I want to make a drone

Projects General Guidance
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I want to learn about drones and I want to build an arduino drone that can follow me and avoid collision and accept flight input. It wouldn't have to do all of that at once and could be done in phases but that is what I imagine ending up with.

I am a software developer and intermediate with arduino skills and code. I can model and 3D print complex geometry. I have a well equipped electronics workstation and plastic work table. I have a thorough understanding of batteries and small electronics power technology.

  1. is this a reasonable goal
  2. what kind of kit or project plan would I use to get started with ardu drones

I know there are 9001 guides on this, but I am not sure what road to go down.

Thanks for any advice

2

Get 4 brushless motors + escs with drone props. It should have 2 reversed pairs.
Get a servo control board with a built in gyro/accelerometer or just use an Arduino micro and gyro/accel module.

There should be drone kits available already that should have enough to get you started. The rest will be up to your coding skills.

3

Thanks for the reply, is there a kit you would recommend?

I have seen so many guides, and drone kits, but it is hard to know how out of date they might be, and I am suffering from too many choices.

thanks again

4

I would go with this Drone kit and build from there.

5

How does one direct a flight controller, outside of a radio controller?

I understand they have some kinds of auto stability and perhaps GPS waypoint functions, depending on the controller, but can that logic be directed by the microcontroller? Can the ardu say, "don't go any further in that direction" etc? Or is this purely programmed logic and the ardu has to be in control?

6

It would need gps yes

7

What is the interface like from the ardu to the flight controller?

8

Not sure exactly. The ESCs need a specific pwm (pulse width modulation) signal to operate. The Arduino Servo library will help with that. But everything else like the GPS module will most likely have its own library. Not all libraries play well with each other, usually timers interfering with each other.

9

I think you are biting off more than you can chew.
There is a lot more to it than you think to be starting at scratch.
There would be many seasoned Arduino programmers who would tend to think twice about attempting it.
Then there are certain laws in many countries surrounding just the use of drones let alone non-certified/ non-proven designs.

1 Like
10

You are absolutely allowed to make your own drone almost anywhere. Have you been on the internet for the last decade?

1 Like
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  • May be wrong, but sounds like at this point in time the project is too advanced.
  • Suggest you learn the basics first.
12

Well I found a decent video series and I'm skipping 75% of it. This isn't very difficult. There were just a few basics regarding components and their use that I wasn't aware of... I was way too intimidated up front.

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YouTube GPS Arduino.

14

It's not the building of any drone, it's the flying which comes under the control of whatever yourcountries FAA/ CASA whatever.

Those which are allowed are certified to fly and in many instances require licencing of some degree or other to operate.

Ignore that and you will quickly find yourself in deep doodoo.

Fairly confident though that it will never get to that point given your obvious lack of required technical ability.

15

Absolutely!

A Drone is the ultimate in "set it and forget it" toys, historically developed by one culture into a buzzing, flying and falling thing. The instructions are: Fill it with fuel. Point it. Start the motor. Return to tea party. I recognize the enjoyment in this, as I built high-flying (500m) box kites as a youngster. The Drone is as fun as a propelled paper airplane, but not as fun as a kite (the strings make for easy retrieving... propelled paper airplanes have no strings). Build a drone. Start now. Why wait?

You do understand "remotely or autonomously controlled aircraft" are NOT Drones. Just because most people use the word incorrectly does NOT make it right. It just makes those people ignorant. Be knowledgeable. Be an original. Build a Drone!

19

Rude and abusive comments removed.

I think @underhilll has made it clear that he/she wants to build a drone (or whatever the correct term is) and is looking for technical advice on how to do this. There have been sufficient warnings about the legalities of building and flying a drone, which of course will vary from country to country. Please, no more comments or advice about legality, which has been adequately covered. I think also that sufficient advice has been given about the difficulties of building a drone. If you wish to provide technical advice please continue to help.

Meanwhile, because of the abusive comments made, @underhilll is taking a 7 day rest from the forum so will not be able to reply to any help until he/she returns. Abuse from anyone else will also result in a rest from posting.

Now, please continue to help with technical advice if you so wish.

I thank you.

2 Likes
20

The second sentence of this article explains everything.

That "data glitch" or "conflicting data" was due to entities involved NOT agreeing to like terms as "simple" as measurement system being Metric versus Imperial. Splash one decade-long space flight because one person too many used the wrong term.

Too many of these "like terms" errors cause angry management to make grave errors in judgement. Yet everyone seeks to shoot the messenger. History repeats if you ignore it.

A drone is an unguided projectile. A drone is not a remotely controlled vehicle. A kite is more guided than a drone.

I can not find the youtube channel who builds a quad copter from scratch, now lost forever under the "drone" pile... and this guy is one, but does a 20+ video series.

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17 odd sections to the one below as well, however it's 9 year old technology and anyones guess where that would lead.

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