Want to build your own drone? Here are six of the best 3D printable frames for it.

Building a DIY drone? Here are some of the best drone frames that you can 3D print for free.

Making a sturdy and standard frame is a key part of the process of building your own DIY drone. Of course, you can also buy a frame, but this is not in the spirit of DIY. Especially if you can already use a 3D printer.

One of the advantages of 3D printing drone frames is that you can print them again. This means that if you experience a flight accident and damage the frame, you don’t need to look for spare parts because you only need to print.

So if you plan to 3D print a frame for your drone, you can download and print a large number of models online, here are some of the best models.

Based on the success of the original MHQ, Hovership MHQ2 is a complete and fully functional frame model specially designed for brushless rotors. The frame is designed to accommodate the H-shaped rotor, and the arms are foldable so that you can tuck them into the fuselage when you are not using the drone.

The design of MHQ2 provides space for a large number of auxiliary modules and sensors, but if you plan to use Arduino to build a drone, it is better to use a smaller board, such as Arduino Nano.

MHQ2 printing is simple and clear, without any tricky parts. It is best to print arms with a fill rate higher than 75% so that they will not break in the first flight accident. You will need some M3 bolts and nuts to assemble the frame together.

Related: What is Arduino? What can you use it for? explain

This miniature H-Quadcopter frame is designed for miniature brushed 8.5mm motors, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The arm is connected in an H shape, and the frame is equipped with a rubber band mount for small 1S LiPo batteries. It also has a mount for mounting a miniature camera with double-sided tape.

The flight controller compartment is 30x37 mm, so there is not much space for additional modules, but you can easily install a flight controller or a mini Arduino board in it.

The frame model of Micro H-Quadcopter is easy to print, and because it is very small, the printing speed is also very fast. Keep the filler above 60% to obtain a strong frame. You can use M3 bolts to put the frame parts together without glue.

Crossfire 2 is probably the best real X-shaped DIY frame. Sturdy and lightweight, the spacious three-story compartment can accommodate almost all the modules you want, which is a good choice for beginners and veterans.

This frame is large enough to hold a 4S LiPo battery, a large flight controller (or Arduino Uno) and a large number of modules. The electronic speed controller is mounted on the arm and fastened with plastic clips.

The entire frame weighs about 400 grams, which means that it takes a long time to print, but it is a complete package because it comes with many boards and even a GoPro protective case. Crossfire 2 has been standardized to work with M3 hardware, and designer MikeyB has provided an extensive guide on how to print a frame and build a drone on top of it.

Related: The cheapest drone with a camera

Although most DIY drones show off their wires, PL1Q Vampire offers a different approach. The only visible parts of a drone with this frame are the motors and propellers, all other parts are hidden inside the frame or, if you prefer, under the cloak of the vampire.

This model is designed for brushless motors, the arm is long enough to use an 8-inch propeller, and the flight controller compartment is also large enough to accommodate the Arduino Uno.

The PL1Q Vampire is more difficult to print than the other models in this list, and some parts require support to print correctly. Use 100% filler on the motor support and 40% for the rest. If you plan to make a rough landing, print the landing gear 100%.

Another Micro-Quad, although this time it is a foldable arm. This foldable brushed Micro-Quad is not as miniature as you think, but if you tuck its arms into it, it can still fit in the palm of your hand. The frame uses a stretched X-shaped design, which allows you to be more stable at high speeds.

You can use 8.5mm brushed motors and 1S LiPo to build this quadcopter. You will skip the speed controller because this model is suitable for brushed motors. The frame is a bit too heavy for acrobatics, but because it has a good camera mount, it is very suitable for FPV flying.

The printing process of this foldable Micro-Quad is simple, because the parts are small and you don't need any rafts or supports. You can put the frame together with M2 and M3 bolts and nuts.

Related: Basic drone photography app and beginner's guide

The idea behind Nanolongrange is to create a long-range lightweight drone designed around a single lithium battery. It does a good job in this regard, because the entire drone, with a camera, weighs less than 45 grams. Building the drone around a single lithium battery gives the frame a unique structural shape, neither X nor H.

The frame is specially designed for brushless motors. However, it cannot accommodate external electronic speed control, so you should use AIO flight control. Compared with other frameworks, this makes it more difficult to build this drone with Arduino.

The print is a single file, and you can use PLA or ABS filament to print with a filling rate of more than 40%. This design uses lithium-ion batteries instead of the lithium polymer batteries of choice for most brushless drones.

Related: Unique ways of using drones today

Now that you have a large number of frames to choose from and print, you can further customize the frame by changing the size, material, color, etc. to build a truly unique drone. Whether it is X-shaped or H-shaped, using brushed motors or brushless motors, if you have the right frame, you can build almost any type of drone.

If you have recently started to learn about drones and want to start learning more, then you should start with the first step, first to learn how drones fly.

UAVs have become more accessible and can be used for multiple purposes. So, how do they fly, and for what purpose are they often used?

Amir is a pharmacy student who is passionate about technology and games. He likes to play music, drive cars and write.

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