115 thoughts on “Complete Mini Quad Parts List – FPV Quadcopter Component Choice”

1. Chrikrie 26th May 2017 at 11:02 am

   Hi, i’m completely new to pfv (but i have SOME los flying skills)
   so i was wondering if i got a good setup based on this blog.
   here are my parts (yes, i want to built it myself):

   Quadcopter
   frame: arris x-speed = $55 161g
   flight controller: Betaflight F3 = $43 8.6g
   (FPVModel, has build-in OSD,PDB)
   4*motors: Cobra 2204 (1960kv) = $21 23g
   props: kingkong props = +-$0.6/set
   4*ESC: HK Blue Series 12A (16A) = $8 10g
   battery: ZIPPY Flightmax 2200mAh 3S1P 40C
   = $14.5 226g

   FPV setup
   camera: Runcam Swift (ir-sensitive) = $40 13g
   vTX: TBS Unify Pro Race = $30 5g
   antenna (TX only): Emax 5.8Ghz Cloverleaf = $24

   fpv goggles: Eachine VR D2 (built-in RX) = $70

   Yes, the battery might be overkill (i want to fly for a long time), and i may considder changing to 2300kv motors.
   if you have any suggestions that i have to change or add (maybe even remove), would be great.

   Reply ↓
2. raemin 15th December 2016 at 2:14 pm

   Thanks for the detailed list that at least helped me to sort things out for my latest purchase…

   I was trying to make a lightweight setup, here are a few findings: GEPRC GEP210 is closer to 150g in terms of weight. The specs on banggood are misleading when they specify 98g. That’s a very good frame, but this not the one to be selected for a lightweight setup. Speed Addict 210-R quoted weight is also wrong.

   Reply ↓
3. Colin Wheat 4th September 2016 at 9:58 pm

   Great listings, thanks.

   Don’t forget ZTW ESC’s.

   Also; BoltRC’s BlackOps and Race frames (Sex on a Stick); and for beginners their Bolt250 Stealth is light weight and bullet proof – well, almost crash proof :). A seriously tough frame for starting out and learning – also damn quick with the right running gear.

   I see you already listed the Kracken and the just releasing (ImpulseRC) Helix.

   Also the (SliverDrone) ZMX v2 & v3 motors are now retired, with a new Fusion line about to release. The v3’s were probably in the top three well, couple months back – things move quickly in this business :).

   Reply ↓
4. Ben Portman 3rd September 2016 at 12:44 am

   Hey Oscar, just got some racerstar 2205 2600kv’s, £22 for 4, and I’ve not got the quad flying as somehow an ESC has blown, but they sound and feel worth alot more, also have picked up a racerstar 4 in 1 20 amp esc with bls for about the same money… not put it on anything as I’ll be stacking it on the RotorX atom 2 frame I’ve pre ordered ( have just finished a v1 transplanted from my very breakable Sputnik 117 and it’s good in doors at least!)
   Maybe you could get some racerstar stuff to test? I’ve been impressed so far.
   Also, maybe you could add afro naze mini and some tarot frames to your list? I’ve never brought a bad Tarot frame…
   Keep up the good work m8, hope to catch up soon.

   Reply ↓
5. Dane 20th July 2016 at 1:22 pm

   Hello Oscar I am very new to the quad-copter scene and would like some advice on the build i have chosen

   fpv250 + cage – frame
   flip32 – flight controller
   EMAX Cooling 2204 – motor
   gemfan 5040 – props
   XM20A – esc
   Turnigy nano-tech 1300mAh 4S 45~90C Lipo Pack – battery
   Song 960H CCD effio-V – fpv camera
   FX796T – video transmitter
   RC832 32Ch – video reciever
   Boscam 5.8GHZ Cloud Spirit – FPV antenna
   mimimOSD with KV Mod – OSD
   3A mini Volage regulator

   -thanks

   Reply ↓
   1. Oscar Post author24th July 2016 at 2:20 pm

      it looks fine to me

      Reply ↓
   2. William 13th October 2016 at 10:20 am

      Hiya I’m doing my first build but I don’t know what size of wire should be used to wire up the motors to the esc its emax mt2204 2300kv and racestar 4in1 blHeli 20A esc can anyone help me on this please

      Reply ↓
      1. Oscar Post author13th October 2016 at 3:50 pm

         20AWG wires should be good :)
6. Niels Sparre 1st June 2016 at 8:14 pm

   Super nice list! :D But you really need the Epiquad 210x on that frame list xD It’s such a good frame.

   Reply ↓
   1. Oscar Post author5th June 2016 at 9:38 pm

      thanks I will add it to the list shortly :)

      Reply ↓
   2. Remco Janssen 27th June 2016 at 10:53 pm

      Could not agree more!

