Axel's 3D printed quadcopter (carbon fibre arms)

thingiverse

A top-notch version of this quadcopter is available here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2741818. This quadcopter is engineered for maximum lightness. It utilizes 14 mm or 16 mm carbon fibre tubes as motor arms, providing exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. All other frame components are 3D printed with precision. I opted to print the parts in PLA, but PETG or ABS may be a better choice for added crash resistance. The motor cables are strategically routed inside the carbon fibre tubes, creating an incredibly clean and streamlined appearance. This quad features 6-inch propellers and is slightly larger than standard race-quad designs. Its total flying weight is 630 grams, allowing for a flight time of approximately 7 minutes while cruising at a comfortable pace with a 3 cell 2200mAh battery. This quadcopter excels in providing a stable flying experience, making it perfect for those who prefer to fly around Line Of Sight and perform aerial stunts. Its size and shape make it easy to spot in the sky compared to normal race-quads. Additionally, this quad is ideal for calm FPV flying, offering longer flight times than standard race-quads. However, this quadcopter is not highly crash resistant. If you're prone to crashing or new to multirotor flying, I recommend trying my other design first. It's slightly heavier but significantly more durable and easier to repair. You can find the link here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2230803. The initial prototype version of this quadcopter features red motors and motor mounts in the images. It utilizes those carbon fibre tubes found at hobbyking.com/en_us/carbon-fiber-round-tube-330x16x14mm.html. They have a 16 mm outer diameter, 14 mm inner diameter, and 330 mm length. I purchased two of these tubes, cutting them in half to create four 165 mm long motor arms. The 3D printed parts are designed to fit any tube with a 14 mm or 16 mm outer diameter. The motor mounts are first glued using CA glue to the carbon fibre tubes and then secured to the base plate. The camera mount and rear mounting plate are connected using short M3 screws and nuts. The top plate is held in place by four 3D printed spacers, which have slightly smaller holes than 3 mm, allowing for direct threading of M3 screws into the plastic. I've also built a second quadcopter with 14 mm carbon fibre tubes, featuring blue motors in the images. You can view a tricks video here: https://youtu.be/eP1WFb1E-70. The maiden flight video is available here: https://youtu.be/HPbkTWLpQ8I. A build video can be found here: https://youtu.be/8wl7gxEV0Ps. For more information and high-resolution images, visit my website at http://axelsdiy.brinkeby.se/?page_id=1390. **Edit 2017-07-11** I've added fixed FPV camera mounts for those who don't want to use a servo for camera tilt. Three angles are available: 0, 10, and 20 degrees. **Edit 2017-07-14** After crashing my quadcopter, I identified a weak point in the base-plate. I've updated it to make it slightly stronger. **Edit 2017-07-28** Given this project's success, I've made some updates to make the quadcopter more durable. I've also added versions of the motor mounts and base plate that work with 14 mm carbon fibre tubes. Additionally, I've included motor mounts with integrated landing gears. **Edit 2017-08-15** I've edited the description and title slightly and added a few new images. I've also included plastic spacers to prevent metal screws from shorting out something on your flight controller.