FPV Racer where to start?

[chrisleematt21]

I am looking into getting an FPV Racer / multirotor, they look like a lot of fun but have a few questions.

I would like to link it to my smart phone and use that as the screen.

1. Whats a good make of Quad ?
2. What equipment is needed for the FPV side?
3. What size lipo's ie. 3s,4s,5s,6s ?
4. Is there a good place to look for this info?
5. Whats the sizing scheme e.g. A Trex 600 has 600mm blades is it the same for multirotors?

[bigpops]

I am looking into getting an FPV Racer / multirotor, they look like a lot of fun but have a few questions.

I would like to link it to my smart phone and use that as the screen.

1. Whats a good make of Quad ?
2. What equipment is needed for the FPV side?
3. What size lipo's ie. 3s,4s,5s,6s ?
4. Is there a good place to look for this info?
5. Whats the sizing scheme e.g. A Trex 600 has 600mm blades is it the same for multirotors?

1. Anything not made by a heli company! Scorpion, Align, Gaui, MSH, they're all OTT and over priced, and nobody that's any good at racing would ever buy one. Cheap and simple is the order of the day. If you trash it, you buy a new frame (if arms aren't replaceable), either the same frame or something different.

2. You need a camera and VTX on the quad (25mw is usually specified for organised races), you might want 200mw for acro so you can cover more distance with good reception. These days you can get VTXs with switchable output power. For the camera, just buy the HS1177 that everybody uses. When the best on the market costs £28, there's no point using anything else.
You need a Video receiver. Sometimes this is a separate unit, sometimes it's built into the screen or goggles. And then you need a display. Usually a screen or goggles.

3. Everybody races on 4S, at least for now and the previous couple of years. Nothing to stop you going higher, but motor choice gets more tricky as you go up.

4. Facebook. Lots of FPV groups on there. I'm sure there are forums too, but the ones I've seen are lacking any constant stream of information. Even if you don't like facebook, make an account with a made up name (like Chris Fpv or something) and just use it for that purpose. No family or friends posting memes or pet/food/baby pictures ruining your news feed.

5. Usually they're measured motor to motor diagonally, or by prop size. The current trend is for X frames as small as physically possible but still able to run 5" props.

You can use your smart phone as a screen. A guy at my club used to do it. You need a phone that supports it (not all do apparently), and an OTG cable, a video capture device, and a separate video receiver. It's not a neat set up, but it works, and latency isn't a problem.

[waveydavey]

I'll add to the above, do a bit of research on the frames and buy the toughest one you can afford as you will crash. Or buy the cheapest and some spares, 2mm carbon bends under thrust so go for 3 or 4mm. Naze 32 a good place to start, £16 or so with little Bee ESC's a tenner each. Couple it with some good motors and you're future proofed a bit

[bigpops]

Future proofed? I have to have a chuckle at that. Stuff goes out of date quicker than a cream bun when it comes to FPV racing.

[waveydavey]

Only from I can't see too much to improve on, apart from the processor on the Naze, the little B's will only have firmware updated as will the Naze and I can't see much more coming form motors of this size or from the packs. Unless you start to go up to 5 or 6S and then theres no need. What do they call it, diminishing gains I think.

If you buy shite ESC's and £5 motors from HK and go 3S and you get into it then you're going to want to upgrade pretty quickly, and how many of us can use an FPV racer with any of the skill you see with the top boys, not too many I'd say. Still chuckling, me that is

[bigpops]

There is a certain price point where you get great value for money. £12-£14 a motor (Emax red bottoms, DYS SE2205), £10-£12 per ESC (LittleBee Pro, DYS XM20) and you'll get as good, probably even better performance than spending £18 a motor (Xnova, T-motor F series) and £22 per ESC (Kiss 24a ESC).

I agree, 3S is a total none starter. The only excuse for running 3S, is if you have existing batteries to use just to see if FPV is for you or not.

EDIT: There is an argument for going 5S or 6S, and that is to put less stress on the batteries. Sadly, the right motors to enable that to happen don't really exist. Batteries are the big bottleneck in racing right now. I shall now demonstrate how one of the best batteries on the market (Revolectrix blend 435 1500mah 4S) can be flattened and have to be thrown in the bin in just 2 minutes:

[waveydavey]

Whatever anyone does, don't waste money on HK Gold or Sliver quad packs, complete pish. Get some Tattus, Dronelab(same production different lable) or some Optis.

[waveydavey]

Well that was putting your money where your mouth is, outstanding flying

[bigpops]

For batteries, I have 25c Nano-tech (my oldest packs), Tattus, DroneLabs and most recently, Turnigy Bolt 1300 HVs.

The 25c Nanos were about £8 each and they actually aren't as bad as I expected. I've had the misfortune to try out some Zippy Compact 1300 4S that I borrowed, and they sucked. Not sure what C rating they were.

And yeah, Justice is the best. Even Luke Bannister says he is, so it must be true.

[_tj_]

If your as unlucky as me.
Order an extra motor and an extra esc.

For some reason I always get sent a dud one lol.

Another thing to add to shopping list.
An esc programmer.

The odds on getting esc's with the same firmware isn't high from my experience.
I found this out by enabling oneshot.

3 motors and escs worked one started stuttering.
Thinking the motor was broke from a previous crash I ordered another.

Didn't test it after the rebuild and enabling oneshot.
Turned oneshot off and they all worked again.

Reflashed all the esc's and bingo oneshot worked.

[waveydavey]

If you use the Naze and have compatible ESC's then you can use BLHeli through the Naze to reprogram the ESC's, you don't need a separate programmer.

[bigpops]

As above. The most reputable ESCs have the BLheli bootloader on board, which enables most (not all, so check) flight controllers to do 1 wire pass through to program ESCs. Basically the flight controller acts as a USB-serial interface.

If not, then an Arduino Nano can program every BL heli ESC out there, whether it has the bootloader or not and can be bought for about £3.

[waveydavey]

And yeah, Justice is the best. Even Luke Bannister says he is, so it must be true.

There I was thinking that was you BigPops

[maddog7]

I can heartily recommend the following.
Frame, Impulse RC Alien 5" or Lumenier QAV-R with the optional bottom plate. The Lumenier is a tiny tad lighter and more agile but the Alien reeks of quality and is super solid.
Kiss FC with 24a race ESCs is the best I've used by some margin but the X-Racer F303 v2 and littlebee V2's are excellent too.
Emax RS2205 red bottoms are excellent and DAL 5x4.5 triblades V2 are a good pairing for them.
HS 1177 camera.
Aomway 25 VTX has been very good for me but some report issues with them randomly changing channels. Eachine have been good for me too. Aomway antennas are awesome and half the price of Fatshark or IBcrazy.
Cheers
D

[waveydavey]

I've found the tri's very floaty and power hungry, red bottoms great, little b's superb.