Mr Vullo – Alternative Education

The Complete Guide: Step-by-Step Micro:bit DIY Drone Build for the Air:bit 2 Kit

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the definitive guide on assembling the brilliant Air:bit 2 programmable micro:bit DIY drone kit by MakeKit. This project is a fantastic blend of fun and learning, transforming your BBC Micro:bit into a fully functioning quadcopter. Whilst the instructions provided with the kit are very clear, there are a couple of tricky areas where a bit of guidance can save you time—and maybe a piece of wood!

This tutorial will take you through the nine main assembly stages, from building the remote control to adding the final propeller guards. We’ll show you exactly how to navigate those little fiddly bits, such as mounting the motors and creating the propeller protection system, where you might need to apply a bit of reassuring force. Don’t worry about being too heavy-handed; we’ll show you precisely where you can be bold without risking a break.

Building the Air:bit 2 is a rewarding experience that touches upon electronics, mechanical engineering, and coding (which comes next!). So, grab your screwdriver, gather your components, and let’s get this fantastic DIY drone build started. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a sturdy, lightweight drone ready for its first flight code!

Watch the Full Air:bit 2 Step-by-Step Build Tutorial Here

Phase 1: Preparation and Assembling the Remote Control

Before touching the components, it’s always best to be prepared. The official instructions are readily available online and offer both English and Norwegian options (we’re sticking with the English version here!). Once you’ve checked the documentation, you can start on the controller build.

Locating Official Instructions and Building the Remote Holder

The instructions and project page are found at the official MakeKit documentation site. You’ll need to break out the wooden part for the remote holder—take care here not to be too heavy-handed, but the pieces generally detach easily. The process involves:

  1. Breaking out the remote holder piece from the wooden panel.
  2. Placing the Micro:bit onto the holder with the screen facing up, ensuring the holes line up perfectly.
  3. Mounting the battery box to the holder using the provided two screws, two nuts, and the red silicon ring.
  4. Connecting the battery box cable to the Micro:bit power input.

The battery box tucks neatly under the holder, secured by small hooks—a brilliant idea for a compact design! Once complete, you have your handheld control unit ready for coding.

Phase 2: Constructing the Drone Frame and Mounting Motors

Next up is the drone’s chassis. The frame is incredibly lightweight, which is essential for flight efficiency. You’ll need the central frame, four screws, four spacers, and the rubber band.

Frame Assembly and Stabilising Spacers

The frame assembly begins with integrating the rubber band, which acts as a shock absorber for the battery. This involves hooking the band under the frame, over the next hook, and back again. Once the band is in place, you need to mount the four spacers with the screws.

  • Ensure the text on the frame faces up, with the legs pointing down.
  • Be careful to place the screws in the correct holes—they should go further along the arm than the inner set of holes.

Inserting Wedges and Mounting Motors

This is one of the fiddly bits! The four motors attach to the arms using small wooden wedges that you must carefully break out of the wooden panel. To mount the motors:

  1. Insert the wedges into the frame’s arm ends, wiggling them until they sit correctly in the tiny lip. This requires a bit of force and perseverance.
  2. Push each motor upwards into the wedge, guiding the cables. This step also requires a firm push—the narrator found a wiggle as the motor goes in helps it snap into place.
  3. Pull the motor cables through the corresponding notch to keep them tidy along the side of the arm.

Listen for that reassuring click when the motor is properly seated. Once all four are in, you’re ready for the electronics!

Phase 3: Electronics Integration: Control Board and Micro:bit

The heart of the drone is the flight control board (or shield), which handles power distribution and motor signals. This section involves working with small nuts and screws, so patience is key.

Preparing the Flight Control Board

You’ll need the control board, two countersunk screws, two nylon nuts, and five aluminium spacer rings. The kit even provides a little wooden socket wrench to help with the nuts—a very cool touch! The steps are:

  1. Screw the two countersunk screws through the board’s designated holes and secure them with the nylon nuts from the back.
  2. Flip the board and place the five blue nylon screws through the main holes.
  3. Sit the five aluminium spacer rings onto these nylon screws. They won’t hold in place without the Micro:bit, so keep them steady!

Attaching the Micro:bit

With the spacers in place, you can now attach the Micro:bit itself. This is a crucial step as the contact points need to be solid to ensure good electrical signalling.

  • Carefully sit the Micro:bit on top of the spacers and screws.
  • Secure it with the five small nuts. It’s recommended to do this by hand first, then tighten them properly—this tightness is essential as the screws and nuts conduct electrical signals.
  • Using one hand to push the screw through and the other to tighten the nut can make this process less fiddly.

Phase 4: Final Assembly and Flight Readiness

With the major sub-assemblies complete, we bring everything together—connecting the brain to the body, adding the power source, and putting on the final flying gear.

Connecting the Motors and Attaching the Board to the Frame

Flip the frame upside down and align the assembled control board (with the Micro:bit attached) onto the two existing nylon nuts on the frame. The board is then secured to the frame by screwing on two nuts. Then, you must plug the motor cables into the nearest connector on the control board. Ensure the front motor cables go into the front connectors, and so on.

Powering Up: Battery Connection and Propeller Placement

The drone is powered by the included battery, which should be attached underneath the frame in the centre using the rubber band to hold it securely. To power the drone, connect the battery plug to the dedicated grey connector on the control board (though the connector’s colour may vary!).

Next are the propellers, which must be fitted correctly for flight:

  • You receive spares, which is very helpful!
  • Propellers are marked CW (Clockwise) and CCW (Counter-Clockwise).
  • They must be placed on the corresponding motors as per the instructions (e.g., CW on bottom right, CCW on top right).
  • Push them onto the motor shafts with a firm push until they click into place.

The Propeller Protection System

The final and arguably most challenging step is assembling the propeller protection. This system is made up of four bows, eight arms, and small rubber rings. The small rings can be tricky and prone to breaking (the narrator broke three!):

  1. Connect the bows to the arms and secure them with the small rubber rings, ensuring the ring goes around the back of the bow for maximum security.
  2. Once the four bow-arm combinations are ready, click them into the frame. You’ll need to push firmly until you feel them click into the dedicated holes on the arm of the drone.
  3. Ensure there are no gaps and the protection doesn’t obstruct the propeller.

Conclusion: Your Air:bit 2 is Built and Ready for Code!

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Air:bit 2 micro:bit DIY drone build. It’s a project that requires a little perseverance, particularly with the motors and the propeller protection, but the result is a robust, fully assembled quadcopter. We hope this comprehensive guide helped you navigate those slightly more challenging areas and achieve a clean, professional finish.

With the physical build complete, the next exciting stage is coding the Air:bit 2! You’ll use the BBC Micro:bit’s MakeCode or Python editor to write the program that controls the motors, interprets the sensors, and allows you to take to the skies. Keep an eye out for our next video and guide detailing the coding process and the much-anticipated first flight.