Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov called on Ukrainians to join the People’s Drone project to assemble 7-inch FPV drones at home. While this statement created great excitement on social networks, it was seen that the minister’s words began to be discussed emotionally. In fact, Ukrainians had begun assembling “homemade” unmanned aerial vehicles long before Fedorov’s mission. It is better to see once than to speak a hundred times. Therefore, we asked course participants who have already mastered this science, sent their first “birds” to the soldiers, and how difficult and expensive it is to become a “people’s engineer.”

WHO IS LOOKING FOR IT, HE WILL FIND IT – BOTH MONEY AND LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE

Ilya Bondar – a professional photographer. Before I came across the post of Maria Berlinska (a well-known public figure, founder of the military and public organization “Air Intelligence Support Center”) about the “Victory Aircraft” project, I did not hold a soldering iron in my hand. “But this seemed like a very good idea to me, because you can work in the evenings after work and help the front line that way, it’s a good contribution,” she explains. I decided to slowly allocate some of my own funds to devote my free time to drones and perhaps attract small donations from friends for the meeting room. “Every morning, the first thought of a Ukrainian should be: “What was my contribution to yesterday’s fight and what will I do today?”. For today I chose the direction of FPV,” Ilya wrote, posting a photo of the first devices on his Facebook page in early December. And a month later it turned out that acquaintances and strangers were talking about Ilya’s humble beginnings, showering complaints and questions about where to learn such a thing for themselves. “They don’t make sacred pots,” the photographer replies and shares the diagram he is working from.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO COLLECT DRONES

First, Ilya listened to 7 lectures consisting of the project “Victory Drones” and an online training course on the assembly of FPV drones from the company “Vyriy” (online engineering course “People’s FPV”). Three hours of communication with instructors after each. “There were a lot of questions because the topic was new for the vast majority of the audience,” says Ilya. – There are many videos on YouTube with instructions on how to assemble a drone, but there will be no live communication.” And in the communities “Victory Drones” and “Social Drone UA” (FPV-drone community) you can consult, explain your work and meet with like-minded people There are chat rooms where you can share useful information.This is great support for beginners and an opportunity to get the “hands to grow from there” and you can get started.

It was on the course that Ilya learned what components were needed and where to get them. That is, we are talking about specific components with which entire processes are sharpened, and links to where they can be purchased are also provided. “You cannot buy completely low-quality components at your discretion – only tested, recommended ones,” explains the former course participant. “It is dangerous to work with any kind of material that will first fly over our positions and children in an attack.”

To begin with, I didn’t buy anything expensive. “I soldered my first drone with a soldering iron from AliExpress for 200 UAH. Ilya recalls that the fluid solder was bought in ordinary stores, a few pennies were spent on all sorts of little things for the convenience of work. – In general – up to 1000 UAH with the Smoke Stopper (himself a board with recovery fuse is used to check the correctness of the assembly during the first power connection to a new quadcopter), – ed.)”. Recently, posts on social networks stating that assembling a drone at home is very expensive surprised İlyu. “They wrote that 6-8 thousand devices are needed, it is not that easy to order from China, plus 20% VAT.. “Maybe these people haven’t tried to do anything themselves or they don’t know how to do it,” the man thinks.

He says that if you plan to combine several units, you don’t need anything particularly expensive, and an inexpensive soldering iron will still be useful at home (although I would have purchased a more expensive one with proper temperature control). “That’s what the course is designed for, for one person to assemble and deliver a drone or two, and it would be a good boost on that front,” explains Bondar. – You don’t need a large production facility where it can fly, but it won’t fly into every kitchen.”

TIME AND PLACE

Such volunteer drones are already derided as “kitchen” drones, and for good reason. According to Ilya, you don’t need a special room to work, a workshop, even a kitchen, or even a garage, just to have a window for occasional ventilation. “Even work in your bedroom while your wife is asleep. A little smoke from a drone dissipates within a minute,” he says.

It doesn’t take long to assemble a drone, it takes much longer to order and wait for components. Directly on Chinese platforms it is quite problematic (in order not to disappoint you, you need to carefully study the reviews about the seller, and then carefully check what you buy), so Ilya found several intermediaries in Ukraine who bought these materials for him at once. The price is as offered by Chinese sellers, but on the condition that he buys 10-15 sets immediately. “You cannot order a set this cheaply, but there is a guarantee that you will receive everything exactly as it should be,” says Ilya. – Allow about three weeks (if there is a shortage of supplies of some components, some companies request 2 months for delivery).” And there is also the matter of technology: the Volunteer assures that an experienced person who has already trained his hand can easily assemble four drones per day. Then – a few hours and testing time for the drone’s firmware, a loaded test flight.

