Unlock drone potential! Build, code, and fly with open-source. From DIY motion capture to 3D-printed airframes. Take control!
The Open Source Revolution Takes Flight: Control Drones Your Way
For years, getting into drones felt like entering a walled garden. Proprietary systems, closed-off software, and limited customization – it was frustrating for those of us who love to tinker and truly understand how our machines work. But the winds are shifting, and a powerful force is breaking down those walls: open source. Imagine a world where you’re not just flying a drone, but actively shaping its intelligence, its capabilities, its very essence. That world is rapidly becoming reality, fueled by a vibrant community of developers and hobbyists just like us. This isn’t just about cheaper parts; it’s about unlocking unprecedented potential and putting you in the pilot’s seat of drone innovation. Let’s dive into some incredible examples from the YouTube sphere that are proving open source is not just a trend, it’s the future of drone control.
Key Takeaways: Open Source Powering Your Drone Dreams
Precision and Affordability: Open Source Motion Capture: Forget expensive, closed-system motion capture setups. As demonstrated in the "Open Source Motion Capture for Autonomous Drones" video, millimeter-level precision for indoor drone localization is achievable with a DIY system costing just around $20! This is a game-changer for indoor autonomous flight and research, democratizing advanced capabilities that were once out of reach for most hobbyists. Imagine setting up your own indoor flight arena with pinpoint accuracy, all thanks to open source ingenuity.
Code Your Controller: The Future of FPV is Programmable: The "Swoop – FPV drone radio designed with code!" project is a glimpse into the future of drone control. Building an FPV radio from the ground up, using code to define its very functionality? That’s next-level customization. This project highlights the power of open source to let you tailor your control system precisely to your flying style and needs. No more being limited by pre-programmed modes – you’re writing the rules.
VESC: The Gold Standard in Open Source ESCs: The "VESC (Best Open Source ESC) || DIY or Buy" video shines a light on the VESC, widely regarded as the king of open-source Electronic Speed Controllers. Its advanced features and open nature allow for incredible control over your drone’s motors, leading to smoother flights, greater efficiency, and the ability to fine-tune performance like never before. Plus, the video explores the DIY aspect, showing you can even build your own VESC – truly understanding the hardware inside and out.
Printable Freedom: Design, Build, Fly – Open Source Airframes: The "AESIR II – Open-source, 100% 3D printable, Endurance Drone" project showcases the liberating potential of open-source drone designs. Imagine downloading the plans for a high-performance endurance drone and 3D printing it yourself! This project, pushing for 20+ minute flight times, demonstrates how open source is driving innovation in airframe design, making advanced drone platforms accessible to anyone with a 3D printer.
Pixhawk & Raspberry Pi: The Brains of Open Source Autonomy: The "Pixhawk Delivery Drone With Raspberry Pi5 || Demo" video brings together two open-source powerhouses: Pixhawk and Raspberry Pi. Pixhawk, the renowned open-source flight controller, combined with the processing muscle of the Raspberry Pi 5, creates a platform ripe for advanced autonomous missions, AI, and computer vision. This is the foundation for building truly intelligent drones capable of complex tasks, and it’s all built on open source.
MAVLink & QGroundControl: Your Open Source Mission Control: Going back a bit, the "Raspberry Pi communicating with QGroundControl via MAVLink" video from 2014 (already!) demonstrates the crucial role of open-source Ground Control Stations (GCS) like QGroundControl. Communicating via MAVLink, the standard open-source protocol, QGroundControl gives you comprehensive control and telemetry over your drone. This video, though preliminary, was a key early step in showing how open source software could form the backbone of drone operations.
