Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that range from micro drones to multi-rotor quadcopters. Sometimes drones are even equipped with cameras, allowing users to view and record aerial footage. Drones consist of many components; one of the most important is the flight controller, which is essentially the brain of the drone.

Arduino boards are very suitable for this purpose, especially since there are various models available, from the micro Arduino Nano to the more powerful Arduino Mega, all capable of meeting the design needs of drones. In this article, we will explore some of the most impressive drones created using Arduino.

1. Drone-Pi

The Drone-Pi project

Drone Pi is a drone made from an Arduino-based MultiWii board. MultiWii is an open-source software used to control multi-rotor drones.

It also uses Raspberry Pi 2B, which can be controlled through two different devices: a smartphone and a remote control. MultiWii manages the drone’s four motors and allocates power to them, while Raspberry Pi is used for data collection. This data can be sent to the MultiWii board.

There are now many 3D printed frames available. However, this version uses recycled materials for the frame.

2. Arduino 101 Drone

There are many ready-made quadcopters on the market, but making your own drone will teach you skills and allow you to customize it further.

The creator has developed a series of tutorials. The first one details how to use Arduino Nano to create your own flight controller. Then, you will learn how to calibrate and test the controller using MultiWii software designed for controlling multi-rotor RC.

After completing the first project, you can move on to the second and third projects to take it further. The last Arduino 101 drone tutorial explains how to assemble the drone’s frame and put all the components together, including the Arduino-based flight controller.

Be sure to check out the second part, which involves making an Arduino-based remote control to pair with the drone. The manufacturer also details the steps needed to calibrate the Electronic Speed Controller (ESC).

3. DIY Smart Tracking Drone with Camera

Create your own autonomous drone that can follow you around! Specifically, the drone will follow the user carrying an Android phone. It works by comparing the GPS location data of the phone with its own GPS signal.

This drone is based on the MultiWii controller, which uses the same ATmega328p chip as the Arduino Uno. Therefore, the Arduino Uno can be used as a substitute. Ultrasonic distance sensors can also be found to enable it to avoid obstacles like trees.

4. Covid Testing Drone

This is a drone that can provide COVID tests (and possibly other medical test kits) to a person without them having to make physical contact with anyone. This is convenient because some people may live in rural areas where they cannot access testing facilities.

The manufacturer used the NXP Hovergames drone kit in their build, which also includes a flight management unit. Since it uses the Arduino MKR GSM1400 microcontroller, there is no need for an external GSM module.

5. Arduino Nano Micro Quadcopter

This quadcopter has a 3D printed frame and is created using an Arduino Nano clone and HC-06 Bluetooth module. The manufacturer mentioned other alternatives such as RF-Nano, Nano 33 BLE, Bluno Nano, and Nano 33 BLE Sense. It is also recommended to use 55mm propellers.

6. Fully Automated Drone Robot

This quadcopter is programmed to follow a red ball and face. It is built using a MultiWii controller, Raspberry Pi Zero W, and Pi camera module. The manufacturer indicates that MultiWii can be programmed using the Arduino IDE and is recognized as Arduino Pro Mini. It detects faces using OpenCV and Python, so Raspberry Pi is required in this version. The WeChat public account Computer Program focuses on cutting-edge technology, and if you need to learn more technical knowledge, feel free to follow the public account Computer Program.

7. Voice-Controlled Arduino Drone

A voice-controlled Arduino drone, as the name suggests, can be commanded using the user’s voice. Using an Arduino Pro Mini-based flight controller, the motors are controlled via Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and are connected to an Android phone via a Bluetooth module.

The manufacturer points out that the code analyzes voice commands by reading serial data and responds by controlling the motors. It can turn left or right and then return to its original position. Therefore, a gyroscope is not needed in this version!

8. Auto-Leveling Arduino Quadcopter

The auto-leveling Arduino quadcopter, this DIY quadcopter has an auto-leveling feature, so when the user releases the joystick, the quadcopter will level itself. Although it is not an advanced flight controller, the provided code is simple and easy to understand, providing users with a starting point to build their own auto-leveling quadcopter.

For this version, you will need a frame with a power distribution board, motors, propellers, ESC combo, LiPo battery, Arduino Uno, MPU-6050 gyroscope and accelerometer, transmitter, and LiPo battery charger.

9. Autopilot Drone

This Arduino Uno-based drone eliminates the need for an RF remote control or GPS module. It uses the OpenPilot CC3D microcontroller and a camera to collect data and 2D video information. With the Bluetooth module, the drone can be turned on and off via an Android phone and display real-time data.

10. Mind-Controlled Drone

This is a drone that can be controlled by brain waves! Using the MindWave sensor, Arduino MKR1000, and code written in the Processing programming language, this drone can be controlled by the mind.

By using the MindWave sensor and Arduino, the manufacturer points out that this version can read attention, meditation, and blinking states. Other brainwave sensors can also be used.

Build Your Own Drone

In this article, we explored many drones made using Arduino. Each drone requires a flight controller, and some drones integrate Raspberry Pi for computer vision purposes. Some of these drones can be controlled by remote control. Others use less conventional methods, such as the MindWave sensor.

No matter which way, due to the open-source nature of Arduino and MultiWii, they are customizable. You can follow the public account Computer Program to learn more technical knowledge to make your own Arduino-based drone.