      Reply ↓
7. Oscar Post author1st June 2016 at 3:01 pm

   Still active, but I check the forum way more often than comments :)

   Reply ↓
8. Henry 11th March 2016 at 1:22 am

   Hi Oscar,
   What do you think of RG20 esc’s, there aren’t many 3rd party reviews and I am debating between them and little bees…
   Many thanks!

   Reply ↓
   1. Oscar Post author11th March 2016 at 11:26 am

      they are solid ESC’s, but a bit bulky, expensive and heavier than the Littlebee 20A, also doesn’t perform as well as LB20A. Kind of outdated product now.
      go for the XM20A if you can, they are the even better than LB.

      Reply ↓
9. mike schem 26th December 2015 at 5:03 pm

   Hi Oscar,

   This is amazing! Please never take this down… I literally just downloaded a pdf version just in case.

   Reply ↓
   1. Carl 4th January 2016 at 11:51 pm

      Hello Oscar… I just found this after ordering a bunch of parts for my first ever build. I ma have bought a lot of the wrong stuff but found your guide most enlightening and will be staying tuned for more. Thank you very much for sharing and best wishes for a happy 2016!

      Reply ↓
   2. Oscar Post author6th January 2016 at 10:32 am

      still best to come back and check, there will be constant updates :)

      Reply ↓
10. Rowen 12th December 2015 at 4:53 am

    Hi Oscar,
    Very new to quads, planning a 250 build. Want to start with the banggood QAV250 combo
    Thinking of adding
    Fatshark 700TVL CMOS V1 Fixed Mount FPV Camera
    Boscam TS832 FPV 5.8G 32CH 600mw Wireless AV Transmitter
    Eachine RC832 Boscam FPV 5.8G 32CH Wireless AV Receiver
    Fatshark ImmersionRC SpiroNet 5.8GHz RHCP Antenna TX RX Set
    RCD 3060 OS Mini OSD

    For goggles and transmitter:
    Fatshark Dominator V3 FPV Video Goggles
    FrSky ACCST Taranis X9D PLUS 16CH 2.4GHz Transmitter with X8R

    Should I get a PDB (eg LANTIAN Mini PDB Power Distribution Board With 5V/12V Linear Regulator)?
    Is there anything else I’m missing to be able to get going? Or anything I don’t need?
    Thanks in advance!
    Rowen

    Reply ↓
    1. Rowen 12th December 2015 at 4:55 am

       Also with 1300mah 35C lipos. Should I get a higher capacity?

       Reply ↓
11. Bryce 30th November 2015 at 12:06 pm

    Thank you for taking the time to write this super in depth post. I just spent a week researching parts and unfortunately just this morning I already ordered everything before finding this.

    Although, I’ll definitely be back here for FPV Quad V2!!

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author30th November 2015 at 1:45 pm

       Cool :) good luck with your first build!

       Reply ↓
       1. satsomkum 10th December 2015 at 10:54 pm

          Thanks to you i know what i wanna build it is my first try
12. Gabe Collins 18th November 2015 at 4:44 pm

    Hi Oscar,
    I am planning my second mini quad build as my first one is a write off. I’m really struggling to decide what motors to use. I would like to use cobra motors but they are too expensive, the cheapest i can find them is £17. what would you recommend?I’m looking for the most powerful setup i can get using 4s with 5 inch props.
    Thanks for your time,
    Gabe Collins

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author19th November 2015 at 11:46 am

       DYS and RCX motors are quite good and economic.

       Reply ↓
13. barrymossel 15th November 2015 at 3:51 pm

    Hi Oscar,

    I am on a budget and looking for nice motors to start with this nice hobby. I am going to build a ZMR250 and was thinking about the DYS S1806 2300KV motors (with the DYS 16A ESC’s). Would you recommend those?

    -barry

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author16th November 2015 at 9:48 am

       I never used them, but my friends have. they are good value motors, not top end, but good enough to start with. Use DYS20A ESC for a bit more head room, price/size isn’t much different anyway.

       Reply ↓
       1. Ben Portman 3rd September 2016 at 12:48 am

          the dys 16 and 20 amps are the same thing…just lighter wire on the 16 amp ones…doesn’t make sense but there it is.
    2. Spencer George 16th November 2015 at 8:17 pm

       I’ve personally used Emax 2204’s and they have great bang for the buck. Never used DYS but I’ve known people to have problems with them.
       -Spencer

       Reply ↓
       1. Ben Portman 3rd September 2016 at 12:53 am

          ooo ,I’m a DYS fan, never had any problems with motors or ESC’s unless I’ve abused them IE installed them wrong and fried them!!. I used Emax in the past, a couple of years ago and have been totally put off by the better quality and performance of the DYS alternative, this is 2 years ago and Emax seem to be doing some better stuff now.
14. Oscar Post author26th October 2015 at 12:04 pm

    yes you are right. I was confused by the Sparky 1 V2 and Sparky 2
    will correct it asap. thank you!

