Marine USV Part 1 Complete Part 2 Coming Soon 3D Printed

REEF Build Tutorial

Complete guide to building the REEF 3D-printed Unmanned Surface Vehicle — from printing the 12-part hull to manual control and autonomous GIS navigation.

Quick Downloads: REEF STL Files (reef.zip) Build Video
Tutorial Parts: Part 1 — 3D Boat & Manual Control Part 2 — Full Autonomous USV

What You'll Build

REEF is a groundbreaking 3D-printed DIY Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) designed to evolve from a manually controlled boat into a fully autonomous GIS-programmed maritime drone. Built with accessibility in mind, the entire hull is printed in 12 interlocking parts on a standard FDM printer — no CNC, fibreglass, or specialist manufacturing required.

The tutorial is split into two parts: Part 1 covers the complete 3D-printed hull construction, propulsion electronics, and manual radio control setup. Part 2 (coming soon) will add full autonomous navigation using Google Maps waypoints and GIS-based route programming.

Complete Part 1

3D Printed Boat + Manual Control

Print and assemble the 12-part hull, install propulsion and electronics, set up RC manual control.

Coming Soon Part 2

Full USV + Google Maps Waypoints

Convert REEF into a fully autonomous surface vehicle with GIS-programmed route navigation.

Complete

Part 1 — 3D Printed Boat & Manual Control

Part 1 Build Steps

1

Download STL Files

Download reef.zip and extract all 12 hull STL files.

2

3D Print All Parts

Print each hull component — hull front/middle/back, decks, mounts, and hardware parts.

3

Assemble the Hull

Glue and bolt the hull sections together, seal all seams waterproof.

4

Install Propulsion

Mount brushless motors, props, ESCs, and servo for rudder control.

5

Install Flight Controller

Mount the ArduPilot board, GPS, and RC receiver for navigation and control.

6

Wire & Waterproof Electronics

Wire all electronics, apply conformal coating, and secure the battery tray.

7

Bind RC & Test

Bind your RC transmitter, verify motor direction, and conduct pool/calm water test.

3D Print Files — 12 Hull Parts

The REEF hull is divided into 12 printable components, each designed to fit on a standard 220×220 mm or larger print bed. Use PETG or ASA for all hull and structural parts for better UV and water resistance. The coupling and interface parts can be PLA.

# Part Name Material Notes
1 hull_front PETG / ASA Bow section — tapered for hydrodynamics
2 hull_middle PETG / ASA Main hull body — battery bay
3 hull_back PETG / ASA Stern section — motor mount integration
4 rudder_mount PETG Servo-driven rudder attachment point
5 rudder PETG Rudder blade for steering control
6 rudder_horn PETG Servo linkage arm for rudder actuation
7 cam_mount PLA / PETG Camera or sensor bracket on bow
8 deck_front PETG / ASA Front deck cover — access hatch
9 deck_back PETG / ASA Rear deck — electronics compartment cover
10 coupling PETG Hull section joining interface
11 lipo_mount PLA / PETG Battery tray inside main hull
12 hull_interface PETG Watertight connector panel mount
Download reef.zip — All 12 STL Files
Sealing the Hull: After assembly, apply a silicone sealant bead to all hull joints. Test water tightness in a shallow pool for at least 15 minutes before installing electronics. Apply conformal coating to all PCBs before deployment.

Electronics Components

Component Specification Purpose
Brushless Motor Outrunner 2205–2306, ~2300KV Propulsion (×2)
Propeller 5040 or 6045 prop pair Thrust generation
ESC 20–30A waterproof (BLHeli_32) Motor speed control
Servo Waterproof, ≥5 kg·cm Rudder steering
Flight Controller Pixhawk / Ardupilot Rover mode Navigation and autopilot
GPS Module Here3+ or ublox M8N Position fix
RC Receiver SBUS ≥6 channel Manual control
LiPo Battery 4S 14.8V, 5000–10000 mAh Main power
Waterproof Switch IP67 rated toggle Power on/off

Part 1 Build Video

Watch the full build series on the DigInto YouTube channel.

Coming Soon

Part 2 — Full Autonomous USV

Part 2 Tutorial — In Development

DigInto is currently developing Part 2, which will cover converting the manually controlled REEF boat into a fully autonomous USV with Google Maps waypoint navigation. Subscribe to the YouTube channel to be notified when it's released.

What Part 2 Will Cover

Google Maps Waypoint Programming

Define maritime routes directly on Google Maps — place waypoints at specific GPS coordinates and upload the mission to REEF.

Full ArduPilot Boat Configuration

Configure ArduPilot in Boat mode with proper navigation tuning for stable autonomous surface navigation.

GIS-Based Route Execution

REEF will execute complex survey patterns, perimeter runs, and waypoint missions using geospatial data inputs.

Telemetry & Real-Time Monitoring

Monitor REEF's live position, heading, speed, and mission progress via Mission Planner from shore.

Failsafe & Return to Home

Automatic return to launch point if RC link or telemetry is lost — essential maritime safety feature.

Payload Integration (Optional)

Mount a camera, sonar transducer, or water quality sensor for environmental monitoring missions.

Subscribe for Part 2

Build at a Glance

  • Difficulty Intermediate
  • Type Marine USV
  • Hull Parts 12 STL Files
  • Construction 3D Printed (PETG)
  • Part 1 Status Complete
  • Part 2 Status Coming Soon
  • Navigation GIS / Google Maps

Downloads

reef.zip — All 12 STL Files

Part 2 files will be released alongside the video tutorial.

12 Hull Parts

  • 1 hull_front
  • 2 hull_middle
  • 3 hull_back
  • 4 rudder_mount
  • 5 rudder
  • 6 rudder_horn
  • 7 cam_mount
  • 8 deck_front
  • 9 deck_back
  • 10 coupling
  • 11 lipo_mount
  • 12 hull_interface
Download STL Files YouTube Channel REEF Project Page All Tutorials

From 3D printer to open water.

Download the REEF STL files and subscribe to DigInto for Part 2 — the full autonomous USV upgrade.

Download reef.zip YouTube Channel All Builds