So, you’re looking to build your own drone? It might sound intimidating, but creating your personal flying machine is more accessible than you think. If you’ve got basic soldering skills, you’re already halfway there! This guide will walk you through the essential components and steps to assemble your very own 3d Printer Drone. Let’s dive into the exciting world of DIY drone building.
Parts You’ll Need to Build Your 3D Printer Drone
You can source all the necessary components from online retailers like Banggood, eBay, Hobbyking, Aliexpress, and specialized drone shops. Here’s a comprehensive list of parts you’ll need to get started on your 3D printer drone project:
Motors
- 4 Motors – Prices start at $7 per motor – Opt for brushless motors for optimal performance and efficiency. The motor size depends on your drone’s frame size. For a 160mm drone frame, 1306-3100kv motors are a good choice. The designation ‘1306’ indicates a 13mm diameter and 6mm thickness. The KV rating (3100kv in this case) signifies the motor’s RPM per volt; higher KV means higher speed, generally preferred for smaller drones. Lower KV motors offer more torque, while higher KV motors provide greater top-end speed.
ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers)
- 4 ESCs – Start at $5 per ESC – ESCs regulate the speed of your motors. It’s crucial to select ESCs that are compatible with your motors. For example, 2204 motors pair well with 20A ESCs (like the popular Favourite Littlebee), while smaller motors like 1306s work efficiently with 10A or 12A ESCs. There are two primary firmware types for multirotor ESCs: SimonK and BLHeli. BLHeli is often favored for its easier programmability. For this build, Multistar 10A BLHeli ESCs are a solid choice, especially for smaller drones. For larger builds with 2204 motors, LittleBee 20A ESCs are a reliable option.
Flight Controller
- Flight Controller – Starts at $13 – Consider the flight controller as the brain of your drone. For 3D printed drones or FPV racing drones, Naze32 or CC3D flight controllers are highly recommended. Naze32 is often preferred due to its extensive configuration options and capability to program ESCs directly through the controller. Software options for Naze32 include CleanFlight, BaseFlight, and BetaFlight (all are free). CC3D uses OpenPilot software, which is also free. A Naze 32 Rev 6 flight controller is an excellent, budget-friendly option.
Power Distribution Board (PDB) or BEC
- Power Distribution Board or BEC – starts at $3 – While not strictly mandatory, a PDB is highly recommended for a cleaner and more organized setup. It distributes power from the battery to the ESCs, flight controller, and other components like cameras and video transmitters (VTX). Many PDBs come with a built-in Battery Elimination Circuit (BEC), providing a 5V output to power your flight controller. Note that some ESCs also have integrated BECs, but high-performance ESCs are often OPTO versions, which lack BECs. If using OPTO ESCs without a PDB, you’ll need a separate 5V BEC to power the flight controller.
Radio & Receiver
- A Radio & Receiver – Starting at $50 – This can be one of the pricier components, but if you’re already into RC hobbies, you might have one. Ensure your radio has at least 6 channels and uses a PPM/CPPM receiver, which is more convenient than standard PWM receivers. The FlySky FS i6 with an ia6B receiver is a popular, cost-effective choice, offering excellent value and performance.
Battery Cable & Connector
- Battery Cable & Connector – $2 – Essential for connecting your battery to the PDB. The XT60 male connector is a common standard for drone batteries. Choose a battery cable that is adequately thick to handle at least twice the maximum voltage of your battery to ensure safety and efficiency.
Camera & Video Transmitter (Optional for FPV)
- A Camera & Video Transmitter (optional) – Starting at $15 for camera & $12 for VTX) – If you plan to fly in First Person View (FPV), you’ll need a camera and a 5.8GHz VTX. There’s a wide range of cameras available, including CMOS and CCD types with resolutions from 600 to 1000 TVL. For a small 160mm drone, a micro 600TVL camera is a suitable and budget-friendly option. For the VTX, the Skyzone 200mw 5.8 VTX is a highly recommended, compact, and effective choice. Camera/VTX combos are also available for convenience and smaller builds. Don’t forget antennas for FPV flying, along with FPV goggles or a monitor and receiver. Decent quality FPV goggles and receivers are now quite affordable.
Propellers
- Propellers – starting at $2 for 4 props – For durability and safety, it’s generally better to use purchased propellers rather than 3D printed ones, although ABS printed props can function. Choose propellers appropriate for your quadcopter’s size. DALprop propellers, specifically DAL bullnose or DAL V2 props in both 2-blade and 3-blade versions, are highly regarded for their robustness and thrust capability.
Hardware
- Hardware – $1 – To securely mount your flight controller and PDB to the drone frame, plastic M3 screws and nuts are ideal. Plastic hardware is preferable to metal as it prevents potential short circuits on your electronics. A box of over 180 plastic M3 screws and nuts is very inexpensive and useful for drone building.
Installation & Wiring Your 3D Printer Drone
Once you have all the necessary components, assembling your 3D printer drone is akin to a plug-and-play experience!
This wiring diagram and the following bullet points will guide you through connecting everything:
Drone Wiring Diagram for 3D Printer Drone assembly.
- Battery Connection: Connect the battery wires to the battery input on your PDB.
- Motor to ESC Wiring: Solder each of the three motor wires to the corresponding pads on the ESC. The connection order doesn’t initially matter, as motor direction can be adjusted in the ESC programming if needed, especially with BLHeli ESCs.
- ESC Power to PDB: Connect the positive and negative wires from each of the four ESCs to the positive and negative outputs on your PDB. While direct battery connection is possible, using a PDB is recommended for better organization and safety.
- ESC Signal to Flight Controller: Connect the signal wire from each ESC to the motor output pins on your flight controller (typically labeled 1, 2, 3, 4). The specific motor order usually corresponds to a diagram available in your flight controller’s software (like Cleanflight or Betaflight).
- PDB 5V Output to Flight Controller: Connect the 5V output from your PDB to the 5V input on your flight controller. Often, the 5V input on the FC is located on the motor output pin headers, so you can choose any available pin for the 5V connection.
- Flight Controller to Receiver: Connect the positive (5V), negative (ground), and PPM/Signal (Channel 1) pins from your flight controller to the corresponding pins on your receiver.
- PDB 5V Output to Camera (if applicable): If you are using an FPV camera, connect the 5V output from your PDB to power your camera.
- PDB 12V (or appropriate voltage) Output to VTX (if applicable): Connect the appropriate voltage output from your PDB (usually 12V, check your VTX specifications) to power your video transmitter.
- Camera Signal to VTX (if applicable): Connect the video signal output from your camera to the video input on your VTX.
That’s the basic wiring to get your 3D printer drone airborne!
Recommendation: For a more robust and cleaner build, aim for direct soldering connections wherever feasible and minimize the use of unnecessary connectors. Connectors can introduce potential points of failure and consume valuable space, especially on smaller drone frames.
Conclusion
Building your own 3D printer drone is a rewarding project that combines creativity and technology. With readily available parts and a bit of patience, you can create a custom drone tailored to your needs. This guide provides a starting point, and with further exploration and learning, you can delve deeper into the fascinating world of DIY drones. Happy building, and get ready to fly!
