How to choose a quadcopter

Today, quadcopters can perform a wide variety of actions in the air, which cannot be repeated by humans without their help. Such devices take pictures from a bird's eye view, which is incredible. Photo and video quality is top notch. But what if you need to deliver the cargo 2-3 km? Any modern device can cope with this. There will certainly be no problem with this! Just keep in mind, you have to first understand how to choose a quadrocopter.

With this device, you can shoot a dizzying descent, passing the path along the black track. Not a second will be lost by you. You will be able to watch everything that happens. Many quadrocopter owners know very well what good group selfies are that this turntable can do.

Main manufacturers of quadrocopters: list of firms

Miniature drones can be used to conduct search operations. They can be used in air races or as toys for children. The main thing is to choose the right device model. Our article will tell you about which quadcopter to choose and how to do it correctly.

Every year there are more and more device manufacturers. Today, not all of them are capable of achieving the desired success. There are those who are initially aimed at the budget category of the market, but at the same time it is worthwhile to understand that the manufacturer will bet the quality of the product. It will be seriously reduced. In any case, it is better to fork out once for a great branded product than to buy cheap quadcopters every 2 months instead of those that have gone out of work.

When exploring the question of which quadrocopter to choose for shooting, pay attention to products for both pros and beginners from brands such as: AeryonSystems, DJIInnovations, UDIRC, 3DRobotics (3DR), Syma and Blade.

Design features and principle of functioning of the quadcopter device

Before telling how to choose a quadcopter for beginners, you need to understand what this device is. This is an aircraft with a simple mechanism. With certain skills and the presence of basic knowledge of radio electronics, it is possible to assemble this device yourself. For these purposes, you will need materials at hand and some individual parts.

If you are puzzled about how to choose a quadrocopter with a camera that is "ready to fly", you first need to understand its design features, the ability to take off into the air.

The following elements are taken as a basis for a multicopter:

• body;
• screws - 4, 3, 6 and 8 blades;
• paired synchronous motors;
• Control block;
• battery and remote control;
• built-in digital camera in some models.

The model can be expensive and complex. The more likely this is, the more different sensors of additional value are presented in it. This is an accelerometer, sonar, barometer, GPS. Of course, this is not all that can be presented in the fillings.

Consider, no matter how complex the structure of the quadcopter's device, the principle of its operation remains the same. The drone board will receive radio signals through the receiver. The commands from the remote control will go to it. As a result, it will slow down or speed up the operation of the engines. Those. the device will be best maneuvered in the air during flight.

Against this background, the microcontroller will constantly monitor what are the indicators of the sensors or their deviation from the gyroscopes axes. Due to this, the rate of operation of the screws is adjusted. To land or launch a drone, all engines must be used. They will start working at the same speed to perform tricks and turns. Those. some will be slowed down, some will be accelerated.

The main nuances of choosing a quadcopter

Dimensions

When thinking about how to choose a quadrocopter with a video camera, you should definitely pay attention to a number of nuances. Among them, one of the most important is size. Dimensional devices can be used to solve a wide range of available tasks. Compact models are more agile. To understand what size copter is needed, it is worth examining the available varieties.

Nano

The prefix is ​​added to miniature devices that are used in the home. Those. such a baby can be launched outside, but only in the weather when there is no wind. If you have no experience with such a turntable, then nano 3- and quadcopters will be an excellent option for training.

Mini

These are amateur versions of drones used at home and outdoors. The models are not expensive. They can be used both by adolescents and adults, if you just need to learn how to operate a copter.

Average

The models are solid. Equipped with a good engine option. Suitable for competitions, performing stunts, performing amateur aerial photography.

Large copters

These are models with 6-8 blades. Expensive options that are suitable for professional photography, transportation of goods. Today it is the most technological type.

Properties: flight range, time and speed

These criteria are equally important. They will determine if the copter is suitable for carrying out the options assigned to it.

Speaking about the flight range, it should be noted that if you simply want to play with the device, train tricks, then 500 m will be enough. So the device will remain in your sight.

Children do not need high flight range indicators. In this case, the child will not be interested. It is better to take 100-200 m. All those who prefer to use a drone in order to solve professional problems should pay attention to models that fly from the remote control for km and also further.

A multicopter can have a long flight time. This indicator will provide an opportunity to expand its capabilities. But keep in mind that this indicator will affect the price of the device. You will need to overpay for a better battery in terms of capacity, which will enable the machine to stay in the air for more than 15-20 minutes.

