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Do-it-yourself quadrocopter (drone) from modules. Heavy FPV quadcopter - development, assembly and first flight

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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. On this 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 hardware, 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, therefore, 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


Good afternoon.
As the first radio-controlled aerial model, I recommend the quadcopter to everyone. Its stability depends on the tuning of the electronics, reliability lies in the correct soldering of several parts and the choice of regulators / motors. I would also like to note its versatility of control: on the one hand, in flight, it is very similar to a helicopter (vertical landing and takeoff, speed drop), on the other, to an airplane (a slightly different model of behavior in the air, different from a helicopter), operating costs and survivability when falling. The skills you gain will make it easier to transition to other types of aircraft.

What is the price of a ticket to the world of modeling for a beginner or what to buy to fly the first quadcopter?

The first step is to throw the RC equipment and charger into the basket.
Models will change, fall, get lost and repaired, but these two things will remain for years to come. To get started, it will be enough to buy:
Transmitter ( 2000r) and ( 900r). The transmitter has been on sale for a long time, all its sores have been found, they are successfully treated with articles on forums + hands, and even a schoolboy can cope with the modernization process. It is completed with a mediocre regular firmware (it can be easily changed) and a receiver for 8 channels, which for a start is enough for the eyes. Charging should take only the original.

Also, if you are confident in your abilities and have an extra thousand rubles, you should try to start with a new one ( 1800r) + transmitting module ( 1300r). But still, I recommend taking the good old model first. Another very important detail is, do not try to take off without 10-15 hours of flight time on the simulator.
Price: 2000r \ 3100r + 900r

The choice of the frame of the future aircraft.
Here it is worth stopping at the needs ...
1. For simple training flights, it is worth taking a small plastic frame:

  • (330r) - a small frame, durable plastic, very compact size, bright color.
  • (430r) - indestructible plastic + built-in wiring board.
  • (610r) - the frame is a little more functional (additional floors) + the ball will help you navigate in the position of an impromptu nose.
2. If you want to start shooting from the air in the future, you should look towards these models:
  • (1150r) - aluminum beams, the presence of a cap, soft racks the possibility of using only "configuration +"
  • (1150r) - folding frame!, aluminum beams, multi-tiered base, soft stands, the ability to use only "configuration x"
  • (3000r) - a folding carbon fiber frame, the presence of a cap and soft chassis, but the high price is unacceptable for a beginner. take only if you are 100% sure that you are taking for shooting from the air with heavy loads on the frame.
  • (700r) - aluminum arms, camera mount, soft high stands and of course low price. of the minuses, perhaps, only the lack of a cap and a small number of tiers of the base.
Powerplant which includes a choice of motor, governor and propellers.

Engine choose from traction needs. Ideally, the flight weight should be around 2/3 of the maximum thrust for fpv and 1/2 for aerobatic quadcopters. Calculate thrust approximately, according to power: 100W of power = 0.5 kg of thrust and do not forget that you already have four engines.
  • 300W ( 630r) - designed specifically for multi-rotor systems
  • 250W ( 570r) is a perfectly balanced motor. You have to buy an adapter separately.
  • 350W ( 500r) - a powerful, perfectly balanced motor. I myself have one on an FPV quadcopter.
  • - 100W ( 250r) is a small bell. ideal for small entry-level models. small price, low "volume" and weight.
  • 180W ( 400r) is a well-proven bell. simple. reliable. cheap and powerful enough.
Regulator we choose from the characteristics of the motors, namely: current consumption and operating voltage. Let's say the motor consumes maximum 20A at 11.1V (3s), then the regulator should be bought with a margin of 20-25% in terms of current consumption and 11.1v (3s) in terms of voltage. I would like to note two series of regulators that are great for working in multi-rotor systems due to the high speed of the processor. On the parkflyer they are relatively recent:
  • Turnigy Multi Star ( 250r), (320r), (400r), (630r)
  • Hobbyking Blue Series 260r) (340r), (380r), (620r)
My advice: choose from the green series. They were developed specifically for multirotors.

