3.5inch FPV is not the new 5inch freestyle FPV drone... but this is

[@mat155k]

Two things made my 5 inch flyable in my backyard. A lot of expo on the throttle curve and added adjustable (knob/pot) max throttle on the RC, so I can re-scale max throttle on the go to fly more technical stuff.

[@GarethDix]

I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of adding a max throttle limiter on the radio… that’s a great idea!

[@Kai-P]

I really don't get why "the 5" feel" is even something to strive for. Yes heavy 3" probably feels more like usual heavy 5", 3.5" just feels better and better the lighter it is. It just does what you tell it to do and is not held back. And your 3.5" is still heavy if it's close to 250g.

[@zdkama]

Because it feels _better_. Everyone struggles to put it into words, but it's clearly real because everyone can feel it. It seems counter intuitive to me but quads with larger props absolutely fall slower, even with equal disc loading, yet they do not feel "light" or "twitchy" on the throttle. As OP experiences in this video, 3.5" has more inverted hangtime than 3", and 5" has even more still. And lighter is not always the answer. You can build a sub 250g 5" and it will not fly well. Air molecules do not change size, they are fixed. You can change every other variable, but air is constant. So it makes sense that some physical size/speed of propeller would be the most ideal to push them around. And as soon as I said ideal, it's wrong, because it's just "ideal" for freestyle, and that's really just because of how fast we like our quads to rotate. Larger motors to spin bigger props are physically heavier and will respond slower, so they become difficult/impossible to tune if you want your quad to spin around at 1200 degrees/s. However they're far more "ideal" if you want to haul a lot of payload. That's just not what most people posting FPV videos are doing.

[@GarethDix]

Couldn’t have said it better than this… and don’t get me wrong I like the lightweight crux35 and Discus at 3.5inch but it’s a very different set of flight characteristics… you point it in the direction and it goes, it’s a bit more like a racing quad… but the smaller and lighter you go, the more twitchy it gets. The big thing about a lightweight quad is just that there’s very little throw… the momentum you build up as you hit the throttle just carries you on a 5inch (and to some extent the 3inch here)… on my lightweight builds as soon as you drop the throttle the quad almost immediately stops moving… great for racing and manoeuvring… not so good for tricks that rely on the momentum

[@zdkama]

@@GarethDix Yep, totally agree. I love my 3" quad but it's definitely not the same. I heard someone recently say that 5" quads shrink the world -- you can clear a three story building or 100 yard gap in just a twitch of your finger -- you're basically spider man. But a micro will shrink YOU -- now I'm just a mosquito zipping around through tree branches and under chairs. Both are super fun and amazing, just for different reasons.

[@GarethDix]

Yeah I rarely fly my 3inch out in the open like in this video… I usually fly in way smaller spaces so it had a great 5inch feel to it just scaled right down… getting out in a giant field made it feel tiny 😂 But yeah the trees I flew over in the video were huge and pretty far away… but the 5inch made them feel like tiny bushes 😂

[@h8er137]

Exactly, tiny whoop is what perfection is.

[@Boostedsn95992]

3.5 is definitely my favorite kwads. Quadmula and Grinderino!!

[@GarethDix]

I also love my Grinderino is just looks aggressive even before take off!

[@Boostedsn95992]

@GarethDix I agree totally .I built a digital and analog one ,they get flown more than any other kwads I have

[@DigitalCruzer]

In my opinion, a heavy sub250 3in with 1505 motors with high pitched props feels more in the sweet spot

[@GarethDix]

any recommendation on 1505 motors? I was looking at the Ethic flat rats (1507) the other day for a different build I'm working on which will be quite a heave sub250g build

[@Charlvdwalt073]

Awesome 💯 thank you for video/ Charl South Africa

[@bjowitt]

Throttle resolution can be affected/engineered by not just expo but also how you plot the throttle curves in EdgeTx - you need to experiment with the curves to determine the advantages/disadvantages of 3”/3.5”/5”. Personally I’m concentrating on sub-250g to see off RID etc…

[@GarethDix]

Thanks I'll take a look at that, I'm assuming you had different models set up for each quad rather than each Rx? Luckily remote ID isn't a thing here at the moment but I'm sure it's coming!

