8 year old builds a quadcopter.

by TommyGunn | April 8, 2013 | (31) Posted in Projects

Me and my son decided to start a youtube channal showing what we have done.

it all started this last summer...

Me and my 8 year old making the X-1
After watching the the mars landing he asked me if we could make something like the "Mars curiosity" also.. I thought about it for a second ...Then  I said sure why not! even tho i did not have NASA's billion dollar budget. Who am i to tell an 8 year old you can't do something because it's too hard!

I had never build a quadcopter before and this was not a kit. (everyone said i should start with a kit)
but i told him if we do this project we can't give up if it gets too hard... never give up.
even if the project had failed at least he will walk away with that life lesson

my son built 80% of the x1 including the soldering and most of the wiring.  I did the programming and very little wiring only cable management I like doing cable management.

this is only phase 1.
phase 2: we will add gps and cameras then fpv with anti vibration system
phase 3: waypoints and osd
phase 4: ( this summer)
 We will attach a rover to deploy via parachute then release parachute.
Take a soil sample while filming quadcopter will return home and self land.
the rover will avoid obstacles and also return home via gps.

Part 2 is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADR6HWloPmQ

thanks for watching and please subscribe we will be doing tutorials and how to's.

parts:
we used the hoverthings.com camo ht-fpv frame

dji naza

turnigy 26-28 motors

8.5 props

30 amp opto esc

and spectrum ar7000 and dx7 transmitter.

Thanks

Tommy and Jesse

COMMENTS

rodgerthat on April 12, 2013
Can you adopt me? lol! Does he fly it? i didn't see him flying it.
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TommyGunn on April 12, 2013
Yes at that time he was not He was learning to fly using eflite blade mcx coaxial heli's the the mcx and the cx2. He did not want to break it till he got the hang of hovering.
But he is now flying it and started fpv'ing, I have to adjust the straps a lot smaller and i forget i did that then i put them on afterwards and my eye feel like they are going pop out!
with the fpv he is fearless like a duck to water.. I am getting better with the goggles but still not 100 percent used to it.
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billsbigf8 on April 13, 2013
hey my sons 8yr old, he is also fearless,i just stoped opening my mouth when i thought he was to low,he madens all the new planes and has tought a adult to fly ,funny kids hes been flying since he was 4yr old
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TommyGunn on April 16, 2013
also give you a kid a shot at soldering start out with radio shack kits, You will be surprised how quickly they figure it out yes they will get burned a little that is how they learn hell i still burn my self sometimes lol! This is mine building something 100% by himself.
a lot of people think i build something and stick him in for the picture, i had to make this video to show that is not true.
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TommyGunn on April 16, 2013
oops here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7vXqUibFzs

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NoUsername on April 13, 2013
Impressive

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TommyGunn on April 13, 2013
Lol! i know exactly about shutting your mouth! I was like the back seat flyer!
stop! that is high enough!..not too far! Bring it back! just hover! higher! lower! land it lnd it ! No you cant do tricks!
Now i just bite my lip and say nothing as long as it's safe.. if he crashes the work he can do now is break propellers. we are using the "ht-fpv flip" from hoverthings.com it's practically indestructible.
is you kid soldering yet?

Tommy


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billsbigf8 on April 15, 2013
no butafter reading your stuff hes going to funny he just made a profile old fogy, just as a glider but the thing flys real good, i just started to let him use a hotglue gun and razor knife when supervised, like a duck to water dollartree foamboard is amazing,hes not really into the quad thing yet but im thinking about building one ,all my friends have one i can build one the size of yours for about 200 bucks minus camera and telemetry.my friend owns wingman rc and hes really into quads now. check out our website gsa flightsquadron.com . some pretty cool stuff with more to come. shame i moved from philly last year would love to see you guys fly.if your ever in tucson your welcom to fly with us anytime.
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billsbigf8 on April 15, 2013
my friend on here is horikama he builds alot of foamboard stuff, we use the same frame as you do, we made a landing skid out of aluminum, im told it helps with orientation to . less chance of breaking props
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TommyGunn on April 16, 2013
I had my kid and some of his friends building the "nut ball" using xacto's but thought all about safety and how to use one. The main thing i tought him when using knifes 1 alway use a sharp knife 2 alway make soft "cat scatches" to follow the lie then go super slow and pull slowly never try and rush it. if it gets bumpy you can sand it afterward. "safety first!" him and 3 of his friends have cut out all the shapes already.
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pramodgupta on October 18, 2013
I like this article
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8 year old builds a quadcopter.