Do-it-yourself sports quadcopter. Do-it-yourself quadrocopter: step-by-step assembly

The quadric can hang in one place and take photos and videos, which is why many photographers keep up with the progress and buy quadrocopters for video shooting.

Quadcopters burst into our lives along with technological progress. Today, ordering electronics for a quadrocopter from China is very cheap. Assembling a quadrocopter frame with your own hands from improvised materials is not at all difficult. You can learn how to fly with the help of flight simulators. So the main thing is the desire to make a quadrocopter with your own hands.

It is best to buy ready-made electronics for a quadrocopter.

Details of a homemade quadrocopter

Quadcopter motors, 4 pcs - D2822/14 1450kv

Of course, the additional purchase of a small quadcopter is a bit expensive, but by flying on this one you will learn how to control and be able to fly a large quadcopter with a camera without falling! A small toy can always be given to a child.

And finally, a small video of the flight on a quadrocopter, recording from the camera.

In this article, we looked at the basic principles of making homemade quadcopters. If you want to know more, see the section

iskra comments:

how to make a quadcopter so that it flies within a radius of 500 meters with a real-time camera that displays the image on the screen

chelovek comments:

Guys help!
I want to assemble a quadric on the arduino mega platform using these components:

Today, ordering electronics for a quadrocopter from China is very cheap. Assembling a quadrocopter frame with your own hands from improvised materials is not at all difficult. You can learn how to fly with the help of flight simulators. So the main thing is the desire to make a quadrocopter with your own hands.

It is best to buy ready-made electronics for a quadrocopter.

Do-it-yourself radio-controlled quadrocopter assembly

First you need to decide whether you will use a standard frame or decide to make your own.

The purchased frame is convenient, but in case of a breakdown, you will have to wait until the spare part arrives. A self-made quadcopter frame assembled by hand allows you to fix a breakdown in 20-30 minutes, but requires additional work in the manufacture of a quadcopter.

The simplest option is to use plastic pipes for wiring. They are lightweight and quite durable. In addition, you can buy swivel parts and wall mounts, which are suitable for mounting electric motors to the frame.

The result is a very robust design that allows you to carry not only the electronics of the quadcopter itself, but also a camera for video shooting from the quadcopter.

An important detail for beginners is the place where you will release your first drone for flights. The urban area is eliminated immediately, as houses, trees and wires will interfere with test flights. The park doesn't work either. One wrong move - the vacationer and your new brainchild may suffer. It is better to go out into the open field and steer the quadric for your pleasure.

List of main spare parts:

O motors with controllers for them;

O battery for quadcopter and remote control;

O flight controller;

O control panel with signal reception and transmission;

O charger;

O connecting wires, bolts, etc.;

O tools for the job.

In order to be able to modify the drone to work with video and photography in the future, the base between the rays of the copter should be made wider in order to later accommodate the rest of the devices.

Selecting the shape of the quadcopter

First of all, you should decide on the number of beams and screws on the copter. There is a wide variety in the modifications and appearance of flying drones, based on the number of beams coming out of the center of the frame, there are tri-, quadro-, hexa- and octocopters.
The number of propellers can be more than the number of beams. But the name doesn't change. For example, a quadcopter has two motors with propellers on each beam - this does not make it an octocopter.

The most popular model among quadcopters is the quatrocopter with an X-shaped beam arrangement. Firstly, two motors pull the entire structure forward at once, and secondly, the attached video camera will not see the propellers in front of it.

What to consider when selecting all spare parts

Based on the estimated weight of the complete structure of an already FPV quadcopter with a camera, you should assemble a copter with powerful motors. This implies the purchase of additional batteries or the installation of more capacious ones at once.

Visual assembly video:

YouTube video

To facilitate the design, the frame can be made independently. There are options: from simple wooden rulers to aluminum profiles or tubes. You can save money on this. The main thing is that the material is durable, since when it falls, the first thing that suffers is the rays of the copter.

