

Bind and fly, or BNF, typically refers to pre-built quads with a receiver included. Sometimes BNF is sometimes used interchangeably with PNP. Ensure that you have all the necessary parts for your pre-built quad. Find pre-built BNF quads on QuadPartPicker.

Brushed Motor

Brushed motors in FPV are older motors that are now typically only found on smaller quads like tinywhoops. They use wire coils acting as an electromagnet that changes polarity and makes the motor move. Find brushed motors on QuadPartPicker.

Brushless Motor

Brushless motors in FPV make up the majority of motors today. Unlike brushed motors, brushless motors have a magnet that's electronically controlled to switch polarity. Brushless motors tend to be more efficient, have higher speed ranges, and are more durable. Find brushless motors on QuadPartPicker.

Buzzer

A buzzer is a device added to a quad that beeps or buzzes when activated or in the event of a crash. Some are powered independently, while others are powered by the quad. Find buzzers on QuadPartPicker.

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)

Beyond visual line of sight, or BVLOS, refers to UAVs that operate at a range where the pilot cannot see the UAV. FPV operations in the US today are in a gray area because flying FPV is not considered line of sight (where you can see the drone from the ground), but is allowed if a visual observer (VO) is present. The FAA is considering new rules for how UAVs operate in BVLOS.

C

CC2500

CC2500 is a RF chip and a common option in radios and radio modules. It supports multiple radio protocols like FrSky and Futaba SFHSS among others. See more about compatible radio protocols in the CC2500 RF chip.

C Rating

C rating, as it applies to LiPo batteries, refers to how much current a battery can deliver to the quad's ESC and distribute to the motors and other parts that require power. The higher the C rating, the more amps the motors can draw resulting in more responsiveness.

Capacitor (Cap)

Capacitors, or caps, are parts soldered onto ESC's power pads to reduce noise resulting in a cleaner video signals and flight dynamics. Caps are used because they are a low effort method to reduce noise created from the electrical currents running through all of the different parts in your quad that negatively impacts the quad's performance. Find capacitors on QuadPartPicker.

Cell (S)

Cells, or S count, refers to the number of cells, or the individual batteries inside a battery pack, that make up an entire battery pack. In FPV, lipo batteries typically come in 1S to 6S. Find lipo batteries by cell count on QuadPartPicker.

Cinelifter

A cinelifter is a type of quad that is designed to carry larger cameras like the Blackmagic Pocket and Red Komodo. Cinelifters typically use propellers that are 6" or larger and have 8 motors.

Cinewhoop

A cinewhoop is any kind of ducted quad that's primarily made for cinematic shots. Cinewhoops tend to be heavier and less powerful than freestyle quads that make them good for smooth and slower shots. Find cinewhoop frames on QuadPartPicker. And find pre-built cinewhoops on QuadPartPicker.

Channel

Channel refers to a specific sections of a band within a radio frequency. Further separating bands, channels allow users of the same band to have different video feeds when flying nearby each other. Channels can be configured on the VTX, goggles, and/or radio.

Command Line Interface (CLI)

Command Line Interface, or CLI, is a mode within Betaflight that allows the user to directly input settings and parameters without using the regular interface. Many people have their own custom CLI dumps, a set of CLI commands, with their preferred settings. Manufacturers also host their own CLI dumps available for downloads as backups to their pre-configured quads.

Crossfire (CRSF)

Crossfire is a proprietary 915/868MHz long-range radio protocol created by TBS. People who use Crossfire find it to be easy to install and configure. Learn more about radio protocols.

CW/ CCW

Clockwise and counter clockwise refers to a propeller's rotational direction. Beginners typically find issues when installing propellers in the wrong direction. Each quad uses two clockwise and two counter clockwise props. They must be installed correctly for the quad to liftoff the ground. The direction is typically etched on top of the prop.

D

Direct Current (DC)

DC, or direct current, is the type of electricity that typically comes from smaller power sources like a large battery. In FPV, this primarily relates to LiPo battery chargers. Most chargers are DC that require a AC power supply if you want to plug it in, but DC chargers can also be powered by a large lipo battery suitable for field charging.

Device Firmware Update (DFU)

Device firmware update, or DFU, is a mode that can be set on a flight controller allowing for firmware flashing.

Diversity

Diversity refers to a radio receiver or video receiver that incorporates two receivers and two antennas. This allows your receiver to get signals in both receivers and give you the best signal of the two.

