To adjust its Yaw, or make it turn left or right, the quadcopter applies more thrust to one set of motors. A quadcopter can either hover or adjust its altitude by applying equal thrust to all four rotors. Motors on the same axis spin in the same direction, as illustrated here.Īltitude is a term that you’re probably familiar with – it simply describes going up or down. Two of these motor spin clockwise while the other two spin counterclockwise. When an aircraft rolls it is turning on this access. Roll – To understand roll think of an axis running from the front to the back of the aircraft.You could simply think of this as turning.
Pitch – Pitch refers to the nose of the aircraft going up or down.
#Quad copter free
These terms refer to the three dimensions that an aircraft in flight is free to move it. So if you’re building an octocopter a lot of what you read here will also be applicable.īefore I explain how a quadcopter or any multi-rotator works there are some important concepts that we need to define – pitch, yaw and roll. In this article I’ll be focusing on quadcopters but a lot of what I explain here applies to other flying devices with more than four propellers. Project link: īesides the visual and aesthetic differences, the 3D printed version is easily upgraded and modular.Quadcopters, drones – no matter what you want to call them these little devices are both fascinating and a lot of fun to play with! And for those of you with a do-it-yourself nature building a quadcopter can be an awesome project.īut how exactly does a quadcopter work? How does it fly and what components do you need to put together to make one of your own? Follow along and I’ll solve that mystery for you. The 3D printed version looks a little bit different: Crossfire 3D printable quadcopter. Besides that, at a small size, quadcopter drones are cheaper and more durable than conventional helicopters due to their mechanical simplicity.īelow you can see a more detailed overview of quadcopter drone parts of a commercially available top-tier drone used for aerial photography:Īlmost everything that is not a motor or an electronic part can be 3D printed. With their small size and maneuverability, these quadcopter drones can be flown indoors as well as outdoors. It’s the most common form of hobby RC drones. What is a quadcopter drone?Ī quadcopter is a multi-rotor helicopter that is lifted and propelled by four rotors and no tail rotor. Just dive into your favourite 3D modeling software, print it out and test it. So let’s say you’ve bought a new camera for your quadcopter drone and you need a new connector. Last but not least, 3D printing utilises the quick development of custom build parts. Besides easier repair, making a DIY drone will give you much more knowledge about the inner workings and mechanics of your flying machine. With 3D printed parts you have an infinite and quick supply of spare parts that will make your pilot training and everyday mishaps easier to handle. This picture describes it perfectly: The Anatomy of a Drone with things that usually break. Why is this important? Well… drones crash and break. Sometimes you can also print the propellers. That said, you can 3D print the frame and the housing structures. What you need to get startedīesides a 3D printer you will need some non-printed parts like the motors to power it, the batteries, some electronics, the sensors, the remote control unit and some basic skills to put everything together. You will learn some basic concepts and we’ll introduce you to several step-by-step guides. It’s a relatively easy endeavor cause the guides are so detailed. This is an introduction to building your own 3D printed quadcopter drone.