How to Choose FPV Motors: Stator Size, KV and Propellers

Published 30 September 2026

Choosing an FPV motor comes down to three numbers: stator size, KV and propeller size. Get them to agree with each other, and with your battery and ESC, and the drone will fly the way you planned.

What the numbers in a motor name mean

A motor called 2207 1750KV has a stator 22 mm in diameter and 7 mm tall. The stator is the wound, fixed part of the motor. A bigger stator carries more copper and more magnet, so it makes more torque and can turn a larger propeller.

KV is the number of revolutions per minute the motor makes for every volt applied, with no propeller fitted. On 6S, which is 25.2 V fully charged, 1750 KV is about 44,000 rpm unloaded. KV is a speed rating, not a power rating: a high-KV motor on a big propeller draws a lot of current and can overheat.

Match the stator to the propeller

These are typical pairings. Treat them as a starting point, not a rule:

The manufacturer's thrust table lists the propellers the motor was tested with, so prefer a propeller from that table.

Up to 3 inch: stators around 1404 to 1507
5 inch, freestyle and racing: 2207 to 2306
7 inch: 2806 to 2810
8 to 10 inch: 3110 to 3520
Larger long-range, cinematic and cargo drones: bigger stators, from around 4014 upwards for 13 inch and larger

Pick the KV for your battery and propeller

The bigger the propeller, the lower the KV you want. A large propeller loads the motor heavily, so a lower-KV motor turns it at an efficient speed, while a high-KV motor on the same propeller would draw far too much current. Small propellers work the other way round.

Battery voltage moves the same dial. KV multiplied by voltage gives the unloaded speed, so a motor that is right at 2400 KV on 4S sits in the same place at roughly 1600 KV on 6S.

For long-range flying, choose the lowest KV that still lets you hover at around a third of throttle. Efficiency at cruise is what buys flight time.

Check current, weight and mounting

Read the motor's maximum current on your chosen propeller, and pick an ESC whose continuous current rating sits comfortably above it. Use the continuous figure, not the burst number on the box.

Check the mounting pattern against your frame's arm (for example 16x16 or 19x19 mm on 5-inch motors), the shaft size and thread for your propeller nut, and the motor's weight. Four motors are a large share of the take-off weight.