Pg 10 - A Short Course on Drone Batteries

Note – this is part of our free ebooks which you can find at this link.

Section 10 – A Short Course on Drone Batteries

Most quadcopter batteries are of the LiPo type, which stands for Lithium Polymer. These batteries can store a tremendous amount of energy in a relatively small and light package and are key to modern drone performance. Here are the basics of these batteries.

Your first foray into quadcopters may be with a mini or micro – most of which use a single cell (3.7 volt) LiPo battery and come standard with a USB or plug-in charger. However, once you step up in size to larger and heavier drones, you will find that most of them use batteries which are much larger in size, weight, amperage and voltage. Most LiPo batteries are built of 3.7 volt cells, so they often are a multiple of that number – the most popular for larger quads being 11.1 volt (3 cell) packages.

Ratings are given in maH (milliamp hours) – the higher the number, the more power the battery contains. Micro and Mini quads will carry 200-700 maH batteries, while a typical mid-sized drone may have a 2000-3000 maH rating.

Although the USB and stock chargers may be OK for the small batteries, experienced pilots should invest in a “smart” charger, which not only charges the batteries but monitors their exact voltage and knows when to stop. More advanced chargers are also capable of balancing the battery cells – a function which is needed to properly charge batteries with multiple cells. Lastly, the fancier chargers can be rigged up to charge multiple batteries at once, which can be of great benefit to those who want to get in the air quickly.

“Smart” chargers can be purchased in the range of $20-$45 – although you may need some extra cables and adapters to charge your various batteries. A smart charger should be on the “must have” shopping list for any beginner who wants to advance in the hobby.

Typical Smart (Balancing) Battery Charger

PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND SAFETY CAUTIONS REGARDING LIPO BATTERIES – DO NOT CHARGE UNATTENDED AND CHARGE ONLY ON NON-COMBUSTIBLE SURFACES. See our Safety Appendix at the end of this book.

Many of the newer quadcopters have “smart” batteries and chargers which eliminate the need for a separate charger. These batteries have built-in intelligence which properly charges them and monitors their health.

Wrapping it Up

We’ve covered most of the basics and even a little extra! The most important step forward is to get yourself a quad and start flying. Pay attention to safety issues and use common sense to avoid losing or destroying your drone during the first few flights. Keep at it and you will discover the joy of flying!

Some basic troubleshooting tips, a glossary and bonus articles follow (soon!) . Keep this book handy and use it as you advance in the hobby. Also, be sure to visit our site at Droneflyers.com and sign up for our forums where I and other experienced flyers can help you with your questions.

Thanks for Reading! Hope to see you at the web site and forum.

Craig Issod – https://droneflyers.com