[@brandon9689]

After learning on a cheap RTF kit, I was very tempted to go all out on a digital 5 inch BNF or build kit. I'm kind of glad I didn't. Most of my regular flying is either backyard rips/ parks and a 5 inch would terrify the neighbors 😂

[@GarethDix]

I typically fly in smaller spots in the city which is why I haven’t flown my 5inch as much… but I do love it, it’s kind of worth seeing how good it could be… but yeah I’d agree it covers so much ground so you need space… and the noise would definitely upset the neighbours 😂 but some of the tinywhoops I’ve been flying over the winter have been amazing… just need to switch out some bigger motors on them and they’ll freestyle like a mofo in small areas

[@zdkama]

@@GarethDix Yeah, the available space is key. Exploring a city with a whoop is amazing, often tons of small little parks and squares that are the perfect size to rip around with a whoop. Like one statue or sculpture and a bench near a tree is enough haha. You can bring three of them and 30 packs and it's less weight/size than one 5" quad, let alone 6s packs.

[@GarethDix]

@zdkama I recently took a couple of whoops with me on a trip to LA… just flying them around the giant AirBNB was all I needed… flying them outside is hilarious though

[@nugrostv4600]

Thanks for the review

[@PropCrash]

I fly my 3.5" with gnb 930 (4s) net wt. 327g. It flies pretty nice. I noticed a sizable shift in performance when I moved over to heavier batteries (from 274g 4s RDQ 650). I think it be a tad too heavy though and 300g is right between them.

[@GarethDix]

I just had a tattu 650 6s show up which should bring it to around 300g so I can’t wait to see how that changes how it flies. I’ll be trying an 850 on my Grinderino as well as it has 1804 motors so will probably be better at around 350g

[@TheWaddler]

Earned my sub with this video, even though this isn't the first video I've watched of yours, this is exactly what I was looking for. I'm just getting into the hobby and I've only flown in the sims, but I've always felt the 5 inch are too big and powerful for me and what I plan to fly, plus I'm looking to stay under that 250g because I'm in the UK. Appreciate your in-depth comparison on the feelings of each of your quads and I can tell you did your research before even building them, much like I've been doing for a while. I too want a sub250 that flies like a 5 inch, because I do like that hangtime! Pretty sure I'm going to go for the Siren F3 as my first build and basically follow your build, but with analogue (though I have a RTF Cetus X kit on the way as my first quad just to get me in the air). Then I'll probably build another with HDZero, because I'm a tight-arse and won't pay for DJI 😂 Thanks for the vids!

[@GRANOLAFPV]

I wonder if a throttle limit on the 3.5” would induce a more 5”-like feeling.

[@GRANOLAFPV]

Ah I see you mention this at 14:00 !

[@Greg__K]

Or even adding a throttle curve. Easy way to tame a quad a bit and give the throttle more resolution where you'll be using it the majority of the time. I've been playing around with the mid point set to 0 and 0.25 curve. Still have all the power if you need it if you make a mistake.

[@GarethDix]

Yeah this is something I’m looking at for science but I don’t think I could stick to a throttle curve… I used to use it on all my quads but since going back to a linear throttle it’s much easier to fly. But if it’s an option to get the feel of a 5inch it’s worth trying

[@GarethDix]

I’ve added a throttle limit on my next build and that’s worked really nicely… but mainly because I’m flying 6s on 4s motors

[@genjitsu7448]

Very good video. I do think that this subject can open up into a massive amount of different opinions. I happen to have a 2Fiddy and I really like it (not the most durable design though), and i have a Catalyst Machine Works 4" Shocker - love that drone! It probably flies the best of what I have tried. But it should be noted that I am very much a beginner skill level pilot, I can fly LOS OK, but when I put the goggles on I just get all squirrely and can barely make 15 seconds of flight before crashing. Because of this, I think that my opinions on "which quad feels best" is not that useful to anyone else however I have been into RC hobbies since I was in Grade school so I have a ton of other experience; I can tell you about how the kits are built, quality, ease of assembly, good vendors to use, etc... Anyway, I really like your videos you have a great voice and you cover things just right leaving out the fluff, that is a skill for sure. You remind me of Nick Burns in that regard. Hope to see many more videos of yours in the future! Cheers

