A few months ago I purchased a Tiny Whoop to fly in and around my house in hopes of getting better at flying. Little did I know that months later, this would turn into an addiction where I was more interested in drones than ever before.
I used to never get FPV drones. I thought they were silly and when people referred to those being drones, I would shrug it off since I flew a DJI with a camera. At some point throughout the year, my mind opened up to FPV and I was able to see the fun in it. Along with that fun came hours upon hours of stress, practice, and learning. Working alongside the infamous TomDrone, I was able to benefit myself with this knowledge. I look back now and realize that FPV has taught me so much about drones and the way they work but I also think about how much more comfortable I've gotten when it comes to flying drones in general.
Below you will find the recipe for the TomDrone. An 85mm ducted frame with a Caddx HD camera for some clear footage. This drone is something we have been working on for a while now and continue to refine.
Step 1: 3D Print Frame With Flexible Plastic and Trim
Trimming 3D Printed Frame
Step 2: Prepare to Swap Parts to New Frame
Prepping Re-Build
Step 3: Take Apart Old Build for Parts
Taking Apart Beta 75x w/Caddx
Step 4: Remove Camera
Remove Caddx
Step 5: Remove Everything Else
Appreciate the Mess
Step 6: 3D Print a Unique Piece for Flight Controller Stack
Unique Piece
Step 7: Install Flight Controller
Installing Flight Controller
Step 8: Install Unique Piece
Installing Unique Piece
Step 9: Install Motors
Installing Motors
Step 10: Install Camera
Installing Caddx
Step 11: 3D Print Desired "Top"
Printing/Picking Top
Step 12: Install Top & Complete Build
Installing Top for Completion
Performance:
The TomWhoop gets flight times up to 8 minutes on a two cell battery and performs better than most micro drones out there. This drone is by no means built for speed, but rather for stability and safety for indoor flying. It has become one of my favorite drones in the winter because I can practice flying in the comfort of my own home but soon enough it will be time to face the elements outside.
We look to continue building drones and perfecting a version that we really like this year!
I am a huge nerd when it comes to drones and have been flying for over 4 years. I enjoy doing aerial photography as my personal work but shoot tons of video for work as well. I am a part of Simply Visual Productions and Simply Sounds, working my way into an industry I couldn't be happier to be a part of.
