When it comes to 3D modeling and printing, there are few individuals who possess the skill level that MyMiniFactory’s Lead Designer Kirby Downey has. He’s created some of the most awe-inspiring 3D printable objects we have covered since our launch back in January 2014. At the same time, there are few categories which garner the excitement within the internet community as much as cool Star Wars creations, as well as drones, and when you put Downey’s creative genius and modeling skills together with both Star Wars and drone themes, fireworks are bound to go off.
That’s just what happened this week when Downey and MyMiniFactory unveiled the 3D Printed Millennium Falcon Drone Shell for anyone to download free of charge. For those unfamiliar with the Millennium Falcon from the Star Wars series, it was originally known as the YT-1300, and has a history which stretches back prior to Clone Wars. The ship’s most famous navigators were Han Solo and his Wookie copilot, Chewbacca, making the Millennium Falcon one of the most popular ships in the entire series.
If you are a drone enthusiast and an avid Star Wars fan, then you likely had the desire, at least once, to fly your very own Millennium Falcon drone. With that said, as far as we can tell there is no such drone available for purchase. No worries though, as you can now print the shell of the drone yourself, and attach it to the popular HUBSAN X4 H107 Quadcopter quite easily.
The shell, when printed, is only 0.5mm thick, making it incredibly light, barely affecting the flight control whatsoever, while also providing a bit of flexibility so that when you do crash it into a table, ceiling fan, or best friend, it won’t crack or shatter to pieces. The total print time will be approximately 45-60 minutes (printed at 0.2mm layer heights) according to Downey, and once printed it is immediately ready to be attached to your drone.
To do this, simply remove the propellors from your HUBSAN X4 H107 Quadcopter, and slide the shrouds, which are built into the design, over the four motors, before putting the propellers back on. Your Millennium Falcon is now ready to take your neighborhood by storm!
If you have access to a 3D printer, this shows that anything is possible. This is just one drone shell that can be created, out of an infinite number of possibilities. If you decide to design your own 3D model for a new drone, just remember that the lighter it is the better, and that weight distribution of any shell should be fairly even all around, as you likely do not want to affect the drone’s aerodynamics and stability.
Let us know if you have printed this design out. Discuss in the 3D Printed Millennium Falcon Drone forum thread on 3DPB.com, and don’t forget to check out the video below of Downey flying his Star Wars creation, and explaining the assembly process in a bit more detail.
