How Much Weight Can a Drone Carry (Expert Answer)
INTRODUCTION
A drone is sometimes referred to as an “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” or a UAV. While talking about drones, the weight that a drone can carry is called payload.
Although drones are handy and adaptable, their payload capacities are often a limiting factor. You have to know how much weight a drone can carry and other stuffs while choosing drones for aerial support.
A drone is often designed to carry weight according to the purpose that it was intended for. All drones are affected by three main factors: -
Also, a drone's payload includes all the equipment it has to carry, including cameras, radars, sensors, GPS, etc. However, components like batteries, rotors, propellers, etc. are not included in the payload. These specifications vary significantly from one model or type of drone to another. Also
Here are a few factors that contribute to how much weight a drone can carry: -
This means that if you want a drone with a higher weight capacity, it needs to have a higher battery capacity. It should also have a more robust and more durable chassis.
tYPES OF DRONES FOR DIFFERENT PAYLOAD
Three main types of drones are available in the market today. This is because some drones are designed for carrying heavy loads, whereas others are designed for speed and better battery capacity.
These drones tiny and affordable are mainly designed for kids and beginner hobbyists. It is as small as a cookie, with a battery life of 8 to 10 minutes. They are safe for flying indoors and can cost around $100.
This drone is not built for carrying any weight. It has a load-carrying capacity of a maximum of 4 to 6 grams.
These drones are the middle ground between professional and consumer drones and are the most commonly used. These drones can typically carry loads like a GoPro camera or a gimbal.
Their battery life is about 25 minutes, and they can cost you around $1200.
These drones are widely used for pizza and cake deliveries and for shooting cinema-quality videos. The only drawback is that they are expensive and can cost you around $15,000.
The Alta 8 from Freefly Systems is one such drone. It has eight powerful motors and can lift to 18 kilograms of weight. It also has sensors such as accelerometers, barometers, and GPS.
Note: Whenever you're flying such a huge drone, there is a high risk of the drone get stuck in a tree. So you have to know proper steps to get the drone out of the tree without further damaging.
Also, check my article on steps to recover a lost drone if you want more information regarding this topic.
CONCLUSION
So if you ask, "How much weight can a drone carry?" you'll get no definitive answer. It is like asking somebody, "How fast can a car go?". Every drone is different, just like every car can have a different maximum speed.
Currently, the commercial drones available in the market can carry anywhere between 4 grams to 220 kilograms of weight. Some drones are also specifically designed for use in the military. These drones can have different specifications compared to the commercial ones.
Also, there are methods with which you can improve and customize your drone to adhere to your payload requirements. You can upgrade its motors or batteries. Or, you can simply add more rotors to provide stability to the drone.
