Building a DIY Foldable 3D-Printed FPV Drone

[@DaveCFPV]

Thanks for mentioning me :-) Love the design! Those 1S builds can be really capricious so congrats on making it work so nicely!

[@fpv-geek]

Thanks so much! Means a lot coming from you. Totally agree, 1S builds can be tricky, but it’s worth it when everything comes together.

[@flightevolution8132]

This is why I have youtube. Nice work

[@shoumikahmed6373]

Are you GOOGLE?

[@tombo7719]

metalic silk PLA is uber weak, look for the colors in PETG.

[@mechamotollc]

Printing at a different angle would also help. Or printing where the banding isn't going to be the weak point.

[@fpv-geek]

I think I will switch to PETG, ABS or ASA for version 2.

[@_hepl]

@@fpv-geekgo with abs, petg is good too but not as much as abs. Asa is the best for heat resistant.

[@FlayvorOfEvil]

​@@fpv-geekI vote for PLA+. If it's good for guns, it's good for drones

[@ELDv1deos]

Have you tried leaving your printed parts in the oven for a while to improve adhesion of the filaments?

[@Polkem1]

One thing, listening on a phone, I would lower background audio more, or bump up voice over volume, some bits were a bit hard to hear with motors running or music, Also 20 minute flight for a single cell, always thought those tiny ones were capable of sub 10.

[@RKisBae]

Seconded. Listening on some not great studio monitors, there is a lot of muddy audio going on here. A bit of volume mixing and EQ would takae this video quality to the next level

[@fpv-geek]

Hey, thanks for the tip. Does this apply to the whole video or specific parts?

[@rckyfpv]

my personal record is 29 minutes hover on a 18650 cell sir, im really proud of that :D

[@Polkem1]

@@fpv-geek, mostly the places where there was music playing or the drone flying, overall I would lower the background sound and maintain vocal or bring it up a tiny bit.

[@Polkem1]

@rckyfpv that’s interesting, almost reaching my flight time using 12, 21700 p42a cells 😂

[@woutervossebeld4664]

This is pretty awesome! You'll get better at 3d printing tolerances with practise, making sure your printer is calibrated well makes this much easier though! A couple of notes on the drone: - I would recommend a different shape carbon tube, something square/rectangular would make sure your motors are always pointing straight up which makes assembly easier. - Any matte or silk filaments are weaker than the normal ones because of the additives - If you're only using 25mw an aio with integrated vtx would have been fine, some even have a 100mw output - A 2s lipo is probably better for your setup, the 18650 you picked can handle it (up to 30a) but 2s will reduce the current and thus the losses. It will also give you more power. I would love to see an updated version because I think the idea is very cool!

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you for your feedback! There are some really good ideas

[@Hans.Krauss]

For strong parts try to use filaments without additives that affect the visual appearance of the material, like matte or silk. Every additive can have a huge impact on layer adhesion, and silk is one of the worst additives.

[@ddegn]

Agreed. I have some metallic looking filaments and they're very weak. These types of filaments should be used on ornamental parts not functional parts.

[@Vinz3ntR]

I agree, all my metallic prints will crack when some force is applied. I never use it anymore, it's terrible. I would choose petg for this

[@ViggenProductions]

I don't even fly quads but this was really interesting! I can't wait to see where this goes in the future :)

[@fpv-geek]

Maybe I'll manage to infect you with this hobby 😅

[@lugusstudios1328]

This is awesome! We’d be thrilled to showcase your drone in Liftoff: Micro Drones! Imagine drone enthusiasts from all around the world practicing and mastering your design in a safe, virtual space. Let us know if you'd be interested! :)

[@fpv-geek]

Wow, what an honor! With pleasure.

[@AutomatedAgriculturalSystems]

That's rad!

[@dustinwilson492]

Dave c was a godsend for this hobby. His designs really shine.

[@fpvraver]

I would recommend optimizing the battery connections, using larger gauge wire, shorter leads, and more solid connections an XT 30 would be ideal. With solid soldering connections, larger gauge wire. Also put your capacitor as close as you can to your positive and negative pads off the ESC. With the voltage problems that you had that's a sign that you want better connections, less resistance, higher gauge, and shorter wires

[@MattysDroneWorld]

This is cool! My only suggestion would be to put the 18650 battery wires on plugs, so the top plate can be removed... little xt30 plugs maybe... great job bro!

