Indestructible partially flexible quadcopter

thingiverse

I proudly present to the Thingiverse community my robust quadcopter design! (Okay, virtually indestructible might be an exaggeration, time will reveal...). Recently, I constructed and crashed two quadcopters (it appears I'm not a skilled pilot), which broke at the body-motorbeam joint in both instances. Consequently, I decided to create a frame that could withstand an accident. My requirements were: - Compact quadcopter, this one measures approximately 285mm in diameter - It should accommodate all the electronics I desired, making it versatile - Able to survive if I crash it After some deliberation, this design emerged. It is intended for printing with flexible filament and standard filament. Almost every part's joints are created using both hard and flexible filament to absorb hits and vibrations. Green parts (labeled "_FF") were designed specifically for flexible filament, while blue components are PLA (ABS or PETG would be better alternatives). Flexible filament is notoriously difficult to break, so it should effectively absorb impacts without sustaining damage. The beams are constructed from economical eBay carbon fiber tubes, measuring 14-12mm. I utilized four 250mm tubes, cutting two of them to 17.8cm. Additionally, it's essential to drill holes in the tubes to secure screws. My chosen electronics include: - Four 12A ESCs from HobbyKing - Four 2400kv Turnigy motors from HobbyKing (discontinued) with 5030 props - Runcam Split 2S and Eachine TX805 5.8G video transmitter - Pixhawk controller and M8N GPS module - 1300mAh 3S lipo battery - Holybro telemetry module - Turnigy 9x radio (equipped with a PPM encoder) To assemble the quadcopter, I recommend mounting all electronics on both platforms and securing them with beam-to-platform pieces. Next, attach the tubes and tube joints, followed by the motors. If desired, you can also add protectors. My configuration weighs approximately 750g and achieves flight times between 7 and 10 minutes. With some adjustments, it's likely that these figures could be improved, as many components are optional (legs, protectors, etc.). Additionally, I may have utilized excessive electronics.