What you need
DRONA designs the drone and sources its parts. To actually build and fly it you need a few things the parts list assumes you already have. Here’s the honest checklist so nothing surprises you at the bench.
The exact list depends on your design. DRONA’s bill of materials calls out build-specific extras under Consumables & wiring and Required separately, see Order the parts.
Gear you reuse across builds
These aren’t part of the drone; you buy them once and keep them:
- Radio transmitter - the controller you fly with.
- FPV goggles or a screen - to see the camera feed (for FPV builds).
- A LiPo charger - to charge and store flight batteries safely.
- Spare propellers - you will break some, especially early on.
Tools for assembly
- Soldering iron + solder - most builds need some soldering (motors, power leads). A basic temperature-controlled iron is enough.
- Hex drivers / a small screwdriver set - for frame and stack screws (mostly M2/M3).
- Side cutters and a wire stripper.
- Double-sided tape, zip ties, heat shrink - usually in the consumables kit.
New to soldering? It’s the one skill most first builds need. A handful of practice joints on scrap wire goes a long way, and it’s worth it: a cold solder joint is a common cause of a drone that won’t arm or cuts out.
For printed parts
- A 3D printer (FDM is fine) if your design includes printed parts.
- The recommended filament - DRONA suggests a material per part (for example a tougher blend for a freestyle frame). See 3D print the parts.
Do I need all of this?
No. A design with no printed parts skips the printer. A simple build might need almost no soldering. Check your design’s BOM, the “required separately” and “consumables” sections tell you exactly what this build needs.