I fell in love with the QAV-S because of the genius way its arms join to the frame, allowing for one-screw arm changes, without putting a weakening screw hole through the center of the arm. But there was a problem: the arms sometimes got wiggly, especially after taking a few crashes. V2 of the QAV-S fixes that with an innovative aluminum arm mounting mechanism. This is the only frame we’re aware of that applies lateral force to stabilize the arms, as well as sandwiching them between frame plates. And if the arms start to wiggle, you just tighten the screw a little and they’re good as new!

The QAV-S hits the sweet spot of being roomy enough to build with ease, without being so big that it compromises flight characteristics. It’s also relatively lightweight, but still tough enough for typical freestyle bashing. (If you are the hardest-core of concrete bando bashers, you might want a heavier and more durable frame.)

As much as I loved the original QAV-S, there were a few things I changed to make the JB Edition. I requested a solid top plate for increased rigidity and strength; this also allowed the removal of one standoff. I shortened the standoffs to a 22m height. I thickened the front-bottom plate from 2mm to 3mm. Finally, I added a few notches to the tapered rear of the top plate, to allow a 2nd battery strap to be used without it sliding backward. All of these changes increased the frame’s strength and durability while keeping the overall weight below 125g, which I think is the sweet spot for great flight performance.

This frame will hold a Caddx Vista, O3, O4, and Walksnail video transmitter, but not an original DJI Air Unit. HDZero Freestyle will just barely fit in the rear, but with so little room to spare, we don’t recommend it.

The AOS5 was created by Chris Rosser, an Aerothermal Engineer who turned his professional expertise towards making the best-flying quadcopter frame ever. Chris used computer-based stress and resonance analysis to balance lightness and strength while pushing vibration frequencies above the range that the FC cares about. The result: clean, smooth-sounding motors, and the ability to turn filtering down and PID gains up for the sharpest flight response you’ve ever had.

All that aside, my favorite characteristic of the AOS-5 is its flexibility. It’s got multiple 20mm, 25mm, and 30mm mounting slots, so you can mount almost any electronics you want. Need to put your DJI O4 in front of the flight controller, leaving the rear free for … whatever? You can do it! The Evo also supports up to 5.5″ props!

If this frame’s up-side is that it was designed by an engineer first and a pilot second, that’s also its downside. The frame is a bit fiddly to build and maintain, and it’s not as durable as some other frames. This isn’t just an issue for concrete bando bashers; even more “normal” pilots may find the balance too far in the direction of “lightweight agility” and not enough in the direction of “heavyweight durability”. I tend to LOVE how the AOS5 flies when it’s brand new, but once the frame gets beat on a little bit, it sometimes flies worse than a more rugged frame with a less “perfect” PID tune.

The ImpulseRC Apex is considered by some to be the best freestyle frame you can buy today. It’s tough as nails, and its reputation for having superior vibration characteristics was recently objectively confirmed by the aerospace materials engineer Chris Rosser.

Why doesn’t everyone fly the Apex? It’s heavier than some of the alternatives (although this does increase its durability). And it’s one of the most expensive 5” frames you can get. It’s relatively compact, so if you need extra room to fit in unusually large electronics, it won’t work.

The latest revision of the Apex, the Apex Evo, updates the design to fit the O3 air unit and camera. The new metal front end has vibration-isolation for the FPV camera, which helps the O3’s image stabilization work its best. Of course, the frame can be used with standard 19mm wide FPV cameras too. At the time of this writing, there is no official support for the O4 Pro camera, but people have made 3d prints to mount that camera.

Stealing the best ideas from the past, while innovating into the future: that’s the ItsFPV ERA frame. The most innovative feature is its nylon polymer camera cage. The plastic is near-indestructible. And the custom molding protects and secures the camera like almost nothing else. ItsFPV claims that its carbon fiber is “up to 55% stronger than other frames,” but we don’t know how you’d verify that. A single screw secures your GoPro using the clips built into the bottom of the camera. But unlike most frames, this one holds the GoPro’s angle in place, so it doesn’t shift in crashes.

The rest of the frame is not as groundbreaking. It just uses all the best design choices of other frames developed to date. Nothing wrong with that.

