FPV Instruments and Supplies for Constructing Drones and Mounted Wings

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Here’s a listing of important FPV instruments, tapes, glues and supplies for constructing and repairing FPV drones and glued wings. I’ll make suggestions on what merchandise it’s best to get which might be helpful for constructing, repairs and troubleshooting.

Getting the “important instruments” listed on this put up ought to be satisfactory to get you began with constructing and repairing an FPV drone and glued wing. Having a few of the “Good-to-have instruments“ could make your builds extra skilled trying and may help restore/troubleshoot your drone, however by no imply mandatory.

All of the hyperlinks on this web page are affiliate hyperlinks. It doesn’t price you a dime extra, but it surely sends us a couple of cents each time a purchase order is made to maintain this weblog going. Thanks!

FPV Toolkits

These FPV toolkits include important instruments for constructing and repairing FPV drones at dwelling or within the subject. They’re packaged in a neat carry case, making it simpler to pack for a day of flying. Designed particularly for FPV, these all-in-one toolkits are fairly priced and embody respectable high quality instruments. This comfort eliminates the necessity to seek for every merchandise individually.

Newbeedrone Equipment	RDQ Drone Instrument Equipment	Flywoo Instrument Equipment
Further soldering instruments. Nice high quality instruments. Nice prop wrench.	One of many least expensive. Respectable high quality instruments.	Vast number of instruments. Multimeter included. Barely costlier.
Discover this product right here: NBD GetFPV	Discover this product right here: RDQ	Discover this product right here: Flywoo GetFPV

For informal FPV pilots, the RaceDayQuads package provides unbeatable worth. It’s the least costly and supplies a flexible number of instruments. However, the NewBeeDrone package features a full soldering suite, making it ideally suited for superior constructing and restore. These two kits are significantly geared in the direction of the practical wants of significant FPV racers or freestyle pilots, and I extremely suggest them. Finally, the selection is determined by your finances and the capabilities you want.

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Important Instruments

These are the beneficial and must-have instruments for constructing and repairing your mini quad.

Soldering Instruments

You’ll need a soldering iron for constructing and repairing FPV drones. Listed below are my product suggestions, and on this put up I’ll clarify in additional particulars how to decide on a very good soldering iron and solder wires.

These are useful add-on for soldering.

Solder Serving to Hand	Tip Cleaner	Mounting Putty
For holding parts in place whereas soldering.	For cleansing the tip of soldering iron extra successfully than moist sponge.	Aka Blu Tack, putty can be utilized for holding small wires and parts in place rapidly.
Discover this product right here: Amazon AliExpress Least expensive value having (Amz)	Discover this product right here: Amazon AliExpress	Discover this product right here: Amazon

Hex Screwdriver Set

Hex screws are generally used to carry your FPV drone collectively, so getting a set of hex screwdrivers is extraordinarily essential. Crucial sizes it’s best to have are:

Or search for metric units of 1.3-3mm sizes.

Listed below are some good choices:

Assorted Screwdriver Set

For the screw sizes usually discovered on RC planes and wings, each cross slotted and single slotted would possibly come in useful. A few of these units on AliExpress include some hex screwdrivers too that may prevent some cash.

Prop Nut Instruments

For eradicating and securing propeller nuts requires a devoted “prop instrument”. You can simply get a generic 8mm hex nut wrench, however I’d suggest getting a instrument that’s designed particularly for FPV that are simpler to make use of. There are quite a lot of choices:

• Some have one-way bearing that permits it to show one course – one aspect for eradicating the prop nuts whereas the opposite aspect for fastening. It means that you can mainly tightening/loosen the nut with out lifting the instrument which is extra environment friendly.
• Some instruments even have 1.5mm, 2.0mm or 2.5mm hex bit that are useful to have

Discover this merchandise right here:

Scissors

For reducing tapes and small wires. When I’m being lazy I’d additionally use it for stripping wires earlier than soldering, maybe not one of the best follow but it surely will get the job accomplished.

Wire Cutters

I take advantage of wire cutters for reducing zip ties, electrical wires, management rods and many others, mainly for issues which might be too exhausting for scissors.

