Tools You Need to Build a Drone¶
To build a drone, we need to get a lot of separate electronic parts together. These parts come in all shapes and sizes, and we need to make sure that they are compatible with each other. In order to effectively achieve a stable solid and strong build, a few basic minimum tools are needed. Here's a list of them all
Soldering Iron¶
One of the most important tools that one needs when building a drone is a soldering iron. With quads, many different components need to be connected to the flight controller or the ESC. For instance, the four motors need to be connected to the ESC, the radio module and the camera need to be connected to the flight controller, and so on. These connections need to be strong and withstand vibrations and shocks. Soldering is the best way to achieve this.
Any soldering iron with a wattage of 60W would suit well, although it is recommended to go for one that allows for varying the temperature. This is particularly important because heat is an enemy to electronic components. Being able to increase or reduce the temperature allows to work with small and large soldering jobs.
Soldering tips¶
The type of soldering tip is also an important factor to consider when working on any soldering job. For most soldering jobs, two types of tips are most commonly used:
- Conical Tip - Used in soldering jobs that need high precision. These are the most versatile of the lot and usable in many situations.
- Bevel Tip - These tips have a large flat surface that allows to deliver more heat. Usually used for soldering jobs for large joins.
Recommendation¶
Here are some notable soldering irons you could go for. All of these have digital LED for temperature check, variable temperature and replaceable tips.
| SL | Model name | Manufacturer | Link to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TS100 | Miniware | AliExpress |
| 2 | SQ-001 (TS-100 clone) | Sequre | AliExpress |
| 3 | SQ-D60B | Sequre | InsideFPV |
As for tips, we recommend using the TS-BC2 and TS-C4 tips.
Solder Wire¶
Solder wire is an integral component used as the binding medium in soldering joins. Solder is an alloy made by combining two metals (usually Tin [Sn] and Lead [Pb]). We recommend using good quality solder with a rosin core. Rosin core solder wire includes a thin core of rosin material which acts as flux for the soldering process.
60-40 Sn-Pb solder wire¶
This is the most commonly found solder wire blend available in India. We recommend going for this blend instead of the lead-free version of solder wire. Also, we highly recommend going for this blend with a rosin core to include a bit of flux into the soldering process to make a better join.
Utectic Solder Wire (63/37 Sn/Pb)¶
Solder wire also comes in a special blend of 63% tin and 37% lead. This solder wire is called Eutectic solder. While the regular 60-40 blend of solder usually exhibits a variance in solidifying and melting temperature points, utectic solder possesses a single (usually low) melting and solidifying temperature point. This allows for better and more accurate soldering results. Eutectic solder wire is very rarely found in India. Most available products are imported ones made by Kester or other reputable brands.
Allen Keys set¶
A simple set of allen keys is always valuable. Allen keys allow to quickly work with screws or bolts which have hexagonal heads/sockets. These are cheap and available almost everywhere.
Dual-sided tape¶
Dual sided tape is an absolute essential item in the hobbyist's arsenal. These come handy in a variety of situations where we need to ensure that components stay in their designated spots on the drone and don't come off. These come in various widths, sizes and bonding strengths. We recommend going for 3M dual-sided tape.
Electrical Wire (silicone kind)¶
| Purpose | Wire Thickness | Wire Colors | Link to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Wire | 12-14 AWG | red & black | |
| Motor Wire | 20-22 AWG | red black & yellow | |
| Data Wires | 28 AWG | red, black & yellow |