To get your drone airborne, you need the right amount of thrust from its motor. Use the steps below to calculate the required amount of thrust and choose the right engine to support your drone.
Step 1: Determine the weight of the drone. Double the drone’s weight in order to calculate the minimum amount of thrust you’ll need from a motor.
Step 2: Add 20% to that total to ensure that your drone will be able to hover. For example, if the weight of your drone is 1 500 grams, you’ll need 3 000 grams of thrust to get it off the ground, plus 600 additional grams to get it to hover. The number you come up with is your thrust total.
Step 3: Divide your thrust total by the number of motors the drone requires. If your thrust total is 3 600 grams and your drone is a quadcopter, you’ll need 900 grams of thrust per motor.
Step 4: Browse motors online or in stores. Each motor should list the amount of thrust it provides. This thrust number must match or exceed the number you came up with in Step 3.
Step 5: Multiply a motor’s wattage by 3 in order to get a good estimate of its thrust. To be safe, if thrust is not listed for a particular motor, call the manufacturer for more information.
Step 6: If your drone will carry an object, like a camera, determine the weight of the object. Next, return to Step 1 and add that total to your calculations. After you’ve added the weight, calculate 20% of the total and add it in to get an adjusted thrust total for Step 3.
Recap: Your drone won’t fly unless you choose motors that provide the right amount of thrust. Use the steps above to calculate the required thrust easily so you can choose a motor that delivers.
Step 1: Determine the weight of the drone. Double the drone’s weight in order to calculate the minimum amount of thrust you’ll need from a motor.
Step 2: Add 20% to that total to ensure that your drone will be able to hover. For example, if the weight of your drone is 1 500 grams, you’ll need 3 000 grams of thrust to get it off the ground, plus 600 additional grams to get it to hover. The number you come up with is your thrust total.
Step 3: Divide your thrust total by the number of motors the drone requires. If your thrust total is 3 600 grams and your drone is a quadcopter, you’ll need 900 grams of thrust per motor.
Step 4: Browse motors online or in stores. Each motor should list the amount of thrust it provides. This thrust number must match or exceed the number you came up with in Step 3.
Step 5: Multiply a motor’s wattage by 3 in order to get a good estimate of its thrust. To be safe, if thrust is not listed for a particular motor, call the manufacturer for more information.
Step 6: If your drone will carry an object, like a camera, determine the weight of the object. Next, return to Step 1 and add that total to your calculations. After you’ve added the weight, calculate 20% of the total and add it in to get an adjusted thrust total for Step 3.
Recap: Your drone won’t fly unless you choose motors that provide the right amount of thrust. Use the steps above to calculate the required thrust easily so you can choose a motor that delivers.
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