The growth in popularity of drones is staggering. When people think of drones, they often think of military grade devices that take out targets with deadly precision. However, due to the booming popularity in recreational drones, a large market has emerged which led to the rise of professional grade and consumer grade drones.
Drones come in a wide range of sizes and weights, but smaller hobby drones can carry only a few ounces while larger commercial drones can carry up to 20 pounds or more. The amount that a particular model can carry depends on its type.
While talking about how much weight a drone can carry is not what makes these devices extraordinary, it is certainly important to know in order to prevent injury as well as protect your device.
The Amount Of Weight That A Drone Can Carry Depends On Its Type
The type of drone that you are using will determine how much weight it can carry. There are three main types of drones: small, medium and large.
Small drones have a maximum take-off weight of under 2 lbs. These small drones can only carry very lightweight items, such as a GoPro camera or the smallest action cameras.
Medium drones, which have a maximum take-off weight between 2 lbs and 25 kg 55 lbs, can be used to carry larger equipment, including professional DSLR cameras and 3D mapping cameras. Finally, large drones have a maximum take-off weight of more than 55 lbs.
The largest commercial drone in the world weighs 122lbs with battery included and has a payload capacity of 88lbs. Large drones are often used to transport goods over long distances in agriculture, mining or construction applications.
Small Drones Can Carry A Weight Of 1 Lbs To 55 Lbs
Now that you know the difference between small and large drones, let’s look further into what each type can carry. Small Drones Can Carry A Weight Of 1 Lbs To 55 Lbs, depending on the size of the drone and how much power it is able to generate.
For example, if you are using a drone with four rotors, it will probably be able to fly faster than one with six rotors. This means that a drone with four rotors will be able to pick up more weight in less time because it has more power.
Dji Mavic Air
The DJI Mavic Air is a small drone that allows you to carry up to 0.5 lbs. It costs $799, which is a moderate price for this type of drone. The camera’s resolution is 12 megapixels and its aperture size is F2.8 with 7 elements in 6 groups, including an aspherical element.
The sensor size of the camera is 1/2.3″. As far as video recording goes, it can record at up to 4K 30fps at 100mbps, 1080p 120fps and 720p 240fps (the latter two are in slow motion). This makes the Dji Mavic Air a great option for beginners who want something that flies well and takes high quality video and photos without breaking the bank!
Dji Spark
The Dji Spark is a tiny drone with a cute shell but robust functionality. This lightweight (300 grams) drone can shoot 12-MP stills and 1080p video, as well as capture panorama images. It also has a 2-axis gimbal that keeps the camera steady while in flight, which is great for keeping your shots shake-free.
You can control it using hand gestures or with a mobile device within 100 feet of the drone, or fly it much further away when you connect the remote control. Unfortunately, the maximum flight time is just 16 minutes, but this should be enough to capture most shots you need.
The max speed is 31 mph—fast enough to catch up with an Olympic sprinter—but still slow enough to carefully navigate through bustling streets or crowds of people.
The Spark is an excellent drone for beginners. It’s very capable, easy to fly, and features the same basic functions that you’d expect from DJI’s more expensive drones. The Spark can track your face and other subjects, and it utilizes a 2-axis gimbal for image stabilization.
It comes with its own remote control as well as a mobile controller app that supports gesture controls. And when you combine all of these things together, you get one fun little drone.
Parrot Bebop 2
Parrot is a popular brand among hobbyists, and the Bebop 2 is one of their most lightweight models. Weighing 400 grams, the Bebop 2 can lift up to 0.29 lbs (135 grams).
The Parrot Bebop 2 can fly for 25 minutes and reach speeds up to 37 mph. It also has an HD camera that records at 1080p with a 180 degree vertical tilt lens. For all these features, you will pay $399.99 for this quadcopter drone.
