First-Person-View (FPV) drone piloting may likely be my next step in my evolution as a drone pilot and perhaps yours too. MEPS* have kindly approached me and provided the blog with a guest-post on getting started as an FPV pilot by building your own drone. Warning: It’s on the technical side. Let’s get started! *Affiliate link

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How to Build A 5 Inch FPV Drone for Beginners

With the development of technology, the application of FPV drones is slowly encroaching into enthusiasts’ lives, providing a new way to see the world. As a branch of the traditional drone, the audience of FPV drone is huge, which can bring a strong visual impact.

In this article, we’ll discuss how MEPS products can be used to build your own FPV drone.

Table of Contents

1. Make Some Preparations

2. The Composition of a FPV Drone

2.1 The FPV Motor–MEPS Motor SZ2207

2.2 HGLRC Sector FR 5-inch Freestyle FPV Frame

2.3 Flight Control–MEPS SZ F7 FC

2.4 ESC–MEPS SZ60A 6S 4in1 ESC

2.5 Propeller–MEPS SZ5145 Props

2.6 The Battery

2.7 RadioMaster Zorro Radio Controller – ELRS Starter Set

1. Make Some Preparations

Before preparing to assemble your own machine, it’s important to know complete components, and then go online to buy your components to meet your expectations. The following will introduce you the parts needed and assemble tools one by one.

2. The Composition of a FPV Drone

Normally, a qualified FPV drone requires:

• a set of batteries;
• an electrolytic capacitor;
• a flight control;
• one ESC, four motors;
• two pairs of propellers;
• one camera/one map transmission/FPV glasses;
• one receiver/one remote control; and
• a string of led lights / a buzzer.

Of course, according to the need, a quadcopter can also be connected to GPS (optional). In this post, we will introduce some of the more important parts, such as those from the MEPS brand.

2.1 The Motor – MEPS Motor SZ2207

Motors are also a necessary part of the FPV drone, usually a FPV equipped with four motors. And it is better to make sure that the four motors’ brand model and KV value are the same, otherwise it will affect the flight performance of the FPV drone.

Now with the motor, the most used model is 2207, 2306, the two models, kv1750 and kv1950 usually meets the flight needs of most people. Here we would like to recommend the MEPS SZ2207 motor – the best FPV drone motors, which has the following features:

• Light and Quick – The titanium alloy shaft is strengthened with aluminum alloy TC4 to ensure its lightness and to improve propulsion and speed;
• N52H arc magnets and 12.9-grade hexagon socket screws, which are durable and impact resistant, offer excellent balance and high stability;
• With ease, whether in straight-line speeding or corner shifting, the New Propulsion Design was born with agility and extraordinary corner shifting speed; and
• Professional FPV Racing: Carefully crafted to withstand the punishing conditions of professional racing and the strong need for control that racing competitors have.

2.2 HGLRC Sector FR 5-inch Freestyle FPV Frame

A 5″ Freestyle FPV Frame with a DeadCat configuration is the HGLRC Sector D5 FR. With this sturdy frame, it improves your freestyle flying to the next level! This frame has CNC aluminum side plates and quick-swap arms for simple electronic repairs.

Features:

• For simplicity and to prevent your power wire from being severed by propellers, a fixed power outlet;
• Your drone will look rad thanks to CNC metal side plates combined with 3D printed components!;
• Dust-proof straps on both sides to keep your gear cleaner and better protected; and
• Replaceable arms allow for easy assembly and disassembly without disassembling the entire frame.

2.3 Flight Control–MEPS SZ F7 FC

It can be said that the flight control is the core component of the whole FPV drone, which directly affects the experience and performance of the drone. Here we would like to recommend the MEPS SZ F7 flight controller, which has the following features:

• Lower Latency – STM32 F7 MCU and BMI270 gyro sensor enable smoother operation, quicker computation, and sensitive reaction;
• Less Heat Generation: Improved thermal performance and the VTX switch function lessen heat generation and interference;
• A rigorous arrangement that minimizes electrical interference and wiring challenges includes easy-to-read labelling for each port;
• With 5V/2A BEC outputs for various peripherals, like GPS, LED strips, buzzers, etc., this product is multi-peripheral friendly; and
• Tens of minutes’ worth of flight data can be stored in a 16 MB black box for professional tuning and troubleshooting purposes.

