Micro Wifi Controlled 3D Printed 3D FPV Drone
After my first two instructables "WifiPPM" and "Lowco
st 3d Fpv Camera for Android" I want to show my
micro quadcopter with both devices attached.
I added three different frame sizes to the instructable:
82mm, 90mm, 109mm. The hardware is the same for
all, just the propellers are different.
I use the 90mm frame at the moment.
The pictures of the instructable are mostly with the
109mm frame.
The small frame has a very short flight time (about 3
min) and a very bat thrust. But it's very small.
The 90mm frame has a flight time of about 5 minutes.
The thrust is OK and the size is still small enough for
indoor flight.
The 109mm frame has a flight time of about 7
minutes. The thrust is pretty good. But it's almost too
big for indoor flight.
Step 1: Parts List
You need the following parts:
- 15A ESC
- 4 x 1104 brushless motors
2435 4 blade propellers for the 90mm frame, 2030 3
blade propellers for the 82mm frame or 3020 2 blade
propellers for the 109mm frame
- WIFIPPM or any other receiver (different to the
instructable I use a ESP07 with an external antenna
now)
- Lowcost 3d FPV camera for android (I added new
3d printed camholder and VTX holder)
- GY63 Baro if you want to add Altitude hold mode
(never worked satisying in my build)
- Small buzzer if you want to use it. I use it as battery
warning.
- 2S battery. I use a 1000mAh LiPo.
- connectors for the battery
- some small plastic spacers, nuts and screws
- long 20mm M2 plastic srews from ebay
- 3d printed frame, prop guards and holders
- some rubber belt to hold the battery
Step 2: Print the Frame and the Prop Guards
First step is to all the parts. I use PLA with a 0.3mm
nozzle and 50% infill.
I added three different frame sizes. The 82 mm frame
is very small, but the flight time is just about 3
minutes and thrust is almost too low. The 90 mm
frame is the best compromise between flight time and
size. The flight time is about 5 minutes. The thrust is
ok. The 109 mm frame has the best flight time (about
7 minutes) and best thrust, with the disadvantage of
size.
I also added a new camholder for the 3d camera and
some holders for the VTX and the ESP8266.
Step 3: Add ESC and the Motors
You should be already finished with "WIFIPPM" and "
lowcost 3d FPV camera for Android" before you go
on.
Add all four motors to the frame. Then add the ESC
to the frame. Use the M2x20 plastic screws and M2
nuts for it. Now connect the motors to the ESC like in
the first and second picture. The direction of the
motors will be adjusted later. Add the power plug to
the power cables of the ESC like in the third picture.
Step 4: Add Electronics to the Flight Controller
Now solder the ESC cable to the flight controller. The
USB plug
should be on the opposite side of the connections.
You can see the connections in the first picture.
S1 -> yellow
S2 -> white
S3 -> green
S4 -> gray
G -> black
VBAT -> red
I connected VBAT and GND to the capacitors
because the connection pads are on the other side.
Add the silicon and brass grommets to the flight
controller.
Add the baro, if you want to use it. SDA and SCL are
on the bottom side of the board, too. +5V and GND
are on top side.
Now connect WifiPPM. Connect the PPM output to
RX2 of the flight controller. Connect + of WIFIPPM to
3.3V and GND to G. I also added a diode from TX of
the flight controller to RX of the ESP8266 because I
make some tests with a back channel and MSP
protocol at the moment. You don't need this.
Add the 3d camera with the VTX and connect + to
+5V and GND to G.
If you use a beeper also add it to the beeper port.
Now you have all the electronics together
Step 5: Put Everything Together
Connect the cable to the ESC plug and put the flight
controller on top of the ESC. The front arrow should
be to the direction of the ESC plug. Put some longer
spacers to fix the flight controller. You can use short
spacers if you don't use a baro. (first picture)
Now put some foam around the baro to get rid of air
flow. Put the baro on top of the ESC. It is not fixed
with any screws. It is just holded by the foam and the
holder on top of it. (second and third picture)
Next put the ESP8266 in it's printed holder and put it
on top. Fix it with some short spacers. You can also
add an external antenna to it for better range.(fourth
picture)
On top of it put the VTX with it's printed holder and
put again some long spacers. (fifth picture)
Now put the circuit board of 3d cam on it and put
again short spacers. (sixth and seventh picture)
The last one is the 3d printed camholder plate. Put
first some long screws in it like at the eighth picture,
then put it on top and fix it and fix the two cameras
with the camholder.
Now your copter is almost finished. Let's go the
adjustments.
Now it's time for configuration. If you don't have
betaflight configurator already installed, download
and install it from here. Fore Baro Mode you must
install and flash Cleanflight. Betaflight doesnt support
it.
Connect your flight controller via USB to the
computer and start betaflight configurator. Click on
connect.
In the first tab you can adjust your sensors. To do
this, level your copter and click on calibrate.
In the second tab you can configure your serial ports.
Leave the USB port like it is. Set UART2 to Serial
Receiver. You can leave UART1 like it is. I adjusted it
to MSP because I'm doing some tests with MSP
protocol at the moment.
In the next tab you can configure your copter. Put it to
Quad X and DShot600. I always turn on Motor Stop
because I want the motors to be off, when there is no
throttle. You must also adjust the board orientation to
YAW -45°. The receiver must be adjusted to PPM
receiver. You can leave the rest like it is.
In the PID tab you can adjust your PID parameters
and the sensitivity of the sticks. I reduced the
sensitivity a little bit. The PID adjustments should
work for the first flight. You can optimize them later
The next tab is the receiver tab. Adjust the channel
mappings to RTAE1234. Adjust the lowest stick value
to 1010, the center stick value to 1500 and the
highest stick value to 1990. If you connect with your
smartphone to WIFIPPM and load the address
192.168.4.1 in your browser you can test your
receiver.
If the receiver works alright you can go on to the
Modes tab. I have arming on AUX4, and flight mode
on AUX1. I have also adjusted Baro mode on AUX3
(only cleanflight, the battery must be connected to get
the baro sensor recognized)
Now go to the motors tab. Plug in the battery and
click on 'I know what I'm doing'. Test the directions of
your motors. It should be like in the diagram on the
top left. If a motor is turning the wrong direction,
unplug the battery, disconnect the USB cable and
change two wires of the motor. Then try again. When
the motor directions are OK, configuration is finished.
Step 7: Test Your Copter
Now you can add the propellers, the rubber belt to
hold the battery and the prop guards. Double check
everything again and connect the battery. Connect to
WIFIPPM and try flying without FPV first. Then check
again if the video stream is working with motors on. If
you have video distortions with motors on double
check your wiring again. Try to put all wires of the 3d f
pv camera as far away from the power lines as
possible. When everything is OK you can start FPV
flying.
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