Propellers are a critical component of any FPV drone, and understanding the basics is essential for getting started in the hobby. The right propellers can make your drone fly faster, smoother, and more efficiently, while the wrong ones can cause instability and poor performance. In this guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about FPV drone propellers and share my top recommendations.
Propeller Recommendations
Propellers come in various designs and sizes, each tailored for specific flight styles and purposes. Factors like pitch, shape, and material significantly impact performance. After years of testing and experience, I’ve narrowed down some of the best propellers for different use cases.
Best 5″ Props
Best 5″ Props for Sub250
Best 7″ Props
Best 3″ Props for Freestyle
Best 3″ Props for Cinewhoops
Best 3.5″ Props for Freestyle
Best 3.5″ Props for Cinewhoops
Best 2″ Props for Cinewhoops
Best Tiny Whoop Props
For Tiny Whoop propeller recommendations, check out my recommendations here: https://oscarliang.com/best-tiny-whoop/#31mm-Propellers-for-65mm-Whoops
How Does a Propeller Work?
Propellers (or just “props”) generate thrust by spinning rapidly, pushing air downward. Each blade has an airfoil shape, creating a pressure difference: lower pressure above and higher pressure below. This difference generates lift, propelling the drone upward or forward.
The front edge of the blade is called leading edge, which cuts into the air first. It splits the airflow, directing some over the curved surface (generating low pressure) and some under the flatter side (higher pressure). The rear edge of the blade is called Trailing Edge, where the airflow recombines. The combined pressure difference across the blade surfaces generates lift.
Fun Fact: FPV drones can’t fly in space because there’s no air for the propellers to move.
Understanding Propeller Specifications
FPV drone propellers are typically defined by three main dimensions: size, pitch, and blade count. These are often written as a set of numbers, such as 5x4x3 or 5040×3.
Size (Diameter)
The different propeller sizes
The first number, like the 5 in 5x4x3, represents the diameter of the propeller in inches. This is the diameter of the circular area the prop creates when spinning.
- Larger Props: Generate more thrust due to a larger surface area but require more powerful motors. In my experience, with the right FPV drone motor, larger propeller tend to be more efficient.
- Smaller Props: Produce less thrust but are easier on the motor.
FPV drone frames are usually categorized by propeller size – the biggest propeller they can run. You should always use the intended propeller size on your frame to maximize performance.
Pitch
The second number, such as the 4 in 5x4x3, represents the pitch of the propeller. This refers to how far the prop would theoretically move forward in one rotation if there were no air resistance (measured in inches). It’s similar to how a screw moves through a solid material with each turn.
- Low Pitch Props:
- Easier to spin through the air, enabling quicker RPM changes.
- Provide more responsive control and generate less propwash vibration.
- Requires less motor torque and draws less current.
- Move less air, resulting in lower thrust and top speed.
- High Pitch Props:
- Move more air per rotation, creating greater thrust and allowing for higher top speeds.
- Require more torque to change RPM, which can reduce responsiveness if the motor struggles to provide enough power.
- Typically less efficient than lower pitch props.
How Many Blades?
The third number (e.g., the 3 in 5x4x3) indicates the number of blades on the propeller. Common options include:
- Two-Blade Props: Known for efficiency and low drag, ideal for long-range flying due to reduced current draw and better flight time.
- Three-Blade Props: Offer a balance of thrust, agility, and efficiency, the most popular choice for FPV drones, providing excellent grip and stable performance.
- Four-Blade Props (or More): Generate more thrust and stability but are less efficient, commonly used in small cinewhoops for lifting heavier payloads while maintaining a compact form factor.
Adding More Blades
Increasing the number of blades effectively increases the surface area, allowing the propeller to produce more thrust. This is similar to using a larger propeller but you can fit it in a smaller disk area. However, with additional blades it requires more torque form the motors to spin it. If the motor isn’t powerful enough, it reduces responsiveness. It can also reduce your flight time significantly due to the higher current draw.
Common Uses
For FPV drone pilots, both two and three-blade propellers are popular options. Most pilots prefer three-blade propellers for racing and freestyle, as they have a more balanced performance in terms of efficiency and power, they provide more grip in the air due to the extra surface area compared to two-blade. On the other hand, two-blade is usually more efficient as they creates less drag and draw less current, hence they are more popular for long range builds.