“Also, my main job is somewhat seasonal and now I have enough free time. Sometimes I can devote the whole day to drones or work after shooting,” says Ilya, describing where he finds time in his schedule for volunteering. – But he comes from Aitiv, who works until six o’clock and solders after work “I know our local people: there are several drones a month.”

TEAM SPIRIT

After all manipulations, the drone can be handed over to Victory Drones or Social Drone UA experts for inspection. Here, the product is tested, adjusted if necessary, and sent to the department specified by the manufacturer. Because every drone is eagerly awaited by a customer who is on the front lines before starting work and explains in detail how powerful a device he needs. If things go well, he plans to organize drone installation and testing in his city to avoid wasting time on transportation. “We have several pilots here and it is quite realistic to arrange it, you just need to learn a little, maybe take a course – how to test correctly. We are already in the discussion phase,” he shares his plans for the future.

Ilya is not the only one busy collecting FPV in town, he says he has 3-4 more enthusiasts in his team and there are craftsmen in the city who are willing to join them (there will be equipment and money for them). In fact, everyone works on their own components, but like-minded people are both moral support and profitable cooperation. “For example, I’m now actively raising funds for the supply chain, making thank-you videos for donors and looking for ways to incentivize them. And he gave his partner the task of figuring out how to work properly with, say, a single component. It’s easier to split it into a team than to do it alone.” explains the volunteer.

WHERE IS THE MONEY AND WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?

Within a month, Ilya and his colleagues managed to collect up to 15 sets with the help of posts, shares, photos and videos. At first he announced his collection, presenting photo certificates to active donors, then his friends began to help. For example, a familiar fitness instructor is raffling off training subscriptions and calling for donations to the collection team. “Mostly acquaintances (and they know me around town), clients and their acquaintances donate,” says the photographer. There was a fair at the school where my daughter studied, and the funds collected were transferred to drones. This will be done gradually. Where there is success, there are also concerns. The man shares his experience: “If you collect money from people, you cannot sleep peacefully at night: you constantly think about whether it will work or not.” “You constantly worry about whether everyone in the chain, from ordering to delivery of the drone, will be able to do their job well.” The rest of the difficulties can be said to be technical trifles: if you do everything according to the recommendations of the instructors, feel free to ask for advice in online communities, the process will gradually be simplified and improved.

FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE

When discussing the idea of ​​assembling drones at home on social networks, users mostly expressed doubts about whether they would be cheaper than purchased ready-made ones and whether they would really be of high quality. He said that the percentage of defects from folk craftsmen will be such that these drones climb sideways. It’s cheaper to buy a certified one and not try it. Ilya already knows the prices of components for drones and ready-made drones quite well and is sure that it is much cheaper to assemble it yourself. If only because the volunteers’ work is free and they try to buy components as cheaply as possible. “It cost as much as it was bought in China, not a single penny was bent anywhere, so this is the lowest price,” says Ilya. So far ordering kits cost $230-240 each (including shipping), plus battery and another $100 or so (sometimes more expensive, sometimes cheaper components are needed; with different specifications depending on the specific units, terrain, and usage) orders. ). So, the cost of such a drone is 12-13 thousand UAH, and ready – 18-20.

It’s about quality. According to Ilya, mishaps happen, but most often they are interrupted even before they are sent for examination (instructors tirelessly emphasize that untested products should not be handed over to fighters). “In the conversations we exchanged experiences, people quit their jobs. You look at some of them and hold your head. Then the trainers say: finish, finish this, finish that, says Ilya. -So there is no such thing as even a test.” He says he too would have quit the business at the first such failure, but the business passed inspection and the man decided to continue as long as necessary. “I have not spent half my life collecting drones. When everything gets better in the state and there are enough of them, I will be happy to do something else – this is my temporary contribution – says the volunteer. – I started because the children are waiting – at least one, at least two. Some of the Ukrainians also “I think it will definitely not prevent the army from doing the same.”

Tatyana Negoda, Kyiv