FURI | Spring 2026

Low-Cost Open-Source Micro-Drone Platform

This research project explores how to make a low-cost micro-drone platform that is designed for reliable flight and used as an educational tool for drone robotics research and instruction. While advances in drone robotics have made swarm research increasingly important, existing drone platforms are proprietary or expensive for research or educational usage. By creating an open-source micro-drone platform that costs under $50 per drone, the project aims to make drone swarms more accessible. This involves exploring how to make efficient implementations of sensor fusion, PID control loops, filtering, and communication on limited hardware.