3D printing in drone building
It is probably no secret to anyone that 3D printing has been used for a long time in modeling, including in drone building. Many parts for a quadrocopter can be printed on a 3D printer. A fully 3D-printed drone is also not new. Printed, collected and in flight! By the way, this is exactly what will happen on future battlefields / seas according to the US military.
I bring to your attention an overview of open drone projects (there are already a lot of them) using 3D printing. The files for 3D printing of all these projects are publicly available. Thus, in the presence of a 3D printer, the question of the frame, case, and bracket for the multicopter video camera is resolved within a few hours, in the most difficult case - dozens of hours of 3D printing and fits into the interval from 30 (yes, I was not mistaken with zeros) up to about 1000 rubles.
The well-known open source project does not use 3D-printed parts and frames in its official guides. But in the bowels of the Aeroquad-party have ripened and implemented options that use this. I will give the most sensible in my inexperienced look. 3D printing of individual frame parts, mounts for electronic components, motors, legs is possible. A couple of examples.
One :
Two :
(I didn’t find any links to print files for this option)
I found on Aeroquad two versions of 3d-printed frames.
Time :
In terms of 3D-printability, this frame is fine, the shape is optimal. Minus is a large size, because the print area of most home-made and commercially produced 3D printers is within 200x200x200mm. Accordingly, such a whole frame cannot be printed on most of them. However, using a couple of modifications in the model, you can make it a team, print it in parts and assemble it.
Another, IMHO, minus is the stiffeners in one plane, which should affect the strength. But simple as a song.
Two :
In my opinion - better than the first option, everything is printable, but this form of arm implies some kind of internal filling,
which is bad for weight. Tubular constructions (IMHO, see below) are better in terms of weight and strength.
Links to files for printing: one , two and three .
It seemed to me that the Aeroquad project is rather not very alive, the impression is the dates of the latest publications (on my topic April 2015). Therefore, look at the others.
Thingiverse.com is a storehouse for a 3D printer. Many projects are posted here. What I liked on the Thingiverse below.
I think that this is the most thoughtful and finalized to the mind of the project found:
Video:
The advantages are:
You can print a frame for this baby in a couple of hours and the cost of the material will be ... Yes, almost none at all.
I plan, if possible, to establish sales of 3D-printed frames such as the previous ones, and this will be a free bonus at the request of the customer.
Video:
Very 3D printable frame. Everything will be printed in 5-6 hours, there is a static mount for the camera:
Video:
The only option on Thingiverse that I found with folding arm:
Video:
And the video was especially impressive! The only negative, as for me - flat arm, may be fragile. But to design with another form of arm is not a problem.
Summarizing: all these projects are in the public domain, respectively available for any drone builder with an Internet and a 3D printer. In addition, all of them can be easily modified, improved, tailored to specific needs and components.
I do not pretend to be a qualitative analysis of different options, although I expressed my modest preferences above. It’s not for me, comrades pilots, to teach you. I hope for joint creativity in the field of drone building. I am in Nizhny Novgorod.
This frame with the case has long been in my bins and is waiting for assembly, but somehow it’s not fate.
Printed from here. The diagonal size is 315mm, the seats for motors are 30 mm in diameter. I'll give it in good hands in Nizhny Novgorod.
With the condition that, perhaps, I will periodically torment with silly questions about electronics and the running gear of drones.
I bring to your attention an overview of open drone projects (there are already a lot of them) using 3D printing. The files for 3D printing of all these projects are publicly available. Thus, in the presence of a 3D printer, the question of the frame, case, and bracket for the multicopter video camera is resolved within a few hours, in the most difficult case - dozens of hours of 3D printing and fits into the interval from 30 (yes, I was not mistaken with zeros) up to about 1000 rubles.
1. Aeroquad
The well-known open source project does not use 3D-printed parts and frames in its official guides. But in the bowels of the Aeroquad-party have ripened and implemented options that use this. I will give the most sensible in my inexperienced look. 3D printing of individual frame parts, mounts for electronic components, motors, legs is possible. A couple of examples.
One :
Two :
(I didn’t find any links to print files for this option)
I found on Aeroquad two versions of 3d-printed frames.
Time :
In terms of 3D-printability, this frame is fine, the shape is optimal. Minus is a large size, because the print area of most home-made and commercially produced 3D printers is within 200x200x200mm. Accordingly, such a whole frame cannot be printed on most of them. However, using a couple of modifications in the model, you can make it a team, print it in parts and assemble it.
Another, IMHO, minus is the stiffeners in one plane, which should affect the strength. But simple as a song.
Two :
In my opinion - better than the first option, everything is printable, but this form of arm implies some kind of internal filling,
which is bad for weight. Tubular constructions (IMHO, see below) are better in terms of weight and strength.
Links to files for printing: one , two and three .
It seemed to me that the Aeroquad project is rather not very alive, the impression is the dates of the latest publications (on my topic April 2015). Therefore, look at the others.
Thingiverse.com is a storehouse for a 3D printer. Many projects are posted here. What I liked on the Thingiverse below.
2. T4 Quadcopter Mini 315
I think that this is the most thoughtful and finalized to the mind of the project found:
Video:
The advantages are:
- Tubular Arm - the very option for the Strength / Weight ratio.
- A whole line of multicopter sizes - satisfies most of the requests.
- This is not just a frame - it is a completely ready drone - add electronics and chassis, assemble! All that is needed is fasteners, which are in almost every household.
- Judging by the captured video, the technique assembled on the basis of the largest of these frames can be used not only for entertainment.
3. Micro 105 FPV Quadcopter
You can print a frame for this baby in a couple of hours and the cost of the material will be ... Yes, almost none at all.
I plan, if possible, to establish sales of 3D-printed frames such as the previous ones, and this will be a free bonus at the request of the customer.
Video:
4. FPV RACER 190mm
Very 3D printable frame. Everything will be printed in 5-6 hours, there is a static mount for the camera:
Video:
5. Hovership MHQ2
The only option on Thingiverse that I found with folding arm:
Video:
And the video was especially impressive! The only negative, as for me - flat arm, may be fragile. But to design with another form of arm is not a problem.
Summarizing: all these projects are in the public domain, respectively available for any drone builder with an Internet and a 3D printer. In addition, all of them can be easily modified, improved, tailored to specific needs and components.
I do not pretend to be a qualitative analysis of different options, although I expressed my modest preferences above. It’s not for me, comrades pilots, to teach you. I hope for joint creativity in the field of drone building. I am in Nizhny Novgorod.
This frame with the case has long been in my bins and is waiting for assembly, but somehow it’s not fate.
Printed from here. The diagonal size is 315mm, the seats for motors are 30 mm in diameter. I'll give it in good hands in Nizhny Novgorod.
With the condition that, perhaps, I will periodically torment with silly questions about electronics and the running gear of drones.