Hey folks, I want to learn how to build a drone completely from scratch, from the X-frame to the flight controller, transceiver, wiring, motors, props, and battery. Problem is, I’m low on cash and can’t afford to waste money on mistakes or guides that aren’t helpful.
Can anyone recommend a guide they’ve personally tried and trust? I’ve got about £100 to save up each month, so trial and error isn’t really an option. I really need to understand how everything works, from hardware details to software communication, so just buying stuff off the shelf won’t help me.
Honestly, just binge-watch Joshua Bardwell’s videos on YouTube. He’s basically the go-to guy for this stuff, and everyone swears by him. It’s not a guide I know personally, but it’s the one everyone trusts.
Also, get a cheap soldering practice board for like $5 and post pics of your work here until folks say you’re good to go. It’s not as hard as people think… just gotta put in the effort.
No guide will save you from all mistakes. Building a drone is pretty straightforward, but depending on your experience, it’s easy to mess up somewhere. I’d say follow Bardwell’s videos—he’s the best resource, in my opinion. Watch enough build videos until you really understand how everything fits together. Like GVP said, practicing soldering is key, so get a practice board.
Make sure you have a multimeter and know how to use it. I’d also get a short stopper to prevent major issues. And when you start building, take it slow—don’t rush.
One more thing: even if you put everything together perfectly, chances are you’ll break parts while flying. FPV is a hobby where things break and you fix them, so keep that in mind.
@Greer
It’s not breaking things that worries me, it’s spending money on the wrong parts that scares me. I need to understand what’s happening over the airwaves and why. Like, what data is going from the transceiver to the flight controller? I’m guessing it’s similar to an OSI model, but I need clarity on that. I want to design a custom transceiver that’s secure and can drop into place like a regular one.
@Oakley
The most common serial protocol between the receiver and flight controller these days is CRSF, and sometimes SBUS.
I’ll try to find the link to the CRSF spec.
Just to clarify, Crossfire and ELRS are radio protocols for transmitting over the air, and ELRS is open-source and popular right now. But both use CRSF for the serial communication between the flight controller and the radio handset.
Oakley said:
‘It’s something you personally’— That was supposed to be, ‘it’s something you personally know.’ Guess you can’t edit posts after submitting?
You can’t edit titles, but you should be able to update the text.
