FPV Tool Bag Essentials für jeden Piloten

FPV tool bag essentials for every pilot

Hi, this is Lexie aka MaionHigh!

Whether you're a beginner or a pro, a tool bag is an essential part of #FPVlife and every pilot has one. Tool bags vary from one to the next. Here I would like to talk to you about the most important equipment that every pilot should always have to hand.

First of all, I should mention that a toolkit is not something that you can buy completely customized. Rather, you should tailor it to your specific needs. What you can buy, however, is the bag itself. I use the TORVOL Sling Bag and really enjoy working with it. If you want to replicate my set-up or maybe just add a few individual items to your tool bag that you find useful - just check out the links.

By the way - this blog post is also available as a video on our YouTube channel:

I'd like to break this post down into 5 different categories:

1. Drone Tools

2. Soldering iron

3. Screws, cables, heat shrink tubing

4. Spare parts

5. Accessories for filming

So in this blog post, I will explain each tool or accessory and why I think it is important. It's important to mention that I sometimes take less or more equipment with me, depending on the type of trip I'm taking. For example, I will naturally take fewer spares for a freestyle flight than for a racing event. Finally, I will write briefly about pre-made toolkits that you can buy as a starter kit and later customize to your needs.

1. Drone tools

The first tools you'll see in my bag are the hex screwdrivers and screwdrivers in general. The TBS screwdriver set has everything a beginner pilot needs. I also included an electric screwdriver and a set of bits. Here I would like to mention the SEQURE Smart screwdriver. Both the PRO and Basic versions are really good and useful for FPV pilots. These are the most used tools in my bag and I just need them all the time to disassemble and reassemble my frames. But also to tighten the screws before flying, because the screws will loosen over time and you don't want to risk crashing your drone because of that.

Another item you should always have with you is the hex screwdriver set for props, nuts, etc. The next most frequently used tool in my toolbox is the prop tool from Ethix. This tool is simply the most versatile tool you can get when it comes to all-in-one tools.

I also carry two types of tweezers: one straight and one curved. I mainly use them for soldering or for inserting small plugs such as camera plugs. You should always have tweezers with you for soldering because you shouldn't touch the cables with your bare hands. They can get quite hot.

I also always have a pair of pliers with me, which you need for cutting cables, cable ties, etc., among other things. The next item in my tool bag is a pair of needle-nose pliers, which I use for larger items such as frame parts and large screws that have got stuck, for example. An absolute lifesaver is the smokestopper. Whenever you change something on the drone. Either because you had a bad crash in a race or had to replace something in the field. The Smokestopper ensures that the quad is not damaged by a short circuit. This tool shows you with a green or red light whether everything is OK with your wiring in the copter.

I usually have the next tool in my LiPo bag, just for the sake of simplicity: the battery checker. I use an ISDT battery checker to check the health of my cells and battery status and - if necessary - use the remaining power to charge my cameras or phone via the USB port. This has come in handy more times than I can count.

2. Soldering iron

I know for many beginners, soldering can be very scary. If you feel the same way, take a look at Youtube. We recently made a video about soldering, which you can watch here!

My soldering set is stored in my bag with the most important utensils. The soldering iron I use is the TS-100 or SEQURE SQ-001 soldering iron. I simply connect it to my 6S lipos (you can also connect 3S+ lipos to it) and I'm ready to go.

I have a flux pen for this. And for those who don't know - flux helps to transfer heat better and makes soldering smoother. This also makes the solder joint look much smoother. I also carry a soldering tube, which is really handy at races and in the field because it's light, clean and easy to handle. I also have a little stand with a sponge in it. I should probably use that more often... but I also often solder on my knee, which of course you shouldn't do.

And that brings us to the third category of the most important things:

3. Screws, cables and heat shrink tubing

I think these things need their own category because it can be difficult to find the right quantities and variation. And these seemingly boring things play a crucial role in your drone. Don't have them flapping around loose in your quad, as this will cause more vibration when flying. Always make sure everything is firmly and securely fastened to avoid wobbling, vibrations and crashes.

First of all: insulating tape. This is the easiest way to secure things and attach them to the frame. I use it to hold my VTXs on the top plate while protecting them from carbon. I also use it for the race wires so they don't touch the carbon.

Speaking of tape, I also always have double-sided tape on hand, which is great for things that need to be separated or elevated a bit when you don't know where to put them, such as receivers.

I keep my double-sided tape in my lipo bag though, as I mainly use it for the lipos and the floor/roof plate to make sure the batteries don't cause any extra vibrations or get lost in flight.

The next item on my list is a box of screws. I use this small box with separate compartments to separate the different screw sizes for a quick repair.

Cable ties! I recommend packing small and large cable ties for different reasons. The larger ones tend to be stronger and can hold larger parts, while the smaller cable ties are good for smaller components, loose cables, etc.

Lastly, I would like to mention heat shrink tubing. For those moments in life when you need to connect two cables or secure a component. Here, heat shrink tubing is an absolute MUST. I know a lot of pilots use heat guns to do this, but I usually just walk around the race looking for pilots with a lighter or carry one myself when I'm on my own. Heat guns are just too big and heavy for my taste.

4. Spare parts

Now that we're done with the tools and essentials, let's move on to my spares bag.

I usually only take it to race events because it contains everything I need to repair my drone during the race. Basically, this bag has the value of a racing drone, just in case. What you'll find here are motors, FC, ESC, cameras, camera lenses, antennas, tracers, VTX, LED packs, cables, antennas, frame parts, etc. For freestyle trips, I usually only take the antennas, maybe a spare motor, a spare arm and a camera. They then just go in a small bag or something.

5. Accessories for filming

As you know, I'm a YouTuber, so you can imagine that good content is my top priority in everything I do. That's why there are a few things I always have with me when I'm out and about with a drone or at events.

An SD card holder with Sds, of course. I also have ND filters for the Gopro from TBS. These provide excellent protection for the lens. The filters work like sunglasses for the camera, minimizing the sunlight, bringing out the colors better and ensuring that the light doesn't affect the shots too much. If I'm going on a longer trip, I also always have a few spare batteries for my camera and a larger selection of filters.

That all sounds like an awful lot and complicated? No problem! You can also start with the ready-made toolkit from ETHIX, which already contains the most important tools. This means you are usually well equipped for small repairs that need to be carried out on site. You can then take your time to add to your tool bag according to your needs.

And that's basically all the tools I have in my basic tool kit. Do you think I've forgotten something or do you think I'm carrying too much? Then just write me a comment below. What do you think is an absolute must-have in your tool bag? I bet there are as many different sets of tools as there are pilots!