The Maker Shed now has the ELEV-8 Quadcopter kit by Parallax! Unlike single rotor helicopters, the four motors on a quadcopter spin fixed-pitch propellers which can be adjusted as a group, allowing you to perform any combination of roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle in flight. This quad also has three accelerometers and three gyros built in so it’s extremely stable in the air, even on a windy day.

This was my first foray into the wide, intimidating world of remote control flight and I’m proud to say that I got the quad flying within an hour of completing the build. If you’re a newbie like I was, definitely buy some extra props, since you will crash. Nevertheless, after a few hours of practice, you’ll be performing smooth turns and impressing your friends. Fly safe and have fun!