Drone Fusion360
Drone Fusion360
Drone Fusion360
The Step by Step Insider Guide walks readers through basic to advanced drone airframe
aerodynamics. Your creative results may vary, experimentation is encouraged.
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PD21100-L
Racing-Drone Design Fundamentals with Fusion 360
ELI DElia - Eagle Eye
Learning Objectives
Learn best practices and workflows for creating an aerodynamic racing
drone
Understand airframes and power-trains layoutslearn how to build
airframes around imported component files
Learn how to use Flow Design wind-tunnel simulator to guide UAV form
Description
Professional drone racing is now and the market is hungry for new dynamic
designs to feed the sport! This class will go in depth with Fusion 360 software in
tandem with Flow Design wind-tunnel simulator to demystify the working
fundamentals of mainstream racing drones. Attendees will learn essential steps
in creating a CAM (computer-aided manufacturing)-ready, aerodynamic airframe
around imported component files. This session features Fusion 360 and Flow
Design.
LEVEL OF EXPERTISE:
All Levels
PRODUCT :
Fusion 360, Flow Design Wind Tunnel Simulator
Your AU Expert(s)
Taylor Stein, Fusion 360 Evangelist
Bryce Heventhal, Technical Marketing Manager for Fusion 360
Paul Sohi, Autodesk Product designer
Mickey Wake Field, Autodesk CAD and Simulation software manager
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About the Speaker:
Commercial Drone Designer, Fusion360 Expert Elite.
Founder of Game of Drones and Aerial Sports League. Owner
Hooligan FPV Pro Racing Drones. Eagle Eye Metrics, Aerial
Agronomy & Services.
Eli has a number of sports drones in the market. Has been
involved with fringe robotics since 1996. Now exclusively in the
commercial drone industry as a designer, engineer and certified
FAA Pilot in Command.
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Section 1 - Modeling A Basic Airframe
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3. Select the bottom plane so your view orientation is facing down.
4. Sketch / Center Diameter Circle. From world center draft a 210 millimeter circle.
Drag out and input 210 mm in the diameter dialog box.
5. Sketch / Line Tool. Draft a vertical line from center to just past the top of the circle
perimeter and hit X on your keyboard to convert the line to a construction line.
6. Sketch / Line Tool. Draft out a horizontal line from center to just past the right of the
circle perimeter and hit X on your keyboard to convert the line to a construction line.
7. Measure out a 45 degree arc from the center vertical and horizontal lines.
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8. Sketch / Line Tool. Draft another line tool between the two and type in 45 degrees.
Hit X on your keyboard to convert the line to a construction line.
9. Select the Circle and hit X on your keyboard to convert the line to a construction
circle.
Note: When drafting out a Motor Mount it is key is to assure that the motors are
equal distance or square from each other.
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10. Create the motor mount, Sketch / Center Diameter Circle. From the 45 degree line
intersection draft out a new construction circle and input 25mm. (almost 1 inch)
11. Use the 25mm dimension line as a guide, adjust so it is perfectly vertical.
12. Create a center circle which will become a hole to allow the motors drive shaft to
spin freely.
13. Sketch / Center Diameter Circle. From motor mount circle center draft out a new
circle and type in 5mm.
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14. Sketch / Center to Center Slot tool. Using the 25mm dimension line as a guide,
draft a slot just o the center motor shaft circle. Type in 4mm in width.
15. Adjust the top and bottom arcs to allow distance from the top circle perimeter and
the cent circle diameter.
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16. Right drag select the motor mount slot.
17. Sketch / Circular Pattern Tool. From the tools dialogue box check to be sure all 11
elements of the slot tool are selected. Click on center point and select the motor mount
circle center point.
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19. The 1st motor mount is now complete with a motor screw layout to allow good wire
flow from the motors to drone center where they will connect to the Power Distribution
Board (PDB).
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21. Sketch / Circular Pattern Tool. From the tools dialogue box check to be sure all 48
elements are selected. click on Drone Center Point, change the default setting from 3
to 4 and click ok.
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Step 2: Creating The Motor Component Plate - Component Plate and Motor
Booms:
1. Sketch / Center Rectangle tool. From drone center draft a rectangle, type in the
values of 160mm vertical by 45mm horizontal. click ok
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2. Sketch / 3 Point Arc tool. From upper left Motor Mount, in line center with the
bottom slot tool, draft a 3 point arc down to the bottom left motor mount, in line center
with its top slot tool, click and drag the arc to just touch the center component plate
rectangle.
