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If you’re into building FPV drones, choosing the right frame is crucial for both performance and durability.

In this final information on FPV drone frames, we will delve into the diverse types of frames available, key considerations to ponder when selecting a frame, and everything else you might need to know to choose the ideal FPV drone frame that suits your unique requirements.

Body Suggestions

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Our five-inch freestyle body suggestions align with your custom build preferences.

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The fundamental building block of an FPV drone is its sturdy and meticulously designed body, serving as the skeletal framework that holds everything together. The frame serves as the foundation upon which various components are integrated, providing a secure enclosure for the drone’s electronic systems.

A typical FPV drone body is fabricated from carbon fiber plates and metallic hardware.

• 4x Arms
• High and backside plates
• Digital camera mount
• Standoff
• Bolts

While many frames share similarities in design and construction, the choice of FPV drone body can significantly impact the flight performance of your FPV drone. While factors such as weight and aerodynamics are crucial in determining a drone’s performance, it is also essential to consider the impact of resonance frequency and rigidity on its flight capabilities.

While not specifically engineered for speed, the versatile freestyle bodyboard design lends itself well to a wide range of activities, including freestyle aerial stunts at a beachside bandwagon, capturing cinematic shots with a GoPro, and even casual cruising at a local park.

Racing frames sacrifice everything except pure efficiency to achieve unparalleled aerodynamics, boasting a remarkably light weight and minuscule footprint for maximum speed. The complexity of these systems often makes it challenging to reassemble and maintain them accurately. They are significantly less durable and provide noticeably reduced protection from the elements.

Is this a prototype for a high-performance racing car?

When you’re not racing, a freestyle board is often the better choice, offering greater durability and versatility.

What’s the vibe we’re going for here?

The Supreme Body

While there may be no single ideal physique for all situations, individual needs and practicality ultimately dictate what’s considered optimal.

The ideal FPV drone body should strike a balance between ruggedness and sensibility, while also minimizing its weight to achieve optimal performance. If desired additional safety features are implemented, the vehicle’s overall mass may increase due to the incorporation of supplementary materials. To enhance the degree of practicality, consider investing in additional gear that adds mass. To effectively manage the weight of responsibility, one must be willing to make concessions in terms of strength and flexibility. It’s impossible to have everything; prioritizing the essentials is the most effective approach.

While many modern FPV drone frames feature a minimalist aesthetic, characterized by slender arms and robust carbon construction. The primary focus of this pattern is to achieve significant financial savings while minimizing “low body resonance.” I believe that some degree of body resonance is unavoidable; nonetheless, having a robust physical presence without excess components should greatly facilitate filter tuning. As Betaflight continues to advance, its development is intricately tied to the evolution of these innovative body configurations. Owing to this development, the optimisation of quadcopter performance is not solely attributed to frame enhancements, but also stems from advancements in flight software programming.

Materials

Because carbon fibre offers exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, high impact resistance, and excellent durability, making it an ideal choice for building robust yet lightweight FPV drone frames.

• At an affordable price point, this product becomes attainable to a diverse range of aviators, catering to both newcomers and seasoned experts alike.
• With reduced weight, a racing drone achieves faster acceleration, enhanced maneuverability, extended flight duration, and minimized impact damage following a potential crash scenario.
• Robust: designed to withstand the rigors of flight and potential crash scenarios, withstanding excessive stresses and impacts.
• CF’s excessively high stiffness-to-weight ratio contributes to its rigidity. Rigidity in the aircraft’s body is crucial for achieving optimal tuning and maximizing flight efficiency.
• Allowing for unparalleled adaptability, this system enables manufacturers to deliver frames that can be tailored to diverse shapes, sizes, and thicknesses, catering to the unique requirements of distinct pilots and flight styles.

The drawbacks of carbon fibre include its propensity to absorb moisture, which can affect its structural integrity and aesthetic appeal, making it more challenging to maintain in humid environments or marine applications. Additionally, the high cost of production, complicated manufacturing process, and sensitivity to damage during handling or installation also detract from its widespread adoption.

• Carbon fibre is inherently electrically conductive; therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that any stray wires don’t come into contact with your vehicle’s body, as this could create a brief circuit and potentially damage electrical components.
•  Radio frequency signals may be impeded by bodily obstruction; therefore, antennas are typically installed outside the body to ensure optimal signal strength and clarity.