Speaking of speed, it should be noted that each user must decide personally what he wants to get from his device. If this is an amateur or a beginner, then a device with 30-40 km / h will be enough for him. But for those who dream of participating in races, I should pay attention to models that can reach speeds of up to 100 km / h.

Battery

The battery properties in your device should be powerful. The higher this indicator, the longer it will stay in the air. But keep in mind that the charge consumption will depend on the properties of the engine.

The more motors there are in the quadcopter, the higher the energy consumption rates. Those. the more the capacity of the battery can be, otherwise it is not necessary to count on a flight for a long time.

The cheapest batteries can be for budget drones.They have a capacity from 1100 to 2200 mAh. Values ​​below 1000 are worth considering if you are buying a small sized house toy.

Speaking of the middle price category, it is worth identifying those models whose battery capacity is 2800-8000 mAh. But longs with powerful properties, the price of which is high, must have a battery, the capacity characteristics will be 10 thousand - 22 thousand mAh.

Please note that the battery discharge current will be indicated as a number in front of the letter “C” in the marking area. Here you also need to select the largest values. Due to this, it will be possible to bring the car to the maximum speed. Over time, the batteries will sag in the area of ​​the amperage indicator. But if you have a supply, then you won't need to replace the battery anytime soon.

A variation of the type of control

Modern copters transmit and receive radio signals at frequencies, each of which has its own characteristics and disadvantages. You need to talk about this topic in more detail in order to make a really high-quality purchase.

If this is an indicator of 900 GHz, then this is a device that cannot fly away from the remote control further than 500 m. In this case, the signal on them will pass through all sorts of obstacles. They can be understood as high-rise buildings, trees, etc.

If it is 1.2-1.3 GHz, then the reception range will not be higher than 1 km. In this case, the signal will pass through the obstacle, but much worse. But the figure of 2.4 GHz is the most common. This frequency picks up signals from the remote control at a distance of up to 2 km. Please note that radio waves are difficult to break through all kinds of obstacles, and therefore these drone models are used for open areas.

Pay attention to how many communication channels are in the model. There can be 4-10 of them. The more channels a transmitter-receiver pair uses, the more maneuvers the apparatus can make.

There are drone models that have a built-in Bluetooth module. The range will be very limited indeed. This is possible by controlling the flight of the drone from a tablet or smartphone using a special application.

But one more option is envisaged. This is a Wi-Fi connection setup. The signal range will not be the greatest, but there is the possibility of broadcasting or recording material captured by a standard video camera in reality mode.

This list of technologies that are used for signal transmission has not come to an end. All major manufacturing companies are deeply passionate about developing ways to communicate with drones. Only after a while it will become clear which of them is the most effective in practice. It is not yet possible to talk about this for sure.

The choice of material for processing the body

The strength and weight of the drone will depend on this parameter. If the device is small, then the material does not really matter. As a rule, they are all resilient and will withstand falls even from great heights. The larger the model is in size, the more attentive you should be to the strength indicators.

There are several types of material: extruded foam, plastic, carbon, aluminum. All of them have positive properties, but they are also not without drawbacks.

If we talk about plastic, then this is a great option for a drone. True, if it is not too thin. Has average strength properties.

But the pressed foam is distinguished by its fragile properties. It is repairable and light enough. He is not afraid of falls, as well as pinpoint strikes in the body area.

Speaking of carbon, it should be noted that some people call it ideal, but the disadvantage is that the material is really very expensive.

But aluminum has really good strength indicators. But of all those types that were indicated above, it is the most difficult.

Quadcopter camera

A camera is not always required. It can be amateur, professional, or nonexistent. Each case is different.

If there is no camera, then this option is suitable for a beginner or a child. These devices cannot survey and pilot the vehicle. But amateur devices with cameras built into the body are distinguished by low resolutions. They take poor quality pictures. In spite of everything, they can be suitable for shooting private photos or videos. The properties will be enough.

As for the removable external camera on the quadcopter device, it will be required for professionals. Such devices will make it possible to make really high-quality shooting at high speed. But keep in mind that to install heavy equipment, you need to use a quadcopter with the necessary carrying capacity and stable properties during flight.

When choosing a device with a camera, pay attention to the models equipped with an additional remote control. It will be possible to simultaneously pilot and control the equipment of the removable level, which is really not an easy task.

Types of quadcopters on the market

This is a type of RC drone that has 4 blades. This is the most common case, but it is not the only one.

