Introduction: How to Make a Drone Using Arduino UNO | Make a Quadcopter Using Microcontroller
Introduction
A Drone is a very expensive gadget(product) to buy. In this post I am going to discuss, how I make it at cheap?? And How can you make your own like this at cheap price…Well in India all the materials(motors, ESCs etc.) are very expensive(at least for me). So I decided to make it on, as cheapest as possible.
The frame and the Flight Controller is DIY. The frame is made up of scraped aluminium antenna(bar), aluminium celling fan blade and Woods. Arduino UNO along with MPU6050(gyro+Accle) is used as a flight Contrller.
At first Check The VIdeos From my Youtube Channel....
PArt-1 & Part-2.........
Step 1: Step-1:-Materials Used
These are the materials Used for my Drone You can use any parts/materials as your requirement. If you want to make it as cheap as possible then you can go with the material list below.
1) 1000KV Brushless motor*4pcs
2) 30 Amp ESCs*4pcs
3) 1045 Propeller*4pcs
4) Arduino UNO + MPU6050
5) Perfboard (verroboard)
6) 1.5k,1k and 300E resistors and 1pcs LED.
7) Heat Shrink tube (I am using Electrical Insulation Tape)
8) Double Sided Tape, Soldering Iron, Soldering Wire etc.
9) A plastic Box (for Electronics)
10) 2200 mah or Higher li-po battery.(minimum 30C recommended)
11) Aluminium bar(hollow), Aluminium plate and Woods(soft).
12) Transmitter and receiver (Mine is Flysky-i6x with X6B receiver)
>>>>Buy From link below----------Please use link below to buy stuff.... Don't worry you don't have to pay more.....if you bought the stuffs from link below...I will get small kick back...(commission).....
Link for India....
Balance Charger. For lipo or Better to buy this one
For Out of India.......(Banggood)
Gearbest...
Step 2: Step-2:-Motor Mounting
When you bought the Motors the Motor mount and some screws comes with it. mount the aluminium motor mount using the screws comes with it. (see picture). Mount that to motor Using Screws...
Step 3: Step-3:-How to Make a Frame…
I am using old aluminium (yagi) antenna, Soft Wood, and aluminium plate(fan Blade) to make frame. Cut 4 pcs of aluminium bar each of 20cm. Centre plate Dimention is about 11*18cm….The wooden Motor mount is about 10cm long and Diameter of 4.5cm (where motor mounted).
Fix the bars of aluminium with Center plate using screws( as your Requirement) and slide in the motor mount under the aluminium bars and……Here your frame is ready….(check Pictures) also a video of frame Work is on my Youtube Channel…..Check that out..
Step 4: Step-4:-Mounting All Things (ESCs and Motors to Frame)
Now mount the motors to it’s wooden motor mount using screws and Nuts (any types) and connect the ESC wire with it (Randomly) and fix the ESCs using Electrical tape or zip ties in my case it’s Electrical tape (it’s cheaper than Zip ties). After connecting all Motors and ESCs cut the +ve and –ve Wire of ESCs and connect all ESCs using Wires or PDB as your setup..I am Using Wires Because there is no space in my frame for ESCs…..And you’re Done…..
******Caution:-Remove all Props while setup…and Don’t Try to Fly Inside the Home….
Step 5: Step-5:- Flight Controller
Make a Flight Controller using Arduino UNO and MPU6050…My flight controller is based on the Joop Brokking’s YMFC-AL and it’s a Auto leveling Quad…make the connections as Diagram below……
****Special Thanks to Joop Broking for the Arduino Sketch**** Check his video......
Step 6: Step-6:- Connecting the ESCs and Receiver to FC
********Don’t Connect ESCs BEC wire(5 volt)…only connect signal wire******
********And power the receiver using Arduino’s 5 volt supply*******
Now connect the signal wires of ESCs as Describe Below….also shown in the Diagram…
ESC connection…….
Digital pin-4 to ESC1 (Right Front CCW)
Digital pin-5 to ESC2 (Right rear CW)
Digital pin-6 to ESC3 (Left rear CCW)
Digital pin-7 to ESC4 (Left front CW)
Receiver Connection….
Digital pin-8 to Receiver Channel 1
Digital pin-9 to Receiver Channel 2
Digital pin-10 to Receiver Channel 3
Digital pin-11 to Receiver Channel 4
Step 7: Step-7:- Flight Controller Setup (Upload the Sketch)
******Don’t Connect the Flight Battery at This Time******
Now Download the Arduino IDE and Sketch below and extract the Zip file..you will find YMFC-Al schematics, Readme file, ESC calibration Code, Setup Code and Flight Controller Code…..
