7 Quadcopter Drone Kits for Enthusiasts

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Welcome to the page that explains the best drone kits in straightforward language. There are two basic ways to build a drone. The easiest is to buy a kit and assemble it yourself using the included parts and instructions. Think of these as drone jigsaws. Some enthusiasts can’t see the point in constructing drones. After all, preassembled, ready-to-fly (RTF) quadcopters are so affordable nowadays. But we all know, there’s nothing like building something yourself.

Budget
best-budget-quadcopter-drone-kit
Readytosky FPV Race Frame Kit
4.4/5.0
Material: Carbon fiber
Camera: None
Carbon fiber airframe, custom aluminum hardware, HD camera support.
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Best Value
best-value-quadcopter-drone-kit
WOAFLY LHI FPV Quad kit
4.1/5.0
Material: Carbon fiber
Camera: 700 TVL
Mainstream configuration, DX2205 brushless motors, 700TVL camera, extra blades.
Check Amazon
Top Pick
top-value-quadcopter-drone-kit
QWinOut FPV DIY Quad Kit
4.6/5.0
Material: Nylon fiber
Camera: FPV
CW/CCW brushless motors, brushless ESC, carbon fiber props, high landing gear.
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Drone Kit Builders Make Better Pilots

Enthusiasts who build drones tend to become much better pilots. They learn about all the components, where they go, and how they relate to each other. Hobbyists can also tweak their models and customize them to create unique flying robots. That’s especially useful for drone racing.

It’s also possible to build a drone by creating your kit from scratch. That means you buy each part separately or even make the individual components. The ground zero approach is a natural progression for those moving on from boxed kits. This guide only looks at unassembled kits. Some models have all you need in the box. Others may leave out extras like a transmitter or camera, as two examples.

5 Reasons to Build a Quadcopter

Here are the five main reasons why people choose drone kits over preassembled models:

  1. An immense sense of personal achievement
  2. In-depth understanding of how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) work
  3. The ability to upgrade, modify, and create a unique craft
  4. Save money in the longer term with your newfound knowledge
  5. Become a much better drone pilot

OK, let’s now take a quick look at the typical parts needed to build a quadcopter.

Quadcopter Drone Components

Drones for civilian use come in all shapes, sizes, capabilities, and costs. Yes, they all have the same or similar basic components, but they can also be very different. It’s the same with cars and bikes, etc.

Here are the essential parts needed for a flying camera quadcopter (four rotors):

  • Drone frame w/ landing gear
  • 4 drone motors
  • ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers)
  • 4 propellers and nuts to hold them in place
  • Flight battery and battery compartment
  • Flight Controller
  • LED direction lights
  • RC (radio control) receiver
  • Camera and camera mounting frame
  • Video Transmitter / VTX
  • Receiver antenna

There are other bits and pieces and various tools needed too, but you get the idea. It’s not the purpose of this guide to explain how to assemble these birds. What this page does is highlight some of the best drone kits for enthusiasts. Keep reading if you’re a DIY tinkerer—someone who loves to build things, troubleshoot, and win. Likewise, stay on this page if you’re undecided but would like to learn more.

The Problem with Drone Kits

The main problem with many drone kits is that they don’t all come with assembly instructions. That means an otherwise easy-to-build drone gets unnecessarily complicated, especially for the novice. And those that do include user’s guides can be difficult to follow. The main issue is with poor translations. The good news—in either case—is that there are usually plenty of helpful YouTube vids to fall back on.

There’s another reason some quadcopter drone kits don’t have instructions. See, certain products offer full customization. That means users get to decide how they want to build their unique models.

About this Drone Kit Guide

There are many drone kits for sale. Some of them are brilliant, others good, and plenty that are a total waste of money. I cherry-picked seven excellent products for this guide, but they’re not only my choices. I also took the opinions of other industry experts into consideration. Real user reviews and feedback also helped me to come up with this list of 7 quadcopter kits.

Each review follows the same no-nonsense format. I present each kit with everything you need to know about the product and nothing you don’t. The table below shows each model in the order they appear in this guide. The top three are the Editor’s Best Budget, Best Value, and Top Choice. The drones under those three are in price order starting with the least expensive first.