4. For top and bottom arcs use the circle construction line as a guide. Draft a new arc
from top left motor mount to the correspond position of the top right motor mount and
drag the arc in to the center rectangle as illustrated.
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5. Repeat the process for the bottom arc to complete the motor boom layout.
6. To add more creative control over your design it is good practice to now Tangent
Constrain the arc tool points to their motor mounts.
7. Select an arc tool, from the Sketch Pallet click on Tangent Constraint and select a
motor mount. Repeat the process for all remaining arcs by re-selecting the arc /
tangent constraint, select the corresponding motor mount.
8. You may have to adjust your arc. Click the arc and drag it to the original position.
Tangent Constraint allows the center to move independently of the top and bottom arc
points, resulting in more fidelity of your design.
9. As a rule the motor booms width should not be much more than the propellers, for a
racer of this size that equals 12mm.
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Step 3: Creating The Motor Component Plate - PDB and Stand O Hardware
holes:
1. Sketch / Center Rectangle Tool. From drone center draft out a square and type in the
values 30.5mm x 30.5mm, click ok.
2. Select the lines of the rectangle and hit X on your keyboard to make a construction
square.
3. Sketch / Center Diameter Circle Tool. From the corner of the construction square,
draft out a 4mm circle. Click ok. right drag select the new circle.
5. Select the horizontal arrow handle and type in a value of -30.5mm. Set the quantity
value to 2. Select the vertical arrow handle and input a value of 30.5mm x a quantity of
2. hit return to complete the process.
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Repeat the process for the stand o hardware holes:
6. Sketch / Center Rectangle Tool. From drone center draft out a square and type in the
values 145mm x 45mm, click ok.
7. Select the lines of the rectangle and hit X on your keyboard to make a construction
square.
8. Sketch / Center Diameter Circle Tool. From the corner of the construction square,
draft out a 4mm circle. Click ok. right drag select the new circle.
10. Select the horizontal arrow handle and type in a value of -45mm. Set the quantity
value to 2. Select the vertical arrow handle and input a value of 145mm x a quantity of
4. hit return to complete the process.
-This completes the basic sketch for the Motor Component plate.
11. Next extrude the plate to create geometry. Adjust the view by click and dragging
the View Cube.
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13. Select the Motor component plate. The selected elements will turn blue. Avoid
selecting any hardware holes.
14. In the Press Pull Dialogue box enter a value of 3mm, click ok.
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Step 4: Round o the corners and hard edges:
1. Modify / Fillet
tool or use hot key
F. Zoom into the
sharp corner where
the Motor Booms
meet the
Component Plate.
2. Select each
corner of the
airframe.
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3. In the Fillet Dialogue box enter a value of 5mm. Click ok to complete the process.
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Step 5: Creating the Top Component Plate:
In the Browser Hierarchy Menu / Sketch, Right click the sketch and select Edit Sketch.
7. Sketch / Rectangle Pattern tool. Select and drag the horizontal arrow handle into the
airframe. In the Rectangle Pattern Tool dialogue box, enter a value of -39.5 and a
quantity of 2.
8. Select the vertical arrow handle, drag down and enter a value of -50 and a quantity
of 2. Click OK to complete the process.
10. In the rear section of the airframe, from center of the construction guide line. Drag
and enter a value of 6mm. Return to end the process.
12. From airframe forward center, draft a rectangle and enter the values of 25mm x
25mm. Hit enter to complete the process.
15. Using the vertical arrow handle drag and enter a distance value of -100mm with a
quantity count of 3. Hit return to end the process.
This completes the Top Component Plate sketch. Use the View Cube to adjust your
view to a perspective.
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16. Modify / Press Pull Tool or hit hot key Q.
17. Select the new component plate sections. Extrude to a value of 1.5mm in the
dialogue box, hit return to complete the process to create the new geometry.
18. Browser Hierarchy / open the Bodies menu and select Body #2.
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19. Modify / Move Tool. Drag the new body geometry up to a value of 25mm.
21. Select all 4 corners of the new component plates perimeter. In the Fillet Tool
dialogue box enter a value of 5mm, click ok.
22. Repeat the process for the corners of the square within the Top Component Plate
w/ a Fillet radios of 5mm.
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Step 6: FPV Camera Bracket Slot and making revisions without modeling new
geometry:
4. Select the forward FPV Camera Bracket slot and drag up so a red ghosted slot cuts
through the bottom airframe. Hit Return to complete the process.
