Who needs a DJI? This ultimate DIY drone hits 67mph and costs just $155

Date:
Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:23:38 +0000

Description:
Max Imagination has shared the painstaking design and build process that went into creating his cheap, speedy FPV drone, and provides full instructions for anyone who wants to repeat his feat.

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successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter ESP-Blast drone parts cost a total of $155 Drone weighs under 5oz and hits a top speed of 67mph / 108kmh Full self-build instructions available online $155 doesn't get you much when it comes to pre-built drones. But if you're not averse to breaking out a soldering iron and 3D printer and getting your hands dirty with some light DIY work, that's how much it'll cost you to buy all the components for the ESP-Blast a tiny drone capable of hitting 67mph.

The ESP-Blast is the brainchild of YouTuber Max Imagination , who details the entire design, engineering and building process in the video below (you can also find a full tutorial on his Instructables profile). Even a cursory watch of the video reveals it to be a painstaking and laborious process, going through many tweaks and iterations along the way. Build The Smallest ESP32 Brushless Rocket Drone | ESP-BLAST - YouTube Watch On Thankfully you don't have to go through that protracted ordeal yourself, as Max has included links to all the components, 3D printer files and more. So, should you want to DIY the ESP-Blast, I'd say the hardest part has already been done. Article continues below You may like 430mph! Aerospace engineer (unofficially) reclaims the drone speed crown A 3D printed drone is probably the world's fastest DIY plane ever, quicker than even the legendary P38 Lightning but at 408mph, it has some way to go to catch up with the 575mph TU-95 Snap up your first drone for less with this big saving on the DJI Mini 4K

Why would you want to build it? Well, because this thing is seriously fast. Most cheap consumer drones are fairly limited when it comes to speed with some help from a favorable wind, the 209 DJI Neo 2 (about $240) can reach an air speed of about 50mph in FPV mode, but you'll need to spend more on DJI Goggles and an RC Motion controller.

The ESP-Blast (which admittedly doesn't price an FPV headset or controller into Max's $155 total) hits 67mph due to its 136g / 4.8oz weight, 450mAh battery and aerodynamic rocket-ship shape. Sure, it'll only fly for around five minutes on a full charge, but that's the price you pay for ultra-low weight and a tiny size. The key components required for the DIY drone project (Image credit: Max Imagination / Autodesk) Cheap as chips Perhaps the most impressive thing about the ESP-Blast is the use of the EPS32 system-on-chip
as its flight controller. This $5 chip is not intended to be used in such a role it's commonly used in Internet of Things smart home DIY projects like modified coffee machines and security cameras. Max realised, however, that
its 240MHz dual-core Xtensa LX6 processor and 520KB of RAM was ideal for his purposes even if the chip's built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas weren't required and that it was also incredibly cheap.

He also picked PETG plastic over the more commonly used PLA for the 3D
printed airframe, a choice which makes sense given PETG's advantages in flexibility, cold air resistance and shock absorption. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The ESP-Blast's 67mph top speed might not seem impressive compared to the record-breaking 430mph hit by Ben Biggs' DIY Blackbird drone in February
2026, but do bear in mind that that drone uses parts worth around $3,000 in total which makes it more than 19 times more expensive than Max
Imagination's drone. To achieve 67mph in such a cheap machine is quite the engineering feat, in my eyes. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. The best drones Top flying camera picks, for all budgets

Read our full best drones guide 1. Best overall DJI Mini 5 Pro 2. Best
budget DJI Mini 4K 3. Best professional DJI Mavic 4 Pro 4. Best for selfies HoverAir X1 Pro



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/cameras/drones/who-needs-a-dji-this-ultimate-diy-dro ne-hits-67mph-and-costs-just-usd155


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