FPV freestyle flying is an exciting and creative form of drone piloting, where the focus is on performing stunning aerial tricks and stunts with fluid motion and full control. Unlike FPV racing or cinematic FPV, freestyle allows pilots to express themselves through maneuvers like power loops, barrel rolls, and advanced tricks such as Madd flips and juicy flicks. This guide will cover the essential beginner tricks, including yaw spins and front/back flips, and help you progress to more complex maneuvers. Additionally, we’ll explore how to build smooth combos, manage throttle effectively, and avoid common mistakes to ensure a safe and exciting flight experience.
What Is FPV Freestyle Flying?
FPV (First Person View) freestyle flying is a thrilling branch of drone piloting where the focus is on performing tricks, stunts, and expressive flight movements. Unlike racing, which is based on speed and precision, or cinematic FPV which aims for smooth shots, freestyle is all about creativity, fluid motion, and mastering full control of your drone in three-dimensional space.
Freestyle flying typically uses 5-inch quadcopters due to their balance of power, agility, and stability. These drones are often custom-built with durable frames, high-thrust motors, and responsive flight controllers. Freestyle also requires a good-quality FPV camera and goggles for real-time maneuvering.
Core FPV Freestyle Tricks for Beginner Level
Here are some essential tricks that every beginner should practice, along with tips for learning them.
Power Loop
This trick involves pulling back on the pitch while adding throttle to loop over an object. Key to success is timing your throttle input — too early and you’ll overshoot, too late and you’ll crash. Start by practicing in wide-open areas and gradually incorporate landmarks.
Simulator Tip: In Liftoff or Velocidrone, place a gate or object in a wide field. Practice full loops at different altitudes. Use FPV camera angle settings around 20°–30°.
Split-S
Roll the drone upside down and pitch forward into a dive to create an S-shape trajectory. This trick teaches you inverted control and altitude management. It’s often used to reverse direction quickly or dive behind objects.
Simulator Tip: Set up a high marker. Start with a simple roll and pitch combination above it, then increase speed. Practice orientation recovery after the dive.
Barrel Roll / Aileron Roll
Perform a full 360-degree roll using the roll axis while maintaining forward momentum. Start with small roll rates and moderate throttle to avoid losing altitude. Practice rolling left and right to build symmetry.
Simulator Tip: Fly through a tunnel or long structure while rolling. This helps develop spatial awareness and roll rate control.
Front Flip / Back Flip
These involve fast pitch movements forward or backward. Use these flips to build confidence in aerial orientation and to exit tight spaces with flair. Maintain consistent throttle to avoid dropping altitude mid-flip.
Simulator Tip: Set up waypoints. Flip between them and track throttle input to maintain altitude. Use rate tuning for better flip sharpness.
Yaw Spin
A rotation around the yaw axis, often while hovering or moving slowly. Though it seems simple, this trick adds dynamic movement and can be linked with flips or rolls for dramatic effect.
Simulator Tip: Try hovering over a ground marker and do slow yaw rotations. Then combine yaw spins with flips or rolls for visual flow.
Trippy Spin
This orbit maneuver requires you to circle a vertical object (like a pole or tree) while staying inverted and keeping the object centered in view. It demands precise roll, yaw, and throttle control simultaneously. Start wide and slowly tighten your orbit as you gain control.
Simulator Tip: Place a pole in the simulator. Go inverted and orbit while keeping the pole centered in your view. Use cinematic camera mode to fine-tune flow.
Intermediate to Advanced Tricks of FPV Freestyle
Once you’re confident with the basics, try progressing to these more complex tricks that require better stick control, coordination, and spatial awareness:
Madd Flip
Named after FPV pilot Mr. Steele’s flying style, this trick is a fast, disorienting maneuver that combines roll, pitch, and yaw. Start by executing a yaw spin mid-flip to create a sharp directional change. It’s flashy and great for transitioning between high-speed runs and technical segments.
