This article provides an extensive list of brands and components for FPV mini quadcopters and racing drones. It’s an ever growing resource to keep you updated on all the new and exciting parts available for mini quad running 5″ and 6″ propellers.

Update (2018): I have started using spreadsheet to document new products so I have stopped updating this post:

• Flight Controller
• ESC
• FPV Cameras
• VTX

The “Almost Complete” 250 Mini Quad Parts List

Are you new to mini quad? Make sure to check out our drone racing beginner’s guide first.

FPV Drone Racing is a fast growing industry, making it difficult to keep track of all the products that get released every day. This guide is here to help you stay up to date with the latest in the hobby. For Brushed Micro quad: brushed micro quad parts list

New products are added to the top of the lists in each category on a monthly basis, make sure to come back and check the list regularly. I will endeaver to keep the lists up to date, but if you spot any missing products please drop me a product URL link on our forum thread.

• TX & RX – Radio System
• Frame
• Flight Controller
• Motor
• ESC (Electronic Speed Controller)
• Propellers
• LiPo Battery
• FPV Camera
• FPV Transmitter / Receiver
• FPV Antenna
• FPV Goggle / Monitor
• Recording Camera
• OSD (On Screen Display)
• Voltage Regulator / Power Filter
• Miscellaneous Items
• RTF ARTF Quadcopters

Update History

• Dec 2014 – Article created
• May 2015 – Edited
• Nov 2015 – Edited
• Mar 2016 – Added 20+ new products
• Aug 2016 – Added 100+ new products; Removed 30+ obsolete products
• Feb 2017 – Added 70+ new products; Removed 10+ obsolete products
• Aug 2017 – Added 60+ new products; Removed 30+ obsolete products
• Dec 2017 – Edited; Added 70+ new products; Removed 70+ obsolete products (BLHeli 1st gen, board FPV cameras, 1st gen motors, etc)

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RC Transmitter and Receiver

One of the first items to get before flying a mini quad would probably be an RC transmitter. We have already compiled a list of popular RC transmitters for racing drones, and the considerations when selecting one for your specific needs.

At the moment, the most popular TX is the Frsky Taranis QX7 (Purchase | Our Review) and the Taranis X9D (Purchase | Our Review).

Frame – Mini Quad Parts List

A good frame should be crash-resistant, rigid and have a well thought-out design. Choosing a reliable frame can give you an enjoyable building experience, keep your downtime to a minimum, and save money on replacement parts.

In addition to protecting your electronics, the frame plays a key role in the flight characteristics and performance of your quadcopter.

Here is a beginners guide to help you understand the basics of mini quad frames.

Name/Purchase	Image	Price	Material/Arm Thickness	Weight	Review URL	Builds
Diatone GT-M200		$47	CF + Aluminium / 6mm	108g	Oscar
Armattan Rooster		$95	CF + Titanium / 4mm	TBC	IntoFPV
Ummagawd Remix		$100	CF / 4mm	109g
HyperLite Floss		$45	CF / 4mm	59g
XHover Stingy		$115	CF / 4mm	110g
3B-R 211		$52	CF / 5mm	72g
CT SuperLight 5″		$60	CF + 3D print / 3mm	56g
CT Meriac 5″		$56	CF + 3D print / 5mm	62g
BlackPearl Pro		$120	CF / 4mm	93g
Tribute True X		$93	CF / 3.5mm	77g
AstroX TrueXS Switch		$95	CF / 4mm	TBC
Martian II 220		$26	4mm CF	120g
ZMR250		$31	Carbon Fiber	145g	Oscar, RCG	Oscar
Realacc X210 Pro		$34	4mm CF	96g
Rotoracer RR210		$57	carbon fiber	98g
Tweaker 5″ 220		$65	4mm CF	136g
Mixuko 5		$70	Carbon Fiber	79g
Ragg-E WBX 205		$72	HDPE	152g	Oscar
Lumenier QAV210 CHARPU		$75	Carbon Fiber	91g
Mako 225		$75	4mm CF	101g
DemonRC Fury		$80	4mm CF	80g
EpiQuad 210X		$83	4mm CF	unknown
Krieger 200		$90	Carbon Fiber	104g
Lumenier QAV250		$90	G10	145g	YT	sanderw
QAV-X 214		$90	4mm CF	93g	Artur
Skitzo Dark Matter		$90	4mm CF	96g	Oscar
Armadillo 223		$92	4mm CF	109g	Biggles
Chameleon		$95	4mm CF	118g
Dquad Obsession		$100	4mm CF	94g
DemonRC NOX5		$105	Carbon Fiber	83g	Oscar
Orca 215		$100	4mm CF	99g
MQC Fusion 210		$100	3mm CF	124g
ImpulseRC Alien		$109	Carbon Fiber	125g
QAV-R 210		$115	4mm CF	99g
Stigg 195		$145	CF & Aluminium	120g
Helix ZX5 200		$199	4mm CF	58g	Oscar
Sloop 220		€75	CF(4mm)	108g
TSX200		£60	CF(3mm)	78g
Sparrow Knight R220		$170	CF(3mm)	149g	Oscar
Hyperlite Evo HD 5″		$60	CF(3mm)	77g
GepRC LSX5		$50	CF(4mm)	109g	Oscar
TransTEC Frog 5″		$28	CF(4mm)	95g
Realacc Purple215		$25	CF(4mm)	106g

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Flight Controller

The standard size of a racing mini quad flight controllers is 36x36mm (with 30.5×30.5mm spaced M3 mounting holes).

Smaller boards (with 20x20mm spaced mounting holes) are becoming available, which save weight and space by sacrificing certain features. Most 5″ and 6″ frames currently are designed for 30.5×30.5mm mounting holes, so you might need adapters to use these smaller FC’s.