The bottom Motor Component plate is now complete however there may be feature
you wish to add or adjust to your airframe design. This is a very simple process to
accomplish. By simply modifying the sketch your geometry will update accordingly. For
this example adjust the FPV Bracket Slot from one long slot down to two short slots.
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6. Select the forward most line of the FPV
Camera Bracket slot and hit hot key D to
Dimension the slot. Drag out the Dimension
box and enter a value of 6mm and hit enter.
The slot then updates in size.
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8. Sketch / Rectangle Pattern Tool. Select and drag the horizontal arrow handle and
enter a value of -15mm and a quantity value of 2. hit return to complete the process.
11. Hit Hot key Q and drag out the new slot so it cuts through both top and bottom
plates. Hit return to complete the process.
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Resulting in two new camera mount slots.
1. From the Browser Hierarchy turn o the light bulb icons for the geometry.
3. Sketch / Center
Rectangle Tool.
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5. Sketch / Center Diameter Circle.
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10. Sketch / Two Point Rectangle Tool.
11. From the top right corner click, drag out and enter values
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13. Sketch / Center Rectangle Tool.
14. From top center of the rectangle drag out so it cuts through bot the top rectangle
and center diameter circle, tab down and enter a value of 3mm. Hit return to complete.
15. Hit Hot Key Q for the Press Pull Tool. Select the new Bracket sketch drag and enter
a value of 1.5mm. Hit return to complete.
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16. From Browser Hierarchy select the new bracket body.
18. Drag the new Bracket into place so it fits into the top and bottom plate bracket
slots. Adjust geometry to fit.
Your new 210mm H FPV Racing frame design is complete and ready for CAM or 3D
printing. Be sure to save your work!
For 3D printing select a frame body model and click theMakemenu button / 3D Print
to send it to your 3D Printer's set up software orAutodesk's Meshmixer.Repeat this
process until all 3 airframe parts are ready to print.
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Section 2. Combine the build.
Download the 210H Components file here. and add it to your Fusion360 Drone Racer
Database. Use this file to study the drones power train, wiring and video components.
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Combine the drone files.
Be sure to save your new airframe model into a Fusion 360 Database.
Close out the air frame model and create a new file.
From the Fusion 360 Data Panel right click on the 210H Components" file and select
After a moment the components file will merge with the airframe file to look close to
this.
From the hierarchy tree, expand the airframe so all components are visible.
Select 210H Components then drag and drop onto the top 210H Airframe.
This merges to the two model files into one manageable hierarchy tree.
Select the top of the 210H Airframe Tree so the entire drone is selected.
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1) Start Flow Design, Import / Local / Select the model .STL / click open
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2) The model will import at an odd angle. The simulator starts automatically and cannot
be paused or stopped while adjusting the file for simulation.
3) Tool bar / Orientation / Orientation dialogue box / adjust the Z angle slider to 90 / Y
Angle to 90 / OK.
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4) In the top tool bar / Click the blank box icon / Tunnel Bounds.
Use the blue handle arrows to fully encompass the drone model. Be sure to drop the
floor well below the drone's motor plate simulating altitude. Adjust the bounding box
so the drone sit in the center.
5) Use the right side view tool bar to pan, pivot and zoom to your preferred view.
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Here its easy to determine this drone airframe has a flow state with no turbulence at
the tail end. Unfortunately racing drones pitch forward by 30 and more at speed.
For a more accurate representation you will need to pitch the model.
In the model tool bar select Orientation and set the Y Angle (deg) slider to 60.
The Flow Design interface is overly simplistic with most of its more powerful features
buried in the combinations of sections within the spartan toolbar. Take to explore and
note these features. Its wise practice to then Export your simulation to your work
folder as a means of saving your preferences.
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The dark mode interface is easy to see wind flow eects.
In the top menu, click the box icon with a few little colored boxes inside it / click Dark.
The simulation window will instantly change to dark and the wind force will be brightly
illustrated.
Taking what was observed in the wind tunnel simulation, switch back over to Fusion
and open the X 210 drone file. The drones core electronics can be configured in a
number of combinations to improve power to weight ratios in line with the builds
center of gravity.
Re configure the airframes layout and electronics considering Flow Designs wind force
eects, reducing drag and turbulence on the drones angle of attack.
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Side and front views. Motor plate and components pitched to 30. Center of Gravity is
balanced between the forward camera and the rear battery pack.
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When Happy with your layout, enter T-Spline Sculpt Module to build out a monocoque
hull. Create / Create Form.