Of course, there are ready-made frames, but you should beware of fakes, otherwise at least one “leg” will fly off after the first crash test. For the duration of the management skill, improvised materials are more advantageous.

The beams for a quadrocopter have an optimal parameter - 30-60 cm in length from motor to motor.

In order not to get hurt and not to mow the foliage of nearby trees, as well as to test the copter at home, you can put special protection on the propellers.

What will the flight controller and all other gadgets be attached to? Here, too, you can turn on the fantasy. Of course, a piece of cardboard will not work, but a square of plywood, a plastic base from under the CD box is optimal. Not heavy and will withstand everything that you need to fasten.

Motors - they need four at once. For propellers, they are mainly selected according to diameter and power. The diameter is taken from the parameters of the frame (if it is self-made, then at its discretion).

Motor controllers are needed to control the speed of rotation of the blades. The power of the engines directly depends on the weight of the drone assembly.

Batteries for motors can be of different capacities. It is better to provide the opportunity to change batteries to high capacities and, of course, use not one, but several at once.

The screws themselves can be taken 9-12 cm. A pair of ordinary and 2 with reverse rotation. It is desirable that they come with fasteners for several types of motors at once.

The most important and most expensive thing in a quatrocopter is its "brains", namely the flight controller - you can't save on it. Here, the future capabilities of the drone should be considered. It is better to take a microcontroller programmable (for example, Arduino Mega). Sensors for it can be taken "all in one" All In One (gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, magnetometer), or at a minimum - a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

Additional functions:

· GPS — flight route programming;

· "soft landing" - fail safe (if the radio connection with the remote control is lost, the copter will sit down smoothly, and not crash to the ground);

· FPV (first person view) - view from the first person, and observation from the tablet.

The transmitter on the control board should be chosen according to your pocket. The main thing is that there should be at least four channels and a frequency of 2.4 GHz. It can be bought for left-handed or right-handed people.

Of course, you will have to tinker with wires, but in capable hands this time will pass quickly.

It is better to attach a special soft lining to the legs of the copter or to the beams themselves on the frame, so that landing on hard surfaces is easier.

It won't be easy, but it will be interesting and entertaining!

In addition to the basic materials, consumables are also required - bolts, nuts, washers.

At this stage, the tools you will need are a hacksaw, a drill and a file.

After all the materials are prepared, we proceed to the process:

· In any convenient way, transfer the drawing to the textolite blank and cut off the unnecessary material along the contour.

Connect all the resulting parts, securing them.

Prepare the holes for the screws (they are red in the drawing) with a 3 mm drill.

· After the beams are fixed on the frame, make holes to facilitate the construction (these are white circles in the drawing).

· On the beams, prepare holes for mounting the engine.

· At the last stage, degrease the frame and glue it with double-sided tape to dampen vibrations.

In subsequent stages, you will need the following elements: board, motor controllers, propellers, motors, battery and charger for it, transmitter and receiver.

In order to fix the controllers on the adapter board, it is worth using a copper wire without insulation. After that, the power wires, bus wires, a toggle switch for turning the power on and off are soldered.

When placing the controllers on the board, it is worth remembering that they must all be directed to the corresponding motors.
The next step is the installation of engines. It begins with soldering the wires to the motor terminals of their insulation. Then the engines themselves are installed at the ends of the beams and bolted to the underside of the "leg".

After that comes the crucial moment of fastening the "brain" of the quadrocopter - the adapter board. It is better to install it on small rubber dampers. It is important to protect the board from moisture and dust, so immediately close it with any plastic cap. Its shape and transparency depends solely on your preferences and does not affect the safety of the board.

A battery is attached to the prepared compartment, which is also better fixed on a rubber layer.

At the last stage, we fix the screws on the engines, connect the transmitter and the LED backlight.

From general to specific. The frame of the quadra must be strong. A piece of plywood (150 x 150 mm) is suitable for its manufacture; a square aluminum profile (14 x 14 mm) can be used as a frame.