Further Readings

• • How to choose flight controller,
  • Differences between F1, F3, F4 and F7 boards

Firmware

You will most likely to only use one of the 3 major firmware that are developed specifically for FPV mini quad.

The majority of FC’s run the open-sourced Betaflight firmware these days, which is compatible with all F1, F3, F4 and F7 flight controllers. Both KISS and Raceflight are close source firmware and only compatible with their own flight controllers.

Further Reading: FC Firmware Overview

(Dec 2017) – Betaflight has recently announced to end update of F1 FC due to the lack of resource, also neither KISS nor Raceflight support F1 FC, therefore we have excluded all F1 FC in our list.

I compiled the specifications of all FC’s for mini quad in this spreadsheet so you can compare them more closely.

** “AIO” in the features column means integrated PDB and 5V voltage regulator.

Name / MCU	Picture	Price	Features & comment	Review/Discussion
Betaflight F4		$45	AIO + OSD	Oscar
KISS FC V2 F7		$77	KISS firmware only	IntoFPV
Omnibus AIO F7 V2		$60	Two soft mounted gyros, OSD
CL Racing F4S		$35	AIO	IntoFPV
Matek F405 AIO		$40	Built-in PDB, OSD	Oscar
Kakute F4		$40	AIO + OSD + soft-mounted Gyro	Oscar
Emax Magnum Stack		$110	FC + VTX + PDB + ESC + RX
XRacer F4		$27		Oscar
Lumenier F4 AIO		$45	built-in OSD and PDB
HGLRC F4 V5		$46	Integrated OSD, PDB and VTX
FrSky XSRF4PO		$60	built-in PDB, OSD and Frsky XSR RX	Oscar
Asgard AIO V2		$88	AIO with Integrated OSD and ESC
Serious Pro Racing SPRacing F3		$65	Designed by Cleanflight Developer
Motolab Tornado F3		$29
RMRC Seriously Dodo F3		$50
Revo F4		$57
Sparky V2 F4		n/a
KISS FC F3		$35	Runs ustom FC firmware by Flyduino	Oscar
SPRacing F3 Mini		$60
Skyline32+OSD FC		$30	integrated OSD	Oscar
XRacer		$30	MPU6000 with SPI	IntoFPV
TBS Powercube F3		$140+	ESC/PDB integrated stack
Motolab Cyclone F3		$37
Singularity F3		$69	Built-in VTX
SPRacing EVO F3		$37		Oscar
Piko BLX F3		$39	Integrated PDB, small size – 26x26mm	Oscar
Kombini		$49	Integrated PDB	Oscar
BrainFPV RE1 F4		$79	Integrated OSD, only support dRonin software
DTFc F3		$45	Integrated PDB
Sirin FC F3		$99	Built-in VTX, OSD, MicroSD
Motolab Tempest F3		$40	Integrated PDB
Rotoracer Racebase F3		$55	Integrated OSD, BEC, video filter
BG AIO v1.1 F3		$23	Integrated OSD, SD card logger
Racecube F3		$66	Integrated OSD, RX, ESC, PDB, logger, Buzzer
BG AIO v4 F3		$53	One board, integrated VTX, OSD, PDB
Radiance F3		$30	5V/12V output	Oscar
Betaflight F3		$43	Integrated PDB, OSD, designed by Boris B	Oscar
Raceflight Revolt F4		$40	Official Raceflight FC	Jimmy
Omnibus F4		$40	MPU6000, SD card logger, designed for BF
Soul F4		$44
Rotorgeeks SSD F3		$33	SD logger
LUX V2 F3		$40	MPU6000, SD logger
Flytower F4 PRO		$100	OSD, PDB, ESC, VTX in 2 boards
DYS F4 Pro		$36	Integrated PDB, OSD	Oscar
Matek F405 OSD		$27	Built-in OSD
Fortini F4		$40
CL Racing F4		$30	Integrated PDB and OSD
TBS Colibri F3		$30
Hyperlite F4		$27
BrainFPV RE1 F4		$65	Integrated OSD	Oscar
HGLRC F4 Flame		$35	AIO with built-in OSD

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Motors

Choosing a motor is a major decision when building a mini quad, it is one of the the main factors determining the speed, flight time and performance of your quadcopter. There are just as many options for motors as there are for mini quad frames.

