Best Way To Build A DIY UAV?

Shojun writes "I am very interested in building my own UAV. Not just one that can fly around happily, but one that I can program to say, take photos every second as it does a barrel roll under a bus (ok, that part may be a pipe dream). I have enough embedded programming experience — it's the hardware which I'm uncertain about. I can go the kit way, and then build the remaining stuff, or get some Dollar Tree Foam boards and build it all. I'm in favor of ease, however. Once the plane is built, buying a dev board seems like a possibility, but I wonder whether it's overkill. Alternatively, if there was a How-to-build example on the net for such an activity that I could adapt, to the degree that I could then program in even completely hardcoded flight instructions, I can certainly take it from there. Thoughts? Has anyone here tried something like this before?"

Re:UAV? Or...?

[scdeimos]

Too boring, already been done: New Zealand man builds cruise missile in his garage [redorbit.com].

Re:Paparazzi Project

[Vu1turEMaN]

Very interesting, but only plumbers like Mario can have pipe dreams.

Go to

[b4upoo]

You might try instructables.com.. They have a section with this kind of project.

Re:I hate Slashdot editors...

[coldincalifornia]

Since I had to look it up anyway -- for those as clueless as me, UAV means Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Please hand over your geek card. Your privileges have just been revoked.

Re:I hate Slashdot editors...

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not a basement, it's a command centre

Re:I hate Slashdot editors...

[Anonymous Coward]

API?

Re:UAV tried to kill me

[fm6]

The last time some of my friends tried doing an automatic control system, the plane turned straight toward the flight line and tried to kill us all!

Next time, disconnect the Skynet interface.

Re:Make darn sure the Feds don't mind!

[AHuxley]

It all depends. If the device is glider based, long ranged and does not transmit, they cannot really go after the hardware for RF violations.
The problem is if the plans become too useful. The idea with gps 'anyone' could make a cruise like device with 'okish' optical payload.
Get it up high with a motor, drop the motor and let it cool off. Could it almost be stealthy? Let if drift over an area of interest.
The camera would click away. You could build a cage around it to mess with radar. A hole for the 'off' cell phone to transmit from.
Most intrusion detection systems would be radar based, optical or looking for heat.
You have no heat, mostly wood. Would a big wooden eagle fool a optical over flight AI?
Fire it off over a suspected 'Area 51', ie a new/old US base that seems to have much more activity.
Become the Gary McKinnon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_McKinnon) of the UAV world.
Have a cell phone inside to 'call' its gps location after x hours to come pick it up. Recover and publish via TOR :) Just make sure you did not call your gf/bf, mom or work on the cell before the flight ;)
Then the feds would have to do something about the wetware.
Some subtle pranks to get you depressed.
Then you would be "DC Madam ed" or join Costas Tsalikidis, the Greek telco whistleblower who was found hanged.
Adamo Bove head of security at Telecom Italia who exposed the CIA renditions via cell phones 'fell' to his death.