Auto-assembled, not yet reviewed

CogniFly

Soft, collision-resilient source-published quadcopter inspired by arthropod exoskeletons.

Dormant. No upstream changes for two years or more. It may still build, but parts, firmware and docs may have drifted.

Last push to thecognifly/CogniFly-STL: 2023-01-31 (GitHub, checked 2026-10-01).

Repository activity

  • No license stated
  • drone4 DoF
  • CA$407.90source total
Reproducibility73/100Partial source coverage, unverifiedCADBOMWIREFWBUILDLICREPHow it is computed
CogniFly 4-DoF drone, 3D render from MonoBlockFrame v43.step
simplified 3D · MonoBlockFrame v43.step

About CogniFly

CogniFly is a source-published, collision-resilient quadcopter inspired by arthropod exoskeletons (ICRA 2022). It combines flexible TPU 95A parts with carbon-fiber or bamboo struts in a fold-as-you-assemble frame, carrying a Raspberry Pi Zero W and camera for onboard autonomy. This repository holds the 3D-printable STL files for current and past versions, but the STL repo has no detected repo-wide license. The listed BOM rows follow the paper version; the Latest folder documents a version 2 build with different electronics. The STL repo was last updated in 2023.

Licenses

Hardware
No license statedno LICENSE file in CogniFly-STL
Software
MITcognifly-python; the INAV fork and YAMSPy are GPL-3.0
Docs
Not published

Degrees of freedom

4 DoF rotors 4

Breakdown source

Quadcoptersource

How to build CogniFly

5 steps

Steps marked Motari summary condense the linked source; follow the source for exact instructions. Upstream step marks a step taken from the linked guide.

  1. Print flexible + rigid parts

    Print the TPU 95A frame parts and rigid components from the Latest folder, following the print-orientation notes.

    Upstream stepgithub.com/thecognifly/CogniFly-STL/blob/64856403a5a75d0eb19...

  2. Fit the struts

    Press carbon-fiber rods or bamboo struts into the TPU sockets using the tight-fit, fold-as-you-assemble method.

    Upstream stepgithub.com/thecognifly/CogniFly-STL/blob/64856403a5a75d0eb19...

  3. Install the stack

    For the Latest (version 2) build, solder the four XING2 1404 3000KV motors, the Matek optical flow and lidar sensor and the Raspberry Pi Zero W to the JHEMCU GHF420 AIO flight controller with built-in 4-in-1 ESC, then mount it on the PLA base and fit the 4024 propellers.

    Motari summarygithub.com/thecognifly/CogniFly-STL/blob/master/Latest/readme.md

  4. Add onboard compute

    Attach the Raspberry Pi Zero W and Camera V2 for vision and autonomy.

    Motari summarygithub.com/thecognifly/CogniFly-STL/blob/master/Latest/readme.md

  5. Flash and configure

    Flash the INAV firmware and set up cognifly-python from the project org for control.

    Upstream stepgithub.com/thecognifly/CogniFly-STL/blob/64856403a5a75d0eb19...
Print time14 h
Assembly timenot published

Wiring, power and firmware are safety-relevant and shown for reference only. Check them against the source before building.

CogniFly bill of materials

8 rows

Cost to build

CA$407.90CADsource total
  • one drone, Raspberry Pi Zero W build, Latest/Version 2 BOM Table 2, 2021 Canadian prices, includes 2 LiPo packs and full filament spools, excludes shippingCA$407.90source total

In the source currency, as read on 2026-09-30. Not converted, and not checked against current vendor prices: none of these is a Motari-verified checkout total.

CogniFly parts, as the source lists them (read 2026-09-30). Prices are the source's, not checked against vendors.

