Power Distribution Board (PDB)

In the beginning I purchased a Crazy pony PCB power distribution board for a QAV250 quad-copter.  The board did not come with any instructions.  I purchased the board so that I could achieve a clean and organized installation.  Without knowing any better I discovered that this power distribution board did not work for the Emax 250mm quad frame.  The reason why it did not work is because the board and frame are shaped differently, meaning the mounting holes do not line up.  Since I still wanted to use the power distribution board I ended up purchasing a YKS QAV250 carbon fiber frame.  This went together nicely with the power distribution board.  Any future builds I plan to use a PDB every time.

Lesson Learned:
Any PDB that is purchased must have a BEC or regulated power for 5v and 12v otherwise what's the point and don't get the type of PDB that is integral to the frame, I ruined the PDB for my QAV250 in a crash.

Your video transmitter and Camera will both need to be powered by clean regulated power or else your FPV system just won't work. I also learned the different frame names and types of styles. the QAV 250 is also known as the ZMR. Regardless of which manufacturer you get the frame from if it's a certain style, parts for that style should fit no matter what.

A power distribution board helps organize the installation, the biggest tip I can give you is to cut the wires to reach the solder pads on the board with just a little bit extra length so you don't leave yourself short for future work.

Quadcopter frame and kit

Starting with this post I will go over all the various parts needed to fly FPV. This post will be all about the frame.

I originally purchased the LHI Emax 250mm kit from Amazon, it was a good price and came with a full carbon fiber frame.  This frame is actually the same as the 250mm Emax Nighthawk, not a handsome looking frame but a spacious one nonetheless.  I also purchased a QAV250 frame.  Both frames are pure carbon fiber.  People make a big deal about the carbon fiber frames, I have yet to use a 3k carbon fiber frame so I don't really know if it matters.  As the title says I am a habitual crasher, in the process of learning to fly I have crashed my quad-copter on numerous occasions, some saw the death of components and various parts, some weren't too bad.  Some crashes were user error but some were also various malfunctions.  It's been a long road learning this hobby and learning the nuances of building and repairing. The most difficult thing to learn has just been the programming and setup, which now is pretty easy for me.

One time I broke the front arms of the QAV250 by crashing directly into some rocks.  I forgot that I was not in horizon mode.  This frame did not hold up well to that crash.  I haven't spent more than $30 on a frame. They are out there under that price and are full carbon fiber. They hold up well in minor crashes, however the weakest part of the frame is the aluminum stand offs. Top plates are usually held on by really short M3 screws. For my latest quad I went to the hardware store and bought screws that were twice as long as the stock screws. They appear to help better in crashes (yes I'm still crashing)

If you are a beginner you might consider a non-carbon fiber frame to begin with because it will be cheaper to replace if you break it. My brother has this type of frame that only cost him $13 on Hobby king. He has crashed into the side of a cliff and other crashes and it appears to have held up really well until recently. It finally broke on him. Of course he does not fly as often as I do, I try to fly every week. Hobby king had a deal where you could get two of these type of frames for $18 for both. I thought about getting it for a moment.

Lesson learned:  Start out with a cheap frame until you are a more confident pilot.  Spending $10 on a glass filled nylon frame that is durable yet cheap is perfectly fine for learning how to fly and learning FPV, you will crash, you will have to repair and rebuild....you just need to decide how much you want to spend on your rebuilding. I now fly with a full carbon fiber QAV210, the bottom plate and arms are one piece so it holds up better in crashes.

"We have the technology" - Six Million Dollar Man