We curated a list of the best heavy Lift drones. Check it out!
Whether to capture the sweeping landscape or lift payload, heavy-lift drones are much more than just flying robots. Here are the five best heavy-lift drones and their unique characteristics.
If you are in a dilemma choosing the best heavy-lift drones, you have landed on the right page. From buyer’s guide to the top recommendations of heavy-lift drones, you get everything in this article. Scroll down for more.
A common misconception runs in the general audience that drones cannot withstand heavy pressure to lift objects. It’s a wrong notion. With the help of modern technology, drones are devised to have a superior payload capacity to lift even as heavy as 100 kgs conveniently.
Heavy-lift drones are designed specifically to lift high-end cameras and utility equipment for aerial surveys and panoramic video production. Hence, these drones are informally known as aerial watchdogs.
This article will explicitly cover the salient features and top models of heavy-lift drones that you can check off your bucket list. So, let’s begin.
What are heavy-lift drones?
Heavy-lift drones, also called delivery drones, are unmanned aerial vehicles for the transportation and delivery of cargo, packages, food items, high-end cameras for military, commercial, and agricultural purposes. They can carry air cargo in all climatic conditions and remote locations.
Heavy-lift drones have payload capacity as high as 100 kgs, and some even can fly at 100 km per hour. The most common type of heavy-lift drones are Quadcopters which have four propellers. There are two other types of heavy-lift drones- hexacopters and octocopters having six and eight propellers respectively in them.
These multirotor heavy-lift drones have simple assembly and deployment technology with exceptional features like VTOL (Vertical takeoff and landing).
The Average Cost Of Heavy-lift Drones
Many factors affect the efficiency of heavy-lift drones, such as payload capacity, number of rotors, and propellers. They are powered with multiple batteries to achieve standard flight time. Hence all of these come at a price.
The cost increases with the increase in the number of rotors and propellers. The average price of quadcopters ranges from USD 500.
Hexacopters and octocopters are expensive, and their average price ranges between USD 1500 to USD 20,000.
Top Heavy Lift Drones
Heavy-lift drones are the future of delivery services across the globe, and the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the aggressive use of drones for lifting medical supplies to the people.
Vulcan, DJI, and Freefly are the top manufacturers of heavy-lift drones. Here is the compiled list of the top 5 heavy-lift drones and their specifications.
1. DJI Matrice 600 Pro
DJI never fails to impress drone enthusiasts with A-grade drones. A valuable addition to the DJI family is the DJI Matrice 600 Pro, known to have extreme reliability and maneuvers. Hence, it is a perfect choice for both indoor & outdoor shooting and industrial research.
Notable features:
- Robust hexacopter with a payload capacity of 6 kg.
- Flight time with payload is approx 15 minutes and without payload 45 min.
- Six batteries
- Ability to fly at 2500m above sea level
- Top speed of 65 kmph
2. Tarot T18 FPV Octocopter
Italian-made octocopter, Tarot T-18 is your best bet for aerial photography. With the ability to fit DSLR and other high-end cameras, it has smooth flight features, apt for carrying fragile objects.
Notable features:
- The payload capacity is 8 kg.
- Flight time up to 20 min with payload
- It Offers double redundancy and has high stability.
- 18-inch propellers.
3. DJI Inspire 2
A more cost-effective quadcopter for photography is DJI Inspire 2. It has a balance between size, range, and speed. Even though it has less payload capacity, it can easily accommodate Zenmuse X4S and X5S cameras.
Notable features:
- Extended flight time of 27 minutes with 2 kg payload capacity.
- Compatible to record 4K and 5.2K videos.
- High price/performance ratio.
- Custom foam interior for safe transportation and storage of the drone.
- Multiple battery systems.
Buyer’s Guide For Heavy-lift Drones
The average drone you see can only lift to a kilogram of payload. To have a drone lift more than a kilogram of cargo, you require heavy-lift drones. These drones are over-engineered to carry heavy objects and still fly smoothly.
Before you buy a heavy-lift drone for use, you must be aware of the working, components, and factors affecting the heavy-lift drone function the way they do. Let’s see one by one.
Components Of Heavy-lift Drones
Generally, heavy-lift drones are made of carbon fiber and aluminum to make them lighter and more durable. Hence, these drones are designed to balance out both weight of the objects and the battery to achieve maximum takeoff weight.
The primary components of heavy-lift drones are-
- Heavy-lift drone motor
To have upward propulsion, the most significant component is the motor. It is not an easy task to take off with a heavyweight. Hence, they have brushless motors. In addition to that, counter-rotating drone motors are becoming popular since they provide more thrust for the flight.
