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Here’s a record of important FPV instruments, tapes, glues and supplies for constructing and repairing FPV drones and stuck wings. I’ll make suggestions on what merchandise it’s best to get which can be helpful for constructing, repairs and troubleshooting.
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Getting the “important instruments” listed on this publish ought to be enough to get you began with constructing and repairing an FPV drone and stuck wing. Having a few of the “Good-to-have instruments“ could make your builds extra skilled trying and might 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, however it sends us just a few 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 area. 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 moderately priced and embrace respectable high quality instruments. This comfort eliminates the necessity to seek for every merchandise individually.
| Newbeedrone Equipment | RDQ Drone Software Equipment | Flywoo Software Equipment |
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| Discover this product right here: | Discover this product right here: | Discover this product right here: |
For informal FPV pilots, the RaceDayQuads package affords unbeatable worth. It’s the least costly and offers a flexible choice of instruments. Alternatively, the NewBeeDrone package features a full soldering suite, making it ideally suited for superior constructing and restore. These two kits are significantly geared in direction of the purposeful wants of great FPV racers or freestyle pilots, and I extremely advocate them. In the end, the selection will depend on your funds and the capabilities you want.
Important Instruments
These are the really useful and must-have instruments for constructing and repairing your mini quad.
Soldering Instruments
You have to a soldering iron for constructing and repairing FPV drones. Listed below are my product suggestions, and on this publish I’ll clarify in additional particulars how to decide on an excellent soldering iron and solder wires.
These are useful add-on for soldering.
| Solder Serving to Hand | Tip Cleaner | Mounting Putty |
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| 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. |
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Hex Screwdriver Set
Hex screws are generally used to carry your FPV drone collectively, so getting a set of hex screwdrivers is extraordinarily vital. A very powerful 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 sometimes 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 device”. You possibly can simply get a generic 8mm hex nut wrench, however I’d advocate getting a device that’s designed particularly for FPV that are simpler to make use of. There are a variety of choices:
- Some have one-way bearing that enables it to show one path – one facet for eradicating the prop nuts whereas the opposite facet for fastening. It permits you to principally tightening/loosen the nut with out lifting the device which is extra environment friendly.
- Some instruments even have 1.5mm, 2.0mm or 2.5mm hex bit that are helpful 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 the perfect follow however it will get the job performed.
Wire Cutters
I take advantage of wire cutters for reducing zip ties, electrical wires, management rods and so forth, principally for issues which can be too laborious for scissors.
Pliers
For accessing laborious to succeed in 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 sizzling 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 probably be your device of selection right here, however a range wouldn’t damage both.
Forsep
This device is extraordinarily versatile. The lengthy, curved nostril permits you to attain the tight areas widespread in FPV drones. The scissors-style deal with offers extra energy 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 find out how to use a digital multimeter on an FPV drone.
A multimeter is a small funding that may probably prevent a whole bunch of {dollars} in broken electrical components by testing circuits earlier than plugging them in. An affordable multimeter will probably 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 machine that you simply join between the FPV drone and LiPo battery. You utilize it while you plug within the battery for the primary time to see if the drone has a brief circuit, which might probably harm your parts with no 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 vital device 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 numerous RC indicators. See my evaluation on what it does right here: https://oscarliang.com/toolkitrc-mc8/
LiPo Protected Luggage
Whereas LiPo baggage will not be the best answer at stopping or containing a battery hearth, they’re helpful for storing your batteries temporally and for transportation
Get your LiPo baggage from:
Ammo Field
Metallic ammo bins are nice for storing your LiPo batteries throughout or after charging as they’ll forestall hearth from spreading extra successfully than typical LiPo baggage.
Get your Ammo Field from:
Bat-Protected LiPo Field
The Bat-Protected field safely comprises battery fires, vents sizzling 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/
You could find the Bat-Protected Field right here:
Good-to-have Instruments
Your FPV mates will certainly be impressed by these instruments 🙂
Electrical Screwdriver
Not mandatory however a godsend if you must do a bunch of 20mm, 30mm lengthy screws usually. Merely press a button and the screwdriver will do the remainder for you. Additionally they include a big selection of screwdriver bits, which might 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.
