Before starting to make a drone, there was a choice of which flying model to take as a basis: a quadcopter or an airplane? Since I’ve played enough with copters in my time, I know their main disadvantage: most often the flight time is 10-20 minutes. For me personally, this is very little, so it was decided to use an airplane as a basis.
I chose Bixler 2 as the plane; it has a lot of advantages, namely:
- Indestructibility
- Wingspan (1.5m)
Now it's up to the autopilot. The “brains” are a Raspberry PI B+ with a NAVIO board on which the sensors we need are located:
- GPS\GNSS
- accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer
- pressure sensor for altitude calculation
- 4-channel ADC
- 16-channel PWM generator
- FRAM, non-volatile memory
- RGB LED
- PPM input
Perhaps many have heard, and some have tried ArduPlane. This is an open source autopilot project for a copter/plane/rover. Luckily, the EMLID team who developed the NAVIO board made a port of ArduPlane to Raspberry PI. So all that is needed is to clone the repository and compile the whole thing on Malinka, then attach our autopilot to the plane - and off we go.
We mount our autopilot to the aircraft:
This is where I ran into problems: there was very little space, I had to abandon the standard cockpit that came with the plane, and make a new cockpit out of an empty Coca-Cola bottle, painting it silver. It turned out that it looks much better than the standard one.
To be honest, everything didn’t work out the first time. Since I could launch the plane only on weekends and the weather was not always smiling, a month and a half passed from the moment when I had the plane ready until the first successful launch.
I flew in stabilization mode: if you don’t move the levers on the control panel, the plane levels itself and flies in a straight line. The next stage will be a flight using GPS points with a pre-planned route.
Now, perhaps someone will be interested in the price of the issue. So:
- Bixler 2 — $90 (without remote control, I had one)
- Battery 2600mAh – $50
- Raspberry Pi B+ (sd card) - $45
- NAVIO — $149
My total came to $334 for the entire kit, ready to fly. Some will say that it is expensive and perhaps they will be right. However, I believe that this is for nothing, given that I have a flying Linux to which I can connect a 3G modem and change the flight course wherever there is Internet coverage.
Hubsan Spy Hawk - a ready-made drone model In our magazine, we have repeatedly written about devices that incorporate all the advanced achievements of modern communication and computing technologies - unmanned aerial vehicles. However, the creation of drones is not only the prerogative of states with a powerful military-industrial complex. IN last years electronic components for aircraft modeling have become very affordable. To assemble a glider and equip it with electronic “stuffing” with not the worst characteristics, you need to spend less money than it costs new iPhone. In this article, we will provide starting points for creating an unmanned aircraft controlled in first person using a camera mounted on it. Unlike quadcopter helicopters that are popular today, such a device can stay in the air longer and carry a larger payload. In addition to the camera used for monitoring and control, such an aircraft can be equipped with a high-quality video camera like GoPro HD Hero and shoot impressive video high resolution from under the clouds. We'll tell you where to buy necessary equipment and how to assemble a model, avoiding pitfalls. You will also find out where you can purchase ready-made models that do not require assembly.
Aircraft selection
When visiting real stores or sites selling radio-controlled models, the variety is dizzying. Therefore, first of all, you need to decide on the purpose of your aircraft. If you want to put a camera on it and fly “in first person,” then the only choice is electric models. Electric drive produces less vibration than gasoline and is easier to maintain. You can assemble it at home, “on your knee,” without fear of getting dirty.
In addition, if you are going to fly far, high and, most importantly, for a long time (up to one hour), then you definitely need a glider or something similar. If you want a faster and more maneuverable model, then you need to choose an aircraft with a smaller wing area and, possibly, a tailless aerodynamic design. For long flights with camera control, the propeller should be located at the rear rather than the front of the aircraft. Thus, when shooting, it will not flash in the frame. In addition, during a hard landing, the entire propeller-motor group will remain intact.