    Reply ↓
15. mayank pandya 16th September 2015 at 2:28 pm

    i have 2600 kv batery so which propeller,ecs,and flight cotrol is best suitable

    Reply ↓
16. Oscar Post author10th September 2015 at 10:40 am

    thank you Jake!

    Reply ↓
17. madgadget 9th September 2015 at 3:47 pm

    “Hi Oscar” THANK U for one of (if not the best), comprehensive 250 guides to date. Your work has provided all of us with a well written repository of links and guides. Thanks

    Reply ↓
18. E.L.K. 8th September 2015 at 12:40 pm

    Hi Oscar!

    Just stopped for a while to say great thanks!

    Your blog is _extremely_ useful and it is pleasure to read.

    Btw, the cool music you putting in your video, is there a playlist or something?

    Br,
    Alexey

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author10th September 2015 at 10:56 am

       thanks man :)
       The songs are just music i stumble upon soundcloud :)
       i can put them together in a playlist if there is demand :)

       Reply ↓
19. Malte 30th August 2015 at 12:27 am

    Just wanted to leave a quick note saying that this post and blog really is helpful!
    I especially appreciate that you go back and update it.

    Keep being awesome :)

    Reply ↓
20. Yande 29th August 2015 at 11:24 am

    Wow, Oscar, you ARE a legend. Spent the afternoon reading through some of your Blog, and my Quad loving and learning experience has just come that much richer! Thanks

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author30th August 2015 at 5:41 pm

       Hehe Yande, glad you enjoyed it :)

       Reply ↓
21. Thom 24th August 2015 at 10:20 pm

    Hi Oscar
    First of all cheers for all the info helped a lot especially the battery section. I have started a nice simple 250frame build with 12A ESC with baby beast motors 1300mah 25c-50c nano tec batteries and my flight controller is the MWC MultiWii SE V2.5 and my Tx is a Turnigy 9X. my first question is do you think this will all go together ok (my thinking yes)? Second question is if possible could you point me in the direction of a site with good multiwii setup instructions / programming? If not your help here has been sweet anyways. Thanks again :)

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author25th August 2015 at 12:53 pm

       Hi Thom
       do you know how much current the motor/prop combination will draw? can your 12A ESC handle it?
       I recommend getting the Naze32, Multiwii is kind of a out dated technology now.

       Reply ↓
       1. Thom 25th August 2015 at 6:11 pm

          Hi Oscar
          Cheers for the reply. The esc came as a combo pack from HK “Afro esc + motor combo by multi star” 10A draw max 120w. so is that 120w/11.1v=10.8A each x4= 43.2A draw in total? right? sorry still learning. I know the lipo is around 12.4v -12.6v when full. was not sure if you went with that value.
          I went with multi star as I upgraded my Blade 350 QX to the same brand and found no issue with them.
          I’ll have a wee look into the Naze32 for an upgrade! I’ll also keep going with the MultiWii just now as its always good to learn new things plus no point in wasting it.
       2. Oscar Post author26th August 2015 at 3:32 pm

          okay if max current is 11A… then these ESC should be fine!
          Total current around 44A, now you need to look at battery… for 1300mah battery … you can figure out what C rating you need: 44/1.3 = 34C
          34 is the peak value you need, but you normally don’t stay on this peak current for too long, so 30C should be okay!
       3. Mike 27th August 2015 at 2:46 am

          Hi Oscar
          Looking over your frame list and noticed that the xHover MXP230 Elite V2 Carbon Fiber was not listed (an evolution from the standard MXP230 G10 frame). Carbon Fiber/6mm Arms!!/3mm Body/ 150g/$149.95 xhover.com/collections/frames/products/mxp230-elite-carbon-fiber

          I’m having a hell of a time deciding between this and the Catalyst Labs Speed Addict 265. Love the Speed addict in terms of their “kitchen sink” approach to features and design but damn it those 6mm arms on the xHover are really making this a tough choice. Opinions welcome.

          Otherwise, excellent parts roundup, thanks for all the effort you’ve put into it!
       4. Oscar Post author27th August 2015 at 4:41 pm

          HI Mike, thanks for the message.
          i will look into the Xhover frame and add to the list shortly :)
          thanks
          Oscar
22. Oscar Post author17th August 2015 at 10:00 am

    what’s your budget, and what’s the weight of payload?

