Description
- Are you a whoop racer looking for the sharpest performance without compromising reliability?
- Or perhaps a freestyle pilot that wants a robust frame with quick maintenance?
- Maybe you simply want a stronger alternative to those flimsy nylon frames to keep you longer in the air?
If you answer yes to any of those, then the Fractal 75 was designed for you!
A little backstory
I’ve been thinking a while about whether to change that first paragraph or not, but there is no better way to put it.
If you’ve owned, tried, or even just heard of my 65mm racing whoop frame, the Fractal 65, I could simply tell you the 75 embodies the essence of it, scaled up to 40mm props
And that would be absolutely true…
But there is also a little more to it 🙂
This frame has been in fact 10 months in the making.
So much for just making the thing a little larger, you would think
But well, not quite.
One of the main requirements for that frame was a lightweight, and this has proven challenging to achieve at an enlarged scale without compromising the other main requirement, rigidity.
It took several iterations, in design, material, or supplier to find the perfect balance that would meet my expectations.
But thanks to the help and testing of my awesome team pilots, lots of crashing and breaking, it is finally at a point where I’m satisfied with it and happy to offer it out to you!
I hope you enjoy the extra thrust and stability over the 65mm, the extra prop area makes it much more versatile;
you could build it into a lightweight absolute rocket on 300mah 25k 0802, a long-range ELRS F4, or even a vacation video rig carrying a peanut/insta 360 go!
Or even go crazy and make it a pusher, or even use no ducts at all!
The choice is yours, and I’m supporting your experimentation by regularly uploading 3D models on the downloads section for you to print at home 🙂
A quick note on bottom plate options
All frames come with a 1.5mm bottom plate; it has been found to be the best weight/durability balance on 1S
If you’re a hard basher, want more rigidity for a 2S build or if you simply like more gravity to your builds, I’ve also cut 2mm bottom plates.
There are designed with thinner braces to make the most out of the thicker material but remain about 0.5g heavier
This makes it an extremely stiff and near indestructible platform; allows for very tight tuning.
You may choose it as an add-on, the kit includes one bottom plate and 13 extended motor screws
So what about that frame?
Remaining true to its original intent, the Fractal 75 features:
- 75mm diagonal, squished X geometry, for 40mm props
- 1.5mm Carbon Fiber / Individual Nylon ducts hybrid construction. Cut from Japanese T300 CF sheet
- Low-profile camera mount, no props in view, no tilt offset
- Low Center of Gravity, by bringing the AIO closer to the frame/motors
- Allows mounting with USB pointing up for easy accelerometer calibration
- No need for a canopy as all electronics are tucked safely between the ducts
- Maximum rigidity where it matters most; connecting the motors to the FC
- Easy maintenance, break one duct, replace only the single duct
- Lightweight, about 21g with HM DiamondF4
As always, this is a project that I designed for myself first, that I put together in a product to share with any pilot that would like to experience the same level of requirements!
Designed with love, by a pilot, for pilots.
But don’t take my word for it, here’s what Team Pilot Glenn “Bellaciao” has to say about it:
“Tank like. Can slam it into the ground and it’s fine. Haven’t had any delamination or build quality issues. There’s plenty of room to add a vtx and rx, the ducts protects the parts from impact, and with 2s it truly feels like a larger quad. Facepunches will hurt.”
Or a few notes from Sushan “Brdsrtrl”
“Very stable and predictable, Makes an easy platform to make a super reliable quad, a million different configurations, Makes it easy to tuck away external parts if you aren’t using an aio.”
What do you get?
This frame kit contains everything you need to build your own craft, based on virtually any components.
I do however recommend a 4-1 AIO (FC/ESC/RX/VTX) to keep the part count to a minimum, but there should be enough room to stack a separate VTX or RX on top of the AIO
It has a 25.5×25.5mm mounting pattern for the AIO, and motor fixations for both 3xM1.4×6.6mm and 3xM1.6×5.5mm
The camera mount is 3D printed and universal – I will upload the STL and Step files so you may print your own spares or season them to taste 🙂
Contents:
- 1x Fractal 75, 1.5mm thick Base Plate
- 1x Nylon frame (used by trimming the ducts off)
- 2x Printed TPU fixations – 1x 300mah and 1x 450mah 1S (camera, front and rear battery mounts)
- 13x M1.4x5mm steel machine screw for motors
- 4x M1.7x5mm self-threading screw for short board grommets
- 4x M1.7x7mm self-threading screw for long board grommets
Notes:
1-Only the frame kit is included. Full build pictures for reference only.
