Best Freestyle Motors for 2020

My blog article regarding the Best freestyle motors for 2019 is one of the most visited for the previous year, I could not have imagined that it would get so popular and help so many fellow pilots make their decision regarding the motors for their next build. This is a followup article regarding the best freestyle motors for 2020.
Again this is intended to be yearly article. The main difference is that this year I plan to update it regularly trough the year since the motor manufacturers seem to have adopted a new tactics of over-saturating the market with motors that perform similarly good but they are putting the accent on the good look and bling.

This year the motor manufacturers offer a lot more 6S variants of their motors. If you are novice pilot you can get the intended battery setup by the motor KV. The 6S motors are usually around 1700KV where the 4S are around 2400KV with few exceptions that go up to 2700KV.

Since it is the beginning of this year some of the motors are still in development and they will enter production in the following 3-4 weeks, so there are no links to buy them at this time. I will do my best to provide you with any updates to the list of best freestyle motors for 2020.

And same as last year, I have some of these motors and I will probably buy some more through the year, so the only fair way to do an article of this kind is to provide summarized information and fellow pilots experience.

The best freestyle motors for 2020

Before I begin, please note that the motor list has no particular order and I’m not favorising any particular brand so being higher on the list doesn’t mean that the particular motor is better than the others appearing lower in the list.

Lets begin with the newest bling 😉

T-Motor Velox 2207/2207.5,  2306/2306.5, 2208

In the first two weeks I’m seeing that even T-Motor have adopted the similar tactics by offering the Velox series available in 2207/2207.5 1750KV.1950KV.2550KV | 2306/2306.5 2400KV |
2208 1750KV/1950KV/2450KV. This is the same thing that iFlight has done in 
the beginning of 2019 with the Xing series of motors which performed excellent and looked like almost no other motor on the market at that time.

My guess is that the bare bones of these motors are based probably on the F40PRO, F60PRO and F80PRO models.

There are also photos of a more colorful version similar to some of the Brother Hobby motors.

 

 

T-Motor Pacer 2207/2207.5,  2306/2306.5, 2208

This is another series intended to catch your eye. Colorful and cheaper retailing for $19.99 per motor. They resemble the looks of the iFlight motors and I’m not exactly sure what is happening with this series and if maybe they are a rebranding experiment, something which T-Motor has done with other products in the past.

 

The new and improved T-Motor F60PRO IV is already available

This motor is a followup of the already proven F60 series that must be included in the best freestyle motors for 2020 list.
It is 9% lighter than the T-Motor F60PRO III and more agile, thus enabling you to have easy cornering and more accurate control.
The improved design also provides better durability. T-Motor have upgraded the bell by adding interlaced rib design and upgraded the motor base by reducing the shaft height by 12mm

Since the F60PRO IV is out I think that we will be seeing the improved versions of the F40PRO and F80PRO very soon.

 

T-Motor F40 PRO II, F60 PRO II, F80 PRO, F40 PRO III and F60 PRO III

I would also highly recommend the all F PRO models from the previous batches II and III. I personally own a set of F40PRO II  which are already two years old fly as good as new. I have only replaced one bell and a couple of bearings .

T-Motor is proven motor manufacturer that provides high quality products for fpv freestyle and racing. They offer motors for each pilot specific needs. Although I own several sets of F40 PRO II, there is no need to say that they are better than say f60s or f80s because I have seen fellow freestyle pilots flying those models too. It is all based on the flying style and environment.

These motors are a bit on the pricier side ($26.90), and I could say that you will be able to find motors from other manufacturers that are cheaper and offer the same build quality and performance, but in this case, you are getting what you have paid for.

At the moment you can find that these retail for few dollars less than the newer series. At the moment that I’m writing this article you can get T-motor F40 PRO II 2306 2400KV for $25 while the newer series cost around $27.

These motors are silky smooth with good power distribution trough the entire throttle range, so if the higher price is not a concern I would not hesitate to buy T-Motor again.

Get them here:

T-Motor F40 PRO II
T-Motor F60 PRO II
T-Motor F80
T-Motor F40 PRO III
T-Motor F60 PRO III
T-Motor F60 PRO IV

 

iFlight Cyber XING 2207.5 and 2306.5

This is the newest edition of the iFlight Xing series. They feature 10mm NSK high-end bearings and bigger stator volume with increased thrust but just a little more weight and cost.
All new Bling-Bling design to show off at every race, but that’s what XING motors is about.
There older Xings were established themselves as an excellent durable motors with great performance and the Cyber Xings are worthy upgrade.

