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Manned Class Racing Drone Guide

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Manned class racing drone prototypes have arrived and are achieving aerobatic flight (watch above). Alauda Racing from Australia was the first to demonstrate a manned racing drone with their prototype Airspeeder, whilst more recently Drone Champions League from Germany demonstrated aerobatic flips and rolls with their prototype. The table below shows how the published specifications for the two prototypes compare.

Interactive figure may take a few seconds to load… CLICK table for links to more information and pricing.

Manned class drones can be built using off-the-shelf parts. One example is a manned multirotor called the ‘flying bathtub‘, which has been listed on RotorBuilds since 2018. We’ve created our own design for a manned racing drone with a thrust to weight ratio of 2.1, though a custom frame needs to be fabricated (see diagram below). For comparison, a typical FPV racing drone has a thrust/weight of 6.0 or above, so expect less agility than an FPV racing or freestyle drone.

Interactive figure may take a few seconds to load… CLICK figure for product links.

What might it feel like to fly a manned racing drone? The best reference is the now discontinued Red Bull air race, where pilots experienced up to ten times the force of gravity flying between giant inflatable gates in a fixed wing aircraft (below).

If you’re looking for the ultimate vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for personal use, look no further than a decommissioned Harrier Jump Jet. A retired US navy pilot purchased his own Harrier and restored it to operational flight, now flying the monster jet aircraft at air shows (below).

Next, use our flowchart to explore FPV drone technology.

KandyKwad FPV Drone by RIPT Kwads

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Interactive image may take a few seconds to load… CLICK image and table for product links. Kandy Kwad runs on Betaflight 4.0.4 using Betaflight configurator 10.5. Illustrated KandyKwad features a custom painted frame by Bobby Harman Designs. *The tried and tested analog FPV system can be interchanged for the DJI Digital FPV System* in combination with a voltage regulator** but this setup has not experienced the same level of real-world testing. All of the links on this image are affiliate links. Jason Langhoff and I receive a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking one of the affiliate links. You can also support Jason by making any purchase on RIPT-Kwads, Rose Photography by liking and sharing their Facebook page, FPVcompare by becoming a Patreon supporter and FPV Builders by liking and sharing their Facebook page.

Jason Langhoff and the Drone Tech’s Facebook group are passionate about helping FPV drone freestyle pilots reach their full potential. Jason emphasises that FPV drone pilots should have the knowledge and tools to repair their FPV drone, because this removes fear, allowing pilots to push harder and accelerate their learning process. The mantra of Jason and Drone Tech’s is ‘Fly, break, fix, repeat’. 

To maximise air time for new pilots, Jason has made it his mission to identify a tough, reliable and easy to repair FPV drone setup, which he calls the ‘KandyKwad’ (pictured above). In collaboration with Jason, we’ve brought together all the information you’ll need to build, fly and repair the KandyKwad. If you want to start out with a prebuilt KandyKwad, RIPT Kwads offer original and premium ready-to-fly versions. Continue reading below for detailed setup for connecting the QX7 controller to the long-range Crossfire module, and an extended gallery of the Kandykwad.

QX7 and Crossfire setup

Jason uses the following controller switch (Figures 1-6) and crossfire (Figures 7-15) settings.

If you have power warnings on your QX7 controller once the Crossfire module is connected then you will need to complete a power-modification with the chip provided with the Crossfire module, as explained in the video below.

You will also need Lua scripts to connect your QX7 and Crossfire (see video below).

KandyKwad Gallery by Rose Photography

Illustrated KandyKwad features a custom painted frame by Bobby Harman Designs. Support Jason by making any purchase on RIPT-Kwads, FPV Builders by liking and sharing their Facebook page, Rose Photography by liking and sharing their Facebook page and FPVcompare by making any purchase (not just the linked product) after clicking one of the affiliate links.

Top FPV Drone Freestyle Builds

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Interactive builds may take a few seconds to load… CLICK builds for flight footage and latest part prices. All of the links on this image are affiliate links. I receive a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking one of the affiliate links. Support FPVcompare directly by becoming a Patreon supporter. Build lists sourced from pilot Youtube videos. Mr Steele states the Kiss 2-5S 25A ESCs takes a 6S LiPo in his step by step build video. 

Here are FPV drone builds for freestyle flight from four of the worlds best FPV freestyle pilots; Mr Steele, Johnny FPV, Le Drib and Fincky. Components common to multiple FPV drone freestyle builds include the TBS Crossfire Nano receiver (3/4 builds), GoPro Hero 7 Black action camera (2/4 builds), Kiss FC V2 flight controller (2/4 builds), Kiss 2-5S 25A ESCs (2/4 builds) and RunCam Swift Mini 2 FPV camera (2/4 builds). Next, discover top-flight racer builds or use our decision flowchart to navigate current FPV racing drone technology.

Best First FPV Drone Builds

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Interactive matrix may take a few seconds to load… CLICK matrices for latest prices. *FPV Builders and DRONE RACING INTERNATIONAL FPV were asked ‘What first-build would you recommend to a beginner?’.

With the benefit of hindsight, the FPV community was asked to recommend a first FPV drone build to a beginner. In response, they provided a list of builds but also invaluable advice. Use our clickable comparison table and diagram (above) to explore builds, advice and individual drone parts. If you’re looking for a mentor to guide you through your first FPV drone build, join Facebook group Drone Tech’s and message admin Jason Langhoff. Jason is passionate about giving new pilots the knowledge to build and repair FPV drones, because he is confident the best way to accelerate the FPV learning process is Break, fix, fly, repeat.

To maximise air time for new pilots, Jason made it his mission to identify a tough, reliable and easy to repair build called the KandyKwad (pictured above). In collaboration with Jason, we’ve brought together all the information you need to build, fly and repair the KandyKwad in a one-stop KandyKwad page.

Top FPV Drone Racer Builds

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Interactive builds may take a few seconds to load… CLICK builds for DVR flight footage and latest part prices. All of the links on this image are affiliate links. I receive a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking one of the affiliate links. Support FPVcompare directly by becoming a Patreon supporter. Build lists sourced from pilot Youtube videos and Instagram posts.

Here are builds from four of the worlds best FPV racers; Minchan Kim from South Korea, Thomas Bitmatta from Australia, Alex Vanover and Silas Aaron (both from the USA). Components common to the majority of top flight FPV racing drone builds include the Lumenier AXII 2 Antenna, TBS Unify Pro32 Nano Video Transmitter, and Hobbywing Xrotor 40A 20×20 Electronic Speed Controller. 

Although great components are important for top-flight FPV drone racing, ‘Racer X‘ comments that ‘the most important thing is the flying ‘feel’ and the balance between durability versus lightness, and this only comes from real-life testing. This feel is something very personal with some pilots loving very light frames and others prefering a medium weight‘. Next, discover top flight freestyle builds or use our decision flowchart to navigate current FPV racing drone technology.