My first drone build started over a decade ago, and I’m finally getting around to finishing it!
I started building this flame wheel-style quad in 2014. At the time I had a wild idea to make it fully autonomous, and have an old-school gimbal with a big camera on, which explains the size I guess. It’s got 880KV motors spinning 12”(!) props so I imagine I was expecting some heavy lifting.
At the time I got pretty far with writing custom software (including an android app using an IOIO OTG board for flight control) but abandoned it when I realised phone sensors (at the time) didn’t have enough resolution for the job.
Over Christmas I found everything and decided to finish off the build, but with modern components. So I’ve replaced the individual ESCs that were mounted on the arms, put in a SpeedyBee FC, an ELRS receiver and am now deciding on a VTX to make it into a big, heavy FPV that I can use for….. something.
But the important part is I’ll have finished the build. Finally.
Wish me luck 
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Cool project.
We used to sell a lot of Flamewheels on firstpersonview.co.uk way back when. It’s nice to see one again.
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Thanks @SimonDale 
These were all the rage at one point, weren’t they? It’s been bugging me for years so it’ll be nice to finally get it in the air, even if I don’t actually know what I’ll do with it once it is
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Well done on rising to the challenge and actually finishing it. Hey Simon… that’s another relic for your office wall.
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@SimonDale I have 2 I’m in the process of getting the bits and pieces together, then I’m going to build the whole set! I think I have a H680 Hex and a something else like a 440 may be smaller…
I still don’t know what I’ll do with them!
Ideas on a postcard to…
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Well, after replacing almost everything, the drone (which I’m provisionally naming “Trigger’s Broom” ) is ready for a test flight!
It doesn’t have a VTX yet as I’m trying to limit losses if it immediately flips into a lake or something (I’ve been burned before) but I have an O3 air unit ready to go in. There’s still a few other tweaks to make (I want to print a bracket and move the GPS for example) but it’s good enough for a takeoff and hover test.
Hoping to get it up this weekend, weather permitting 
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