[@hand-eye4517]

Yeah easily a big KZbinr soon . Quality and content is there . I’ll see you in a couple of months when your page is uberly blown up

[@patrick-kp4ie]

Man, this is insane! 🤯 Such a cool project, and mad respect for pushing through all the challenges. 💪This is the kind of content we need - real, authentic, and super inspiring. Can’t wait to see more! 🚀🔥

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you. Yes there will be a part 2 ☺️

[@ioijiopjkiopjkp]

Awesome. Most people use "SMT/SMD" battery holders, they use solid sheet metal on both ends, not a wire spring like the one you tried.

[@dinoscheidt]

10:10 😵‍💫 these batteries are so rigid and have so much mass, why not use them as the fuselage themselves by “just” popping the back and the front of the drone on with a ledge holding it together. All this plastic weight just to hold something much more stiff …

[@MainelyElectrons]

Can you please make this into a ready to buy kit? Those of us who dont have 3D printers would totally pick one up! I think the concept of a tiny drone with 15+ minute run time on a single 18650 is epic.

[@mrrooter601]

2:03 NO NO NO. my god no wonder you had do much trouble, you absolutely CANNOT USE silk pla (copper) for structural parts. they have next to NO layer adhesion compared to regular PLA. just dont, no amount of drying, layer squish, temp wall number or thickness can change the inherent properties of the material. obviously lesson learned but oof. stick to regular pla, or pla+/ tough pla etc (differs between brands), generally less max strength but more toughness and impact resistance, usually higher quality all around.

[@TechAventurerXP-z1s]

Nice Project! I hope we will see V2 👌🏻🔥

[@alfredo962905]

Where are the links to the parts?

[@scene247]

I would guess that a Google search may give a number of options.

[@xxx27987]

@@scene247 because it would take too much effort and time, for example for you too, to list those stl file links here, if you know where they are.

[@TheAceTroubleshooter]

Bro... Invest in a Bambu lab, I have been printing since the Anet A2's were the best thing since sliced bread... Ive not had to adjust, calibrate, test print over and over.... not one time... Its literal heaven.... Also, you should pickup a resin printer for precisions my guy. Sweet design, I LOVE the 1s 18650/20700 sized mini long ranges. OH and print yourself a press stand for that drill and your heatset iron. Thank me later lol. BTW the Sony VTC6a 20700 cells are 40 amp discharge with 4000+ mah or the real crown jewel, Molicel 21700 P50B 5000mAh 60AMP

[@zentient1117]

I have notification turned on. Cant wait for the next test.

[@MsStevieWoo]

Nice to see someone doing proper r&d prints like myself! Time saved - love the design 🎉🎉😊

[@OnnieKoski]

This looks awesome. Great work. I’m going to have to figure out a lot about radios tho

[@Kilill_kak_Kirill]

Hello from another continent, I want to tell you something. As a high-current battery, you can use one, or even 2 (the drone's back allows it) from littokala. They will be able to give out 25A. That's all. More range, and fewer charges!

[@ReneNieuwenhuis]

Very stable, even with the battery that high. I didn't expect a flight time of 20 minutes, that's crazy.

[@RAF-FPV]

yooo man, great work!! I'm really interested in building this small long range!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you

[@dmitrymaslov4458]

Great work and a fascinating story to watch, full of dramatic twists! The spring-mounted battery was a NO go for me at first glance, and the magnet-mounted battery was also a no-go. It lacks reliability, and losing a drone on a serious mission is easy. Spot welded or soldered wiring with XT30 will work reliably. Also strapping the battery would be a good idea too.

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you so much!

[@Ruckusmatter]

@@fpv-geek also consider higher discharge cells like p45b or p30b from molicel

[@barryshrives]

Stay out of ground effect your quad will be much more stable This helps the FC & ESCs ( they will not have so much work to do ) manage power demands & increase flight times

[@Polkem1]

For the batt holder part, how you were annoyed that it was fixed in place due to the wires, can’t you just use a small jst connector, or xt30 if your worried about heat? Some drone frames have slots to hold a connected like a xt60 onto the frame fixed.

[@frastudio]

the point is to use 18650 batteries off the shelf

[@fpv-geek]

You mean the connection between Top Plate and FC? That would be a good idea.

