FPV Drone Motor Selection Guide: Easily Understand with Tables and Simple Methods

Are you unsure about how to choose motors, propellers, batteries, and ESCs when building an FPV drone? This article provides a table for quick reference and a simple method to estimate setups without a table. It is prepared so that even beginners can easily get started. Give drone building a try!

1. Motor Selection Table

The table below organizes motor sizes, KV values, ESCs, propeller specifications, and more based on frame sizes (1 inch to 7 inches), flight purposes, and batteries. By looking at this table, you can quickly find the right combination for each setup.

Frame Size	Flight Purpose	Target RPM	Battery	Minimum C Rating	Propeller	Motor Size	KV Range	ESC (A)
1 inch	Indoor/Freestyle	50,000~60,000	1S	25~35C	1x0.8x3, 1.2x1.2x4	0603, 0703	14000~19000	5~10A
1 inch	Indoor/Racing	55,000~65,000	2S	30~40C	1x0.8x3, 1.2x1x3	0603, 0703	10000~14000	10~15A
2~3 inches	Freestyle	45,000~55,000	3S	35~50C	3x3x3, 3x2.5x3	1404, 1505	3500~4000	20~30A
2~3 inches	Racing	50,000~60,000	4S	40~60C	3x3.5x3, 3x3x2	1404, 1505	3000~3600	25~35A
5 inches	Racing	45,000~55,000	4S	50~75C	5x4.5x3, 5x4x3	2207, 2306	2300~2500	35~45A
5 inches	Freestyle	40,000~50,000	4S	60~80C	5x5x3, 5x4.8x3	2207, 2306	2200~2400	40~50A
5 inches	Racing	45,000~55,000	5S	45~65C	5x4.5x3, 5x4x3	2207, 2306	2000~2200	30~40A
5 inches	Freestyle	40,000~50,000	5S	50~70C	5x5x3, 5x4.8x3	2306, 2407	1900~2100	35~45A
5 inches	Racing	45,000~55,000	6S	40~60C	5x4.5x3, 5x4x3	2207, 2306	1800~2000	30~40A
5 inches	Freestyle	40,000~50,000	6S	50~70C	5x5x3, 5x4.8x3	2306, 2407	1700~1900	35~45A
6 inches	Racing	45,000~55,000	4S	55~75C	6x4x3, 6x3.5x3	2306, 2407	2200~2400	40~50A
6 inches	Long-range/Freestyle	40,000~50,000	5S	50~70C	6x4.5x3, 6x4x3	2407, 2507	1900~2100	35~45A
6 inches	Long-range/Cinematic	35,000~45,000	6S	45~65C	6x4.5x3, 6x4x2	2507, 2807	1700~1900	35~45A
7 inches	Long-range/Cinematic	35,000~45,000	4S	50~75C	7x3.5x3, 7x4x3	2507, 2807	2000~2300	40~50A
7 inches	Long-range/Cinematic	35,000~45,000	5S	45~65C	7x4x3, 7x4.5x3	2507, 2807	1700~1900	35~45A
7 inches	Long-range/Cinematic	35,000~45,000	6S	40~60C	7x4x3, 7x4.5x3	2507, 2807	1500~1800	35~45A

2. Detailed Explanation of Each Column in the Table

This section explains what each item in the table means and how it is used in drone setups.