Again each motor size has a specific color. They are available in 2207.5 and 2306.5 sizes. Both sizes have their corresponding KVs 1777KV/1999KV/2555KV. I don’t think that the KV is exact but it basically represents that there are available versions for 6S, 5S and 4S.

These motors look exactly the same as the T-Motor Velox series with just a different bling, and it seems that they are result of some kind of collaboration between these two companies.

The first iFlight Xing series of motors is recognizable by the unusual oval shaped modern look and the specific use of colors. This will surely make your freestyle rig look fancy. These motors are available in several different sizes and KV values. At the moment that this article was written iFlight is offering 2206, 2207, 2208 and 2306 and KV from 1700 to 2750. You will surely find the specific motor for your needs. Each size has its specific color scheme.

You can find them available on the following links:

iFlight Xing 2207
iFlight Xing 2208
iFlight Xing 2306

If you are fond of more colorful motors, then you would like the Camo colored version of the Xing motors available on the following links:

iFlight XING Camo Purple X2207
iFlight XING Camo Pink X2208
iFlight XING Camo Orange X2306

Emax Freestyle FS2306 and ECO 2207 / 2306 series

EMAX has been relatively quiet on the motor scene lately. Probably they have figured that selling assembled drones is the thing for them so in the past year by my account they have produced only three new motors intended for 5″ drones.

I will start with the one that is the most interesting in terms of price and performance. The EMAX Eco series  which consists of the ECO 2207 and ECO 2306. These motors have a great build quality and they perform fairly good when taken into consideration the you can get 4 for around $44. I would highly recommend these as an entry level motors or for a fellow pilot on a budget.

The second one is “Freestyle FS2306” intended specifically for freestyle flying as its name suggests. It is available in both 1700 and 2400 KV depending on the type of battery that you would like to use, 6S and 4S correspondingly. In my opinion this is just rebranded  RSII 2306 series motor which is an excellent option if you are liking the 2306 motor size behavior.
As stated on the EMAX website this is replacement part for the Emax Buzz 245 quadcopter, but you can use it anyway for your new build.

The third motor available from Emax is the EMAX Pulsar 2306 motor with built in led lights in the base. This motor is intended for racing.

The RSII is already a year old series still available for purchase. It is based on the experience gained from the previous RS and LS series and following the basic idea of having motors that are as light as possible (probably one of the lightest motors with such performance). The shaft was upgraded with a hollow titanium one and now the motors use single strand wire.

The RSII series is made to be more robust and withstand the regular race abuse. I have been using the RS 2306 that I have on one of my fpv freestyle drones for quite a while and I’m really satisfied with their performance.

Getting an EMAX motors is quite a bargain since you get the quality and performance of the more expensive brands for $5-$10 less per motor.

Emax Freestyle FS2306
ECO 2207
ECO 2306
EMAX RSII 2207

 

BrotherHobby UC 2207 and Returner R4 to R7 series

BrotherHobby are famous for producing super smooth motors that are surprisingly efficient and powerful in the same time.

One of the latest additions to their product line is the BrotherHobby UC 2207 1750KV, excellent 6S budget motor for about $16 made of 7075  Aluminum, featuring N52H arc magnets, titanium hollow shaft, NMB 9x4x4 bearings. This motor is a true bargain considering the quality of the used components.

Also, I would gladly suggest any of the R4 to R7 series since I also own a set of R5 2207 and R4 2205 for a lighter build with a split camera.

Having 6 or 7 iterations in a motor development means that this is already proven and established motor design featuring one piece titanium hollow shaft, 7075 Aluminum bell and base, n52 arced magnets and single strand motor wire. One interesting update from the previous series is that these motors use 4x9x4 bigger Japanese NMB bearings that are more durable.

These motors aren’t cheap, but you get what you have paid for. Please note that often there are excellent discounts for the BrotherHobby motors on BangGood and AliExpress.

BrotherHobby UC 2207 1750KV
BrotherHobby Returner R6 2207
BrotherHobby Returner R6 2306
BrotherHobby Returner R5 2207 2400KV

 

FLYWOO NIN N2306, Plus N2306.5, N2207, Plus N2207.5

I just love when a manufacturer offers so much choices of different motor sizes. Flywoo is relatively new player in the fpv drone motor business, but judging by the motor looks and quality of the components, it seems that they know their job.
Also, the fact that they offer 2306.5 and 2207.5 motor sizes means that they are well aware of the market trends and pilot requirements.