Motor Name /Size	KV	Picture	Weight	Max.Thrust/g(cell:[email protected])	Input Voltage	Price
T-Motor F60III 2207	2750kv		34.5g	1436 (4S : 5040×3 @ 36.4A)	3S-5S	$25
T-Motor F40 Pro II	1600KV 2400KV		29.5g	TBC	3S-6S	$27
Emax LS2207 Lite	2400KV		30g	TBC	3S-5S	$23
DYS Wei 2207	2300KV 2600KV		34.7g	TBC	3S-4S	$9.9
DYS Shu 2306	2250KV 2500KV		33.6g	TBC	3S-4S	$9.9
DYS Wu 2206	2400KV 2700KV		31g	TBC	3S-4S	$9.9
Returner R3 2207	2550kv		30.8g	1450 (4S : 5040×3 @ 33.5A)	4S-5S	$26
AOKFly FR2205	2650KV		28.4	1350 (4S : 5040×3 @ 31.7A)		$14
Returner R5 2306	2450kv 2650kv		28.7g	1469 (4S : 5040×3 @ 34.7A)	4S-5S	$26
RotorRiot Hyper Train	2450KV		30g	1342 (4S : 5040×3 @ 39.8A)	3S-5S	$26
3B-R 2407	2600KV		33.7g	TBC	2S-5S	$23
3B-R 2207	2650KV		30.5g	TBC	2S-4S	$19
MB Primo 2207	2450kv 2650kv		30g	1533 (4S : 5040×3 @ 37.2A)	3S-6S	$23
ZMX FinX30 2207	2640kv		30.8g	1571 (4S : 5040×3 @ 39.6A)	4S	$26
ZMX FinX23 2205	2600kv		24.6g	1405 (4S : 5040×3 @ 36.1A)	4S	$21
Sonic Pro SP2205	2600KV		28.5g	TBC		$45
MAD 2306	2400KV 2750kv		31g	1504 (4S : 5040×3 @ 37.1A)		$23
Tornado T3 2306	2450kv		31.6g	1385 (4S : 5040×3 @ 31.7A)		TBC
T-Motor F40III 2306	2400KV 2750KV		32.6g	1450 (4S : 5040×3 @ 35.2A)		$25
Garila J2506	2750kv		38.3g	1536 (4S : 5040×3 @ 36.3A)		TBC
Tattu 2305	2450kv		29.7g	1256 (4S : 5040×3 @ 27.7A)		$18
Cobra 2204	2300 KV		25g	436 (3S : 5030 @ 8.6A) 559 (3S : 6030 @ 11.0A)		$21
Cobra 2204	1960 KV		23g	330 (3S : 5030 @ 5.7A) 533 (4S : 5030 @ 8.1A) 587 (4S : 5040 @ 11.2A)		$21
Cobra 2206	2100KV		37g	Pending		$26
Xnova 2204	2300KV		29g	1090 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.8A) 1134 (4S : 5040×3 @ 24.7A)		$25
Xnova 2206	2000KV		36g	Pending		$27
EMAX RS2205	2300KV		30g	1069 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.7A) 1167 (4S : 5045×3 @ 25.4A)		$16
EMAX RS2205	2600KV		30g	1282 (4S : 5045BN @ 28.8A) 1357 (4S : 5040×3 @ 32.4A)		$16
Lumenier RB2204 SKITZO	2500KV		22g	989 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.4A) 991 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.3A)		$29
Scorpion M-2205	2350KV		31g	Pending		$25
DYS SE2205	2300KV		30g	1066 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.5A) 1164 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.7A)		$20
ZMX 2205 V2	2300KV		n/a	1109 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.5A) 1167 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.7A)		n/a
Cobra Champion 2205	2300KV		30g	1161 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.8A) 1229 (4S : 5040×3 @ 27.4A)		$23
DYS SE2008	2300KV		33g	1255 (4S : 5045BN @ 27.4A) 1328 (4S : 5040×3 @ 31.2A)		$18
Edge R2204	2300KV		26.5g	994 (4S : 5045BN @ 20.4A) 1031 (4S : 5040×3 @ 23.1A)		$18
Gemfan RT2205	2300KV		31.5g	1150 (4S : 5045BN @ 24.6A) 1218 (4S : 5040×3 @ 27.9A)		$21
LDPower 2206	2200KV		30g	1108 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.4A) 1179 (4S : 5040×3 @ 26.4A)		$13
Lumenier RX2205	2400KV		24g	1013 (4S : 5045BN @ 21.2A) 1037 (4S : 5040×3 @ 24.4A)		$26
RCINPower GT2205	2300KV		30g	1097 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.6A) 1169 (4S : 5040×3 @ 26.1A)		$19
RCTimer FR2205	2300KV		29g	1134 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.8A) 1190 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.0A)		$14
RCX SE2205	2400KV		40g	1050 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.6A) 1091 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.1A)		$15
Rebel Pro 2206	2600kv		pending	1168 (4S : 5045BN @ 24.1A) 1257 (4S : 5040×3 @ 27.6A)		$35
Storm M2205	2350KV		25g	1096 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.3A) 1127 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.8A)		$23
T-Motor F40 V2	2300KV		27g	1041 (4S : 5045BN @ 21.1A) 1088 (4S : 5040×3 @ 21.8A)		$20
T-Motor F40 V2	2500KV		27g	1117 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.1A) 1165(4S : 5040×3 @ 27A)		$20
T-Motor F60 V2	2450KV		33g	1230 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.8A) 1400 (4S : 5040×3 @ 32.0A)		$26
T-Motor F40 II	2400KV 2600KV		28g	Pending		$25
XNova Hypersonic	2300KV 2600KV		30g	1153 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.9A) 1208 (4S : 5040×3 @ 29.4A)		$29
Tornado T1 2205	2300KV		29.5g	1152 (4S : 5045BN @ 23.8A) 1223 (4S : 5040×3 @ 27.7A)		$25
Lumenier RX2206	2350KV		27g	986 (4S : 5045BN @ 19.1A) 1050(4S : 5040×3 @ 21.6A)		$25
EMAX TS2306	2300KV		34g	1200 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.4A) 1295 (4S : 5040×3 @ 30.0A) 1500 (4S : 6040 @ 36A)		pending
ZMX Fusion 2206	2300KV 2522KV		30.5g	1250 (4S : 5045BN @ 26.1A) 1300 (4S : 5040×3 @ 30.0A)		$21
Tornado T2 2206	2300KV 2600KV		30g	1213 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.7A) 1300 (4S : 5040×3 @ 29.8A)		$24
Multicopter Builders 2207	2400KV 2500KV		30g	1250 (4S : 5045BN @ 27.1A) 1335 (4S : 5040×3 @ 31.5A)		$23
DYS Fire 2206	2100KV 2300KV 2600KV		32g	1099 (4S : 5045BN @ 22.0A) 1157 (4S : 5040×3 @ 25.5A)		$20
Hyperlite V4 2206	2300KV 2522KV		28.6g	1209 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.2A) 1271 (4S : 5040×3 @ 28.9A)		$25
Emax RS2205S	2300KV 2600KV		28.8g	1251 (4S : 5045BN @ 31.7A) 1232 (4S : 5040×3 @ 28.8A)		$20
RMRC Rifle 2206	2300KV 2550KV		30.5g	1180 (4S : 5045BN @ 24.3A) 1256 (4S : 5040×3 @ 28.0A)		$25
TBS Steele 2306	2345KV		28.5g	1141 (4S : 5045BN @ 24.3A) 1194 (4S : 5040×3 @ 28.2A)		$28
Lumenier RB2205	2400KV		24g	Pending		$35
T-Motor F40 Pro 2305	2400KV 2600KV		30g	1349 (4S : 5045BN @ 29.8A) 1441 (4S : 5040×3 @ 35.4A)		$23
T-Motor F60 Pro 2207	2200KV 2450KV		34g	1232 (4S : 5045BN @ 25.5A) 1325 (4S : 5040×3 @ 29.4A) 1711 (4S : 6040 @ 36.4A)		$25
DYS Storm 2207	2300KV 2550KV		33.7g			$22
T-motor AIR 40 2205	2450KV		24.5g			$14
Sunnysky R2305	2300KV 2600KV		32g			N/A
RCX RS2206 V3	2400KV		33g			$14
ZMX Fusion X30 2207	2300KV		33g			$21
Emax RS2306	2400KV 2750KV		34g			$23
Racerstar BR2306	2400KV 2700KV		33.5g			$8
Returner R4 2206	2300KV 2600KV		29g			$25
Cobra VEK CP2207	2450KV		36g			$26
DYS Mars 2306	2400KV 2750KV		34g			$25
DYS Thor 2408	2200KV 2500KV		37g			$25