The profile will also be needed for the manufacture of rays. The length of each of them from the center of the structure should be 300 mm. On them, by the way, you can fit pieces of foam or rubber, which will soften the landing.

Next, install the board. It needs to be bought. It is recommended to purchase a board already equipped with all sensors - gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer and magnetometer - AllInOne. There are options for boards also with a GPS receiver. Sensors can be attached to the structure with thick adhesive tape or silicone - this will help to avoid strong vibration.

It must be mounted in the center of the structure. The self-tapping screws should securely screw the board to the ends of the beams and pass through the plywood. There should be a receiver next to it. It can be glued with superglue.

The motors of the quadcopter must be equally spaced. Therefore, before placing them, you need to make accurate markings on the beams and only then drill holes. By the way, the space for the tail of the shaft must be made through, over its entire width so that it does not touch its edges.

Now a little about the power wires of the speed controllers. They are connected in parallel with adapters. Where the battery is connected to them, a detachable connection should be made.

Now it remains only to connect the wires to the appropriate engines and install the “brains”. Finding firmware for the board (Arduino) on the Internet is not difficult. First it is downloaded, then the settings. During the installation of the program, step-by-step instructions will appear. They need to be clearly followed in order to debug the control of the device and calibrate it.

There is a section AC2 Sensor in the program menu. Here, the operation of sensors and receivers is checked. All turns and changes in levels should be reflected with the maximum accuracy on the fluctuations of the arrow and LED indicators.

After all this debugging, you can install the propellers and test the flight. In this case, it is better to place the device away from you. Gas should be smooth. If the drone is airborne, great. If it starts to shake, you should go to the PID settings. Other nuances of debugging through the program are also possible.

How to choose the right motor for a quadcopter? Undoubtedly, this part should be selected based on the characteristics and capabilities of the aircraft. The use of a motor is necessary only in large quadrocopters, otherwise its presence will be unjustified and the device simply will not work.

The main rule is that you should choose a motor after the final assembly of the quadcopter. When planning to attach a video camera or other device to a flying device, it is worth considering the additional weight. In order not to overload the device, it is necessary to calculate the thrust, which can be viewed from special tables. For example, if the weight of the device is 1.5 kilograms, then the thrust should be 2 times more, that is, equal to 3 kilograms.

To choose the right quadcopter engine, you should carefully study all its characteristic properties. An equally important role is played by the screws of the device. The quadcopter hangs in the air due to several pairs of rotors rotating in different directions.

Just in order for the propellers to work properly, you need to choose an engine based on the parameters of your quadrocopter. Propellers consume a lot of motor power, and motor power is important when buying.

To select the right motor, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with various videos, where you will be told in detail about good parts for a quadcopter. Due to the tips that already experienced pilots will give, you can assemble a unique quadcopter with a powerful engine.

Why do you need a powerful engine? Firstly, it allows the device to fly much faster and longer, to perform certain maneuvers. Secondly, you can hang additional cargo on the quadcopter, for example, a camera that will shoot materials when flying at altitude. Due to this, you can take high-quality pictures.

Therefore, it is necessary to select the engine based on what kind of quadcopter you want to build. It is necessary to select the correct engine power, otherwise the device may either not take off, or it will be completely uncontrollable. To avoid this, you need to listen to the advice of experts, and then it will be very easy to assemble a quadrocopter.

A quadcopter can be purchased at almost any major online store, or you can make a drone with your own hands. It is not known what came first: the mass production of copters or the first attempts by radio amateurs to create a drone on their own. But the fact that this hobby is becoming popular among fans of radio-controlled devices cannot leave indifferent any modeler and collector of quadcopters.

DIY quadcopter model

Many drone users are wondering how to assemble a quadrocopter with their own hands. Rather, this desire comes from the desire to have complete control over the flight and control of the shooting process.