Traditional airframe materials are called EPO or EPP. The first is a kind of foam plastic, which is not corroded by superglue and has great rigidity, and the second, polyethylene foam, provides the overall lightness and rigidity of the model. The advantage of these materials is also that they are repairable. The direction of radio-controlled aircraft modeling, in which flights are controlled using a camera installed on the aircraft, is called FPV. This abbreviation stands for First Person View, and is translated as “first-person view.” FPV class aircraft are not beautiful copies, but gliders subordinate to their task, on which they do not even put landing gear. Every gram of weight counts here, since it is important to install a sufficiently heavy, capacious battery. Such aircraft are launched by hand, and landed simply on the fuselage.
Control
Required item in order to fly above the clouds while sitting in a chair on the ground - a control system. It consists of two components: a control panel and a receiver. The remote control is a transmitter of control signals.
Today there are many brands of these devices, differing in the number of channels and frequencies used. For simplicity, we will take the newest and most common one at 2.4 GHz.
As for the channels, each of them is responsible for a specific action: gas, elevator, rudder, control of camera servos, etc. The remote control is bought once and for many years to come, so it’s worth thinking about having more channels - at least no less than six.
The control panel is one of the most expensive parts of our entire unmanned system. Among the manufacturing companies, the most popular are Futaba, JR and Spektrum. There are, however, those who buy Chinese remote controls (for example, Turnigy) for 2000 rubles and are completely satisfied with them. We used a Futaba seven-channel remote. Each remote control requires a device that receives a signal from it and sends it to the controls of an airplane, helicopter, etc., that is, a receiver. It either comes complete with the remote control or is purchased separately. Chinese receivers are quite good, and they cost three times less than branded ones.
The operating range of remote controls at a frequency of 2.4 GHz is an average of a kilometer. This is the approximate range at which the aircraft is still visible to the naked eye.
Assembly
Having flown in the flight simulator and having the remote control, receiver and airplane in the closet, you can start assembling. The most difficult thing you may have to master is the soldering iron. It will be needed often, but at the first stage, most likely, you will only need to resolder the connectors - in order to reduce the weight of the aircraft.
So, you have a remote control transmitter, a receiver and an airplane. In order to control the planes of the aircraft, servos are needed. You can ask the store about which ones are suitable for your aircraft or find out in special sections on the website. The servos are connected to the receiver.
You also need a brushless motor and a speed controller for it. It is the regulator that is responsible for how fast the propeller blades will spin when you move the lever. The battery is connected to the regulator. It also supplies power to the receiver and then through the receiver to the servos.
The assembled structure must first be checked on the table without inserting it into the aircraft. If everything spins and works, you can put it into the model. The battery is a part that will be constantly removed and replaced, so its installation must be approached carefully. Check all the parts again, as well as the alignment. The location of the center of gravity is indicated in the aircraft instructions. This important point, and cannot be neglected.
Hint: the alignment, slightly shifted forward from the indicated one, will even help in piloting at first. After alignment and another check of all systems, a test flight can be carried out. If everything is in order, the plane has not broken down, has not flown into a forest or river, but is intact and operational, then you can think about video equipment.
Video equipment
Video equipment, which is available for free sale in domestic and foreign stores, varies in power and frequency. The available frequency ranges are 900 MHz, 1.2 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz. It is important to understand that the frequency of the video path should not coincide with the control frequency, that is, in our case, the 2.4 GHz option can be excluded. Due to equipment availability good choice the frequency will be 1.2 GHz.
After choosing the frequency, you need to decide on the power. For this parameter, options range from 10 mW to 2 W. The most commonly used is 600–1000 mW. Note that a power of 100 mW will not give an almost twofold increase in range compared to 600, but only by 20% and only on standard “pin” antennas. As a rule, shops offer an average power of 800 mW.
In addition, you need a camera and antennas, as well as power. The camera - a simple small black box with a lens - can be found at a video surveillance store. This component has several parameters that are important to you. The first of these is operating voltage. It is advisable to use 12 V, as with all other equipment. The next parameter is the number of TV lines. You need to choose a device with a resolution of 540 lines or higher - the upper limit can be 700.