The Bebop 2 can lift up to 0.29 lbs (135 grams). It’s lighter than the Mavic Air (0.55 lbs, or 249 grams), heavier than the Spark (0.28 lbs, or 300 grams), cheaper than the Spark ($399 vs $499), and costlier than the Tello ($99).
Ryze Tellu Tello
The Tello can only carry 0.18 lbs (83 grams). The advantage of this is that the drone can be flown indoors and in confined spaces. It also uses less energy, which means the batteries will last longer. The downside to this is that you won’t be able to attach very heavy items.
Being able to attach items gives you control over the pay-load, and it can be useful if you want to use your drone for a specific purpose (like carrying something small but useful). If you’re interested in using your drone for photography purposes, this may not be too much of an issue. However, if you want to transport heavier objects then this drone isn’t going to cut it.
The Tello has a camera that takes 13 megapixel photos and 720p video recording. This makes it great for taking pictures or videos of wildlife and nature shots.
- A low weight capacity of 0.18 pounds (83 grams) means that the Tello can only carry a very small camera, like a GoPro Session.
- The Tello is the smallest drone in this series and costs $99.00
The Tello might be an interesting choice for those looking to buy their first drone because it is easy to fly and has a cheap price tag. It’s so lightweight that you don’t need any FAA paperwork or registration to fly it in most places, making it a great learning tool for beginners who want to break into the world of aerial photography
Medium Drones Can Carry A Weight Of 44 Lbs To 120 Lbs
Medium Drones Can Carry A Weight Of 44 Lbs To 120 Lbs. These drones are extremely popular because they can be used for various industrial purposes. They can fly for a long time, in all weather conditions and cover long distances. Very large or heavy payloads that weigh more than 120 lbs are not suitable for drones due to their inability to lift such heavy weights and the risk of accidents when carrying them.
Dji Inspire 1 V2.0
Processed with VSCO with au5 preset, Dji Inspire 1 V2.0 is also a medium-sized drone that can carry up to 4.4 lbs in weight. The Inspire 1’s predecessor, the DJI Phantom 3, was highly successful and its successor has kept up with the same spirit of excellence—as a result, it has become one of the most popular drones on the market.
Among its customers are photographers, videographers, film studios, search and rescue teams and agriculture specialists who use it to inspect their crops. Construction companies also use this drone for surveying buildings under construction and for other mapping purposes.
The camera mount on this drone is compatible with many camera models including the RED Epic Dragon which weighs about 830g (1lb 13oz), but this becomes difficult because of the added weight from batteries and video storage devices such as Micro SD cards or SSDs.
This drone is ideal for carrying heavier cameras such as the RED Epic Dragon and DJI X5R, but not without some limitations when it comes to flight time due to increased overall weight from higher end equipment installed in addition to cameras.
Yuneec Typhoon H Pro
The Yuneec Typhoon H Pro carries a payload of up to 10 lbs, which is relatively light when compared to other medium sized drones. However, this is the only drone in its class that can carry a 360-degree camera rig and still fly at 20 m/s (45 mph). Below are some cameras that fit within the weight carrying capacity of the Yuneec Typhoon H Pro:
- Insta360 ONE X – 0.28 lbs (0.125 kg)
- GoPro Fusion – 0.81 lbs (0.37 kg)
- Garmin Virb 360 – 0.71 lbs (0.32 kg)
Dji Phantom 4
The Dji Phantom 4 is a quadcopter with an 11.4-pound maximum take-off weight and a maximum payload of 2.2 pounds while the DJI Matrice 600 is a hexacopter with a 33-pound maximum take-off weight and a maximum payload of 22 pounds.
The DJI Inspire 2 is also capable of carrying a 3.3-pound payload while the Matrice 600 Pro has a maximum payload capacity of 6.6 pounds.
Freefly Alta 8
The Freefly Alta 8 is a medium-sized octocopter drone which can carry up to 20 pounds of payload. It has a flight time of up to 20 minutes and flies very smoothly in windy conditions. It can be used for professional photography and video capture, as well as for light telecommunications work.