Pliers

For accessing exhausting to achieve spots and gripping parts whereas working with different instruments (for instance when soldering a wire to an XT60 or ESC energy, the wire would possibly develop into too scorching to carry by hand). It may also be used as a nut wrench.

For essentially the most half, a pair of needle nostril pliers will likely be your instrument of selection right here, however a range wouldn’t damage both.

Forsep

This instrument is extraordinarily versatile. The lengthy, curved nostril means that you can attain the tight areas widespread in FPV drones. The scissors-style deal with supplies extra power and precision than tweezers. Moreover, it locks in place, permitting you to set it down and free your hand for different duties if wanted.

Multimeter

A digital multimeter (DDM)is used to troubleshoot your quad’s electronics, measuring voltage, present, resistance, and check for brief circuit. I’ve an entire tutorial explaining tips on how to use a digital multimeter on an FPV drone.

A multimeter is a small funding that may probably prevent tons of of {dollars} in broken electrical elements by testing circuits earlier than plugging them in. An affordable multimeter will likely be advantageous for the needs of testing for shorts, discovering damaged wires and checking battery voltage.

Some good DDM buy choices are:

Smoke Stopper

A “smoke stopper” is a testing gadget that you simply join between the FPV drone and LiPo battery. You employ it if you plug within the battery for the primary time to see if the drone has a brief circuit, which may probably harm your parts with out a smoke stopper.

I like to recommend the Vifly ShortSafer V2 (evaluation), it really works and you should buy it off the shelf:

LiPo Voltage Checker

By merely connecting the steadiness lead of a LiPo battery to a LiPo checker, it tells you the voltage of the battery, in addition to the voltage of every cell. It’s an essential instrument to have to watch the state of your LiPo batteries on the go.

ToolkitRC MC8

It’s greater than only a battery checker, it’s additionally a servo and ESC tester and might learn varied RC alerts. See my evaluation on what it does right here: https://oscarliang.com/toolkitrc-mc8/

LiPo Secure Luggage

Whereas LiPo baggage is probably not the best resolution at stopping or containing a battery fireplace, they’re helpful for storing your batteries temporally and for transportation

Get your LiPo baggage from:

Ammo Field

Steel ammo containers are nice for storing your LiPo batteries throughout or after charging as they’ll stop fireplace from spreading extra successfully than typical LiPo baggage.

Get your Ammo Field from:

Bat-Secure LiPo Field

The Bat-Secure field safely incorporates battery fires, vents scorching gases, filters flame and soot, whereas guaranteeing straightforward battery charging and transportation. It’s just like the upgraded model of the Ammo field. See my full evaluation right here: https://oscarliang.com/bat-safe-lipo-battery-charging-box/

Yow will discover the Bat-Secure Field right here:

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Good-to-have Instruments

Your FPV mates will certainly be impressed by these instruments 🙂

Electrical Screwdriver

Not mandatory however a godsend if you need to do a bunch of 20mm, 30mm lengthy screws usually. Merely press a button and the screwdriver will do the remaining for you. Additionally they include a big selection of screwdriver bits, which may prevent from shopping for these screwdrivers individually.

I like to recommend the ES126, it’s fairly highly effective and good high quality. One cost can final weeks.

Instrument Luggage

Means higher than utilizing Ziploc baggage. Can maintain small instruments and parts when taking gear to the sphere.

Bench Energy Provide

A bench energy provide (PSU) has variable voltage output that may energy many issues, together with your soldering iron, check your quad, FPV parts, LiPo charger and so forth.

My favourite for the time being is the ToolkitRC P200. It’s versatile and compact.

3D Printer

One of many largest advantages of 3D printing for FPV drone fanatics is the power to rapidly and simply change damaged elements or make modifications to current designs.

I’ve a tutorial that will help you get began with 3D printing: https://oscarliang.com/3d-printer/

Tweezers

Tweezers are used to carry and transfer small parts and wires into place. Search for longer size tweezers to make it simpler to entry small parts. Cross-lock tweezers (or reverse tweezers) are most well-liked as a result of they apply strain if you launch them, they received’t let go of your work even should you set them down.

