DRONES: From Zero to Flight — A Complete Beginner-to-Intermediate Guide to Drone Technology

DRONES: From Zero to Flight takes you from knowing nothing about UAVs to planning, assembling, wiring and configuring a real GPS quadcopter. It's written by the team at NEXALT Drone Technologies, who run hands-on drone workshops for engineering students, so it teaches the way we train: understand each part, see how the parts work together, build the aircraft, then fly it safely and legally.

You follow one build all the way through: the NX-450 Trainer, a 450 mm ArduPilot quadcopter. By the time you reach the build chapters, you already know every part inside it.

What you'll learn

• What a drone is, where it came from, and the main types and weight categories

• Motors, ESCs, propellers, LiPo batteries, flight controllers, sensors, GPS and radio links

• How thrust works, roll/pitch/yaw, flight modes and PID control loops, explained simply

• How to choose compatible parts, assemble the frame, wire everything and solder properly

• ArduPilot setup in Mission Planner: calibration, flight modes, failsafes and arming checks

• Pre-flight checks, your first hover, training drills, troubleshooting and maintenance

• India's Drone Rules 2021: weight categories, Digital Sky, UIN registration, Remote Pilot Certificate and green/yellow/red zones, with a separate comparison against FAA and EASA rules

• Real uses in agriculture, mapping, inspection and delivery, plus where AI and autonomy are heading

What's inside

• 161 pages · 27 chapters in 6 parts · 7 appendices

• 73 original technical diagrams and illustrations

• 26 NEXALT Workshop activities; most need only paper, a phone or free software

• Worked calculations for thrust, battery energy, flight time, current and tilt

• Printable pre-flight checklist, component checklist, troubleshooting tables, equation sheet and glossary

• Review questions and references in every chapter

Who it's for

Engineering and diploma students, drone hobbyists, robotics enthusiasts, workshop participants and anyone starting a career in UAVs. No prior drone knowledge needed.