Have you ever wondered about the standard size of a racing drone and why a particular size is chosen?
Let’s dig into this question in detail.
The Standard Size Is 250mm.
The standard size Is 250mm for racing drones. If you’re considering competing in a race, you should know that the standard size of racing drones is 250mm. Various sizes are available, but the 250mm drone is the standard.
You can start out with a budget of $300-700. You can spend more if you’d like to win the race. Moreover, if you plan to compete in a pro league or local gathering, you should budget at least $1,000 for your drone.
Why 250mm?
If you’re new to racing drones, you may wonder why 250mm is the standard motor-to-motor distance. This distance is often doubled in some groups. While this may seem like a slight difference, it impacts the quality of your flight.
Fortunately, there are several reasons to use this size. The first reason is the weight it saves you in the long run. A sub-250g quad is much less likely to “fling” like a heavier quad and can’t overcome air resistance.
Typical Weight Of A Racing Drone
The weight of a racing drone is an essential factor since a lighter drone means greater agility in the air and reduced battery usage. Fortunately, many options are available for customizing the drone’s frame, camera, etc., which can make it even more unique. While buying the lightest drone you can find may be tempting, there are also many advantages to a larger, heavier racing drone.
While ultralight drones are less durable than their heavier counterparts, they are generally faster than heavier models. The difference between the weight and durability of the drone depends on its build, material, and blade protectors.
While the main frame of a racing drone is typically the most durable part, other components can be damaged in high-speed crashes. The best racing drones are typically lightweight and designed for indoor FPV racing.
The Use Of Carbon Fiber
Carbon fiber is a material made from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). This material makes carbon fiber strong and stiff while still being lightweight. These features make carbon fiber an ideal material for aircraft, drones, and other high-performance devices.
Carbon fiber is woven into a twill pattern, which offers significant advantages when the design is complex. This is especially helpful in racing drones, where weight and durability are crucial.
The material has almost zero thermal expansion, meaning it remains the same size after being exposed to heat and cold. Its low thermal expansion is why carbon fiber is used in drone frames with high-temperature tolerances.
The advantage of carbon fiber over carbon composites is its light weight and strength. The disadvantage of carbon fiber is that it is more expensive.
It is challenging to make carbon fiber sheets from carbon flakes. This is because carbon fiber cloth must be impregnated with resin, and the process is complex. Carbon fiber is also not able to withstand high loading.
The resin bond will weaken if the material is continuously bent and can become permanently deformed. Also, carbon fiber cannot withstand high compression as tensile loads. However, it is lightweight enough to withstand up to fifteen-mile winds.
What Does That Weight Include?
Racing drones weigh less than a pound and are hand-built by hobbyists. They are geared for speed and are made with parts from hobby shops, including carbon fiber frames and tiny motors and propellers. Racing drones can reach speeds of 80 miles per hour.
FPV Camera
Most FPV cameras weigh approximately 4 to 20 grams. The weight of an FPV camera for a drone is dependent on camera features, battery size, and video resolution.
These cameras are still the most common size and are typically 28mm square. Whether you want a wide-angle camera, there are many types to choose from.
FPV cameras include a transmitter and receiver-mounted cameras that transmit a video feed from a first-person perspective to the screen or headset of a pilot on the ground.
This real-time feed allows the pilot to see exactly what the drone sees and is used to control the drone remotely. Most FPV cameras are fixed in place, can only be positioned towards the front or top of the drone, and are placed low to the ground for an optimal picture.
When choosing an FPV camera for your racing drone, remember the size and resolution. Before the proliferation of multirotor, people designed multirotor frames around a PCB board camera. But then, people realized that leaving electrical components exposed was a dangerous risk and developed simple cases to house the camera.
FPV cameras are popular on mini quads. The video feed from these cameras is low-latency and allows the pilot to maneuver the drone without looking around.
Brushless Motors
A brushless motor for a drone weighs around 30 – 40 grams. Keep in mind that you will need four of them when you are building your drone. The weight adds up when you need four motors. Extra weight affects your drone’s flight and your control. The additional weight also increases your flight time.
A lightweight brushless motor has the essential features you need to power your drone and differs from brushed motors, which are more common in beginner drones. They help reduce vibrations, which causes your drone to fly smoother.
Also, a brushless motor consumes less power than brushed motors making it more reliable and increasing your power efficiency with less power consumption.
Drone Frame
Most racing drone frames weigh around 100 grams. The lighter the frame, the easier it will be to fly. For a beginner, a 70 – 80 gram frame should be acceptable if they aren’t learning tricks or doing aerial photography with their drone. Beginner drones use vertical vibration motors, aka “motors,” vs. horizontal vibration motors, which are common in racing drones and better suited for power and durability.
Considering the frame size of your racing drone is crucial for many reasons. First of all, you want it to be as sturdy as possible, as this will be able to withstand the extreme forces your drone is subjected to while in flight.
Carbon fiber is a popular material for drone frames. However, if you are looking for something more robust, you may consider purchasing a drone with a frame made of T700 carbon fiber instead of T300.
The size of your drone frame should accommodate all the electronic components inside. This includes the flight controller, ESCs, and motors. While you don’t want to go overboard, it’s a good idea to get a compact and light frame, as these features will allow you to fly your racing drone faster.
A lightweight frame is also more convenient, as it will not add much weight. However, if you don’t know what electronic boards will go into the frame, you’ll likely need to drill holes or fit wires.