Crazyflie 2.1 starter kit + radio dongle: the nano drone that will take you far
The Crazyflie 2.1 nano drone is the latest version of the flying robot designed by Bitcraze. It’s a robotic development platform that fits in your hand and which you can control from a smartphone, computer or using a PS3 or Xbox controller.
Crazyflie 2.1 carries a LiPo battery which, when charged, gives it a flight time of approximately 7 minutes. There’s also a USB connector so you can recharge your drone from a computer.
The kit includes a complete expansion interface, both above and below the platform.
The flying device also has a 3-axis IMU for more accurate navigation.
You have access to a complete range of connectors (UART, SPI, I2C, etc.), allowing you to upgrade your UAV by installing for example a camera module or any sensor compatible with your project. But beware, the UAV’s payload capacity is limited to 15 g!
More communication capabilities with the Crazyradio PA USB dongle
The kit also includes the Crazyradio PA USB dongle, which is a radio amplifier equipped with an antenna that increases the pre-existing signal and allows you to communicate with your UAV when up to 1 km away in an open space. What’s more, the USB dongle can exchange data with another Crazyradio dongle up to 2 km away. You can now display all the data collected in flight on your computer, then set up an Xbox-type controller to control your aircraft.
Like the Crazyflie kit, this radio amplifier is open-source, to encourage the creation of projects that communicate over long distances. It is built around a Python API so that designers can all use the same language.
Technical specifications of the Crazyflie v2.1 + Crazyradio kit
Includes:
1 Crazyflie 2.1 kit
1 Crazyradio PA 2.4 GHz USB dongle
2.4 GHz ISM band radio
BLE support with iOS and Android clients available
Dual antenna support: on-board chip antenna and U.FL connector