When using distinct metal alloys for bolts, nuts, or hardware, there is often a significant disparity in both weight and value. While metal is often the most cost-effective and strong option, its inherent heaviness is a significant consideration. While aluminium is indeed the lightest metal, its softness also renders it vulnerable to deformation during crashes and prone to stripping when subjected to excessive torque. Despite being lightweight and possessing impressive strength, titanium’s high price tag is a significant drawback. .

Development

A drone’s body features two pivotal components: its physical structure and its appendages.

The physical housing safeguards digital components such as CPU, GPU, RAM, and others. Occasionally, this configuration features a backside plate, accompanied by a high plate, with strategically placed standoffs intervening to securely support the entire assembly.

The arms are designed to securely hold and position motors within the overall system. The form and thickness of a body play a crucial role in determining its overall sturdiness, particularly in terms of withstanding crashes, as the arms often bear the brunt of impact.

Body Measurement

Quadcopter body (a.okay.a. Is the diagonal motor-to-motor distance typically measured in centimeters? The text specifies the scale of propeller that can be used, which in turn determines the body dimensions, typically referenced to the largest possible propeller size that the model can accommodate rather than its wheelbase. When people refer to a “five-inch body,” they’re actually referring to a physique designed to accommodate five inches of prosthetic limbs or accessories, not literally measuring the size of the individual’s physical form.

As the motors are situated at the extremity of the arms, the farther they are from the axis of rotation, the greater the moment of inertia can become? However, introducing an inclination to resist angular acceleration and deceleration leads to a quad that feels noticeably slower and less reactive. Since this is the case, it is crucial to employ the primary propulsion mechanisms available to an individual in order to optimize their overall effectiveness. If you plan to use 4-inch props on a 5″-wide drone body, they may not function optimally due to the disparity in size.

This desk displays a range of miniature quad body sizes that prop dimensions typically accommodate.

Configuration

Typical frames comprise a diverse array of components, including four arms, two to three high and backside plates, held together by standoffs and bolts.

The arm design refers to the extension of the FPV drone’s body from its physical structure. While the motor layouts may appear similar at first glance, being rectangular in shape is just one aspect; the actual difference lies in how these designs affect handling and aerodynamic performance. When choosing between two distinct motor formats, there are additional factors at play.

H Frames

The distinctive design of the “H”-body features two pairs of arms that meet at a central plate, creating a striking “H” shape when viewed from the side. The case design provides ample space for housing electronic components, facilitating easy assembly and installation. The high-density camera and battery are positioned to rest on the top plate, thereby distributing the weight of the quad more evenly. The added weight would significantly reduce its agility, resulting in a sluggish performance with an increase of nearly X frames’ worth of inertia along the pitch axis.

In recent years, the hobby has predominantly shifted towards the X-box console designs.

True-X Frames

The True-X design boasts a unique configuration wherein all four arms converge at the central axis, generating a distinct “X” pattern; this symmetrical arrangement ensures that each motor maintains an identical distance from the midsection of the body. Due to the symmetrical arrangement of their motors, True-X frames exhibit an inherent tendency towards impartial handling and well-balanced behavior in both pitch and roll axes.

While some contend that the aerodynamic characteristics of an I body bear little resemblance to those of an H body due to similarities in mass distribution, others insist that a distinction arises from the unique application of thrusts on the body, influenced by the way arms are connected to the physique and leveraging mechanical advantages. The methods whereby vibrations are transmitted to the FC via the arms might be entirely distinct.

Stretch X Frames

Unlike the “True X” body, the new design features a unique extension of its back and front limbs, deviating significantly from the typical facet arms’ configuration. The objective is to minimize air turbulence that the aft propellers receive from the forward propellers, which could also improve handling at high velocities and in confined curves.

Deadcat

Deadcat geometry refers to a type of motor design where the motors are asymmetrical in their physical configuration, differing from traditional designs that possess bilateral symmetry, with identical components on both sides. This design is crafted to keep the propellers out of shot, making it an excellent option for shooting cinematic footage that maintains visual integrity.

