Where can I find drones without encryption for a college project?

Hi everyone,

I’m working on a project for my computer science class where I need to focus on the communication protocols between a drone and its controller. My professor asked me to find a drone that weighs under 250g and isn’t encrypted, or a tutorial to build my own drone with the software.

I’m new to drones and I’m not sure where to start. I’ve heard something about DJI and encryption, but I might have misunderstood. Could anyone suggest a drone or point me to a tutorial? And just to clear things up, I’m not a hacker – I promise.

Thanks for the help!

Here’s a GitHub link for basic info on open-source firmware for flight controllers (Ardupilot).

Coms encryption is almost never an issue with consumer-grade drones under 250g.

DJI has a programmable UAV (Tello) that’s great for educational use, but it’s not for hacking communication protocols. You might want to talk with your professor about adjusting the project to match your skills.

Hope this helps!

@Reagan
Do you know where I can find a Tello? I heard they were discontinued, and I only found used or refurbished ones. I went with the Crazyflie 2.1 as a programmable drone, but the Tello would have been better for the price and performance.

@Zem
Refurbished or used is your best option. You could also check with DJI for when they’ll have new Tellos available.

You mentioned you’re ‘too stupid to be a hacker’ – don’t worry, I believe you! But I think you’re searching for the wrong thing. Instead of looking for a ‘non-encrypted drone,’ try searching for an ‘open-source drone’ or ‘programmable drone.’ That should be a better match for your project.

Most drone communication protocols aren’t encrypted, especially the visual transmission. So that’s not really a concern.

For a college project? Yeah, I believe you.

Do you actually need the full drone? Or would just a flight controller and receiver work for your project?

Check out getfpv.com for drones under 250g in their micro, nano, or sub-250 categories.

If you’re building your own setup, you might want to look into using ELRS for your receiver and transmitter.

I’d recommend these YouTube channels for great resources: Joshua Bardwell, UAVfutures, and for legal stuff, Pilot Institute.

You could also check out rctestflight for more DIY projects and tips on autonomous drones.

What exactly do you mean by ‘work on the communication protocol’? You can pretty much build a drone and make it fly without needing to do any serious protocol work these days.

Mavlink is probably the communication protocol you’ll need. I’d recommend a drone running Ardupilot firmware, like the ones from Holybro.

Check out this link for starter kits: Holybro Multicopter Kit