[@GarethDix]

I think this is why when I look at reviews I look at all of them or I do my own tests. The opinion of everyone in this hobby will differ because we all have different flying styles, locations and levels which means no one person will have the answer to everyone. Even doing this video there’s a lot of people that don’t like that loose heavy feel of a 5inch freestyle and prefer something that is more precise and in that sense a lightweight 3.5in would be better. I do love my 2Fiddy as well, I haven’t broken anything on it yet but I know it will happen at some point 😂 But you being new to the hobby, you still have a very relevant opinion. Lots of people are starting in the hobby and are looking for those experiences from new pilots before they make the jump. If you can fly LOS flying with the goggles should be easier… I’m still really bad at LOS flying. But if you get squirrely with the goggles on just focus on one thing… move the camera angle down and hover… then start flying in straight lines between two objects… even if you have to disarm and pick it back up again… then try going around the object at the end. You don’t need to fly perfect, just fly with the intention of working on one thing 😀

[@McLogo76]

Just seen that you are from Basel, the place I‘ve grown up. 🤣👍 I do btw. fly my 3.5“ quads with 300g and I think you can make them quite crash resistant with that weight. Happy flying mate!

[@GarethDix]

Awesome I was just watching your video earlier on 3.5inch builds! Had no idea you were in Switzerland! But yes my bigger battery just arrived so I’ll see what the F35 is like at 300g (once the weather allows for it)

[@McLogo76]

@@GarethDix Lols thanks! Looking forward to hear how it feels with a bigger battery. You also use the HQ props? Yeah the weather has really been bad so far this spring/summer. Hope we now get a real summer 😉

[@GarethDix]

Yeah I have a load of the EMAX avan props but I just don’t like them as much. The HQ props are lighter, fly smoother and for some reason just rarely break! But let me know if you’re ever back in basel and we’ll go fly!

[@McLogo76]

@@GarethDix Yep, the Avan props are very brittle. I also tried GF but I had the best throttle feel catching dives etc. with the HQ. Thanks, I will . Not been there for a while. 👍

[@GarethDix]

@McLogo76 I run GF on my tiny micros but haven’t ever tried them on my larger builds so it’s good to hear the HQ props are better!

[@crazygmanssimstuff]

So I just made a F3 split with the 1604 4600kv motors running 4s 650mah packs, your running o 6s with the 1280 (edit 2850)kv motors why did you decide to go with 6s rather then 4s?

[@GarethDix]

I think you meant 2850kv? There’s been a lot of debate on this and I should build a 4s version and do a full comparison video at some point. What I will say is the first one I built I was following MurdersFPV build to make sure it was Sub250g and wanted to see if it was as good as he said it was (it is). Since then I’ve build/bought other 4s quads 2.5-3.5inch and they all felt like they were lacking power. To be fair none of these are using the higher kv 1604 from T-motor so maybe that’s why. I will say that there were some very vocal people in the Quadmula group who flat out refused to believe there was an advantage to 6s but eventually moved to it because it felt more like a 5inch. But I have no idea what motors etc they were using… so could be an interesting test to try the exact same motor in a different kv. Are you running an AIO?

[@crazygmanssimstuff]

@GarethDix Your correct. I meant 2850. I'm running a diatone Mamba F722 MINI stack, using the 44a reactor ESC (there are three optional ESC the F722 MINI can be sold with.) It rips pretty well, and I get usually 3-4 minutes, with 650mah 4s packd but you seem to get about 3 minutes with the 380 6s packs.

[@GarethDix]

@@crazygmanssimstuff I get 3mins usually if I run it to 3.8v (typically it goes back up after. But I’ve had those packs last 4-5mins depending on how I’m flying and how new the packs are if I run it down to 3.5v

[@fpvkevlar8101]

Just finishing up my 3.5in Quadmula now I build mine to hopefully fly like a 5in I'm running high Kv 2400 T Motor 1804 pacer with f7 with 03 ELRS and I'm flying with the GNB 650 and 850 Liv packs the total weight of it is 345 grams. Well see 👀 lol. Don't k ow if you watch Murders FPV its similar to his build his seemed to fly great

[@GarethDix]

I’m running a Grinderino on the 1804s… it’s Sub250g as well so way overpowered but as a result of this video I’m gonna try and run it on a much larger battery and see how it feels at 350g

[@Huntmx24]

I just ordered the quadmula f25. Will be fun to have a micro quad and test it out

[@GarethDix]

I’ve built one of those, it’s a lot of fun! The 4 blade props are a little better for it, but I’m sure you’ll love it!