Notwithstanding the unconventional motor design, pilots may still encounter a subtle intermingling of yaw and roll motions. While the mixer in your flight controller can typically mitigate this effect, the outcome is unlikely to be exceptional under normal circumstances. The impression of this problem will significantly depend on your flying skills and maneuverability? For most cinematic flying applications, this drawback is typically insignificant. While this phenomenon may be particularly pronounced for pilots who relish high-fidelity billing and daredevil flight stunts – akin to executing precision aerial combat moves – its detectability could be amplified in such scenarios.

One significant drawback of deadcat frames is their limited resistance to crashes. Due to their robust design, deadcat frames offer the lowest risk of damage or failure in the event of a camera crash. When choosing a drone propeller, careful consideration must be given to whether a deadcat-style body is the optimal choice for your specific setup.

Field Frames

A field body is simply a self-contained unit that comprises the entire human body. This design primarily generates a sturdier physique with reduced susceptibility to arm injuries. Despite the benefits of additional materials, they nonetheless introduce extra drag and weight. While not the most efficient choice, this particular equipment still has a positive impact on energizing arm movements.

Plus Body

Instead of replacing traditional flight modes with an “X”, the Plus Body propels itself forward in a distinctive “+”-shaped trajectory. While there may be some benefits related to motor turbulence, it’s essential to note that due to the forward-facing motors on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone’s plus-body design, they always spin through unobstructed air. One notable drawback is that the camera’s field of view may occasionally capture the drone’s entrance motor and propeller, which could be visually distracting. While it’s uncommon for a body shape to stand out besides its uniqueness and visual appeal…

Unibody Design

Several high-performance frames boast the innovative feature of having their arms and backside plate minimised into a single piece of carbon fibre sheet, commonly referred to as a unibody design.

A body might be engineered to feature interchangeable, removable arms; however, it would undoubtedly comprise supplementary hardware comprising bolts, nuts, and a reinforced rear plate.

While unibody designs are remarkably lightweight and facilitate simplified body assembly, they also present a significant drawback: if one arm is damaged, the entire rear plate must be replaced, necessitating the repositioning of all motors to a new body, an arduous process. Compared to a modular design, with separate arms, you can easily replace a damaged arm.

While frames with replaceable arms may exhibit rigidity due to their design, I often find that unibodies tend to be more rigid overall. This is because the frame’s components are typically integrated into a single unit, rather than being sandwiched between separate plates as in frames with replaceable arms. However, in reality, arm stiffness is influenced by both carbon fibre width and thickness as well.

Sturdiness

While bodyshells from lesser-known manufacturers may employ lower-grade carbon fibre, this could significantly compromise their ability to withstand impacts, as subpar materials are unlikely to provide adequate structural integrity in the event of a crash. Unfortunately, determining cause of death solely based on visual examination of body footage is not straightforward. When evaluating the effectiveness of a product, consider expert opinions and make informed decisions based on the product’s price point and the brand’s reputation.

Arm thickness: A thicker arm is significantly less prone to breaking due to its additional material offering a wider surface area to distribute stress over in the event of a crash, thereby increasing overall durability.

When designing arms, avoid incorporating sharp angles as they increase the risk of failure in the event of an impact; instead, opt for curved or rounded features, which enhance energy efficiency.

While weaving patterns within carbon fiber sheets do exist, the actual routing of these weaves significantly impacts energy transfer. When minimized alongside the weaves, carbon fibre plates demonstrate enhanced strength; however, their performance is compromised when minimized at a 45-degree angle relative to the weaves, exhibiting reduced strength as a result.

Carbon Fibre Thickness

While thicker carbon fiber yields greater energy, rigidity, and sturdiness, it inevitably adds weight as well.

While sturdiness can be a concern for all vehicle components, it’s particularly critical for arms, which often bear the brunt of the impact in the event of a collision. Thinner carbon fibre (CF) plates, measuring just 3mm or even 2mm, become increasingly common for creating centre and backside plates.

While traditionally, arms in 5-inch frames typically employed 5mm arms due to their thickness, advancements in motor technology have led to a surge in the use of thicker 6mm arms to counteract the increased forces generated by high-speed collisions. When designing a five-inch body, it’s essential to consider arms that are at least 5mm thick for optimal performance, especially if you’re aiming for heavy weights. However, for smaller weights of 3-4 inches, you may be able to get away with slightly thinner arms of around 4mm or even 3mm. Two millimeters, and in some cases even one point five millimeters, is achievable. Can a structure this thin withstand the stresses of flight without breaking, let alone excel at aerodynamics?