There are a number of advantages to self-assembly of a copter: First of all, this is an opportunity to create a device with the parameters that you need. Secondly, such a device is easier to customize, you can always attach new parts or replace, for example, a battery and supply a more powerful power source. Thirdly, it can serve as an interesting experience and be the first step towards a new hobby.

Of the negative sides, it can be emphasized that such an assembly can take a lot of time to find the right parts, study the entire technical part. Moreover, no one can guarantee that "the first pancake will not go lumpy." Although, on the other hand, there are now a large number of specialized stores for radio engineering, and numerous schemes will help to understand the principles of the device and operation of a quadrocopter using the example of ready-made models of home-made versions.

Also, many resort to drone modeling on the basis that it can be much cheaper than buying a branded device. But here, too, a lot depends on what characteristics you want to get the device with, and whether the appearance of the quadra is important to you. Moreover, frequent modifications that will help make the drone more functional can also cost a pretty penny.

Inventor Jasper van Lenen introduced a kit in 2013 for those who want to assemble a drone on their own. In the suitcase he had everything he needed: electronics, motors, radio, body parts. All plastic parts were printed on 3Dprinter.

Buy or make?

The decision to make a copter yourself can be determined by the so-called sporting interest, or it can also be associated with the desire to save money. In both the first and second cases, it is important to weigh all the pros and cons, as well as determine the strengths and weaknesses in self-assembly.

Time

As mentioned above, the main disadvantage of the DIY drone can be time. After all, it is one thing to order a quadra ready for flight, wait one or two weeks and use it for your own pleasure. But in self-assembly there are a number of nuances that can affect the timing:

1. Acquisition of all necessary spare parts that cannot always fall into your hands at the same time.
2. It will also take time to study the technical part in order to clearly understand what the drone consists of and how it works.
3. The assembly and configuration of the flight controller itself will take time and, of course, patience.
4. Post-build, which means not only testing, but working on bugs and “rework”, which also takes a lot of time and effort.

Experience

Compensate for the first point in many ways will be able to have experience in self-assembly of radio-controlled devices. In addition, if you assemble a drone with a “factory” model, then this can be a visual aid for studying the “stuffing” of a quadra. But for those who are faced with such an assembly for the first time, there are two options:

A) Buy the most inexpensive quadcopter model, which will not only serve as a model, but also whose parts you can borrow for your copter;

B) Ask for help on forums and specialized sites where you can get all the information, as well as read in detail about the step-by-step assembly of the copter, indicating the names of all the necessary parts.

Price

Many decide to assemble a quadrocopter on the basis that such a device will cost less than a purchased one. But there are a few things to keep in mind here:

• Of course, if you set a goal to assemble a quadric from improvised means at minimal cost, then there will be no problems, since you can purchase all the components from the same price range. But here you need to understand that you will not be able to create a powerful device with a high load capacity.
• If you rely on the characteristics of the quadcopter, and not on the simple ability to take off and soar in the air for several minutes, then here you are unlikely to achieve a significant difference between a purchased and a homemade copter. Although, of course, there will still be an opportunity to save 10-20% of the cost.

Self-assembly of a quadcopter, hexacopter or tricopter is an opportunity to try yourself as an engineer and mechanic, allowing you to create a unique model with the characteristics that are most relevant to you. But to have hopes that this is an easier and cheaper way than buying a ready-made device is still not worth it.

Details, assembly process, nuances

So you've decided to build your first quadcopter. To begin with, it is best to turn to the experience of "experienced" designers. Here, various forums, websites, video “life hacks” will come to the rescue.

Any drone consists of two main parts - the mechanism itself that launches it, and the frame on which this “stuffing” is attached. In order for the copter to fly you need:

• flight controller;
• Battery;
• Motors and propellers that are attached to them;
• Speed ​​controllers;
• Servo line for creating a rotary mechanism;
• As well as various consumables: screws, connectors, anti-vibration sponge, glue, elastic tape.