- Heavy-lift multirotor propellers
If the motor is the left eye of the drone, then the propellers are the right. From the above section, you might have concluded that heavy-lift drones have greater than or equal to four propellers. It is because they balance the length and pitch. They are made of lightweight carbon fibers, and the long blades give the required stability and balance.
- Heavy-lift drone Gimbals
A preening moment is when the drone records a high-quality video with less interruption and durable support. Heavy-lift drones have that. They have stable gimbals to accommodate cameras, sensors, and payloads for creative videography.
The Working Of Heavy-lift Drones
Heavy-lifting drones have the same working principle as regular drones. The controllers give specific instructions to all components such as sensors, motors, electronic speed controllers during the flight.
Propellers and motors are the strength of the drone that strive for maximum payload capacity and good speed. The more the motors and propellers, the greater is the payload capacity.
Factors Affecting The Flight Of Heavy-lift Drones
- Weight
Weight is everything! The lesser the weight of the drone, the smoother the flight. However, heavy-lift drones are designed to lift heavy objects, so the weight of the payload plays a vital role in drone stability.
It might come as a surprise to know that a typical heavy-lift drone must be capable of carrying twice the weight it is known to carry along with it. It is to ensure the safe transfer of the payload and stability.
- Battery capacity
Battery directly affects the flight time. Since heavy-lift drones are mainly utilized for delivery services, a decent flight time is paramount to a successful flight. To maximize the flight time, you must equip it with multiple batteries so that the drone can stay longer in the air. However, the payload weight adversely affects the flight time. Multiple batteries come to the rescue to neutralize that effect.
Applications Of Heavy-lift Drones
Heavy-lift drones are anticipated to function in the Urban Air Mobility(UAM) ecosystems enabling ease of transportation. One day they could rule the air-cargo industry catering to the needs of several industries.
Let’s see some of the applications of heavy-lift drones-
- Medical supply
It needs no introduction to the dire need for contact-less medical support owing to the contagious viruses emerging worldwide. One can carry an entire medical suite using heavy-lift drones to rescue emergency patients.
- Military assistance
The U.S. has long begun the utility of heavy-lift drones in military activities. The other countries are also following suit and investing in heavy-lift drones for lifting heavy payloads and military equipment in remote areas.
- Agriculture Sector
The need of the hour is food production as the world population is rising rapidly. The heavy-lift drones make a remarkable impact in the field of agriculture. Many heavy-lift drones are designed to aid the agro sector in spraying pesticides with strong penetration power to reach thick canopies. Soon enough, they will be an alternative to helicopters.
- Food Delivery Services
Heavy-lift drones can provide seamless frozen food transportation since they have a stable flight.
Conclusion
Drone technology is an alluring sector with an ocean of expansion opportunities. Be it military, agriculture, or delivery services: drones have made an appreciatory mark.
But to achieve both flight and logistics transportation, heavy-lift drones are necessary. Several companies are investing in heavy-lift drones with maximum payload capacity.
However, the price of these drones is higher, and hence, do sufficient research before locking in on the product.
The day is near when you wake up to the drone taxis flying amidst the skyscrapers. Time only can tell what this fascinating industry holds in store in the future.
Heavy Lift Drones: FAQs
Can heavy-lift drones lift people?
Yes, some high-end heavy-lift drones can lift people and hence can be of great use in rescue missions.
Which is the world’s most powerful heavy-lift drone?
A Russian make, Skyf drone is the world’s most powerful heavy-lift drone, having a payload capacity of 400 kgs.
What is the double redundancy system in heavy-lift drones?
In emergencies, heavy-lift drones can encounter system failure and lead to disaster. There is an arrangement of duplication of software and critical components so that if one fails, the other can take over. If it has two similar software, it is called double redundancy.
Also Read:
- DJI Osmo Pocket Review 2021
- DJI Matrice 600 Review – Ultimate Work Machine
- DJI Mavic Air 2 Review 2021
Jon is a passionate photographer and videographer who has been flying DJI drones for over 5 years. He loves the freedom and creativity that comes with capturing aerial footage and the unique perspective it provides. Jon is always on the lookout for new locations to explore and capture with his DJI drones. His favorite DJI drone is the Mavic 2 Pro, which he uses to capture stunning 4K footage with its Hasselblad camera. Jon is always eager to share his knowledge and experience with other drone enthusiasts and is a member of several online drone communities. When he’s not flying his DJI drone, Jon enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with his family.
DJI Inspire 2 Drone
We curated a list of the best drones for heavy-lift. Check it out!
Product SKU: 56567587FYJHU878798
Product Brand: DJI
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 3189
Price Valid Until: 2022
Product In-Stock: InStock
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