The main down-side of the frame is its price. It’s one of, if not the most expensive 5″ freestyle frame you can buy. Its proponents would argue that the increased durability makes up for this, but I’m not sure I’m convinced. The design of the front end locks you in to a single camera angle, selected by the mounting plates that hold the camera. Angles of 10-30 degrees are available. If you wanted more uptilt, you’re out of luck. The GoPro angle is also fixed at 20 degrees, and does not change as the FPV camera uptilt changes, which can result in framing issues in the HD footage.

If you’re shopping for the O4 Pro, make sure to buy the version of the frame specifically designed for that, as the standard version doesn’t fit the O4 camera.

One look at the Speedybee Mario, and you’d think it was an ultra-premium, expensive frame. Custom 3D prints for every variation. Metal air intakes are claimed to cool the FC and ESC; we just think they look badass. It’s compact, but not so tight that it’s impossible to build in. And here’s the kicker: its like, $40.

Before you click that buy button, watch my build video below, because there are some “quirks” to building it that can be frustrating. But if you can get over the “quirks,” the Speedybee Mario is a heck of a value. For a lot of people, it’s the only 5″ freestyle frame they’d buy.

When you go to purchase, be aware that there are a BUNCH of variations. The major one is DC (deadcat) or XH (x geometry) arms. There are also three “trim levels”. The “lite” version doesn’t come with any 3D prints, but the STL files are available for download and you can print them yourself. The “advance” version come with 3D prints. The “pro” version comes with prints and plastic side plates.

Here’s another great budget motor choice from one of the most respected and prominent motor manufacutrers in the world of FPV. This is one of the only motors in this price range to use arc magnets instead of flat magnets, which is supposed to make the motor run smoother and allow for a tighter arc gap. Assuming you’re using 6S batteries, we recommend 1750 kv for cruising and flowy style with longer battery life and 1950 kv if you want more top-end power.

Xing-E is iFlight’s budget line of motors. Xing-E Pro motors have hollow steel shaft instead of titanium alloy shaft, so they might be slightly less durable. They’re still a one-piece milled aliuminum “uni-bell” just like the premium Xing motor. I don’t think the steel shaft by itself should make up the price difference, but I can’t really figure out where else they cut corners to make the price lower. The one thing I do note is that the Xing motors are advertised as using stornger 7075 aluminum, whereas the alloy for the Xing-E motors is never mentioned. If the Xing-E motors use softer, cheaper aluminum, that could also affect their durability. But anecdotal reports from the field are that they’re pretty durable. And spare bells are widely avilalbe to make repairs. The Xing-E Pro is the budget choice of many pilots.

The motor is available in several kv. Choose 1800 kv for 6S batteries. 2400 and 2700 kv are for 4S batteries, which we don’t recommend for 5″ freestyle any more.

TBS makes damn good hardware. When TBS says the ESC is rated for 70 amps, I believe they actually tested it at 70 amps instead of just pulling that number out of their butt like most manufacturers would. The FC is only 20mm in size, but has solder pads and plugs for six full UARTs. And it’s one of the few FC you can still buy with an MPU6000 gyro — widely considered the cleanest and most durable for FPV drone use. (You can save a little money by buying the ICM-42688P gyro version.)

But there’s this thing that happens in FPV, where a manufacturer comes out with a new design that has some advantage, and nobody uses it because it’s not compatible with all the hardware made for the old design. And I fear that’s what’s going to happen with the Lucid Pro stack. In order to optimize the layout of the FETs on the ESC, they’ve moved the mounting holes to a new pattern that doesn’t fit the 20mm or 30mm holes on existing frames. They call it “Gorilla Mount”. So you either buy one of the few frames with Gorilla Mount , or you use an adapter plate that adds weight and bulk.

Is it worth it? The new ESC has some advantages, but it’s not clear to me whether those advantages will outweigh people’s desire to stick with what’s familiar. Likewise, I’m a little annoyed at the insistence on making the FC 20mm in size. In every situation I’ve encountered, 20mm FC are more annoying to work with than 30mm, so I only use them on smaller, more compact builds.

