DRONE FRAMES
Frame sizes, materials, motor mounts
FRAME SIZE GUIDE
| SIZE | WHEELBASE | PROP | TYPICAL WEIGHT | STYLE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | ~40mm | 1" | <30g | Indoor | Brushed or micro brushless. 1S only. |
| 2" | ~80mm | 2" | 30–80g | Micro | 1S–2S. Nimble, light. Good for indoor/outdoor micro. |
| 3" | ~130mm | 3" | 80–180g | Micro freestyle | Often sub-250g with li-ion. 2S–4S. |
| 3.5" | ~155mm | 3.5" | 120–220g | Sub-250 perf | Sweet spot for sub-250g reg with real performance. |
| 5" | ~220–250mm | 5" | 300–700g | Racing/freestyle | Most popular class. Massive component choice. 4S–6S. |
| 6" | ~260–290mm | 6" | 400–800g | Efficiency/LR | Better efficiency. Longer flights. 4S–6S. |
| 7" | ~300–330mm | 7" | 600g–1kg | Long range | High efficiency cruise. 6S + 18650 li-ion packs. |
| 10"–15" | 400–600mm | 10–15" | 1–5kg | Heavy lift | Hex/octo configs. Large payload. Commercial use. |
FRAME CONFIGURATIONS
X / TRUE-X
Standard 4-motor layout. Symmetric handling in all directions. Best for racing. Props equidistant from FC.
STRETCHED-X
Rear motors moved back. More stable at speed, reduced prop wash. Common for freestyle and long-range.
DEADCAT
Front motors angled out. Props out of camera view. Popular for cinematic builds. Slightly less efficient.
CINEWHOOP
Ducted frame — props fully enclosed. Safest indoors, protects props. Heavier, less efficient. Sub-250g versions exist.
TRICOPTER
3 motors, one rear motor tilts for yaw control. Efficient, quiet. Complex mechanically. Less popular than quad.
H-FRAME
Elongated body. More space for electronics. Good for long-range with battery placement flexibility. Slower yaw response.
MOTOR MOUNT PATTERNS
| PATTERN | HOLE SPACING | TYPICAL USE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16×16mm | 16mm | Micro / 2–3" builds | Common on 1104–1404 motors |
| 19×19mm | 19mm | 3" builds | Some 1506–1604 motors |
| 25×25mm | 25mm | 4–5" builds | Standard for many 2204–2306 motors |
| M3 / 30.5×30.5mm | 30.5mm | 5–7" builds | Most common FC/ESC stack size |
| M3 / 20×20mm | 20mm | Micro stacks | Common FC/ESC for 3–4" builds |
Frame material: 3K carbon fibre is standard. Higher-grade T700 is lighter and stiffer. 3D-printed TPU used for motor guards, camera mounts and arm bumpers.