    Reply ↓
23. Magma6 3rd August 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Hi Oscar
    Beginner myself, I am so happy I found your site. I am slowly processing the ton of data you give us here and compare it with my own (small) list.
    Doing so, I just found a small correction: the Eachine (I guess a clone of Boscam) AV Receiver RC832 price went recently down to 25$ at Banggood (see banggood.com/Eachine-FPV-5_8G-32CH-Wireless-AV-Receiver-RC832-p-975426.html )

    Thanks again!

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author6th August 2015 at 12:39 am

       thank you Magma6! :D

       Reply ↓
24. Georg Hartmann 11th July 2015 at 10:38 pm

    Hello I have a little question about the measures of the quads … 250 means it has 250mm diagonally between the motors. What are the distances horizontally/vertically between the motors .. i calculated with the 6 inch props it would be quit small when i need some space for the 36mm controll board ..

    Best regards from germany
    Georg

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author13th July 2015 at 10:10 am

       The width and length vary from frame to frame, but as long as the diagonal distance is 250mm then it’s classified as a 250 frame.

       Reply ↓
25. Bryce Greene 6th July 2015 at 4:08 am

    Amazing guide! By the way you also can add the Bolt250 frame. It’s amazing!

    Reply ↓
26. Oscar Post author5th July 2015 at 12:19 am

    I have added most of the products above, however there are a few product sites that are all in French. I am not going to add those since most of us cannot understand a thing…

    Reply ↓
    1. simpfa 23rd July 2015 at 2:42 pm

       Hi Oscar (get a better captcha!)

       You should adjust the price of the Xiaomi Yi, I got it for about the same as mobius on banggood

       Reply ↓
27. James 4th July 2015 at 1:28 pm

    Excellent parts list and great help.Thanks.
    James

    Reply ↓
28. Oscar Post author1st July 2015 at 1:13 am

    thanks so much for the missing products! i will add those into the parts list asap :) thanks again!

    Reply ↓
29. Oscar Post author23rd June 2015 at 4:21 pm

    I don’t remember either Ian… But i do know the RCX 1306 motor has some test data that shows insane efficiency. But the data is from the seller, so I doubt the accuracy. I have not tried it myself either as it’s too weak for 250 mini quad, maybe better with 180 frames. I would recommend Cobra motors for 250 mini quad (if you can get hold of some)… otherwise T-motors 1806 are also pretty good.

    Reply ↓
30. Mike 12th June 2015 at 8:16 pm

    If anyone is making additions, please include the BrainFPV flight controller to the list.

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author16th June 2015 at 2:06 pm

       it is there?

       Reply ↓
31. Oscar Post author10th June 2015 at 9:37 am

    i think the highest possibile resolution FPV camera is 1200TVL, but that’s CMOS not CCD, you might want to look into those.
    I only used the 800tvl effio camera, and the latency is close to a mobius vdieo out, which is too big for fpv racing IMO.

    Reply ↓
    1. Hans 10th June 2015 at 9:51 am

       Thank you for your reply, but my expectation is that a 1200TVL wil have a lot of latency also.
       How can I avoid the risk of buying it and finding out it is not useful for racing?

       Reply ↓
32. Jak bower 8th June 2015 at 10:54 pm

    This blog has been brilliant; I have just got into the hobby and decided to build my own quad. This has helped me decide on multiple things. would using this setup be good :
    Arris x speed 250 frame
    Cobra 2204 2300kv motors
    Afro 12a ultralight ESCs
    Naze 32 acro
    Taranis x9d and frsky x8r
    Pilot HD fpv camera with immersionrc 600mw transmitter

    I plan to use a 3s setup, 1300 to 2200mah. Would the arris x speed or the flexybee 250 be better.
    Being only 15 and trying to do this as a half school project half hobby build, I am a total beginner. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks Oscar,
    Jak

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author9th June 2015 at 1:20 pm

       that’s should be a good setup. however i use suggestion some alternations to the list:
       ESC: DYS BL20A ESC
       RX: Frsky D4R-II
       FPV Camera: Sony SuperHAD 600TVL

       As for frame, both frames should get the job done. the Flexybee is cheaper and easier to put together, but the Arris X speed looks cooler :)