Propeller for multirotors of the public sector, you definitely need to buy propellers of the SF series! Two-bladed propellers! (The efficiency of two-bladed propellers is higher than that of three-bladed propellers), they realize the load capacity at low speeds much better, are easily destroyed upon contact with the surface and are very cheap relative to other propellers. What screw to choose in diameter? The more power, the larger the screw. Do not be stingy and take more kits (20-24 screws will be enough for a start). Propellers are the main expense item in the operation of multicopters.

  • 100-150W 8x4.5 right( and ) and left ( and ) rotation or set 2R+2L , propellers.
  • 150-200W 10x4.5 right( and ) and left ( and ) rotation or set of 2R+2L propellers.
  • 200-350W 12x4.5 right( and ) and left ( and ) rotation or set of 2R+2L propellers.
It is worth noting that if you are not sure about the choice of screw, take an equal number of close diameters, for example: 8 pieces 12x4.5 and 8 pieces 10x4.5. Use the scientific poke method to find the best one.

Selecting a stabilization controller.

  • (500r) is a very cheap small board, standard "circuit quadcopter +" firmware, easy to adjust with a screwdriver right in the field, stability and quality float from batch to batch. If it is worth taking, then only for the sake of training flights.
  • (1000r) - from the pluses, I immediately want to highlight the presence of a screen that greatly simplifies the setup in the field, the constant updating of firmware (currently version 1.5), here is a video about what this board can do.
  • (2500r) the presence of GPS, barometer, "return home" and "hold on the point" allowed this board to instantly gain popularity. Ideal for FPV.
  • Dark horses from MultiWii: ( 730r), (1200r) and ( 1500 ). It seems that the prices are good for such features and the USB port for programming, but they are not so popular and, as a result of sores, they have not been studied. On the one hand, you can get a great pay for little money, on the other hand, you can run into marriage and be disappointed in modeling.

Components necessary for the assembly of a multi-rotor system.

  • Battery we choose so that its capacity is enough for about 10 minutes of flight. Let's say the motor consumes an average of 5A, and we have four of them, therefore the entire system will consume an average of 20A, now we divide this current by! 6! and get the battery capacity figure for 10 minutes of flight. For this example, 3.3 Ah. Line with the cost of batteries 3s 20С:

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.

Most simple option is the 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 of modifications and appearance flying drones, based on the number of beams coming out of the center of the frame, there are three-, 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 steps, you will need the following items: 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 installation, programs will appear step by step instructions. 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 rotations 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 it is worth choosing a motor after final assembly quadrocopter. 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. Not less than important role play the screws of the apparatus. 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. Should be selected correct power engine, 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.

Now on the Internet you can find several useful tutorials (all links at the end of the article) on how to assemble a drone on a 250 frame yourself. But, while collecting my first quadric for these articles, I ran into problems that were not covered in any way. Namely: I did not find a complete list of parts and additional equipment that I need, the price of a complete assembly, as well as some practical and theoretical questions. That is why it was decided to make this article as a summary of my personal experience and other people's experiences to help beginners (like me) build their first drone as productively as possible.

Part 1 will be devoted to the selection of parts, equipment, assembly and connection of all components of the copter. The software side will be discussed in 2 parts.

Immediately report what I got:


It is noticeable in the video that the legs of the drone disappeared during the flight, but more on that later

FAQ List:

V: Isn't it easier to buy a ready-made quadric and fly?
O: Easier, only if you are not going to keep improving your drone and building others. That is, you just want to fly, and not rack your brains and waste precious time. A store drone is in any case easier to learn and easier to operate. As an alternative, I can offer MJX Bugs 3. Review on it. Price from ~120$.

V Q: Do I need to solder?
O: Yes need!

V: Is it cheaper to assemble a quadric yourself than to buy in a store?
O: Not! I consider this a delusion. If you are a beginner, and since you are reading this article, most likely you are, then in addition to parts for a quadcopter, you will need a lot of other things. I am attaching a list below.

