3- to 3.5-inch ducted class
Cinewhoop Builder
Ducted 3- and 3.5-inch quads for smooth, slow, close-up footage indoors and through tight spaces.
Cinewhoops trade speed for control. Ducts guard the props, so a light bump against a wall doesn't have to end the shot, and the quad flies steadily at walking pace. The catch is weight: ducts, a sturdy frame and an HD camera all eat into a small motor's thrust. JoinFPV adds up the take-off weight, estimates thrust-to-weight and hover time, warns near and above 250 g, and checks the XT30, the 20 × 20 stack or AIO board, and the voltage windows.
Start Building · Inspect Parts in 3D
Typical build specs
- Props
- 3″ in ducts (3.5″ on larger frames)
- Battery
- 4S 650–850 mAh LiPo (3″); 3.5″ quads also run 6S
- Take-off weight
- 230–320 g for a 3″, before an action camera
- Thrust-to-weight
- 4:1–6:1
- Flight time
- ≈ 3–5 min of smooth flying
What goes into a cinewhoop
What to look for in each part, and why it matters in this class. Product names are examples, not endorsements.
Frame
3″ ducted frame, or 3.5″ for heavier cameras
Ducts protect the props and the scenery, at the cost of weight and of drag in forward flight.
e.g. iFlight ProTek35, BetaFPV Pavo35
Motors
1404–1505 at about 3700–4400 KV on 4S (3″); 2006–2205 for 3.5″
Small props need high RPM, and the ducts add drag: leave thrust in reserve for the camera.
Props
Duct-matched props: 76 mm in 3″ ducts, 90 mm in 3.5″
A prop sized for its duct keeps the gap at the blade tips small, so the duct can do its job.
e.g. Gemfan D76, Gemfan D90
Battery
4S 650–850 mAh LiPo, XT30 (3″)
About 10–12.5 Wh keeps a 3″ close to 250 g; 3.5″ builds often step up to 6S for a heavier camera.
Flight controller + ESC
20 × 20 mm stack or an AIO board
Saves weight and space in a small frame. In the builder, an AIO board replaces a separate flight controller and ESC rather than sitting beside them.
e.g. SpeedyBee F405 Mini BLS 35A
Video
Digital HD with onboard recording
Records usable footage without a separate action camera: DJI's O4 Air Unit Pro weighs about 32 g with its camera.
e.g. DJI O4 Air Unit Pro, Walksnail Avatar
Receiver
ExpressLRS 2.4 GHz nano receiver
Light and small, with more range than close-up flying needs.
e.g. HappyModel EP2
Antennas
Short antennas above the top plate, clear of the ducts
Ducts don't stop a loose lead from reaching a prop. Keep the radiating ends up and away from carbon, and anchor the coax to the frame.
What JoinFPV checks for you
The builder runs these checks as you add parts, so a mismatch shows up before you order anything.
- Under-250 g estimate — A warning as the estimated take-off weight nears or passes 250 g, a registration threshold in many countries.
- Connector limits — The XT30 is checked against hover and full-throttle current: 30 A continuous, 100 A for a few seconds.
- Stack or AIO — Mounting patterns must match, and an AIO board takes the place of a separate flight controller and ESC.
- Enough thrust — Builds under 2:1 thrust-to-weight are flagged before you buy a part.
- Prop size — Props bigger than the frame takes, or past the motor's recommended range, are flagged.
- Voltage windows — The pack's cell count is checked against the motors, the ESC and the flight controller or AIO board.
How the four classes compare
Prop size
- Cinewhoop: 3–3.5″
- Racing: 5–5.1″
- Freestyle: 5–6″
- Long range: 7–10″
Take-off weight
- Cinewhoop: 230–320 g
- Racing: 440–520 g
- Freestyle: 550–700 g
- Long range: 900–1500 g
Thrust-to-weight
- Cinewhoop: 4:1–6:1
- Racing: 12:1–14:1
- Freestyle: 8:1–12:1
- Long range: 4:1–6:1
Flight time
- Cinewhoop: 3–5 min
- Racing: 1.5–2.5 min
- Freestyle: 2.5–4 min
- Long range: 18–35 min
Typical ranges, not limits. Flight time is usable charge divided by a typical average current for the class; your parts and your flying decide. The builder estimates steady-hover time for your exact parts, which runs longer than you will get flying hard.
