What To Look For in a Heavy-Lifting Drone
Drones of the Past
Heavy lift drones, also known as heavy payload drones, have been around since the earliest days of unmanned aircraft. It’s only in the last few years that we’ve seen the advent of the likes of DJI Mavic and Minis pack into a rucksack! Early drones used by the military and in film production were hefty beasts, and the latter were often custom-built to carry heavy cameras for Hollywood movies.
Early heavy-lift drones in more common use had severely limited flight times due to battery life and required great skill to fly. Fortunately, the technology has evolved to meet the demands of industry and there are now several impressive and highly practical models available. The recent announcement of the DJI Flycart 30 has caused great excitement in the industry and it could be the best heavy-lifting drone developed to date.
*Below Image Courtesy of DJI*
Drones Capture Content, and So Much More...
The widespread availability of drones like the DJI Mini 3 means they are often thought of simply as flying cameras. Photography and filming are certainly a common use, and modern drones are highly capable in these fields. However, they have far wider applications and there are ever-increasing innovations and projects to use drones to increase safety, improve efficiency, and save costs. Drones can be used to save lives.
A recent example is the development of the AR5 drone by the European firm TEKEVER. The AR5 can launch lifeboats for persons or vessels in distress. It has sensors to detect people or vessels in distress and uses artificial intelligence to take account of weather conditions and flight plan restrictions to reach the rescue point.
The more common uses of heavy-lifting drones include carrying thermal cameras and surveying equipment, carrying agricultural payloads, and delivering packages. If you’re considering upgrading to a heavy payload drone for commercial use some of the key features to consider include:
Integrity of Structure: As well as the obvious strain of lifting and carrying heavy objects, commercial drones of this type must be robust enough to withstand the rigors of daily use and all weather conditions.
Long Flight Times: The weight of a larger drone itself - the chassis and motors - is enough of a challenge. Add the payload and batteries can be severely tested! Fortunately, there have been major advances in battery technology. The DJI Flycart 30 can carry a payload of 30kg for 16km.
Motor Redundancy: Safety becomes even more critical with larger, heavy-lift drones. Hexacopters and octocopters provide motor redundancy but other features can improve safety. The Flycart 30 has intelligent obstacle sensing, dual batteries, and even a parachute!
Large Payload Capacity: This is a prime consideration of course, and the type of work you plan to carry out with your commercial drone will guide your requirements. The DJI Matrice 300 RTK is regarded as one of the best drones for filming and is highly capable of carrying professional cameras. For lifting and delivery a winch mechanism is a practical consideration.
*Below Image Courtesy of DJI*
The drone revolution is still in its early years and we will see increasing use of heavy-lift drones across a range of industries and services.
For help and advice about the best models available, contact the Drone Safe Store team.