You might see varying thrust test results for the same motors online, this is because of the different testing equipment and environment. Some thrust data shown here were obtained in my own testing, while the rest was pulled from MiniQuadTestBench.com.

Thrust is not everything! :) There are many other factors to consider when selecting the ideal motors for your build. Remember that the quality, responsiveness (how quickly can RPM changes), and efficiency of your motors, as well as performance under different throttle levels are just as important as peak thrust.

Here is our guide to highlights some of the important things to consider when choosing quadcopter motor.

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Propellers (Prop)

You should check out my article to learn about the basics or quadcopter propellers.

Get plenty of spare props

Propellers should be considered the “consumable” in this hobby, especially so for flying mini quad because we crash… A LOT!

Breaking or bending props are inevitable, how many you break depends on how much you fly and how much fun you are having :)

Propellers are generally fairly cheap ($1 to $2 a pair), therefore it’s a good idea to get a bunch of them, so you can order more before running out.

Always get “durable props”

When I started flying mini quad back in 2013, mini quad props were mainly made of ABS or some other brittle plastic, and were extremely easy to break. Luckily new material was introduced in propellers, and these are commonly referred to as “durable” or “indestructible” props.

These durable props are slightly flexible, but extremely hard to break, they will also save you money in the long run. However there are downsides to “indestructible” props though

• Durable props often bend in a crash and if incorrectly straightened, they can cause vibration in flights later on
• When a propeller maintains its integrity in a crash, more of the force from the impact is transferred to the motor bearing which can result in shorter motor life

The number of blades in a propeller

Theoretically, the more blades a propeller has, the more thrust it’s capable of delivering at the same RPM, but it will also increase current draw dramatically because more energy is required to spin it.

Fewer blades equates lighter props, which means that the motors don’t have to work as hard to spin or stop them, making them run more efficiently and can response (change of RPM) more quickly.

Bi-blade and Tri-blades propellers are both excellent options: bi-blade is more efficient while tri-blade has better “grip” in the air. However in my opinion, Quad- and Hex-bladed props are designed for very specific motors and applications, so unless you know what you are doing it’s best to avoid these props.

My Favourite Props

Popular brands of propellers are:

• DAL (or DALProps)
• HQ
• Gemfan
• Kingkong
• Racerstar

If you are a just getting started flying a mini quad, I would recommend Racerstar, Kingkong and DAL props. These are cheapest and yet perform very well.

Propeller Name	Image/Material	Price/Pair
DAL Cyclone T5045C	Durable	$1.5
DAL Cyclone T5040C	Durable	$1.5
DAL Cyclone 5050C		$1.5
Gemfan Flash 5152×3	Durable	$1.5
Gemfan Flash 5152×2	Durable	$1.5
Emax Avon	Durable	$1.5
Azure Power
Kingkong Props	Durable	$0.6
RacerStar Props	Durable	$0.7
Butter Cutter Props 5x5x3		$2
Racekraft 5051/5038/5046	Durable	$2
HQ 5x4x3	CF Reinforced Plastic	$1.7
HQ 5x4x3 Skitzo	Durable	$1.75
HQ Quad Blade Prop		$3
HQ Hex Blade Prop		$3
HQ 6045	Glass Fiber Composite	$3.5

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ESC – Electronic Speed Controller

After making the choice of motor and prop combination, you should now be able to estimate the amount of current your mini quad will draw. If your motors draw more current than your ESC’s can handle, the ESC’s will eventually fail.

To find out the maximum current draw of your motor, check motor thrust data provided by the manufacturer or online reviewers. One excellent resource for that is MiniQuadTestBench.

For more detail, check out my tutorial on How to choose ESC for racing drones.

ESC Firmware

Nearly all the newest ESC’s are running BLHeli firmware, except KISS ESC’s, who has their own close-sourced firmware.

Further Reading: ESC firmware and Protocols

These ESC’s can be running either BLHeli_S or BLHeli_32 depending on what their hardware can support.

In a nutshell, BLHeli_32 is the latest ESC firmware and it allows you to run DShot1200 protocol, and has many other new features such as higher throttle resolution, ESC telemetry and current limiting.