Quadcopter Drone Kits for Enthusiasts Comparison Table

Make and ModelMaterialCameraPrice
Readytosky 220mm FPV Racing Drone Frame KitCarbon fiberNoneCheck Price
WOAFLY LHI First Person View FPV Quad KitCarbon fiber700 TVLCheck Price
QWinOut FPV DIY Quadcopter Drone KitNylon fiberFPVCheck Price
Mini DIY RC Toy Quadcopter Drone Building KitPlastic480P HDCheck Price
LHI 250mm Pro Carbon Fiber Quadcopter Frame KitCarbon fiberNoneCheck Price
QWinOut F550 RC DIY Beginners Hexacopter KitMixedNoneCheck Price
QWinOut X4 Carbon Fiber Foldable Drone KitCarbon fiberNoneCheck Price

1. Readytosky FPV Racing Drone Frame Kit | Best Budget

Readytosky FPV Racing Drone Frame KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Best Budget pick goes to the Readytosky Martian II drone frame kit. It’s an excellent choice for beginners who want to build their first quad around a spacious frame.

  • Best feature 1: Easy to assemble
  • Best feature 2: Multiple motor mounting holes
  • Plus points: Carbon fiber airframe, custom aluminum hardware, HD camera support
  • Minus points: Top and bottom plates are thin

Readytosky FPV Racing Quad Kit Highlights

Anyone who wants a simple first-time kit should consider the Readytosky FPV Racing drone. The frame is a breeze to assemble and has plenty of room to work around. The carbon fiber airframe isn’t the best quality, but it’s affordable and fit for purpose. And the multiple motor mounting holes can accommodate a range of motors that use M2 or M3 screw mounting patterns.

Another welcome touch is the custom aluminum hardware. It allows pilots to quickly swap the arms with a single tool in a race pit situation. The HD camera support accommodates popular action cameras like the GoPro 4, GoPro Session, and RunCam2.

In the box of a new Readytosky FPV Racing Quad Kit:

  • 3K carbon fiber frame
  • 4mm removable frame arms
  • Red Power distribution board
  • 2 pairs of 5” propellers
  • LiPo battery Strap

Items not in the box (but needed) include: four motors, four 20-30amp ESCs, four props, flight controller, and a transmitter. You may also want an FPV camera, batteries, and any custom parts.

The Not So Good

The only real criticism with this frame kit is that the top and bottom plates are a tad thin. We can expect thinner plates from a frame kit at this price, but it does mean they’re on the fragile side.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.1 x 1.6″
Product Weight: 3.52 oz.
Camera: Supported, not included
Max Flying Time: Depends on the setup
Max Range: Depends on the setup
Battery: Suggested 1550mah & 2300mah 3 or 4s LiPo (not included)
The Pros
Easy to assemble (excellent kit for first-timers)
Full 3K carbon fiber airframe
Multiple motor mounting holes
Custom aluminum hardware
HD camera support
The Cons
Thin top and bottom plates
Flight controller not included

2. WOAFLY LHI Carbon Frame FPV Quad Kit | Best Value

WOAFLY LHI Carbon Frame FPV Quad KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.1/5

The LHI 220 is the Best Value pick and an upgraded version of a model called the QAV250. It’s a First Person View (FPV) quad with a popular box style frame. It’s also an excellent kit for beginners.

  • Best feature 1: Excellent beginner FPV quadcopter kit
  • Best feature 2: 4mm carbon fiber arms
  • Plus points: Mainstream configuration, DX2205 brushless motors, 700TVL camera, extra blades
  • Minus points: Restricted camera angle, no instruction manual

WOAFLY LHI FPV Quad Kit Highlights

The WOAFLY LHI FPV quad uses strong 4mm carbon fiber arms. That makes them a little heavier than some, but it also makes the arms more durable and crash resistant. That’s something to consider if you’re a novice pilot as you’re sure to have a few airborne prangs.

The mainstream configuration is another beginner-friendly feature with less of a learning curve. The quad uses DX2205 brushless motors. Brushless technology is quieter than brushed. These motors also last longer than brushed alternatives and need next to no maintenance. Our WOAFLY LHI here also comes with a 700TVL FPV camera, some spare propellers, and a few other goodies.

In the box of a new carbon frame WOAFLY LHI FPV quad kit:

  • LHI 220 racing quadcopter frame
  • F3 Flight controller board
  • 700 TVL camera
  • FPV antenna 5.8Ghz
  • PDB-XT60
  • TS5828 32CH FPV 5.8G 00mW TX (transmitter)
  • 4 x DX2205 2300KV (2CW + 2CCW) brushless motors
  • 4 x motor guard protector caps
  • 4 x 20A mini ESC (Littlebee)
  • 4 x LED lights
  • 4 x 5045 propellers

Items not in the box (but needed) include: Receiver, transmitter, and drone batteries. Battery recommendations are any 3-4S LiPos from 1300mAh to 2200mAh.

