Parts List - Build a Cinema FPV Drone to Carry GoPro
At a Glance
Building your own FPV quadcopter is clearly more challenging than buying a DJI Mavic Pro 2, but being able to film the ‘First Person View’ perspective is emerging as an exciting new style in filmmaking. The drone itself cost around $600 to build, which does not include the VR Headset, Battery Charger, Action Camera, or Radio (remote controller). Many FPV drones are built specifically for racing, though this drone was built to fly with and carry an action camera like a GoPro Hero 8 or DJI Osmo Action. These cameras can record in 4k to give you the ability to dynamically shoot POV video.
Typical Parts Found in an FPV Drone
It’s typical that FPV quadcopters built to carry an action camera have the following parts:
5” Frame
4 Motors
4 Propellors
4 in 1 ESC (Electronic Speed Controller)
RC Flight Controller
Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) Battery
FPV Video Transmitter (vTx) and Receiver (vRx)
Board Camera for the FPV Feed
Radio Control Transmitter (Tx) and Receiver (Rx)
Antennas
2 Battery Straps
You’ll also need these to fly FPV / film flight:
Action Camera
FPV VR Goggles
Radio
Additional Items to Consider:
Battery Charger
Battery Voltage Capacity Checker
Soldering Iron + Rosin Core Solder
4-in-1 Hexagon Socket Screwdriver
Wire Cutter
Needle Nose Pliers
Rubber Landing Skid Pads
3rd Hand Tool
Battery Stick Pad
Extra Pieces (Things Will Break on Impact!)
Image Courtesy of www. fpvdronereviews.com
Parts List
Here are the parts and a brief explanation of each, perfect for beginners!
5” Frame - Choose Your Own
A 5” frame means that the frame requires 5” propellors. I am currently using one of Sammie’s custom-built frames. He built it specifically for filmmaking, which is rare in the FPV industry considering most FPV drones are built as racing quads. It is not available for sale yet. Alternatively, the iFlight DC5 HD 5 is a great starting point for a solid build.
4 Motors - iFlight Xing E 2207
Each motor for the FPV quadcopter will typically cost between $13 and $20. Since it’s a quadcopter, you will need 4 motors to power 4 propellors. I have chosen the iFlight Xing E 2207 motors which can be found here. They are budget, but known to be reliable.
4 Propellors - HQProp 5” Props
The propellors on the FPV will break more often than any other mounted component. Luckily, they are cheap and easy to replace! HQProp makes durable propellers and they’re respected components. Here’s a 16-pack in 4 different colors!
4 in 1 ESC / Flight Controller / 4 x 32mm Pyrowires for Battery - PyroDrone 30x30
Buying this kit offers the components at about 10% off the cost of buying the same components individually. The ESC connects to and controls the motor speed and the Flight Controller offers the aircraft orientation, accelerometer, and connections/soldering points for other components such as vision and radio receivers.
Anti Vibration Grommets for Flight Controller
These provide cushion to the FLight Controller in the hopes to protect the chip on impact.
FPV Camera - RunCam Micro Eagle
The RunCam Micro Eagle is a reliable and lightweight FPV camera for your Quad. This is the vision system that ultimately streams the video to your headset.
FPV Video Transmitter (vTx) and Receiver (vRx) - Lumenier 5.8 GHz
This component connects to your RunCam Micro Eagle to allow the transmission of the video feed to your goggles via the antennas.
Short vTx Antenna
While the Lumenier 5.8 GHz comes with an antenna, it’s foolishly long and is not ideal for your signal connection. Here are some shorter and preferred antennas.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G8YJ99B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Radio Control Transmitter (Tx) and Receiver (Rx) - R-XSR
I use the FrSky Taranis Qx7 Radio (remote controller) to fly my FPV drone. The remote controller cannot control the drone until you install this FrSky R-XSR Ultra Receiver.
Antenna Tube for Radio Receiver
This tubing is used to secure the loose wiring of the FrSky R-XSR Ultra Receiver on the back legs of the quad. Cut to size and electrical tape to the back legs. Then feed the wires through to secure.
Antennas - Lollipop
This 2-piece set allows you to transmit a video feed from your quadcopter to your goggles. They are antennas. They came highly recommended for their quality, lightweight, and affordable pricing!
Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) Battery - Tattu FunFly 1550
The Tattu FunFly 1550 mAh seem to be the standard batteries that FPVers choose to fly. They hold a great charge and are easy to manage. I actually got 4 of them since the average flight time of an FPV drone is around 7 minutes.
2 Battery Straps - iFlight
These velcro straps will hold the battery pack to the 5” frame. I ended up only buying two of these, but having a few extras doesn’t hurt! I fly with both straps around the battery.
Sticky Grip - UmmaGrip
I used this sticky grip tape on top of my frame. The battery rests on top of it and then is strapped down to the frame using the iFlight velcro straps.
Action Camera - GoPro Hero 8 or DJI Osmo Action
Personally I’d choose the GoPro Hero 8 over the DJI Osmo Action due to GoPro’s superior stabilization technology. Both are great choices and software can be used to clean up the shake in post anyway.
