1. Introduction
FPV (First Person View) drones are beloved by drone enthusiasts for their agility, speed, and ability to offer an engaging perspective during flight. Installing motors on an FPV drone is a crucial phase to ensure optimal performance and safety during flight. In this guide, we will explore the basic details of installing drone motor on FPV drones, including ESC/motor compatibility, motor mounting, cable routing, measuring cables to fit desired lengths, and troubleshooting common issues.
2. ESC/Motor Compatibility
Before starting the motor installation process, it’s essential to ensure that the Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs) are compatible with the motors you intend to use. ESCs regulate the speed and direction of motor rotation and must be capable of handling the current required for motor operation. Therefore, it’s necessary to ensure that the ESCs support the current and voltage required by the motors, in addition to being compatible with the drone’s flight controller firmware.
3. Motor Mounting
3.1. Motor Attachment
Use appropriate screws and nuts to secure the motors to the drone frame. Ensure that the motors are securely fastened to prevent unwanted movements during flight and that the screws do not touch or are close to the stators (this could cause motor overheating issues).
3.2. Use of Insulating Gaskets and Racewiring
To reduce vibrations and protect electronic components, it is advisable to use insulating gaskets between the motors and the drone frame. Racewiring can also be used if the motor cables are too short or if you want to facilitate motor replacement in the future.
3.3. Cable Routing
3.3.1. Planning Cable Routing
Before connecting the motor cables to the ESCs, plan the cable routing to ensure a neat and safe installation. Avoid cable crossings or tangles that could interfere with motor movements or other drone components. It’s also possible to route the cables internally between the Flight Controller (FC) and ESC (in the case of a stack), which helps to have a cleaner build visually and allows leaving the motor cables longer; however, leaving internal cables may cause vibrations.
3.3.2. Use of Cable Protections and Fastening
To prevent leaving the cables loose, it is necessary to protect and secure them on the arm; for this purpose, there are several solutions: hard plastic tubing (not recommended because they break at the first crash), electrical tape, zip ties, cloth tape (the best in experience), etc.
3.4. Measuring Cables
3.4.1. Determine Cable Length Measure
The distance between the motors and ESCs to determine the length of cables needed. It is advisable to leave an additional margin to allow for movements and adjustments during installation. Pay attention to the frame type; the length of cables may vary depending on the arm.
3.4.2. Cable Cutting Once
The desired cable length is determined, carefully cut them using pliers or scissors designed for electrical cables, strip the ends, and pre-solder them.
3.4.3. Cable Soldering Connect
The motor cables to the ESCs using the appropriate soldering technique. Ensure that the connections are solid, secure, and that the solder does not contact adjacent pads or other ESC components to avoid false contacts, disconnections during flight, or short circuits.
By carefully following these steps and considering component compatibility, mounting motors on an FPV drone can be a rewarding process that improves the performance and stability of your drone during flight. Always remember to perform a thorough pre-flight check to ensure that all components are properly installed and functioning as expected; now let’s move on to motor configuration.
4. Motor Configuration
Configuring motors on an FPV drone is a crucial step to ensure optimal performance and a good flying experience. Using a flight configurator, such as Betaflight, Cleanflight, or Kiss, you can customize various parameters to tailor your drone’s behavior to your flying preferences. Below are the various steps to configure motors with our flight configurator.
4.1. Connection and Preparation
Before starting, make sure your drone is connected to the computer via a USB cable and that the flight configurator is open and correctly configured to communicate with the drone. Also, ensure that the propellers have been removed, and the drone’s battery is disconnected to avoid accidents.
4.2. Access to the Motor tab
Once connected, open the flight configurator and go to the section dedicated to motors. This section will allow you to adjust the parameters of individual motors according to your needs; this is where we will begin our configuration.
4.3. Checking Motor Order and Rotation Direction
Ensure that your drone’s motors are connected to the correct pins on your flight control board. Otherwise, the motors may spin in the wrong direction or not respond correctly to inputs. Check that the motor order is correct or change it through the configurator. Once it is confirmed that the order is correct, check the rotation direction (prop-in/prop-out) and that all motors respect the correct direction.