The Lucid ESC is available in both a 6S and an 8S version. If you’re planning to experiment with higher-voltage batteries, make sure to get the right one.

The T-Motor F7 is a high-quality flight controller with all the features you might expect. But what really stands out in this combo is the F55A ESC. This is one of the most durable, reliable ESC’s you can buy today. I won’t go so far as to say it’s indestructible, but it’s about as close as you can get in this hobby.

This FC does not support analog vTX and camera. It is only for HD (digital) video systems like Walksnail, DJI, and HDZero. This can be a little confusing because there is an identically-named T-Motor FC that does have analog support.

If you hate soldering, Rotor Riot has a solder-free version of this stack, which comes with XT60 pre-soldered and plugs soldered to the ESC. You can buy Rotor Riot motors with plugs-pre-soldered and just plug it all together.

As of February, 2025, I am hearing reports that the legendary reliability of theF55 ESC may be no more. Some people on my Discord server say they’re burning up the F55 and no longer use it. On the other hand, I know of several commercial operations that, together, use 30-50 of these ESC’s a year, and have had no issues with them. One says the reliability used to be bulletproof, and now is “just normal.” For now, I’m keeping them on the list, but I thought you should know.

This is an absolute beast of a FC. I can’t believe how much functionality is packed in here. Dual gyros. Barometer (with foam cover already installed). 13 motor outputs! 7 UARTs. 2 i2c busses. CANBUS support. 2 camera inputs with built in switcher. 8S support. Enough analog inputs for 2 separate vBat sensors, RSSI sensor, airspeed sensor, and more. Built in pit-switch to power vTX on and off. SD card slot for blackbox logging. Support for Betaflight, iNav, and (soon) Ardupilot.

With all that functionality, you’d expect it to cost a lot, but it doesn’t. It’s not the cheapest out there, but it’s very reasonable. Is it overkill for most builds? Yes. But it’s really nice to know that, whatever I want to do, my FC can do it.

Frankly, there’s very little this FC can’t do. It’s become my go-to FC for most builds, especially because it pairs beautifully with the TBS Lucid ESC.

This ESC ticks all the boxes. 60 amp rating. Supports up to 8s voltage. Runs AM32 firmware. And here’s what I love the most about it: it’s made by TBS, so you know when they say it’s rated for 60 amps, it means they put it on a test stand an pumped 60 amps through it for hours just to see if it would melt. Okay — I don’t know for a fact that they did that, but the point stands. TBS makes solid gear and stands behind it. And that’s what you want from an ESC.

Oh. And it’s pretty inexpensive too.

Here’s another extremely affordable FC/ESC stack for builders on a budget. Let’s be clear: the Speedybee F405 beats this stack in almost every way. It’s got more UARTs. It’s got Bluetooth built in. Just about the only way the HGLRC Specter beats the Speedybee is in its ESC amp rating — and let’s be honest, who knows how accurate that amp rating really is? The Specter also has two ESC plugs for up to 8 motor outputs, whereas the Speedybee would require you to solder on motors 5-8 if you were building an octo-copter.

So why’s the Specter here? Because the world needs more affordable FC’s and ESC’s. And you never know … maybe the Speedybee is out of stock!

With a product like this, you always wonder if it’s inexpensive because it’s bad quality. I asked a couple of stores that sell the Specter and they said their return rate was not very high. So until I hear otherwise, this product gets to be on the list.

These are, hands down, the best, highest-performance lipo packs can buy in this class today. I feel so weird saying that because usually there’s some back-and-forth when comparing products. It’s so unusual to have one that is just … the clear winner … in everything! These SMC packs have the highest energy density, lowest voltage sag under load, best peak power, best continuous power… you name it.

The 1400 mAh version weighs 208 grams and performs closer to a typical 1650 mAh pack weighing around 260 grams. The 1600 mAh version weighs 240 grams and performs closer to an 1800 mAh pack weighing around 290 grams. And the pricing of the SMC is the same or lower than other ultra-premium brands!