[@Polkem1]

@@fpv-geek yeah, some frames have a dedicated hole in them to allow a xt30 or other connectors to be mounted to it, it may add extra weight though, but seeing how thin your wires are I bet you could go with a even smaller connector, but xt30 is only 1.7grams plus a few more grams for wires etc, sacrifice for convenience 🤷‍♂️

[@fpv-geek]

Yes, the idea is really good. I think a BT2.0 plug would even be sufficient

[@chrisalexthomas]

You could design a tubular end connector with the contact points in it and a small screw to attach it into the body. Then you can detach it and fit a new battery, might also save a few grams

[@kristastringfellow4684]

Awesome design! I've been using my T1 just for printing basic parts, but who knew it could do this. This vid is lit

[@thisfaba]

pls keep going! This project sounds great

[@gonzalogtx7692]

Ok this is NEAT, I love your design

[@bgoykovic]

Try using pogo pins in the top battery plate to supply power to the main board.

[@bebenoeg5188]

Wow that's great, I salute you. You must be a very patient person. 👍

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you.

[@JuicySmullietFPV]

Am I missing the link for the stl files? 🧐

[@ZEDSEC]

thats the thing i was searching for and hopefully youtube recommended your video

[@buddyroar5525]

Sick drone, this is really cool!!!

[@merlindraws3616]

instead of making the whole drone taller, why not make some feet you can screw onto the bottoms of the bolts holding the arms in place? some simple 3d printed cones with a heat set insert to screw onto the bolts will give you more clearance and limit the amount of material used. you could even forgo the heatset inserts and just thread the feet on with the raw plastic. they'll strip out eventually but they're not holding anything together, just themselves to the drone. or you could glue a thin piece of styrofoam or foamboard to the bottom of the drone?

[@fpv-geek]

That's a good idea! I'll include that in version 2

[@ricardoruss8308]

Muy buen video me gustan los proyectos largos, aveces hay que esperar alguna pieza y lo tienes a medio camino esa sensacion la entiendo y me gusto mucho tu manera de narrar el video me pasa parecido con los poryectos de drones . una aventura es actualizar y configurar el ELRS incorporado en la FC Felicidades y saludos desde Chile Very good video. I like long projects. Sometimes you have to wait for a piece and you have it halfway done. I understand that feeling and I really liked your way of narrating the video. The same thing happens to me with drone projects. One adventure is updating and configuring the ELRS built into the FC. Congratulations and greetings from Chile

[@funy0n583]

this is a cool project, I'm happy to see this video is paying off for you!

[@phil2082]

Doing a single motor airplane like this should get a LOT more flight time. I hope to do this someday.

[@Kiwikiwi124]

I want to make my own now😄👏 its so good👏👏👏

[@the_architect_8k]

All i can say to you is WoW!!! Thank you for the info and for the plan! P.S. I susbscribed!

[@BamTehBrent]

Great project. Can't wait for the GPS version with all the bells and whistles.

[@QuinWade-e1r]

This is cool!

[@deplorablesecuritydevices]

This looks like a lot of fun to build! Thanks for sharing all the troubles.

[@MrDnbass]

Good job bro, very interesting.

[@Kopcio01]

Nice story! As i have no 3d.printer and not too much time for desogn and test, i just order a wingman and waiting for delivery to assemble and test it 😀

[@MaxSMoke777]

Carbon.... Fiber... And you can use little spring steel strips with pins for latches to hold the arms in place.

[@andreassittig2772]

Great, thanks for sharing!

[@rohansully584]

Nice project!

[@KTPDAILY]

YOUR VOICE IS MEZMORIZING - YOUR WISDOM TOO - THANK YOU

[@zokhrozzWoomzy]

good morning sir

[@xhancexd]

I wonder if pogo pins would handle the current from top to bottom ?

[@scene247]

Was looking at printing a decent enough drone for shenanigans(the fun,innocent kind), this helps towards the goal.

[@Dot2TheLock]

Jst connector under the top plate to conenct the battery to the flight controler very light weight. I would also say if you need to remove 3d prints from carbon a hear gun is good it will soften the plastic so its easier to remove the plastic.

[@Deathbyfartz]

you have probably already heard this a thousand times, but a small bambulab a1 mini will do you wonders for precision prints.

[@juhaszjanos7770]

Hi! Congratulation,nice work. Use 1202.5 11500kv motors and an aio with elrs and vtx integrated(betafpv air 5in1),less weight.And this aio continous to work under 3.5 volt. Use a smaller magnet, less weight. Many grams can be gained with all these modifications.

[@fendyrony3264]

What kind of video camera will work with such a low voltage?