       Reply ↓
33. Wookie 4th June 2015 at 9:06 pm

    Your Page really helped my getting informations about quadcopter.
    I´m planning on building (or buying) a fpv racing quadcopter.
    Read alot of stuff and watched hours of videos.
    youtu.be/a8JyCGXrFbk This build is really cool but for my first copter i think it would be an overkill and only a waste of money for learning it.
    What is your recommendation for an fpv race copter starter,
    I wanna use the FatShark Teleporter V3 for video, keep it not over expensive (150bucks for a frame is overkill for a beginner i think).
    I made 2 Options for my first Quadcopter:
    First One (DIY Version):
    ZMR250 250mm frame 28,86 €
    motor DYS BE1806 2300KV (4x) 34,25 €
    ecs EMAX SimonK series12A (4x) 30,02 €
    Naze32 Acro 22,74 €
    Gemfan 5X3 Plastic (5x) 9,03 €
    FatSharkV3 FPV 182,00 €
    Fatshark 5.8GHz Antenna V2  36,25 €
    FlySky Upgraded 2.4G 9CH  81,16 €
    Total: ~450€

    Second One (Kit Version):
    Kit banggood.com/Spedix-ARF-S250Q-Carbon-Fiber-CC3D-Motor-ESC-Propellers-DSM2-PDB-Combo-p-977495.html
    (its easy to setup and not too bad quality i think – Correct me if i am wrong )
    FatSharkV3 FPV 182,00 €
    Fatshark 5.8GHz Antenna V2  36,25 €
    FlySky Upgraded 2.4G 9CH  81,16 €
    Total: around 450€ too

    My Questions:
    -Do i need a PDB for the first build ?
    -should i start with an really high quality copter (150€ frame) for my first copter?
    -are one of these two build okey or you got an better for fpv racing ?

    Sorry for the long text :D

    Wookie

    Reply ↓
34. Oscar Post author27th May 2015 at 10:26 pm

    yea… the plugin is totally screwed… I have turned it off this morning… I think it’s still cached on some pages… might take the system another few hours to update the cached pages… sorry about that!

    Reply ↓
35. Tom Sayer 18th May 2015 at 1:26 pm

    This is a great llist! helped me a lot when choosing parts for my mini quad!
    Thank you so much Oscar!

    Reply ↓
36. Oscar Post author10th May 2015 at 1:14 am

    it’s all to do with motor/prop combination… check out thrust data sheet (tests) for your motors, see what props it runs best. if the best props still not as good as 1306 than it’s reasonable to upgrade.

    Reply ↓
37. Oscar Post author6th May 2015 at 10:08 am

    looks fine :)

    Reply ↓
38. Depronkleber 2nd May 2015 at 5:17 pm

    Very helpful guide! You really helped me starting to fly miniquads! I’m sure it will be helpful to many others… Be sure to check out other blog-entries from Oscar

    Cheers

    Reply ↓
39. Oscar Post author30th April 2015 at 2:29 pm

    You don’t have to use a PDB. Check out this post about power distribution board for more detail.
    Depends on what you need, most PDB’s do the something, help with easy soldering. Some do more, like output filtered 12V and 5V voltage, but more expensive.

    Reply ↓
40. Oscar Post author24th April 2015 at 1:54 pm

    HI Raiden, when I go fast I get about 5-6 mins, when I go gentle I get about 8 mins. I still think it’s pretty good flight time :)
    Bring a few more lipo if you want to fly longer :)

    Reply ↓
    1. Raiden 28th April 2015 at 4:09 am

       Hey Oscar, agreed about battery, in fact I actually flown the X5C-1 with spare 9 batteries! I can get 7-8 mins for each 500mAh 25C battery in the X5C-1.

       The reason is, with FPV I’m planning to fly quite further, that’s why I really wanted something over 15 minutes of light time. But in contrary, I heard lots a people are now shelving their 450 quads in favor for their 250s.

       So I’m still really torn between F450 flight times and QAV250 fun-ness for my first real quad..

       Reply ↓
    2. Raiden 28th April 2015 at 4:24 am

       Or maybeeee.. A 330 quadcopter that is in between them! Great, option to choose from!

       Reply ↓
       1. Oscar Post author28th April 2015 at 1:28 pm

          maybe, “long flight time” multicopters usually use large props, such as 10 inch with some large capacity battery. Therefore the frame has to be big enough to allow these big props.
          Generally, the bigger the props, the more energy efficient. I vaguely remember someone achieve 60 mins of flight time with some 22 inch props :D crazy!

          330 can allow 8 inch props i think? if you can find some efficient motors with this props size you might be able to make it happen :)
    3. Raiden 30th April 2015 at 11:52 am

       That’s true, I’ve done a bit of research on F330 and seems that longest flight time achievable for now is 20 mins. The sweet spot for flight time is something like 1250kv motors on 8×45 props running 3300mAh of 3s lipo. I don’t think the owner carries any aerial can and gimbal though.

       I’m really trying to narrow down on FPV. Trying not to build an overly expensive one at least for my first build. I’ve dumped the idea of mission control, GPS, and all fancy stuff as I don’t think I’ll need them for now.