GoPro - https://amzn.to/37f2S2J
DJI - https://amzn.to/2OE0NqD
FPV VR Goggles - FatShark HDO2
Just released in Dec 2019, the FatShark HDO2’s are a great option for FPV goggles without converting your entire kit to DJI’s Digital FPV goggles.
RapidFIRE 5.8GHz Goggle Module
This module connects to your HDO2 Goggles to allows for improved vision-feed by fusing two separate 5.8GHz visual feeds into one seemless feed.
Mini Patch Antenna RHCP
This screw-on piece is important for your vision-feed. This with your lollipop will allow you to gain fpv sight for your aircraft. It screws onto the bottom port of the RapidFIRE on your HDO2 using a 45-degree connector. (The Lollipop screws onto the top port)
45-Degree SMA Adapter
This SMA adapter allows you to screw your Mini Patch Antenna RHCP to your RapidFIRE on the HDO2 goggles.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071NVR2HR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
90-Degree SMA Adapter
This SMA adapter allows you to screw your Lollipop antenna to your RapidFIRE on the HDO2 goggles.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YW3M4GB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
FuriousFPV Smart Cable V2
This wire lets you hold one of your flight batteries in your pocket and connect directly to your HDO2s. This helps decrease the number of chargers in your kit.
Radio (Remote Controller) - FrSky Taranis Qx7
There are more advanced Radios on the market, though The FrSky Taranis Qx7 is a controller that is used by both beginners and professionals. It’s a great choice for your first Radio. Keep in mind you’ll want to buy a set of batteries and the charger.
Radio - https://amzn.to/39rkAkO
Battery / Charger - https://amzn.to/38hcxaj
Foam Anti Skid Pads
While not mandatory, it’s a good idea to place 1 Anti Skid Pad on the bottom of each arm to ensure a softer landing. These are pretty good and come pre-cut with adhesive.
Battery Charger - Hobbymate D6 Duo Pro Battery Charger
Not only can this charger simultaneously charge 2 FunFly batteries, it’s also equipped to wirelessly charge your phone when placed on top. (Supported phones only). You need a good battery charger to appropriately charge the FPV batteries, and since it’s something that theoretically will never crash it’s worth the investment.
TBS Crossfire Micro TX
This long-range transmitter allows you to fly your FPV drone an extra 1-2 miles away if there’s no direct interference. A must if you plan to use your FPV rig to record cinematic footage.
https://www.team-blacksheep.com/products/prod:crossfire_micro_tx
For guidance on how to actually build the drone, refer to this video!
Additional Items
These items will definitely be useful during your build and throughout owning an FPV drone!
Battery Extender
To unlock the full potential of the battery charger above, you can charge more than just 2 batteries at the same time by attaching a parallel balanced charging board. This charger can handle up to 5 batteries at once, just be careful not to overload the charger with more than 5 batteries at once (4 in the extender and 1 in the other port).
Battery Voltage Capacity Checker
You’ll want to check if your batteries are charged up before you fly them. This Voltage Checker allows you to see if your battery is charged to 50%, 100% or 97%.
Soldering Iron + Rosin Core Solder
If you build your own drone you will need to solder several wires in place. Plan in advance and find a few YouTube tutorials that walk you through the process. Here’s the soldering kit I’m currently using.
Soldering Iron - https://amzn.to/38hd0JB
Rosin Core Solder - https://amzn.to/2SAG4VD
4-in-1 Hexagon Socket Screwdriver
An ideal multi tool for the varying screw sizes you’ll encounter when putting together your FPV drone.
4-in-1 Nut Screw Wrench
A great multi tool for the varying sizes of the Hex Lock Nuts on the aircraft. Highly recommended to keep this tool in your arsenal.
Wire Cutter
Just a pair of wire cutters, helpful when cutting wires down to size before setting them to the Flight Controller.
Needle Nose Pliers
When handling small parts and dislodging wires, these Surgical Tweezers are ideal for small wires and crevasses.
3rd Hand Tool
Perfect to hold chips up while soldering, this 3rd hand tool should not be overlooked.
Component Organizer
You’ll want to keep your items organized.
Heat Shrink Tubing
In case a wire breaks or you need to cover your receiver in tubing, you’ll want to get your hands on a variety of heat shrink tubing.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFA3OFA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Extra 12 Guage Silicone Wire
You’ll want some extra wire laying around if you plan to make a Smoke Stopper or need to repair your battery cable on the aircraft.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ABOPMEI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Extra XT60 Connectors
You’ll want some extra XT60 connectors if you plan to make a Smoke Stopper or need to repair your battery connection on the aircraft. Helpful to have more, you cannot typically find this at your average hardware store.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q2SJSZ1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Extra Pieces (Things Will Break!)
Keep in mind that it’s very common for parts to break on impact when flying your FPV drone. Stock up on a few extra parts and keep them close by, you’ll want plenty of spares when things crack. The most common item to keep in bulk are propellers.
If you don’t want to build it yourself, there are a few options to buy a pre-build. Here’s one:
Vortex 230 Mojo - https://amzn.to/39v92xj
At Framework Films, we bring your communications objectives to life and push creative boundaries. For more, explore our client case studies.
Our expert team delivers impact beyond content, connect with us here.