I’ve personally found that ESC’s these days mostly perform similarly well, so it’s hard to go wrong with any latest ESC’s from a brand name (except a very few that might have terrible noise issues,anyway you will hear that from my blog or from the community).

I compiled the specification of all ESC’s for mini quad in this spreadsheet so you can compare them more closely.

Name	Current Rating (Burst)	Picture	Price	Cell Allowed	Weight	Firmware / Fastest Protocol
Gemfan Maverick	30A (40A)		$12	2-6S	2.3g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
KISS ESC 32A	32A (40A)		$34	2S-6S	5g	KISS – DShot2400
DALRC Engine 40A 4in1 ESC	40A (50A)		$60	3S-5S	16g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Hobbywing XRotor Micro	30A (50A)		$16	2S-6S	6g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Typhoon32 4in1	35A		$60	3S-4S	TBC	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Wraith32 V2	35A		$17	2S-6S	TBC	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Aikon AK32 ESC	35A (45A)		$17	2S-4S	9g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
T-Motor FPV F30A	30A		$16	2S-4S	5.6g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Spedix GS30	30A (40A)		$13	2S-4S	5g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
UFOFPV 30A	30A (35A)		$13	2S-4S	6g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Airbot Ori32 4in1	25A		$45	2S-4S	TBC	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Hakrc 40A 4-In-1 ESC	40A (50A)		$46	2S-6S	9.6g	BLHeli_S – DShot600
Racerstar Tattoo_S Mini 4-In-1	25A (30A)		$40	2S-4S	8g	BLHeli_32 – DShot1200
Betaflight BLHeli_32	35A (45A)		$19	2S-6S	6g	BLHeli_32 / DShot1200
Littlebee Summer	35A (40A)		$15	2S-4S	8g	BLHeli_32 / DShot1200
Quadrant BLHeli_32	35A (50A)		$19	2S-6S	3.3g	BLHeli_32 / DShot1200
KISS 24A ESC	24A (30A)		$26	2S-5S	3.6g	KISS Custom – 32bit DShot
TBS PowerCube	20A (45A)		$150	2S-6S	70g	SimonK/BLheli
Castle Quadpack	25A		$23	2S-6S	6.5g	Custom
Littlebee Pro	20A		$14	2S-4S	6g	BLHeli, F396
Littlebee Pro 4in1	20A		$53	2S-4S	20g	BLHeli, with 5V BEC
Aikon SEFM 20A	20A (30A)		$14	2S-4S	6g	BLHeli_S
Aikon SEFM V2 30A	30A (40A)		$16	2S-4S	9g	BLHeli_S DShot
ZTW Flash 30A	30A		$16	2S-4S	11g	BLHeli_S
DYS XS20	20A		$13	3S-4S	4.5g	BLHeli_S
DYS XS30	30A		$17	3S-6S	8.7g	BLHeli_S
Littlebee 20A-S	20A		$15	2S-4S	4g	BLHeli_S
Littlebee 30A-S	30A		$16	2S-6S	9g	BLHeli_S
Sunrise Cicada	30A		$18	2S-4S	9g	BLHeli_S DShot
Racerstar RS20A	20A (25A)		$11	2S-4S	5.7g	BLHeli_S DShot
Racerstar RS30A	30A (35A)		$13	2S-4S	6.3g	BLHeli_S DShot
DALRC BS25A	20A		$14	2S-4S	5.8g	BLHeli_S
V-Good FireFly	18A		$17	2S-4S	5.7g	Custom – 32-bit
Gemfan Maverick	25A		pending	pending	pending	Custom – 32-bit
TBS Bulletproof	25A		$17	2S-4S	3g	BLHeli-S DShot
Emax Bullet	30A		$13	2S-4S	pending	BLHeli-S DShot
T-Motor F30A	30A		$15	2S-4S	4.3g	BLHeli-S DShot
DYS XSD	30A		$17	3S-5S	7.2g	BLHeli-S DShot
Armattan DShot	30A		$13.5	3S-6S	7.8g	BLHeli-S DShot
XRacer Quadrant	25A		$13	3S-6S	2.5g	BLHeli-S DShot
Spedix HV	30A		$12	3S-6S	5.5g	BLHeli-S DShot
Foxeer F25A	25A (40)		$11	2S-4S	4.5g	BLHeli_S DShot
Racer33	33A (36A)		$11.4	2S-4S	9g	BLHeli_32
DYS Aria	35A (40A)		$16	3S-6S	4.5g	BLHeli_32
Tattu BLHeli_S	30A (40A)		$17	2S-5S	6.5g	BLHeli_S
Sunnysky R30A	30A (40A)		?	2S-4S	6.8g	BLHeli_S
KISS 24A Ultralite	24A		$30	3S-4S	WEIGHT	KISS

 

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LiPo Battery

Once you have determined what motor, props and ESC you are going to put on your mini quad, you can now look at choosing LiPo batteries. The decisions you need to make revolve around:

• Cell count
• Capacity
• C rating – max discharge rate

Further Reading: the basics of LiPo batteries.

Cell Count – 3S or 4S?

Manufacturers of motors and ESC’s state how many cells LiPo you should use with their products. Motors can run faster (higher RPM) with higher voltage, and that’s why 4S is preferred over 3S for racing and freestyle flying.

Now 5S and 6S are also getting popular, but it’s so new there aren’t a lot of hardware can support voltages that high yet. We will recommend some 5S and 6S gears when technology becomes more mature.

For beginners, I would recommend 4S because it’s the most widely supported battery voltage, and yet it’s a lot more powerful and fun to fly than 3S.

Further reading:

• The differences between 3S and 4S in a mini quad
• How to choose LiPo Charger

Capacity

The most popular capacity range for mini quad is between 1300mAh and 1800mAh for both 3S and 4S setups. You will need to find a good balance between flight time and battery weight.

