Building A Quadcopter

[chicago_flight]

Hey everyone. So I need a little assistance on a project that I want to build. I want to build a quadcopter to use in the Chicago area, more specifically my college campus, that can withstand the wind that comes off the lake and is able to carry a camera for aerial pictures and video (with a GoPro).

I have never flown a quadcopter before so this black friday I plan to pick one up and get some experience in before I jump into my own build. I can't afford A DJI Phantom so that is why I want to do my own build. I don't need all the fancy features that comes with the Phantom. All I think that I would need, in the way of Phantom features, is the GPS to keep the quad in a stationary position with the wind blowing.

So what I am asking is how I would go about building such a project. I want to keep the prices low but get the best quality parts and have it be structurally sound enough that it can take a light beating if necessary. I will be flying this by sight, not FPV so that won't be an expense.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Balu]

Welcome to the forums, chicago

If you've never flown a quad before, don't expect it to be as easy as people flying DJI products make it look. Most community based flight controllers seem to have bad GPS support. Heck even DJI has a lot of issues with that, which results in the more or less famous "fly-aways".

A lot of people will tell you that flying multirotors requires you to learn how to maneuver without relying on features like GPS. For example what are you going to do if GPS fails for whatever reason (solar winds, ...)? Mounting an expensive camera on a flying platform that you don't have fully under control yourself is a little risky.

One thing I learned helps a lot is going miniature and get a mini quadcopter like the Blade Nano QX to learn orientation and get a feeling for how to control a quadcopter.

Now that I've hopefully not completely destroyed your wish to build and fly a multirotor, I suggest you have a look at my "Beginners Guide to Multirotors" in which I describe a list of all the parts and modules you need to build one.

A lot of people like the "Flite Test Electrohub" as basic frame to build upon. Add wooden arms and you have something you can replace easily in case of a crash - and crash you will, no matter how much GPS and self-leveling features the flight controller of your choice supports. I guess that's just part of the hobby. That said, a DIY build is a lot cheaper to repair than a commercial aircraft with all the plastic parts.

 

[mikemacwillie]

The 'going miniature' suggestion is an excellent one. Something like the nano-qx or the Hubsan X4 are great for learning how to fly. They're small enough that you can fly them anywhere, and light enough to be crashed without damage. My X4 was invaluable in learning how to fly.