[@juhaszjanos7770]

BetaFpv C03 camera

[@fendyrony3264]

@@juhaszjanos7770 Yes. Thank you ;)

[@juhaszjanos7770]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3uWhGR3iZaKa6csi=LbxK4lXkBe5Mok28

[@FPVisnotacrime]

I've got several nanolongranges, using a Happymodel X12 as a FC, I can easily go down to 2.8 volts, and everything still works.

[@colinmcintyre1769]

I'm poor, proud to be to, I work hard to not be a bum, but I have always loved drones, tried to build em and now I finally have all the skill after more than 6 years to build them and code them. I'm struggling with finding the best affordable parts, like the parts people don't talk about because everyone in this hobby has money. If you could do a video where maybe you use mosfets as motor controllers, I was thinking the IRLZ44N could probably handle being on for prolonged periods and then I have a ton of esp32 boars around and I know there cheap so I could imagine trying to use a cheap Accelerometer with the esp32 as a flight controller. I love that you used the battery you did, because that's what I've been looking for. I think with a esp32 cam in combination with 4 mosfets and a cheap accelerometer, you could get a basic drone. I own the MPU-6050 3 Axis Accelerometer, and I'm hoping that will be enough. But a drone build truly from scratch would be really cool, or even better a flight controller motor controller board combo for like $5 if that's a thing. If I can figure out how to build drones for under $10 each, I can give one to each of my mom's 500 students to teach them about so much, in a way I hope they'd enjoy. (I'm poor, but I know how to bed for money 😂)

[@MrAndBog247]

gut gemacht - ich bewundere deine Ausdauer :-) ... macht Gusta auf nachbauen ...

[@valentinsiegel8270]

Nice Video! I would love to see a part 2, btw are you from Germany?

[@fpv-geek]

Yes

[@phatfar]

Does the 3d printed file available ?

[@Crusher9mil]

Try using spring loaded pogo pins for your battery tray to replace the hard wiring. You could use two or three pins for + & - bat. terminals depending on current requirements. PS. Sweet Project and serious determination 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Catboy-hr2qp]

When are the files being released?

[@sliksoft]

Nice work, Where can we download the STL files 😊

[@TheHeroSword]

Could a JST connector work to make the battery compartment detachable?

[@Rantanplan-0815]

I have a question about these electric-screwdriver:😅 Have it enough torque to tighten the screws good? Or you need a normal screwdriver to finish it? (I want buy a electric screwdriver,but i dont know it have enough torque,and a good akku🤔)

[@fpv-geek]

The last half turn must be done by hand.

[@Rantanplan-0815]

@fpv-geek ok,thanks👍. I think the same about it😐. Is it worth to buy one🤔? Or better take the money for a good normal screwdriver set? What you think about?

[@fpv-geek]

Definitely worth it. I always do it by hand anyway to get the right torque.

[@Qwerty0.1]

никогда не понимал, почему аккумулятор располагают сверху, почему не снизу?

[@BrodieReed]

Very cool!

[@itzSudden]

I see a part list in the description but I don't see links to the .STL files. Where can I find the files for 3D printing?

[@warmup1705]

Quick feedback, when listening on phone speakers, your voiceover gets hard to hear when the background music is turned up

[@narpat007]

excellent ! thanks for your efforts. my f450 Quad take 150-160watts while it is hovering and this quad is taking around 50watts. there is huge amount of weight difference between mine and yours, I mean mine is atleast 12-15 times heavier than yours. Does it mean that your propulsion system is not well optimized ( for motor kv vs prop size and type) and that is why it is not that efficient. I have realized that my same quad if used 10x5 props of different type uses much higher watts to hover and it is best matched with 2312, 920kv motors and 9x4.3 dji style carbon nylon props and gives maximum efficiency. suggestion: solder battery directly, I mean clip and spring used in the 18650 cel holder are crappy and or you can say a dissaster !

[@fpv-geek]

My current sensor was not calibrated. The quad draws 6A when hovering. Which is ~20W. I go into this briefly at the very end of the video. This is a part that will be fixed in V2.

[@Ardenup]

for the battery use a quick connect so you can unplug it on / off the main board :)

[@FTB1776]

use xt30 connectors for quick disconnect to the battery

[@cnkyy]

DIY fractal wingman, neat

[@TechAlchemy96]

little tips put battery under drone to center the mass

[@Jinxed_EUC]

Would you consider making a design that houses the o3 unit?

[@tonyhill8300]

PP is the best filament to use for a balance between rigidity and impact strength. But it's a steep learning curve, do as much research as you can before attempting. Secondly, stranded carbon fibre petg is also very good if you want an easier life.just be carefull it is stranded, as the sphere type is actually weaker.

