When two of his favorite FPV drone frames developed cracks and replacement parts were no longer available, Pedro Mateos began designing his own. After an outsourcing setback, he brought a Makera Z1 into his home workshop. Now he can machine carbon fiber parts, revise them as problems appear, and fly a frame he helped create from scratch.
“With the machine at home, I can see if something is wrong and improve it straight away. For me, that was fundamental.”
— Pedro Mateos, FPV pilot in Seville, Spain
Pedro is an FPV enthusiast based in Seville, Spain, who shares his flying as Matyus FPV. He taught himself the basics of design through YouTube tutorials and gradually began creating custom parts for his projects.
His CNC journey began with a problem he could no longer solve by ordering a spare part.
Two Cracked Frames and No Replacement Parts
While inspecting two frames he regularly flew, Pedro noticed that both were cracking on the same side, in the same place. He had considered them among the best frames available to him, but their manufacturer had closed. Replacement parts were no longer an option.
Pedro and his girlfriend decided to design compatible parts themselves. Starting from scratch in Fusion 360, they worked through months of testing and adjustments. They wanted to reinforce the areas prone to breaking while keeping compatibility with the original frame and adding personalized designs.
Their 3D printers helped them check how the components fitted together as the design evolved. That let them work through the fit before committing to the next stage of manufacture.
An Outsourcing Setback Brings CNC Home
Once the design was ready, they sent it to a specialist CNC company. After months of work, an error in machining the holes left the parts unusable. Pedro began looking for a machine so he could do the work himself.
Many of the models he found were too large for the space he had at home. The Makera Z1 met his requirements and fitted his budget more comfortably than the larger Makera machines he had also considered.
“I wanted it for use at home, and that was when I saw this revolutionary CNC machine and fell in love with it: the Makera Z1.”
He was new to CNC, but he already owned two Bambu Lab P1S printers. Makera Studio tutorials on YouTube helped him get started, and he found the software interface straightforward and effective. His familiarity with 3D printing made the workflow easier to approach, while learning the principles of CNC remained part of the process.
“For me, the workflow is very similar, but the Z1 is a very practical, straightforward CNC machine.”
Making Changes Without Waiting Months
Having the Z1 at home changed how Pedro could respond to a problem. Previously, he says, outsourced parts could take months to arrive, only to need further modifications. Now he can identify an issue and start improving the design straight away.
The latest version includes changes to the holes and the central area of the arms. Pedro also reports machining T700 carbon fiber. For his setup, a 5 mm thick frame arm typically takes about 20 minutes to machine, with a few extra minutes if he adds a chamfer.
That shorter path between finding a problem and making a revised part matters in a project built around repeated adjustments. Pedro can keep developing the frame himself instead of sending each revision back to a supplier.
He also notes that his work has given him experience with the risks of cutting carbon fiber, which he keeps in mind when machining it.
Putting His Own Frame Through SBANG Flying
Pedro’s flying style gives the project a demanding test. He flies SBANG, an aggressive style that calls for sharp changes of direction while keeping the movement as clean and smooth as possible. His design priorities are a strong frame and good control of vibration.
At the time of the follow-up interview, he reported more than ten intense flights with the new frame. He was particularly pleased with its vibration and resonance behavior, even with aggressive flight settings.
His electronics are sensitive to vibration, he explains. Parts that do not fit tightly together, or a frame design that does not work well as a whole, can make smooth, precise flight difficult. Those flights gave him a chance to assess the design under the conditions he actually cares about.
“Flying a frame you designed yourself is very rewarding, because behind it were many hours of work that were fun and, at times, frustrating.”
A Personal Project Other Pilots Want to Fly
The project began with Pedro’s own need for replacement parts, but other pilots have since asked to order a frame. Selling it was not his original intention.
“People have already asked me for the frame. To be honest, I hadn’t planned to sell it, but I’ll have to do things properly if they keep asking for it!”
Pedro’s girlfriend also had a reason to welcome the Z1 into their workspace. She makes personalized medals with a 3D printer, and Pedro saw an opportunity to explore other materials and improve the finish with CNC machining.
“She makes personalized 3D-printed medals, and I told her that with this machine we could make them in other materials and with a better finish. And that’s how it turned out.”
For Pedro, designing and making parts fits naturally into FPV, where computers, repairs, 3D printing, and CNC all connect. The Z1 has given him the means to take his own design through machining and assembly, then find out how it flies.
“With such a revolutionary machine and today’s design software, you can machine your own parts and assemble them yourself. That’s very rewarding!”
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