Software Luggage
Manner higher than utilizing Ziploc baggage. Can maintain small instruments and parts when taking tools 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 fans is the power to rapidly and simply substitute damaged components or make modifications to present designs.
I’ve a tutorial that can assist 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 while you launch them, they gained’t let go of your work even if you happen to set them down.
Wire Strippers
I’ve one however I not often use it (largely because of laziness), many of the occasions 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 certain that the pair you get meet your requirement.
Warmth Gun
Warmth gun, or hot-air gun, is principally used to shrink heat-shrink insulation tubes. Most individuals would simply use a lighter, sizzling air gun is maybe an overkill, however it offers extra constant warmth and don’t depart burn marks.
Rotary Software
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. Nonetheless, typically small modifications might must be made with a purpose to get the whole lot to suit completely. A rotary device or drill is sweet to have round for working with troublesome to change supplies like carbon fiber and aluminium.
Dremel rotary device package is a excessive finish, identify model that can be utilized with no energy twine.
File Set
You’ll use these recordsdata to change and clear up issues like carbon fiber body components, to provide 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 device to weigh your quadcopter and parts is vital. Having 1g precision is nice sufficient usually, however 0.1g is good particularly for these micro quad parts. Be certain most capability is over 1kg, if you happen to plan to construct bigger fashions you would possibly wish to select one with even greater weight restrict.
Clamp Meter
A clamp meter permits you to 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 may 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 facility of an entire quadcopter. It’s vital to get one with XT60 connectors or open wires so you’ll be able to solder your personal. Score as much as 60V and 200A could be fascinating for FPV drone use.
Soldering Fume Extractor
Solder fumes are very dangerous to your lung. Some individuals can develop into sensitized to flux fumes, particularly from the older rosin flux utilized in cored solder, and get respiratory issues.
Desktop Fan
Nice for cooling while you energy the VTX on the bench, it may 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 isn’t assure, it’s higher than nothing.
Antenna SWR Meter
Understanding the SWR of your 5.8GHz antenna might help resolve which frequency or channel it’s best to use for optimum efficiency What’s antenna SWR: https://oscarliang.com/best-fpv-antenna/#SWR. Interested by measuring antenna SWR? Take a look at 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, will be helpful for programming ESC, OSD, FC, configuring GPS and so forth. Within the occasions of broken USB port in your FC, it’s also possible to use it to attach your FC to your pc through one of many UART.
ST-Hyperlink V2 Programmer
That is used to flash gadgets with STM32 processors, equivalent to 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 lightweight weight, which is helpful for FPV drones and RC planes, it’s additionally helpful 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 peculiar backpack, however they aren’t going to be as environment friendly and handy to make use of for FPV stuff. And so they normally lack the required padding on the surface to guard your gear if you happen to 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!
Instruments for FPV Mounted Wings
Passion Knife / Utility Knife
Passion 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 components / carbon components 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 will depend on your desire 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 attain the specified consequence.
Servo Tester
It’s helpful for testing servos, and centring them when establishing elevons. Additionally helpful for troubleshooting and testing ESC and motor spin path. 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 concept if you need one thing neat, however I usually simply use cash. Really cash turn into cheaper.
Servo Cable Crimping Software
that is used for crimping wires onto lugs. You don’t want to purchase one straight away if you happen to’re simply entering into the passion however finally the day will come when you have to 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 – masking, 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 masking and laminating.
Those I take advantage of are thinner than the heavy obligation packing tape and aren’t as sturdy. However 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! Typically used to guard main edges and reinforcing weak foam components and joints. It may also be used for masking your servos within the wing.
