Choosing Quadcopter Motors and Props

原文：http://oddcopter.com/quadcopter-multicopter-configuration-list/

When building a quadcopter, deciding which motors and propellers to buy is tricky, but a very important decision. There is a lot of math and science that goes into understanding how the motors and propellers effect how a quadcopter flies or if it flies.

http://oddcopter.com/quadcopter-multicopter-configuration-list/As a novice, it is very easy to be overwhelmed by all of it. The correct motor/prop combination needs to be chosen by considering the size and weight of the quadcopter, the length of flying time and the power and agility that are desired. Also, the battery and ECSs must be chosen to effectively drive the motor/prop combination. Continue reading to find out how to decide the combination that is best for you…

How to Decide?

The way I see it, there are two different ways to go about making this important decision.

1. Research what other experienced pilots use and buy the same or similar equipment. Personally, I prefer this approach because it doesn’t require an understanding of the physics involved and I know the solution is proven.
2. Understand all the science and purchase the motors, props, battery and ESCs based on that knowledge. This approach will take more time, money and could be frustrating if the parts don’t work according to spec.

Now here’s more on each approach..

Who are some great pilots and what are they using?

I am interested in First Person Video flying (FPV) and two of the best FPV pilots are juz who flies quadcopters and David Windestål who mostly flies trciopters. For over all amazing flying skills, Warthox is unmatched. These guys publish the equipment they are using either with their videos, on their websites or on various forums. Hey, if it works for them, it is plenty good for a novice like me.

Check out this amazing video by Warthox:

Configuration

Towards the end of the video he shows that he is using:

Motors – Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 – 2822-1090kv Brushless Outrunner Motor

Props – 8″x4.5 Carbon reinforced AP Propeller Set black 2 CW and 2 CCW

ESCs – HobbyWing 10 Amp

Battery – 3S1500 20C

Frame – Flyduino frame

This is just one example, but I encourage you to watch these great pilot’s videos, go to their websites or various forums they post in to find out what equipment they use. FPV rigs carrying cameras will likely require bigger motors and props. For FPV, a great place to find tricopter building information is David’s site atrcexplorer.se or see what juz is doing over at the openpilot forum. All of these guys share their configurations openly and I sure do appreciate being able to learn from them.

Also, I have started a list of pilots and some of the configurations they fly. You can also submit your own proven configurations to be added to the list.

Motors & Props Tip

A quadcopter uses two clockwise(CW or pusher props) and two counter-clockwise(CCW) propellers.  It is possible to use all CCW props, which are more readily available, if two of the motors are angled a bit, but I have never tried it and it is not very common.

The APC brand propellers are good quality and used on many quadcopters. EPP (expanded polypropylene) props are not as durable but are less expensive. Usually the props used on quadcopter are listed as “slow fly” props. Some folks use three bladed props, but they are not as common as two bladed.

Propellers are listed by length and pitch with lengths typically ranging from 8 inches for higher Kv motors to as long as 12 inches or more for lower Kv motors. 10×4.7 is a common size for motors in the middle Kv range. The section below covers the calculations that need to be made to choose the correct prop size for a given motor and frame.

I started out using APC propellers. For 8 inch props they are about $16 a set. They are great props, but I was crashing a lot when I started out, so I switched to Gemfans that can be had for less than $5 a set. Now, I am not crashing much, but I still like the Gemfans. I found the props I currently use for $4.00 per set at DIYQuadCopters.com. They are Gemfans and Dan who runs the site is very helpful and ships from the USA. A set of four includes 2 CW (labeled R on the prop) and 2 CCW props.

On the other hand, if you want to build a quadcopter from the ground up and decide on a configuration of components from scratch, here are a few places to start…

Understanding the Science

If you prefer to understand the science, I can suggest a few resources that may help. Realize that you may spend a lot of money on various part combinations to test your theories.

To learn the the basics of watts, amps, volts, motors, props, etc. I suggest reading through an excellent series of articles called “Understanding Electric Power Systems” by Jim Bourke. There are five articles in the series:

Understanding Electric Power Systems – Part 1

Understanding Electric Power Systems – Part 2

Understanding Electric Power Systems – Part 3

Understanding Electric Power Systems – Part 4

Understanding Electric Power Systems – Part 5

Quadcopter Motor and Prop Calculators

After getting a good understanding  of electrical power systems, there are some great calculators on the web that allow you to model combinations of components to see if they will work together and how they will perform. Two good calculators are the “Estimate Electric Motor & Prop Combo” calculator found at rchomepage.com and xcopterCalc that is designed specifically for multicopters.

Conclusion

So, good luck on choosing the correct combination of motors and propellers. Do it the easy way or the hard way. I think it is easier and better to go with a proven combination that other pilots are using.