The Not So Good

The FPV camera uses older tech but it does the job. The main frustration with the camera is its limited viewing angle. The good news is that you can upgrade to a camera of your choice if you want to. My suggestion would be to get one with a wider-angle lens. The final con is the missing instruction manual. There are YouTube vids, though, and most newbies prefer video guidance anyway.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 10 x 5.1 x 3″
Product Weight: 1.3 lbs.
Camera: 700TVL camera
Max Flying Time: 6+ minutes
Max Range: Depends on the setup
Battery: Not included
The Pros
Excellent FPV quadcopter kit for first-time builders
Strong 4mm carbon fiber arms
Mainstream configuration
DX2205 brushless motors
700TVL camera
Extra blades included
The Cons
Restricted camera angle
No instruction manual

3. QWinOut FPV DIY Quadcopter Drone Kit | Top Pick

QWinOut FPV DIY Quadcopter Drone KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

My top pick is the QWinOut FPV DIY Quadcopter. It has a 450F nylon fiber airframe and a bunch of must-have extras that are often missing from quadcopter DIY kits.

  • Best feature 1: Tough, lightweight 450F nylon fiber frame
  • Best feature 2: Flysky FS-i6 6CH 2.4G AFHDS 2A transmitter w/ LCD screen
  • Plus points: CW/CCW brushless motors, brushless ESC, carbon fiber props, high landing gear
  • Minus points: No instructions, little user feedback

QWinOut DIY FPV Quadcopter Kit Highlights

The QWinOut is a capable DIY FPV quadcopter kit with a lot to offer (see list below). It’s for the more advanced builder, and that’s why there’s so little user feedback on sales pages. Enthusiasts who buy a kit at this level know what they’re getting by reading the parts lists. It’s a model that hobbyists spend more time discussing on drone forums than they do writing reviews.

This quadcopter project is for those who love to tinker right out of the box. It’s a one-stop-shop pack that includes a transmitter, receiver, batteries, and brushless technology.

In the box of a new QWinOut DIY FPV drone kit:

  • HJ 450 multicopter 450F nylon fiber Frame airframe
  • CW/CCW JMT 920KV brushless motors (2 pairs)
  • 4 x 30A Brushless Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs)
  • Carbon fiber Props (2 pairs)
  • PIX PXI PX4 flight controller
  • 6M GPS w/ compass L5883 25 cm cable
  • DJI GPS folding metal antenna holder
  • FS-i6 6CH 2.4G AFHDS 2A LCD transmitter iA6 receiver
  • 12 x 3.5mm bullet connectors (banana plug)
  • Hook & Loop fastening tape
  • T plug connector (M)
  • IMAX RC B3 Pro compact balance charger
  • 11.1V 4400MAH 30C 3S1P battery
  • 4 x black 140mm high-landing-gear w/ skid wheel tripod

Items not in the box (but needed) include: None.

The Not So Good

This drone doesn’t come with instructions, but that’s not so important in this case. Drone builders at this level prefer to work independently anyway. Builders are more likely to ask fellow hobbyists for guidance if they do need help. There’s very little feedback on sales pages for this kit. There are real users on YouTube giving their take on this and other QWinOut DIY FPV drone kits though.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: Not specified
Product Weight: 4.9 lbs.
Camera: FPV
Max Flying Time: Not specified
Max Range: Not specified
Battery: 11.1V 4400mAh 30C 3S1P
The Pros
Complete quadcopter kit
Tough 450F nylon fiber frame
Flysky FS-i6 6CH 2.4G AFHDS 2A transmitter w/ LCD screen
CW/CCW brushless motors
Brushless ESC
Pure carbon fiber props
High landing gear
The Cons
No instructions
Little user feedback

4. Mini DIY RC Toy Quadcopter Drone Building Kit

Mini DIY RC Toy Quadcopter Drone Building KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

Meet the DIY Mini RC battle drone quadcopter kit. There are a lot of parts in the box which makes it excellent value. And the assembled drone has more features than you can shake a stick at.

  • Best feature 1: Easy to assemble kit
  • Best feature 2: 6-Axis gyro system
  • Plus points: Camera, one-key take-off/landing, headless mode, altitude hold, 360° roll-over
  • Minus points: Poorly written manual

Mini DIY RC Highlights

This DIY drone pack is quick to assemble, but the builder stills need some patience and thought. It’s a brilliant kit to help kids develop basic skills in areas of engineering, technology, science, and math. It’s also an attractive quad as well as capable, and that’s always a good thing. It has a 6-axis gyro system that keeps the craft steady during flights. That means shake-free videos and blur-free aerial photos.