Digital

Digital in FPV typically refers to HD video transmission, as opposed to analog. This includes systems like DJI, HDZero, and Avatar that transmit digital signals with at least 720p resolution video.

DJI

DJI is one of the world's largest drone companies. In FPV, DJI pioneered HD video transmission with their Air Unit and Goggles. They also manufacture the DJI FPV drone, and the Avata cinematic drone.

Drone

A drone refers to a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be controlled remotely and/or has autonomous features that allow it to be flown via software

DShot

DShot is a widely-used ESC protocol for communication between a flight controller and ESC to control how fast a quad's motors spin.

DSM

DSM, or Digital Spectrum Modulation, is a radio protocol created by Spektrum that is supported by Spektrum and 4-in-1 radio transmitters.

Dry Weight

Dry weight refers to a quad's weight without the battery and payload.

E

ESC

A quad's ESC, or electronic speed controller, controls the speed of the motors. The ESC takes the radio's signals from the flight controller, draws power from the battery, and tells the motors how fast to spin. Think of the ESC as a quad's gearbox. Find ESCs on QuadPartPicker.

Expo

Expo, or exponential, or RC Expo in Betaflight, refers to a quad rate setting that increases or decreases the sensitivity of the radio's input near the center of the sticks where finer movements are made. Expo can be set for the roll, pitch, or yaw. As expo increases, sensitivity reduces, and vice versa.

ExpressLRS (ELRS)

ExpressLRS, or ELRS, is a long-range, open-source radio protocol that's widely accepted as one of the best radio protocols for FPV as of 2022. It ranks the best in terms of range, signal penetration, and price when compared to all other radio protocols used in FPV.

F

F1 - F7

F1, F2, F3, F4, and F7 are all types processors found on flight controllers. As of 2022, F4 and F7 are the most commonly used. F7 FCs have more processing power, memory and UARTs than F4 FCs. Find flight controllers by processor type on QuadPartPicker.

FAA

The FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, is the United States governing agency for aviation responsible for controlling all US airspace and flight regulations as it pertains to aircraft including FPV quads and drones.

Failsafe

Failsafe is what a quad does when it's receiver loses signal from the transmitter. Failsafe can be programmed in Betaflight or radio. Failsafe can be programmed to hold the last stick position or stop the throttle with the goal of minimizing your quad's risk and danger to its surrounding area including people.

FET

FETs, or field-effect transistors, are a set of components on ESCs that allow the ESC to quickly change the speed of a motor by controlling the flow of current from the battery to the motors. In FPV, larger ESCs come with larger FETs that can handle more current. The larger the FETs, the heavier, but more durable the ESC is.

Flight Controller (FC)

A flight controller, or FC, is a circuit board with a processor and other components that sends and receives signals across your quad. Think of it as the brain, or CPU, of a quad. Find flight controllers on QuadPartPicker.

Flight Control Modes

Flight control modes refers to the different flying modes that can be set or toggled. The main flight control modes are Acro (rate), Angle, and Horizon. See definitions of each in this issue.

Field of View (FOV)

Field of View, of FOV, is the angle of the full image you can see through the FPV camera in your FPV goggles measured in degrees. The wider the FOV, the more you can see, and vice versa.

Firmware

Firmware are a set of instructions that allow hardware to start up, connected to configuration software and be configured. In FPV, flight controllers, ESCs, and video transmitters all have their own firmware. In some cases, firmware needs to be updated or flashed prior to use and is typically done by connecting the quad part to a computer.

First Person View (FPV)

First person view, or FPV, is the FPV hobby itself. In radio control, it typically refers to anything radio controlled that has a camera allowing the user to see what they're controlling from a first person perspective. This can include RC fixed wing planes and cars.

Flow

Flow in FPV typically refers to the satisfying movement of a quad, especially as it pertains to freestyle flight. Flow is generally smooth, fast, and technical all at the same time.

FPV Camera

FPV camera is a FPV quad part that connects and sends video to the video transmitter, which sends the signal to a video receiver and your goggles. Find FPV Cameras on QuadPartPicker.

Frame

A quad's frame is what holds all of the parts of a quad together. The frame's design and size heavily impacts how it will fly and what parts will be required. The frame is typically one of the first considerations when deciding to build or buy a quad. Find frames based on type and size on QuadPartPicker.