4.4. Motor Settings
Now is the time to adjust the motor settings. These settings include maximum motor speed, communication protocol, and other advanced options. Make sure you have your motor and ESC manuals handy to correctly configure the settings. For example, on a blheli_s ESC, it is recommended to download the Bluejay firmware.
4.5. Motor Testing
After setting the motor parameters, it is advisable to perform a test to ensure that all motors spin in the correct direction and respond uniformly to throttle inputs (WARNING: remove the propellers as previously stated). You can do this using the flight configurator, which will allow you to individually activate each motor.
4.6. Fine Tuning and Flight Test
Once the motor configuration is complete, it is advisable to perform some flight tests to verify that the drone behaves as desired. If necessary, further adjustments can be made to the motor parameters to improve performance or adapt the drone’s behavior to your flying preferences through PID tuning.
4.7. Safety Considerations
Before taking off, always make sure to perform a thorough check of your drone to ensure that all components are securely fastened and that there are no obvious damages. Always respect local regulations and fly in designated areas to avoid accidents and hazards to yourself and others.
We have seen how to mount and solder the motors, how to configure them; now let’s see the most common issues we may encounter.
5. Resolving Common Issues During FPV Drone Motor Installation
As we have seen, installing motors on an FPV drone is a crucial part of building a quadcopter. However, some issues may arise during this process. Let’s see what the most common challenges are and how to address them:
5.1. Vibrations and Abnormal Oscillations
- Possible Causes: Vibrations can be caused by unbalanced motors, damaged propellers, or incorrect motor mounting on the frame.
- Solutions: Balance the motors using a prop balancer. Check that the propellers are not damaged and securely mount the motors on the frame, using insulating gaskets if necessary.
5.2. Excessive Heat on Motors
- Possible Causes: Excessive current through the motors, poor airflow, screws too long and therefore too close to the stator, incorrect PID settings, incorrect ESC firmware, can cause overheating.
- Solutions: Check that the ESCs are calibrated correctly and that the current supplied to the motors is adequate. Ensure that the airflow around the motors is sufficient , avoiding obstructions in the drone frame, recheck the screws, and finally, if the problem persists, review the PID settings.
5.3. Cable Connection Problems
- Possible Causes: Damaged cables, loose connections, or faulty solder joints can cause connection problems.
- Solutions: Inspect the cables carefully for any damage. Ensure that the connections are securely connected and that the solder joints are of good quality; also recheck the cable bends in case they have been forced and may have broken internally.
5.4. Motors Not Starting or Not Responding Correctly
- Possible Causes: Incorrect ESC configuration, power issues, motor or ESC damage, incorrect ESC-motor connections and/or ESC/FC connections can cause motor malfunction.
- Solutions: Check the ESC configuration and reprogram them if necessary. Check that the power supply is correct and that there are no interruptions in the electrical circuits. Inspect the motors for any physical damage. Recheck the connector that connects FC to ESC (in some stacks, it is necessary to pay attention to which connector is inserted into the ESC and which connector is inserted into the FC, having a different min order).
5.5. Strange Noises During Motor Operation
- Possible Causes: Some abnormal noises may indicate mechanical damage to the motors; in other cases, there may be abnormal noises due to incorrect PID settings, misaligned bells, dirty motors, or incorrect configuration.
- Solutions: Visually inspect the motors for any signs of damage or wear. Recheck the PID settings, motor, and ESC configuration, give the motors a clean.
5.6. ESC/Motor Compatibility Issues
- Possible Causes: ESCs may not be suitable for the motors in use or may not be compatible with the flight controller firmware.
- Solutions: Check the compatibility of ESCs and motors using technical specifications and manufacturer recommendations. Update the flight controller firmware if necessary.
Addressing these issues requires patience and attention to detail. With proper diagnosis and the right solutions, most problems that may arise during the installation of motors on an FPV drone can be successfully resolved. If problems persist, consult online resources (social media communities can also be a great source of help) or seek assistance from industry experts for additional support.