Larger capacity batteries give you more time in the air, but are also heavier. When it gets too heavy, the aircraft starts to feel sluggish and flies like a tank. For serious racers and free-style pilots, you want the aircraft to be as light as possible, making 1300mAh and 1500mAh the most popular packs to pick.

C Rating

Safe peak current draw = C-rating * capacity

For example, if a mini quad draws 48A in total at 100% throttle (12A per motor), any 1300mah battery that has a C rating higher than 37C should suffice.

Some people believe batteries of lower C rating work just as well, so why bother? That’s because if the C rating is below requirement, the quad will have no punch due to voltage sag under load.

Drawing current faster than your battery is capable of safely supplying it, can cause a battery to overheat and “puff”, eventually it can permanently damage the pack. Extreme cases can even result in fire!

Note that higher C rating batteries tend to be slightly heavier as well.

Popular LiPo Brand Names

Turnigy Nano-Tech

Zippy

Drone Lab

Tattu (Gens Ace)

Dinogy

Lumenier

Multistar

SLS

Bonka

Onbo

Acehe

VCanz-Power

HVLi?

There is a new type of battery called HVLi (or sometimes LiHV), which stands for High Voltage Lipo battery. These batteries have higher energy density, and allow you to charge up to 4.35V per cell, giving you a higher initial voltage. Check out this post for all the pros and cons about LiHV batteries.

However, it’s been reported that HVLi has issue with longevity, and their performance and capacity degrade faster than regular LiPo batteries after the same amount of usage.

Fo special racing events the HVLi can still be considered because it gives you an advantage of higher initial voltage, but for everyday practice it’s still better to use regular LiPo batteries.

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FPV Goggle / Monitor Display

To get a basic understanding on how FPV system work, please check out my FPV guide.

You can’t fly FPV without display equipment!

FPV Goggles give a better flying experience, but a cheap alternative such as a small LCD monitor can also work and doubles to show others what you see while flying.

I started with a 7″ monitor, it’s great for people who wear glasses. It also allows you to switch between line of sight and FPV quickly. However, I quickly grew out of it, not to mention it was hard to see what’s on the screen in bright conditions. I moved onto a pair of FPV goggles and have never looked back.

For a full list of FPV Goggles, check out this shopping guide for FPV goggles.

If you prefer monitors, here are some good choices.

FPV Goggle/Monitor Name	Picture	Price
4.3 inch LCD Monitor		$14
5 inch LCD Monitor		$29
7 inch LCD Monitor		$30
Eachine 5802 7″ Display with Built-in VRX		$86
Skyzone HD02 7″ Display with Built-in VRX		$115
Aomway HD588 10″ Display with Built-in VRX		$186

It’s worth knowing that some FPV goggles come with great features, such as built-in video receiver, DVR (digital video recorder), head tracking, etc, which you don’t get on a monitor. Some box goggles even have a removable screen to double as goggles and monitor.

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FPV Camera

Originally, CCD security board cameras like the PZ0420 was used on quadcopters, but nowadays everyone is turning towards well protected cameras that are design specifically for FPV, like the Runcam Swift or Foxeer Arrow.

Modern FPV cameras are easy to install in a mini quad frame, and have similar if not better performance than those board cameras.

Further Reading:

• How to Choosing a FPV Camera
• Top 5 Best FPV camera

For day time flying, my current favorite is the Runcam Eagle 2. It’s also a really good all around camera that works well at night too.

For night and extremely low light FPV flying, check out the Night Eagle 2.

I compiled the specifications of all FPV cameras for mini quad in this spreadsheet so you can compare them more closely.

All the cameras on this list have a 4:3 aspect ratio unless specified otherwise. I try to point out the FOV of the lens whenever I can, otherwise I will state the focal length of the lens.

Camera Name	Picture	TVL	Price	Spec/Feature	Input Voltage
Rotor Riot Swift 2		600TVL	$45	CCD, 4:3, 140° FOV, OSD	5V-36V
Caddx Turbo Micro SDR1		1200TVL	$35	CMOS, 16:9 & 4:3, 2.1mm	5V-40V
Caddx Turbo Micro F1		1200TVL	$20	CMOS, 16:9, 2.1mm, OSD	4.5V-40V
Caddx Micro Turbo S1		600TVL	$29	CCD, 4:3, 2.1/2.3mm, OSD	5V-40V
Caddx Turbo S1		600TVL	$29	CCD, 4:3, 130° FOV, OSD	5V-40V
Foxeer Predator Mini		1000TVL	$42	CMOS, 4:3, 112° FOV, OSD	5V-40V
RunCam Nano		650TVL	$20	CMOS, 4:3, 160° FOV	3.3V-5.5V
Eachine 1000TVL		1200TVL	$13	CMOS, 4:3, 112° FOV	5V-20V
RunCam Night Eagle 2		800TVL	$80	CMOS, 4:3, 140° FOV	5V-36V
RunCam Sparrow		700TVL	$30	CMOS, 16:9, 150° FOV	5V-36V
RunCam Micro Sparrow		700TVL	$30	CMOS, 16:9, 145° FOV	5V-36V
Runcam Eagle 2		800TVL	$45	CMOS 16:9 (170° FOV) & 4:3 (140° FOV)	5V-36V
Micro Swift 2		600TVL	$35	CCD, 2.1mm/2.3mm, OSD	5V-36V
Runcam Swift		600TVL	$40	2.8mm	5V-17V
HS1177		600TVL	$40	2.8mm	5V-17V
Owl Plus		700TVL	$50	150°	5-22V
Foxeer Night Wolf V2		700TVL	$43	For low light flying	5-40V
Runcam Swift 2		600TVL	$45	Built-in OSD	5-36V
Runcam Night Eagle		800TVL	$80	Night Vision / B&W	5-17V
Runcam Swift Mini		600TVL	$35	Smaller Swift	5-36V
Foxeer Monster V2		1200TVL	$39	Low latency CMOS 16:9	5-40V
Foxeer Arrow V3		600TVL	$39	2.5mm, built-in OSD	5-35V
Arrow mini		600TVL	$39	2.1mm, OSD	5-40V
Arrow Micro 2		600TVL	$32	150 FOV, OSD	5-40V
HS1177 V2		600TVL	$35	2.5mm/2.8mm	5-40V