Freestyle

Freestyle is a type of FPV flying focused on acrobatics and tricks. Freestyle is also commonly used to describe a type of frame or quad. Find freestyle frames on QuadPartPicker. Find pre-built freestyle quads on QuadPartPicker.

Frequency

Frequency in FPV typically refers to radio frequency and video transmission frequency. The most common radio frequencies in FPV are 915/868MHz and 2.4GHz. The most common video transmission frequency in FPV is 5.8 GHz.  

FrSky

FrSky is a radio protocol and brand that creates the most widely available radio receivers, the XM+ and R-XSR. FrSky receivers are very commonly found on pre-built quads.

G

Gap

A gap is a hole or small opening that FPV pilots fly through.  

Gimbal

A gimbal is a mechanism with a camera attached that stabilizes footage. Large cinematic drones often have a gimbal installed. Many DJI drones also have a built-in gimbal.

Ghost

Ghost is a 2.4GHz long-range radio protocol created by ImmersionRC. Ghost is often compared with TBS's Tracer protocol.

GND

GND, or Ground, is the ground / negative of a DC electrical circuit and is typically relevant when soldering or wiring a quad's electronics.

Goggles

Goggles, or FPV goggles, is a headset with built in screen(s) used by FPV pilots to see the image from the quad's perspective. Goggles can be analog or digital, typically defined as the type video that the video receiver processes. Some goggles come with a video receiver, while others require a separate video receiver to be installed.

GPS

GPS in FPV, typically refers to a GPS module that can be added to a quad to program additional features like return-to-home and position hold.

Ground Effect

Ground effect in FPV is when turbulence from a quad's propellers bounce off the ground in low altitude flights that causes the quad to bounce up and down uncontrollably.

Gyroflow

Gyroflow is a free and open-source video stabilization software made for FPV that utilizes the gyro data from a camera or flight controller and combines it with raw footage to efficiently stabilize video footage.

Gyroscope (Gyro)

A gyroscope, or gyro, is a device that typically comes integrated with a flight controllers that measures a quad's angular velocity. It tells the flight controller how the quad is angled and how fast it's rotating. Some flight controllers have more than 1 gyro for more accuracy.

H

H7

H7 is a newer type of flight controller processor, seen as the successor to F7 flight controllers.

HDZero

HDZero is a HD video transmitter, receiver, and goggle designer and manufacture. It's HD video system has the lowest latency among the other systems. Originally, their technology was licensed to FatShark called Shark Byte, but later spun out it's own brand and now manufactures a suite of FPV video transmission products.

Horizon Mode

Horizon mode is a flight mode where the quad uses the accelerometer and gyro to self-level. The quad is not limited to a tilt angle and can do flips and rolls. Horizon mode can be preset or toggled on the quad's radio.

I

IMU

A IMU, or inertial measurement unit, is a device typically found on flight controllers that processes data from the gyro and accelerometer. These are usually calibrated prior to a first flight to ensure accuracy of the IMU, gyro, and/or accelerometer.

IPEX

IPEX, or IPX or IPEX4, is a type of antenna connector typically found on radio receivers and video transmitters due to their small connector size. IPEX is often used interchangeably with U.FL, but note that only IPEX4 is the same as U.FL.

J

Jello

Jello, or the jello effect, or rolling shutter, is when a camera's image is skewed due to camera vibrations. Jello is often caused by electronics or prop vibrations, and can usually be solved or lessened by soft mounting the electronics and camera.

JST

JST is a generic type of wire connector typically used in FPV electronics. Beware that not all JST connectors are made equal. There are multiple mounts with multiple pins.

K

KISS

KISS, short for keep-it-simple-stupid, is a proprietary firmware for flight controllers and ESCs made by Flydruino.  

Kv

Kv refers to a motor's RPM per volt with no load. In FPV, motors of the same size often come have several variations. The lower Kv option is typically paired with a LiPo battery with more cells, and vice versa. Learn more about motor Kv on QuadPartPicker.

L

Latency

Latency in FPV refers to the delay in the time from when the image from the FPV camera is sent to the video transmitter and video receiver. Analog video typically has the lowest latency compared to HD video transmission.

LC Filter

A LC Filter is a combination of an inductor (L) and capacitor (C) that suppresses noise from the motors and ESCs which can negatively impact the FPV camera's video feed.

LiPo

LiPo, or lithium polymer, batteries are the most common type of battery chemistry used in FPV due to their light weight and discharge rate. Find LiPo batteries on QuadPartPicker.

