Finger-Sized FPV Drone

Design Objective

The objective was the fabrication of a micro-scale multirotor platform approaching the theoretical minimum volumetric footprint for functional FPV flight. The project necessitated custom structural components to mitigate mechanical interference at this scale.

Hardware Fabrication

The chassis incorporates custom-engineered FDM propeller shrouds, designed to provide 360-degree rotor strike protection while adding negligible mass to the sub-micro frame. At this scale, even minor prop-ground contact results in catastrophic blade deformation; the shrouds were critical for achieving landing-cycle reliability.

• Scale Analysis: Dimensions comparable to a standard 4cm figurine.
• Structural Integrity: Custom lightweight PLA shrouds for rotor protection.
• Optics: Integrated micro-FPV camera and high-bandwidth video transmitter.

Operational Conclusion

The system successfully validated stable flight characteristics within confined indoor testing environments. The custom prop-shroud architecture provided the necessary protection for repeated landing cycles. Due to the minimal thermal and mass indicators of the micro-scale unit, the platform was eventually lost during a high-dynamic field operation; however, the initial data confirmed the viability of sub-micro FPV platforms.