Motor
● Drones can be built using brushed or brushless motors.
● The brushed motors are generally used in toy drones and mini-drones only.
● All commercial drones use brushless motors
● Key factors in motor selection
● Drone weight & frame
● Thrust requirement
● Motor size
● KV rating
● Motor torque
● Motor winding
● Drone weight & frame
First thing now is to calculate the drone weight. Consider all the components that will make or
attach with the drone — the drone frame, flight controller, ESCs, motors, propellers, battery,
camera, antenna etc.
● Determining thrust requirements
● Next, you need to decide the thrust requirement of the drone.
● The maximum thrust by all the motors should be at least double the drone weight.
● If the drone weight is 1Kg, the motors all together must produce a thrust of at least 2Kg.
● If it is a quadcopter, that means each motor must at least produce a maximum thrust of 500
grams.
● Motor size
As already mentioned, a drone motor, whether brushed or brushless
● KV rating
● The KV rating is the number of revolutions of the motor per minute
● . If a drone motor has a KV rating of 920 and the motor is powered by a 3S LiPo battery i.e., a 12.6 V
battery pack, it will revolve at 11,592 RPM
● Motors with higher KV ratings have shorter windings and low internal resistance. As a result, these
motors are prone to heating up early
● High Kv motors operate at higher RPMs.
● Motor torque
● Torque, in simple terms, is a measure of rotational force. For drones, motor torque refers to the
force that the motor applies to turn the propellers.
● The motors with less torque and lower RPM must be used where the drone needs to fly slowly and
smoothly carrying a payload.
● Motor winding
● The motor winding is related to the current capacity and torque output of the motor.
● If the motor uses thick wire for winding, it is able to handle greater current through it. Due to the
thick wire, the internal resistance of the wire is less likely to result in a high KV rating
Propellers
● What are drone propellers?
● Drone propellers are rotating blades that provide lift the drones. They are typically made
of plastic or carbon fiber and are attached to motors on the drone.
●
● How do they work?
● Propellers work by spinning at high speeds to create thrust, which generates lift and
propels the drone forward. The spinning blades of the propellers create a difference in air
pressure, with the air
● pressure being lower on the front of the blade than on the back. This difference in air pressure
generates thrust, which propels the drone forward.
● Types of drone propellers
● Two-blade propellers:
● These propellers have two blades and are typically used on smaller drones. They are
lightweight and efficient but can be less stable than other types of propellers.
● Three-blade propellers:
● These propellers have three blades and are typically used on larger drones. They are
more stable than two-blade propellers but can be less efficient.
● Four-blade propellers:
● These propellers have four blades and are typically used on larger drones. They are more stable
and efficient than two-blade or three-blade propellers.
● ESC (Electronic Speed Controller)
● the ESC should be rated 10-20% higher than the motor's maximum current at 100% throttle.
● For example, if your motor produces 10A at full throttle, you should use a 12A or 15A ESC.