The built-in 480P WIFI HD camera provides an excellent introduction to aerial shooting. Best of all is the drone’s First Person View (FPV) feature. The model is app-controlled and can use any regular Android or iOS smartphone screen. FPV allows pilots to see what the camera sees in real time. Video piloting is especially valuable if you’re into racing quadcopters.

Pilot-Friendly Features

There are other significant features worth a mention. The 1-key take-off and landing make light work of taking the bird up and bringing it down safely. Headless mode lets pilots fly using the RC controls regardless of the quad’s orientation. Altitude Hold is another pilot-friendly mode that makes controlling the drone much easier. There’s also an impressive one-button stunt function to boot.

This is a simple quadcopter kit to assemble and a fantastic, feature-packed model to fly once its ready.

In the box of a new Mini DIY RC Quadcopter building kit:

  • Main body
  • Main PCB
  • 480P camera
  • 4 x motors
  • 8 x propellers
  • RC remote controller (includes 3 x AAA batteries)
  • Smartphone holder
  • USB adapter
  • User manual
  • 2 x drone batteries
  • Propeller puller tool
  • Screwdriver
  • 4 x protective shells

Items not in the box (but needed) include: None.

The Not So Good

The only downside to this product is the poorly written/translated user manual. A lot of users complain that it makes assembling and flying the quad too complicated. Thank goodness for YouTube tutorials.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 2″
Product Weight: 14.1 oz.
Camera: 0.3MP integral 480P HD
Max Flying Time: 5 minutes
Charging time: 50 minutes
Max Range: 164 ft. (50m)
Battery: 3.7V 350mAh Li-Po
The Pros
Excellent value DIY drone
Easy to assemble kit
6-Axis gyro system
Built-in camera
One-key take-off/landing
Headless mode
Altitude hold
360° roll-overs
App control
Fast charging time
The Cons
Poorly written/translated manual

5. LHI 250mm Pro Carbon Fiber Quadcopter Frame Kit

LHI 250mm Pro Carbon Fiber Quadcopter Frame KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4/5

The LHI 250mm Race Copter is a lightweight pure carbon fiber hobby-grade frame kit. The mini-sized quad has a 250mm wheelbase, but it’s powerful and flies well outdoors on calm days.

  • Best feature 1: Pure carbon fiber build
  • Best feature 2: Rubber damper for vibration reduction
  • Plus points: Lightweight, durable, brushless motors and ESCs, excellent service
  • Minus points: No instructions, fragile stock props

LHI 250mm Race Copter Frame Kit Highlights

This drone kit is a fantastic introduction for anyone who wants to build their first quad. It contains most of what you need to get going for a decent price. New builders don’t need any previous experience either. That said, a little patience and persistence is a prerequisite for any raw novice. The kit comes with a solid carbon fiber frame and an effective rubber damper to reduce flight vibrations.

The finished quad is lightweight, agile in the air, yet tough enough to stand up to a few knocks. Its brushless motors and electronic speed controllers (ESCs) maintain consistent power and performance.

In the box of a new LHI Pro carbon fiber drone frame kit:

  • 250mm pure carbon fiber frame
  • CC3D flight controller w/ case
  • 4 x Simonk 12A Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs)
  • 4 x MT2204 2300KV (2CW + 2CCW) brushless motors
  • 4 x Light board
  • 8 x 5030 (2CW + 2CCVV) 2-blade propellers

Items not in the box (but needed) include: flight batteries, a receiver, and a transmitter.

Battery suggestions are any 3-4S LiPos from 1300mAh to 2200mAh. The maker’s recommendation for the radio system transmitter is the Flysky FS-i6 and 2A 2.4GHz 6CH.

The Not So Good

There aren’t any assembly instructions with this quadcopter kit. There are several YouTube tutorials where users walk newbies through the build instructions. The only shared gripe I found with the parts were with the stock blades. Most folks buy upgraded propellers as the included props seem too fragile.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 10.8 x 6.5 x 1.7″
Product Weight: 1.15 lbs.
Camera: No but capable
Max Flying Time: 10+ minutes
Max Range: not specified
Battery: Any 3S LiPo (not included)
The Pros
Pure carbon fiber build
Rubber vibration damper
Lightweight & durable build
Brushless motors and ESC
Excellent seller service
The Cons
Fragile stock props
No instructions included

6. QWinOut F550 RC Beginners Hexacopter Kit

QWinOut F550 RC Beginners Hexacopter KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

This is a hexacopter kit and has six rotors instead of four. The QWinOut F550 is best suited to those who have some experience assembling multirotor drones.