Beyond the Horizon: The Open Source Trajectory
Looking at these examples, a clear trend emerges: open source is driving accessibility, innovation, and customization in the drone world. We’re moving beyond black boxes and into an era where hobbyists and professionals alike can deeply understand, modify, and contribute to the technology that powers our flights. From motion capture for indoor navigation to fully programmable radios and printable airframes, open source is lowering the barrier to entry and fostering a community-driven approach to drone development. The combination of powerful, affordable hardware like Raspberry Pi with robust open-source software like Pixhawk and QGroundControl is creating an ecosystem where anyone can build sophisticated, tailored drone solutions. Expect to see even more integration of AI and machine learning, fueled by the collaborative nature of open source, pushing the boundaries of what drones can achieve.
Take Control: Explore the Open Source Drone Universe
Ready to take the plunge into the open source drone revolution? These videos are just the tip of the iceberg. Scroll down to watch the highlights and delve deeper into each project. Explore the linked GitHub repositories, join the online communities, and start building your own open source drone today. The future of drone control is open, and it’s waiting for you to be a part of it.
Watch the videos below
Open Source Motion Capture for Autonomous DronesJoshua Bird683,611 views | 25,054 | November 15 2023 11:24:26 (648 comments)[ Read more … ]
A low cost ($20), open source motion capture system with millimeter level precision at room-scale. Used to localize autonomous drones inside a room.
GitHub repo with code & 3D files: https://github.com/jyjblrd/Mocap-Drones
Check out my blog post for more info on the drones, cameras, etc: https://joshuabird.com/blog/post/mocap-drones
Ep. 1: Swoop – FPV drone radio designed with code!atopile8,752 views | 473 | April 29 2024 17:04:54 (45 comments)[ Read more … ]
Swoop project: https://github.com/atopile/swoop atopile compiler: https://github.com/atopile/atopile
We are redesigning our motion based remote controller in atopile and making it open source. Join our discord if you are interested and would be interested in contributing: https://discord.gg/nr5V3QRUd3
VESC (Best Open Source ESC) || DIY or BuyGreatScott!633,682 views | 13,029 | June 24 2018 14:52:25 (734 comments)[ Read more … ]
Prototype quality PCB ($2) & Stencil ($7) : https://jlcpcb.com Previous video: https://youtu.be/liZMwInWuTM Make your own ESC: https://youtu.be/W9IHEqlGG1s Make your own Sensored ESC: https://youtu.be/YV-ee8wA5lI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greatscottlab Twitter: https://twitter.com/GreatScottLab
You can get a VESC here: (affiliate link): https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dUye2YS
Useful websites which were shown in the video: http://vedder.se/2015/01/vesc-open-source-esc/ https://vesc-project.com/ http://www.electric-skateboard.builders/t/vesc-boot-loader-installation-tutorial/32103
In this episode of DIY or Buy we will have a closer look at the VESC which is probably the best open source ESC. Along the way we will have a look at its amazing features and try to build our own in order to find out whether DIYing the circuit is cheaper.
Thanks to JLCPCB for sponsoring this video Visit https://jlcpcb.com to get professional PCBs for low prices
Music: 2011 Lookalike by Bartlebeats Killing Time, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
AESIR II – Open-source, 100% 3D printable, Endurance DroneVito Cientanni49,873 views | 1,083 | May 24 2021 18:04:55 (64 comments)[ Read more … ]
Download SIR II on Printables: https://www.printables.com/model/275006-aesir-ii
I took my sir concept and have developed it into SIR II; an open-source endurance-drone design. Utilising high energy density Li-Ion batteries, a flight time of over 20 mins is achievable – even with HD FPV equipment, and powerful 5″ motors.
See more about SIR II here: https://www.etarfri.org/projects/aesir-ii
Pixhawk Delivery Drone With Raspberry Pi5 || DemoAleenDG892 views | 21 | November 9 2024 10:30:36 (2 comments)[ Read more … ]
Building a Custom Drone with Pixhawk & Raspberry Pi 5 | DIY Drone Build
In this video, I showcase my custom-built drone, powered by the Pixhawk flight controller and Raspberry Pi 5 for enhanced processing and versatility. This build combines the precision and reliability of Pixhawk with the power and flexibility of the Raspberry Pi 5, creating a drone that is not only capable of autonomous flight but also supports advanced AI and computer vision applications.