LiHv

LiHv, or high voltage lithium polymer, batteries are a newer type of LiPo battery that can handle higher voltages than typical LiPo batteries. Find LiHv batteries on QuadPartPicker.

Li-ion

Li-ion, or lithium ion, batteries are batteries that are typically used on long range FPV quads. Li-ion batteries tend to carry high capacity, but smaller discharge rates. Find li-ion batteries on QuadPartPicker.

Line of Sight (LOS)

Line of sight, or LOS, refers to UAVs that operate at a range where the pilot of visual observer can see the UAV from the ground. Most drone operations today are operated using line of sight. In FPV in the United States, technically all flights have to be operated line of sight with a visual observer.

LHCP

Left hand circular polarized, or LHCP, is a type of circular polarization for antennas. As long as the antennas on your video transmitter and receiver, there's no different choosing LHCP or RHCP.

Link Quality (LQ)

Link quality, or LQ, is the percentage of data that's delivered to the quad's receiver without corruption. LQ can be displayed on your goggle's OSD and is one way to indicate how healthy your radio signal is.

M

mAh

mAh, or milliamp hours, is a measure of a battery's capacity. The larger the mAh, the more capacity and heavier the battery is, and vice versa.

Mean Sea Level (MSL)

Mean sea level, or MSL, is a measurement of altitude to describe an object's true altitude in relation to standard sea level. MSL is commonly used along with above ground level (AGL) to describe the height of a plane, quad, or other object in the air.

MMCX

MMCX is a type of antenna connector typically found on radio receivers and video transmitters due to their small connector size.

Mode 1 / 2

Modes 1 and 2 refer to the layout of the sticks that control throttle, pitch, yaw, and roll on a radio transmitter. Most pilots fly Mode 2.

Motor

A quad's motors are fed power to spin propellers thereby lifting the quad into the air.

MultiWii (MWC)

MultiWii, or MWC, is an open source, general purpose flight controller software that allows flight configuration using a Arduino and a variety of gyros and accelerometers. Learn more about MultiWii.

N

Naked GoPro

A naked GoPro is a GoPro that's stripped of all extraneous parts except the parts that allow it to record video. They are typically used to lighten AUW on smaller quads like 2.5" cinewhoops. Learn more about naked GoPros on QuadPartPicker.

O

On Screen Display (OSD)

On screen display, or OSD, are the data and indicators overlayed in a FPV goggles' video feed. Most flight controllers come with an OSD chip that can be configured in Betaflight to show various things like battery voltage, link quality, altitude, distance, and angle among much more.

P

Pack

Pack, short for battery pack, typically refers to a quad's battery.

Part 107

Part 107 is the FAA's Small UAS Rule that details commercial uses for unmanned aircraft. It also refers to the certification a pilot needs from the FAA to conduct any commercial (non-personal, non-hobby) flights.

Payload

A quad's payload refers to all of the additional weight a quad is carries in flight, not including the battery. In FPV, this is typically an action camera like a GoPro.

Pigtail

A pigtail, in FPV, typically refers to the battery connector cable that is soldered onto an ESC. Pigtails also refer to an antenna adapters that allows use antennas with different connectors. Find pigtails on QuadPartPicker.

Pilot in Command (PIC)

Pilot in Command, or PIC, is the FAA's definition of the pilot controlling a quad.

Pitch

Pitch refers to a quad's propeller's traveling distance in one complete 360° spin, typically measured in inches. Generally, longer pitch length means more speed at the expense of more power draw, while shorter pitch length means more responsiveness.

Plug and Play (PNP)

Plug and play, or PNP, typically refers to pre-built quads without a receiver included. Sometimes PNP is used interchangeably with BNF. Ensure that you have all the necessary parts for your pre-built quad. Find pre-built PNP quads on QuadPartPicker.

Polarization

Polarization is the way a radio signal travels from the antenna. Many video transmitter and receiver antennas are circular polarized, either right hand or left hand. The best practice is to have the antennas on both the video transmitter and video receiver match polarization direction. RHCP to RHCP, and LHCP to LHCP.

Power Distribution Board (PDB)

A power distribution board, or PDB, is a quad part that is either standalone or integrated with 4-in-1 ESCs that transfers power from the battery to the ESCs, and provide power to other quad parts and peripherals.

