DIY Drones: An Overview of the Best Drone Kits on the Market

Drone kits are especially aimed at drone enthusiasts who would rather build their own rig with specific customizations than spending their money on something already assembled. Still, kits are also great for individual developers and people who want to test various aspects like battery power of thrust.

So, if you’re the kind of person who likes to push their basic drone skeleton to the limits to see what it can really do, kits are the best way.

Those who truly appreciate a quality DIY drone kit know just how valuable they truly are in more ways than one.

The Features and Items That Matter in a Kit

For starters, quadcopters are the best DIY drones to build. They have much better results and are a lot of fun to build. Where features are concerned, however, you can choose from multiple options that cater to you best.

 A Monitor for the Batteries

It’s not mandatory to have a monitor for the batteries, but it’s very useful to have one anyway. It could literally save your drone. Battery monitors warn you when your batteries are about to run dry, which saves your drone from running out of juice in mid-air.

Unfortunately, sometimes drones lose their juice while they are in the air and, as a result, crash, fall into a lake, etc. Drone enthusiasts can tell you all about these occurrences.

 A Camera

If you’re planning on taking pictures and videos with your drone, you’re obviously going to need a camera. GoPro’s Hero line is an awesome choice for an onboard drone camera. They are of high quality, take supreme stills, and have a great resolution for videos.

USB Key and Micro SD Card

If you’re going to have a camera on your drone, you’re going to need a USB Key and a Micro SD Card. This is so your videos and photographs will save onto the key or Micro SD Card so you can upload them to your computer or whatever device you have later on and have a look.

Some drone users have both a USB key and a Micro SD Card onboard, while others choose to have one or the either. It’s up to your personal preference, really.

Gimbal Stabilization System

If you are installing a camera onto your drone, investing in a gimbal stabilization system will go a long way. They ensure that your photos and videos come out crystal clear. A drone can vibrate and shake in the air depending on the weather, so installing a gimbal will ensure that whatever the weather, your pictures will come out looking great.

Now that you know what to look for, let’s see some of the most interesting kits on the market. And, if you’re still on the fence with buying a kit, take a look at this in-depth comparison on buying vs. building.

The Top 3 DIY Drone Kits

There are hundreds of DIY drone kits out there, but the best ones are right here. We’ve compiled a list of the top 3 DIY drone kits currently on the market to help you with your decision in which one is best for you.

AirDog Auto-Follow Kit

If you’re someone who is constantly seeking adventure and want a way to document it all, the AirDog Auto-Follow Kit is definitely for you. It’s great for filming your adventures with as little manual control as possible, thanks to its Follow feature that tracks and follows your every move. This feature is made possible by the tracker you will be wearing on your wrist.

It’s an easier kit to build because it does not have a lot of extensive parts and features to it. Because it’s a drone kit designed to record and take photos you don’t have to have too much experience, especially because it follows you, and it can even fold into a size that easily slips into a backpack.

Depending on your flight speed, which can go up to 42 mph, you can get up to 18 minutes of flight time. The range is approximately 820 feet, you can fly it 11,500 feet above the sea level, and a 5400mAh Li-PO battery is recommended for this DIY drone kit. You will, however, have to supply your own camera.

DJI Flame Wheel F450 ARF Kit

DJI is a very renown drone brand for a good reason. Even their kits are superb! This DIY quadcopter is nearly ready-to-fly, includes a multi-rotor flying platform, is great for amateur aerial photography should you choose to stick a camera onto it, and provides first-person view applications.

The arms are made of a material that is incredibly durable to ensure that crashing won’t be an issue. The PCB frame board is also made of superior quality materials, as well. This ensures that the wiring and the batteries are safe and sound.

You get to choose your own battery. However, it should be between a 4S and 4S Li-PO battery. The speed will depend on the battery that you choose, but this DIY drone kit can reach speeds at up to 60mph, so it’s incredibly fast for such a small drone.

Hobbypower F450 ATF Kit

This DIY quadcopter kit comes with very few pieces to ensure that you can tweak to your heart’s content. It doesn’t include the batteries, flight controller, or any remote control whatsoever, which leaves you to build the perfect drone for you.

It does, however, come with brushless motors for balance, which are exceptional where quality is concerned. There are zero vibrations to worry about. The landing skids are great for having a camera and a gimbal stabilization system onboard if you choose to add them, which is a definite benefit.

Using a 2200mAh Li-PO 11.1 battery is recommended, a lot of other drone users have used this battery, and it does well where speed is concerned, which can go up to 30mph.

The Best DIY Drone Kits on the Market

Building a drone from scratch, or a somewhat detailed kit is a lot easier than most think it to be. After a while you will notice that it’s an awesome hobby to have, it’s easier to build your own custom drone after some practice, and you’ll be saving money on new parts in the long run. What could be better?