1. Frame Size Definition: This refers to the diagonal distance between motors, measured in inches. 1 inch is about 25–40 mm for tiny drones, 5 inches is 127 mm, 6 inches is 152 mm, and 7 inches is 178 mm, representing standard racing or long-range drones. Frame size determines the propeller and motor size.
2. Flight Purpose: This indicates the intended use of the drone. Indoor/freestyle aims for light flight and tricks, racing focuses on speed and agility, and long-range/cinematic targets long flight times and stable footage. Motors and KV values vary depending on this purpose.
3. Target RPM: This is the number of revolutions per minute the motor spins the propeller. Racing prioritizes speed at 45,000–55,000, freestyle balances power and control at 40,000–50,000, and long-range emphasizes efficiency at 35,000–45,000. It is calculated using KV and battery voltage.
4. Meaning of Batteries like 3S, 4S: "S" stands for the number of cells. 1S is 4.2V, 2S is 8.4V, 3S is 12.6V, 4S is 16.8V, 5S is 21V, and 6S is 25.2V (fully charged). 1-inch drones typically use 1S or 2S. Higher voltage means lower KV.
5. Battery Discharge Rate (C Rating): This indicates the maximum current (capacity × C). For 1-inch drones, even with small batteries (e.g., 300mAh), 25–40C is sufficient due to low current draw. 5–6-inch drones require 45–80C. It must meet the motor and ESC current demands.
6. Propeller Specification Meaning: This is expressed as "size × pitch × blade count." For example, 5x4.5x3 means a 5-inch diameter, 4.5-inch pitch, and 3 blades. The table lists commonly used specs for each setup. Larger pitch increases speed, and more blades increase load.
7. How Motor Size is Measured: This is measured as "stator diameter × height" (mm). 0603 means 6 mm diameter and 3 mm height for 1-inch tiny motors, while 2507 means 25 mm diameter and 7 mm height for 6–7-inch drones. Larger numbers indicate more power.
8. What is KV?: This represents RPM per volt. 1-inch drones have high KV (10,000–19,000) to spin small propellers fast. Higher KV means more speed, while lower KV means more torque.
9. ESC (A): This is the device that controls motor speed. 1-inch setups need only 5–15A due to low current draw. 5–7-inch setups require 30–50A. It must withstand the maximum current per motor.

3. How to Choose Without a Table

You can determine a setup without always referring to the table by remembering these three simple steps. Explanations are added to each step for easy understanding.

1. Basic Selection by Frame Size and Flight Purpose
   Explanation: Frame size indicates the drone’s size, and flight purpose defines the performance it needs. With just these two, you can roughly decide on motors and propellers.
   Method:
   - 1 inch: Tiny indoor drones → motors 0603–0703, propellers 1 inch (1x0.8x3).
   - 2–3 inches: Light racing/freestyle → motors 1404–1505, propellers 3 inches (3x3x3).
   - 5 inches: Racing/freestyle → motors 2207–2306, propellers 5 inches (5x4.5x3).
   - 6–7 inches: Long-range → motors 2407–2807, propellers 6–7 inches (6x4x3, 7x4x3).
2. Adjusting KV with Battery
   Explanation: Battery voltage determines how fast the motor spins (KV). More cells (S) mean higher voltage and lower KV. Consider speed (racing) or power (freestyle, long-range) based on the flight purpose.
   Method:
   - 1S (4.2V): KV 10,000–19,000 (small and fast).
   - 3S (12.6V): KV 3,500–4,000.
   - 4S (16.8V): KV 2,200–2,500 (racing), 2,000–2,300 (long-range).
   - 5S (21V): KV 1,900–2,200.
   - 6S (25.2V): KV 1,500–2,000 (efficiency-focused).
3. Simply Determining ESC and Battery C Rating
   Explanation: The ESC must handle the motor’s current needs, and the battery C rating must supply that current. You can estimate a rough range based on frame size and battery.
   Method:
   - 1 inch: ESC 5–15A, C Rating 25–40C.
   - 2–3 inches: ESC 20–35A, C Rating 35–60C.
   - 5–7 inches: ESC 30–50A, C Rating 40–80C (higher for 4S, lower for 6S).

Practical Example
Situation: A 5-inch frame, racing, 4S battery.
1. Frame/Purpose: 5-inch racing → motors 2207–2306, propeller 5x4.5x3.
2. Battery/KV: 4S (16.8V), racing (fast) → KV 2,300–2,500.
3. ESC/C Rating: 5 inches → ESC 35–45A, C Rating 50–75C.
Result: 2207 motor, 2,300–2,500 KV, 5x4.5x3 propeller, 35–45A ESC, 50–75C battery.

Conclusion

Using this table and the simple three-step method makes FPV drone setup much easier. Start by referring to the table to get a feel for it. Later, try determining it yourself with the simple method. If you have further questions or want to know about a specific setup, feel free to ask in the comments. Enjoy building your drone!