The frame can be cut out of plywood or durable plastic, its shape largely determines the type of drone: whether it will be a tri-copter, quadro-copter or hexacopter. It consists of a main frame on which the controller and battery are attached, and beams with motors, a swivel mechanism and a structure for a speed controller. It is best if the arms are movable, especially if you are going to make a large quadcopter, then there will be no problems with transportation later.

Creating your own quadcopter is an opportunity to try yourself as an engineer and designer. The copter can be given a variety of shapes, using both a ready-made frame and a homemade one, try to equip it with additional structures that will help carry various items on board.

If the copter will be used for aerial photography, then you should take care of the presence of suspensions for the camera. The load capacity of the device will depend on the power of the motors and the size of the propellers. This fact is especially important to consider when it comes to heavy digital or semi-professional cameras.

The flight controller is configured via a PC, on which you first need to install a special program for MultiWii or Arduino, depending on the model of the purchased controller. And, of course, in order for you to control and receive a signal from your quadcopter, you will need to purchase a radio transmitter, for example, DSM2.

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The main reason that people are interested in assembling quadcopters is the desire to save money on buying an original device. However, this is not the only reason. Many are interested in this issue, since the UAV control hobby develops into something more, for example, participation in quadcopter races, and it is possible to win in them only by practicing as often as possible and finalizing the design of your flying drone.

Assembly of the finished kit

Most likely to assemble a quadrocopter with their own hands from those who really want it. To simplify this task to an elementary assembly, it is necessary to acquire an appropriate set of parts. Their cost is several times lower than that of RTF-style quadcopters. The reason for this is that the user is responsible not only for the assembly of the structure, but also for firmware, calibration and fine-tuning of the device. The main advantage of such kits is that there is no need to select the power of motors, chips and case weight.

It also makes no sense to worry about the balance of the design, which directly affects the behavior of the device in the air. In this case, the quadcopter will have all the planned characteristics, including speed and flight time. When choosing a kit, you can choose whether the quadcopter will be monolithic or collapsible, i.e. modular. The latter option will be of more interest to those who want to have a sufficiently large, but at the same time easily portable model. It should be noted that such models often have a very aggressive and unattractive design.

This is because the kit does not include an external case, which performs both protective and decorative functions. The sequence of assembly of such structures is indicated in the instructions attached to the parts kits. Usually, the assembly of such quadrocopters begins with the installation of complete motors on an exoskeleton made of plastic, metal or carbon. Following them, PIN cables are installed that act as power regulators for installed motors. Further, the signal receiver and the main think tank - the control module - are fixed on the case.

At the end of the assembly, a battery, clamps, LEDs and other modules are installed that distinguish the model from others. This is where the step-by-step assembly ends, and all the fun begins, namely the process of flashing the device, its calibration and fine-tuning, which, depending on the manufacturer of components, can take from half an hour to three hours. It is important that the battery is fully charged at the time of the firmware update. Otherwise, this process may fail.

Assembly from improvised materials

Regrettably, but still it will not work to assemble a full-fledged quadrocopter completely from improvised materials. In any case, you will have to purchase a kit of parts. But you can buy them not as a whole set, but to take only the most necessary ones. These include motors, screws, a control board with a receiver, and a battery.

This is all that is needed to simply lift the quadcopter into the air and control it with the help of equipment. In order for this set of components not to fall apart in the air, it is required to fix them on a durable but lightweight body. You can make it from improvised materials. Anything can be used, from ice cream sticks to plastic caps and bottles.

As for additional purchases, you will also need to purchase equipment, since without it it will be extremely difficult to manage the assembled device. You can find a quadrocopter scheme on the net, or come up with your own. When creating a hull, it is worth remembering about flight qualities, balance, stability and lightness of construction.

Otherwise, the device may not turn into a UAV, but into a crawling mini fan with remote control. It will be possible to refine the created design indefinitely, so during the first assembly, you don’t have to try too hard so as not to lose interest in the process.

