About BigLift

A part picker for building your own drone: choose a frame, get parts that fit, and see how each choice changes the way it flies.

Why it exists

Building a quad means matching a frame, motors, props, a battery and electronics that all have to agree on size, voltage, current, mounting holes, connectors and video systems. The answers are spread across store pages and forum threads. BigLift puts them in one place, checks the combination for you, and estimates what you'll get before you spend anything.

Where the data comes from

• Specs come from manufacturers' and stores' product pages. Each spec keeps a note of where it was found, and parts are checked automatically and by people before they're treated as verified.
• Flight controller details (processor, UARTs, motor outputs) come from the open-source Betaflight and ArduPilot board definitions.
• Prices and stock are collected from store websites, politely and only where the site allows it, and refreshed daily. Each price shows when it was last checked.

How the estimates work

Flight time, payload, agility and power come from a physics model of motors, props and batteries, calibrated against manufacturers' published thrust tests and flight-time claims. Where a part has a measured thrust test we use it; otherwise the numbers are estimates and say so. Ratings like “Average” or “Punchy” compare your build with typical builds of the same size.

The compatibility checker runs 35 checks, from prop clearance and motor mounting to battery voltage, connectors and video systems. Every warning gives its reason, and checks we can't verify for lack of data never block a build.

Estimates are a guide, not a guarantee: always confirm critical specs with the manufacturer before you buy.

How BigLift is paid for

BigLift is free to use. Some store links are affiliate links: if you buy through them, the store may pay us a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which parts we suggest or the order of prices, which is always cheapest first.

Get in touch

Found a wrong spec, a missing part or a bug? Email hello@biglift.app. Ready to build? Start with a frame.