This Fixed-Wing UAV Drone Is Almost Entirely 3D-Printed — And You Can Build It Yourself

Pseudonymous maker "yotitote" has shared 3D print files for a fixed-wing uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), built around a Matek F405-WING V2 flight controller ― though admits the design is "highly experimental" and could do with further iteration to gain peak performance.

"This [project guides you through the design and build process of a 3D-printed UAV," yotitote writes of their creation. "The complete aircraft weighs under 1kg [around 2.2lbs]. To design this aircraft, I used Onshape 3D CAD. I began with rough sketches to explore the overall layout, proportions, and component placement, then refined them into precise drawings with exact measurements and alignment references."

Yotitote's design process began with the fuselage, a 500mm-long (around 19.7") 80mm-wide (around 3.15") tube that houses the electronics. There's a V-shaped tail, based on a modified NACA 0012 profile for predictable control response and aerodynamic stability, with wings providing an overall wingspan of 880mm (around 34.6"). As with similar fixed-wing drone designs, the aircraft's propeller is at the rear — leaving the nosecone free for a camera for first-person view (FPV) flight.

The electronics payload includes a Matek F405-WING V2 flight controller, RadioMaster RP3 radio receiver, Hobbywing Skywalker 40A electronic speed controller, and a SUNNYSKY X2216 motor to drive the rear-mounted propeller. A quartet of MG90S servos are linked to control surfaces on the wings and tail to allow the aircraft to be steered as it flies. Almost the entire drone is 3D-printed, primarily from lightweight PLA (LW-PLA) with PETG for the motor mount, bar carbon rods that provide strength to the wings.

"I used INAV [naviation-enabled flight control software] for configuration with a standard V-tail airplane mix," votitote adds, "but the remaining settings can be adjusted according to personal preference. It is a highly experimental platform and far from ideal, [but] documents my build journey and aims to inspire others to create similar projects."

The full project write-up is available on Instructables, complete with STL files for printing the UAV yourself.