In the last two years, drones have transformed from high-end professional shooting tools when they first debuted to consumer-grade everyday digital products for digital enthusiasts. Drones have been step by step coming down from the altar, but also closer and closer to people's lives.

When the word drone is mentioned, a bunch of high-tech and lofty feelings must come to mind, and it seems unimaginable to make a drone on your own for those who haven't been exposed to drones.

In fact, the structure within a basic drone is not complicated at all, a few major components to figure out, the correct connection and combination, as long as they are willing to move their hands, everyone can DIY a drone of their own.

It's not really necessary to call it a drone, because a fully functioning aerial camera can only be called a drone. What we're describing here can only be called a multi-axis vehicle, and it's only when the components and features are perfected that we can call it a "drone".

First of all, it is important to have a conceptual understanding of a multi-axis vehicle. Multi-axis vehicles are not just the most common type of vehicle on the market, which only has 4 rotors. 4-rotor vehicles are the simplest type of vehicle, but there are also 6-rotor, 8-rotor, and more rotor configurations.

The 3-axis vehicle shown here actually has 6 rotors, with two forward and reverse propellers up and down each axis. ▼

Considering the price/performance ratio, stability, and maneuverability, the 4-axis craft is the most suitable for the first-time enthusiast to toss around.

Because more than one rotor will require more than one motor and ESC, and the subsequent increase in power consumption, the increase in power consumption in order to maintain a normal lag time will have to increase the capacity of the battery, the battery capacity increased the weight of the battery increased, the weight increase in the motor to be the output of the power will be increased, the power output to increase the power consumption will be increased, this is a plagued by a black hole in the UAV industry.

The manufacturers are looking for a better solution and balance. That's why most of our DIYs are 4-axis vehicles.

Let's start with a brief overview of the basic components of a drone. First of all, the brain of the drone - flight control, there are many kinds of flight control, which I like to use is DJI's NAZA flight control, already all preset parameters, just simply through the adjustment software to adjust some of the basic parameters can be used.

And the stability is more reliable. There are also some cheap open-source flight controls, all kinds of parameters can be adjusted, and the entire flight program can be DIY, such a flight control is not an ordinary white man can handle, you need to have a strong professional knowledge can be used.

The flight control does not directly command the motors, the middle needs to have an ESC to connect, the role of the ESC is to limit the four motors can accurately execute the instructions issued by the flight control, so that the motor output appropriate power. Secondly, the flight controller is connected to a remote control receiver to receive the remote control signal.

Finally, the whole system needs to be powered, and the basic power supply is usually a 3S LiPo battery.

DJI's flight controls are relatively reliable and easy to use, and you can add a GPS unit if you need it. The regular NAZA flight controller is more affordable, but the GPS is twice the price of the flight controller.

GPS is the essence of the NAZA flight control, if the budget allows, it is still recommended to bring a good GPS will