[@Huntmx24]

@@GarethDix I was going to get the siren 3 but it was sold out. So I decided to try the 2.5 as I have a cool 5" already and a long range 4 inch. This will mix it up.

[@GarethDix]

Ah Yes they’re still out of stock! You’ll like the F25, I transferred my babyhawk O3 insides over to the frame and it flies way better! I saw a few people running these on 6s but that’s way too much power!

[@Huntmx24]

@@GarethDix do you have a video on the f25? I was thinking of getting the 3000kv xing2 motors. I've seen a lot of people saying 6s is awesome with it. Not sure what to do though....

[@GarethDix]

@Huntmx24 I don’t have a video on it (yet). I might pull it apart and rebuild it for a future video though. I’m sure it’ll fly nice on 6s, the problem with 2.5inch props is that it’s not as efficient so the flight time will be affected on the smaller 6s batteries. The 380 GNB’s I use I typically get around 4-5mins if I’m taking it easy, on a 2.5inch I would assume it would drop to 2-3mins

[@Greg__K]

Is there any noticeable noise difference between the 3" vs 3.5"?

[@GarethDix]

There is but it’s marginal (not as much as the difference between a 5inch and 3.5inch) the 3.5 inch is weirdly a little quieter at low throttle but screams more at the higher end

[@Greg__K]

@@GarethDix Cool thanks, that makes perfect sense actually. Looking forward to that next video!

[@DanteKeith]

I have an axisflying manta 3.6 and it’s basically a 5in. It flys nothing like my sub 250 3incher. I’d recommend that drone.

[@GarethDix]

Is it also Sub250g?

[@DanteKeith]

@@GarethDixno it’s a chunker. It’s 308g without a battery. With a battery (1100mah) it’s 600+ grams. It’s a 5 inch drone just on a 3.6in frame.

[@GarethDix]

Ahh ok… I think I remember seeing this in one of the swiss shops here an realised it was not Sub250g. It does look pretty sweet though. I’m guessing that 3.5inch at that weight is around the sweet spot

[@bluefpv3263]

i get more throttle resolution on my sub250 3.5inch than on my 5inch i like 3.5 inch more for the extra flight time and its more quiet than a 3inch i feel like i get more hangtime with my 3.5 inch than with my 5inch cause it has more drag compared to the weight inverted moves feel easier on a 3.5 inch for me

[@GarethDix]

Do you have a build you can share? My 3.5inch definitely gets louder at the top end of the throttle… but lower down it’s more quiet.

[@bluefpv3263]

@@GarethDix for sub250g i got this one build (AUW 245g incl. mounts cam and lipo) Frame: the Great Discus (3,5mm Version) Motors: Xing2 1404 3800KV or RCInpower Smoox 1404 3800KV Stack: Geprc Taker G4 35A AIO VTX: HDZero Whooplite + Nano v3 Cam (might be going with Race V3 for more durability next build) Reciever: Radiomaster RP1 ELRS Props: HQProp 3525 Lipo: Dogcom Ucell 650mAh 4s Action Cam: Runcam Thumb Pro V2 for 3.5inch freestyle (300g AUW) i go like this: Frame: Grinderino Motors: TMotor p1604 2950KV (6s) /Mamba Toka 1408 2950KV (6s) Stack: geprc taker G4 45A AIO VTX: HDZero Race V3 + Mini V3 cam or HDZero Freestyle v2 Reciever: Radiomaster RP1 ELRS Props: HQProp 3525 Lipo: Dogcom UCell 650mAh 6s or Tattu Rline 650mAh 6s Action cam: Insta360 go2 (would like to try the go3s tho ^^)

[@GarethDix]

ahh yes... the discus is a different beast entirely... I have one of those too transferred from a crux35... it's pretty awesome... now I get why it's quieter and throttle resolution is good

[@daich]

Try a 5000 kv low pitch 2.5" 130-160g 4s. Even more momentum than a 3" it's my favourite form factor and I've built more than 100 micros

[@GarethDix]

what size motors are you using?