Just to be clear, if you are looking for an ultra high-density, low-discharge pack for long range flying, this isn’t it. But as long as you are looking for  a high power pack for racing or freestyle, this is the one to buy. How is it possible? SMC is working with the best cell manufacturer in the world and then selling packs at a lower margin than their competitors, to keep them affordable. That’s the short version. If you need to hear the gritty details, watch Chris Rosser’s testing video below.

The Gemfan Hurricane line has a prop for almost anybody. It’s a great all-round combination of thrust, efficiency, responsiveness, and durability. I like the 51477 version so much, I even have a JB-branded one in my signature purple and yellow colors!

Choose the 4937 if you want a little more responsiveness at the cost of flight time and max power. The 51XX are the middle ground. 51433 is a great, smooth freestyle prop. 51466 and 51477 give a little more thrust at the cost of smoothness (also good for higher altitudes where air is thinner). The 51499 goes significantly further in this direction, and may be more appropriate for racing than freestyle — but that’s up to you! Finally, the 5236 is even larger in diameter, for increased flight time at the expense of responsiveness.

One annoying thing about the Hurricane line: the last two numbers do NOT indicate the prop pitch. The 51499 is NOT 4.9″ pitch. It’s 4.2″. This is especially frustrating because many stores list the pitch as the designated number (e.g. 4.7″ for the 51477). I have no idea why Gemfan decided to buck the normal naming convention this way. When you’re comparing Hurricane props to other props, be sure you know the ACTUAL pitch of the Hurricane prop, not the number in the name.

51433 pitch is 3.5″
51466 pitch is 3.6″
51477 pitch is 3.7″
51499 pitch is 4.2″

I always thought these props were overrated until I tried them on Mr. Steele’s actual quad. Then I got it. These props are terrible on heavier freestyle builds. That’s not what they’re made for. But on lightweight freestyle builds (5″ quads under 650 grams All Up Weight) they come alive.

Have you ever dove over an obstacle and then needed to catch yourself precisely at the bottom to fly through a gap? That’s where these props excel. You can find the exact throttle position you need quickly and precisely, without over-shooting or pulsing the throttle. They’re also easy on the battery for extended flight time. The tradeoff is that they lack the razor-sharp cornering and neck-snapping acceleration you get with higher-pitch props.

The S line are 5.0″ in diameter, in increasing pitch. Steele recommends the S3 for quads between 500-650g, up to about 3000′ above sea level. The S4 gives a little more thrust, especially suited for altitudes up to 10,000′. The S5 has the highest pitch and is for heavier quads up to 750g (such as carrying a GoPro). The S5 is also 18% gray to make it less visible if it’s in the camera’s view.

The P line are 5.1″ in diameter, for slightly more efficiency and thrust, with slightly less responsiveness. They may be more suited to slightly heavier builds.

The K line are 6″ props and probably won’t fit on your 5″ freestyle build, but they might show up in some of the linked search results.

This prop is designed to be lightweight and responsive. The name suggests it’s ideal for the snappy flips and abrupt stops of “sbang” style freestyle, as popularized by Marius FPV, Farouk FPV, and others. It achieves its responsiveness via a smaller diameter and low pitch. This means it won’t make as much thrust as heavier, higher-pitch props. It’s also less durable.

This prop is sold in packs of all CW or all CCW. Make sure to buy both directions!

Let’s say you crash your quad somewhere and can’t find it. What do you do? Try to “home in” on the video signal? Beep the beeper? Maybe even arm the quad and listen for the sound of the props thrashing around in the brush. But none of that will help if your battery ejected in the crash and your quad is powered down.

That’s where the ViFly Finder comes in. It’s a super loud (up to 105 dB!) beeper with a tiny 1S lipo cell connected to it. A short while after the quad loses power, it begins beeping, and it doesn’t stop until you find it and disable it (or until the battery runs down). The Finder also acts as a normal beeper that you can activate with a switch on your controller whenever you want.

There are two versions of the Finder: the Mini and the Normal. The Mini is about 3g and its battery lasts about 7 hours. The Normal is about 5g and its battery lasts about 30 hours. In addition, the Normal has a light sensor that turns off the beeper at night. This avoids annoying your neighbors and wasting battery during time when you might not be looking for the quad.