A very important point is the quality of the signal (both for video and for control). It depends largely not on the power of the transmitter, but on the antennas. Install a Vee antenna on an airplane and a directional antenna on the ground. The latter will give a huge increase in distance in a straight line, but if you point such a model behind your back, you will lose the signal. You also need to understand what to watch the image transmitted from the aircraft on. To begin with, you can connect the wire from the video receiver to a simple TV - the cheapest car TV device operating on 12 V will do.
Check the assembled structure again on the table. If there is a picture on the display, mount the camera with the transmitter and battery on the plane, and the receiver, TV, antenna and battery, for example, on a photo tripod.
Important: you cannot turn on the transmitter (and the control panel, and the video transmitter) without an antenna - in this case, all the equipment will burn out.
The model in the background is made of EPO foam and is very difficult to break. Skywalker in the center is made of EPP 
A directional antenna, a TV, a video signal converter, a transmitter for glasses and batteries are attached to the photo tripod
Telemetry
Telemetry - important element for “camera” flights. It allows you to display many useful parameters on the screen, such as battery charge, current consumption, flight altitude, distance to the starting point, direction to the starting point, GPS coordinates, roll, pitch, flight mode and others, depending on the complexity of the OSD (On Screen Display). Recently there have been many simple solutions, and the OSD is combined with an autopilot, which, in the event of a loss of communication due to leaving the reception area or simply pressing a button, will return the aircraft to the starting point. The cost of autopilots starts from 4,500 rubles, which is not so much, considering the total cost of the equipment; losing the entire aircraft will cost much more. In addition, the autopilot provides a flight stabilization system that allows you to relax and enjoy contemplating your surroundings without fear of gusts of wind or your own piloting errors.
Fat Shark is one of the popular models of glasses with wireless image transmission and head position tracker
Increased flight range
There are two ways to increase the range - the so-called LRS (Long Range System) and the amplifier of the remote control itself.
Long Range System: Normal LRS frequency is 433 MHz. This system is connected to the trainer connector of the control panel. Essentially, this is another transmitter that receives signals from your remote control via a cable, which are then transmitted to the included receiver with a frequency of 433 MHz.
Remote control amplifier: connects instead of the standard antenna. It will not require additional receivers - you can use those that are available.
Additional equipment
The picture from the OSD can be transmitted to video glasses. Models of the Fat Shark brand, the cost of which starts from 11,000 rubles, can even track head movement and control the camera on an airplane. Of course, it is necessary to observe safety precautions, avoid flying behind your back and try not to fly where there is even the slightest doubt about “national security”. It is best to fly on open area In the countryside.
Ready-made models
If you want to quickly take to the skies, you can buy a ready-made model for flying using a camera. True, such aircraft have fewer capabilities.
AR.Drone 2 
Quadcopters - aircraft with four rotors - are often used in amateur modeling due to their simple design. They can hover in place, making them suitable for filming from above. One of the interesting examples of quadcopters can be purchased for about 13,000 rubles. AR.Drone 2.0 can be controlled from smartphones or tablets. Its flight time is 15 minutes, and its range is limited by a Wi-Fi signal.
Website: ardrone2.parrot.com Hubsan Spy Hawk 
There are many sets of ready-made models with FPV control. One of them is the Hubsan Spy Hawk. The set, which can be purchased for about 12,000 rubles, contains a four-channel transmitter with a display that allows you to control the model at a distance of up to 400 m. The model is equipped with a camera with a resolution of five megapixels. Website: hubsan.com
Purchase of components
It is more convenient and cheaper to buy equipment in online stores. Orders are sent by mail, and the waiting time is on average a month. We have listed only the most popular brands and brands. There is a lot of variety of equipment, as well as assembly combinations. Everyone can assemble a structure based on their own and others’ experience.
