Micro Wifi Controlled 3D Printed 3D FPV Copter

After my first two instructables "WifiPPM" and "Lowcost 3d Fpv Camera for Android" I want to show my micro quadcopter with both devices attached.

You don't need any additional devices like a RC transmitter or FPV goggles for it. It is WIFI controlled. You can control it with any smartphone or a PC with a gamepad (I use a sixaxis PS3 controller and a Smartphone). An android smartphone with google cardboard is used as 3d FPV goggles.

I added three different frame sizes to the instructable: 82mm, 90mm, 109mm. The hardware is the same for all, just the propellers are different.

I use the 90mm frame at the moment.

The pictures of the instructable are mostly with the 109mm frame.

The small frame has a very short flight time (about 3 min) and a very bat thrust. But it's very small.
The 90mm frame has a flight time of about 5 minutes. The thrust is OK and the size is still small enough for indoor flight.
The 109mm frame has a flight time of about 7 minutes. The thrust is pretty good. But it's almost too big for indoor flight.

You need the following parts:

- Flight controller: I use the Matek F411-mini. You can use any flight controller you want. Just keep in mind that you need 3,3 Volt with at least 300mA for WifiPPM and 5 Volt with at least 500mA for the 3d camera.

- 15A ESC

- 4 x 1104 brushless motors

- 2435 4 blade propellers for the 90mm frame, 2030 3 blade propellers for the 82mm frame or 3020 2 blade propellers for the 109mm frame

- WIFIPPM or any other receiver (different to the instructable I use a ESP07 with an external antenna now)

- Lowcost 3d FPV camera for android (I added new 3d printed camholder and VTX holder)

- GY63 Baro if you want to add Altitude hold mode (never worked satisying in my build)

- Small buzzer if you want to use it. I use it as battery warning.

- 2S battery. I use a 1000mAh LiPo.

- connectors for the battery

- some small plastic spacers, nuts and screws

- long 20mm M2 plastic srews from ebay

- 3d printed frame, prop guards and holders

- some rubber belt to hold the battery

First step is to all the parts. I use PLA with a 0.3mm nozzle and 50% infill.

I added three different frame sizes. The 82 mm frame is very small, but the flight time is just about 3 minutes and thrust is almost too low. The 90 mm frame is the best compromise between flight time and size. The flight time is about 5 minutes. The thrust is ok. The 109 mm frame has the best flight time (about 7 minutes) and best thrust, with the disadvantage of size.

I also added a new camholder for the 3d camera and some holders for the VTX and the ESP8266.

You should be already finished with "WIFIPPM" and "lowcost 3d FPV camera for Android" before you go on.

Add all four motors to the frame. Then add the ESC to the frame. Use the M2x20 plastic screws and M2 nuts for it. Now connect the motors to the ESC like in the first and second picture. The direction of the motors will be adjusted later. Add the power plug to the power cables of the ESC like in the third picture.

Now solder the ESC cable to the flight controller. The USB plug
should be on the opposite side of the connections. You can see the connections in the first picture.

S1 -> yellow
S2 -> white
S3 -> green
S4 -> gray
G -> black
VBAT -> red
I connected VBAT and GND to the capacitors because the connection pads are on the other side.

Add the silicon and brass grommets to the flight controller.

Add the baro, if you want to use it. SDA and SCL are on the bottom side of the board, too. +5V and GND are on top side.

Now connect WifiPPM. Connect the PPM output to RX2 of the flight controller. Connect + of WIFIPPM to 3.3V and GND to G. I also added a diode from TX of the flight controller to RX of the ESP8266 because I make some tests with a back channel and MSP protocol at the moment. You don't need this.

Add the 3d camera with the VTX and connect + to +5V and GND to G.

If you use a beeper also add it to the beeper port.

Now you have all the electronics together.

Connect the cable to the ESC plug and put the flight controller on top of the ESC. The front arrow should be to the direction of the ESC plug. Put some longer spacers to fix the flight controller. You can use short spacers if you don't use a baro. (first picture)

Now put some foam around the baro to get rid of air flow. Put the baro on top of the ESC. It is not fixed with any screws. It is just holded by the foam and the holder on top of it. (second and third picture)

Next put the ESP8266 in it's printed holder and put it on top. Fix it with some short spacers. You can also add an external antenna to it for better range.(fourth picture)

On top of it put the VTX with it's printed holder and put again some long spacers. (fifth picture)

Now put the circuit board of 3d cam on it and put again short spacers. (sixth and seventh picture)

The last one is the 3d printed camholder plate. Put first some long screws in it like at the eighth picture, then put it on top and fix it and fix the two cameras with the camholder.

Now your copter is almost finished. Let's go the adjustments.

Now it's time for configuration. If you don't have betaflight configurator already installed, download and install it from here. Fore Baro Mode you must install and flash Cleanflight. Betaflight doesnt support it.

Connect your flight controller via USB to the computer and start betaflight configurator. Click on connect.

In the first tab you can adjust your sensors. To do this, level your copter and click on calibrate.

In the second tab you can configure your serial ports. Leave the USB port like it is. Set UART2 to Serial Receiver. You can leave UART1 like it is. I adjusted it to MSP because I'm doing some tests with MSP protocol at the moment.

In the next tab you can configure your copter. Put it to Quad X and DShot600. I always turn on Motor Stop because I want the motors to be off, when there is no throttle. You must also adjust the board orientation to YAW -45°. The receiver must be adjusted to PPM receiver. You can leave the rest like it is.

In the PID tab you can adjust your PID parameters and the sensitivity of the sticks. I reduced the sensitivity a little bit. The PID adjustments should work for the first flight. You can optimize them later.

The next tab is the receiver tab. Adjust the channel mappings to RTAE1234. Adjust the lowest stick value to 1010, the center stick value to 1500 and the highest stick value to 1990. If you connect with your smartphone to WIFIPPM and load the address 192.168.4.1 in your browser you can test your receiver.

If the receiver works alright you can go on to the Modes tab. I have arming on AUX4, and flight mode on AUX1. I have also adjusted Baro mode on AUX3 (only cleanflight, the battery must be connected to get the baro sensor recognized)

Now go to the motors tab. Plug in the battery and click on 'I know what I'm doing'. Test the directions of your motors. It should be like in the diagram on the top left. If a motor is turning the wrong direction, unplug the battery, disconnect the USB cable and change two wires of the motor. Then try again. When the motor directions are OK, configuration is finished.

Now you can add the propellers, the rubber belt to hold the battery and the prop guards. Double check everything again and connect the battery. Connect to WIFIPPM and try flying without FPV first. Then check again if the video stream is working with motors on. If you have video distortions with motors on double check your wiring again. Try to put all wires of the 3d fpv camera as far away from the power lines as possible. When everything is OK you can start FPV flying.