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Yes. New Dexterity published an open-source design for a small, helium-lifted robotic blimp you can build for indoor education, research or quiet camera work. It uses a 3D-printed gondola, a Raspberry Pi Zero W, three motor-and-propeller units, Wi-Fi control and a ROS interface. New Dexterity’s July 2020 estimate was $110.50 including the balloon and its initial helium fill; that is a historical project estimate, not a current shopping total.
What the New Dexterity robotic airship is
This is a compact indoor blimp rather than a conventional powered aircraft. A helium-filled Microfoil party balloon provides lift, while a gondola suspended beneath it houses the electronics and propulsion. The open-source project provides a bill of materials, gondola CAD archives and software, including a ROS interface. The project documentation describes helium retention, envelope materials, gondola placement and rotor-angle positioning.
The design is intended as a reproducible platform for education and research. Its low-vibration, quieter operation and comparatively low RF interference can also make it useful for overhead video capture. It is not a heavy-lift camera craft: the documented setup is built around a Raspberry Pi camera and a small gondola.
How it flies and how it is controlled
The balloon supplies buoyancy; the motors steer the craft. The documented arrangement has three motor-propeller units: two provide forward or reverse thrust and horizontal maneuvering, and a third changes elevation. The balloon does not eliminate the need for powered control—the motors provide the movement and adjustments needed to direct the buoyant craft.
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A Raspberry Pi Zero W handles control and video capture. A Raspberry Pi Camera Module provides the video feed, and the craft can be piloted over Wi-Fi. The project also supports the Robot Operating System (ROS), making the platform relevant to robotics experiments as well as manual piloting.
Parts and fabrication you need
The published build combines a 3D-printed gondola and electronics with a helium balloon. Check the project’s current bill of materials and CAD archives for exact files and specifications before purchasing or printing; the following is the documented core setup.
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- Raspberry Pi Zero W and Raspberry Pi Camera Module
- 500 mAh, 3.7 V lithium-ion polymer battery
- PowerBoost 500 Basic or an equivalent boost converter
- DRV8835 dual motor-driver carrier and DRV8838 single motor-driver carrier
- Three small DC motors and propellers
- 3D-printed gondola, made from the project’s published CAD
- Microfoil party balloon, helium and Velcro for attaching the gondola
- Wi-Fi control software and the ROS interface from the project repository
HackSpace describes a 91 cm balloon attached to the gondola with Velcro. The design’s project page and files are the practical starting points for sourcing and fabrication: New Dexterity’s airship project and its project repository.
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New Dexterity’s project log gave a July 2020 estimate of $90 for the platform, $4 for the recommended balloon and $16.50 for the initial helium filling, for a reported total of $110.50. The total includes that initial fill; it should not be read as a recurring helium cost or as a current retail budget. Prices and availability can change, and the estimate does not establish what a new build costs today. See the project cost notes for the original estimate.
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Where it works well—and where it does not
Good fit: quiet indoor experiments and video
Compared with a quadrotor, the project identifies quieter operation, little vibration and less RF interference as advantages. Those characteristics can help when filming overhead or working in a space where rotor noise and vibration are unwelcome. Open CAD and ROS support also make the craft useful as a platform for experimentation and learning.
Not a reliable outdoor flyer
The balloon-and-gondola craft is light and wind-sensitive. Hackster notes that outdoor winds can easily push it around, so the documented use is indoors. Its payload is also camera-scale, not intended for carrying substantial equipment. Expect to manage helium retention as part of operating a balloon-based platform; flight-time performance is not established by the cited project material.
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How it compares with a quadrotor
| Consideration | New Dexterity airship | Quadrotor |
|---|---|---|
| Noise and vibration | The project presents quieter operation and little vibration as advantages. | Not quantified in the project sources. |
| RF interference | The project cites less RF interference as an advantage. | Not quantified in the project sources. |
| Payload | Camera-scale setup; substantial payload capacity is not established. | Varies by aircraft; no comparable model or payload figure is specified here. |
| Wind tolerance | Poor outdoors; light craft can be pushed around by wind. | Varies by aircraft; no model-specific comparison is specified here. |
| Software openness | Published CAD and a ROS interface are available. | Depends on the aircraft and software. |
| Cost | $110.50 in New Dexterity’s July 2020 estimate, including balloon and initial helium fill; current total not stated. | Not stated for a comparable model. |
This comparison is qualitative: the project sources do not provide matched flight-time, payload or noise measurements against a specific quadrotor. Helium management and fabrication effort also matter, but no directly comparable values are stated.
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Start with New Dexterity’s project page for the bill of materials and gondola CAD archives, then use the project repository for software and ROS resources. Confirm the files, component requirements and current availability directly before starting the build.
Quick Recap
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