       F450 does have some crazy flight time, but the cost would be quite higher than 250 and 330 builds. Bigger propeller also seem to carry more risk of being disintegrated in the air, which I don’t want to deal with as an amateur. People talks about the reliability of 10″ Graupner propellers but then it’s horribly expensive.

       Reply ↓
       1. Oscar Post author30th April 2015 at 2:42 pm

          I really would recommend building a cheap 250 that costs less than $150 (not including accessories).
          It will train up your pilot skills, and give you better understanding how to build a quad, and how to choose parts. :)
          more importantly it’s resistant to crash, and fun to fly.
41. Oscar Post author24th April 2015 at 1:01 pm

    thanks Ross :) Glad I can help!

    Reply ↓
42. Oscar Post author24th April 2015 at 12:59 pm

    Thanks for the suggestion Pedro! that’s on my “To Do” list :)
    it’s a big project so will take a week or two :)

    Reply ↓
43. Oscar Post author22nd April 2015 at 2:08 pm

    Thank you Ruslan! I will add these ESCs to the list shortly!

    Reply ↓
44. Oscar Post author22nd April 2015 at 12:39 pm

    take a look at this post:　https://oscarliang.com/cheap-250-mini-quad-recommendation/
    If you don’t need FPV for now, just get the components in the “Main Machine section”. Of course, choose your favourite parts.

    Reply ↓
45. Alexander 21st April 2015 at 5:50 pm

    I want to make my first 250 drone, never made one before and only flown with the syma x11 and other micro quads. When reading some forms i got the idea of making one myself but honestly i have no idea where to start.
    Does a 250 quad support a gopro due weight? Is it worth it?

    Lets say i take Frame X? what props will be the best and what motors?

    Could you give me some advice where to start with :) or a good direction ^^?

    Thanks,
    Alexander

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author21st April 2015 at 11:20 pm

       absolutely worth it! I use a gopro on my 250 mini quad, and it actually can capture some pretty decent footage, just to give you some example.
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqp8XHnnSP4
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf4cKEgEzdA
       The picture quality can be a lot better, but cause my lens protector has got very bad scratches on it. i will replace it very soon.

       For mini quad, the most common is 5 or 6 inch. 6 inch is more powerful, but it costs more. Depends on your budget really, in this hobby, quality parts are expensive, but cheap parts aren’t necessary bad :D
       Join our facebook group, there are a lot of helpful people there, I am in there as well :)
       https://www.facebook.com/groups/Copter.Fans/

       Reply ↓
46. Kert 18th April 2015 at 10:07 am

    Hello, very very nice list you have here. I have few questions, im planning to build a 250 size quad and id like to run it with naze23, flysky fs-i6 transmitter, SunnySky X2204 2300 KV motors and now i dont know should i go with 12a or 20 esc (ztw spider opto 12 or 20, simonk 12 or 20, blheli 12 or 20).
    I plan to use that oneshot and active braking also and i will try different propellers also and to use 6 inch props i will put arm extensions(maybe angled or staight).
    I will use 3s lipo, with these motors i think 1500mah (i found a 35c with good price and i hope it will be good for this quad) would be good lightweight or what do you think? And 4s i will leave for further future.
    FPV system i have is quite cheap, Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Set with boscam av receiver and CUAV FPV mini 5.8g 200mW telemetry av transmitter with clover leaf antennas and to power my goggles i have 3000mah lipo 25c (maybe too big :D)
    So can you please tell me your opinion about my set.

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author20th April 2015 at 12:50 am

       for these motor, run 6030 props and any 12A ESC should be fine. But for oneshot i would recommend BLHeli.
       for this setup, your max current should be 40A (in theory), so 1500mah 35C should be okay. (1.5 x 35 = 52.5A)

       Reply ↓
       1. Kert 20th April 2015 at 8:57 am

          Thank you for your answer.
          What frame would you recommend so i can use 6×3 propellers without arm extenders?
       2. Oscar Post author21st April 2015 at 6:10 pm

          Most of the frames nowadays supports 5 and 6 inch props.
          I haven’t flown many frames, only a few cheap frames, I would recommend the ZMR250 if you are looking for an affordable learning platform :)
47. Oscar Post author13th April 2015 at 12:13 pm

    I heard about this motor few months ago, but I hesitated to even mention it to people because quite a few people I know didn’t have good experience with these motor: breakage when crash, doesn’t run efficently and smoothly, no punch, gets hot easy…

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48. Oscar Post author8th April 2015 at 12:27 am

    thanks, will add it to the list shortly!

