█████╗ ██╗ ██╗████████╗ ██████╗
██╔══██╗██║ ██║╚══██╔══╝██╔═══██╗
███████║██║ ██║ ██║ ██║ ██║
██╔══██║██║ ██║ ██║ ██║ ██║
██║ ██║╚██████╔╝ ██║ ╚██████╔╝
╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═════╝ ╚═╝ ╚═════╝
Custom Quadcopter
The system utilizes ArduPilot for flight control and ExpressLRS for communication. Built on an F450 airframe, the design emphasizes modular construction, operational reliability, and structured cable management to support extended flight duration and simplified maintenance.
Design
The electronics stack is mounted using fully custom 3D-printed components designed to accommodate varying form factors and mounting requirements. This approach expands component selection flexibility while improving integration, cost efficiency, and overall system organization.
Custom 3D-Printed Parts
Antenna Mount
Secures the ExpressLRS antenna with integrated strain relief and optimized orientation to improve signal performance and link stability.
Printables • Rev BBattery Mount
Forward-mounted battery cradle with integrated XT60 pass-through, enabling efficient and organized high-current power routing.
Printables • Rev BFlight Controller Mount
Precision mount for the Cube Orange flight controller incorporating vibration isolation and accurate carrier alignment.
Printables • Rev CGPS Mount
Mount for the Here 3 GNSS module designed to protect the onboard compass while maintaining unobstructed sky visibility for reliable positioning.
Printables • Rev BTelemetry Mount
Dedicated mount for the telemetry radio with integrated cable management to ensure secure and organized signal routing.
PrintablesSoftware & Avionics
• Flight Controller Firmware: ArduPilot (Copter) — supports autonomous flight modes including Return-to-Launch, Loiter, and waypoint missions.
• Radio Link: ExpressLRS 2.4 GHz with telemetry feedback for real-time link monitoring.
• Ground Control: Mission Planner for configuration, tuning, and live telemetry visualization.
Flight Configuration & Ground Station
The ground control system operates Mission Planner on a laptop connected to the vehicle via dual telemetry radios. This provides continuous real-time data including position, velocity, altitude, battery status, and radio link quality.
Primary control is performed through an RC transmitter. The system also supports fully autonomous waypoint missions, enabling operation without continuous manual input. This dual-mode capability allows for both manual piloting and automated mission execution depending on operational requirements.
Timeline
Project Initiation (Summer)
Acquired the F450 airframe and core components; initiated research into the ArduPilot ecosystem.
Initial efforts focused on selecting a suitable structural platform. The chosen F450 frame provided a cost-effective and proven design baseline. Supporting components—including motors, electronic speed controllers, and batteries—were selected concurrently.
Additional emphasis was placed on the flight controller and GNSS system. The Cube Orange and Here 3 combination was selected for its reliability, build quality, and industry-standard performance.
Initial Custom Fabrication (Summer)
Designed and 3D-printed first-generation mounts for the flight controller and GPS module; completed initial bench validation of the electronics stack.
This phase marked the transition from a temporary test setup to an integrated structural configuration. Additional mounts were developed for the battery and communication hardware. Components were secured using mechanical fasteners and cable management techniques, and wiring was finalized to ensure reliable power distribution and data communication.
Radio Link Integration (Spring)
Implemented the ExpressLRS 2.4 GHz radio system, establishing stable bidirectional control and telemetry.
The system was configured with a RadioMaster receiver and Zorro transmitter, with telemetry integrated into the Mission Planner ground station.
Maiden Flight (Summer)
Completed the first successful manually controlled flight.
At this stage, autonomous modes had not yet been fully calibrated, limiting operation to manual control.
Autonomous Mission Validation (Summer)
Successfully executed the first autonomous waypoint mission.
This followed full calibration of the inertial and navigation systems, including controlled multi-axis orientation procedures to establish accurate sensor baselines.
Hardware Optimization (Spring)
Redesigned all 3D-printed components to improve durability, fit, and structural performance.
Failure points identified during operation were analyzed and reinforced. Design improvements focused on reducing stress concentrations and increasing structural rigidity.
Controller Upgrade (Fall)
Upgraded the radio transmitter from the RadioMaster Zorro to the RadioMaster Boxer.
Configuration settings were largely transferred, with minor recalibration required. The upgrade provided improved control ergonomics, expanded configuration options, and significantly increased battery endurance.