Next set up 3
construction
planes
starting from
camera grip
face, center
back plate of
the receiver,
and another
from the same
receiver back
plate, drag
the
construction
plane the rear
just past the
battery as
illustrated
below.
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Create the Oset Construction Plane Loft tool guides
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Create the basic fuselage mesh with the Loft tool.
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In the Browser, right click the front Center Diameter Square sketch and select Edit
Sketch. Choose the Fillet
tool from the Sketch
menu and click each of
the squares border lines
clockwise until the entire
square is rounded o.
Enter a value of 10 in the
Fillet dialogue box and hit
OK.
From the Sculpt module, select Create / Loft. Click each sketch profile in order from
front to back.
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In the Loft dialogue box / Width Spacing, enter a value of 8 and click OK.
Now close and hide the Sketch and Construction Plane trees in the Browser.
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Shift select the faces of the left half of the lofted fuselage model and hit Delete on your
keyboard so only half of the model remains.
Motor Mounts
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Creating the Motor Booms
Next edit the new motor mount cylinders to best match the topography of the fuselage
model for a clean Bridge connection.
Select the resulting face. In the Create menu, select the Extrude tool.
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Drag extrude the face approximately 17mm. and hit return.
Select the extrusions resulting center top and bottom lines and the face and hit delete.
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With the Modify / Manipulator tool, select both motor mount cylinders and adjust their
position from resting on top of the motor plate so they line up center to the height of
the motor plate.
Often the fuselage topography will need to be cleaned up before Bridging the motor
mounts to the main mesh.
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Next add edges to support the shape continuity when . Select an edge, Modify menu,
select the Insert Edge tool and add horizontal spline to the top and bottom corners of
the fuselage mesh.
Bridging the motor booms. The bridge tool works best at close range.
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With the Form Edit Tool rotate to angle the fuselage connection sleeve towards the
motor boom.
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Rotate the view to inspect the resulting blend connection. Repeat the bridging steps to
the other motor mount.
With the Edit Form Manipulator, inspect the bridge mesh at the connection to the
fuselage. Constantly adjust the resulting model to work with the underlying geometry.
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Continue shaping the mesh working towards a profile conducive to aerodynamics.
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In the Mirror Duplicate dialogue box, select the 1st select the T-Spline mesh, then the Z
axis plane. Select OK.
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From Modify menu, select the Bridge tool dialogue box, select Side one top open
spline, then side two. With preview active, the white arrows will show the direction of
the resulting topography. Both arrows must point in the same direction for usable
results.
to work topography.
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Dont worry to much about the minor shift in center observed when toggling
components on and o in the browser tree as they can be easily adjusted when T-
Spline model is ultimately finished.
In the Browser unhide the 210-X tree and continue to shape the T-Spline mesh to
accommodate the components volume. Keep in mind that underlying airframe will be
later re-drafted, most of the power train electronics will be repositioned in favor of the
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Finishing the T-Spline Racing Drone.
Now focus on the forward camera port. Using the Edit Form Manipulator tool, double
click the open camera port splines so they are hi-lighted as a blue ring. Select the very
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Repeat the process for the rear open port. Its up to the individual to have the final say
weather or not to leave the rear port open or close it o with the Fill Hole tool from the
Modify menu.
Close o the bottoms of the motor mounts with Modify menu / Fill Hole tool. In the
dialogue box select the edge to close and Fill Star in the Fill Hole Mode.
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Crease Tool. Adding a top access port lid.
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When activated the model will turn yellow. Systematically select the top splines of the
hull. With model symmetry active you only need do one side of the model.
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When satisfied click Finish Form, last right button option in the in the Sculpt Menu.
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Add a Carbon Fiber Material
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Back to Flow Design
With the new aerodynamic monocoque airframe Flow Design results are dramatically
improved.
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Flow Design in tandem with Fusion 360 is a powerful combination in producing next
generation of super drone racers. The goal is to modify the basic build by visualizing
wind current force eects against the model in order to iterate flight vibration
turbulence out of the drones design.
For the continued learning video versions of the lessons in this guide please subscribe
to my YouTube Channel
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Here is a complete racing drone parts and components list:
Orange 6channel RC
8 x 25mm Standos
Velcro Straps
Zip Ties
Pilot:
I do hope this guide was eective and you find great value from its contents.
To share your drone builds, get feedback and questions answered email me at
dsfx@mac.com.
- Eli DElia
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