I wanted to get some experience with building a Quad-Copter and play around with flying robots.  Since this was my first time building a flying creation I wanted something simple that did not require to much coding right at the start. I searched around and I found a really cool guide by Dragos Colin for a few different styles of copters and I just fell in love with this design. Mainly because it seems to have longer flight time and has enough power to carry a camera if I wanted too. Using Dragos’s guide and a few tweaks of my own I compiled  this Bill of Materials.

Quad-Copter Bill of Materials
Parts	Quantity	Unit Cost	Accrued Cost	Vendor	Contact Information
10CM Male to Male Servo Lead  26AWG (5pcs/set)	2	$4.99	9.98	Ebay	http://www.ebay.com/itm/10CM-Male-to-Male-Servo-Lead-26AWG-5pcs
9″x4.7 Propeller Set Green 4 pcs 2 CW and 2 CCW	1	$5.02	$5.02	FlyDuino	http://flyduino.net/9×47-Propeller-Set-Green-4-pcs-2-CW-and-2-CCW
Turnigy H. A. L. Quadcopter Frame 585mm	1	$33.99	$33.99	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
Hobbyking KK2.1.5 Multi-rotor LCD Flight Control Board With 6050MPU And Atmel 644PA	1	$29.99	$29.99	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
Turnigy Battery Strap 330mm	1	$1.59	$1.59	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
D2830-11 1000kv Brushless Motor	4	$10.29	$41.16	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
Turnigy Plush 30amp speed Controller	4	$13.13	$52.52	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
TURNIGY BESC Programming Card	1	$6.95	$6.95	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
HXT 4mm to 4 X 3.5mm bullet Multistar ESC Power Breakout Cable	1	$3.65	$3.65	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
Hobby King 2.4Ghz 4Ch Tx & Rx V2 (Mode 2)	1	$23.02	$23.02	Hobby King	http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store
Sky Lipo 4400mAh 11.1V 30C	1	$43.19	$43.19	Hobby Partz	http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl4400-3333.html
Gold connector 3.5mm	4	$1.35	$5.40	Hobby Partz	http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-10155.html
		Total Cost	$262.44

Most of these parts where shipped from China and Europe so they took awhile to arrive here in United Sates.

Step 1: I soldered the 3.5 mm Gold Connectors to the ESC (Electronic Speed Controllers)  then covered them with heat shrink.

 

Step 2: I constructed the H. A. L. Quad-copter Frame. This was pretty simple, Each of the arm had notches in them so they could only fit on to the main chassis in one direction. I then added the Motors. This part was a little tricky because the motor mounts were not keyed and I had to use a level to make sure they were horizontal with the rest of the frame. (NOTE: USE Loctite on the Screws! I lost a few after my first flight and was sad).

Step 3: Originally, I zipped tied the ESC’s onto the Arms and Plugged in the Motors.

(The Rotation of the Motor Changes by switching two of the three wires)

 After a few flight test, my horrible pilot skills, and just for aesthetics I modified this design. I cut the leads on the motor and soldered some 16 gauge wire to extend these leads. I then ran the wires through the hollow arms and this looks much nicer.  This also provided extra protection for the ESC’s as they were then able to mount inside the frame.

 

Step 4: I then Connected the Flight Controller to the Frame.

 

Step 5: For Training Purposes I also added a Pool Noodle onto the arms to help protect my Quad copter, The ESC’s fit nicely around the Flight Controller and I added Dual Color Blades for Orientation while flying.