Tools to assemble the UL8
Frame and stack: without decent tools, soldering and assembly become frustration
On our build you mainly solder motors, power, and capacitors — not every JST plug
Boxes of stack parts are already here. Soldering iron? Multimeter? Smoke stopper? No. Feels backwards — and a bit dumb. But without tools you cannot properly assemble the AOS UL8 V5 + Pixhawk + Pacer.
We lean hard on Joshua Bardwell — his FPV tools shopping list and soldering videos. Below: what we buy first, with AliExpress search/product links. Listings change. Search by product name if a link dies.
Note: third-party affiliate/reseller links. Prices and stock change. Not a purchase guarantee.
What you do and don’t solder on this build
Reset expectations. This is not a classic FPV stack where you hand-solder every pad.
| Do solder / cut | Usually don’t solder |
|---|---|
| Motor → ESC | Pixhawk peripherals (JST-GH: GPS, TELEM, CAN) |
| Battery/XT60 / power leads | Cable set Mini |
| Filter capacitor on ESC (power post) | Plug-and-play sensors |
| Heat-shrink, occasional custom wiring | — |
So: a soldering iron remains mandatory. Less nano-pad work than a race stack. Still thick wires, XT60, and pads that suck heat — you need a real iron, not a fixed-temp hobby wand.
Must-have (buy these first)
1. Temperature-controlled soldering iron
Bardwell’s core rule: temperature controlled. Without it you fight cold joints or burned pads. We wavered between bench station and portable — either works if the tip holds heat on 12 AWG.
| Option | Why | Bardwell / video | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugon T21 (station) | Strong bench station for little money — Bardwell: “insane price” | Video: Sugon T21 | Sugon T21 · search Sugon T21 |
| Sequre TS101 | Portable + tip sensor; strong for field and bench | Shopping list “portable rock star” · S99 review (same family) | TS101 |
| Sequre S99 | Newer portable (USB-PD / DC) | Nearly perfect portable: S99 | S99 |
| Sequre SQ-D60 / budget TS100-like | Cheapest “worth owning” on his list | Tools list — SQ-D60B | Search: Sequre SQ-D60 / TS100 |
Tips: chisel tip for XT60 and thick motor wires. Use flux. Bardwell’s soldering walkthrough: Most FPV pilots need to watch this soldering tutorial. Tip care (tinning, brass wool, no sandpaper): nanofix — How To Keep Your Soldering Iron Tips for YEARS.
2. Solder, flux, wick
| Item | Tip | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| 63/37 solder wire (leaded, rosin-core) | Melts cleaner than much lead-free for hobby RC | Search 63/37 solder wire 0.6mm |
| Flux paste (e.g. Mechanic) | Wet pads = better joints | Mechanic flux |
| Solder wick / braid | Remove old solder | Search solder wick braid |
| Practice board | Practice first, not on the Pacer | FPV practice board |
Bardwell: practice on boards, not your ESC — see soldering tutorials via the tools page.
3. Hex drivers + prop nut tool
Metric hex (often M2 / M2.5 / M3). Not an Ikea key — it rounds heads, and carbon is unforgiving.
| Item | Why | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| Hex driver set (Neewer-like / FPV set) | Frame, motors, stack | Hex driver set |
| 5.5 mm nut driver | M3 nylocks on stacks | Often in FPV toolkits |
| 8 mm prop wrench / ratchet | Props on/off without fingers in the blades | Search 8mm prop nut wrench / prop tool FPV |
Bardwell mentions Neewer titanium hex drivers and Rotor Riot / NewBeeDrone / Flywoo toolkits as near all-in-one kits.
4. Multimeter
Without a meter, no reliable polarity check before first plug-in. Not optional — it’s the brake before you put 6S on the wrong pad.
| Option | Note | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| ANENG AN8008 | Cheap + high resolution (Bardwell “high precision”) | AN8008 |
| Zoyi/Victor VC921 | Thin, portable (toolkit favourite) | Search VC921 multimeter |
5. Smoke stopper (short-circuit protection)
One bad solder bridge → dead ESC/FC. Bardwell: Vifly ShortSaver (electronic fuse). First power-up: stopper in series, don’t “just check quickly”.
- AliExpress: Vifly ShortSaver
- Or search
Vifly ShortSaver 2
6. Helping hands / putty + cutters
| Item | Why | AliExpress |
|---|---|---|
| Helping hands | Fourth and fifth hand while soldering | Helping hands |
| Flush side cutters | Trim wires short | Search flush cutter electronics |
| Automatic stripper | Cleaner insulation | Search automatic wire stripper |
| Forceps / cross-lock tweezers | Bardwell: forceps is “buy this one tool” | Search curved forceps · cross locking tweezers |
7. Heat-shrink + (mini) heat gun
Neater than tape alone on motor/ESC joints.