[@daich]

@@GarethDix 1103 to 1304 ish. I've tried some 1404 which are ok too but hard to find them with high enough KV (4600kv is just a bit too low for 2.5")

[@GarethDix]

@daich thanks! I’m running my 2.5inch on 1404 3700kv and it’s fun (although it’s running DJI O3 so about 235g) but I’m planning an analog build so I’ll try the higher kv motors and see if I can get the weight down

[@yohfpv]

Daich actually inspired my current 2.5 micro freestyle favourite, but I've settled mine on 1206 4500kv with HQ T2.5x3.5x3 after testing all kinds of 3" props on it. The 2.5" props definitely give it more fling and upside down hang time.

[@bboyM4rk0]

Parts used in the 3"/3.5" build?

[@GarethDix]

The parts are the same for both and the description on this video gives the full list (along with how to build it) kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooGqhWCqj81lftk

[@rcaddict9558]

Great video mate, the only thing to me is the AOS 3.5" as it has a huge central frame, and back to back against other frames "3.5" its alot bigger, 4" ish Hope that makes sense❤🫡😂

[@GarethDix]

Yeah the new AOS frame is quite a chonker in the central frame… which makes me wonder how it fairs in a crash. But the size of the frame is one of the reasons why I didn’t get one as I can’t see how you could build it Sub250g without loosing something like motor size or battery

[@rcaddict9558]

@@GarethDix the carbon is sooo lite, i mean, sooo light! I love how it flies, but i would not try new tricks with it, i have spare arms, but it is sooo lite dude, and use with a tattu 850, their tiny but powerfull, but, loads of buts, if your learning new tricks in a carpark, i wouldnt trust it not to break easily?

[@rcaddict9558]

Its flies like a 4 inch because of the footprint, back to back with a 4" drone, their about the same footprint, this makes it really stable, the central area is amazing for fitting your hardware in, it all fits so neat and tidy, no "just fitting" if you know what i mean. I would buy one, but i would have a hard descion to make if i was trying new tricks, gaps, concrete etc, i would go for the TANK S for that! Cheers

[@GarethDix]

@rcaddict9558 it makes sense but the flight feel will be very different to a freestyle 5inch… eg my crux35 has the same thing (but lower weight) so it’s great to fly but you can’t use momentum from the arms to help it spin. I will build one at some point though just to see what it’s like

[@rcaddict9558]

@@GarethDix just been out at 5am, beautifull blue sky took the aos and my roma f5, my god that 6s f5 is wild! It just blows my mind, just editing it all now

[@andreastornesel8404]

Yes, agreed. My sub 250 aos 3,5" feels les like a 5" than my flywoo 2" 2s.

[@GarethDix]

Is the 2s a firefly? I have the 4s version and it’s a lot of fun

[@andreastornesel8404]

@@GarethDix yes i have an 1s, 2s and 4s firefly the 20 2s in my favorite

[@GarethDix]

@andreastornesel8404 I might have to give the 2s a go as well!

[@miles1812]

im curiosu about how much of this is pid tuning

[@GarethDix]

the 3.5inch would definitely fly better with a little tuning but it just won't feel quite the same as the 3inch does purely because of the extra thrust for the weight. I've tried this at 300g and approx 350g and that's where it really feels more like a 5inch

[@GeKoFPV]

Hey :-) Im also in Basel, didn't realise there was another really active pilot here, haha. Nice video! The most '5 inch' feeling small quad ive built was also a 3 inch. But I increased the weight by actually increasing the size of the motors. I am running 1606 motors on mine with 3700 KV and 4s. This gives it a much different feel then the smaller 1404 motors. More weight at the end of the arms, but more than enough power to very accurately control the rather small prop. Its worth trying a larger motor I think. I have a build video of this on my channel if you wanna check out the parts I used - 'Rainy Sunday drone building'. I first built it with 3.5 inch props, but i definitely prefer using 3 inch props on it now.