Wire Strippers

I’ve one however I not often use it (largely as a consequence of laziness), a lot of the instances I simply use scissors to strip wires. However wire strippers present extra constant and exact outcomes in case you are a perfectionist. Usually they solely cowl a sure vary of wire gauge, be sure that the pair you get meet your requirement.

Warmth Gun

Warmth gun, or hot-air gun, is especially used to shrink heat-shrink insulation tubes. Most individuals would simply use a lighter, scorching air gun is probably an overkill, but it surely supplies extra constant warmth and don’t go away burn marks.

Rotary Instrument

Drills can be utilized to make modifications to even essentially the most cussed of supplies. They can be utilized for shaping framework or parts in addition to creating new gap placements for screws or different gear.

Most frames and parts bought from respected sellers ought to appropriately match from the get go. Nevertheless, typically small modifications could must be made with a view to get every little thing to suit completely. A rotary instrument or drill is sweet to have round for working with tough to change supplies like carbon fiber and aluminium.

Dremel rotary instrument package is a excessive finish, title model that can be utilized with out a energy wire.

File Set

You’ll use these recordsdata to change and clear up issues like carbon fiber body elements, to offer them a pleasant and clean end.

Digital Calliper

Helpful for exact measurement as much as 0.1mm.

Digital Scale

Each gram counts for RC fashions, so having an correct instrument to weigh your quadcopter and parts is essential. Having 1g precision is sweet sufficient typically, however 0.1g is good particularly for these micro quad parts. Be certain most capability is over 1kg, should you plan to construct bigger fashions you would possibly wish to select one with even greater weight restrict.

Clamp Meter

A clamp meter means that you can measure present instantaneously by clamping the jaws round a wire with out the necessity to break into the circuit to take measurements. It’s able to measuring greater present than a multimeter, however the accuracy is likely to be decrease and they’re pretty costly.

Watt Meter

A watt meter (or energy meter) can measure present drawn and energy consumption. It’s helpful for testing motor and even measuring the ability of an entire quadcopter. It’s essential to get one with XT60 connectors or open wires so you’ll be able to solder your individual. Ranking as much as 60V and 200A can be fascinating for FPV drone use.

Soldering Fume Extractor

Solder fumes are very unhealthy on your lung. Some individuals can develop into sensitized to flux fumes, particularly from the older rosin flux utilized in cored solder, and get respiration issues.

Desktop Fan

Nice for cooling if you energy the VTX on the bench, it might double as soldering smoke fan (suck the fume away).

RF Energy Meter

For testing and measuring radio/video transmitter output energy. ImmersionRC Energy Meter V2 is an compact and reasonably priced possibility although accuracy will not be assure, it’s higher than nothing.

Antenna SWR Meter

Understanding the SWR of your 5.8GHz antenna may help determine which frequency or channel it’s best to use for optimum efficiency What’s antenna SWR: https://oscarliang.com/best-fpv-antenna/#SWR. Inquisitive about measuring antenna SWR? Try my tutorial for a deep dive into the method:: https://oscarliang.com/litevna-measure-antenna-swr/.

Get your LiteVNA from these distributors (IMPORTANT: guarantee it helps as much as 6.3GHz!):

FTDI Adapter

FTDI adapter, aka serial converter, could be helpful for programming ESC, OSD, FC, configuring GPS and many others. Within the occasions of broken USB port in your FC, you may as well use it to attach your FC to your laptop through one of many UART.

ST-Hyperlink V2 Programmer

That is used to flash gadgets with STM32 processors, reminiscent of ExpressLRS receivers, flight controllers and ESC.

Voltage Regulator

It’s helpful for powering VTX when there’s no BEC in your FC. It’s tiny and light-weight weight, which is beneficial for FPV drones and RC planes, it’s additionally useful to have for digital initiatives. It helps a variety of enter voltage from 5V, or 2S all the way in which as much as 6S, and the output is adjustable utilizing a screw driver (you’ll want a multimeter to confirm the output voltage).