2.4 ESC–MEPS SZ60A 6S 4in1 ESC

ESC is an essential part of each FPV drone, it can accept the instructions given by the flight control after a series of accurate arithmetic and control the motor input current, so as to control the motor running speed. Here I would like to recommend the MEPS SZ60A 6S 4in1 ESC, which has the following features:

• High Current Load Capability: Whether you are doing acrobatic maneuvers or racing at high speeds, MEPS SZ60A 6S 4in1 ESC ensures that you enjoy the flights with an unmatched sense of pleasure and satisfaction;
• Improved Heat Dissipation: The quadcopter’s efficiency is maintained at its peak even under difficult circumstances thanks to an updated heat sink and industrial-grade PCB that considerably increases the heat dissipation capacity;
• Its 30.5*30.5mm mounting holes make it compatible with most widely used FPV frames, allowing pilots more installation flexibility; 
• Telemetry Data Return: This function enables full access to all pertinent flight data and aids in monitoring and optimizing your drone’s performance for the most enjoyable flight experience; and
• Higher protocols are supported by BLHeliSuite32, which results in a quicker response time and more dependability.

2.5 Propeller – MEPS SZ5145 Props

Propellers, as part of the power system, also need to be carefully selected. Here we would recommend the MEPS SZ5145 Props, which has the following features:

• A unique blade design offers more thrust;
• Larger pitch for more speed; and
• Used PC materials for lower weight.

2.6 The Battery

The FPV drone’s power source is its battery; the standard quadcopter’s battery is made of the aluminum polymer battery (Lipo) group. Given that a motor’s voltage is 3.7 volts and that a battery group is often made up of 4 or 6 cells connected in series, an FPV drone made up of 4 cells would have a fully charged voltage of 4.2 volts. In the same way, a battery group made up of six cells is referred to as a 6s battery. I’ve gone with the RadioMaster Zorro 18350 900mAh 3.7V Battery in this instance

The RadioMaster Zorro battery’s 18350 cell is designed to work with their line of radio controllers. These batteries have a 900mAh capacity and operate at 33.3 watts at 3.7 volts.

Features：

• Compatible with RadioMaster Zorro radio controllers;
• RadioMaster Zorro 18350 900mAh 3.7V Battery; and
• 18350 Cell Batteries.

2.7 RadioMaster Zorro Radio Controller – ELRS Starter Set

The top RC in its class is the RadioMaster Zorro Radio Controller ELRS Starter Set. This radio controller has an enormous LCD screen and is approved to work with the OpenTX and EDGETX Firmware. It makes use of an external 2S power supply and may be charged through USB-C. Both TBS and ELRS are supported by the external module. This kit comprises T-Antennas, an EP2 Compact 2.4Ghz receiver with a built-in antenna, and EP1 full range 2.4gHz ELRS receivers.

Features:

• ELRS Starter Set with T-Antennas, EP1/EP2 Receivers;
• TBS / ELRS Supported via External Module Bay;
• Metal Roller Improvement for Precise Control;
• Supports OPENTX and EDGETX.
• Supports USB-C direct charging. Supports External 2S Power Supply;
• Battery Compartments for 18350;
• It was ergonomically created;
• Hall gimbals that are movable;
• Extra-large LCD screen; and
• Foldable antenna; soft leather grips.

About MEPS

Being a professional supplier of all-around power systems (Including FPV drone / fixed-wing drone / multi-rotor / robots power system products), MEPS^® is committed to providing you with high-standard products and user experience.

MEPS^®, relying on talented and scientific research materials from well-known domestic power research institutions and key universities, has made breakthrough achievements in the research and development of efficient, lightweight, and reliable power systems. MEPS^® innovatively adopts the third generation of “aviation aluminum” represented by aluminum-lithium alloy as the raw material, which effectively improves heat transfer, and at the same time, enhances the endurance of the motor. Tens of thousands of drop impact tests lead us to the trust of users! Our products are widely entrusted in various scientific and technological fields such as unmanned aerial vehicles, robots, automatic driving, and aerospace.

Our team is a group of professional and passionate engineers, designers, FPV enthusiasts, product testers, and marketing personnel. All materials, parts, and processes are under strict control to ensure that each product meets the highest standards of quality and functionality.

MEPS^® is an integration of the R&D team, production team, and sales team, providing highly competitive products to meet the requirements of different customers in multiple scenarios.

We are MEPS^® We are here to break your imagination!