In order for the technical part to be as balanced as possible without the use of complex calculations, you can use a little trick. You can choose a specific common model and order accessories for it from the basic list. When ordering, it is important to specify the details correctly. So, in the order list there should be 2 motors of right rotation and left rotation.

They must be paired with appropriate screws - right-handed and left-handed. Otherwise, the device will not function. There is always the possibility that defective blanks may come across during the assembly of parts, so some can even be ordered in duplicate in case of replacement. Unlike the factory kits described above, it is impossible to assemble such a device from ordinary parts with bare hands and a screwdriver. You will have to work with a soldering iron, glue gun, electrical tape and double-sided tape.

Only in this way will it be possible to get the desired quadrocopter. Once a working model is obtained, it can be upgraded at will. Add antennas, LEDs, beepers (tweeters) and other details that increase the functionality of your home quadcopter.

Do-it-yourself step-by-step assembly of a quadrocopter: the main advice

Before you throw yourself headlong into assembling your own quadrocopter, evaluate your strengths without looking up from reality. Consider not only the ability to work with such a dangerous tool as a soldering iron, but also financial capabilities, that is, how much you can spend on components for a quadrocopter without harming your personal budget. And only after that start active activity.

You can buy excellent quadcopters at - free shipping across Russia and the CIS, good prices!

Useful videos on how to assemble a quadrocopter with your own hands

04 May 2016

Despite the many ready-made models of quadrocopters presented in online stores, many still prefer to create a drone with their own hands. First, it saves money. Secondly, the fact that you were able to assemble a quadcopter yourself gives a weighty reason for pride, and it is much more pleasant to operate such a device than an ordinary purchased one.

So, how to make a drone at home? There are several ways to do this.

• Way one: relatively light. You can buy a ready-made kit for assembling a drone. These are now sold in any online quadrocopter store. The choice is huge, at a very different price and from a variety of materials. The advantage of this solution is that you get a set of parts that are ideally suited to each other in terms of technical parameters.

• Way two: for the brave and experienced. Complete freedom: you yourself buy all the necessary components.

This is what their main list looks like:

1. accumulators;2. speed controllers;3. engines (according to the number of propellers);4. control board with sensors: gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, compass, etc.;5. frame (lovers of hand made can make it themselves).

The advantage of this solution is the ability to use the parts you already have, left over from the old quadcopter or lying “in reserve”.

Your first quadcopter: theory and practice

For self-assembly, a medium-sized drone is ideal. At the request of the owner, the device can be modified, a photo or video camera can be added to it, but the general scheme for assembling a quadrocopter with your own hands is as follows.

The first step is to determine the size and configuration of the frame. You can buy ready-made or make your own. The advantage of the latter option is the ability to repair the frame on your own in the event of a breakdown, without waiting for a spare one to arrive. As a material, you can use plastic pipes for wires or square aluminum tubes. The basic shape is a square with intersecting rays in the middle.

Engines are installed on the beams of the frame. Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 2822-1275, NTM Prop Drive Series 28-30S, Turnigy Multistar 2216-800Kv models will be optimal. The first one is suitable for 20 A speed regulators (for a 45-50 cm quadcopter), the other two are suitable for 30 A regulators (for a 50-60 cm quadcopter).

Propellers are mounted on top of the engines - two each with right-hand and left-hand rotation. Their maximum allowable size will be indicated in the instructions for the engine.

A Li-Po battery and a control board are attached to the core - either the simplest HobbyKing KK (equipped with only 3 gyroscopes), or MultiWii Lite V1.0 with 6-axis alignment, or MultiWii 328P (with 6-axis alignment, barometer and compass; the most optimal in terms of price / quality ratio). In order for the flight to remain stable, the controller must be vibration-isolated - a vibration-isolating sponge is suitable for this.

Of course, you cannot learn all the subtleties of the assembly from the articles. But you can do it under the guidance of experienced pilots at the Drone Expo Show. At the master classes you will be taught how to assemble a quadrocopter and pilot it, as well as answer all your questions about assembly theory.