[@GarethDix]

Oh wow there are more of us in basel?!! I’ve never seen anyone else flying around here so I just assumed there are only DJI camera pilots around. But yes I didn’t add this in the video but my 3inch is running 1604 motors on 6s (2750kv) which is probably why it feels so good. I tried 1404’s and it just felt too lacking. Who makes the 1606 motors? I’m struggling to find the 1604s so also looking at other options

[@GeKoFPV]

@@GarethDix I use the 16mm Motor from FPVcycle. Also because it has an M3 shaft and can use regular M5 props with an included adapter, - no t-mount. As for flying, currently i really fly mostly 5 inch so also have to drive outside of the city for sure. Usually i go around Aesch, BL if I just wanna fly a bit or test something

[@GarethDix]

I'll take a look at the motors, I almost went with a 3mm shaft on the 1804's I have on my Grinderino build, t-mount is such a pain to deal with on location. But the 3mm shaft and the additional weight of the props meant I couldn't build it sub250g. I'm usually in Bruderholz or Münchenstein to fly my 5inch... as much as I'd love to dive one of the towers in the city with it haha

[@fpvkevlar8101]

Great video bro

[@GarethDix]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@gigantical1003]

the real challenge is to make 2.5 inch fly like 5 inch🔥🔥

[@GarethDix]

Haha… ironically I’m messing around with a Quadmula Djinn F25 at the moment… although it’s a lot of fun I think I’m going to have to give up trying to make it feel like a 5inch 😂

[@chesterlim15]

@@GarethDix Would be really interested to know which is most similar or better in your opinion! :)

[@GarethDix]

I like the F25 for just taking with me for a mini rip... it's so quiet people don't notice it... and being 4s I can take a smaller charger/ packs so it's great for travelling or taking with me when I'm not going to specifically fly. But the F3 is just all around a better flying quad even with the props in view

[@luisamarales941]

What Googles and controller do you recomend?

[@GarethDix]

That’s a big question for an upcoming video… but the short answer is… it depends on what you want to fly Goggles: DJI if you want immersive and good video, HD Zero if you want versatility (eg you want to also fly tiny whoops, analog and walk snail. The radio: I use a TBS tango 2 purely because of how compact and easy to carry it is and I use crossfire. But for ELRS you can’t go wrong with the radio master pocket or Zorro if you want something cheaper and small. Full size radio opens you up to a lot more options but the radio master boxer or the TBS mambo are the two that everyone raves about

[@luisamarales941]

@@GarethDix thank you so much for your reply! This helps a lot! I have the DJI Goggles and controller 3 is there anyway to build a quad that supports them? I have tried to look on KZbin but have not found solid answers and I want to build a quad but don’t want to spend the money on new goggles and controller any advice?

[@GarethDix]

@luisamarales941 currently no but it’s highly likely there will be an update coming (I don’t think it’s happened yet) that’ll allow you to use them with an O3 air unit. There’s an extra wire for SBUS (usually the yellow one) which allows you to pair a DJI controller to them. Currently only the controller 2 is supported but everyone seems pretty sure the goggles 3 and controller 3 update will come soon so hold on a little longer and it shouldn’t be an issue

[@Bubbles_Videography]

is that a Jumper T20s you are using?

[@GarethDix]

It’s a Tango 2 Pro as I’m running crossfire on all of these quads, but I do want to give a T20s a go as I have a few ELRS quads now too and I just can’t see myself using a full size radio

[@Bubbles_Videography]

@@GarethDix I find hauling around my full size is not very fun. But I do want full size gimbals.

[@GarethDix]

true true... I'd like to see what the T20s is like although I heard of the issues with quality control which stops me...

[@Viseo3dp]

get the flyfish 3.5 frame so much better than the quadmula 3.5

[@GarethDix]

What makes it better? And can you build it Sub250g as it’s 20g heavier than the Quadmula and 10g heavier than the Grinderino

[@Nik_FPV621]

nice!

[@GarethDix]

Thanks! How is your build going?

