Arducopter Quad D Assembly Guide

This page will show you how to assemble your arducopter quadcopter frame, (Quad D)

Buy Arducopter Frames

Arducopter Quad D Parts

Tools Required

• Phillips screwdriver (small)
• 5.5 mm (7/32) wrench
• Double-sided foam mounting tape
• 2 mm (5/64) hex wrench
• Soldering equipment

Optional Extras

Below are the suggested parts you should use with your arducopter quad, but you can also use other motors if you want.

850Kv motors (4)

22A ESC (4)

10x50 Propellers Pair (2)

Recommended Electronics

Reccomended parts can be purchased from unmannedtechshop.co.uk

Choose + or x orientation

• Your 3DR Quad can be flown in both + (plus) and x (cross) configurations. A plus-configured copter flies with one arm forward, while a cross-configured copter flies with two arms forward. 
• While both configurations provide excellent performance, cross is standard and recommended for new fliers. 
• For plus, use three black arms and one blue arm when assembling your copter, and remember to specify plus when choosing your frame orientation during software configuration. 
• These instructions will continue assembling a Quad in cross orientation.

Attaching the motors to the arms

Each arm of your Quad will have a motor attached to the top of the arm using two 5 mm steel bolts and two metal lock washers.  To ensure motors are securely bolted to arms, apply a small amount of threadlock to each bolt before fastening.

Threadlocking compound is an important component to ensure your motors remain firmly attached! For application tips, check out this video - http://goo.gl/ZsVyqQ

• Position holes in the bottom of the motor over the two small holes on either side of the larger hole in top in the of the arm. 
• Secure with two 5 mm steel bolts (with a metal lock washer on each bolt) by accessing through the two large holes in the bottom of the arm.
• Thread the motor cables through the arm using the hole in the side of the arm. Repeat for all four arms.

Attach Prop Adaptors/Collets

• Attach a threaded collet to the top of each motor using the four small screws included with collets. 
• Apply threadlock to each screw before fastening. 
• Repeat for all four motors.

Attach the legs to the arms

• Your Quad has four legs, each comprised of two landing gear pieces. To assemble each leg, align two landing gear pieces and attach through the three bottom holes using three 18 mm spacers and six 5 mm nylon bolts.
• For each hole, position spacer between holes, and secure from each side with nylon bolts.
• Repeat for all four legs.
• Attach legs to arms with leg pointing toward motors. Align the two top holes in the leg with the two holes in the center of the arm. 
• Insert two 25 mm bolts and secure with metal nuts.

Attaching the arms to the top and bottom plates

• The top and bottom plates will form the main frame by attaching to your copter’s arms.
• Align plates in the orientation show, and attach two blue arms to one end and two black arms to the other using the four pairs of holes as shown
• Place the arm between the two plates so the two holes in the arm align with the holes in the plates.
• Insert a bolt into each hole and secure with nuts. 
• For inner holes use 30 mm bolts and metal nuts.
• For outer holes use 25 mm bolts and metal nuts. 
• Add a rubber washer on top of the nut on the inner holes.

For plus configuration: Attach a blue arm to only the position on the plate marked with an arrow.

• Next add the spacers that will hold the power distribution board in place. 
  
• Using the four holes in the bottom plate shown across, align four 8 mm spacers, and secure from the bottom using four 5 mm nylon bolts.
• Slide the battery strap through the two slots in the bottom plate
  

Power Distribution

• The power distribution board (PDB) allocates power to your copter’s motors. 
• Place the PDB in the center of your copter through the hole in the top plate.
•  Align the PDB so the four 8 mm spacers insert into the four holes in the PDB. 
• Secure with four nylon nuts.

Connect Motors and ESC

• Connect motor cable bullet connectors to ESC bullet connectors. 
  
• Each ESC should connect to only one motor.
  

Arducopter Quad Motor Order

• The diagram indicates the number of each motor. 
• Starting with the motor labeled 1 , connect the ESC three-wire cable to the corresponding position on the PDB pins (M1 for motor 1, M4 for motor 4, etc) with the orange wire positioned farthest from the adjacent Deans connector. 
• Connect ESC Deans connector to PDB Deans connector for that motor. 
• Repeat for all motors and ESCs. 

Don’t secure the ESCs to the frame until you have confirmed that each motor spins in the direction specified in the diagram.

Connect power module to PDB

• Connect power module 6-position cable to the power module 6-position port. 
• Place power module in the center of your copter near the PDB. Connect PDB red and black cable (with Deans) to power module Deans connectors. 
• Use the provided Deans-to-XT60 adapter plug to connect the power module to the PDB

Install APM onto your arducopter

Mount APM

• Place the APM 2.6 in the center of the APM plate with the arrow on the case facing as shown. 
• Use the mounting foam to secure the APM to the plate.

Ensure mounting tape is firmly attached so the position of the APM doesn’t shift during flight.
For APM 2.5: Mount the APM to the top of the accessory plate.
For plus configuration: Mount the APM with arrow pointing toward blue arm

Connect APM to power module and PDB

• Connect the power module six-position cable (red and black) to the APM PM port. 
• Connect the PDB four-wire cable (multicolored) to the APM Outputs signal pins (top row). 
• Ensure that the wire originating in the position on the PDB pins labeled M1 connects to the APM Output signal pin labeled 1, the M4 wire connects to position 4, etc.

Mount the GPS module (optional)

• Place the GPS module onto the square end of the accessory plate with the arrow pointing towards the centre of the plate. 
• Use double-sided foam tape to secure case to plate.
• Connect the 6-position to 5-position cable to the GPS 6-position port and to the APM GPS port (use top-entry port not side-entry port). 
• Connect the 4-position cable to the GPS 4-position port and to the APM I2C port.

Attach Telemetry Module (optional)

• Attach antenna to 3DR Radio air module. 
  
• Connect telemetry cable to the air module and to the APM Telem port.

Connecting the Radio Control (RC) receiver

Match the correct control channel with its corresponding APM input signal pin

• To connect an RC receiver to APM, use the five-wire and two-wire cables provided with your copter.

• Use the five-wire cable to connect the receiver’s signal pins to APM’s input signal pins. 
• Use the two-wire cable to connect power and ground pins between APM and the receiver.

Note: APM also supports one-wire PPM connection with supported receivers

• After connecting to APM, connect the five-wire cable to the receiver’s signal pins (usually marked “S”, see channel diagram below), connect the two-wire cable red wire to a power pin (usually marked “5V” or “+“) on the receiver, and connect the two-wire cable black wire to a ground pin (usually marked “-“) on the receiver.
• Match the correct control channel signal pin on the receiver with its corresponding APM input signal pin.

Attach APM plate to top plate

• Locate the PDB four-wire cable (multicolored) and the power module six-position cable (red and black); thread these cables up through the slots in the APM plate where they can connect to the APM.
• Now we’ll attach the APM plate to the top plate. The APM plate connects to the ends of the four 30 mm bolts securing the inside holes of the arms. 
• Place the four holes in the APM plate over the exposed 30 mm bolts on the top plate and secure with 30 mm threaded spacers.

Attach accessory plate to APM plate

• Place accessory plate on top of APM plate, and align the four 30 mm spacers with the four holes in the accessory plate. 
• Secure accessory plate to spacers using four 5 mm nylon bolts.
• If you have any questions visit our community forums to ask your question! Or share some flight videos/pictures!
  

Install/Setup the arducopter software

To configure the software and hardware on your arducopter Y6 please visit the page below for more instructions

Arducopter Setup