Dragon Circuits Adds Up-cycled PCBs to Drone Division

 Dragon Circuits Adds Up-cycled PCBs to Drone Division 

Texas-based circuit board manufacturer Dragon Circuits is proud to announce the release of the newest drone product to their UAV division (Dragon Drones) made from "up-cycled" circuit boards. Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. After noticing a growing trend of artists buying scrap boards and creating art with them, Dragon began up-cycling their own boards, making everything from cup-holders, to clocks, to picture frames. Since Dragon started their UAV/drone branch earlier this year, the first step to up-cycle scrap material for drones was an obvious one. Vice President Rajan Babaria comments, “Many circuit boards are layered and quite durable. It was clear this would make them a great candidate to be used as a drone frame.” The new circuit board based frame "The Circui-Drone" comes in kit form and includes 3-CNCed circuit board parts that compromise the fuselage, battery bay, and shield for the flight controller. It also includes 3D printed spacers and screws. Dragon recommends a selection of motors, flight controllers and other components, but frame-kit will not include electronics as many hobbyists and DIYers prefer varying brands. Babaria states, “We just announced the sale of the Circui-Drone on Instagram and already have a slew of orders. The response to this product has been exciting.” Recycling of PCB scrap is often done through processes that use environmentally hazardous methods to extract raw elements. Upcycling beats recycling because boards are prevented from going through the rigorous recycling process. Babaria continues, “Our goal for 2014 is to turn all of our trash (scrap) into treasure. The Circui-Drone is just the beginning.“