Powertrain

Powertrain, in FPV, refers to all of the parts of a quad that are responsible for lifting the quad into the air. These are the battery, ESC, motors and propellers. Learn more about selecting FPV powertrain parts on QuadPartPicker.

Proportional Integral Derivative (PID)

PID, or proportional integral derivative, refers to the algorithm used for multi-rotor flight. PIDs come into play when tuning a quad for optimal performance and changing flight characteristics.

Propeller (Prop)

A quad's propellers, or props, are attached to the quad's motors that help the quad fly and stay in the air.

Prop Wash

Prop wash describes the turbulent air created by a quad's propellers which negatively impacts the air below the quad requiring more power and throttle to control the quad, especially during descents.

Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)

PPM, or pulse position modulation, is an analog radio signal that uses a single wire for every channel. Most FPV pilots use SBUS instead of PPM or PWM, which utilizes digital signal.

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

PWM, or pulse width modulation, is an analog radio signal that uses a wire for each channel to send and receive signals. Most FPV pilots use SBUS instead of PWM or PPM, which utilizes a digital signal.

Q

Quadcopter (Quad)

A quadcopter is a UAV drone with 4 motors. A quad typically refers to a FPV quad.

QuadPartPicker

QuadPartPicker is the only online FPV resource that allows users to spec out their own custom quad by showing users parts based on compatibility across various retailers.

R

Rate

Rate, or RC rate, refers to a setting that is modified when tuning a quad. Rate determines how quickly the quad rotates on each of their axis. The higher the rate, the more quickly the quad reacts, and vice versa. Rate is similar to sensitivity in first-person video games.

Radio Control (RC)

Generally, radio control refers to the radio control hobby. FPV is a niche within radio control where quadcopters are controlled via radio control.

Radio Frequency (RF)

Radio frequency in FPV typically refers to radio frequency and video transmission frequency. The most common radio frequencies in FPV are 915/868MHz and 2.4GHz. The most common video transmission frequency in FPV is 5.8 GHz.

Receiver (RX)

A receiver is a radio control component that listens for signals from a radio transmitter and sends the signals to the quadcopter's flight controller to manipulate the quad based on the user's radio inputs. Find radio receivers on QuadPartPicker.

ReelSteady

ReelSteady is a video stabilization software made for FPV that utilizes the gyro data from a GoPro to stabilize GoPro footage. It was originally created separate of GoPro, then acquired by GoPro and integrated into GoPro's Player App as a paid add-on.

Remote ID (RID)

RemoteID is a new set of FAA rules that impact all drone operations. Above all, it stipulates that almost all drones will require a new module that transmits identifying information like position, altitude, speed and registration information locally. Learn more about RemoteID and what it means for FPV on QuadPartPicker.

Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI)

RSSI, or received signal strength indication, is radio signal quality measured in decibels. It depicts how strong or weak a signal is. If signal is too weak, the pilot is risking losing signal, and therefore, control of the quad. RSSI can be configured to be shown on the goggle's OSD or radio transmitter's screen.

Ready to fly (RTF)

Ready to fly, or RTF, refers to pre-built quads that include everything a pilot needs to start flying including the quad, radio transmitter, and goggles. Find pre-built RTF kits on QuadPartPicker.

Return to Home (RTH)

Return to home, or RTH, is a semi-autonomous feature in GPS-equipped quadcopters that allows the quad to fly back to where it took off when triggered.

RHCP

Right hand circular polarized, or RHCP, is a type of circular polarization for antennas. As long as the antennas on your video transmitter and receiver, there's no different choosing RHCP or LHCP.

Rip it

Rip it is FPV slang for taking off quickly.

RP-SMA

RP-SMA is a type of antenna connector. Find RP-SMA antennas on QuadPartPicker.

S

S (Cell Count)

S, or cell count, refers to the number of cells that are attached together to form a full battery. In FPV, typical cell counts are: 1S, 2S, 3S, 4S, 5S, and 6S. Find LiPo batteries by cell count on QuadPartPicker.

Send it

Send it is FPV slang for taking off quickly.

Smart Audio (SA)

Smart audio is a video transmitter protocol that allows pilots to change their video transmitter settings like output power or channel from their goggles or radio. Many VTXs have some form or smart audio built-in. If a VTX does not have this feature, changing VTX settings is done physically on the VTX itself.

SBUS

SBUS, S.BUS, or Serial Bus, is a common digital radio receiver protocol used by FrSky and Futaba.

