I have started to plan my build and while waiting for some parts to get back into stock was wondering, what is the bear minimum needed to get a quadcopter airborne?
I was hoping frame, motors, escs, props, flight controller (I am thinking of the APM) and rc equipment. Is this a fair assumption?
Sounds about right to me, although you might want to add a battery or two in there as well (and charger if you don’t have one). 
Doh! Meant to put that on there lol
Thanks for the confirmation 
batteries will be something else I will have to research, need to find out about this ‘3S1P’ business about them.
Again thanks for the assist 
Yes that seems about right (plus the batteries 
) . APM is a great system with many cool features, but if you want to save abit of money (and learn abit too) you might want to consider using the multiwii based systems
But otherwise this page shows you want you need for arducopter which might be usefull 
If you have any other questions let us know!
I want to go with the APM as while it may have many functions I won’t use at the start, my 'copter will grow into it 
I would like to have it, eventually, fully autonomous, able to fly off by itself. Also I am hoping that it may help to get some of the kids I teach into engineering and robotics in a way that a Lego Mindstorms kit can’t!
Oh and I have just read that the APM has a Follow Me mode (more accurately the Android mission planner has), that sounds so cool, like my own flying R2D2 
(sorry I am that sad lol)
Yes the follow mode is quite cool. The way it works is that your android will sent its GPS position as a waypoint to the arducopter every second or so.
Here is a video of the follow mode from a windy day a couple weeks ago. Dont mind the yaw wobble as I was in a rush and did not complete the compass calibration procedure properly.