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49. Oscar Post author2nd April 2015 at 12:17 pm

    I just put it on top of the frame…

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50. Oscar Post author1st April 2015 at 2:57 pm

    sounds fun! :D
    I am actually not far from Ireland (am based in UK), and would love to visit Ireland one day (never been there before! )
    Feel free to join our FB group, to share your build, or simply keep in touch :D
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/Copter.Fans/
    thanks
    Oscar

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51. Oscar Post author9th March 2015 at 5:11 pm

    Yes, I will cover the radio Receivers at some point, maybe in a new post. stay tuned :)

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52. Oscar Post author26th February 2015 at 12:33 pm

    not a good idea, latency would be too big to fly.

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53. Oscar Post author19th February 2015 at 10:18 am

    Hi Damien,
    I think it’s too heavy. I would recommend capacity range between 1300mAh – 1600mAh 3S for your quad setup. (at least 35C, 45C is even better)
    To power your ground station, 1300mah 3S is absolutely fine, should give you 1.5 hour.

    Reply ↓
    1. Damien 19th February 2015 at 8:18 pm

       Ok thanks. Yeah I see what you mean.

       So I have a gopro hd that I want to run on it (98g). With the camera attached what sort of battery would you recommend for this quad to give me 8 – 10mins flying (or as much as possible). Quad has 2300kv emax motors, carbon frame, plus fpv stuff (vtx & emax camera). Finding it quite confusing to choose as there are some many different types to choose from on HK site. I understand that weight, mah and discharge rate all come into play just unsure what is the right balance base on what i am looking to lift.

       Great post by the way has helped me allot!

       Reply ↓
54. Oscar Post author19th February 2015 at 1:11 am

    Hi Jesse,
    sorry 1.2-1.3Ghz is illegal to use here where I live, so i have only been using 5.8Ghz.
    it’s completely normal that you get cut-off and noisy images when flying in the wood, I just kind of get used to it.
    1.3Ghz definitely will do better with penetration, if it’s okay to be used where you live, it’s a far better choice than 5.8Ghz :D

    thanks
    Oscar

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55. Oscar Post author17th February 2015 at 9:26 am

    okay thanks, will look into it.

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56. Oscar Post author7th February 2015 at 9:56 pm

    hi RT
    I have not used myrcmart before. so I am not sure how the service is.
    I have seen a lot of bad reviews about the online shops I use, some of them have problems that I have never had, or they are just making a problem sound bigger than what it actually is.
    I wouldn’t worry too much really, if anything, just make a complain to them, if can’t resolve, escalate it to Paypal and they will sort it out.
    If you are still worried, check with people on the forums who has used this shop before :D

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57. Oscar Post author4th February 2015 at 8:17 pm

    Thank you Morten for the suggestion! :D I will look into this frame and add it to the list.

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58. Oscar Post author2nd February 2015 at 9:15 am

    that’s great, thanks Zander I will look into that.

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    1. Zander 8th February 2015 at 9:52 am

       Please disregard my post

       on closer inspection, i realised those stats were for the DYS BE 1806 (not the HKing 13 version).

       Reply ↓
59. Oscar Post author27th January 2015 at 10:49 am

    Hi Mike, Thanks for dropping and the great comment :)
    I will update the price shortly for the R220 frame.
    Feel free to let us know if you are doing any deals on quadcopter related products in your store, I am sure the readers will enjoy that too :)

    thanks
    Oscar

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60. Oscar Post author25th January 2015 at 10:55 pm

    Thank you for the great comment, I will look into these parts and get them added :D

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61. Oscar Post author23rd January 2015 at 1:04 pm

    thanks Julian for the suggestions, will look into these and update the list :D

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62. Andy G 16th January 2015 at 5:36 pm

    Hi Oscar. Thanks for all the information that your have shared to everyone. It has really helped me learn. I am a beginner quadcopter builder, and I am trying to build my first quadcopter based on your blog. Here is my list of parts. Please comment on how to make it better, and any other help you can give. Thanks!
    Frame: FPV250 Quadcopter
    Flight Controller KK2.1 or Naze32 Acro (I am undecided currently)
    Motor: Cobra 2204 32 1960KV Motors
    Propellers: Gerfan 5030
    ESC’s 12A Blue Series Brushless Speed Controller
    Battery: Turnigy Nano-tech 1300 mah 3S 25-50C Lipo Pack
    FPV Camera: Sony Super HAD Mini
    Video Transmitter: TS5823 5.8Ghz
    Video Receiver: Skyzone RC305 5.8GHz
    Antenna: Boscam 5.8GHz Cloud Spirit Circular Polarized Antenna
    Onboard Screen: Super Simple Mini OSD
    Voltage Regulator (I don’t know which one to use)

    Also, would $300 be a reasonable budget
    Thanks for everything!

