BUILD GUIDE REFERENCE
Comprehensive guide to building autonomous systems. From component selection and avionics architecture to airframe integration and wiring best practices.
Core Avionics
Flight Controller Architecture: The Compute Core
**CRITICAL** The Flight Controller (FC) is the central nervous system of the vehicle. In the ArduPilot ecosystem, the selection of the processor fa...
Control Link Architecture: ExpressLRS and MAVLink
**CRITICAL** In the ArduPilot ecosystem, the radio link is not just for control sticks; it is a bidirectional data pipeline for MAVLink telemetry. ...
GNSS & Magnetometry: State Estimation Sensors
**CRITICAL** An autonomous vehicle is a robot that makes decisions based on where it *thinks* it is. If the GPS drifts 5 meters, the drone moves 5 ...
Propulsion System
Propulsion Physics: Motors & Propellers
**CRITICAL** The propulsion system is the physical interface between the flight controller's digital commands and the atmosphere. A mismatch here c...
Electronic Speed Controllers (ESCs): The Power Translators
**CRITICAL** The ESC is the most hardworking computer on your aircraft. It must perform thousands of calculations per second to manage the violent ...
Power Systems Engineering: The Foundation of Flight
**CRITICAL** The power system is the most dangerous component of your aircraft. A failure here is rarely a "glitch"—it is usually a fire or a "de...
Airframe Design
Fixed Wing Airframe Principles
**CRITICAL** Unlike a multicopter, which is a brick that beats the air into submission with raw power, a fixed-wing aircraft is a refined instrumen...
Multicopter Frame Mechanics
**CRITICAL** The frame is not just a skeleton; it is a mechanical component of the control loop. If the frame flexes, the PID loop fails.