Assembly — from the box to your first take-off
🔌 Standard wiring diagram (5" quad)
The rule: power (red) goes to the ESC only, the FC is fed from the ESC through its BEC — and every peripheral gets its own UART.
Fit the arms and the base plate, and decide which way is forward. File down the sharp carbon edges so they don't cut into wires later.
Use screws of the correct length — too long and they touch the windings inside. Rotation direction doesn't matter yet; you'll set it in software.
Trim the motor wires and solder them to the 4-in-1. Solder the XT60 and battery lead together with the capacitor. Check with a multimeter that there is no short between + and − before connecting anything.
Arrow forward, on rubber soft-mounts. Connect the ESC by cable or by solder according to the pinout — every board is different, so always work from its own diagram.
Each device on its own UART. Keep the video antennas away from carbon, and put the GPS high at the back, away from power wiring.
The first battery connection goes through a smoke stopper, no exceptions. Check the FC lights up and enumerates over USB.
Flash the firmware, set board orientation, set the protocols (DShot600), bind the radio, configure modes (Arm/Angle/Acro) and failsafe → Drop or GPS Rescue.
In the Motors tab, confirm each motor spins the right way (reverse it in software if not). Do not fit propellers until every check has passed.
Open space, Angle mode, low hover. Watch temperatures and vibration, then tune the PIDs gradually.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct assembly order?
Frame first, then motors, then the power distribution board or 4-in-1, then the flight controller, and finally the video system and receiver. Check continuity with a multimeter before connecting any battery, and use a smoke stopper on first power-up — that single step saves most first builds.
Why does a new build vibrate?
In order of likelihood: an unbalanced or cracked prop, a motor with a failing bearing, a flight controller mounted without rubber grommets, or PID values set too high. Swap props first, then read the vibration in Blackbox logs before touching PID.
Which tools are genuinely essential?
A temperature-controlled soldering iron, 60/40 solder, precision hex drivers, a multimeter, heat-shrink tubing, a balance charger and a fire-resistant LiPo bag. The balance charger and the battery bag are not optional extras — they are part of the safety setup.
How do I avoid killing the flight controller?
Do not connect battery and USB simultaneously unless the board explicitly supports it, check polarity twice before first power-up, fit a low-ESR capacitor on the power input, and use a smoke stopper. Most failures happen on first battery connection, not in flight.