Outside Vinyl Tape
It would really feel much like electrical tape, however it’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 effectively, nice for making use of on management surfaces, like on prime of servos, it provides it a really clean end
Duct Tape
Stronger than packing tape and works a lot better on irregular surfaces, however it’s additionally a lot heavier; it’s simpler to take away and substitute; one other drawback is that they have a tendency to wrinkle up underneath the solar. it’s normally a selection between this or out of doors vinyl tape
Tapes
You possibly can in all probability get 90% of the roles performed utilizing 2-3 varieties of tapes, however it’s helpful to have the variability for various purposes too.
Electrical Tape
Electrical tape is a must have each time working with electrical stuff. It’s nice for insulation and holding components 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 would like some actually sticker and powerful 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 just a few hours to remedy, as soon as it’s safe it’s laborious to take away.
Kapton Tape
Kapton tape is principally non-stretchy translucent electrical tape. It will probably stand up to excessive temperature and gained’t soften simply, subsequently is nice for masking PCB when soldering, and wrapping parts while you don’t have the appropriate sized clear heatshrink.
Masking Tape
It’s principally simply sticky paper 🙂 You possibly can tear it off the reel together with your fingers, very handy to make use of if you happen to simply wish to maintain one thing in place temporally through the construct. It may be eliminated simply with out leaving any mess behind. You too can write on it because it’s simply paper.
Fabric Tape
A.ok.a gaffer’s tape, it’s versatile like fabric, nice for wrapping issues round. It’s sticky but in addition straightforward to take away. I take advantage of these for wrapping the motor wires to the arms, offers sure safety to the wires from prop strikes too.
Glue
Any foam pleasant glues would do!
Scorching Glue
Scorching glue might be the most well-liked possibility for constructing/repairing foam fashions. As a result of they soften into the froth like a chemical glue, but in addition creates a particularly sturdy bodily bond on the similar time.
The energy can be its draw back. The bond is so sturdy it’s close to not possible to take away with out ripping the froth aside. Generally you may want the froth to simply collapse in a crash moderately than fully destroyed? It’s a private desire.
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’ve got solely a short while to place the components. That will get worse in chilly climate.
E6000 Glue
Presently my favorite glue, I’m utilizing this as a alternative to sizzling glue and CA for constructing/fixing wings. I’ve an entire article to talk about why I prefer it a lot.
UHU Por Glue
UHU POR glue is good for gluing laborious foam like styrofoam. It’s versatile, immune to growing old 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. Sturdy stuff for an important vary of supplies, however personally not an enormous fan of Gorilla glue, as a result of getting it in your fingers will be worse than epoxy!
Supplies and Provide
Zip Ties
Helpful sizes (width): 2mm and 3mm
Silicone Electrical Wires
Get your electrical wires in numerous gauges, generally used sizes for five″ FPV drones are 12AWG, 14AWG for energy, 20AWG for motors, and 28AWG for indicators. The scale requirement will depend on the present going by the wire, try this information about electrical wires and connector for extra element.
Warmth-shrink Tubes
Get numerous sizes for various purposes, e.g. 2mm, 3mm for motor wires and XT60 pigtail, 20mm, 25mm for ESCs / RX, and so forth.
Battery Pads
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 sensible choice. Usually 200-220mm size for 4S, and 240-260mm size for 6S, however it largely will depend on your selection of body.
Thread Locker
Details about thread locker, principally it prevents screws from coming unfastened because of vibration.
{Hardware}
When selecting up steel screws and bolts, watch out for what materials they’re manufactured from. My desire is to get 10-9 or 12-9 each time potential. These numbers discuss with 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 possibly can study extra in my tutorial.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol can be utilized as a degreaser, solvent and cleansing agent. You need to 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 varieties of glue, in addition to silicone conformal coating.
Edit Historical past
- 2015 – Submit created.
- 2017 – Added extra objects.
- 2021 – Shortened web page URL, added extra objects.
- 2022 – Up to date product hyperlinks, added extra objects.
- 2023 – Up to date product hyperlinks, added FPV wing instruments.
- Jun 2024 – Up to date product hyperlinks.