Get this mini voltage regulator from these distributors:

FPV Backpack

FPV Backpacks are extraordinarily helpful as a result of they’re designed particularly for storing typical FPV gear. Positive, you’ll be able to simply use any bizarre backpack, however they don’t seem to be going to be as environment friendly and handy to make use of for FPV stuff. They usually normally lack the required padding on the skin to guard your gear should you drop it.

Micro-fibre Fabric

Use a correct microfibre fabric to wash your digital camera lenses and goggles screens to keep away from scratching the glass!

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Instruments for FPV Mounted Wings

Interest Knife / Utility Knife

Interest knife is nice for reducing and eradicating foam, tape and heatshrink. Field cutters would do too, however they are typically much less exact and fewer sharp.

Pearl Head Pins

For holding foam elements / carbon elements collectively in case you are utilizing glue that takes some time to dry.

Sand Paper

You wish to sand the froth surfaces and carbon fibre spars earlier than apply glue to them, it makes them stick higher.

I’d say something between 40 grits to 240 grits is okay. It is determined by your choice actually, so long as you’re not ripping bubbles off the froth. I personally use 80 to 120 grit, I discover something much less will make the beads of froth come out, and something greater than 120 takes a very long time to realize the specified consequence.

Servo Tester

It’s helpful for testing servos, and centring them when organising elevons. Additionally helpful for troubleshooting and testing ESC and motor spin course. You may additionally use it for motor thrust testing.

Weight for CG

These are weight blocks you’ll be able to place in your wing to steadiness CG. It’s not a nasty thought if you need one thing neat, however I usually simply use cash. Really cash become cheaper.

Servo Cable Crimping Instrument

that is used for crimping wires onto lugs. You don’t want to purchase one straight away should you’re simply stepping into the passion however ultimately the day will come when you will want one and can discover it helpful.

Servo connectors are Dupont 2.54mm, steadiness leads are JST-XH 2.54mm.

Scotch Heavy Responsibility Packing Tape

The will need to have tape for common functions – protecting, reinforcing hinges, laminating… Sellotape tape is okay, however I discover good high quality packing tape are usually thicker and stronger.

Colour Packing Tape

Generally known as wing tapes, coloration packing tapes are nice for adorning your wings, and including some colours to it. It’s usually used for protecting and laminating.

Those I take advantage of are thinner than the heavy responsibility packing tape and aren’t as sturdy. Nevertheless it doesn’t add any noticeable weight to the plane which is what I like!

Fibre Tape

AKA Reinforce Packing Tape – it’s extraordinarily sturdy and sticky! Usually used to guard main edges and reinforcing weak foam elements and joints. It may also be used for protecting your servos within the wing.

Outside Vinyl Tape

It would really feel just like electrical tape, but it surely’s much less stretchy and has a shiny end and stick far more securely. It’s additionally twice as thick as packing tape. It conforms to irregularity properly, nice for making use of on management surfaces, like on prime of servos, it offers it a really clean end

Duct Tape

Stronger than packing tape and works a lot better on irregular surfaces, but it surely’s additionally a lot heavier; it’s simpler to take away and change; one other drawback is that they have a tendency to wrinkle up below the solar. it’s normally a selection between this or outside vinyl tape

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Tapes

You’ll be able to most likely get 90% of the roles accomplished utilizing 2-3 forms of tapes, but it surely’s helpful to have the range for various functions too.

Electrical Tape

Electrical tape is a must have at any time when working with electrical stuff. It’s nice for insulation and holding elements in place in your FPV drone construct. I additionally use it for masking when I’m soldering.

I solely use 3M Tremendous 35, it’s stretchy vinyl and fairly versatile, nice for wrapping motor wires or ESC on the drone arms too.

Double-sided Tape

Double sided tape is for sticking parts contained in the construct. If you’d like some actually sticker and robust ones, get the 3M Scotch model, that’s the sh*t! 🙂 Nice for sticking two separate issues collectively, like a receiver to the body. It takes a couple of hours to treatment, as soon as it’s safe it’s exhausting to take away.

Kapton Tape

Kapton tape is mainly non-stretchy translucent electrical tape. It could possibly stand up to excessive temperature and received’t soften simply, due to this fact is nice for protecting PCB when soldering, and wrapping parts if you don’t have the best sized clear heatshrink.