2-Due to continually ongoing development the actual product may differ from pictures.
It is a lot of fun.
It has handled some bad crashes, a duct broke due to cold weather so the front were changed from purple to black.
A camera broke in a little whoop event as the Caddx Ant (not lite) has bad cap placement on lower piece.
This has been since replaced with the Happymodel FXT FX17-B as it plugs right into the AIO.
I do prefer the Caddx Ant/ Ant Lite
I have flown it a lot and will continue to do so.
It is on the heavy side but I love it!
@kyleirelandtech
Fractal 75
Fractal Engineering - Fractal 75 – Frame Kit (F75 Lite)
BetaFPV Meteor75 Brushless Whoop Frame
Happymodel FXT FX17-B Camera
Happymodel X12 5in1 AIO (ELRS)
A30 Female w/ 20AWG Silicone Wire 80mm
RCInPower GTS V3 1003 18000KV Motor (x5)
Gemfan 1610 40mm Props (1.5mm) - Clear Blue
GNB 450mAh 1S 80C LiHV Battery (A30) (x6)
Throttle Limit = OFF to Scale
Throttle Mid = 0.5 to 1
Throttle Epo = 0 to 0.7
You won't regret building one :)
One thing, however, with the X12 board, the motor connectors on the FC will get bent inwards by the prop guards during crashes.
I know, don't crash, LOL. But this is a point of potential failure. My buddy's actually broke off, yes it was a hard hit.
Soldering the motor wires to the tiny pads on the FC is a challenge.
Just something to be aware of.
F75 October 2023 Special YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/pjVwj7Twnjc
This is the second one I’ve built now. Literally the best freestyle whoop frame you can buy. Solves all of my previous frame complaints with the classics whoop designs.
10/10 would buy again and will buy again.
You want to improve your flying skills, just use one of these amazing frames :-)
Also, the customer service was fantastic - when I was putting it together one of the wires came off a motor. I contacted FE and Yves responded immediately. I ended up being able to solder the wire back on, but just the fact that I got a response within a few hours was really reassuring.
If had to do it all over again I would forego the Mobula6 and just spend the extra money to buy the Fractal 75 BNF. It's just a night and day difference.
HappyModel X12 flight controller with built in ELRS and Open VTX. This is the perfect all in one flight controller, it has everything you need! I'm using 1S lipos.
https://www.racedayquads.com/products/happymodel-x12-2s-aio-whoop-flight-controller-f4-fc-12a-4in1-esc-25-400mw-vtx-choose-version
HappyModel EX 0802 25000Kv motors.
https://www.racedayquads.com/products/happymodel-ex-0802-25000kv-whoop-micro-motor-for-mobula-6-hd-cw
NewBeeDrone BeeBrain V2 canopy
https://www.racedayquads.com/products/newbeedrone-beebrain-v2-color-camera-mount-whoop-canopy-choose-your-color?keyword=bee
Foxeer Toothless 2 Nano Starlight. Heavy but I wanted the excellent low light performance of this cam. Whoop still flies great with the extra weight.
https://www.racedayquads.com/products/foxeer-toothless-2-nano-starlight-1200tvl-16-9-4-3-pal-nstc-cmos-fpv-camera-w-1-2-sensor-1-7mm-choose-your-color
1, It flies reallllllly good out the box. Minimal tuning needed but no need. Default pids are fine.
2, It looks so cool in comparison to your "typical" whoop frame.
3, I havent broken anything on this frame yet and i have beat the living heck out of it a ton. Nothing broken.
Id say loving this frame is an understatement.
A+++++ to Fractal Engineering for this one!
You don't disappoint. Thanks for the additional on the esc firmware. I am planning to use Nye PG-44A damping grease under the duct and motor.
Keep the ideas flowing.
thanks
I would also like to thank Yves for resolving an issue with the shipment in a best possible way.
I built mine with the following components
Fractal75 frame
betafpv 19000kv motors
betafpv 5a elrs whoop board
happy model ov303 vtx
I re-driled the FC holes to a 2mm size and used nylon screws.
Used an elastic band to mount the battery sideways
As improvement I would like to see longer horns laterally and rear to be able to hold an elastic band