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Make: Volume 44 – Fun With Drones!
These days drones are buzzing, not only in the skies, but throughout the maker community! Makers’ love affair with drones is easy to understand: it has all the trademarks of the maker movement. From open source hardware, robotics (like sensors), cameras, to innovative applications to solve real-world problems, drones are fun and functional. In Volume 44 of Make:, the editors dive into the red-hot world of quadcopters, with drone builds and inspired aerial activities. In this issue:
- Build the maker hangar R/C tricopter
- 3D print a quadcopter
- How to waterproof your drone
- Setting up an FPV drone race
- Pilot’s checklist
Projects include:
- DIY carbon fiber acoustic guitar
- Singing plasma-arc speaker
- 3D printable electric motor
- Easy infinity mirror
- Clone a fig tree
- Raspberry Pi super security camera
ON THE COVER: Two Game of Drones “Hiro” quadcopters in FPV configuration race through the sky.
Table of Contents
COLUMNS
Welcome
Dale Dougherty
Is Game of Drones the next X Games?Page 10
Made on Earth
Explore the amazing world of backyard technology.Page 12
FEATURES
Hands-On Health Care
Sara Breselor
When his wife was misdiagnosed, Michael Balzer used 3D printing and imaging to get her well.Page 16
Maker Pro Q&A
DC Denison
Meet the founder and president of TinyCircuits.Page 20
SPECIAL SECTION
Rotary Club
Hep Svadja
Donʼt drone alone.Page 22
Formula FPV
Nathan Hurst
Drone races are taking off.Page 24
The Multirotor Checklist
Austin Furey and the Flite test community
Remember all the little things that will keep you safely flying and having fun.Page 29
Drone Derby
Donald Hills
Set up your own FPV race with these handy guidelines.Page 30
Hovership: 3D-Printed Racing Drone
Steve Doll
There’s no better way to start racing than to build your own FPV quadcopter.Page 32
Build Your First Tricopter
Lucas Weakley
Tricopters fly smoother than quads and make better videos.Page 36
Noodling Around
Mark Harrison
This sturdy, low-cost airframe makes a great training quad. And it floats, too!Page 42
QuadH20 and WAVEcopter
Greta Lorge
A little moisture doesnʼt bother these waterproof drones.Page 43
Donʼt Be Dead in the Water
Austin Furey and the Flitetest.com community
How to protect your electronics from the elements.Page 44
PROJECTS
Smartphone Microscope
Kenji Yoshino
Take high-magnification photos with your phone, using the lens from a cheap laser pointer.Page 46
Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar
Seth Newsome
Use free 3D design tools to mold a tough, sleek guitar body in high-tech composite.Page 50
Plasma Arc Speaker
John Iovine
A high-voltage loudspeaker makes sound waves by vibrating an electric arc.Page 56
Easy Mega Infinity Mirror
Lila Becker
This quick build makes a door-sized star portal — or a vertiginous beer-pong table!Page 60
Build a Twilight Photometer
By Forrest M. Mims III
Experienced circuit makers can build this ultra-sensitive device to detect particles.Page 62
123 — How to Tattoo a Banana
Jason Peol Smith
Don’t just play with your food — make art with it.Page 65
Pi Spy Surveillance System
Michael Castor
The Raspberry Pi B+, Pi Camera Module, and MotionPi make it easy to keep an eye on things.Page 66
Cloning the Fig
Alastai Bland
Don’t steal fruit from your neighbor’s fig tree — clone it!Page 68
DIY “Nutella” Spread
Estérelle Payany
Make your own chocolate-hazelnut paste that’s better than store-bought.Page 70
Howtoons
Howtoons
Make butter with reverse emulsion.Page 71
Getting Started with LittleBits
Matt Richardson and Ayah Bdeir
The new book from Maker Media will initiate you into the ecosystem of the popular magnetic components.Page 72
Remaking History
William Gurstelle
Re-create the process that gave us car tires, rubber bands, and the boots on your feet. Page 76
Toy Inventorʼs Notebook
Bob Knetzger
Make a tiny toy Cartesian diver.Page 78
SKILL BUILDERS
Understanding Basic Woodworking Tools
Len Cullum
Six simple hand tools for building almost anything.Page 80
Your Obedient Servo
Charles Platt
How to build a bare-bones robot cart.Page 84
TOOLBOX
Tool Reviews
Recommendations for unique and useful maker tools, toys, and materials.Page 88
New Maker Tech
On the horizon for electronic accessories.Page 91
Books
Text tools for your bench or bedside table.Page 91
3D Printer Review
Matt Stultz
We take a look at the Printrbot Simple Maker's Kit.Page 92