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Video Transmitter / Receiver

There are many choices for video transmitter (vTX) and video receiver (vRX). There are even different frequencies for FPV such as 1.2GHz, 1.3GHz and 2.4GHz (but some frequencies are restricted in some countries, so check your local regulations). The reason we prefer 5.8Ghz for a mini quad and micro quad is mainly because of the tiny antenna and VTX unit. A mini quad isn’t usually designed for long range either, so 5.8Ghz is enough for most people.

Here is a more detailed guide on how to choose a video transmitter.

I compiled the specifications of all 5.8GHz VTX for mini quad in this spreadsheet so you can compare them more closely.

It’s important to know that there are 5 common frequency bands used in 5.8Ghz video transmission for FPV, they are known as the A, B, E, F and Raceband bands. Some new VTX supports even up to 80 channels across 10 different bands

Here is a 5.8Ghz Frequency band table that explains what the frequencies (channels) are in each band. Beware there might be frequencies in certain bands that are illegal to use in your country, make sure you check your local regulation before broadcasting.

Video Transmitter	Power	Picture	Price	Input Voltage	Channels	Review
Matek VTX HV	5mW, 200mW, 500mW		$30	7V-27V	40ch
RDQ Mach 2	25mW/200mW/500mW/800mW		$30	7V-24V	37ch
AKK FX2	25mW/200mW/500mW/800mW		$20	7V-24V	40ch	Oscar
AKK X2	25mW/200mW/500mW/800mW		$17	7V-24V	40ch
Runcam TX200	25mW/200mW		$15	3.3V-5.5V	48ch	Oscar
FuriousFPV Steath	25mW/200mW		$30	2S-6S	40ch
Eachine TX526	25mW/200mW/600mW		$18	7V-24V	40ch
Eachine VTX03	25mW/50mW/200mW		$15	3.2V-5.5V	72ch
Atas Raceband	600mW		$45	7V-20V	40 ch	Oscar
Foxeer TM25 Switcher	25mW/200mW/600mW Adjustable		$33	7-24V	40ch
Immersionrc Tramp HV	1mW – 600mW linear power control		pending	2S-6S (HV)	48ch
TBS unify pro	25mW – 800mW Adjustable		$50	2S-6S (HV)	40ch
DIATONE SP3	25/200/600mW, integrated OSD		$40	10-25V	48ch	Grisha
FT48X	0.25-600mW adjustable		$28	6.5-25V	48ch

You rarely have to buy the video receiver separately these days, it’s usually built into the FPV Goggles, or comes with it as a module. Even on some FPV monitors there is integrated video receivers.

But when it comes to selecting an external, standalone VRX, make sure it’s compatible with your choice of video transmitter (uses the same frequency band).

Video Receiver	Picture	Price US$	Support Bands	Input Voltage	Review
Eachine RC832		$15	48 channels	12V
Boscam FR632 Diversity		$50	40 channels	6V-28V
Quanum RC540R Diversity		$73	40 channels	6V-18V	Oscar

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FPV Antenna

VTX and VRX normally come with dipole antennas. They work fine, but to get better range and penetration it’s always advised to replace them with some circular polarized antennas.

Here is a tutorial on how to choose the best FPV antenna, and my recommendation.

To further improve range, directional antennas like helical and patch are used on the video receiver. These antennas can give you longer range, but they also have a narrower beam of reception. That means you will get weaker signal on your left and right, even worse behind. They come with different gains, the higher gain, the more directional it is.

Here is a guide about how antenna gain affects range in FPV.

Antenna Name	TX/RX	Image	Type	Price	Gain
Realacc Triple Feed Patch	VRX		CP	$13	9.4dBi
Lumenier AXII MMCX	VTX		CP	$20	1.6dbic
Foxeer Pagoda	Both		CP	$10	2dbi
Foxeer Thor	Both		CP	$8	3dbi
Menace Invader	VRX		CP	$14	6.5dbi
Realacc Pagoda	Both		CP	$8	5 dbi
Boscam 5.8GHz Cloud Spirit	Both		Clover-Leaf	$26	TX1.1dbi,RX1.4dbi
ImmersionRC Spironet	Both		Skew Planar Wheel	$40	na
IBCrazy Bluebeam	Both		TX – 3 lobe Airscrew5 lobe Mad Mushorrom	$65	na
Aomway 7 Turn Helical	RX		Helical	$14	11dbi
Fatshark SpiroNET Patch	RX		Patch	$68	13dbi
TBS Triumph	Both		Circular Polarized	$40	1.26 dbic
Foxeer Antenna	Both		Circular Polarized	$10	3dBi
ProDrone Diversity	VTX/VRX		Omni & Directional	$43	Helical=8dBi
TrueRC X-Air Crosshair	VRX		Directional	$30	10dbi
Menace Raptor	Both		CP	$16	1.09dbi
VAS DuraSpec	Both		CP	$25
Lumenier AXII	Both		CP	$40	1.6dbi
BeeRotor HoneyDrop	Both		CP	$16	3dbi
DYS 5.8Ghz	Both		CP	$4	4dbi
Aomway 5.8Ghz	Both		CP	$15	3dbi
BG Whip	Both		Whip	$4	2.8dbi

Lastly, when choosing antennas for video transmitter and receiver, make sure the type of connectors are compatible. To learn the difference, check out the guide on SMA and PR-SMA connectors.

Converters are also available if you do get the wrong type, but you will lose some signal strength for every adapter you use.

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OSD – On Screen Display

OSD is an optional device that displays flight information on your screen. For most mini quad pilots, we only need the basics like battery voltage and a timer. Of course you can also use Telemetry for the same purpose, but it’s useful to have the information on your FPV screen.

On many latest flight controllers and FPV cameras, even on some VTX, there is integrated OSD that works out of the box. This saves the users time and effort to wire and configure external OSD modules.

Check out this OSD Guide.

OSD Name	Picture	Price	Display Data	Support Voltage Monitor
Hobbyking E-OSD		$14	voltage, timer	7.2V-12V (2S – 3S)
Super Simple Mini OSD		$9	voltage, timer	5V-26V (2S – 6S)
Micro MinimOSD		$15	Voltage, timer, GPS, etc	2S-4S

Out of all these external OSD module, my favourite is the Micro MinimOSD. It’s cheap (only $7), small, light weight, and powerful. It allows you to display many types of data such as voltage, RSSI, current, GPS info etc. With MWOSD firmware you can even change your PID/Rate settings on your quad. However some find it easy to break, and it’s known to be vulnerable to voltage spikes in the power system, so additional power filtering is required.

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PDB and Voltage Regulator

A PDB is used to distribute power to all the electrical components, inclduing the FC, ESC’s and FPV gear. I would recommend getting a good PDB (power distribution board) that comes with power filters and regulated 5V & 12V outputs.

But many FC these days have PDB and BEC integrated so you might not need to purchase a PDB separately.

It might also be beneficial to know about LC Filters, which are used to reduce noise in the power when there is interference in the your FPV feed. You can buy them or make one yourself.

Voltage Regulator	Image	Input Range	Output	Price
3A Mini Voltage Regulator		4.5V-28V	0.8V-20V @ 3A	$3
Atas Mini PDB		3S-6S	5V, 12V @ 3A	$25
Matek Mini PDB		2S-6S	5V, 12V @ 2A-3A	$5
RMRC 12V Step-Up		2.5V-12V	12V @ 1.4A	$3.5
DemonRC Core		3S-8S	5V @ 0.6A 12V @ 1.0A	$26.5
Matek 5in1		3S-6S	5V @ 3A 12V @ 0.5A	$9
RROSD Pro Mini		3S – 6S	$35	$35

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HD Camera For FPV

Check out this HD Action cameras buyer’s guide for mini quad.

There are usually two cameras used on the same mini quad. One is the FPV camera, which is used for the real-time, onboard view while flying. The other camera is used to record your flight footage in HD (e.g. 1080p 60fps). Most high quality drone videos you see on Youtube/Vimeo are filmed using one of the HD cameras listed below.

The best known camera here is probably the GoPro. The Runcam 2 and Xiaomi Yi are also popular due to their affordibility. Compared to the GoPro, they are only a fraction of the cost, lighter, and yet still capable of capturing decent footage.

FPV Recording Camera	Picture	Price	Weight	Max Resolution
GoPro Session 5		$300	73g	[email protected] [email protected]
GoPro Hero 4+ Black		$300	88g	[email protected] [email protected]
Runcam Split 2		$75	21g	[email protected]
Foxeer Box		$170	73g	[email protected] [email protected]
Foxeer Legend 3		$150	67g	[email protected] [email protected]
Xiaomi Yi		$100	72g	[email protected]
Runcam 2		$99	49g	[email protected]
GoPro Hero5		$400	117g	[email protected]30fps [email protected]
Mobius 2		$89	45g	[email protected]
Mobius Mini		$69	27g	[email protected] [email protected]
Runcam 3 HD		$99	66g	[email protected]

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Miscellaneous Items

There are many other parts and tools you might consider adding to your shopping list.

LiPo Battery Charger

• Basics of a LiPo charger
• Which charger should you buy? Here are our recommendations.

Soldering Iron and Equipment

In this article I will suggest what soldering equipment you should get, and show you how to solder.

Battery Straps

Where to buy: Amazon | Banggood

Heatshrink

• For wires: Amazon 1 | Amazon 2 | Banggood
• Clear heatshrink for ESC and RX: Amazon

Electrical wires and XT60 connectors

In this tutorial I will explain how to select the correct wire size and what type of wire and battery connector you should use in a quadcopter.

Loctite glue

Loctite glue is used to secure the motor screws in your quadcopter, for more detail and what options to buy, check out this article.

Liquid electrical tape

Where to buy: Amazon – http://amzn.to/2AmnirP

LED Light

• Programmable by FC: Amazon | Banggood
• Standalone LED: Amazon | Banggood

Buzzer (lost model alarm)

There are so many types of buzzer, it takes a whole article to explain! :) Check our my tutorial on buzzers and learn about where you can buy them.

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Mini Quad Kit | RTF | BNF | ARTF

Some mini quads are pre-built with the majority of the parts that you need, e.g. motors, ESCs, FC, etc. Although i do recommend you to research each part and build the quad yourself, some beginners might still prefer RTF (Ready to Fly) option. Here are some nice RTF/ARTF Mini Quads:

• Holybro Kopis 1
• Diatone GT2017
• Vortex Mojo
• Eachine Wizard
• BFlight 210
• TBS Vendetta

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You’ve Made It!

I hope this post gave you some insights into what components are involved in a mini quad, and all the popular options out there. If you still have questions, don’t worry! Join our forum: IntoFPV.com, we have a great community who are always there to help.