Control equipment: Futaba, JR, Spektrum FPV aircraft models: Bixler, Skywalker Video equipment: receiver-transmitter and camera, directional antenna, TV Telemetry: It must be said that this element for all its advantages, it is not always reliable and sometimes fails. For starters, we can recommend Storm cyclop, FY31AP or LRS 433. It makes sense to take a closer look at their analogues on the following sites.
Online resources: parkflyer.ru rangevideo.com foxtechfpv.com readymaderc.com hobbyking.com Another useful resource dedicated to radio-controlled models in general and FPV options in particular is forum.rcdesign.ru. Here at the flea market you can find inexpensive equipment, ready-made assembled aircraft, etc. However, ready-made kits are rarely sold and are extremely reluctant to be assembled to order.
Flone (short for Flying Phone) is a smartphone-infused drone.
For the project you will need:
1. Android smartphone
2. Controllers from Multiwii or Arduino
3. DSM2 controller
4. 4 motors
Step 1: Materials
You can buy the materials wherever you prefer, but I'll provide links to Hobbyking just in case.
Well, what if laser cutter is not an option for you at all, then you can simply print the diagram on an A3 sheet and cut it out necessary forms from plywood. The files themselves are in DXF format.
Step 3: What and where to attach
A sketch of what and where is attached to the body.
Step 4: Assembly
Let's glue the leg enhancers to the legs themselves (diagram in photo number 4). Glue the legs. Once the glue has dried, we attach the motors.
Step 5: Attach the flight controller
It doesn’t matter which flight controller you buy, they are all attached in one place - in the center of the bracket. What's really important is the anti-vibration sponge, it should be attached between the panel and the controller to dampen the vibrations of the panel.
Step 6: Solder the Power Distributor
The power distributor can be made from any copper plate by making holes in it and manually soldering the wires. We weld the connector for the battery and speed controller cables.
Step 7: Attach the DSM2 module
The DSM2 module is a radio receiver, in the photo there is a black block at the bottom left. This is the drone’s main communication channel with signals from the outside, ground world. At this point, you will need a 2.4 GHz radio with four channels to control the drone. In the future, this will be done using a smartphone. That is, a drone with a smartphone inside will be controlled by another smartphone.
Step 8: Flight Controller Configuration
MultiWii / Arduino flight controllers are configured via a USB cable connected to a PC (MultiWii configuration software). First, make sure there is a signal between the PC and the controller. You will need to configure the magnetometer, accelerometer and gyroscopes.
Step 9: Connecting the Motors
We connect each motor to its speed controller, but before we finally solder everything, we need to decide which controller wire to connect to which motor wire so that the motor rotates in the direction we need. To do this, connect 3 motor cables to the speed controller in random order, then the speed controller to the flight controller via a 3-pin connector, connect the battery to the flight controller. Turn on the radio, start the engine and check if it rotates in the correct direction. Repeat this with the remaining three motors, and when the test is completed, the cables can be soldered.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) are high-tech, expensive equipment. However, amateur-level “drones” seem quite affordable. It is no coincidence that in recent years small drones, including those assembled by hand, have been rapidly gaining popularity among ordinary people. The new, so-called FPV (First Person View) technology, a first-person view, gives a unique flight experience to everyone. Radio-controlled aircraft modeling has always been in demand among youth society. The emergence of drones has only spurred this demand, which is easily satisfied if you buy a ready-made flying car or assemble a drone with my own hands.
Quadcopter (drone) — design unmanned aerial vehicle, one of the most popular aircraft modeling projects.
The easiest way to acquire a UAV is to simply buy a quadcopter (drone), since the market (including the Internet) freely provides this opportunity.
However, for greater interest and for the purpose of a better understanding of what a drone is, it is more practical and economical to assemble a quadcopter with your own hands (DIY - Do It Yourself), for example, from a kit finished parts. A more serious option is to assemble a quadcopter (drone) from scratch using a minimum of ready-made components.
