@MrUber - That would be my advice exactly. If you don't want to make an RF transceiver from scratch, then don't! Similarly, if you don't want to build a drone from scratch, then don't. Find a platform capable of carrying your payload (Arduino, sensors, and an XBee module would be what I would go for) and use that instead.
This lets you focus on your project (control software) and not on the device interface or construction issues. As I mentioned, I think you want a ROS-enabled drone. The Parrot is just the first thing I could find to give to you as an example.
Asimov's Corner
Asimov's Corner