Submitting Carbon Fibre Edges

If the carbon fibre in your new body doesn’t feature chamfered edges, consider submitting to a professional or DIYing a solution to address the tough and sharp edges yourself? It’s not merely for aesthetic appeal, but also for several practical reasons:

• Sharp edges can be minimized through the use of wires, LiPo straps, and other measures that prevent them from rubbing against the surrounding material over time.
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  To prevent delamination in the event of a harsh impact, chamfering the sides enables the carbon fiber to withstand the stress.

On this tutorial, I will guide you through the process. It’s crucial to perform it underwater to prevent inhaling contaminated mud particles, which can be hazardous to your lung health.

Flying Kinds

Frames are crafted with specific utilities and flight types in mind, typically specified in the product description. The flying types are:

• Freestyle
• Racing
• Lengthy vary
• Cinematic

There is no rigid rule governing which body type is suitable for a particular purpose. You can completely freestyle with either a standard body or a specialized racing body.

When starting out, I recommend considering a freestyle hull design, which offers versatility, ease of construction due to its spacious body, and relative stability against impacts.

Battery Mounting

Should the handle or strap be placed above or below the body?

What’s the current state of your relationship with my friend?

For freestyle builds, I typically mount the battery at the highest point to achieve two key benefits.

• The center of mass lies closer to the location where the pressure is generated – namely, near the extent of the propellers themselves. The design reduces the moment of inertia when rotating, thereby allowing the quad to more effectively handle corners at a level commensurate with my expertise.
• Repeatedly landing hard on a battery can cause damage to its internal components, making it uncertain which side will absorb the impact.

Racing frames typically opt for rear-wheel-mounted batteries due to the scarcity of space on high-performance bicycles.

Different Issues

Aesthetics

When designing an FPV drone, this aspect is pivotal to success; neglecting it would be a mistake of significant proportions. Design a visually appealing quadrilateral that suits your artistic taste. Select your favorite body! When consumed by a singular fixation, every other aspect becomes significantly diminished in importance.

Weight

The weight of a body is fundamentally determined by its design, the quantity of materials employed, and the type of hardware incorporated. Typically, 5-inch racing frames tip the scales at a light 60-90 grams, while their freestyle counterparts come in heavier at 90-120 grams.

Aside from reduced flight time, a heavier aircraft does indeed carry additional momentum into any potential crash scenario. While a heavier quad bike can withstand a greater amount of wear and tear at a comparable speed to its lighter counterpart. While good design often compensates for a heavier product, it’s essential to note that weight alone does not necessarily guarantee sturdiness.

FPV Digital camera Mounting

The two primary FPV camera sizes are micro and nano, crucial to consider when selecting a lens that suits your chosen camera size.

Determine the camera’s tolerance for tilt angle within the body. The tilt angle of your digital camera significantly affects the speed at which you must fly your quadcopter. While 20- to 30-degree angles are generally well-suited for freestyle motocross, some enthusiasts may opt for steeper camera inclinations up to 60 degrees to capture more intense aerials and dramatic maneuvers. The impact of an improper tilt angle on one’s FPV experience is significant, especially for those new to the hobby. Having a flexible freestyle body that allows for effortless adjustments of the camera angle within a range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees seems preferable. For novices, it’s advisable to initiate with a gentle incline of around 5-10 degrees and gradually increase the steepness as they gain momentum.

FC Mounting

To ensure seamless integration with your planned FC (Flight Controller) and ESC (Electronic Speed Controller), it is crucial that the body’s dimensions align with the typical mounting samples used by most FCs, such as 30.5mm x 30.5mm or 20x20mm. Smaller frame options, including 2-inch and 3-inch variants, can also accommodate 25.5mm x 25.5mm and 16mm x 16mm FC connectors.

Rigidity

We have now discussed the importance of body stiffness more than a dozen times. A well-designed body should possess a balance of resilience and stability, capable of withstanding external shocks while maintaining structural integrity. Should minor warping or bending occur in the arms during flight, the quadcopter’s propensity for troublesome vibrations increases significantly. Due to this, tuning the quad may prove arduous, potentially resulting in jellied images obstructing both your FPV and HD flight footage. When your drone experiences vibration issues, the flight controller must operate with increased resilience to maintain stability, and in extreme cases, vibrations can lead to overheating of the motors.

