3D Robotics 3DR DIY Quad User Manual

DIY QUAD

Build Manual

V.A

2014

1

Contents

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/diy-quad-kit.

Frame parts 3
Electronics 4
Tools 4

1 Motor assembly 5
2 Power system wiring 8
3 Body plate assembly 10
4 Pixhawk assembly 15
5 Leg assembly 21
6 Calibration 22
7 Propeller assembly 22

2

Frame parts

blue arms (2)

black arms (2)

velcro strips (one pair)

velcro straps (3)

base plate

top plate

Pixhawk plate

accessory plate

leg plates (8)

leg support plates (4)

motor plates (8)

30 mm bolts (6)

25 mm bolts (30)

5 mm bolts (32)

nylon bolts (4)

30 mm male-female standos (4)

dual lock

zip ties

power distribution board

15 cm four-wire cable

15 cm six-wire cable

15 cm female-female servo cable

30 cm male-female servo cable

threadlocker

19 mm hollow spacers (20)

18 mm female-female standos (12)

metal nuts (42)

nylon nuts (4)

thumb nuts (2)

3

Electronics

This build uses the Pixhawk autopilot
system, including these components:

• Pixhawk autopilot

• u-blox GPS with Compass

• Telemetry radios

• Radio control system

• ArduCopter/APM:Copter firmware

Click here for more information

about these components and to view
compatible radio control systems.

Tools

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 at Sparkfun have some great tutorials that can get you started, including this

comic. For an example of exactly what soldering you’ll be doing in this build, view this
video tutorial.

4

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 the motor with
the cables as close as possible to the
hole in the side of the arm.

Apply threadlocker to two 5 mm
bolts, and secure the motor and plate
to the arm from below by accessing
through the two large holes in the
bottom of the arm. When applying
threadlocker, use less than one drop,
and cover only four or five threads
where the bolt connects with the
motor. Make sure to insert the bolts
into the holes in the bottom of the
motor and not into the slots where
they could interfere with the motor.

5

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 (less than
one drop covering four or five threads
at the end of the bolt). Place a 19 mm
hollow spacer between each of the
pairs of holes in the two motor plates.
Place the bolt through the motor
plates and spacer, and secure from
below with a metal nut.

Repeat these instructions for all
motors.

6

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 – side to the
black wire. Don’t forget to add heat
shrink tubing to the wires before
soldering, and shrink the tubing over
the finished connections.

2 Number ESCs

Use tape (or other method) to label
each ESC with a number one through
four.

Deans to ESC:
negative = black
positive = red

-

+

7