Hexacopter Drone Building

Building your own RC drone using ArduPilot can be a fun and rewarding experience. ArduPilot is an open-source software that is used to control drones, planes, and other autonomous vehicles. It offers a wide range of features and options for customization, making it a popular choice for hobbyists and professionals alike.

To start building your own RC drone with ArduPilot, you will need a few essential components, such as a frame, motors, propellers, battery, and a flight controller. The flight controller is the brain of your drone and is responsible for controlling its movement and stability. ArduPilot is one of the most popular flight controller software used today, and it can be downloaded for free from their website.

This image on the left shows the connection using jumper wires from the motors, receivers and the flight controller. This drone we used comprises six battery-powered 1200kv brushless motors.

The objective of this drone: 

1. Hover and inspect solar panels.
2. Projects laser to the panels for accuracy.
3. Send collected data to the user.

*note that this is only the model build of the actual drone project.

We used a custom PCB for this drone as this project needed a high amount of customization. The image on the side depicts my team working on connecting the electronic speed controller(ESC) to the motors.

After drilling the PCB, soldering wires, attaching the stand, and joining the telemetry, we finally completed the drone. But the drone was far from ready for the maiden test. 

1. We integrated the flight controller into the computer and the transmitter.

2. We tested the motor without the propeller and ensured everything worked synchronously. We did have multiple errors when integrating the systems. For example, the data received were irrelevant. The sensors just needed calibration.

This is how the project turned out. I would say this was a good project to implement my knowledge learned in classes. We are proud that our drone passed the maiden test.

In conclusion, building an RC drone using ArduPilot is a great way to explore the world of drone technology and customization. With its open-source nature and comprehensive features, ArduPilot offers endless possibilities for customization and experimentation. Building your own drone allows you to not only learn about the technology behind it, but also gain valuable skills in assembling and troubleshooting. Moreover, the satisfaction of flying a drone that you have built yourself cannot be underestimated. So, if you are interested in drones and have a passion for tinkering and exploring new technology, then building your own RC drone with ArduPilot is definitely worth giving a try.