1)….At first Upload code and open Serial monitor at 56000b and follow the Steps in the Video below…
2) If no Error occurred then upload the ESC calibration Sketch after uploading the code…put Your transmitter at full throttle and connect the Flight Battery after some beeps put Down the throttle (I think this method not works on all types and brands of ESCs,,,,But for mine it’s works perfectly)……
3) After uploading the ESC calibration sketch…Upload the Flight Controller Sketch…..and Your FC is ready….
Attachments
Step 8: Step-8:-Electronics Box Installing and Prop Mounting.
After completing all electronics works put the all electronics in the Electronics box and complete all wirings and stuffs…..Now mount the CCW propellers to CCW motors and CW prop to CW motors…..And You are Ready to Fly……….
The Hardest part of making this quad is to Tune PIDs…….as your Design…
I’ve Broke 2 pairs of Prop and Electronics box while trying to fly it….
Soooooo,,,,,,Have a Good Fly…………
If you like this project then please ... Please Subscribe to my Channel…Also consider Support my future Projects Through my Patreon campaign or Donate Through Paypal….Even an small amount can help a lot.
And if you have any confusion or suggestion about this project or my other projects then please Comment Below…..
Participated in the
Epilog Challenge 9
20 Comments
4 years ago
Dear,
I followed your steps but facing a problem. when i turn on my quad all motor does not responds satisfactorily while adjusting the throttle.
only 2 or 3 motors rotates at the same time.I am suing fly-sky CT-6B transmitter and receiver. wiring is fine. when i checked one by one all motor are working fine.
please suggest for the solution
Reply 1 year ago
Caardboard Drone?
2 years ago
hey i seen your video and the video that inspired this one and i have build a quad and i finally got all the code running but when we attached the battery i was getting an issue with the rx saying its a dead battery even though it was fully charged , i did notice that in the original video that the voltage divider cct is much different then the schematic provided and when i followed the video version of the diode voltage divider cct it worked and everything flashed find... but now the is not enough power reaching to the rx? could any one clarify which on is the correct voltage divider cct i already pooched one bridge rectifier by following the schematic provided in the download.
3 years ago
Como se podría implementar con arduino nano y con un transmisor blueetooh?? gracias saludos
3 years ago
I am making a drone but the error no8 I can't solve it have any idea to solve
3 years ago
Hello
Question 3 years ago on Step 8
Can i use arduino nano for this project?
3 years ago
HELP !! I MOVE ALL THE STICKS AND FIRMWARER STOP
4 years ago
Can you do my drone project. I already buy all components but it doesn't work.
Tip 4 years ago
Hey, I watched the code and saw that it was quite long and hard... But it would be interesting to build one with nrf24 instead of a seperate transmitter and receiver. Great Instructable!
Question 4 years ago on Step 8
Hello Team, how i can interface the camera in drone
Reply 4 years ago
just buy any camera and VTX for FPV and use FPV goggles or monitor for real time footage...or you can use any action cam (like gopro) with for recording....If you want to control camera using your transmitter then better you go with the multiwii....by using multiwii you can make gimbal (using servo) and can trigger the camera using transmitter....Thanks....
Question 4 years ago
Hi, would you please post the image of the flight controller? I'm beginner and I'm not sure if I have right connected electronics parts. I mean this part from the opposite side. Thanks a lot.
Question 4 years ago
Excuse me, im just following your step and then im facing problem. When I open serial monitor on Arduino.ide the digital input alwas start at 9 and stuck, not showing next digital input in serial monitor. What sould I do? I use fs-i6 transmitter&receiver. Big thanks.
Reply 4 years ago
Connect the Throttle channel ( I think CH 3 of your receiver) to Digital pin 10 of the arduino, ...and change the Newline to No line ending in the serial monitor. check image for reference. thanks,,,,
4 years ago on Introduction
Can u tell me the program for drone
Question 4 years ago
Hey i followed your instructions but i am facing a problem. When i switch on my transmitter, my arduino cable connection gets disabled automatically but its back again once i switch off the transmitter. Due to this i am unable to open the serial monitor whilst having my transmitter switch on.
Answer 4 years ago
Please check your connections,,,,
...and Feel free to comment.. If there is any problem.....
Question 5 years ago on Step 8
Where exactly did you get your code, because it seems exactly like Joop Brokking's code, if so why didn't you give credit for the code. Using someones exact code "... based on the Brokking’s YMFC-AL" This project is wrong and disrespectful, its plagiarism and should be removed from any contests, and taken down until it is fixed.
Answer 5 years ago
You're right I forgot to give the link of Joop Brooking's video in this post....But before commenting like this you should check my Video from my YouTube channel.....
and In this post I clearly mentioned The Arduino Sketch is not mine.....is based on Brooking's YMFC-AL......
But thanks for your feedback..... I've puted the video link in this post.....and clearly mentioned it's based on Joop Brooking's YMFC-AL.....