BonaDrone Set to Launch 3D-Printed, Customizable Drone

A customizable, 3D-printed drone is something of a rarity in the world of UAVs at the moment, so it’s no wonder that this tech startup has attracted our attention over the past week.

BonaDrone, based in Barcelona and set up by a team of five tech entrepreneurs, offers a different way for UAV enthusiasts to engage with their passion. The aim, according to BonaDrone, is to bring the technology and knowledge behind drones closer to end users, promoting creativity and encouraging people to get more involved in the design and building process. 

BonaDrone’s first UAV is called ‘Mosquito’. Because it is 3D printed, buyers are essentially able to create a drone according to their wishes and needs. There are three levels of customization. the first is based on the appearance of the Mosquito. Users can choose to change the colors of any part of the drone. Second is accessories. Buyers will be able to choose from a range of accessories to build a drone with a specific functionality. These include camera gimbals, or even hooks for carrying objects. Finally, users can choose to upgrade certain parts of the drone to improve performance. This could mean replacing part of the frame for carbon-fibre, changing the flight controller or transforming the quadcopter into an octocopter.

Buyers will also be able to choose whether to receive their drone pre-assembled or in pieces, so you can have all the fun of putting together your own drone if that’s what you want.

Bonadrone are launching a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo on April 6th to bring the project to life. They plan to increase the amount of accessories available and will ask backers to suggest possible alternatives, which they will then put into production.

The team at BonaDrone reckons the Mosquito will be perfect for newcomers to the drone scene:

“Anyone can fly a Mosquito, even people who have not piloted before. It has numerous flight modes that allow newbies to enjoy the flight experience as much as an expert pilot. In case of any trouble, pressing a single button will make the drone automatically return to the starting point and land. A virtual barrier has also been set up to keep the drone inside a safety zone. Finally, the drone can be piloted without a remote control if necessary, instead through a PC, tablet or Smartphone. Pilots can activate the follow me function or set up a predefined route in Google Maps.” 

Of course, caution must be taken with any crowdfunding campaign. There’s no guarantee of success. Having said that, we wish all the best to BonaDrone, and think that what they have set out to achieve is both ambitious and exciting – Good luck guys.