[@Nik_FPV621]

@@GarethDix oh, quadmula hasn’t restocked their frames yet. I should be able to order one at the end of the month

[@GarethDix]

Yeah I thought they were supposed to be restocking for end of June but I guess they probably had a lot more to get production back up and running than they thought

[@GarethDix]

The F35 just came back in stock, the F5 will be there next week 😉

[@chrisbee5481]

I've built and tested just about every size. First off, you're only building sub250 and as close to the 250g, because you're complying with the law. Five inch has something magical about the prop size. The thrust to weight ratio is just perfect. I think the magical feel has something to do with the physics of wind resistance and gravity. Bisides freestyle, I've tested some high speed drones. Again here the 5 inch prop is magical. Damn fast and efficient. Like the world record is 500kmh on 7 inch and 12S. But 5 inch world record is 450kmh on 6S. So tell me why is 5 inch so close for half the power system and half the disc area? Just perfect physical match. Anyway, you're trying to comply sub250 and get as close to a 5 inch feel. You get close, but cant replace it. If you go up to 320g and 3.6inch props, you get even closer. But basically the build is pointless over 250g if that is your goal. I just dont comply to sub250 and fly 4 inch if it's close to people and houses. Doesnt look as intimidating and no one has come around with their scale yet. Personally I make an effort to build silent drones. It's all about props. Keeps the karens away.

[@Greg__K]

The under 250 is for two reasons, like you mentioned. First is to comply with any laws in order to save yourself a potential headache. The second is that smaller quads, specifically lighter quads, can be quieter, cause less damage when they crash, safer, cheaper, and easier to carry around. I'm sure 5 inch has something magical about it, no denying that. There's a reason why everyone gravitates towards it for freestyle and racing. It's just not practical for everyone, especially if you live near a lot of people. Which is what got me interested in flying smaller quads. I've seen in the comments that Gareth had his quad weighed by a police officer in the past. Hopefully I'm remembering that correctly. I agree with everything you said, it's just that doesn't work for everyone is my point. I would be stressed out trying to find places to fly if the quad was too loud and big. So kinda sucks the fun out of it. You did say it's all about the props, is that lower pitch? I know the lighter the quad, the quieter it is because it doesn't have to work as hard to move the quad through the air. I'm all about being quiet as possible, so any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[@theflyinggrip]

What prop characteristics do find help with quieter operation?

[@painy6588]

​@@Greg__Kgenerally, the more blades the quieter

[@chrisbee5481]

@@theflyinggrip more prop blades. Also higher pitch. But at the cost of durability and top Performance. Also less efficient. Cant habe it all.

[@chrisbee5481]

@@Greg__K you got to dedicate the whole build to make it more silent. Motor kv and seize need to match the props. Some silent prop and motor combinations: Hq 75mmx5 with 1804 3500kv 4s Hq 85mmx6 with amax 2005 2200kv 6s motors Hq 89mmx8 rcinpower 2105.5 1850kv 6s motors. Also any typical 5 inch motor build with hq 4x4x6 Any typical 7 inch build with hq 5x4x6 Also I like the gemfan 51455 with a 5 inch build. A bit more silent. Otherwise I find high pitch gemfan 7050 or 8060 to be not as loud. Typical 5 inch builds scream when you hit the throttle. The Sound is more silent and different to the ear. Just my feel. Low pitch props spin faster and scream. Lots of downsides to the multi blade cinewhoop props too. For pure performance tri blade are best. Light builds require less throttle to cruise and are more silent. My personal favourite are the four blade props. Unfortunatly too little variety of good ones on the market.

[@elxero2189]

Crux 35 best foying quad i got out of all of them

[@GarethDix]

I love the Crux35... it doesn't fly like a 5 inch... but it just flies so nicely even though it's different. I transferred mine over to a Discus frame which is a little more durable and it's been great!

[@InertiaFPV]

​@@GarethDixA 3.5 will never feel like a 5" no matter how much you try. Weight is a huge thing for how something feels. 5" feels way more planted.

[@Cloud9FPV]

I think you need more stick time instead of marketing. Fly first. And actually see what that little things can really do.

