CNC Machining Case Study for Industrial Drone Components

This drone is designed for power line inspection, topographic mapping, and emergency rescue missions, requiring long endurance and high payload capacity. To achieve this, the structural components must be both lightweight and strong, and nearly all key parts are made from CNC-machined aluminum alloys and carbon fiber sandwich structures.

If the frame lacks sufficient rigidity, the drone will experience vibrations in windy conditions, affecting image accuracy. Therefore, we had to balance lightweight construction and structural stability.

The drone arms and gimbal brackets designed by SkyVision include multiple thin-walled cavities, threaded holes, locating pin holes, and assembly surfaces, with the thinnest section measuring only 1.8 mm. Some components required 5-axis simultaneous machining to achieve smooth transitions between internal cavities and external curved surfaces.

In addition, key parts such as motor mounts and gimbal bases demanded tolerances within ±0.01 mm. These requirements meant that even minor tool vibrations or thermal deformation could lead to assembly inaccuracies.

*Note: When we have not obtained authorization from the parties involved, other representative images will be used to protect the clients’ rights.