[@ampedandvolted]

20 min flight time?

[@mushroommaster4684]

Try lw pla, you will have a lighter chassis. You can use less material while still having more volume and a little bit more resistance

[@ADfpv]

Gj! I loved it 😊 Btw this is normal to have high fc / vtx temp while hovering (the temp should get lower when you fly)

[@WoodmanFFM]

Uh, I may be blind, but: Where's the link to the shopping cart? o0 Also, you might want to try printing the parts in PETG which has far better layer adhesion than PLA and a better impact resistance as well. Far less prone to parts breaking.

[@Hukkinen]

Thanks for showing and reminding, how tedious finishing a project can be :) For the narration, I'd rather hear the educated/learned explanations of how to build, what to consider, what options are available and the reasons for choosing the correct one; and rather not hear reflective narration of doing a thing that did not work after all (now, as a watcher, my anticipations get pedagogically a bit misguided, I feel, also to the direction of incorrect decisions/options chosen without understanding why). As a learner, I always try to explain and interpret my observations based on what I know and assuming what the teacher shows is correct. (in general there's a pedagogic principle not to visualize the incorrect answer/solution, but the correct one, therefore implying correct assumptions). Thanks! Interesting project. Keep it up & viel Glück :)

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! I appreciate your point and will focus more on explaining the correct steps, options, and reasoning in future videos. Glad you found the project interesting ☺️

[@EpicThunder2]

this is my cup of tee

[@mrray52381]

Xt30 plug male and female in-between top and bottom plate so you can still separate the two halves.

[@bashkirtsevich]

Best practices: cetus-x, pla weak details, superglue, heavy li-ion battery with weak contacts.

[@japrogramer]

So what is the range?

[@Scrogan]

With the extra thickness for the camera, couldn’t you fit the heat sink?

[@lkpxml8124]

Good job! Thank you! Music is very loud! Barely could hear your voice in in-ear headphones 😢

[@fpv-geek]

Thanks for your tip. Does this apply to the entire video?

[@zokhrozzWoomzy]

​@@fpv-geekyes, also stop being lazy and using ai for the voiceover

[@thirtythreeeyes8624]

You'd probably be happier with ABS if you can get it to print right (or nylon or polypropylene or maybe even a 65D+ TPU) also when soldering magnets stick multiple together it helps maintain their magnetism.

[@fpv-geek]

I was thinking of asa?

[@richiebricker]

You should definitely print important parts in plain white PLA. Copper and gold colors are the worst for splitting . Plain white will print as strong as injection molded plastic. I have tool holders with no infill that you couldnt break with a hammer

[@FPVisnotacrime]

I avoid white filament, the titanium dioxide in it to be white is a nozzle killer, you should use hardened steel nozzles for that.

[@m14srv]

Pin plugs for the top to the bottom? Is that usb-correct charger a tp4056 ?

[@GR8SCOTT]

I just got the Fractal Engineering Wingman. Beautiful carbon fiber kit with folding arms. 20 minute flight times!!!

[@BartJBols]

A better design for the carbon rod attachment and joint splitting problem is to just make it out of 2 parts and clamp the carbon rod in there with the screw you already need as axis. It cant split apart if its already by design...

[@arpr810]

Hi. Good job. How can I get STL files?

[@fpv-geek]

Thank you! I will upload them with the next video.

[@arpr810]

Thanks for the answer. Please could you tell me approximately when this will be?

[@Vinz3ntR]

Never use metallic pla, it breaks all the time. Use regular pla or petg. Print the part at 35 degree angle. I do that with rc car suspension arms, makes them so much more durable.

[@HarveyShankar]

You had to wait another two weeks for some little pieces of wire?

[@greedfox7842]

13:12 the PID is freaking out. there is SOO much extra noise getting to the flight controller from the plastic frame. does it blackbox?

[@gloriousquads]

thats also because he is flying really close to ground. the airflow distrupting the quad

[@rolisaenz]

what was the wooble issue ? props ? lack of power or PID tuning ?

[@chishopastik]

I think structural rigidity

[@flowrfpv]

Good job, although is there really a need for micro quads to be foldable ? Isn't less weight the main goal ?

[@slamoto2]

His goal was to add his own twist to it. Which happend to be foldable in this case. But i get your point.

[@gbresaleking]

Just use small barrel plugs inline on the battery cables so you can unplug them when taking it apart