[@GarethDix]

The stick time is the reason for the test… I can’t fly the 5inch as often as I want but the 3inch being so close means it’s directly translatable… sure I can make the 3.5inch work as it is but then the stick time will only relate to that one class of quad

[@k1tig]

3" @ 130g. Zero desire for my 3" to fly like my 5". Completely negates the advantages a lighter quad has. I just think people as a whole aren't as fond of 3" freestyle because it doesn't hide skill based issues as well as you can with a full size.

[@GarethDix]

I think it depends on what you want your 3inch to do… for me it’s to get additional stick time to translate to flying my 5inch when I get the chance… that includes the “slideiness” of how it corners just on a smaller scale. My discus/ crux35 is lightweight and a lot of fun… it’s just a different way of flying freestyle

[@GarethDix]

Oh and yes I totally agree, you can’t hide the twitchiness of your movements on a lighter quad so you have to fly ultra smooth

[@k1tig]

@@GarethDix that's fair. I personally just enjoy being able to do things with the 3" that you can't do with a 5". With a light 3" it's just so much more fun for me to go the other way. Cut things as close as I can. Matty flip with the nose of the quad practically on a beam or pole.

[@GarethDix]

yeah that's how I feel about flying the discus, it's just so accurate to where you point it that precision flying becomes so easy!

[@Flightcoach]

awesome video!! thanks for making this comparison. Just got back to flying my 5 inch and miniwhoop after years of absence. god this is an awesome hobby. I am looking for something that i can fly freestyle in my garden, my 5 inch is too big for that, but the whoop (2s) feels too light. I have 4000 square meters to play around the house here, lots of grass but also like 15 100 year old trees.

[@jerejo33]

Hey your videos a really nice and made well. Im just wondering not only you but alot FPV KZbinr got so a low skill level and after almost 1 year of fpv it should be visible Either i am just talented or you all just never learn to fly in a Simulator for 30Hours Nohate Just wondering🙃

[@GarethDix]

no worries no hate taken. I think it depends on what you have access to and how you fly and how often you can fly… for instance I got into this wanting just fly cinematic but now exploring freestyle but it isn’t what I was going for originally. There are pilots with an exceptional skill level straight out (Stryker is one of them who hadn’t flown a real quad til recently but has been blowing everyone’s minds and he’s only about 15) so you’re possibly just more naturally good at it than some of us. But upload those videos so you can inspire the rest of us to become better!

[@InertiaFPV]

If you're going to 300g then just fly a 5" instead because you won't be able to fly it around parks like you can with a sub 250. 3" quads typically run a different KV/size compared to a 3.5", however you said you run the same motors on your 3" as your have on your 3.5", which makes me believe you are running the wrong size motors on one of your rigs. I mainly fly 5" but when I'm not then I run 3.5" sub 250. 3.5" or 3" or 4" for that matter won't ever feel like a 5" no matter what you do. I think you're searching for a smaller rig that will feel just like a 5" and that won't ever happen I'm afraid to say.

[@GarethDix]

That was my conclusion in the video if you aren’t going to fly it sub 250g then why not just fly a 5inch? I guess in certain countries you can still fly it in smaller areas and a 3.5 is a little less menancing to Karens. But on the motor size for 3-3.5inch on my other 3.5inch I’m running an 1804 and it felt too lightweight which is why I dropped to the 1604 like the 3inch. I have a few quads running 1404 on a 3.5 but at 249g they feel sluggish. But getting a 5inch feel is different to getting something that flies like a 5inch. Yes I know the weight is big factor in why a 5inch feels like a 5inch and does what it does. The 3inch feels similar but all scaled down in the right proportion so it translates pretty well

[@kris-kb4vf]

The best cinema size for indoor/proximity is 2.5 or 3 inches max, in Freestyle the best size is 5 inches for large open areas, but in the small band and for small potholes or parking lots, the best is 3 inches and for the amusement park for children or among the trees 2.5 inches is the best way, Ultralight 4 inch long range, long range without wind interference or mountain 7 inch .. basically for every environment there is the most suitable quad, small track for Go-Kart, large track for F1, short track for 600cc motorcycle, 1000cc motorcycle long track .. You youtubers make too many videos about things that are so simple to understand😜

[@GarethDix]

You don’t know what you don’t know… I’ve never flown an f1 track so seeing someone else’s experience of doing it would be helpful before I decide what would be good to fly there.