- Heat-shrink assortment
- Search
300W heat gun(small pistol is enough for shrink)
8. 6S LiPo balance charger (+ firebag)
HOTA S6 ordered (Sep 2026). Firebag still open. Needs 6S, XT60, and JST-XH — the S6 does. Full story + Ultra/Pro wobble: Choosing a 6S LiPo charger.
| Option | Why | ≈ | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOTA S6 | Dual, 400 W AC / 650 W DC — ordered | ~€159 | Oscar — S6 · part 33 |
| HOTA D6 Ultra / Pro | 300 W / 200 W AC — we skipped | €110–129 | part 33 |
| Firebag | Safer charge/storage — still to buy | €15–30 | FPV shop |
Charging explainer: LiPo batteries explained. Pack: Tattu 1480 6S.
Nice-to-have
| Tool | When | AliExpress / source |
|---|---|---|
| Digital caliper | Holes, screw length, frame tolerance | Search digital caliper 0.01mm |
| Loctite blue (243) | Motor/prop screws | Local hardware store often better |
| Zip-ties + cable comb | Cable management on UL8 | Everywhere |
| USB-C PD power bank (65W+) | For TS101/S99 in the field | Search 65W PD power bank |
| Fume extractor / open window | Flux smoke is nasty | Bardwell tools list |
| Dremel / needle files | Trim carbon, shorten screws | Optional |
RF meters (TinySA, SWR) are fun for antenna nerds. Not needed to assemble the UL8.
Minimal “order now” list (budget)
- Sugon T21 or TS101/S99 — T21 video
- 63/37 solder + Mechanic flux + wick
- Hex set M2–M3 + prop tool
- AN8008 or VC921
- Vifly ShortSaver
- Helping hands + flush cutters + heat-shrink
- HOTA S6 (ordered) + firebag (still open) — charger choice
Optional all-in-one: NewBeeDrone / Flywoo toolkit (Bardwell) via FPV shops. On AliExpress often “FPV tool kit hex”.
What do the five say?
Not a shootout of one iron — category advice on tools / soldering.
| Reviewer | Found? | Takeaway | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Liang | yes | Temp-controlled iron, 63/37, flux, bevel tip for XT60 — tools + soldering buyer’s guide | oscarliang.com |
| Joshua Bardwell | yes | Our primary source: tools shopping list, T21/S99 videos, smoke stopper, meter | fpvknowitall.com |
| Chris Rosser | no review found | No dedicated tools guide; AOS build videos show soldering in context | — |
| Painless360 | yes (category) | Long beginner how-tos on soldering / power system — useful for how, not which Ali SKU | Soldering the power system |
| UAV Tech | no review found | No dedicated tools shopping list found | — |
Our pick: first T21 or TS101/S99, meter, smoke stopper, hex/prop tools, flux/solder. Charger: HOTA S6 ordered — part 33.
Channel & source collection
YouTube channels (tools / soldering / building)
| Channel | Why follow |
|---|---|
| Joshua Bardwell | Tool reviews, irons, AliExpress hauls — our primary video source |
| Chris Rosser | AOS UL builds (your frame family); realistic assembly workflow |
| Rotor Riot | Beginner builds, toolkits, soldering basics |
| UAV Tech | Build/solder technique; often ArduPilot-friendly |
| Painless360 | Long how-tos: soldering, smoke stopper, first build |
| Mads Tech | Compact product/tool reviews (broader than FPV) |
| NewBeeDrone | Toolkits, practice boards, beginner kits |
How to use: what to buy → Bardwell (+ Oscar below). How to solder / first build → Painless360 + Rotor Riot. UL8 frame → Chris Rosser.
Bardwell — quick video highlights
| Video | About |
|---|---|
| Sugon T21 — insane price | Cheap strong bench station |
| Sequre S99 portable | Modern portable iron |
| Soldering tutorial | Bardwell: joints, flux, practice |
| Tools shopping list (site) | Full categories + why |
| Tip care for YEARS (nanofix) | Tip tinning / brass wool / longevity |
Written (shopping lists)
| Source | What |
|---|---|
| Oscar Liang — FPV tools | Essential tools, tapes, glues |
| Oscar Liang — soldering buyer’s guide | Irons (RC2/SI012, AiXun, …), solder, flux |
| Oscar Liang — avoid bad solder | Why decent 63/37 matters |
Read next
- Mechanics: step 1 — frame
- Power / capacitor soldering: power & capacitors · step 2
- Cables & ports (less soldering): ports & wiring
- Charger: Choosing a 6S LiPo charger
Choice log
| What | Tools guide for the UL8 build: Bardwell + channel collection + AliExpress links |
| Why | Without a temp-controlled iron, meter, and smoke stopper, soldering goes wrong |
| Our pick | First T21 or TS101/S99 → meter → smoke stopper → hex/prop tools → flux/solder; charger HOTA S6 (ordered) |
| Sources | Review panel (Oscar, Bardwell, Rosser, Painless360, UAV Tech) |
Disclaimer
AliExpress product pages disappear or change. Check seller reviews. For EU: watch plug/voltage (T21 station) and import rules.
Photos