Hello all,
I am wanting to build a fully DIY drone. I have an Arduino Uno and an Arduino Nano microcontroller, which I can use to write my own flight controller. I'm trying to keep this low budget for educational purposes. After I get a better understanding, I will start something bigger. I'm looking for a frame, motors, and batteries. This is what I am looking at from Amazon:
This list has a micro-frame, brushed motor and propellers.
it seems to fit what I am wanting to do. I also need a rechargeable battery, this is where I'm stuck. Which battery should I be choosing that can power the Arduino and all 4 motors? (Which battery for Arduino Nano and which battery for Arduino Uno?)
Since I am using a brushed motor, I will probably need a motor driver to boost the current, I am looking at this, I'll need 2 of these since each of these is supports Dual Motor and I have 4 motors:
I might also need a voltage regulator depend on which battery is best for my build.
Voltage Regulator from Polulu
What do you guys think? what should I change? What am I missing? I'm a complete newbie, any inputs will be highly appreciated.
Thank you so much
Replies
agreed. adding one backup gps as well as for precautionary measures
Natalie Ward said:
IMU gives the CPU the angle. CPU compares it to whatever it's supposed to be and finds the error. Some algorithm (PID or whatever) tranlates this to actuator output. CPU spits this out to your motor drivers. Rinse, repeat.
To start of with, you can just stick the two motors at the end of a stick, drive a nail through the middle of the stick (loose so it can rotate) and anchor the nail in such a way that the thing can rotate freely (with the IMU attached to the stick). Write your code so that the motors balance the stick (initially horizontally and then to any arbitrary angle). Then you can add one more dimension (another stick) and you have a quad.
I'm pretty good with programming and I have a Basic understanding of electronic components.
And yes, I forgot about the IMU.
What do you mean by IMU->CPU->motor drivers->motors? I know what those are but what did you mean when you write it like that?
If you 're a complete newbie with drones but really, really solid with electronics and programming , you might get somewhere. If you 're a newbie with both, I would choose something easier but then, it depends how much of a challenge you are after.
What is definitely missing from your shopping list is an IMU. Get an IMU, use it build and balance an inverted pendulum with an Arduino (it's broadly a similar problem) and then start mucking about with the drone. The most barebones autopilot is IMU->CPU->motor drivers->motors.