These motors entered the market about an year ago and the number of pilots that are using them have constantly increased by the time. They were not included in my Best freestyle motors for 2019 article since I didn’t have enough info to include them at the moment and I’m correcting that now 😉

With excellent eye catching look and finish (special electroplating for its surface) available in gold, silver and titanium, these motors are nice addition to anyone’s fleet. The inner looks remind me a bit of BrotherHobby with titanium shaft, the declared 7075 aluminium alloy, the single strand windings and the N52H magnets. They also come with 9mm bearings.
Please note that the motor pattern is 16x16mm

All motors are available in 1750KV, 2450KV and 2750KV with a great price of $19-$22 depending on the model.

FLYWOO NIN N2306
FLYWOO NIN PLUS N2306.5
FLYWOO NIN PLUS N2207.5
FLYWOO NIN N2207

 

NewBeeDrone 2306 Smoov Cinematic Ring Magnet FPV Motor

This is the first motor with ring magnet that provides super smooth performance for freestyle and cinematic FPV. Instead of having separate magnets the NewBeeDrone 2306 Smoov uses thechnology that enables it to have the improved functionality of the separate magnets with only one ring magnet.
This is the similar technology used in the gimbal motors with only difference that the gimbal motors lack power, but the NewBeeDrone crew feagured a way to use ring magnet with up to N48 strength with no extra costs added to the motor price.

Available in 1750KV and 2450KV for $20 per motor.

 

DYS Samguk Series

Another series of cheap motors available both in 2306 and 2207 motor sizes and with suitable KV for 4 to 6S battery setup.
This is a great entry level budget motor with price range from $10 to $13 depending on the motor size and KV.
If you are thinking of buying or own a set of these series, please consider that unfortunately DYS went bankrupt so you should get some spares while they last.

DYS Samguk Wei 2207
DYS Samguk Shu 2306

 

Geprc GR2306.5 2306.5 1350KV 1850KV and 2450KV

Geprc has been killing it lately. Be it ready to fly drones, frames, motors, you name it. Recently I posted a review of their freestyle Mark 4 frame and I must admit that I was impressed by the material, finish and overall build quality.

The Geprc GR3206.5 come in three KV variants 1350KV, 1850KV and 2450KV. They have very similar features to most of the modern motors N52H arc magnets, JAPAN ISC bearings, the main body and the bell are made of 7075 Aluminum.

The 1350KV motor is unusually low for a 5″ quadcopter and it is usually used for 7″ quadcopter builds.

I wouldn’t expect less when it comes to motors produced by this company. I personally don’t own a set of these, but judging by the experience of the fellow pilots these are exceptionally well built,  they are powerfull and eficient.

 

Eachine 2306 1650KV

Excellent choice for a budget 6S build with a price tag of around $15. Great overall look and build quality.
They feature single strand wire, 9mm bearings, hollow shaft, really small air gap between the bell and the stator. The only difference between the Eachine 2306 and the other more expensive motors is  that they use lower quality bearings and steel shaft.

 

Pilot branded best freestyle motors

All the motors in this group are branded by certain pilots and are finely tuned to suit their needs. So you couldn’t go wrong choosing a set of motors from your favorite pilot, be it Mr. Steele, Skitzo, JohnnyFPV, Joshua Bardwell etc. One thing is certain, all of these are included in the best freestyle motors for 2020 list because they have been meticulously tested by the same pilots and you would not lack neither quality nor performance.

 

 

 

Honorable mentions

Karearea TOA 2306 and 2207

Top notch quality comes with a price. There are very few motors intended for 5″ quadcopters with a higher price than the TOAs.
iFlight Xings look similar to the Karearea TOA, with one difference that the Karearea motors are produced with better build quality.

Available in 2306 and 2207 sizes with 1650KV, 2450KV, 2650KV and 2850KV

 

Thanks for reading the whole article. I’m glad if this article helped you in choosing your new set of fpv freestyle motors depending on your freestyle preference.

If  you know of a fpv freestyle motor that should be on the best freestyle motors for 2020 list, please let me know. If you are motor manufacturer and you have a new motor that you would like to be on this list, I would be glad to get my hands on it and do an honest in detail review.

Clicking on the BangGood links above before making a purchase would help me continue doing this kind of reviews and save you some time when trying to make a buying decision. Thank you!

 

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply