DJI Ryze Tello rebuilt to foldable design

thingiverse

I wanted to repurpose my Tello as a traveler drone, so I redesigned it with a foldable layout. The original Tello body is a well-designed foundation, so I left that intact (removing the top cover). I cut the arms and created an outer chassis with foldable limbs. The total weight, including the battery, is 109 grams. On top, I mounted two half-wave length PCB antenna strips. There are long and short versions of the top plate available. The longer version accommodates a Xiaomi Mi USB repeater for enhanced drone range. However, it can be tricky to remove the battery if you have large fingers, so I included a small tool for assistance. I used PLA for the build. Be cautious of the following potential pitfalls: - When disassembling the Tello and lifting the main board, ensure that the camera ribbon cable contact is disconnected first. - In the rear legs, the cables are shielded and directed towards the antennas, which are located in the back feet. - The motor cables are thin; a more durable design solution is needed to improve reliability.