🔧 Key Features:
Pixhawk Flight Controller: For precise control and stability in flight [Pixhawk Flight Controller](https://amzn.to/3UNEelh) Raspberry Pi 5: Provides high-performance computing for real-time data processing, AI, and machine learning tasks [Raspberry Pi 5](https://amzn.to/3Ayw7Ch) Custom Setup: Tailored for a variety of applications, from drone racing to aerial photography and more Open-Source Software: Running on open-source flight control software (ArduPilot or PX4) for full customization and flexibility Parts Used in the Build: Frame: [S500 Carbon Fiber](https://amzn.to/4fllWjz) Pixhawk Flight Controller [Pixhawk Flight Controller](https://amzn.to/3UNEelh) Raspberry Pi 5 [Raspberry Pi 5](https://amzn.to/3Ayw7Ch) GPS Module [GPS Module](https://amzn.to/4fHchn5) Brushless Motors [Brushless Motors](https://amzn.to/3AwRB2s) ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers) [ESCs](https://amzn.to/3Ce8cZd) Battery and Charger [Battery](https://amzn.to/4fIsHvP), [Charger](https://amzn.to/40AvMcX) Propellers [Propellers](https://amzn.to/3CfoWiM) Radio [F.S-i6X 2.4GHz](https://amzn.to/4fBdA7d)
Whether you’re a drone enthusiast, engineer, or hobbyist looking to build your own drone with powerful hardware, this video breaks down the process and components I used to get this drone up and running. From assembly to programming, I walk you through every step to create a high-tech drone that can be used for countless applications.
Raspberry Pi communicating with QGroundControl via MAVLink22kmhigh21,007 views | 138 | October 7 2014 19:54:39 (4 comments)[ Read more … ]
A small preliminary showcase of a simple python-based code to allow a Raspberry Pi (here model A) to communicate with QGroundControl, a well-know Open Source UAV ground control software.
A preliminary testbed to showcase the ability of RPi to be used as an autopilot September 2014, Lannion, France.
Disclaimers: i) I did not have the opportunity to screencast some parts of the video (especially those related to QGroundControl). Sorry for the sometimes blurry capture. ii) the so-called RPi autopilot is in a very extremely early state. I’ll think about publicly releasing a version when it has attained a minimal level of reliability/maturity. In the meantime, I intend to set up dedicated web pages that properly detail how to reach this result. More on the subject in a few weeks. Thanks for your understanding.
Hardware used: Dell latitude D630 Core 2 Duo T7250 2 GB RAM Raspberry Pi model A D-Link 7-port USB 2.0 hub Edimax 802.11b/g/n nano USB adapter Raspberry Pi camera board Adafruit 16-channel 12-bit I2C PWM/Servo driver Turnigy plush 6A ESC Turnigy aerodrive SK3 brushless motor Zippy flightmax 800 mAh 2S 20C LiPo battery
Software used: Debian 7.6 Linux 64 bits on the Dell D630 http://debian.org Raspian Linux on the RPi http://raspbian.org QGroundControl 2.0.3 http://qgroundcontrol.org Qt 5.3 http://qt-project.org MAVLink v1.0 http://qgroundcontrol.org/mavlink/start pymavlink 1.1.35 http://github.com/mavlink/pymavlink Python 2.7 http://python.org Cython 0.15.1-2 http://cython.org
Soundtrack: Outside Help by K4MMERER
About the Author
Patryk Alexander is an associate copy editor at 4kVideoDrones.com, where he sharpens articles and helps keep the website's content clean and error-free. With a background in creative writing, Patryk brings a unique perspective to his editing that helps make 4kVideoDrones.com's content engaging and informative. When he's not editing or writing, Patryk enjoys spending time with his family and exploring the great outdoors.
