ok so ive been flying whoops and 3inch toothpicks for about a year and a half and i finally decided to just go for it and do a proper 5inch freestyle build. been lurking here long enough and watching way too many nurk and johnny fpv videos so here goes nothing.

frame is the ImpulseRC Apex, picked it up used but it looks fine no cracks. motors im going with T-Motor F40 2306 2400kv which i know some people think are overkill for freestyle but i got a good deal and i want headroom for future. stack is gonna be a Mamba F722 FC with the matching 45amp ESC, figured the integrated stack saves me headache for a first 5inch. running a RunCam Racer 4 for the cam because i already own one from a parts bin. VTX is gonna be Rush Tank which i already have too.

the part im least sure about is props. ive been going back and forth between HQProp 5x4.3x3 and the DAL 5045 triblade. for freestyle i keep seeing mixed stuff. also i have no idea what PID baseline to start with on a Betaflight 4.4 setup, like do i just run defaults and go from there or is there a starting point that makes more sense for this kv and frame combo.

anyway yeah roast the build or tell me what im missing, genuinely open to feedback before i start soldering

build looks solid honestly, i ran a similar Mamba stack on my last 5inch and it handled fine. only thing id say is watch the capacitor situation if you're running 6S ? the Mamba 45amp can get a bit unhappy with voltage spikes without a good cap soldered on the battery leads. slap a 1000uf 35v low ESR cap on there and you'll be fine.

on props, for freestyle i genuinely prefer the HQProp 5x4.3x3 over the DAL triblade. the DAL feels snappier but it's almost too aggressive in my opinion, makes tuning trickier. HQ gives you a bit more forgiveness which is nice when you're dialing in PIDs. for starting PIDs on Betaflight 4.4 with that motor/frame combo i'd actually say just run the defaults first and do a hover test, listen for any oscillations. then maybe drop the D term a touch if it feels hot. the RPM filter helps a ton on 4.4 so make sure bidirectional DSHOT is enabled and your ESC firmware is up to date before you touch anything else.

nice, apex is a great frame. jealous you got one used, they go fast. one thing ? are you running 4S or 6S? because 2400kv on 6S is gonna be a LOT, like potentially too much for a first bigger build unless you're already comfortable with how fast 5inch moves. not saying dont do it just be ready lol