FPV Drone Consumables and Essential Equipment
When building a quadcopter, you'll need tools, spare parts, and various consumables. The list below covers the essentials for FPV drones. You can also find shopping lists for FPV airplanes and flying wings on this site. The links provided are from previous orders; if a link is broken or you want to save money, use the product names or images to search for alternatives. If you find a dead link, please open an issue.
| Item | Description | Link | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multimeter | Essential for circuit testing. Must have continuity, voltage, and ohm modes. | UNI-T UT33B+ |  |
| Digital Calipers | For precise measurements. | SHAHE |  |
| Hot Air Station | Optional; used for large heat shrink (d >= 30mm) and electronics repair. | 858D, Alternative |  |
| Soldering Iron | Requires a power supply with appropriate voltage/power as per iron specs. | Hakko T12, Pine64 Pinecil, TS101 |  |
| 24V Power Supply | For the soldering iron. | Noname |  |
| 5.5*2.5mm Connectors | For soldering iron power cables. | 5-pack |  |
| Flux | Neutral flux (no-clean) is best; active flux must be thoroughly washed off. | TT Flux, RMA-UV10, Flux Plus 6-412-A |  |
| Solder | 60/40 or 63/37 (with or without rosin core). | POS60, Kaina (Blue) |  |
| Tip Cleaning Sponge | Brass wool or wet sponge. | Brass Wool, Sponge |  |
| Alcohol | Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for cleaning solder joints. | Buy |  |
| Replacement Tips | Various shapes for different soldering tasks. | For T12, For TS100 |  |
| Helping Hands | For holding components while soldering. | Flexible Arms, Magnetic, Omnifixo (Premium), Omnifixo Clone |  |
| Flush Cutters | For trimming wires (30-14AWG) and component leads. | Binoax |  |
| Soldering Mat | Heat-resistant silicone mat. | 30x20mm |  |
| Cutting Mat | Optional for aeromodelers/builders. | A1-A4 Sizes |  |
| Scalpel/Craft Knife | For precise cutting. | Metal |  |
| Solder Sucker | For desoldering components. | Basic |  |
| Solder Wick | For removing excess solder. | 1.5-3.5mm |  |
| Tweezers | For handling small electronics. | Stainless Steel, Titanium |  |
| Wire Strippers/Crimpers | For wire preparation and connector crimping. | SN-28B, HILDA |  |
| Lab Bench Power Supply | For advanced users. | Basic, RIDEN RD6006 |  |
| Rotary Tool (Dremel) | For frame modifications. | BDCAT |  |
| Silicone Wires | High-quality flexible wires. | Various Diameters, Alternative |  |
| Precision Screwdriver Set | Includes all necessary bits for FPV. | See on AliExpress |  |
| Hex Driver Set | Needs 1.5mm, 2.0mm, and 2.5mm drivers. | Air Hobby Example |  |
| Electric Screwdriver | Makes assembly/disassembly much faster. | Xiaomi Mijia |  |
| Precision Scales | Accuracy down to 0.01g. | NEWACALOX |  |
| Waterproofing (Conformal Coating) | For flying in bad weather or near water. | Guide Here |  |
| Silicone Glue | Buy small tubes as it dries out quickly. | B7000 |  |
| FPV Backpack | For carrying all your gear. | iFlight, Torvol, Auline |  |
| Prop Nut Wrench | For M5 prop nuts. | Style 1, Style 2 |  |
| Motor Grip Pliers | For easier prop removal. | JMT |  |
| Smoke Stopper | For the first flight controller power-up. | Basic Version |  |
| LiPo Fireproof Bag | For safe battery storage and transport. | Search on AliExpress |  |
| Cable Ties (Zip Ties) | 3-6mm width. | Rexant Nylon |  |
| Aluminum Standoffs | For frame repairs. | Knurled M3, Smooth M2/M3 |  |
| Nylon Standoffs | Not recommended for securing the main electronics stack! | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| Nylon Nuts | Lightweight fastening. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| M2 Nylon Screws | Lightweight mounting. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| M3 Nylon Screw/Nut Set | Assorted set. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| Press Nuts | For frame repair or custom builds. | M2, M3, Similar M2, M3 |  |
| Metal Nuts | Standard fasteners. | M2, M3 |  |
| M5 Prop Nuts | With nylon inserts for self-locking. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| Screws/Bolts | CAUTION: Hardened screws may have a ~15% defect rate (heads stripping). | M2/M3 Countersunk, M2/M3 Standard, GEPRC Assorted Set, Titanium M2/M3 |  |
| Dampers (Anti-vibration) | Rubber or silicone mounts for flight controllers. | M2/M3 Rubber Washers, M3 Standoffs, Silicone Dampers |  |
| Kapton Tape | Heat-resistant electrical tape. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| Low ESR Capacitors | To filter electrical noise from the ESC/Motors. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| Battery Pads | Silicone or battery-safe pads for frame grip. | Buy on AliExpress |  |
| 18650 Li-Ion Batteries | For radios and goggle battery packs. | Liitokala 3000mAh |  |
| Silicone Sealant | For antenna fixation and protection. | Kafuter K-704/705 |  |
| Radio Transmitter Muff | For winter flying; fingerless gloves are an alternative. | Wtotoy Muff |  |
| 6S to 1S Charging Adapter | For charging 6x 1S (PH2.0) batteries simultaneously. | 6S - 1S PH2.0 Adaptor |  |
| Balance Lead Extensions | For repairing battery leads or building custom packs. | 2S-6S Assorted |  |
| Connectors and Crimps | JST SH1.0 (1mm), SH1.25 (1.25mm), GH1.25 (locking). | SH1.0 Set, SH1.25, GH1.25, Pre-crimped Silicone Wires |  |
| Double-Sided VHB Tape | For mounting receivers and VTXs. | 3M VHB Tape |  |
| Self-Powered Buzzer | For finding the drone if the battery ejects in a crash. | ViFly / JHEMCU |  |
| Standard 5V Buzzer | Basic audible alarm. | 5V Buzzer |  |
| Bearing Grease | For high-speed bearings; use only for "tired" motors. | Scorpion Oil/Grease |  |
| Connectors: XT30, XT60 | Common high-amp power connectors. | Amass XT Sets |  |
| Heat Shrink Assortment | Various sizes for wire protection. | Set 1, Clear 8-40mm, For Li-Ion packs |  |
| Battery Straps | To secure the LiPo to the frame. | Small, Large |  |
| Battery Charger | Smart balance charger. | ToolkitRC M6D, SkyRC Q200, ViFly 1S |  |
| BEC (Voltage Regulator) | Step-down regulators (e.g., to 5V or 12V). | Micro 2-8S BEC |  |
| Micro SD Cards | For DVR and Blackbox logs. | Search on AliExpress |  |
| ST-Link Programmer | For "unbricking" flight controllers. | ST-Link V2 |  |