Tricopters

These drones are equipped with 3 propellers. They have low power brushed motors. As a rule, these are not large vehicles that have excellent maneuverability properties. The blades have specially equipped protection. This will reduce the risk of propellers falling off in an accident. But the operator will be protected from possible injury when the launch is carried out.

Tricopters fly within a radius of 30-50 m from the launcher. Their flight can be about 10 minutes in the air. As for the battery charging, it is carried out using the USB port. This takes about 1 hour. In terms of the dimensions of the 3-block models, we can say that the variety is impressive. There are indoor drones, they are 5x4x4 cm in size, as well as devices up to 1.5 kg, which are 40 cm.

Decent maneuverability indicators. In terms of size, everything is compact, and its low weight pleases. As for the screws, they are all protected. And at a cost, this is a very acceptable option.

As for the disadvantages, there is no stock camera. It is also important to indicate the presence of a small signal range, but for the toy that the tricopter is presented with, this is quite enough.

Octocopters

This type of copter is the largest. It is 1.5 m in diameter. There are 8 independent screws. The devices are more reliable, stable in the air than the previous types. If the propellers fail (1-2), then the drone will continue to function. In terms of carrying capacity, the 8-melop drones can carry 20 kg, although their weight is not more than 10 kg.

But the price is high, the possibilities are really impressive. The flight range in this case is about 1.5 km, with a flight of 15-30 minutes in the air. Landing and takeoff of vehicles is carried out at a speed of 2-3 m / s, developing 15 m / s.

On the plus side, these devices lift a really heavy load. At the same time, the maximum reliability indicators are enviable, as well as the stability of the devices during flight. If 1-2 engines fail, the flight will continue. A stock camera is available. The airborne time is really solid.

The disadvantages boil down to the fact that the size of the drone is large, its cost is high, and therefore not everyone is able to afford to buy such a device for filming.

Hexacopters

For your attention are the optional devices that have 6 screws. They are able to climb to very high heights. Load weight is possible up to 10 kg. These models have improved balancing and reliability indicators. If one of the propellers fails, the device will land without crashing.

The basic configuration is represented by 6-wing drones. Often, the equipment is carried out with cameras with a resolution of up to 15 megapixels. In particular, the battery is large, and therefore the device can remain in the air for up to 40 minutes.

The main advantage of the device is that the control panel has a range of 6 km. As for the speed, then here is 5 m / s during takeoff and 3 m / s during descent. It's worse than quadcopters. In level flight, the speed is 20 m / s.

Speaking about the size, it should be noted that the drones have a rotary diameter of 5, with a weight of 5-10 kg at 0.5-1 m.

Among the advantages is the ability to carry and lift loads. The package includes good cameras. As for the flight range, it is high for the device, as well as the indicators of the time spent in the air. Speaking about flight stability and the ability to land in the event of a single engine failure, it is important to note that there are such options.

Don't forget about the cons. This type of quadcopter has low maneuverability indicators, as well as a fairly high price.

Quadcopter quadcopters

This family is widely known. It is popular among multicopters due to its versatility and optimal size selection. Due to this, high maneuverability is provided. Drones, which have 4 blades, are capable of gaining altitude with speed data of 5 m / s and descending to 4 m / s. The developed flight speed in the horizontal direction is 25 m / s. This is the maximum value.

Many 4-rotor devices pick up the signal from the remote control within a radius of 2 km, which allows the devices to be used for a wide range of tasks. A number of models are equipped with photo and video cameras that have a viewing angle of 100 degrees and a resolution of up to 13 megapixels.

Battery capacity indicators with an average copter device will be 15-25 minutes of flight. Much will depend on the size of the turntable. Some of them are so modest in size that they can easily fit in the palm of your hand. As for the weight, it can be no more than 15 grams. Others reach 0.5 m in diameter and weigh 3 kg.

If we mark the pros, then this type has the largest assortment of models. Photo and video cameras have a fairly good viewing angle, while the speed is quite high. At the flight range, good maneuverability is ensured.

As for the disadvantages, it is that if one of the screws fails, others fall out.

Price question: how much can you buy a good copter?

The price issue is no less important for every modern person. If you are interested in a simple tricopter device, then the price for them varies in the amount of 1500-5000 rubles. Children's models equipped with 4 screws can be purchased for 900-10 thousand rubles. But drones with a full-fledged system, equipped with 4 blades, will cost around 8 thousand and reach 600 thousand rubles.

Hexacopters cost about 80 thousand - 500 thousand rubles. But octoprets are sold from 120 thousand to 1.3 million rubles. The choice must be made taking into account your budget and what you want to get from the device.