First Quadcopter

Last week, I built a long-range FPV drone using the Chimera 9 ECO frame, and while researching the required components, I came across Master Airscrew, a US brand with a tradition in propeller manufacturing. So far, I have only used HQprop, Dalrop, and Gemfan propellers, and although they never disappointed me, I was curious to test if these 9"...

While everyone was busy unwrapping Christmas gifts, the BetaFlight team released a new upgrade for its popular open-source flight controller firmware. In this article, we will focus on what's new in Betaflight 4.5 and if it's worth upgrading from previous BF versions with the risk of undetected bugs of a new release. The BF 4.5 is an incremental release, meaning...

Every time I build a new FPV drone, it's like an adventure that begins with acquiring the parts and ends with a maiden flight. In this review, I will focus on how you can build a professional-looking 9-inch long-range drone on a budget using the iFlight Chimera9 ECO frame kit. Usually, every DIY drone project should start with your needs...

The SZ2207 will be the second FPV motor from MEPS reviewed here on FirstQuadcopter. Both motors are intended for 5-6" racing drones. While the SZ2306's stator has 23mm width and 6mm height, the SZ2207's stator is 22 mm/7 mm. The 2207 has a narrower stator width, so you can expect lighter rotational inertia that allows for faster RPM changes,...

The flight controller (FC) is the brain of the FPV drone and is probably the most critical component, as it is responsible for stabilizing the drone. The FC generates the motors' control signals based on the pilot's and sensors' inputs. If you are starting with this hobby, I strongly recommend using BetaFlight-based flight controllers like this iFlight BLITZ F7...

Insta360's tiny vlogging camera, released in June 2023 in Arctic White upon the request of many content creators, is now also available in Midnight Black color. The camera weighs only 35g (1.2oz), and its unique magnetic body provides effortless mounting. Capture amazing hands-free shots from creative angles, see the world from your pet's view, or uncover fresh perspectives. The biggest...

I'm a big fan of BetaFPV's PAVO series; I have already reviewed the Pavo Pivo, Pavo20, and Pavo30. I like the Whoop-style design with duct propellers. The new Pavo35 is the series's biggest and most powerful model and is intended to carry a full-size action camera such as the GoPro 12 or Insta360 Ace Pro. Equipped with Lava 2006-2400KV brushless...

Commonly, the product name of FPV motors is formed by a group of two numbers. The first one refers to the dimensions of the motor and the second one to the speed of the motor. Brushless motors have two main parts: the rotor with permanent magnets and the stator with copper coils. After learning to decipher the numbers on...

DarwinFPV's newest CineWhoop-style FPV drone has three FPV options: Analog, DJI O3 Air Unit, and RunCam Washp. Another exciting feature of the CineApe35 is the onboard GM8 GPS module, allowing BetaFlight fail-safe return to home. The DarwinFPV CineApe35 has two power options: 4s and 6s. The only difference between the two versions is the KV number of the motors. The...

This week, I was contacted by FLSUN on the occasion of the launch of two new 3D printer models. FLSUN S1 and T1 adopt a delta design and enclosed full metal frame structure. Besides the different build volumes, these two machines have many other significant differences, which is expected as the S1 costs two times more than the T1. Besides...