SMA

SMA is a type of antenna connector. Find SMA antennas on QuadPartPicker.

Spotter

A spotter, or visual observer, is someone who aids the pilot in command and serves as a second set of eyes to monitor the drone or quad from the ground.

Stack

A stack, or FC stack, refers to flight controllers that come with an ESC and/or video transmitter stacked on top of one another. Find flight controller stacks on QuadPartPicker.

Standoff

Standoffs are long hardware bits that create separation between a quad's frame top plate and bottom plate, as well as separate between the parts of a flight controller's stack.

Stator

A stator is the stationary component of electromagnetic circuits inside a motor. Stator size is commonly used to demonstrate how large or small and how powerful a motor is. Stator size is defined by its width and height. Learn more about motor stator sizes.

Super Rate

Super rate refers to a setting that is modified when tuning a quad. Super rate determines how sensitive the quad is around the middle of the radio's sticks, as opposed to rate, which determines sensitivity around the entire stick's movements.

T

Telemetry

Telemetry in FPV refers to a two-way data stream where a user can send signals and receive signals. Sent signals are used to control a quad, while received signals can include data like signal quality, altitude, and anything else that's displayed on the goggle's OSD or radio.

Throttle

Throttle is the control stick on your radio that controls thrust.

Thrust

Thrust is the measurement of force generated from a quad's motors and propellers depicted in grams.

Tinywhoop

Tinywhoops are a class of quads that are the smallest out of all drones. They are usually ducted, great for beginners, and can take a lot of hits. Tinywhoops typically use 1" to 2" props. Find tinywhoop frames on QuadPartPicker. Find pre-built tinywhoops on QuadPartPicker.

Toothpick

Toothpicks are a class of quads that are ultra-light and typically have skinny and long arms, and use AIO 25x25mm mounted flight controllers and ESCs. Find toothpick frames on QuadPartPicker. Find pre-built toothpicks on QuadPartPicker.

Tracer

Tracer is a 2.5GHz long-range radio protocol created by TBS. Tracer is often compared with ImmersionRC's Ghost protocol.

TVL

TVL, or TV lines, is a measure of analog video quality. In FPV, it's used to show the expected video quality from an analog FPV camera.

Transmitter (TX)

Transmitter, or TX, is the chip inside a radio or radio module that's responsible for transmitting your radio's inputs. More broadly, transmitter refers to the radio.

Turtle Mode

Turtle mode is a flight mode that allows the pilot to flip a quad over when it's overturned in the event of a crash.

U

U.FL

U.FL is a type of antenna connector typically found on radio receivers and video transmitters due to their small connector size. U.FL is often used interchangeably with IPEX, but not that only IPEX4, the most common IPEX connector, is the same as U.FL

Ultra-Light

Ultra-light refers to a class of quads that are built to be as light-weight as possible. It is commonly used along with toothpick. Ultra-light quads are also typical for long-range FPV operations. Find ultra-light frames on QuadPartPicker. Find ultra-light pre-built quads on QuadPartPicker.

Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART)

UART, or universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter, is a serial communication port. These are typically found flight controllers and used to connect components to a quad like receivers.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

A UAV, or unmanned aerial vehicle, describes any kind of aircraft that don't have a pilot on board, including FPV quads.

V

Video Receiver (VRX)

A video receiver is a device that is added to, or built into goggles that allow it to receive and process video data from the quad's video transmitter to display on the goggles. Learn more about video receivers and goggles on QuadPartPicker.

Visual Observer (VO)

A visual observer, or VO, or spotter, is someone who aids the pilot in command and serves as a second set of eyes to monitor the drone or quad from the ground.

Video Transmitter (VTX)

A video transmitter is a component on a quad that sends the FPV camera's video feed to the video receiver / goggles. Learn more about video transmitters on QuadPartPicker.

W

Walksnail

Walksnail is a subsidiary of FPV component manufacturer, Caddx. It created the Avatar video transmission system which is supported by the FatShark Dominator and Walksnail Avatar goggles.

Waiver

A waiver, in FPV, refers to a FAA Part 107 waiver which is a document that can be requested by remote pilots that approves certain operations of unmanned aircraft outside of the general rules likes night time flying and over people and moving vehicles.

X

XT

XT refers to a type of battery connector commonly used for FPV quads. The XT30 connector is commonly used for micro quads. The XT60 connector is commonly used for mini quads. And the XT90 connector is typically used for heavy quads like cinelifters.