There are propellers with more than 3 blades, such as quad-blade, 5-blade and hex-blade propellers. Quad-blade propellers are said to be great for indoor tracks and cornering, but they are less efficient than tri-blade and spin at a lower RPM at a given power. Hex-blade propellers are not recommended for normal flight due to its extreme inefficiency, but micro cinewhoops sometimes use propellers with high blade count to improve power without sacrificing their compact form factor.
Weight
The weight of a propeller significantly impacts drone performance. Generally, lighter propellers offer better performance due to their lower moment of inertia, allowing motors to change RPM more quickly. This makes your drone feel more responsive and nimble. Heavier propellers have more mass on each blade and require a more powerful motor to spin them. This can lead to higher torque loading, making the motor work harder and possibly decreasing overall performance, including responsiveness and efficiency. Lighter props also work better with a wider range of motors because they require less torque to spin up.
The weight distribution of the blades also matters. With the center of mass nearer the hub makes the prop easier to spin and stop, improving responsiveness. However, that means the tip would be the thinner and may be more prone to breaking in crashes. With the weight nearer to the tip, you’d experience greater drag and makes it harder to accelerate or decelerate, reducing agility.
Propeller Rotation
Propeller Direction: CW and CCW
Propellers are designed to spin in a specific direction: either clockwise (CW) or counter-clockwise (CCW). The only exception is 3D props, which can spin in both directions but are used in niche applications.
In a quadcopter, two motors spin CW and the other two spin CCW, so it’s crucial to match the propellers to the motors based on their intended direction of rotation.
Fun Fact: Why Two CW and Two CCW?
You might wonder why FPV drones use a mix of clockwise and counter-clockwise propellers.
Two propellers generate CW torque, while the other two generate CCW torque, effectively canceling out the rotational forces. Without this counteraction, the drone would spin uncontrollably in the opposite direction of the motors—much like a helicopter with a damaged tail rotor (a scenario you’ve likely seen in movies).
Additionally, this opposing torque can be used to create rotational movement for the quadcopter (aka yaw movement).
To determine the direction a propeller should spin, look at its leading edge (the side that cuts into the air) and trailing edge. The propeller’s shape and curvature indicate the intended direction of rotation. Some propellers are also labeled with CW or CCW near the hub for easy identification.
If you mount a propeller in the wrong direction, it will push air in the opposite way, causing the drone to flip over or fail to take off.
FPV drone propellers are typically sold in packs of four: two CW and two CCW.
Types of Propeller Mounting
Typical FPV drone motors use one of the three common mounting methods: Prop Nuts, T-Mount, and Press Fit. Each type has its advantages and is suited for specific drone sizes and applications. Make sure you understand which setup your motors use before picking up propellers to avoid incompatibility.
Prop Nuts
Prop nuts are the most common mounting method for 5″ FPV drones and larger rigs. The propeller is placed onto a motor shaft with an M5 thread and secured with a self-locking nylon nut.
T-Mount
In T-Mount setups, the propeller is secured to the motor bell using two small M2 screws. The motor shaft, typically 1mm or 1.5mm in diameter, helps center the prop. The lightweight design is ideal for smaller, less powerful drones. It offers a secure fit without requiring large threaded shafts or nuts. This mounting is popular in small 2″ to 4″ FPV drones.
Press Fit
In press-fit mounting, the propeller is pushed onto the motor shaft using friction to hold it in place. Motor shafts are typically 1mm or 1.5mm in diameter. No screws or nuts are needed, reducing weight and makes changing propeller simple. However, propellers may fly off if the motors spin too fast, or in collisions. This is popular in toothpicks (ultralight) drones and tiny whoops.
Material
FPV propellers are typically made from durable plastic, specifically polycarbonate. This material is lightweight, flexible, and resilient, allowing propellers to bend or warp in crashes without breaking easily. It’s an ideal choice for the demands of FPV drones.
There are also propellers made from carbon fiber or wood, which offer increased stiffness and precision. However, these are generally used in planes or larger multirotors that aren’t intended to crash, as they are more expensive and prone to damage.
Stick with plastic props—they’re affordable, easy to replace, and well-suited for most flying styles.
How to Install Propellers?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to properly installing propellers on your FPV drone:
1. Check Motor Orientation
By default, Betaflight expects the motors to spin in specific directions, as shown in the diagram below (you can also find this diagram in the Motors tab in Betaflight Configurator).
- Install CW props on the front-left and rear-right motors.
- Install CCW props on the front-right and rear-left motors.
Pro Tip: To make it easier to remember, all front props spin toward the FPV camera, while rear props spin toward the back of the drone.
