FAQ
Honest answers, one paragraph each, with the deep-dive link. Organized by the stage you're at.
Before you buy anything
How much does starting cost? A simulator plus a radio is roughly $180–280 — and that's genuinely all you need for the first month. A sensible full start (goggles, whoop, charger, soldering iron) lands around $750–1000, spread over months if you follow the path. The cheat sheet prices the eventual 5″ build by tier.
What do I buy first? A radio. It works in the simulator from day one, it outlives every aircraft you'll ever own, and radio hours transfer while gamepad hours don't.
Do I need goggles to start? No — the simulator runs on your monitor. Goggles enter at the whoop stage, and they're the purchase that locks your video ecosystem, so read this first.
Buy a BNF or build? First aircraft: buy (a whoop). The site's own first-30-days plan says so, and the tiny whoop page explains why building comes second. But remember: BNF doesn't mean configured.
Analog or digital video? Analog is cheaper and degrades gracefully; digital is sharper and fails at a cliff. Both are fine; the only bad choice is goggles that don't match the VTX — the goggles page has the full comparison.
4S or 6S? Default to 6S: same power at lower current, so everything runs cooler (Battery). 4S survives in budget and micro builds.
Learning to fly
Is the simulator really necessary? Yes, and it's the best deal in the hobby: a crash costs $0 and two seconds. 10–15 hours in acro mode before real packs — the simulator guide structures those hours so they stick.
Why acro? Angle mode seems easier. It is easier — that's the trap. Acro is what FPV is; angle habits have to be unlearned later. Start in acro from minute one (Module 0 explains what acro actually holds).
How long until I'm decent? The stick drills pass bars are the honest answer: most people clear Tier 1 in 10–20 sim hours. "Decent" at freestyle is months — of fun, which is rather the point.
My quad drifts when I let go of the sticks. Is it broken? In acro — no, that's the design (the decision tree covers when drift is a bug).
Building
Do I need to solder? For a BNF, no. For your own build, yes — and it's a one-evening skill practiced on scrap. Module 10 covers what a good joint looks like and why one bad one matters (~40 of them in series).
What's the actual first-build recipe? The reference 5″ build, parts to maiden. Pick your price tier with the cheat sheet, sanity-check the weight in the budget builder, and gate the first flight on the pre-maiden checklist.
When do I tune PIDs? Later than you think. Defaults fly a 650 g 6S build well; tune only with blackbox logs in hand, after the RPM filter is on (Module 9).
When do I add a GoPro? After you stop crashing — the mass makes the quad handle worse while you're learning to handle it, and +120 g costs +29 % hover power (Action camera does the math).
Batteries & the field
Why do my flights only last 4 minutes? Because that's correct: freestyle averages 2–3× hover power. The same pack hovers ~11 minutes. Flight time is set by how you fly, not the label (Module 6 — and the calculator).
When do I land? At 3.5 V per cell under load, read from the OSD. Voltage, not the timer (Battery).
Can I fly in rain or snow? Stock electronics: no — one droplet in the wrong place is a dead FC. Winter cold also raises pack internal resistance, so expect sag and shorter flights (Module 6). Some pilots conformal-coat for wet weather; that's an advanced modification, not a default.
Why did my video get worse before my controls did? By design — video needs far more bandwidth, so it runs out of link budget first. Losing your eyes before your hands is the correct failure order (Module 1).
Rules
Is this even legal? Yes, within the rules: registration, a free online exam, categories, zones. Module 13 walks the exact decision tree for a self-built 650 g quad — in plain language, including what you must not do.
Why does everyone care about 250 g? Below it, most obligations shrink dramatically; above it, registration and A3 distances apply. It's the single most consequential number in drone design, and it's why sub-250 aircraft exist as a category (Module 13).
Do goggles count as "keeping the drone in sight"? No — VLOS means eyes on the aircraft, which classically requires a spotter beside you (Module 13, including national exemptions).
Check the glossary for terminology, the troubleshooting trees for symptoms, or write in — unanswered questions are how this page grows.