List to buy:

In order not to bother with the selection of the main components, I see an excellent alternative in buying a ready-made kit. Without wasting time on the selection of parts, you will get everything you need.

Everything you get in the kit. On the picture not connecting wires from the controller to the transmitter are shown

3) At least 2 additional sets of propellers (4 pcs included: 2 left, 2 right) ~0-100 rub.

Propellers are really a consumable item for the first flights, so it's better to take it with a margin. Oddly enough, but ordering from China is more expensive, and the wait is long. Maximum diameter 5 inches. I bought .


Batteries from Aliexpress. Both are out of order. The second jar failed for the left one, the third jar for the right one.


Left: battery for radio remote control with JR connector (black head). Right: Quadcopter battery

I strongly advise against purchasing batteries from China: both batteries ordered by me failed, that is, they stopped producing the required voltage (one bank failed). Yes, perhaps it was a matter of chance, but there were no such problems with other batteries, and a savings of 150 rubles. not worth the risk.


Turnigy 9X with battery. Sits very tight, the lid closes

10) Soldering iron by itself.

Total cost ~ 11878 - 13217 rubles.

If you are surprised by the list, then it is worth noting that most of everything that you buy will serve you more than once.

I also want to note that prices are constantly changing, so I cannot guarantee the minimum cost for links. I'm sure you can find cheaper. I just shared sources one to one coinciding with mine.

Assembly

Frame assembly

There is a chance that a kit of parts will come to you without instructions for assembling the frame. So it was with me. If this happened, then we collect the picture or video. At this stage, you should not tighten all the screws in the "combat mode", you may have to disassemble the frame more than once. At this stage, it is not worth screwing the upper part at all; without it, it is more convenient to work with the insides of the copter. Also, do not forget about the washers, which I wrote about above.




Let's not forget the pucks. Of course, you don’t have a white plate - these are the very remnants of 3D printed legs

Motor installation

A very simple operation, if you remember about the direction of rotation of the motors. Decide where you will have the front. Motors with a black nut, rotating clockwise, we put in the front left and rear right places.


Pay attention to the location of the engines


Motor mount

Soldering

Distribution board soldering

So, you have already tried on and decided how everything will be installed for you. Solder time. When soldering the board The most important thing is to observe the polarity! It doesn't matter which places to solder the wires to, it all depends on how you are going to install the board.


Solder the regulators and power wires. We observe polarity. (My version)


Solder the regulators and power wires. We observe polarity. (Another variant)

Solder regulators to motors

First of all, we remove the standard red heat shrink from the regulators. In order for the motors to rotate in the direction we need, the regulators to the motors should be soldered like this:


Connecting regulators to motors

I think that you have a question: where to put the long wires from the regulators. They can be soldered and removed completely, or they can be cut to the desired length. The second method is preferable for beginners, as there is less chance of overheating the regulator when soldering.


Fully soldered standard wires of the regulator. I don’t advise you to do this, it’s better to just shorten the wires (do not pay attention to the location of the wires, the picture was taken to show something else. The correct diagram is on top)

Solder the T-connector. Polarity matters!

We fix the power board, speed controllers

Time to fasten. Remember that the frame of the quad is conductive, so the board must be insulated from it. I put it on two layers of double-sided tape, pulled it from one end with a clamp, and then secured it with an elastic band.


We fix the fee. Two layers of double-sided tape + clamp + elastic band

I hid the speed controllers in heat shrink, put them on double-sided tape, tightened them with clamps and tightened them with an elastic band to be sure. Looks more than safe


We fix the regulators. Heat shrink + double-sided tape + clamps + elastic band

We fix the flight controller, receiver

Double-sided tape and rubber bands come into play again. Again, the tighter you fasten, the better.

I have it done like this:


Fasten the flight controller (1). Grass left after the crash


Attaching the flight controller (2)


Fix the receiver. Butt he also sits on double-sided tape

We connect everything with wires

Flight controller controls

From each of the regulators we have 3 wires. You need to do the following: on three of the four regulators, you need to pull the red wire out of the connector. You need to connect the wires to the controller in a certain order, this will be discussed in the next part.