Tips for your cinewhoop
Weigh the camera in
A full-size action camera weighs about 150 g, half a 3″ whoop's take-off weight. Record onboard with the HD system, fly a naked camera, or step up to a 3.5″.
Fly smooth on purpose
Lower rates, more expo and slow throttle changes make steadier footage. Stabilize it afterwards with Gyroflow, which reads the camera's or Betaflight's gyro data.
Respect the wind
Ducts make a light quad catch the wind: cinewhoops are at their best indoors and in calm air.
Safer, not safe
Ducts guard the blades in a light bump, but spinning props can still hurt. Get permission, don't fly over people and check your local rules.
New to FPV? The Beginner level of the course is free: Learn FPV by doing
What it's built for
- Real-estate and venue walk-throughs
- Events and weddings, with the organizer's permission
- Indoor product and showroom reveals
- One-take flythroughs
Practice in an FPV simulator first
Best for cinewhoops
- Liftoff: Micro Drones — tiny whoops and micro quads
- TRYP FPV — freestyle and cinematic lines
- Liftoff — freestyle and racing, large map library
Also worth a look
- VelociDrone — racing physics and online race leagues
- DRL Simulator — Drone Racing League courses
- Uncrashed — freestyle on photoreal maps
- FPV SkyDive — beginner-friendly first flights
- DCL The Game — Drone Champions League racing
- FPV Freerider — lightweight, runs on modest PCs
Where FPV pilots buy parts
- North America
- GetFPV · RaceDayQuads · Pyrodrone · Rotor Riot · NewBeeDrone · Lumenier · ReadyMadeRC · Five33 · RotorGeeks
- UK & Europe
- Unmanned Tech · Quadmula · FPV24 · n-Factory · Drone-FPV-Racer · Studiosport
- Global marketplaces
- Banggood · AliExpress · HobbyKing · Amazon
- Brand stores
- BetaFPV · iFlight · GEPRC · SpeedyBee · HGLRC · Flywoo · EMAX · T-Motor · Team BlackSheep (TBS) · RadioMaster · Foxeer · Caddx · RunCam · DJI Store
Store and simulator names are trademarks of their respective owners. JoinFPV is independent and not affiliated with them: plan and verify your build here, then buy wherever you like.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cinewhoop carry a full-size GoPro?
A 3.5-inch cinewhoop can: a full-size GoPro weighs about 150 g, and 3.5-inch quads on 4S or 6S packs are built for it, at the cost of flight time. On a 3-inch it eats most of the thrust reserve, so 3-inch builds usually fly a naked camera or the HD system's onboard recording. JoinFPV doesn't count an action camera's weight yet, so leave thrust in reserve for it.
Are ducted props safer?
Safer, not safe: the duct keeps the blades away from walls, furniture and fingers in a light bump, so the quad can often keep flying after a touch. Spinning props can still injure, so don't fly over people and keep your distance.
Should I build a 3-inch or a 3.5-inch?
A 3-inch is lighter and easier to keep near 250 g. A 3.5-inch, often on 6S, carries a full-size camera and copes better with a breeze, but it weighs more and needs more room to fly.
Can I practice cinewhoop flying in a simulator?
Yes. Liftoff: Micro Drones focuses on whoops and small ducted quads, and TRYP FPV and Liftoff suit slow, smooth cinematic lines. Practice low-rate, throttle-smooth indoor passes there before flying near people or products.
Ready to design your cinewhoop?
Open the builder and pick parts: it checks them as you go and shows the build's weight, thrust-to-weight and hover time.