2. Identify the Top and Bottom of the Propeller
- The top side of the propeller is often glossy or shiny, and near the hub, it may feature extruded text like the model or size numbers.
- The bottom side typically has a matte finish.
Make sure the glossy/text side faces up when installing the propellers. If the props are mounted upside down, the drone’s performance will be severely reduced—or it might flip over when you try to take off.
3. Match Propellers to Motors
Ensure CW propellers are mounted on CW motors, and CCW props are mounted on CCW motors. Incorrect installation can cause the drone to flip over when taking off.
4. Secure the Props
Attach the props securely using the provided screws, lock nuts, or other fasteners. Loose props can fly off mid-flight, leading to a crash.
5. Double-Check Installation
Spin each propeller by hand to confirm it is installed in the correct orientation. When spinning, each prop should push air downward.
Understanding Props In and Props Out
FPV drones can be configured in two ways: props in or props out, depending on the direction the propellers spin. The default configuration in Betaflight is props in, and if you reverse the directions of all 4 propellers, it’s props out.
This configuration affects airflow and how debris is thrown away from the drone. You can learn more about the benefits and trade-offs of each configuration in my detailed guide: https://oscarliang.com/reversed-motor-prop-rotation-quadcopter/
Pusher Configuration
The pusher configuration is common in Cinewhoops, where the motors are mounted upside down, and the propellers “push” air upward instead of pulling it down.
This configuration does not affect how props are mounted. You still follow the same rules for matching CW and CCW props with the correct motors based on their rotation direction.
How to Choose Propellers
Here is a table that shows which size propeller to use with different motors and voltages..
FPV drone sizes are typically categorized by the maximum propeller size that can be used in that frame. The most popular FPV drone size is probably 5-inch due to its versatility, as it can be used for racing, freestyle, cinematic and long range. It can comfortably carry a full-size GoPro camera, thus it’s often used for capturing cinematic shots as well. The 7-inch builds are more suited for long-range flights because it can carry a much larger battery and the larger 7″ propellers are often more efficient that smaller 5″. I won’t go into too much detail here, you can learn about all the different drone sizes in this post.
Thrust
Thrust is measured in grams. For your drone to hover, the propeller needs to produce at least 1 gram of thrust for every gram that your drone weighs. To perform stunts, or even just to take off or fly forward, your drone needs more than 1 gram of thrust per gram of weight.
Propellers produce more thrust when they spin faster and less when they spin slower. The speed of the drone also affects the amount of thrust produced. Some props perform well when the drone is stationary, but not so well during a cruise, while others perform well at high speeds but poorly when hovering. You want a prop that balances these factors and can create a good amount of thrust at different speeds.
To find the best prop for your drone, look up motor thrust tests to see what prop size work best with your motor. Keep in mind that props perform wildly differently when strapped to a thrust stand in a static setting compared to when they’re actually flying through moving air. Props can produce 20-30% less thrust in the air than on the ground.
To accurately assess prop performance, it needs to be tested at the speed your drone normally flies at. However, few people have access to wind tunnels for this type of testing. So, take performance tests with a grain of salt as they may not be an accurate representation of real-world use.
Smoothness
In the hobby, people often use the term “smoothness” to describe the quality of a motor or propeller. It’s not something that can be measured quantitatively, but more of a feeling that pilots have. In my experience, lower pitch props tend to be smoother because the motor can change RPM more easily and quickly. This allows the drone to respond faster to correct errors and reduces something called “prop wash”.
Speed
A propeller that creates lots of thrust with high pitch doesn’t necessarily make a drone faster than a lower pitch propeller that generates less thrust. As the propeller’s speed increases (which is measured in rotation per minute – RPM), so does the drag, requiring more torque from the motor to turn.
The theoretical maximum speed of an aircraft can be calculated using the equation:
Max Speed (in inch per second) = Max RPM * Propeller's Pitch / 60
In real life, factors such as air resistance, head wind, and angle of attack etc can all affect a drone’s speed.
Thrust affects acceleration and angle of attack, while RPM affects top speed. To achieve the best speed for your FPV drone, you need a balance between thrust and RPM.
Are Larger Props Better?
1. Responsiveness: A larger prop means a higher moment of inertia, leading to reduced responsiveness. This is particularly noticeable when using motors that typically drive 5-inch props like the 2207 size. On these motors, a 7-inch or even 6-inch prop will be less agile in responding to quick, sharp control inputs compared to a 5-inch prop. You will need a bigger motors to compensate but it will add weights and requires more powerful battery and electronics.
