A soft mount flight controller reduces vibrations from motors and props, giving your gyro cleaner data. This improves PID tuning, stability, video quality, and extends component life compared to a hard-mounted FC.
Looking for a complete setup? Check out our building guide: How to Build a 5-Inch FPV Racing Drone?
What Is a Soft Mount Flight Controller?
A soft mount flight controller uses rubber grommets, silicone dampers, or O-rings to reduce vibrations reaching the gyro sensor. Instead of bolting the FC rigidly into the stack, the soft mount setup cushions it, filtering out motor noise and frame vibrations.
- Hard mount: FC is bolted directly to the frame. Stable, but every vibration is transferred to the gyro.
- Soft mount: FC sits on rubber grommets, gummies, or foam pads. Vibrations are absorbed before they reach the gyro.
This small detail can dramatically change how your quad flies.
Here is a collection of FPV flight controllers.
Why Soft Mounting Matters for FPV Pilots?
When flying FPV, vibrations from motors, props, and even the frame itself are unavoidable. These vibrations travel straight into the flight controller gyro, which is extremely sensitive. If the gyro picks up too much “noise,” the FC struggles to understand what’s real movement and what’s just vibration.
Here’s how a soft mount flight controller makes a real difference:
- Cleaner gyro data: Vibrations create “false signals” in the gyro, confusing the FC. A soft mount FC absorbs those vibrations, giving your FC cleaner data to process.
- More precise PID tuning: With less noise, your tuning becomes more effective. You don’t need extreme filters or compromises, meaning lower latency and a more natural stick feel.
- Better flight stability: Especially in micros, cinewhoops, and high-KV builds, vibrations can easily overpower filtering. Soft mounting keeps the quad locked-in, reducing oscillations and “jello” in your FPV feed.
- Longer component life: Constant vibrations don’t just affect flight performance; they also wear down motor bearings and stress solder joints. Reducing vibrations at the FC level helps protect your electronics long-term.
- Improved video quality: For cinematic FPV, clean footage is everything. Excessive vibrations show up as rolling waves or shaky video, especially with analog cameras. A soft mount flight controller smooths this out.
In short: if you’ve ever dealt with “twitchy” flying, unexplained drift, noisy blackbox logs, or wobbly footage, soft mounting your FC can be the game-changer.
The Difference Between Soft Mount and Hard Mount?
What’s the difference?
- Soft Mount FC
- Absorbs vibrations with rubber or silicone
- Great for high-KV motors, micros, or cinewhoops
- More forgiving of imperfect props or motors
- Hard Mount FC
- Bolted directly to the frame stack
- Durable and simpler to install
- Works fine if motors and props are perfectly balanced
If you’re chasing ultimate precision and flying aggressive builds, go soft. If you have top-notch balanced gear, hard mount may be enough.
Soft Mount vs Hard Mount
| Feature | Hard Mount FC | Soft Mount FC |
|---|---|---|
| Vibration isolation | ❌ None | ✅ Yes |
| PID tuning | Harder, needs more filtering | Easier, cleaner tuning |
| Flight feel | Sometimes twitchy | Smoother and more locked-in |
| Component protection | More stress on FC and motor bearings | Reduced stress, longer life |
| Video quality | Can show jello | Cleaner footage |
Most modern builds benefit from soft mounting the flight controller, especially lightweight frames or high-powered quads.
How to Soft Mount a Flight Controller (Step-by-Step)?
Here’s a simple guide every FPV pilot can follow:
- Use rubber gummies or grommets
- Most modern FCs come with rubber grommets for the mounting holes. These isolate the FC from frame vibrations. Rubber standoffs, silicone grommets, or TPU spacers all work.
- Add foam pads if needed
- If your frame transmits a lot of noise, adding thin foam pads under the FC stack can further reduce vibration transfer.
- Install the FC
- Place it level in your stack using the soft mounting hardware.
- Check stack tightness
- Don’t overtighten screws. A soft mount only works if the rubber can flex and absorb vibrations.
- Manage your wires
- Avoid pulling wires too tight — tension transfers vibration.
- Tighten carefully
- Snug, but not crushing. Over-tightening kills the damping effect.
- Test flight & tune
- Check blackbox logs. A good soft-mount FC shows cleaner gyro traces.
Common Soft Mount Mistakes
Even experienced pilots sometimes mess this up. Avoid these:
- Screws too tight → no damping at all.
- Cheap rubber mounts → degrade fast, losing effectiveness.
- Ignoring other vibration sources → bent props or bad motor bearings still cause issues.
FAQ: Soft Mount Flight Controller
Q: Do I always need to soft mount my FC?
Not always. Many modern FCs with low-noise gyros can handle hard mounts. But if you notice excessive noise, try soft mounting.
Q: Can soft mount fix motor balance issues?
No. If your motor bearings are shot or props are unbalanced, soft mount helps a little, but it’s not a full solution.
Q: Is soft mount still useful with today’s flight controllers?
Yes. Even with modern filtering, a soft mount flight controller gives an extra safety net against vibration.
Q: Should racers and freestyle pilots use soft mount?
Racers benefit from precision; freestyle and cinematic pilots love the smoothness. It’s useful for both.
Q: Can I use tape or 3D-printed mounts instead of gummies?
Yes. High-density foam tape or TPU mounts work as alternatives if gummies are not available.
Q: Will soft mounting fix bad props or damaged bearings?
No. It reduces vibrations, but it can’t fix underlying mechanical issues like bent shafts or chipped props. Always check your motor bearings and props first.
Q: Does soft mounting affect durability in crashes?
If done correctly, no. Just avoid over-loose mounting; the FC should still be secure.