Hi this is Dr. Ben Finio with Science Buddies
and in this video we'll show you how to build an altitude control circuit for our diy mini
drone project. The previous video in this series, which you can find linked in the description
below this one, shows you how to build one of these miniature drones. This is a simple project
designed to introduce you to the world of drones and how they work. The basic build has no ability
to steer so requires a guide pole to fly straight. The motors always
spin at full
speed so the drone cannot hover or easily control its altitude. In this project
you'll build a simple circuit that lets you turn a knob to control the speed of the drone's
motors. This will let you control its altitude. The circuit has two main parts: a transistor which
controls the amount of current flowing through the drone's motors, and a potentiometer which allows
you to turn a knob to adjust the signal to the transistor. You can think of these parts like
turning the valve
on the faucet for a garden hose to adjust the amount of water flow. You can find
a circuit diagram and the parts you need to build this circuit in the link in the description below
this video. For this project we also recommend some improvements to your drone's guide pole.
Two guide poles threaded through two straws glued to the drone's frame will prevent the drone from
spinning. A piece of foam added to the bottom will also add some cushioning for any crash landings
and prevent parts of t
he drone from breaking off. Once you've built the circuit you can turn the
knob and use it to control your drone's altitude. You can make the drone hover in
place or make it move up and down. You can find detailed written instructions
for this project linked in the description below this video. Check out the next video
in this series to learn how you can use an Arduino and an ultrasonic distance sensor
to automatically control the drone's height. For more drone science projects and thousand
s of other science and engineering
projects visit us online at www.sciencebuddies.org
Comments
using 21800 rpm motors will also work
How to get this materials
Does there have to be 4 blades on each propeller, will 2 do? will 3 do?
Can you tell is ultrasonic sensor and Arduino available in kit
what's the name of the transistor you are using
You did not stress the simple fact that these breadboards are not good. Following the PSU up to the motor, there is a variable resistance due to the poor contacts in about 30-40 Ohms. Now the motors are not getting enough voltage to be up to the speed of lifting the drone. Also with a thermal camera, you can see shiny dots on the breadboard - THE JUMPER WIRE IS HEATING UP!!! Man for a Ph.D. from Harvard you can do better!
Dude, this does not work! The ALAMSCN 8520 Coreless Brushed Motors, 50000 RPM CANNOT LIFT the structure you are showing. I am guessing you are hiding something, so you want to sell your kits for 4x the price. Do you have a Ph.D. in EE or in business?