Modular Hexacopter

A modular hexacopter can be 3D printed on a desktop 3D printer.

In Spring 2015, DroneLab offered an experimental class in Structural Engineering (SE) called SE207 3D Printable Robotics. In addition to attending lectures on the state of the art in 3D printing and its practical uses in robotics, this course provided the nine students with the opportunity to design and build a project of their own. The result of this eight-week project-based course is a snap-together modular hexacopter for which each team of three students designed and optimized an individual aspect. One team experimentally tested an array of printed ducts, motors and propellers to find the most efficient propulsion combination, while the other two designed the frame, snap-fit connectors, retractable landing gear, and control system. Thanks to its modular nature, all individual parts were small enough to be printed on a home desktop 3D printer.