Best 5 Inch Drone Frame

Choosing the right drone frame is crucial for any FPV pilot. A solid frame ensures durability, stability, and optimal performance, whether you’re racing, freestyle flying, or just exploring. In this guide, we’ll recommend some of the best frames available, starting with the iFlight Nazgul Evoque F5 V2—our pick for the best 5 inch drone frame. This frame offers a perfect balance of strength, protection, and design, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced pilots. Let’s explore why it stands out and look at other great options for your next build!

1. Best 5 inch Drone Frame – iFlight Nazgul Evoque F5 V2

The iFlight Nazgul Evoque F5 V2 is a solid choice if you’re after the best 5 inch drone frame. This updated version is designed to work seamlessly with the DJI O3 HD Air Unit, making it great for digital FPV.

• Durability and Protection: One of the standout features is the added protection. The frame keeps dirt, grass, and debris away from your electronics, preventing short circuits. The TPU protective parts and illuminated side panels offer extra durability, making it ready for hard crashes.
• Cooling and Camera Mount: The airflow design keeps your components cool, which is important for long flights. Plus, the new camera mount allows for a wider field of view (FOV), giving you better shots with TPU inserts to reduce vibrations.
• Antenna Mounting: It also has an improved antenna mount for dual 5.8G VTX antennas and supports the original DJI O3 antenna, making setup easier for DJI users.
• Optional Add-ons: You can add an anti-spark filter to protect against voltage spikes when connecting your battery, offering more customization for your build.

Overall, the Evoque F5 V2 is a durable, well-designed 5 inch drone frame that works great for both analog and digital FPV. It’s tough, reliable, and perfect for pilots looking for a high-performance frame.

2. Budget FPV Frame – TBS Source One V5 Frame

The TBS Source One V5 Frame is an affordable, durable, and versatile option for both beginners and experienced FPV pilots. This frame is known for its ability to withstand crashes and its easy customization options.

• Durability and Design: The V5 has thicker 6mm arms and a split bottom plate design, making it more durable than the previous version. It also features a locking wedge to keep the arms in place, which helps with crash resistance. While it’s slightly heavier, the extra durability is worth it.
• Customizable and Open-Source: The open-source nature of the Source One V5 is a big plus. You can easily find 3D printed accessories and mods online, allowing you to customize your build. Plus, it’s compatible with a wide range of hardware.
• Flight Performance: With its wide-stance, X configuration, the V5 provides stable and balanced flight. It’s great for freestyle flying, and the frame has enough space to fit your components comfortably.
• Perfect for Beginners: This frame is easy to build, repair, and modify, making it perfect for new pilots. The availability of spare parts and accessories adds to its appeal.

The TBS Source One V5 is a solid, budget-friendly choice for FPV pilots. It’s durable, easy to customize, and performs well for freestyle flying. Whether you’re just starting out or are an experienced pilot, this frame is a great option.

3. Popular FPV Drone Frame for Freestyle- AOS 5 V2

The AOS 5 V2 is quickly becoming a favorite among FPV pilots, especially those who are into freestyle. This frame is all about performance, with several improvements that make it stand out from the crowd.

• Improved Design for Stability: The AOS 5 V2 features updated arm geometry and a three-point motor mounting system, which increases stiffness and reduces vibrations. This helps improve resonance performance, allowing for smoother, more controlled flights. The frame also handles prop wash better than many other frames, so you’ll need less software filtering, meaning improved flight response.
• Versatile Mounting Options: The frame offers plenty of room for your electronics, with support for 30x30mm, 25.5×25.5mm, and 20x20mm mounting patterns. It’s spacious enough to fit the HDZero Freestyle VTX and the DJI full-sized FPV air units, giving you a lot of flexibility in your build.
• Durability and Crash Resistance: While the frame is designed for high performance, it does have a few trade-offs. The arms are strong but can be prone to damage at the joints during hard crashes, which could mean more frequent repairs. However, the topology-optimized arm design increases stiffness in critical areas, making the frame more durable overall.
• Build Complexity: One thing to note is that the AOS 5 V2 is slightly more complex to build compared to other freestyle frames. This isn’t a major issue for experienced builders, but if you’re new to FPV, it might take a little more time and care.

4. Durable – GEPRC Mark 5

The GEPRC Mark 5 is a tough and reliable FPV drone frame designed for freestyle flying. It stands out for its strong build quality and durability, making it perfect for pilots who want a frame that can handle crashes and heavy use.

• Strong Build: The 7075-T6 aluminum camera cage is much stronger than carbon fiber, offering great protection where most impacts happen. The frame also uses 2.5mm carbon plates and 5mm thick arms, ensuring it can take a beating while keeping weight low.
• Camera and Battery Mounting: The Mark 5 supports a range of cameras, including GoPro, Naked GoPro, Insta 360 GO2, and Caddx Peanut, allowing you to capture high-quality footage. It has a DC structure that hides propellers from the camera view, which is perfect for the DJI O3 camera. Plus, its truck bed design fits larger batteries for longer flight times.
• Easy to Build and Maintain: With its split top-deck design, you can access electronics easily without removing the GoPro mount. The frame also offers a centralized center of gravity, improving flight stability and rotation. The lightweight carbon arms are sturdy and easy to repair.
• Pro Version Extras: The Pro version comes with extras like 3D-printed skids, shock absorption, and a separate capacitor and buzzer cabin for added protection and better performance.

The GEPRC Mark 5 is a fantastic frame for pilots looking for durability and performance. It’s built to last, supports a wide range of cameras, and offers great flexibility for freestyle flying. If you want a frame that can take hard crashes and deliver solid performance, the Mark 5 is a great choice.

5. Quality Option – FlyFishRC Volador VX5 Frames

The FlyFishRC Volador VX5 is a well-built 5’’ freestyle frame designed with lots of thoughtful details. It’s strong, durable, and perfect for freestyle pilots who want a frame that can handle tough flights.

• Strong Build: Made from 7075 aluminum and T700 carbon, the frame is tough yet light. The 6mm thick carbon arms and 3mm top and bottom plates make it sturdy, and the hard-mounted XT60 connector reduces the risk of damaging battery wires.
• Great Features: The frame has a channel under the rear plate to neatly tuck away the XT60 wires, keeping things clean. It also includes 3D-printed parts that allow you to fit a variety of hardware. The VX5 supports 19mm and 20mm FPV cameras, and works with Vista, DJI O3, Walksnail, and HDZero VTX systems.
• Weight and Durability: At 199g, it’s a bit heavier than some frames, but it’s still durable enough for freestyle flying. However, it’s not the toughest when it comes to crashes.
• Assembly: With a lot of parts to put together, the VX5 might feel complicated for beginners. You’ll likely need to follow the instructions the first time, especially if you’re new to building drones.

The FlyFishRC Volador VX5 is a solid frame with great features and build quality. It’s a bit heavier and more complex than other options, but if you want a durable, customizable frame for freestyle flying, this one’s a great choice.