Dji Matrice 600 Pro
The Dji Matrice 600 Pro is designed to do it all. It is an expensive but versatile drone with a lot of room for upgrades. The one drawback is that if you wish to use it for commercial purposes, you need a Part 107 license from the FAA. However, this isn’t difficult to accomplish since most drones of this size and price are used in commercial and industrial settings anyway.
- Long flight duration and range
- High payload capacity
- Foldable design allows you to store and transport easily without disassembling each time
Large Drones Can Carry A Weight Of 110 Lbs To 2200 Lbs
The weight limit of a large drone can be up to 110 lbs. It is largely used for commercial purposes such as agriculture, industrial inspection, and aerial surveillance.
For example, the DJI Matrice 600 has a maximum payload of 31 lbs in total, with a weight limit of 13 lbs per axis. Similarly, the Matrice 300 RTK can carry 13.2 lbs of mass at most. A large drone like these can be used for a variety of purposes depending on its payload such as spraying pesticides or carrying LED lights for advertising.
In contrast, if you’re looking to transport heavier objects over long distances then high-weight drones will serve you well. A heavy-lift drone like the Freefly ALTA 8 can carry an impressive 22lbs in the air which enables it to deal with heavier loads than most normal drones are able to do so easily!
The ALTA 8 is also easy to use because it comes complete with all necessary equipment already assembled so there’s no need spend hours trying figure out how everything fits together before flying your new purchase around!
The Airbus Uav
One of the largest drones that you can find today is the Airbus UAV. As a large drone, it has a weight carrying capacity of 880 lbs.
The Airbus Uav can be used for many things including military applications such as delivering supplies to remote locations. It can also be used to deliver medical aid and supplies to remote locations without endangering people in places where it may not be safe to drive or fly.
Airbus UAVs are large drones and can carry up to 880 lbs at a time which makes them useful for many different purposes since they have so much capacity.
Dji S1000 Octocopter
If you’re looking for a platform that can carry a heavy payload, the Dji S1000 Octocopter is an excellent choice. With a maximum flight time of 30 minutes and a maximum speed of 15 meters per second, the Dji S1000 Octocopter is more than capable of handling large drones with ease.
In addition to its impressive load-carrying capabilities, the DJI S1000 also boasts a maximum flight time of 30 minutes and a maximum speed of 15 meters per second. The Dji S1000 Octocopter has a maximum payload capacity of 30 lbs, which makes it suitable for carrying large drones with ease.
X8 Long Endurance Surveillance Aircraft
The X8 Long Endurance Surveillance Aircraft is built and distributed by UAV Factory. With a wingspan of 20 feet, the drone is capable of carrying up to 120 pounds in weight.
This drone has a payload capacity of up to 22 lbs. It can fly for 30 hours at an altitude of over 15,000 feet. The frame weighs about 110 lbs, which means that it would be too heavy for most drones. It also comes equipped with a camera, which allows you to see what’s happening with your drone as well as any objects that may be attached to its underside.
X-47b Pegasus
While the drone can carry 4,000 pounds of bombs and missiles, it does not house a weapon in its bomb bay. The X-47b Pegasus is designed to test unmanned aircraft carrier-based operations. It uses a delta-wing design, which is a triangular shape that makes it aerodynamic.
The wings are short enough to fit on an aircraft carrier while maintaining decent maneuverability in the air. To ensure you get as much flight time out of your battery as possible.
The Drone May Not Fall Out Of The Sky, But It May Lose Altitude
If you exceed the recommended weight limit, it may not lead to your drone falling out of the sky, but it could cause some problems. First and foremost, carrying too much additional weight will impact your drone’s performance.
Your machine will struggle more to hover in place, fly as quickly, or turn as sharply. In addition, the drone may have a harder time responding to your commands if you have a heavier payload than recommended. Some drones are able to fly in emergency mode without any extra equipment, while others can only do so with lighter payloads onboard.