What is needed to assemble a quadcopter (drone)
Before you start assembling the drone yourself, you will need to decide on the components to create a quadcopter (drone). Therefore, let's look at the list of basic components that make up (the drone):
Quadcopter frame
The frame of a drone (quadcopter) can be built using different materials:
- metal,
- plastic,
- wooden.
If the choice fell on wooden frame drone (as the simplest in terms of technology), you will need wooden plank about 2.5-3.0 cm thick, 60-70 cm long.
The board is cut in such a way as to obtain two planks 60 cm long and 3 cm wide. These two planks are the structure of the future quadrant of the quadcopter.
The drone frame structure is built by simply intersecting two wooden planks under frame factor "X". The resulting frame is reinforced with a rectangular piece - stitching - in the central part. The size of the rectangle is 6 × 15 cm, thickness 2 mm. The material is also wood.
The classic quadcopter (drone) frame configuration, which is used in most cases of DIY assembly. Option shown with installed engines and controller Other dimensions of the quadcopter (drone) frame other than those stated are not excluded, but we should not forget about maintaining the proportions. The joining of frame parts is usually done with nails and glue.
Instead of wood, it is allowed to use metal or plastic of the same size. However, the methods of connecting the planks will be different.
Below is a list of ready-made carbon quadcopter frames (drones) available on the market:
- LHI 220-RX FPV
- Readytosky FPV
- iFlight XL5
- RipaFire F450 4-Axis
- Usmile X style
- Readytosky S500
Motors, ESC modules, propellers
To make a classic quadcopter (drone), you need to have 4 engines. Accordingly, if an octocopter project is conceived, eight engines will be required.
One of the options for manufacturing quadcopter (drone) motor propellers. The material chosen is hard plastic, taking into account the small dimensions of the structure In Russian, the ESC (Electronic Speed Controllers) module of a quadcopter is called a speed controller. This is no less an important part unmanned aerial vehicle than an electric motor.
ESC modules are responsible for the correct transfer of power to the drone's motors. The number of quadcopter modules corresponds to the number of electric motors.
- Emax RS2205 2600KV Brushless Motors
- DLFPV DL2205 2300KV Brushless Motors
- Gemfan GT2205 2650KV Brushless Motors
- HOBBYMATE Quadcopter Motors Combo
- 35A ESC BlHeli32 32bit DSHOT1200
- Thriverline Sunrise ESC 20A BLHeli-S
You can buy 9-inch metal propellers. These products are affordable price freely available on the market.
Metal structures are durable and do not bend when high loads during the flight. However, for more high performance screws – the best option carbon propellers. For example, these:
- BTG Quick Release Carbon Fiber Reinforced Propellers
- Performance 1245 Black Propellers MR Series
- YooTek 4 Pairs Foldable Quick Release Propellers
- Myshine 9450 Self-tightening Propeller Props
- Jrelecs 2 Pairs Carbon Fiber Propellers
Electronics and power module
The electronics kit for drones (quadcopters) traditionally consists of a flight controller and a wireless control system. This also includes the power module, since most power modules are equipped with electronic system battery monitoring.
The state of charge of the battery is an important aspect of the flight. It is difficult to imagine what will happen to the device if the battery is discharged, for example, during a flight over a body of water.
The flight controller maintains the stability of the quadcopter's flight by processing data regarding wind direction and strength, as well as many other parameters.
Flight controller on the STM32F103C8T6 chip: 1, 2 — tweeter (+; -); 3 - flow; 4 - RCCI; 5 — body; 6 - 5 volts; 7 - battery; 8, 9 - UART TX, RX; 10 — strip indicator; 11, 12, 13, 14 — motors; 15 — PPM The controller, as a rule, is equipped with so-called “firmware” - a memory chip where basic information is recorded for a chip similar to an AVR microcontroller.
