01 Materials for a FoamyQuad

Materials

To build a quad, you basically need the gear below (this description is generic; see the materials list in the repo for links and exact specifications):

• 4 propellers (two counterclockwise and two clockwise, ideally with different colors for the front and back props, for example 1 green CW, 1 green CCW, one red CW, and one red CCW)
• 4 brushless motors
• 4 speed controllers, needed to operate the motors
• 1 Flight Controller, which controls the motors and makes the quad flyable
• 1 Lithium Polymer battery and a charger
• 1 Radio-Control transmitter and receiver
• 2 spars to mount the motors on
• 4 motor mounts to place the motors on the spars
• 4 spar mounts to place the spars on the fuselage
• a bunch of wires, and possibly a power distribution board, to connect everything together
• Some kind of fuselage, which can be a hunk of insulation foam (though it should be of reasonable strength and stiffness), or any other relatively light, stiff material in the shape of a plank. In a pinch a piece of plywood can be used, though it's not ideal in terms of stiffness for weight.

You'll probably want a camera of some kind to mount on the quad, as taking pictures or video is usually the point of having the quad in the first place!

Optionally you will want a GPS receiver, telemetry radio, and video transmitter and monitor; this allows "first person view" (FPV) piloting, or better photo/video acquisition as you can see what you're shooting.