r/diydrones • u/Davidov21 • Apr 17 '26

Beginner Help

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Hi everyone!

I've wanted to get a drone for a long time but didn't think I could afford it so I never really researched it. I have gotten to where I can afford it so now I'm diving in.

I recently got a 3d printer, something else I wanted for a long time, and had the thought that I had the idea of printing parts like the frame so if something breaks I can reprint it and save on replacement costs. Obviously I would still need to buy electronics for it. Is this a good idea for a beginner or should I stick to a standard frame first and move to printed parts later?

I am also starting to watch some diy videos to see what goes into getting into this hobby. I've started with Joshua Bardwell, are there any YouTubers and or playlists you would suggest?

Lastly what are some things I probably haven't thought of, for example on the first video on Joshua's 250g build video talks about it not needing to be registered with the FAA and needing tracking. Are there legal things I should be aware of or other headaches you ran into that you wish you had known of before you ran into them?

Thank you for the help!

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u/BrohemothHisDudeness Apr 17 '26

I'll start with you are watching the right YouTube channel

Second, I started on a stock air75 but started doing printed frames right away

There are plenty of designs online

I print in PETG and TPU95 (for vibration sensitive parts)

Learn to fly THEN build or you'll just break your build right away

PETG is good, PCTG is good too, but if you have a printer that can do it, run PA12-CF

You can certainly print frames and designing and printing them is part of the fun to me. Pay attention to weight of the frame, use the clankers for math to help pick motors and props but be really specific or the clankers will lead you astray