HD Digital camera Mounting

When planning to travel by air with an HD digital camera equivalent to a 1/3-inch sensor or larger, ensure that the camera’s body is compatible with flying regulations. You may need to incur additional costs to obtain a 3D-printed mount, or it might be bundled with your purchase.

Spare Components

With no spare parts available, buying an entirely new vehicle becomes the only option when you damage a critical component, such as an arm or axle. If the body you’re considering purchasing comes with a hefty price tag but doesn’t include spare parts, you may want to reassess your options.

Motor Safety

Additional materials mounted strategically around the motor might effectively protect your motors from damage in the event of a crash. however this does enhance weight.

Evolution of FPV Drone Frames

The following iconic FPV drone body designs offer unique and distinct options. If you’re aware of other frames worth featuring, kindly leave a comment below.

Reintroduced in 2014, the pioneering Blackout frames marked the beginning of the 5-inch mini quadcopter revolution. The luxury item was expensive even by today’s standards, and its exclusivity made it difficult to acquire in the past due to its high renown. Following the launch of the ZMR250, a quadcopter remarkably similar to the Blackout entered the market, offering a more affordable and accessible alternative.

 

The Lumenier QAV series of frames has garnered widespread popularity through the endorsement and flying expertise of its sponsored pilot, Charpu. Following this attempt, there was the impressive fusion of Atlas Defiance 265 and RoboCat.

The ImpulseRC Alien body stood out in 2015 as an iconic design, being one of the pioneering True-X frames, widely endorsed by top pilots at the time. The Armattan F-Sequence frames have garnered significant popularity during this period as well.

 

The preferred size for FPV drones has standardized at 5 inches, achieving an optimal balance between power and agility through this compact yet efficient dimension. Since that time, “True-X” frames have evolved into a standard 5-inch frame format.

 

As the drone industry evolved, innovative frame designs emerged, while advancements in 3D printing enabled the creation of complex mini quad frames that further expanded the possibilities for customization and precision.

 

Various types of materials are used to construct mini quad frames, including ones made from exceptionally durable high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Some frames attempted to reduce their weight extremes by crafting slender arms akin to chopsticks, exemplified by the X-foot and its ilk.

By mid-2016, a notable shift emerged in the construction industry as facade plate buildings started adapting to new standoff designs. The Armattan Armadillo and DemonRC Fury have both served as notable exemplars of this trend.

 

In early 2017, manufacturers began incorporating aluminum and various metallic alloys into their vehicle designs. These components can enhance the overall safety of the FPV camera and other peripherals, and may be anodized to introduce a splash of color. The brand-new designs yield a remarkably robust construction. In 2017, two frames stood out for their exceptional quality: the DQuad Obsession and Armattan Chameleon, both of which were consistently recommended throughout that year.

Should You Buy a Clone to Save Money?

Are you tired of shelling out big bucks for subpar frames? Cloning has become a significant issue in the industry due to the ease and affordability of replicating existing designs.

While affordability is a crucial consideration, it’s also essential to prioritize quality and sustainability. If you can only afford the clone, then by all means, go ahead and enjoy it. Nevertheless, whenever possible, make an effort to opt for authentic products not only for their superior standard but also for the environmental benefits that come with choosing sustainable options.

While it may take organizations extensive time to develop, test, and deploy a drone, it does not hold back those who create clones. In fact, the simplicity of mini quad frames, consisting primarily of carbon fiber components, makes it possible for anyone with access to a CNC machine to replicate them. Owing to this reality, automotive manufacturers are inherently susceptible to copying and cloning. Cloners can promote their frames at half of the worth and even decrease, as a result of they didn’t spend money on R&D, and so they usually use cheaper materials.

Edit Historical past

• Mar 2017 – Article created
• February 2018 saw the addition of a comprehensive plus configuration description, accompanied by an informative visual aid. The database was updated with current body dimensions, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Furthermore, the anatomy picture was incorporated, providing a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Lastly, various grammatical errors were addressed to ensure clarity and coherence in the text.
• Could 2022 – Revised
• Feb 2023 – Enhanced visual content with additional images to further illustrate key points.