F450 quadcopter platform

A teaching and research quadcopter built on the F450 frame and the open-source APM flight controller. The team integrates the frame, flight controller, GPS, motors and power system, then assembles, tests and tunes it into a stable, extensible platform for education, prototype development and algorithm validation. Optional work adds autonomous flight such as waypoint navigation, position hold and automatic takeoff and landing.

Top view of an assembled quadcopter with red and white arms, white propellers, a GPS puck and a strapped battery, on concrete ground — Assembled quadcopter on the ground

Tech stack

Frame: F450 glass-fibre nylon frame
Flight controller: APM (open source)
GPS: u-blox NEO-M8N module
Propulsion: Brushless motors, ESCs, propellers
Power: LiPo battery
Radio: FlySky / Radiolink remote control
Ground station: Mission Planner

What we built

F450 frame integration and optimization
Flight controller setup, power distribution, wiring and power system
Motor, ESC, propeller, GPS and receiver integration
3D-printed mounting parts where needed
Full assembly, flight testing and parameter tuning
Optional: autonomous waypoint flight, position hold, auto takeoff and landing, path planning and ground-station integration

Photos and design files

Top view of the quadcopter frame held by two hands, showing the flight controller, GPS module and wiring — Flight controller, GPS and wiring

Hands holding four brushless motors with their leads on a cutting mat — Preparing the motors

The quadcopter frame next to a handheld radio transmitter on cutting mats — Frame and radio transmitter

All builds →

Building something similar?

Review my project

Or email [email protected] · WhatsApp +1 (323) 719-3730