2. Thrust and Efficiency: Larger props generate more thrust, making them more efficient – they can carry more weight, even with the same motor. The increased efficiency means you get more thrust for the same power or the same thrust at a lower power requirement.
3. Vibration: As you increase prop size, expect more vibration. This is amplified by larger, less stiff frames.
4. Top Speed and Prop Wash Handling: Larger props tend to have a lower top speed but better prop wash handling. However, they are often more efficient, capable of maintaining higher speeds over longer periods.
Angle of Attack
The angle of attack refers to the angle at which air meets the propeller blades during flight, and this can significantly influence the efficiency of your propellers based on your drone’s attitude and speed.
Hovering and Low-Speed Flight
When a drone is hovering, the airflow is primarily vertical, and the propeller blades rely on their pitch to generate thrust. A lower pitch propeller is generally more efficient in this scenario, as it moves air smoothly without requiring high torque. For example, if the pitch is too high (e.g., close to 90 degrees), the propeller ends up “slapping” the air rather than efficiently displacing it, resulting in wasted energy and reduced thrust.
Forward Flight and High-Speed Cruising
As the drone tilts forward to fly, the angle of attack changes, and air begins entering the propeller blades at an angle rather than directly from below. At this point, Higher pitch propellers become more effective because they are better suited to displacing air in forward motion. They generate more thrust with each rotation, making them ideal for drones that maintain high cruising speeds or need quick acceleration. If your goal is to cover long distance instead of long flight time, trying some higher pitch props might be a good idea.
Finding the Optimal Setup
It’s just a generalization, it’s absolutely necessary to experiment with different props to find the optimal setup for your specific drone setup and flight style.
Weather and Temperature
Cold weather poses significant challenges for drones. As explained in our guide “How to fly FPV in the winter“, not only does it negatively impact battery performance, but it can also affect propellers. Depending on their material, propellers may stiffen and become brittle in cold temperatures, increasing the likelihood of breaking upon collision.
Impact of Altitude
Altitude can drastically affect air density and, consequently, the performance of your FPV drone. In areas of lower air density, such as high altitudes, you’ll experience less thrust from the same motor RPM. This results in the drone feeling more sluggish and less powerful, similar to the effect of using lower-pitch propellers. Therefore, when flying at high altitudes, it’s advisable to use higher-pitch propellers to compensate for the reduced air density.
Impact on Tuning
Changing propellers can have an effect on your drone’s PID and filter tuning. Props of different design, size, pitch or blade count will have effect on RPM, throttle/thrust linearity, vibration etc.
Say if you are just swapping out the HQ 5×4.3×3 with some Gemfan Hurricane 51466, it’d probably still be flyable, but if you are a perfectionist you probably want to tune your quad for a specific type of props.
The difference is even more pronounced when you use props of completely different size or blade count. For instance, 2-blade propellers tend to have a stronger 2nd harmonics in motor noise band, while for 3-blade the 3rd harmonics is usually stronger than the 2nd.
Noise Considerations
The noise and sound profile of propellers is an often-overlooked aspect when selecting props for your FPV drone, but it can significantly impact your flying experience—especially in urban areas or indoor.
Factors That Affect Propeller Noise:
- RPM (How Fast It Spins): Higher RPM creates higher-frequency noise, often perceived as a loud whine. Some cinewhoop would use props with a higher blade count in order to reduce RPM while maintaining the same thrust output, which can result in a quieter drone at the cost of efficiency.
- Propeller Design: The shape, pitch, and surface area of the blades affect airflow and noise. Wider or thicker blades may create a deeper sound, while thinner blades can be more high-pitched. Toroidal props have a unique shape that produces a softer, more pleasant sound profile to the human ear. Learn more about them here: https://oscarliang.com/toroidal-propellers/
- Frame Design: Cinewhoops, with their ducted frames, are particularly noisy due to the way air is pushed through the ducts at high RPM. Open-frame designs generally produce less noise in comparison.
Final Thoughts
Propellers are one of the easiest and cheapest components to experiment with on an FPV drone. By understanding the basics of size, pitch, blade count, and material, you can choose the right props to match your flying style and drone setup. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations and see what works best for you.
Happy flying!
Edit History
- 2017 – tutorial created.
- 2023 – article updated, URL shortened, updated product links.
- Jun 2024 – Added recommendations for more propeller sizes.
- Sep 2024 – updated products.
- Dec 2024 – updated guide.
