Nutation　drive　has　advantages　of　large　transmission　ratio,　high　load-bearing　capacity　and　compact　structure,　making　it　a　promising　solution　for　precise　transmission　in　various　fields　such　as　industrial　robots,　electric　vehicles,　and　space　explorations.　However,　the　nutation　drive　would　be　difficult　to　adapt　to　the　design　requirements　of　different　application　scenarios　because　of　lacking　reliable　and　easy-to-use　design　methods.　The　primary　reason　for　the　lack　of　design　methodology　lies　in　the　insufficient　understanding　in　kinematic　mechanism　of　the　nutation　drive.　To　solve　this　problem,　the　present　work　aims　to　reveal　the　motion　transmission　mechanism　of　nutation　drive　and　to　provide　a　universal　structural　design　methodology.　First,　angular　velocity　analyses　for　two　typical　single-stage　nutation　drives　are　carried　out,　clarifying　the　velocity　of　each　key　component　in　the　nutation　drive.　Second,　the　transmission　ratios　of　two　kinds　of　nutation　drives　are　derived,　respectively.　Third,　the　relationships　between　the　kinematic　characteristics　and　structural　parameters　of　single-stage　nutation　drive　are　established　and　a　design　process　for　key　structural　parameters　is　subsequently　proposed.　Then,　a　case　study　based　on　the　proposed　design　methodology　is　conducted　to　yield　the　detail　structure　of　a　single-stage　nutation　drive.　Finally,　a　prototype　of　single-stage　nutation　drive　is　fabricated　and　its　transmission　ratio　is　tested.　The　testing　results　show　that　the　average　transmission　ratio　of　the　nutation　reducer　is　-14.89　and　its　relative　error　is　just　-0.70%　compared　with　theoretical　one,　while　the　average　fluctuation　of　the　transmission　ratio　is　0.86　with　a　relative　error　of　5.76%.　It　means　that　the　proposed　nutation　drive　has　the　potential　for　stable　transmission　with　low　speed　fluctuations.　The　proposed　kinematic　analysis　model　and　design　method　is　verified.