FPV drone equipment list and resources
The equipment list and resources we used to build our cineloop and 5-inch FPV drone are as follows.
simulator
First, buy a radio (controller), and then practice with the simulator on your computer. It will save you time and frustration if you can figure out how to fly the FPV drone in fact first, rather than repeatedly crashing and destroying the real thing. I use the Taranis x9d, but the Taranis Q X7 or most of the other radios will do. I set it up with Mr. Steele's simulator.
Choosing the right FPV drone
Initially, we start with cineloop. The following cineloop section details the original post. Since then, we've added five inches of drones. If you want to know what the difference is, we made a video on YouTube.
Most UAVs have the same basic components:
Frame: holds all parts.
Motor: it's a good idea to have one or two replacement parts on hand.
Battery: my version uses 4S (4 batteries), but some settings have been optimized for 6S.
ESC: control the speed of the motor.
Flight controller: the brain that controls everything.
Camera: traditionally a standard definition analog camera. The video signal in the simulation system is usually sent through the flight controller to cover the data on the screen (OSD).
Video transmitter (vtx) + antenna: the video from the flight controller is fed to vtx, which then transmits the signal back to the goggles.
Goggles: receive and display video.
Radio: used to control UAVs.
Receiver + antenna: the module that receives the control input from the radio and forwards it to the flight controller.
Buzzer: optional module, connected to the flight controller, can automatically sound the buzzer when the battery pops up, and can be assigned to the switch of the radio. This is very useful for locating the crashed UAV.
GPS: optional unit, beam back coordinate to goggles / radio. It also allows the arrow "home" to be displayed on the OSD. It's not necessary on cineloop because its payload is limited and it usually flies very slowly and not far away.
Note that the above description is for traditional simulation systems. DJI's digital FPV system replaces cameras, vtx, receivers, goggles and radios, integrating its own goggles and optional radios.
As for the build itself, I loosely follow Joshua Bardwell's complete UAV build guide and this build to get the gist of how to assemble the various components. Although these components are different, the build process / technology is the same. I just use the pin diagram provided in the FC / ESC instruction to determine which wires are used for my specific components. If you don't know how to weld, take a look at Oscar beam's Guide. If you use DJI's digital FPV system, I'll use this tutorial to connect air units.
Once you've built your FPV drone, if you've built the simulation setup, you can use this tutorial to bind it to your radio. If you are using the DJI FPV system, linking components is as simple as pressing a few buttons.
