A 2026 guide to building, tuning and flying
You watched the freestyle edit. Then you opened the retailer page and the listings made no sense. That confusion is normal — nothing on a shopping page supplies the learning sequence or checks that your chosen equipment works together.
This book is that order, with the reasoning left in.
Not published yet. Draft under correction; technical and reader review incomplete; publication date not set. Chapter 1's text is free; its remaining photography is still being produced. The tools, guides and downloads are also drafts and have not yet been verified for practical use. Join the publication list below for updates.
Start with the foundations and Build One. Chapter 8's progression check comes before Build Two's ordering, assembly and flight route; reading ahead and leaving the next build deferred are valid choices. A radio, goggle setup or charger carries over only when it matches the exact next aircraft and its power requirements.
Build One
46.66 g HDZero reference
Estimated weights, not measurements of a finished drone. Incomplete estimates are marked above.
A 65–80 mm brushless 1S ducted quad on the main from-parts route. Chapter 1 also explains an assembled BNF alternative; both routes retain the applicable equipment, setup and first-flight checks.
Build Two
618.16 g 5-inch reference · 232 g cruising 4S toothpick reference
Estimated weights, not measurements of a finished drone. Incomplete estimates are marked above.
A 5-inch 6S freestyle build, or a cruising 4S toothpick targeting below 250 g. Assemble, inspect and weigh your own aircraft before flight; weight alone is not permission to fly.
Analog route. The Air65 II analog reference is for indoor learning only. It has no battery-backed recovery alarm, so it cannot by itself complete Chapter 8's required outdoor progression to Build Two. Budget for a separately qualified recovery-equipped outdoor route; do not add an unverified finder. See the analog parts list.
These partial estimates use historical USD prices, not current quotes. Some prices and quantities are still missing. Budget separately for shared equipment, shipping and tax, and check the full parts list and compatibility before ordering.
Weight is not trivia. For a privately built aircraft, the EU Open A1 route requires maximum take-off mass including payload below 250 g and maximum operating speed below 19 m/s; all other applicable Open Category and national requirements still apply. Weight alone is not permission to fly. The book therefore treats low-mass planning as a first-class option, not a promise of legality. Use the Build weight planner, then verify the finished aircraft and current rules with EASA privately built drones FAQ and your local authority before flying.
Learn how an FPV drone works, choose compatible equipment, practise in a simulator, and work towards building and flying. Follow the equipment plan in Chapter 6 before starting Chapter 4's practical work with batteries and chargers. Later chapters cover filming and keeping your drone in good condition.
Five questions about where you fly, what the rules are where you live, and what you want to film. Ends with a supported path—or a clear reason to defer Build Two—and the reasoning behind it.
Start with a book reference build, edit weights and add extra items. Compare your estimate with the reference and weight target.
A draft guide to pairing your radio and receiver and understanding the receiver's lights. Testing with the specified equipment is still to be completed.
Draft exercises and a materials-selection checklist for isolated wire and purpose-made practice boards. Core wire-to-pad practice is separate from optional header and SMD work. Hands-on testing of the guide is still to be completed.
Explore the parts behind each build, with available weight data and historical price estimates. Some details are incomplete; verify your full parts list and compatibility before buying.
A draft reference for firmware and App versions, setup terms, failsafe behaviour and on-screen display settings. Practical checks with the specified equipment are still to be completed.
Read the untimed pre-flight and crash-debrief drafts and their limitations. Revised printable cards are not ready for use.
Every term the book defines, with the chapter that introduces it. Useful on its own when a forum post loses you.