GoKawiilEngineer Joshua Bird builds 3D-printed drone powered by a single motor
Software engineer and hobbyist Joshua Bird built and flight-tested a drone with only one motor, documenting the project in a YouTube video. The design uses a hinged propeller, rapid motor speed changes reacting in under 0.2 milliseconds, and custom flight-controller firmware to replace the swashplate and secondary propeller found in typical rotary-wing aircraft.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
By using motor acceleration and deceleration to counteract torque and steer pitch, roll and yaw, the approach could point toward lighter, mechanically simpler rotorcraft designs. As a hobbyist project rather than a commercial product, it suggests a proof-of-concept direction that engineers or companies might later explore for small drones where weight and complexity reduction matter.
- A single motor replaces the usual torque-canceling and swashplate mechanisms in this drone design.
- A hinged 45-degree propeller pitches blades up or down as motor speed changes, enabling directional control.
- Custom firmware reacts to needed adjustments in under 0.2 milliseconds, with the build detailed in a YouTube video by Joshua Bird.
Creality Ender 3 V3 3D Printer — If you're inspired by this bedroom drone build, a reliable 3D printer is the first step to prototyping your own custom parts like hinged propellers and frames. The Ender 3 V3 is popular among hobbyists for turning CAD designs into real, flyable components. It's a great entry point for makers who want to experiment with DIY drone engineering at home.
See Creality Ender 3 V3 3D Printer on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Jowi Morales, 2026-10-19
Published there as: “Engineer builds tiny 3D-printed single-motor drone in their bedroom”
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