This is an introduction to building your own 3D printed quadcopter drone. 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.
What you need to get started
Besides 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.
Why 3D print a quadcopter drone?
That said, you can 3D print the frame and the housing structures. Sometimes you can also print the propellers. Why is this important? Well… drones crash and break. Specially if you are a novice pilot. This picture describes it perfectly:
The Anatomy of a Drone with things that usually break. Image source: the poke.co.uk
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. Besides easier repair, making a DIY drone will give you much more knowledge about the inner workings and mechanics of your flying machine.
Last but not least, 3D printing utilises the quick development of custom build parts. So let’s say you’ve bought a new camera for your quadcopter drone and you need a new connector. Just dive into your favourite 3D modeling software, print it out and test it. Make changes iterate et cetera.
What is a quadcopter drone?
A quadcopter is a multi-rotor helicopter that is lifted and propelled by four rotors and no tail rotor. It’s the most common form of hobby RC drones.
With their small size and maneuverability, these quadcopter drones can be flown indoors as well as outdoors. Besides that, at a small size, quadcopter drones are cheaper and more durable than conventional helicopters due to their mechanical simplicity.
Below you can see a more detailed overview of quadcopter drone parts of a commercially available top-tier drone used for aerial photography:
Almost everything that is not a motor or an electronic part can be 3D printed. The 3D printed version looks a little bit different:
Crossfire 3D printable quadcopter. Project link: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32281
Besides the visual and aesthetic differences, the 3D printed version is easily upgraded and modular. In the following video Dennis Baldwin explains his 3D printed quadcopter in detail:
How to build your own 3D printed quadcopter drone
If you want to get into building one yourself we have found several entry level projects. Here is a detailed construction guide for a 3D printed quadcopter:
http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-Printed-Quadcopter-with-Arduino/?ALLSTEPS
… and this is a build guide for a different type of H-frame drone with a smaller frame:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-H-Quadcopter-with-3D-printing/?ALLSTEPS
3D Print a remote control
If you want to 3D print the remote control unit housing and make your own joystick, you have to check out this project:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-quadcopter-joystick-and-frame/
3D print a insectoid ornithopter
If you are interested in more exotic designs and experiments you could 3D print a small UAV insectoid Ornithopter which flies by wing flapping and not propellers:
Detailed Ornithopter guide: http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-Printed-Ornithopter-Micro-UAV-Drone/
Laws and regulations
Do keep in mind that there are some laws regulating operation of hobby RC UAVs and drones – consult your local regulations. Also stay safe! High flying objects with high speed propellers and inexperienced pilots can cause a lot of damage to people and property.
How to fly a quadcopter drone?
Youtube is filled with “how to fly a quadcopter” instructional videos, so that will be your starting point to figure out the basics. Once you get the basics you can do some amazing stuff like drone racing from point of view!
Enjoy flying!
Thanks so much for your web page. I’m going to get into building one ASAP
Just wanted to add a few projects I am aware of for 3D printing drones on Thingiverse, specifically the MHQ quadcopter, the MVQ v-tail which it inspired, and the Mini FPV Tricopter which has an optional v-tail bracket.
Very generous of you.
Being able to print spare propellers would be a godsend to a novice drone hobbyist like myself.
I am definetely sharing this with my blog readers.
so amazing, its very useful
I heard 3D printing drones are not as strong i.e. they can break down hitting hard object + not waterproof. Didnt had a try though.
Depends on the material you use. This won’t break: https://store.3dprinting.com/products/avante-filaone-gray-advanced-composite-filament and is hydrophobic; not affected by humidity, repels water, resists salt water.
“With 3D printed parts you have an infinite and quick supply of spare parts..”
That’s a good point, but do you have any idea, what the cost it could be or something like a minimum budget for beginner to start around experimenting with the 3D printed part? if the motors could be printed as well, it could be awesome.
The cost really depends on the material you use and what part you print. When printing a drone frame, use a really strong engineering grade material like this: https://store.3dprinting.com/products/avante-filaone-gray-advanced-composite-filament
An encase can be printed with for instance natural PLA (cheap) which is pretty strong when printed with the right settings.
3d propellers would be amazing, but how about a 3d battery – now that would be a miracle and yes I know it would defy physics bu could you imagine!
Great article though and I will share this amongst my twitter followers.
I read about liquid batteries here http://news.mit.edu/2016/chemistries-liquid-batteries-grid-scale-0322. So if it’s fluid, it might be printable right?
what a great idea to print and build a drone. But will it be as accurate and sleek as the manufactured by companies. It may be or may be not. And if you already have a 3D printer then there is no harm to try this once.
Nice share! Great post. Thank you very much.
Hi Peter,
excellent article right there – well done, great idea.
Have you been able to experiment with the materials used for printing the frames of drones? What is the typical weight you achieve and how durable are the resulting frames? I’m asking because, let’s say in racing drones, the name of the game is the weight of the drone. If you can get a weight advantage, while having a sturdy frame which is able to withstand the forces of high-speed maneuvers involved in drone-racing, you’re on to a winner!
Have you got any thoughts on that?
David