Before you decide to build your own drone, you need to understand all the components that go into these aerial devices. At first glance, it looks like a frame, some propellers, and an engine, but there's actually quite a bit more to it than that.
The frame is the main component and the base can be made of different materials. Yemeni engineers have created a functional drone frame made from a bundle of sticks, proving that with the right know-how, you can make a drone out of almost anything. After all, the frame is just the place where everything connects. As long as it's sturdy and has space for the various parts of the drone, it might work.
The following will be attached to the frame you decide on:
- propeller
- Motor (one per propeller)
- Electronic speed controller (ESC)
- flight controller
- Power distribution board (PDB)
- battery
If you're building a large enough drone, you may want to consider adding a camera. If you want a live feed from your camera, you'll also need a video antenna and a video transmitter.
Drone components can be found on Amazon, but there are also specialty stores like RobotShop, which has a section for drone parts and accessories. Specialty stores often offer a greater variety of brands and models, and product descriptions are usually more detailed.
Also, consider adding a Raspberry Pi single-board computer to your DIY drone. Although it does not replace a flight controller or power switchboard, it is useful for other functions such as GPS navigation, data logging, and image processing from onboard cameras.