# How to Build a Cinewhoop: Ducted Frames, Props, and Tuning for Smooth Cinematic Flight

Cinewhoops have revolutionized FPV cinematography — enabling pilots to fly safely near people, indoors, and through tight gaps while capturing buttery-smooth HD footage. Whether you want to film real estate walkthroughs, car commercials, or proximity freestyle, this guide covers everything from frame selection to PID tuning for a professional cinewhoop build.

## What Is a Cinewhoop?

A cinewhoop is a ducted FPV drone designed specifically for carrying a full-size HD camera (GoPro, DJI Action, Insta360) in close-proximity environments. The ducts serve three purposes:

1. **Safety**: Protect people and property from spinning propellers
2. **Durability**: Shield props from light contact with walls and objects
3. **Thrust**: Ducted designs generate additional static thrust (at the cost of top speed)

## Frame Selection Guide

### Frame Selection Criteria

## Component Selection

### Motors for Cinewhoop

Cinewhoops fly best with **lower KV motors** to handle the extra weight of HD camera and ducts:

| Size | Recommended KV (6S) | Recommended KV (4S) | Motor Size |
|——|———————|———————|————|
| 2-inch | 6000-8000KV | 10000-12000KV | 1103-1204 |
| 2.5-inch | 4500-5500KV | 8000-9000KV | 1303-1404 |
| 3-inch | 3500-4500KV | 5000-6500KV | 1404-1505 |
| 3.5-inch | 2800-3500KV | 4000-5000KV | 1505-2004 |

### Prop Selection

**Key: Never fly without ducts on a cinewhoop — the tune and thrust depend on them.**

| Prop | Pitch | Material | Characteristic |
|——|——-|———-|—————|
| HQProp T3.5×2.5×3 | 2.5 | PC | Efficient, quiet, fragile |
| Gemfan D90 3.5 | 2.5 | PC+Nylon | Durable, good thrust |
| HQProp T3.5x3x3 | 3.0 | PC | Higher thrust, louder |
| Gemfan Hurricane 3018 | 1.8 | Nylon | Ultra-quiet, lower thrust |

### Electronics Stack

### Battery Selection

## Cinewhoop PID Tuning

Cinewhoops are inherently “dirty” aerodynamically due to ducts. Standard 5-inch freestyle tunes produce terrible oscillations. Use these starting points:

### Betaflight PID Profile (3.5″ Cinewhoop)

“`
set p_pitch = 44
set i_pitch = 80
set d_pitch = 30
set p_roll = 42
set i_roll = 78
set d_roll = 28
set p_yaw = 42
set i_yaw = 80
set d_yaw = 20
set d_min_pitch = 22
set d_min_roll = 20
set d_min_yaw = 15
set feedforward_transition = 30
“`

### Key Tuning Principles

– **Lower P and D** compared to open-prop builds — the ducts amplify oscillation
– **Higher I-term** helps hold position against duct drag
– **D Min** prevents over-correction during fast stick movements
– **TPA** (Throttle PID Attenuation) set to 0.20 starting at 1400 throttle for punch-out stability
– **RC Smoothing**: Use interpolation, not filtering, for cinematic stick feel

## Recommended Gear

Building a cinewhoop requires specialized components. [uavmodel.com](https://uavmodel.com) carries complete cinewhoop frames, ducted prop sets, DJI O3 Air Units, and tune-ready AIO flight controllers — everything for a professional cinematic build.

## Watch: Cinewhoop Build Walkthrough

## Build Checklist

– [ ] Frame selected (2.5″ for indoor, 3.5″ for outdoor)
– [ ] Motors matched to prop size and battery voltage
– [ ] AIO FC with 25A+ ESC
– [ ] Digital HD system (DJI O3 or Walksnail)
– [ ] GPS module for RTH safety
– [ ] TPU soft-mount GoPro/camera mount
– [ ] Betaflight tune for cinewhoop (low P/D, high I)
– [ ] Props balanced and ducts secure

A well-built cinewhoop opens up filming possibilities you never imagined. Take your time on the build, tune it patiently, and the footage will speak for itself.

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