Frame:
Stack: Because of the chip shortage, Flight Controller and ESC stacks are more expensive right now, and stock is in shorter supply. So unfortunately even the 'budget' options are expensive. It really comes down to just finding something that's in stock (although there are a few brands I would avoid). I would argue a solid stack is the most important part of a build, you really don't want it to fail. So the stack I picked there, by T-motor, is a really solid option.
Motors: There are roughly three tiers to motors.
Props: Everyone says their props are the best. It's probably similar to debates you'd have over the best tires to drift with. At the end of the day, it's personal preference. You want a 5" prop, but the pitch is subjective. So for starters, I would get a 2 or 3 kinds to try out. I personally like Gemfan brand, but HQ is hugely popular too. My favorite prop is the Gemfan Hurricane 51466 (5.1" diameter, 4.6" pitch). These are a more aggressively pitched prop.
Camera: There are different tiers, but honestly the Caddx Ratel 2 is the best I've used for the price.
VTX (Video Transmitter): TBS (TeamBlacksheep) makes the best VTX and radio link tech. So I always get their gear. Of course people will tell you they love whatever they use, but TBS is tried and true. I put two VTXs below. The Pro32 Nano is super small but powerful (400mw broadcasting power). Great if you don't intend to push range at all and want to save weight. If you ever want to fly far though, or through and around objects at distance, there's the Pro32 HV. Bigger, but does over 1W of broadcasting power. I've taken a quad 2 miles out and back without breakup with one of these.
Receiver: This is how your radio talks to your quad. If you are only going to be flying close to yourself (within a few hundred yards), FrSky receivers are fine (R-XSR, XM+, etc). However, they operate on 2.4ghz, which is also the same frequency as many wifi routers. So you can get signal interference, which can knock you out of the sky with no control (which would be terrible at a drift event if you hit a car). There's a better option though, TBS Crossfire. Crossfire operates on a lower radio band (900mhz) to give insane range and signal strength. I think they've done 40mile flights with crossfire to show how badass it is. Basically, you never have to worry about your drone losing its connection to your radio as long as it's set up right. That's why I argue it's the best option if you can't risk your quad falling out of the sky. The only negative is that it's a bit more expensive up front ($70 for the module that sits in your radio, then $30 for the receiver that sits in your drone).
Lipos: You just want something 4S that's 1300-1500mah and over 70C. Those are the only numbers you have to pay attention to. I threw a good option on there.
AirbladeUAV has done it again and this time they've brought long range to the 5" class! Based on the popular Transformer Mini, the new Transformer 5" Ultralight adopts a lot of the same design philosophies with larger props and more payload capacity. It can fly upwards of 20 minutes on a 4 cell Li-Ion battery pack and in ideal conditions it's got a range of over 4 to 5 miles. In this guide I'll walk..
Read moreWith the release of the DJI FPV Drone cinematic FPV has become a lot more accessible, but you certainly don't want to crash a $750 drone! The QAV-CINE Freybott is a compact, lightweight cinematic FPV drone that can take a hit and keep going. It's a lot safer to fly indoors and around people. With a naked GoPro or the SMO 4k you can capture some great stabilized footage. In this guide I'll show you..
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