The Apex shatters the glass ceiling in freestyle frame design.
Through a process of continous refinement and always striving to improve we have created a new breed of freestyle frame. The Apex does not compromise in stiffness or durability, so you never have to choose between confidence and performance.
Unique design elements new to the FPV world make your build and maintenance more simple than ever before. Toughness of the frame itself is increased while also offering much better protection for your investment in flight electronics.
This is what you have been waiting for.
The arms of an FPV frame are the key structural component which translate the thrust from the motors to the majority of the mass in the aircraft, which is secured to the body of the frame. The design of the arms and how they are attached to the body is one of the most vital aspects that influences the performance of an FPV frame.
There are multiple problems which can occur with existing arm designs which can lead to poor performance, difficulty tuning and added cost. The Apex addresses all of these problems with a simple and unique new design that eliminates all arm slop and drastically increases durability.
Symmetrical arms make it possible to pocket one side of the part without introducing the need for distinct left and right arms, making you require more spare parts. We use a pocket instead of a hole under the motor to increase durability and we embed a press nut to simplify attachment and avoid clearance issues under your stack.
Flight electronics are mounted to the upper main plate using countersink bolts. This completely decouples the arm attachment from the electronics mounting. Arms can be replaced using two bolts without any disturbance to your stack.
Our custom machined shoulder bolts act as a solid steel pin through the arm which eliminates slop and tolerance issues. The precision shaft passing through the arm removes all side-loading of the carbon laminations on to the chisel-like threads of a regular bolt. Factory added threadlocker and custom aluminium cone washers spread the load of the clamping force and ensure the bolts will not vibrate loose.
At the apex of a masonry arch a keystone locks all the stones in to position and allows the arch to bear weight and be self supporting. A keystone is a hallmark of strength and good design, the Apex FPV frame is no different and the carbon key sits at the heart of the frame to distribute forces applied to the arms.
Manufactured by the legendary HQProp and included free with every frame are custom skids, bumper and Crossfire antenna mount, injection molded in abrasion resistant glass filled nylon. At launch we have available Classic Black, ImpulseRC Red and Military Coyote Brown, with more colours to follow in the future.
Also in each frame kit are two die cut lipo pads for you to choose from, both an ultra durable natural rubber pad as well as a light weight velcro option for those wanting to shave every last gram.
With it's slim 5.5mm carbon arms the Apex is perfect for running both 4in1 ESCs as well as the new generation of thinner high current individual ESCs. Included with every frame kit is a set of nylon ESC wire covers, injection molded by HQProp, which conform perfectly to the shape of the arm for ultimate protection. Alternatively we also have custom fitted race wire PCBs to make motor swaps quick and painless.
The Apex frame is a perfect fit for all modern FPV electronics allowing a wide range of choices for your build, however if you prefer to fly KISS and FETtec the experience is second to none.
We have created a fully graphical OSD with a unique mounting position, along with a high powered regulator board, designed specifically for the cleanest possible video feed. Slimline LED strips at only 5.5mm wide can be mounted along the edges of the arms. A custom wiring harness completes the package and provides a super simple build and quick maintenance with minimal soldering.
The new graphical OSD is based on ImpulseOSD which was introduced with the WolfPDB - so all the popular features such as VTX and camera control and GPS/Mag support are of course included.
The custom wiring harness supplied with the electronics makes your build a pleasure and any maintenance quick and simple. All components are linked together and power is cleanly distributed throughout the system. The bare minimum of soldering is required to complete a build at the very highest end of FPV freestyle performance.
By placing the graphical OSD behind the camera it is removed from all sources of electrical noise. The video pathway is kept as short as possible with the sensitive analog signal being fed directly from the camera in to the OSD then travelling to the VTX immediately above. All high current ESC and Lipo power, as well as EMI producing switching regulators, are well removed in the rear of the frame.
Sensitive analog video components are on the front of the OSD facing the camera. The internal ground planes within the PCB act as a shield to block electrical noise from the ESCs for the cleanest video possible on a miniquad. The only regulator on the OSD is of the smooth and clean linear variety, with the two aluminium standoffs behind the PCB acting as heatsinks to ensure the OSD can handle the load of your high powered VTX.
The 6S capable switching regulator board in the rear provides power to the entire video system, as well as a completely independant axiliary 5V 2A regulator for your own use. LED strips can be attached to the regulator board and the signal is conveniently routed through the harness to the OSD which can provide all the lighting effects you will ever need.
The main electronics stack mounting uses countersink bolts on the underside of the upper main plate. Mounting positions are provided for M3 30x30 as well as M3 20x20 electronics. There is an additional M2 20x20 mounting position at the rear of the frame, perfect for our regulator board or many other common components.
Included in every frame kit is a Crossfire Immortal-T mount, injection molded by HQProp in pure nylon. We also provide a black anodised aluminium SMA clamp which can also act as a strain relief point for your main Lipo wires.
STL files for the injection molded pieces as well as various antenna mounts, plus a DXF file for a HD camera mount base, are available for free download under the Creative Commons license.
We have worked with Steele throughout the development lifecycle to ensure the Apex is everything it needs to be for one of the best pilots on the planet.
Following in the footsteps of the Mr Steele Alien kit we are very pleased to be able to offer the Apex in a special Mr Steele edition. Using the premium 7075 aluminium hardware version of the kit, Steele was able to cut 23g from the weight of his equivalent Alien build.
Visit the product page to learn about the the extras included in the Mr Steele kit.
With the release of DJI’s new digital HD system and the emergence of real low-latency HD video, there has never been a more exciting time to be flying FPV.
The DJI HD Apex is a variant of the base frame which perfectly houses and protects the DJI Air Unit. By changing only the top and upper main plates of the Apex it becomes the perfect platform for anyone wanting to experience a HD video feed.
Arms: 5.5mm
Key: 5mm
Lower Main: 2.5mm
Upper Main: 2mm
Top: 2mm
Camera Sides: 2mm
Front: 28mm
Rear: 20mm
Alu hardware: approx. 115g
Steel hardware: approx. 125g
225mm - Fits 5.2" Props
Compressed X using
Pythagorean triple 3:4:5
The Apex frames comes with a full 2 year warranty on all carbon and metal parts.
Using advanced image recognition and statistical analysis we have simplified the warranty process to the point that most claims will be self-service and instantly approved.
Each Apex frame will be shipped with a warranty card which includes the globally unique serial number for that frame. In most cases this will remove any need to provide proof of purchase when registering your warranty. Once a frame is registered, claims for that model in the future will be quick and painless.
We stand behind our products and we want to give you the peace of mind to know you are covered, no matter how hard you push your flying.