Simulator Tip: Practice in Velocidrone freestyle maps. Use slow stick inputs at first to break down the trick into pitch + yaw + roll. Record and review your attempts.
Rewind
This trick involves doing a motion and immediately reversing it — for example, entering a power loop and then reversing the motion to come back through the same arc. It’s visually impressive and showcases perfect timing and muscle memory.
Simulator Tip: Use Liftoff’s track editor to create arcs or loops. Fly through, then rewind the exact motion. Use ghost mode to compare flight paths.
Juicy Flick
Often seen in “juicy-style” flying, this is a quick snap in one direction followed by an immediate flick back the opposite way. It mimics a whip or snap and adds rhythm to your freestyle flow. Use fast roll and pitch inputs with subtle throttle adjustments.
Simulator Tip: Practice short back-and-forth movements in open space. Use high camera angle and aggressive rates. Try pairing flicks with throttle blips.
Wall Taps / Proximity Tricks
These require you to fly extremely close to surfaces or even briefly tap them with your props or frame. It’s risky but rewarding, and ideal for urban environments. Practice in simulators before attempting in real life.
Simulator Tip: Use bando (abandoned building) maps in Liftoff. Fly close to windows and walls. Slowly reduce distance while maintaining control. Avoid direct collisions initially.
Each of these advanced tricks should be approached patiently. Watch high-level pilots for inspiration, use slow stick movements in early attempts, and always record your flights to analyze what went right or wrong.
Join the MEPSKING Vine Voice Program
Freestyle tricks like power loops, split-S, and matty flips demand strong motors and reliable prop performance. Through the MEPSKING Vine Voice, experienced pilots can test MEPSKING motors and components under real freestyle stress. Your feedback helps improve durability, throttle response, and performance tuning for future products.
Building Combos and Flow of FPV freestyle
Freestyle isn’t just about isolated tricks — it’s about linking moves together into flowing sequences:
- Combining Tricks: Chain a power loop into a roll, then a yaw spin, followed by a Split-S.
- Throttle Management: Keep your movements smooth by mastering your throttle. Too much, and you’ll lose flow; too little, and you’ll drop out of the air.
- Stick Harmony: Use coordinated inputs across pitch, roll, and yaw to create seamless transitions.
- Sim Practice: Use simulators like Liftoff or Velocidrone to build trick combos before flying real drones.
Pre-Flight Checklist (Ready-to-Publish Version)
Before attempting any freestyle tricks, make sure your quad is in perfect flying condition. A quick pre-flight checklist not only reduces crashes but also keeps you, your gear, and the environment safe.
Inspect the Frame and Arms
Check for cracks, loose screws, or bent carbon plates. Freestyle puts a lot of stress on arms and standoffs, so ensure everything feels rigid and secure.
Tighten All Propellers
Props must be firmly installed with no wobble. Loose propellers can cause mid-air desyncs, loss of thrust, and severe crashes during power-loops or flips.
Battery Is Securely Mounted
Ensure the battery strap and non-slip pad hold the LiPo tightly. A shifting battery dramatically affects balance and may unplug your quad during aggressive maneuvers.
Check Motors for Smooth Rotation
Spin each motor by hand. They should turn smoothly with no grinding noises. Dirt, sand, or bent shafts will affect your performance and can cause vibration oscillations during tricks.
Confirm VTX Settings & Antenna Security
- Make sure the VTX antenna is tightly screwed in
- Select a legal frequency and power
- Avoid overheating by allowing airflow around the VTX
Verify Receiver and Failsafe Settings
Test radio link quality and ensure failsafe is set to “drop” (not “fly away”).
This is critical when performing high dives, matty flips, or proximity moves.
Check GPS Lock (If Equipped)
For long-range or location-sensitive flights, confirm proper satellite lock before take-off.
