4 ms·

Most RTF (ready-to-fly) drones use proprietary software. Some of them come with Naze32 or CC3D flight controllers, but camera support for these is not very good

Most RTF (ready-to-fly) drones use proprietary software. Some of them come with Naze32 or CC3D flight controllers, but camera support for these is not very good. As far as open source goes, you're better off with APM. A full APM set (2.8, with GPS and telemetry and whatnot) retails for about 100 dollars. You'll need a frame, 4 motors (2204/1000kv for a Phantom-sized drone are fine, less than 8 bucks a piece), 4 ESC's (30A, also 8 bucks) and a transmitter/receiver combo (turnigy 9xPRO is fine, it's 60 dollars). Throw in a copious amount of props, batteries and small things like wires and you're set for under 250 dollars. You'll have more capabilities than a Phantom, you have a drone with replaceable parts and you'll learn how to repair it when you crash. Mind you I said 'when', not 'if'...

prats226 10y ago
Drones with proprietary software wont be useful for me. Yeah APM looks good wrt software support. So minimum I will have to spend to get basic DIY hardware for drone + camera which supports APM platform is ~$250? Its good option when you consider availability of replaceable parts as I heard there is high probability of crashing drones while experimenting. Most of the sites dont ship to india so will have to look for some way to get all this shipped here. Would be great if you can suggest some site that provides all components. Thanks for reply.
- dirktheman 10y ago
  Flight Controller (USD 99.98): http://www.banggood.com/APM-Flight-Controller-Set-APM-2_8-6MH-GPS-OSD-Radio-Telemetry-etc-p-960341.html http://www.banggood.com/APM-Flight-Controller-Set-APM-2_8-6M... Frame (USD 10.22): http://www.banggood.com/DJI-F330-4-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-Frame-Kit-Support-KK-MK-MWC-p-943370.html http://www.banggood.com/DJI-F330-4-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-Frame-... Motors (USD 8,29 x 4 = USD 33.16): http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-XXD-A2212-1000KV-Brushless-Motor-For-RC-Airplane-Quadcopter-p-57432.html http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-XXD-A2212-1000KV-Brushless... ESC (USD 8.30 x 4 = USD 33.20): http://www.banggood.com/2S-6S-BlHeli-Platinum-30A-ESC-For-RC-Quadcopters-p-975528.html http://www.banggood.com/2S-6S-BlHeli-Platinum-30A-ESC-For-RC... Propellers (8040, get 10 pairs so you can afford to crash, USD 2.29 per pair = USD 22.90): http://www.banggood.com/GEMFAN-GF-8040-8060-9045-1050-1070-9060-Electric-Propeller-1-Pair-p-977960.html http://www.banggood.com/GEMFAN-GF-8040-8060-9045-1050-1070-9... Transmitter + receiver (USD 47.51): http://www.banggood.com/FlySky-FS-i6-2_4G-6CH-AFHDS-RC-Transmitter-With-FS-iA6B-Receiver-p-983537.html http://www.banggood.com/FlySky-FS-i6-2_4G-6CH-AFHDS-RC-Trans... Servo wires (USD 2.49 for 10 pieces): http://www.banggood.com/10-x-15cm-60-Cores-Servo-Extension-Wire-Cable-For-Futaba-JR-p-909171.html http://www.banggood.com/10-x-15cm-60-Cores-Servo-Extension-W... XT60 plug (USD 2.29): http://www.banggood.com/Amass-XT60-Plug-with-10cm-12AWG-Cable-AM-9024-p-1050854.html http://www.banggood.com/Amass-XT60-Plug-with-10cm-12AWG-Cabl... Lipo battery (USD 17.49, buy 2 or 3 if you can afford): http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-11_1V-2200mAh-3S-35C-XT60-Lipo-Battery-For-RC-Multirotors-p-1038461.html http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-11_1V-2200mAh-3S-35C-XT60-Li... Imax B6 knockoff balance charger (USD29.99): http://www.banggood.com/SkyRC-IMAX-B6-Digital-RC-AC-Lipo-Li-polymer-Battery-Balance-Charger-p-912239.html http://www.banggood.com/SkyRC-IMAX-B6-Digital-RC-AC-Lipo-Li-... 2 meter red+black AWG16 silicone electrical wire (USD4.18) and 2 meter red+black AWG12 wire (USD5.18): http://www.banggood.com/2M-AWG-Soft-Silicone-Flexible-Wire-Cable-12-20-AWG-1-Meter-Red-1-Meter-Black-p-985529.html http://www.banggood.com/2M-AWG-Soft-Silicone-Flexible-Wire-C... Grand total: USD 308.59, including transmitter, battery, even the lipo charger. Bear in mind that this is a budget setup. Motors aren't high quality, but I have the same one and while they're not very efficient they can take a lot of beating. When you crash you're probably break a prop or two, and maybe an arm of the frame if you crash hard, so get a spare frame too, if you can. My first setup was almost exactly the same as above, and I get about 7 minutes flying time. It's pretty zippy, too. The good thing about this setup is that it won't break the bank, and everything is upgradeable and repairable. I recommend anyone starting out with the hobby to buy cheap parts: you'll probably break some parts anyway and when you're advanced enough to upgrade your parts you'll know what to buy anyway. Banggood ships to India, so does Hobbyking but check shipping rates first. https://oscarliang.com/ https://oscarliang.com/ is a treasure trove of knowledge about building and flying these things.
samfisher83 10y ago
However if you want telemetry data real time video etc. you will be spending more. Those 8 dollar motors are not very good. You might get might 15 min flight time even with a 5000maH 3S battery. I would know since I built the cheap drone. If you want a more capable drone you will be spending close to 500 bucks. Also you want to be using a PixHawk not apm especially if you want to be able to flash the latest versions of APM.