Masking Tape

It’s mainly simply sticky paper 🙂 You’ll be able to tear it off the reel along with your fingers, very handy to make use of should you simply wish to maintain one thing in place temporally in the course of the construct. It may be eliminated simply with out leaving any mess behind. You may as well write on it because it’s simply paper.

Fabric Tape

A.okay.a gaffer’s tape, it’s versatile like fabric, nice for wrapping issues round. It’s sticky but additionally straightforward to take away. I take advantage of these for wrapping the motor wires to the arms, supplies sure safety to the wires from prop strikes too.

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Glue

Any foam pleasant glues would do!

Scorching Glue

Scorching glue might be the preferred possibility for constructing/repairing foam fashions. As a result of they soften into the froth like a chemical glue, but additionally creates a particularly sturdy bodily bond on the similar time.

The power can also be its draw back. The bond is so sturdy it’s close to inconceivable to take away with out ripping the froth aside. Generally you may want the froth to simply crumble in a crash slightly than utterly destroyed? It’s a private choice.

The opposite properties is that it units in a short time because it cools down. However that’s additionally the drawback, as a result of you could have solely a short while to place the elements. That will get worse in chilly climate.

E6000 Glue

At present my favorite glue, I’m utilizing this as a substitute to scorching glue and CA for constructing/fixing wings. I’ve an entire article to debate why I prefer it a lot.

UHU Por Glue

UHU POR glue is good for gluing exhausting foam like styrofoam. It’s versatile, proof against getting older and waterproof. Takes 10-20 minutes to set, turns into clear when dried.

Gorilla Clear Glue

A very talked-about possibility for RC mannequin constructing. Robust stuff for a fantastic vary of supplies, however personally not an enormous fan of Gorilla glue, as a result of getting it in your arms could be worse than epoxy!

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Supplies and Provide

Zip Ties

Helpful sizes (width): 2mm and 3mm

Silicone Electrical Wires

Get your electrical wires in varied gauges, generally used sizes for five″ FPV drones are 12AWG, 14AWG for energy, 20AWG for motors, and 28AWG for alerts. The dimensions requirement is determined by the present going by means of the wire, try this information about electrical wires and connector for extra element.

Warmth-shrink Tubes

Get varied sizes for various functions, e.g. 2mm, 3mm for motor wires and XT60 pigtail, 20mm, 25mm for ESCs / RX, and many others.

Battery Pads

A superb battery pad will cease your battery from sliding, and stop it from being punctured by the screw heads on the body. Listed below are some nice sticky pads:

Ummagrip 3mm thick Model

Ummagrip 1.5mm thick Model

Battery Straps

For five-inch or bigger drones, 20mm width velcro straps are good selection. Sometimes 200-220mm size for 4S, and 240-260mm size for 6S, but it surely largely is determined by your selection of body.

Thread Locker

Details about thread locker, mainly it prevents screws from coming unfastened as a consequence of vibration.

{Hardware}

When selecting up steel screws and bolts, watch out for what materials they’re manufactured from. My choice is to get 10-9 or 12-9 at any time when doable. These numbers seek advice from the alloy of metal used within the screws. These are the great things, they don’t strip out simply and really sturdy.

M3 Stainless Metal Screws Assortment: https://amzn.to/3tOpPpA

M3 Nylon {Hardware} Equipment:

AliExpress – https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_DEvf1gl
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3xlFMph

Silicone Conformal Coating

By coating this in your electronics, it makes it water proof! You’ll be able to study extra in my tutorial.

Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol can be utilized as a degreaser, solvent and cleansing agent. You should use it to wash residue from burnt solder flux, in addition to simply common cleansing of your electronics. It may also be used to take away sure forms of glue, in addition to silicone conformal coating.

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Edit Historical past

• 2015 – Put up created.
• 2017 – Added extra gadgets.
• 2021 – Shortened web page URL, added extra gadgets.
• 2022 – Up to date product hyperlinks, added extra gadgets.
• 2023 – Up to date product hyperlinks, added FPV wing instruments.
• Jun 2024 – Up to date product hyperlinks.