18. Project Development¶
Final Project: Educational Drone¶
🛠️ What Will It Do?¶
The Educational Drone is a low-cost, open-source quadcopter designed for STEM education and training.
It will help students understand the fundamentals of:
- Drone design and aerodynamics
- Electronics and embedded systems
- Programming and control
- Fabrication using digital tools
The drone will be controlled directly through coding on a laptop.
The main focus is to teach and demonstrate how drones work rather than compete with commercial products.
Who Has Done What Beforehand?¶
Several open-source drone projects exist, such as:
- Crazyflie: a mini open-source drone for education and research.
- DIY Drone Kits: available online but often lack full educational documentation.
However, these projects are often costly or complex for beginners.
My project focuses on creating a simplified, reproducible, educational version using affordable and locally available components—ideal for Fab Labs and schools.
What Will You Design?¶
I will design:
- The drone frame using CAD (SolidWorks)
- A custom PCB for the flight controller (based on XIAO ESP32-S3)
- A laser-cut kit box to house and protect the drone
Bill of Materials (BOM)¶
| Component | Description | Link | Quantity | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame | 3D printed PLA | Makerspace | 60g | $1.5 | $7.5 |
| Motors | 6×15 mm Brushed Coreless DC Motors (1900KV, 70000 RPM) | Amazon: https://amzn.to/3EDFUZD | 4 | $11.99 per set | $11.99 |
| Motor Driver MX1508 | 2-channel motor driver | Mikroelectron | 2 | $1.75 | $3.50 |
| Propellers | 2 pairs CW + CCW 46mm Propellers for 0.8mm Shaft Coreless Motor | Amazon: https://a.co/d/0SaQRqm | 1 set | $6.29 | $6.29 |
| XIAO ESP32-S3 | Microcontroller | Makerspace | 1 | $23 | $23 |
| Single-layer PCB | A5 15×20 cm board for controller | Makerspace | 1 | $2 | $2 |
| Battery | 3.7V Li-Po 1100mAh (25C) JST | Mikroelectron | 1 | $9.5 | $9.5 |
| Gyroscope | MPU6050 | Mikroelectron | 1 | $9 | $9 |
| Misc | Wires, connectors, screws | Makerspace | — | free | free |
| 4mm MDF | For kit box | Makerspace | 1 | $1 | $1 |
What Parts and Systems Will Be Made?¶
- Drone frame (3D printed)
- Custom PCB flight controller
- Power distribution wiring
- Software for control
What Processes Will Be Used?¶
- CAD Design (SolidWorks)
- 3D Printing
- Laser Cutting
- PCB Design & Milling
- Soldering & Circuit Assembly
- Embedded Programming (Arduino IDE)
- Testing & Calibration
- Documentation
❓ What Questions Need to Be Answered?¶
- What materials are best for a lightweight frame?
- How to control brushed DC motors effectively?
- How to balance weight, thrust, and battery for stable flight?
- How to document steps clearly so others can reproduce it in Fab Labs?
How Will It Be Evaluated?¶
- Functionality: Does it successfully control the motors?
- Compactness: Lightweight, organized, and classroom-friendly?
- Educational Value: Does it clearly demonstrate drone principles?
Project Development¶
✅ Completed Tasks¶
- Project concept defined
- Research on educational drones
- Initial CAD design for frame
- Component selection & sourcing
⏳ Remaining Tasks¶
- Finalize frame design & optimize weight
- Design and mill the custom PCB
- Assemble prototype & wiring
- Test motor control and stabilization code
- Document fabrication steps & results
- Prepare final presentation and video
What Has Worked?¶
- Stable connection between controller and XIAO ESP32-S3
- Basic motor control using Arduino code
- Successful CAD modeling of the frame
⚠️ What Hasn’t Worked?¶
- Battery could not fit inside the frame due to limited sizing options
What Questions Still Need to Be Resolved?¶
- What is the best way to make the drone modular for teaching?
What Have You Learned?¶
- Designing and fabricating a working drone using digital fabrication tools
- Integrating electronics, mechanics, and programming
- Balancing weight and thrust in aerial vehicles
- How to document and present a complete engineering project
- Problem-solving and improving through iterative testing