prats226 10y ago

Drones with proprietary software wont be useful for me. Yeah APM looks good wrt software support. So minimum I will have to spend to get basic DIY hardware for drone + camera which supports APM platform is ~$250? Its good option when you consider availability of replaceable parts as I heard there is high probability of crashing drones while experimenting. Most of the sites dont ship to india so will have to look for some way to get all this shipped here. Would be great if you can suggest some site that provides all components. Thanks for reply.

dirktheman 10y ago
Flight Controller (USD 99.98): http://www.banggood.com/APM-Flight-Controller-Set-APM-2_8-6MH-GPS-OSD-Radio-Telemetry-etc-p-960341.html http://www.banggood.com/APM-Flight-Controller-Set-APM-2_8-6M... Frame (USD 10.22): http://www.banggood.com/DJI-F330-4-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-Frame-Kit-Support-KK-MK-MWC-p-943370.html http://www.banggood.com/DJI-F330-4-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-Frame-... Motors (USD 8,29 x 4 = USD 33.16): http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-XXD-A2212-1000KV-Brushless-Motor-For-RC-Airplane-Quadcopter-p-57432.html http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-XXD-A2212-1000KV-Brushless... ESC (USD 8.30 x 4 = USD 33.20): http://www.banggood.com/2S-6S-BlHeli-Platinum-30A-ESC-For-RC-Quadcopters-p-975528.html http://www.banggood.com/2S-6S-BlHeli-Platinum-30A-ESC-For-RC... Propellers (8040, get 10 pairs so you can afford to crash, USD 2.29 per pair = USD 22.90): http://www.banggood.com/GEMFAN-GF-8040-8060-9045-1050-1070-9060-Electric-Propeller-1-Pair-p-977960.html http://www.banggood.com/GEMFAN-GF-8040-8060-9045-1050-1070-9... Transmitter + receiver (USD 47.51): http://www.banggood.com/FlySky-FS-i6-2_4G-6CH-AFHDS-RC-Transmitter-With-FS-iA6B-Receiver-p-983537.html http://www.banggood.com/FlySky-FS-i6-2_4G-6CH-AFHDS-RC-Trans... Servo wires (USD 2.49 for 10 pieces): http://www.banggood.com/10-x-15cm-60-Cores-Servo-Extension-Wire-Cable-For-Futaba-JR-p-909171.html http://www.banggood.com/10-x-15cm-60-Cores-Servo-Extension-W... XT60 plug (USD 2.29): http://www.banggood.com/Amass-XT60-Plug-with-10cm-12AWG-Cable-AM-9024-p-1050854.html http://www.banggood.com/Amass-XT60-Plug-with-10cm-12AWG-Cabl... Lipo battery (USD 17.49, buy 2 or 3 if you can afford): http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-11_1V-2200mAh-3S-35C-XT60-Lipo-Battery-For-RC-Multirotors-p-1038461.html http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-11_1V-2200mAh-3S-35C-XT60-Li... Imax B6 knockoff balance charger (USD29.99): http://www.banggood.com/SkyRC-IMAX-B6-Digital-RC-AC-Lipo-Li-polymer-Battery-Balance-Charger-p-912239.html http://www.banggood.com/SkyRC-IMAX-B6-Digital-RC-AC-Lipo-Li-... 2 meter red+black AWG16 silicone electrical wire (USD4.18) and 2 meter red+black AWG12 wire (USD5.18): http://www.banggood.com/2M-AWG-Soft-Silicone-Flexible-Wire-Cable-12-20-AWG-1-Meter-Red-1-Meter-Black-p-985529.html http://www.banggood.com/2M-AWG-Soft-Silicone-Flexible-Wire-C... Grand total: USD 308.59, including transmitter, battery, even the lipo charger. Bear in mind that this is a budget setup. Motors aren't high quality, but I have the same one and while they're not very efficient they can take a lot of beating. When you crash you're probably break a prop or two, and maybe an arm of the frame if you crash hard, so get a spare frame too, if you can. My first setup was almost exactly the same as above, and I get about 7 minutes flying time. It's pretty zippy, too. The good thing about this setup is that it won't break the bank, and everything is upgradeable and repairable. I recommend anyone starting out with the hobby to buy cheap parts: you'll probably break some parts anyway and when you're advanced enough to upgrade your parts you'll know what to buy anyway. Banggood ships to India, so does Hobbyking but check shipping rates first. https://oscarliang.com/ https://oscarliang.com/ is a treasure trove of knowledge about building and flying these things.

samfisher83 10y ago

However if you want telemetry data real time video etc. you will be spending more. Those 8 dollar motors are not very good. You might get might 15 min flight time even with a 5000maH 3S battery. I would know since I built the cheap drone. If you want a more capable drone you will be spending close to 500 bucks. Also you want to be using a PixHawk not apm especially if you want to be able to flash the latest versions of APM.