CogniFly bill of materials
PartQtySpecSourceConfidence
Brushless motor + propeller set1104 6000KV/3025 or 1106 3800KV/4025
4insect-scale class
generic FPVprice not listedREADME.md lines 26-29
high
Holybro Kakute F7 Mini V2 flight controlleror equivalent
1F7 FC
Holybroprice not listedREADME.md lines 35-36
high
35A 4-in-1 ESC
135A 4-in-1
generic FPVprice not listedREADME.md lines 37-38
high
Raspberry Pi Zero W + Camera V2onboard compute + vision
1Pi Zero W, Pi Cam v2
Raspberry Piprice not listedREADME.md lines 44-47
high
650mAh 3S LiPo battery11.1V 75C
1650mAh 3S
genericprice not listedREADME.md lines 42-43
high
TPU 95A + rigid filamentflexible frame + rigid parts
1STL provided
3D print yourselfprice not listedREADME.md lines 30-32; Latest/readme.md lines 1007-1039
med
Carbon-fiber rods or bamboo strutsstructural struts + M2 screws, XT30, zip ties
1various lengths
genericprice not listedREADME.md lines 33-34; README.md lines 52-56
med
Matek optical flow and lidar sensorNeeded for position and altitude hold
1Matek 3901-L0X optical flow and time-of-flight sensor
Matekprice not listedREADME.md BOM, Optical Flow and Time-of-Flight sensor
high

Rows from the source's own parts list 12

README.md@6485640markdown

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
brushless motors and propellers
4 motors; propeller family depends on motor option
vendor not listedno price listed
L25
printed materials and struts
8x 195mm, 8x 97mm, and 4x 72mm struts
vendor not listedno price listed
L30
flight controller and 4-in-1 ESC
1 flight controller; 1 4-in-1 ESC
Holybro / Heli-Nation / Spedixno price listed
L35
battery, onboard computer, and camera
single linked line items unless otherwise noted
TATTU / Raspberry Pino price listed
L42
connectors and fasteners
1 XT30 connector plus cable; other quantities not enumerated
vendor not listedno price listed
L52

Latest/readme.md@6485640markdown

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
Unnamed source row
4
vendor not listedno price listed
L1007
Unnamed source row
4
vendor not listedno price listed
L1008
Unnamed source row
4
vendor not listedno price listed
L1009
Unnamed source row
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L1036
Unnamed source row
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L1037
Unnamed source row
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L1038
Unnamed source row
Number of batteries
vendor not listedno price listed
L1039

CogniFly source files

9 files

Files stay in the upstream repository under their own licenses; these links open them there. The 3D model on this page is Motari's conversion of the file named under Simulation.

CogniFly in simulation

Robot description files a simulator or CAD tool can load, linked at the commit they were found.

No URDF, MJCF, SDF, USD or Onshape model has been found in the sources.

The 3D specimen on this page is converted from CogniFly_v2/MonoBlockFrame v43.step at 6485640.

Builds of CogniFly

0 reviewed

No reviewed builds of CogniFly yet.

A build log records the evidence (photos, a video, your repository), what the build cost, how long it took and what you changed. Each one is checked by Motari (until a maintainer claims this page) before it shows here, and reviewed builds count toward the reproducibility score.

Sources and provenance

Sources

Last push to thecognifly/CogniFly-STL: 2023-01-31 (checked 2026-10-01)

How this page was made

Assembled from public sources on 2026-06-04, not yet reviewed by the maintainer. Each figure links to where it is stated; a value the sources do not state reads "not published". Last source review: README 6485640 BOM parsed.

Original files stay intact and separately licensed; Motari adds only the summary on this page. Maintainer? Request a correction or removal.

Badge for the README

Maintain CogniFly? Show its reproducibility score in the project's README. The badge links back to this page and updates with the score.

Badge: reproducibility 73/100

Markdown
[![Motari reproducibility score for CogniFly](https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/cognifly)](https://motari.io/r/cognifly)
HTML
<a href="https://motari.io/r/cognifly"><img src="https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/cognifly" alt="Motari reproducibility score for CogniFly" height="20"></a>

Not fully met yet: wiring diagram (partial), oshw-compatible license. The score is read from the project's own sources, so publishing what is missing is what raises it. A score of 90 or more needs a reviewed build. How the score is computed