Final project demonstration

10-inch autonomous quadcopter
Completed 10-inch quadcopter build with custom frame and integrated avionics.

Project Overview

Timeline: June 2025 - February 27, 2026 (ongoing)

This project is a full ground-up design and integration of a 10-inch autonomous quadcopter for stable long-range flight and autonomous mission execution. I designed the mechanical platform in Onshape, sourced custom carbon-fiber manufacturing, built and soldered the complete powertrain/electronics stack, and tuned ArduPilot from first hover to guided autonomous operation.

Technologies & Skills Demonstrated

  • Airframe and Mechanical CAD
    • Designed the complete frame architecture and custom parts in Onshape.
    • Designed landing gear, gimbal mount, and Jetson mount with manufacturable geometry.
    • Coordinated carbon-fiber manufacturing and validated tolerances during assembly.
  • Powertrain and Electronics Integration
    • Designed an 8S setup using two 4S packs in series based on mission power requirements.
    • Selected motors, ESCs, GPS, radio, sensors, and power electronics for a stable autonomous stack.
    • Performed full electrical integration, harnessing, and soldering.
  • Flight Control and Autonomy
    • Configured ArduPilot parameters from scratch for this platform.
    • Performed iterative PID tuning for stability and handling.
    • Progressed from manual test flights to stable loiter and guided autonomous takeoff.
  • Testing and Debugging
    • Conducted multiple test-flight campaigns and logged failure modes.
    • Diagnosed and mitigated EKF variance events tied to electromagnetic interference.
    • Iterated hardware layout and tuning to improve reliability.

Project Development

Mechanical design and CAD

Onshape CAD process and frame architecture for the 10-inch build.

The development process began by defining mission constraints and translating them into CAD requirements: stiffness under thrust loads, clean packaging for avionics, maintainability, and growth room for autonomous payload/computing.

Design priorities:

  • Frame stiffness and vibration behavior: geometry was tuned to reduce flex and vibration coupling into navigation sensors.
  • Integration-friendly layout: mount locations were planned for power stack, GPS/radio, and future payloads.
  • Serviceability: I avoided trapped fasteners and inaccessible interfaces so field fixes were practical.

Landing leg iterations

I treated landing gear as a separate mini-project because real-world handling quickly exposed weaknesses that CAD alone did not fully predict.

Landing gear design iterations from early prototype to stronger field-ready versions.

Iteration path:

  • Version 1: validated attachment concept and geometry.
  • Version 2: improved stance and impact behavior during repeated test sessions.
  • Later revisions: improved durability and practical field handling while keeping weight reasonable.

Mechanical assembly

After receiving frame parts, I moved into staged assembly and fit checks before committing to final wiring and flight testing.

Mechanical assembly progress and final frame integration.

Assembly workflow:

  1. Dry-fit structural components and verify tolerances.
  2. Install propulsion and verify clearances.
  3. Place avionics and adjust component locations to maintain balance and clean cable paths.
  4. Re-check mounting integrity and center-of-gravity before electrical finalization.

Electrical integration

Electrical integration was built around a robust 8S architecture and reliability under high-current conditions.

Powertrain wiring and electrical integration milestones.

Integration highlights:

  • Implemented 2x4S in series (8S) based on mission power requirements.
  • Selected motors, ESCs, GPS/radio/sensors, and power electronics as one system rather than isolated parts.
  • Completed soldering and harnessing with emphasis on clean routing and stable connections.
  • Updated wiring/layout after test observations to reduce interference on sensitive navigation signals.

Flight-test progression

Phase 1: Maiden and baseline stability

Objective: verify safe first flight behavior and capture the first set of tuning issues.

Phase 2: Outdoor tuning and repeatability

Objective: improve consistency in real conditions and tune for stable manual/assisted operation.

Phase 3: Autonomous milestone

Objective: progress from stable flight to guided autonomous takeoff and reliable higher-level flight modes.

Field testing and iteration toward reliable autonomous operation.

Test campaign progression moved from airworthiness checks to parameter refinement and finally to autonomous demonstrations.

Challenges + Solutions

  • Challenge: EKF variance and instability events in early tests
    • Cause: electromagnetic interference risk from high-current wiring layout.
    • Method: correlated instability events with load conditions and reviewed physical routing.
    • Solution: rerouted and isolated sensitive signal paths, improved harness discipline, and adjusted filtering/control parameters.
    • Outcome: fewer instability events and stronger confidence entering autonomous modes.
  • Challenge: Stable behavior across multiple flight modes
    • Cause: initial parameters did not fully match final mass distribution and dynamic response.
    • Method: iterative ArduPilot tuning loop after each sortie.
    • Solution: systematic PID and parameter refinement using observed flight behavior.
    • Outcome: improved loiter stability and more predictable handling.
  • Challenge: Mechanical details under real field loads
    • Cause: landing-leg and mount details required real-world validation.
    • Method: rapid design-build-test iterations.
    • Solution: revised geometry and interfaces until strength and practicality were consistent.
    • Outcome: more robust landing system and better operational reliability.
  • Challenge: Cross-domain integration complexity
    • Cause: mechanical, electrical, and autopilot decisions interacted strongly.
    • Method: treated each test as a full-system experiment rather than isolated subsystem tuning.
    • Solution: coordinated updates across CAD layout, wiring routing, and control configuration.
    • Outcome: steady progression from prototype behavior to autonomous demonstration.

Future Improvements

  • Add a consolidated public GitHub documentation repository for this platform.
  • Integrate higher-level mission automation workflows and repeatable flight-test scripts.
  • Extend payload integration and improve EMI hardening for long-duration missions.