Flying with an excessive payload can also interfere with certain features on your drone. An autopilot system won’t be able to function normally if it is overloaded past its design specifications.
Damage The Drone’s Motors, Battery Or Other Components
You could damage the drone’s motors, battery or other components. A drone is a complicated piece of equipment with several moving parts that work together to keep it in the air. If you fly above the recommended weight limit, some of those parts may break under the strain.
That means you can accidentally ruin expensive components like:
Motors: The propellers on drones are powered by small, but efficient electric motors. If you fly a heavy load, it can cause these motors to wear out more quickly than they would otherwise. They may also stop working completely if they get too hot from working harder than usual. This can cost hundreds of dollars to repair on some models and make your drone unusable until you do so!
Battery:Â Drones have batteries that power their motors and other electronics for up to 20 minutes at a time (depending on what kind). Most will overheat if they work too hard for long periods of time which shortens their lifespan significantly (and costs money).
In addition, some have built-in sensors which prevent them from being overloaded beyond safe limits; so while they won’t outright explode if overloaded with cargo weight during flight operations (as was previously believed), this might cause them not take off at all or even shut down mid-flight!
Circuitry/other internal electronics: You could blow out fuses inside your drone’s body by flying with too much weight attached. This will make your drone unusable until you replace these fuses which costs money and takes time – both things most people don’t want when trying to use their hardware effectively!
Conclusion
The weight of a drone depends on the type of drone, its size and the material it’s made of. A small drone may be able to carry a small payload, while larger drones can carry a larger payload.
Drone technology is still in its infancy, but companies are already working hard to innovate and expand upon the uses for drones. When it comes to drones, you have to think about payload capacity – how much weight a drone can carry. Drones with heavy payloads will often cost more, as they require more parts, including motors, propellers, rotors, etc.
We believe that the punch line for this article should be: yes, drones can carry heavy weights, as long as you select the right copter for the job. If your drone is able to carry that much weight and it can fly around smoothly, then go for it.
Frequently Asked Questions (how Much Weight Can A Drone Carry)
What Happens If You Exceed The Recommended Weight Limit Of A Drone
The Drone Is Likely To Fail Before It Even Takes Off
The common issue that you might experience if you’re overloading your drone is that it may not be able to lift off. You might hear the fan blades spin up, but then it will crash immediately. Or, it may even get a few feet off the ground before crashing.
If the quadcopter is able to take off, chances are that it won’t fly properly due to its damaged rotors or propellers from when it crashed upon takeoff. Even if this doesn’t happen, your drone will have limited flight time and range because of the extra weight.
The Drone Will Fly And Then Crash
If you exceed the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of a drone, the drone may be able to fly and then crash. In some cases, it will be able to fly and hover but not lift off. It may also not be able to lift off at all. The drone may also take off but then lack the power to land safely again.
Any one of these outcomes is dangerous for both your drone and people in its proximity. It’s also dangerous for your wallet: if you push beyond MTOW, your warranty is likely void regardless of whether or not your drone crashes. However, if your drone does crash, there can be much more serious consequences than an expensive repair bill—injuries could ensue if the crashing aircraft hits someone on the ground.
What Are The Characteristics For Carrying Weight?
Whether a drone is big or small, one thing’s for sure—there’s a limit to how much weight it can carry. However, the exact amount of weight depends on the size of the drone itself.
As such, you need to know that there are three main measurements that affect a drone’s carrying capacity:
- Weight of the drone
- Weight of the payload
- Strength of the drone (which is directly related to its size)
Any other factors that you might consider (such as wing shape) would only affect carrying capacity by proxy. The right-sized battery also makes a difference as well; too small and your payload will be limited because your flight time will be shorter than it should be.
When answering how much weight can a drone carry, we’re actually asking how strong is it? How durable are those propellers? Can they handle heavy loads? What about its motors? It has to lift both the payload AND itself (plus fuel) in order to fly.