Inspect the Flying Area
- No people, cars, animals, or private property
- Enough vertical and horizontal space
- Avoid flying near water unless you’re prepared to lose the quad
Arm → Hover Test → Quick Line Check
Before full throttle freestyle:
- Do a low hover
- Test roll, pitch, yaw
- Check for drifting or oscillations
- Ensure your video feed is clean and stable
A solid pre-flight check adds safety and dramatically improves your freestyle confidence.
Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them (Upgraded Version)
Below is a professional, clear, beginner-friendly table of the most frequent freestyle issues and how to correct them.
Extra Tips to Reduce Mistakes
- Fly the same line repeatedly to build muscle memory
- Review your DVR flight footage after practice
- Practice the trick in a simulator before trying it in real life
- Reduce camera tilt if you feel “too fast.”
- Increase rates gradually as your skill improves
Common Mistakes of FPV Freestyle and How to Avoid
Every pilot makes mistakes, but recognizing them is the key to improvement:
- Overcorrecting Mid-Trick: Let the drone complete its motion before making recovery inputs.
- Unstable Throttle: Use expo or throttle curves to gain finer control at low stick positions.
- Skipping the Basics: Don’t rush into advanced moves — they rely on strong fundamentals.
- Unsafe Practice Zones: Always fly in wide-open or legal areas to reduce risk.
| Mistake | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Over-Throttling During Tricks | Beginners panic when losing altitude and give too much throttle, causing the quad to shoot upward or destabilize. | Practice low-throttle cruising. Use simulator drills for flips and power-loops. Focus on “smooth, progressive throttle” instead of punching it. |
| 2. Losing Orientation Mid-Flip or Roll | Camera tilt is too high, rotation speed too fast, or pilot stops looking at a fixed reference point. | Reduce camera angle (20–25°). Slow down rates slightly. Practice flips using a single tree or object as a visual anchor. |
| 3. Wobbles or Oscillations | Loose props, bent motor shaft, bad tune, damaged propellers. | Replace props, check motors, tighten screws. Re-apply a basic PID tune or lower filters if needed. |
| 4. Drifting During Power Loops | Incorrect pitch timing or misaligned entry angle. | Start with larger loops. Aim at a far visual target. Work on smoother pitch control instead of jerking the stick. |
| 5. Unstable Yaw Spins | Yaw rate is too low or the pilot’s throttle control is inconsistent. | Increase yaw rates slightly. Practice low-altitude hover yaw turns before full spins. |
| 6. Crashing During Matty Flips | Wrong throttle drop timing, approaching obstacle too fast, or insufficient backward pitch control. | Practice in a simulator first. Approach slower. Focus on “drop → reverse pitch → recover” timing. |
| 7. Bad Flow / Choppy Lines | Pilot performs tricks individually instead of linking movements. | Practice combining two simple tricks (e.g., roll → split-S). Focus on smooth transitions and consistent forward momentum. |
| 8. Poor Proximity Control | Fear of obstacles or lack of fine throttle control. | Start far away. Get comfortable keeping altitude steady. Gradually move closer to objects as your comfort builds. |
| 9. Video Noise or Signal Dropouts | Damaged antenna, incorrect VTX channel, blocked line-of-sight. | Replace or secure antenna. Choose a clean channel. Avoid flying behind buildings or metal structures. |
| 10. Over-Correcting Stick Inputs | Pilot reacts too quickly or too strongly during maneuvers. | Increase expo. Practice slow, deliberate stick movements. Record DVR to analyze inputs afterward. |
FAQ
How to fly FPV smoothly?
Practice throttle control, use expo settings on your transmitter, and fly in simulators to build muscle memory.
How fast is FPV freestyle?
Freestyle isn’t about max speed. Speeds can range from 30 to 100+ km/h depending on the move, but control is the priority.
What is the best way to learn FPV flying?
Start with simulators like Liftoff or Velocidrone. Then practice with a durable 5-inch quad in open fields. Watch pro pilot videos to learn flow and creativity.