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author16th January 2015 at 11:21 pm

       Hi Andy,
       Frame and FC – For the FPV250 frame, it’s designed for 50mm Flight controllers, KK2.1 is a 50mm FC, Naze32 is 36mm. If you want to use Naze32, you might find it difficult to mount, you might need to drill some holes on the frame. But Naze32 is definitely a better FC, but more difficult to setup than KK2.
       Motor – get the 2300KV version instead, 1960KV is for 4S batteries. (3S is easier for first time quad builders, cheaper, and you don’t need voltage regulator for your FPV gear)
       voltage regulator – you don’t need one if you are using 3S lipo.
       The rest look fine, and yes, i think those parts should cost around $300.

       Join our Facebook Group if you want (link on sidebar, just above the globe), there are many helpful people there :)

       thanks
       Oscar

       Reply ↓
63. Oscar Post author11th January 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Hi! I think it’s pretty obvious from the part list what choices you have and what the cheapest parts are.
    If you want to know how a particular part perform, check out the review link.

    you don’t have to put the FPV gear on, if just for flying around and practising, that’s totally fine.
    If you still have any technical questions, please let me know.

    thanks
    Oscar

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64. JohnO 9th January 2015 at 3:01 am

    Fantastic entry on a fantastic site! I’ve been researching items to build a mini-quad since September, and this surely would have sped up my research.

    I decided to go with the HoverThings Flip 260. They also make a 250-sized quad.

    hoverthings.com/frame-sets/flip260anodized.html
    hoverthings.com/frame-sets/flip250s.html

    I haven’t seen detailed build logs, but there is a good thread on RC Groups. I do intend to create a build log as I’ve just started my build.

    rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2161929

    John

    You may wish to add this to your list.

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65. Oscar Post author7th January 2015 at 10:24 am

    Hi Stefan

    Certainly! I will add your frame shortly today :)

    thanks
    Oscar

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66. Oscar Post author6th January 2015 at 10:08 pm

    oops, big mistake. I do understand that, just being silly :)
    thanks for pointing that out !

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67. Romeo Barrara aka Massive Overkill 6th January 2015 at 4:52 pm

    Just want to say that I love your stuff Oscar and to keep up the good work. It’s really hard to find unbiased reviewersbloggers nowadays.

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author6th January 2015 at 10:09 pm

       Thank you MO! I enjoy reading your posts on RCG as well :) good job!

       Reply ↓
68. Oscar Post author6th January 2015 at 9:46 am

    thank you Greg, will look into that.

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69. Jerry 4th January 2015 at 12:51 am

    Thanks a ton for this list! I have three questions (bear with me I’m a noob planning my first BO 250 quad)

    1) When you wrote the 3S : 5030 @ 9.0A, for the DYS motor, does this mean that I need an ESC with more than 9A burst or average?

    2) Then when calculating my C rating for 3s I would use 36/1.3 for 9A or would I use whatever the ESC was rated (12A oe 20A)

    3) How do I know how much thrust I’m going to need per motor?

    ~Thanks so much

    Reply ↓
    1. Oscar Post author4th January 2015 at 1:03 am

       No problem :)
       1) that’s the constant current at 100% throttle, so you need ESCs that support 9A constant current.
       2) It’s up to you really. If you match the ESC rated current (12A or 20A), it potentially gives you room for prop upgrade, e.g. from 5030 to 5040. if you are going to stick with 5030 prop forever, it’s fine to just match the actually max current draw.
       3) what i usually do is, choose everything you want first, don’t worry about motor thrust for now. After you have done that, you should now know how much your quad weights, and you can then check if your motors are powerful enough. If not, go pick a better motor (you might also need to change ESC/Prop/Battery), now re-adjust the total weight, check again…
       Hope that helps!

       Reply ↓
       1. Jerry 4th January 2015 at 1:47 am

          Ok thanks a ton for the help!

          Just to clarify, on #3, to find how much the quad weighs (mine weighs 527) so I do 527g/ 4 motors and I need 131 thrust per?
       2. Oscar Post author4th January 2015 at 9:15 am

          In this case, you need at least 262 per motor, so 1054g thrust by four motors, double of weight. That allows you to hover the quad at 50% throttle at least.
          But sometimes people are “crazy”, and they go way higher on thrust, like 500g, even 1000g motors (per motor!) of course, there is no upper limit on how higher you should go. Only problem is it’s more difficult to control the quad, when it has so much power, imagine you can hover at 20% throttle :)
70. Oscar Post author3rd January 2015 at 9:37 pm

    Hi, thanks for the info, i have added that ESC now.

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