Build a Micro FPV Airboat Using Drone Hardware

It’s not uncommon for drone enthusiasts to have a collection of spare parts lying around, certainly if there have been a few crashes over the years. With an extensive collection on his hands, Jason Suter wondered if he could cobble together some of those parts to build something fun and came up with a micro FPV airboat. While the final iteration of the boat can glide seamlessly on water, it took the drone enthusiast several revisions to get there before the boat could successfully float.

The FPV airboat was designed using a NewBeeDrone BeeBrainBL Whoop-sized flight controller with a pair of 8000kv flow motors (brushless) and two Avan Rush 2.5-inch propellers. He also used a Goober canopy that houses an NBD BeeEye camera he can use for navigation. The problem was designing a hull that could float and maintain an upright position, a feat seemingly easier said than done. His first attempt included a simple 3D-printed hull (MK1) with no internal support or structure, which proved unseaworthy from the start, as it was too heavy and sat way too low in the water for an airboat.

Suter's second attempt, the MK2, used hand-carved balsa wood coated in acrylic craft paint to act as a sealer. The hull’s front-end was angled to prevent nosediving, which proved to be a boon, but its weight distribution made the front act like a shovel, which would sink the boat as it glided over the water. MK3 saw a longer 3D-printed hull with raised prow and could maintain floatation, but it was limited in speed due to increased drag.

Suter eventually found success with the MK5, a wholly redesigned 3D-printed waterproof hull with a flared front, rounded corners and even weight distribution. Suter doesn’t recommend trying to recreate his build(s), as “water and electronics don’t mix,” but if anyone does go ahead, he’d be interested in knowing how it went.