Summary of DIY QUAD
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1 diy quad build manual v.A 2014.
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2 thanks for purchasing a diy quad! These instructions will show you how to assemble a quad using the pixhawk autopilot system and arducopter/apm:copter firmware. If you plan to use other components in your build, please adjust these instructions accordingly. For online instructions, visit 3dr.Com/d...
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3 frame parts 30 mm bolts (6) 25 mm bolts (30) 5 mm bolts (32) nylon bolts (4) 30 mm male-female standoffs (4) 19 mm hollow spacers (20) 18 mm female-female standoffs (12) base plate top plate pixhawk plate accessory plate metal nuts (42) nylon nuts (4) thumb nuts (2) leg plates (8) leg support plat...
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4 electronics to complete this build, you will need the following tools not included with your kit: • phillips screwdriver • double-side foam tape or other mounting adhesive • soldering equipment note: the electronics for this build require soldering. If you’re unfamiliar with soldering, our friends...
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5 1 motor assembly follow these instructions to assemble one motor. 1 attach motor to arm place a motor plate on top of the arm with the short end of the plate facing towards the end of the arm. Place the motor on top of the plate, and align the two small holes in the motor, plate, and arm. Orient t...
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6 2 thread motor cables through arm thread the motor cables through the hole in the side of the arm. 3 attach bottom plate to arm place a motor plate against the bottom of the arm with the short end of the plate facing towards the end of the arm. Apply threadlocker to the ends of three 25 mm bolts (...
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7 2 power system wiring follow these instructions to connect the power system. 1 solder deans to escs solder a deans connector to the red and black wires on each electronic speed controller (esc). Check the deans connectors for the + and – markings, and solder the + side to the red wire and the – si...
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8 3 connect escs to pdb connect the deans connectors (red) on the escs to the deans connectors on the power distribution board (pdb) in any order. Take a look at the pdb and find the pins labelled m1 through m4 (motors 1 through 4), and make a note of which color wire connects to each. Now connect t...
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9 3 body plate assembly follow these instructions to assemble the body plates. 1 add velcro straps to base plate thread the two velcro straps through the slots in the base plate. These straps will hold the battery to the bottom of your copter. The perfectly flat side of the plate (without the protru...
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10 it may be helpful to secure each arm in place temporarily with a metal nut. 3 label motors use tape (or other method) to label the motors by the numbers shown here. 4 connect esc and motor cables connect the motor cables to the corresponding esc cables according to the labelled numbers (connect m...
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11 5 assemble electronics onto base plate the base plate holds the power system: power distribution board (pdb), power module, and four electronic speed controllers (escs). Place the assembled power system onto the base plate. Attach the four escs to the base plate using zip ties. Orient the escs wi...
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12 secure the arms to the plates through the holes in the end of the arms and the holes in the plates shown below. Use 30 mm bolts and thumb nuts to attach the black arms, and use 25 mm bolts and metal nuts to attach the blue arms. Finally, attach the base and top plates together with 25 mm bolts, 1...
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13 7 thread cables through top plate locate the following three cables, and thread them up through the central space in the top plate: pdb two-wire cable (red and black), pdb four-wire cable (multicolor), and power module six-wire cable (red and black). These cables will connect to pixhawk..
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14 4 pixhawk assembly follow these instructions to assemble the pixhawk and accessory plates. 1 mount pixhawk separate the four foam pieces provided with the pixhawk kit, and attach them to the bottom four corners of the board. Mount pixhawk to the pixhawk plate with the arrow facing as shown below ...
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15 3 mount gps place the base of the gps mast over the four holes in the accessory plate with the shorter side of the top of the mast facing the left side of the plate (the arrow-shaped holes in the plate face forward). Add a mounting screw to each hole, and secure with nuts. Remove the adhesive bac...
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16 5 connect modules to pixhawk connect the buzzer, switch, splitter, gps, power, and telemetry modules to pixhawk. To ensure the most secure cable assembly, thread the cables through the holes in the plates where possible. Where the cables dangle away from the frame, such as along the mast, use zip...
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17 6 connect rc receiver 7 connect motor outputs connect backup power (optional) locate the four-wire cable (multicolor) protruding from the central space in the top plate. Connect it to the main output signal (s) pins on pixhawk according to motor number. Recall your notes from the power system wir...
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18 8 assemble plates add a 5 mm nylon bolt to the four holes in the accessory plate marked below, and attach a 30 mm standoff to each one below the plate. Add the pixhawk plate to the ends of the standoffs and secure with metal nuts. Metal nuts nylon bolts pixhawk plate 30 mm spacers accessory plate.
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19 place the assembled plates over the exposed bolts in the top plate, with the arrows facing towards the blue arms, and secure with metal nuts. 9 mount remaining components select a location on the copter to mount the i2c splitter, telemetry radio, and rc receiver. Use dual lock or double-sided foa...
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20 5 leg assembly follow these instructions to assemble one leg. 1 assemble leg align the leg plates, and place a standoff between each of the bottom three pairs of holes in the plates. Secure each standoff to the plates with a 5 mm bolt on each end. Insert the support plate into the horizontal slot...
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21 6 calibration your y6 assembly is almost complete. Now it’s time to go online, download software, and begin calibrating pixhawk to work with your new frame. Do not proceed to propeller assembly with performing calibration. View the calibration instructions online at 3dr.Com/diy-y6-kit. 7 propelle...
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22 2 assemble propeller adapters select the propeller adapters and the longer screws provided with the adapters. Do not use the x-shaped plate. Apply threadlocker to the three small screws included with the propeller adapters (less than one drop covering four to five threads). Attach an adapter to t...
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23 your quad build is now com- plete! Before your first flight, please read all safety information and first flight instructions at copter.Ardupilot.Com/wiki/table- of-contents/ . For customer support, contact us at help@3dr.Com or call our support line at +1 (858) 225-1414 monday through friday, fr...