Design and Evaluation of a Low-Cost Quadcopter Drone ControlSystem with Real-Time IMU-Based Stabilization

Abstract

Quadcopter technology has gained
attention due to applications in aerial surveillance,
delivery, and research, yet many existing studies focus on
either complex autonomous control algorithms or highcost
hardware, limiting accessibility for educational and
experimental purposes. A basic quadcopter control
system integrating a LiPo battery, flight controller,
BLDC motors, ESC units, and a wireless transmitter was
implemented to demonstrate stable flight using real-time
command processing and sensor feedback. The
transmitter commands were decoded and processed by
the flight controller, which generated PWM signals to
control motor speed, producing thrust for maneuvering.
IMU sensors provided continuous orientation feedback,
maintaining stability under disturbances. Experimental
results indicated stable hover with ±2° orientation
deviation, maximum motor RPM of 8500, average PWM
duty cycle of 60%, hover current draw of 4.5 A, and a
flight time of approximately 12 minutes, outperforming
typical small-scale educational drones in response time
and stability. The system validates efficient integration of
power, control, and feedback mechanisms for reliable
quadcopter operation.