You Can Build A Drone Yourself, But It's Not Always Worth It

Drone technology has improved enormously in recent years, with leading brands like DJI and its competitors producing increasingly feature-rich models that are easier to fly and more capable than ever. But with so much technology packed into today's off-the-shelf models, is building your own drone still a worthwhile alternative to buying one that's ready to fly?

Building a drone can be a rewarding experience, giving you the freedom to customize your aircraft and tailor its performance to your precise needs. Do-it-yourself (DIY) kits like those designed for first-person-view (FPV) flying provide a starting point, but do remember that assembling a working drone is rarely as simple as snapping a few parts together. First, you need to ensure that all of your components are compatible, from the frame, motors, and flight controller to the electronic speed controllers and battery. After that comes the assembly, possibly involving some wiring and soldering, followed by configuring the software, calibrating the electronics, and final testing. Still up for it? There's also troubleshooting. It's likely that only the luckiest builders will get everything working perfectly first time, so be prepared for a bit of head-scratching and tinkering before you finally get your drone airborne. 

Still, if you enjoy a technical challenge and the satisfaction of bringing a project to life, building your own drone can certainly be a satisfying endeavor. But if you're simply after the fun of flying such a device, then it may be better to buy a ready-made drone with the kind of advanced controls and features that could take a lot of effort to replicate in a DIY build.

The cost of building your own drone can vary a lot, as it really depends on the type of machine that you want, the quality of the components, and the level of performance you want. For example, a DIY FPV build requires more than just the drone's frame, motors, and flight controller. You'll also need the equipment to control and operate it, such as a radio transmitter, batteries, and, for FPV aircraft, goggles and a camera. One way to decide whether building your own drone offers good value is to compare the complete cost of a DIY build with that of an equivalent ready-to-fly version. That means looking beyond the initial price and considering the total cost of getting the drone ready to fly.

A useful example is EMAX's EZ Pilot Pro FPV drone, which is available in both a buildable and ready-to-fly package. The STEM Buildable kit costs $121.49, while the assembled package is more than double, at $274.99. The lower cost of the Buildable kit appears to be at least partly due to its more limited number of components (it doesn't appear to come with a controller or goggles, for example). 

Although the Buildable kit has a lower upfront price, the total cost of building the drone is going to be higher once you buy the necessary extras, so constructing it yourself seems unlikely to result in significant savings. But this is just one example, and the overall cost of a DIY drone can vary a lot depending on the parts you use and whether you already own some of them. Ultimately, deciding whether to build your own drone may be less about the cost and more about whether you're willing to invest the time and occasional frustration in getting everything working.