The flight controller can be purchased at ready-made version, but assembling the circuit yourself is also possible. True, for the second option you need to have the skills of an electronics engineer and the appropriate ones. Therefore, it is easier to use ready-made solutions.
Ready-made drone controller solutions
Examples of ready-made models of controllers for controlling drones:
ArduPilot– a high-quality controller (expensive) designed for unmanned aerial vehicles. The firmware is distinguished by the presence of fully automated flight modes. The system provides high technical characteristics.
OpenPilot CC3D– a system based on Digital Motion Processor, equipped with a whole family of flight management sensors. Includes a three-dimensional accelerometer and gyroscope. The project is quite easy to configure and install. There is a user manual.
NAZE32– is also a fairly flexible and powerful system, but seems somewhat complicated in terms of configuration. Equipped with an advanced firmware program.
KK2– one of the popular solutions, which is often chosen by beginners, since the controller is relatively inexpensive and is equipped with an LCD display. The basis of the circuit is the AVR microcontroller, one of the latest modifications. The circuit provides for connecting MPU6050 sensors. However, the setup is only manual.
Wireless system remote control consists of a transmitter and receiver of radio signals. The remote control system not only controls the flight, but also controls the position of the aircraft installed on the drone.
Drone (quadcopter) control panel in the classic variation of a radio signal transmitter with the ability to monitor via an LCD display Here, as a rule, they are used exclusively ready-made solutions. For example, any of the remote control systems in the list below:
- Futaba 10JH 10-Channel Heli T-FHSS Computer Radio System
- Turnigy 9xr PRO Radio Control System
- Spektrum DX8 Radio Transmitter
- YKS FlySky FS-i6 2.4GHz 6 Channels Radio Control System
DIY drone (quadcopter) assembly
Electric motors are installed on the created frame. You may have to calculate the locations of the motors and drill mounting holes in the frame if there are no other options.
Approximately according to this mechanical scheme, it is recommended to mount electric motors on the frame of a quadcopter (drone). True, much in fastening depends on the frame material Then the speed controllers are installed. Traditionally, these modules are installed on the bottom plane of the frame. Speed controllers are connected directly to the motors via ribbon cables.
Next, a landing module is added to the frame - a part of the structure designed to organize a “soft” landing of the drone. The design of this structural element must provide for shock mitigation when landing on hard ground. Various designs are possible.
The next step is to install the flight controller. The location of this module is not critical. The main thing is to ensure electronics protection and uninterrupted operation.
The drone flight is connected according to the attached diagram to the module (receiver) remote control control and to the electronic motor speed control board. All connections are made using reliable connectors, and most important points“sit down” on tin soldering.
In principle, the main assembly is completed here. But there is no need to rush to cover the drone with its body. It is necessary to test all systems - sensors and other components of the quadcopter, using special software OpenPilot GCS (CC3D and GCS). True, the program release is quite old and may not be supported by new developments.
After the test, the assembled device - an unmanned quadcopter - is ready to fly. In the future, the drone can be easily upgraded - equipped with a video camera and other devices that expand functionality.
To assemble a quadcopter with your own hands at home, you must first understand the basic components of the quadcopter.
Parts for assembling a quadcopter
- Quadcopter frame Diatone Q450 Quad 450 V3 PCB Quadcopter Frame Kit 450mm (the last three digits in the name Q450 indicate the distance between the motors in mm diagonally). It represents the body of the aircraft, which will be used to mount all other equipment and electronic filling. Consists of 4 rays and printed circuit board. Weight 295 grams.
banggood.com
Price 922 rub.
- Motor DYS D2822-14 1450KV Brushless Motor. 4 pieces.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 571 rub/piece
- Regulator DYS 30A 2-4S Brushless Speed Controller ESC Simonk Firmware for speed regulation and speed control. 4 pieces.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 438 rub/piece
- Propellers DYS E-Prop 8x6 8060 SF ABS Slow Fly Propeller Blade For RC Airplane, 4 pieces. Two right-handed and two left-handed propellers.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 125 rub/piece
- Quadcopter control module KK2.1.5 kk21evo. 1 PC.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 1680 rub.
- Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery Turnigy nano-tech 2200mah 4S ~90C Lipo Pack, you need to prepare at least two pieces, and preferably four, as they run out quickly. 1 PC.
Sold in the online store Parkflyer.ru
Price 1268 RUR/piece
- Hobby King Variable6S 50W 5A battery charger. 1 PC.
Sold in the online store Hobbyco.ru
Price 900 rub.
- Battery connector XT60 Male Plug 12AWG 10cm With Wire. 1 PC.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 144 rub.
- Clamps for securing wires to the quadcopter body. 1000pcs 2.0x100mm Black/White Nylon Cable Ties Zip Ties. 1 package.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 316 rub.
- Connectors 20 Pairs 3.5mm Bullet Connector Banana Plug For RC Battery/Motor. For regulator wires. 1 package.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 256 rub.
- Velcro strip for attaching the battery to the quadcopter body. 1 PC.
Sold in the online store Banggood.com
Price 79 rub.
- 50pcs Motor Fixing Screws Set for DJI F450 F550 HJ450 550 Quadcopter Multicopter. 1 package.
Price 217 rub.
- Remote control for quadcopter Spektrum DX6 V2 with AR610 Receiver. The receiver and transmitter are supplied in one kit. 1 PC.
Price 9700 rub.
In total, a set of equipment for assembly will cost 20,018 rubles.
Features when choosing components
Basic characteristics of the transmitter:
- Modes Mode1 or Mode2. In the first mode, the gas handle is on the right, in the second mode, the gas handle is on the left.
- The transmitter frequency is 2.4 GHz.
- Number of channels. The minimum channels required to control the aircraft are four. Control equipment from Spektrum DX6 V2 with AR610 Receiver contains 6 channels.
Step-by-step instructions for assembling a quadcopter with your own hands
- We reduce the length of the wires on the regulators. When connecting the regulator to the motors, the length of the wires will significantly exceed the length of the beam on which this entire structure will be attached.
- We solder the connectors to the ends of the wires on the regulator so that in the future you can connect the regulator to the motors.
- We install the motors - we screw 1 motor onto each beam.
- We assemble the frame. Screw the beams to the board.
- We connect the regulator wires to the motors. The regulator and motor cables are connected in any order. In the future, you may need to change the connection order when finalizing the drone configuration. When using dedicated regulators for each motor, the positive and negative poles must be connected to the controller from only one regulator.
- We secure the control module to the body with double-sided tape. It is best located in the central part of the platform.
- We secure the receiver to the body with double-sided tape and connect it to the control module. The receiver should be located as close as possible to the module.
The purpose of the channels is described in the receiver manual. Usually their sequence is as follows:
- Ailerons - the channel responsible for left and right turns;
- Elevator - a channel guiding forward and backward directions;
- Gas is a channel that controls gas. Manages takeoff and landing, as well as altitude changes;
- Yaw - the channel makes it possible to rotate the quadcopter around its axis.
- We power the device. We connect the battery to the connector.
This operation completes the quadcopter assembly process.
Setup
- We start the engines. Activation of engines requires the process of starting motors - arming. The instruction manual explains in detail how to achieve this. Deactivation of engines requires a disarming procedure.
- We turn on the weak gas and make sure that the motors are rotating. The rotation pattern must be the same as indicated in the diagram in the controller manual. If the motor rotates incorrectly, you just need to swap the poles of the wires coming from the motor to the controller.
- We screw the second platform to the quadcopter body.
- We attach a Velcro strip to the case to secure the battery.
DIY quadcopter assembly using Arduino
Conclusion
Fulfill self-assembly Quadcopters can only be used by those who enjoy solving complex problems. These should be people who enjoy the process of various calculations and the process of assembling the device.
The advantage of a copter assembled with your own hands is that you can upgrade it at any time by adding new equipment.
