Drones are already among us, whether we like it or not. Their use by authorities and experts in agriculture, architecture, engineering, and other fields confirms the usefulness of these vehicles, but the fight for their regulation (civil and commercial) continues. Now, have you ever wondered how drones are made? I'm not referring to those "almost-toys" sold on Aliexpress, but to high-performance drones. The British version of How It's Made published a video about it, and personally I'm surprised by the extensive manual intervention...
In recent months we have seen the best of drone photography, their application in high-voltage cable installation, and experimental units that transform in midair. These are versatile vehicles with enormous potential, but that has not freed them from criticism, attempts at regulation, and the occasional legal crisis (including firearms).
However, what brings us here is the design and construction of a drone. It is logical to assume that the more economical models use basic materials and excessive amounts of glue instead of screws and nuts, but thanks to the people at How It's Made, today we can know precisely how high-performance drones are made. In this case, an Altavian Galaxy R8700 for $15,100:
How drones are made, step by step
The key behind this design is carbon fiber, as it guarantees strength and low weight. A CNC router is responsible for making the drone's legs and the two halves of its main structure, while imperfections are hand-sanded. On the other hand, the supports for the drone's arms are 3D printed, although they require subsequent finishing. Each support has its own electronic speed controller. All of them are connected to a wiring harness and to the autopilot. Then the mount for the "package" is installed, that is, the camera and the storage unit. This mount needs a servo motor, also connected to the autopilot.
The drone's shell is not cut or printed, but created with a vacuum thermoforming process. Excess is removed, and it receives a basic cut in the center so it can return to the CNC machine. The final steps are the installation of the legs, the camera, and the arms with motors, which make direct contact with the speed controllers. Now that we know how drones are made, I wonder how difficult it would be to make a clone for a fraction of the price...
https://old.neoteo.com/un-dron-vuela-dentro-de-un-ascensor/