  • Best feature 1: 1000KV brushless outrunner motors
  • Best feature 2: Tough 3K carbon fiber propeller
  • Plus points: Impact resistant sponge foam tube balls, failsafe hexacopter design
  • Minus points: Not beginner-friendly, no instructions

QWinOut F550 RC Hexacopter Kit Highlights

The kit comes with six efficient 1000KV brushless outrunner motors. These reliable motors provide plenty of thrust, consistent performance, and require zero maintenance. The kit’s 3K carbon fiber propellers are far superior to any plastic counterpart. The foam tube balls add further to the quads overall impact resistance. There’s also an exciting extra benefit to building and flying a hexacopter.

Hexacopter drones don’t fall out of the sky if one of the motors fail. It’s the same if its electronic speed controllers (ESC) stop working. So, it’s entirely possible to land a hexacopter in any of these situations safely. However, when a quadcopter’s motor fails, it’s almost certain to suffer a crash landing.

In the box of a new QWinOut F550 RC Hexacopter Kit:

  • F550 FlameWheel Hexa-Rotor airframe
  • 6 x A2212 1000KV brushless outrunner motors w/ mount
  • 6 x 30A brushless Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs)
  • 3 x 3K carbon fiber props
  • KMulticopter V2.3 circuit board V5.5 flight controller
  • Universal landing skid PTZ
  • 4 x impact-resistant (65mm) skid-proof sponge foam tube balls

Items not in the box (but needed) include: 4CH (channel) radio receiver and flight controller. Flight batteries are extra too. The maker’s recommendation is an 11.1V 3300mAh 25C 3S Lithium.

The Not So Good

This is an excellent project for anyone with some experience though it’s not beginner-friendly. There’ aren’t any instructions either, and newbies may find the YouTube video tutorials hard to follow.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.8 x 4″
Product Weight: 3.18 lbs.
Camera: None
Max Flying Time: Depends on the setup
Max Range: Depends on the setup
Battery: 11.1V 3300Mah 25C 3S Lithium (not included)
The Pros
1000KV brushless outrunner motors
Tough 3K carbon fiber propellers
Impact Resistance sponge foam tube balls
Failsafe hexacopter design
The Cons
No instructions included
Not beginner-friendly

7. QWinOut X4 Carbon Fiber Foldable Drone Kit

QWinOut X4 Carbon Fiber Foldable Drone KitView on Amazon

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

Last up is the QWinOut X4, a full carbon fiber drone kit with a foldable design. The X4 checks a lot of the right boxes for a quad in its class. It’s best suited to enthusiasts with some experience, though.

  • Best feature 1: Foldable, full carbon fiber frame
  • Best feature 2: Powerful 580KV motors
  • Plus points: Lightweight, durable, DIY fully customizable design, foldable landing skid
  • Minus points: Scant on details, little user feedback, no instruction manual

QWinOut X4 Highlights

The QWinOut X4 is lightweight, durable, and stable once assembled. Its fully foldable design (frame and landing skid) make it portable and easy to store when not in use. The fully customizable kit comes with four powerful 580KV motors to support drone functions. The assembled quad is a capable flying robot and as crash-resistant as a model can be in its category.

In the box of a new QWinOut X4 drone kit:

  • 1 x QWinOut 560mm foldable full carbon fiber frame kit
  • 4 x 40A Electronic Speed Controllers (ESC)
  • 4 x MT3508 580KV motors
  • 2 x (pairs) 1455 carbon fiber propellers
  • 1 x Black reverse buckle tie
  • 1 x (M) 16AWG connect wire

Items not in the box (but needed) include: minimum 4CH (channel) radio & receiver. Others are flight controller, flight batteries, and any custom parts or accessories required by the builder.

The Not So Good

There’s no doubt that this is an interesting drone kit, but it has a few drawbacks. The details are scant, and there’s no user feedback on sales pages. The package also lacks any instructions. It’s not something for novice drone builders to consider for these reasons. Experienced enthusiasts will recognize the parts and make informed decisions based on personal experience.

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Tech Specs
Dimensions: Not specified
Product Weight: Not specified
Camera: None
Battery: Not included
The Pros
DIY fully customizable kit
Foldable, full carbon fiber frame
Foldable landing gear
Powerful 580KV motors
Lightweight, durable, stable
The Cons
Scant on details
Little user feedback
No instruction manual
5/52 ratings