Students Building a Hexacopter Drone (From Scratch!)

 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QnsV9pDKZs&feature=youtu.be

ecently, I had the chance to do exactly that when my colleague, Gabe Haydu, introduced me to a team of 5th graders who wanted to build a hexacopter drone.

Here is the catch: I had never built a drone in my life. But I realized this was the perfect opportunity to show students that you don’t need to be an expert to tackle a complex challenge—you just need passion, persistence, and a growth mindset.

The Reality Check

We bought a QWinOut F550 Drone Kit and started the build. However, we hit a wall almost immediately. I had made two unfair assumptions: that the students knew how to collaborate effectively, and that they possessed project management skills.

We had to pause the build to build the team. We established collaboration norms—like "mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them" and "communicate feelings productively." We also developed a concrete Action Plan to track goals, resources, and timelines.

The Build and The Expert

With the foundation set, the students did amazing work. They assembled the frame, connected motors, and even used a soldering station (thanks to our makerspace specialist James Diebley) to customize the wiring.

Because this was a technical project, we reached out to Jason, a school alum and drone hobbyist. His guidance on calibrating the flight controller and gyros was invaluable. It was a great reminder that bringing in outside experts is a game-changer for student projects.

The Result

fter weeks of simulator practice, we took the drone for a field test. To be honest, it wasn’t the fairy-tale ending we wanted regarding the flight itself. However, the team was incredibly proud. They had taken a box of parts and built a functional machine.

If you are facilitating a passion project, remember these three steps:

  1. Establish Norms: Define how the team works together before the work starts.
  2. Plan the Action: Use an Action Plan to provide clarity and focus.
  3. Find an Expert: Don't be afraid to ask for help from those with experience.

Success isn't always a perfect flight; sometimes, it's just building the wings.

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