On three of the four regulators, you need to pull the red wire out of the connector

Receiver to flight controller

And here the order of connecting the wires to each channel is not important. You just need to connect the power wire correctly - the white wire is closer to the side with the sticker.


Connect the receiver to the flight controller. The power wire should be located white closer to the side with the sticker

We fasten the upper part of the frame, look what happened

I also added a "camera mount".


"Camera mount"

Total:


About falls and what to do while waiting for the package

Be prepared for some falls first. And this: broken propellers, legs and camera in my case.


broken legs


Broken camera. By the way, I advise you to additionally seal the connector with a flash drive with adhesive tape, there is a chance of loss if it falls

Here is a video from my very first flight.

Everyone brains, brain hello! For a long time, a person has dreamed of flying, free soaring in the sky, but so far this is not achievable, although ... let's try to fix it a little and do it yourself simple quadcopter.

KK2.1
This is probably the first thing you will find when searching for a flight controller online. It is based on an AVR microcontroller, has an LCD display that allows you to program it without connecting to a PC, and an MPU6050 as a sensor. You can program it using your own firmware, but for this you will need an AVR ISP programmer, since it does not have outputs on the board. It is also cheap, requires manual setting and is perfect for experienced pilots.

KKMulticontroller
This is something unique in the line of controllers! It is based on Atmel AVR (168p), which is good, but I think the controller is no longer supported, since their site is closed. Maybe they switched to 32-bit quadcopters or something. The controller itself is outdated, it uses Murata Gyros to orient the position in space, the sensors are not interconnected, the gyroscope is analog, the attachments on the arrows are used for adjustment, that is, everything is simple, but old ...

For my brain crafts I took OpenPilot CC3D for its ease of setup.

Step 7: Remote control

Controlled homemade, of course, a wireless remote control. Their choice is quite large, from expensive ones - Futaba, Spektrum, to cheap ones - Turnigy and Flysky.

The number of remote control channels means the number of transmitted control signals, we need at least 4 channels:

Throttle
Yaw (Z-axis rotation)
Pitch (rotation about the Y-axis - the axis passing through the left and right sides)
Roll (rotation about the X axis - the axis passing through the front and rear of the copter)

In the future, for use on a quadrocopter- homemade camcorders will need more channels, so I chose the 6-channel Flysky. This is a cheap remote, but not suitable for long range flights. So, according to our budgetary possibilities, we choose a remote control for crafts.

Step 8: Mounting the flight controller


The remote control and flight controller are selected, it remains to fix this controller on the quadcopter frame, add a battery and proceed with the calibration brain crafts. On top of the frame, we attach the controller to the clamps, while the arrow on the controller is located along the X axis. Another point, to dampen the vibrations of the motors, we place a regular sponge between the frame and the controller.

Step 9: Connecting and Setting Up the Electronics

According to the instructions, we connect the flight controller, speed controller and control panel. And the following video will help you with this:


And if you have a Flysky remote, then this video:

Step 10: Testing

Before taking the first flight, all components must be tested using the OpenPilot GCS control system. It has a display with which it is convenient to test sensors and other components. So, we remove the propellers and check the functioning of all parts from the remote control homemade.

I also checked the range of the remote control by placing the quadcopter nearby and at a considerable distance. And the correct functioning of the propellers can be recognized by the characteristic sound when they rotate.

Step 11: And finally: flight

A quadcopter is, in principle, a dangerous device that, if used incorrectly, can cause serious damage, so be careful and responsible when working with it!

We hang the battery to the bottom of the frame, connect it and place it under the tree on the open space. Then, from a safe distance from the quadcopter, we begin a gradual launch Braincraft and. If you feel like craft falls off when lifting, floats to the side, then correct this by hanging on the corresponding arrows. After achieving a stable climb, check how the quadcopter responds to the remote control commands, and adjust the PID values ​​to get the desired response.

And now congratulations, you have created your own quadrocopter from scratch!