Understanding The Different Sizes & Types of RTF(Ready To Fly) Drones and Their Uses

Drones come in many styles, sizes and even more variables depending on their applications. Everything from toys to industrial or government machines and everywhere in between. Before you begin price checking them, you might want to figure out what you will be using it for primarily.

First of all, size matters. Depending on the size drone you select, you may HAVE to register it with the FAA. All drones that weigh at least .55 pounds(250 grams) up to 55 pounds MUST be registered with the FAA! That weight is including anything attached or 'on board' the vessel at the time of take off. If you are unsure if your drone requires registration, you can check the list through the FAA's site here (this link is also on our resources  page). However, if you tweak your drone or build your own, be mindful of these guidelines.

Drone Sizes:

• Nano - LESS than 25 grams
• Micro - 25-75 grams
• Mini - 75-500 grams, up to 250 mm frame, motor to opposite motor- most common for racing
• Large - 250-300 mm frame, 750 grams or more
• Extra Large - Any frame larger than 300 mm and 750 grams

Now, the size guidelines above are based on the USDRA (US Drone Racing Association). Other sources don't have as much clarity on the sizes. The frame size is calculated by measuring the distance between opposite motors.

The frame of the drone falls into simpler categories, usually defined by the number of motors/propellers it has. There are:

• Single Rotor
• Fixed Wing
• Multi Rotor (Tricopter, Quadcopter, Hexacopter, Octocopter)

Single rotor drones, AKA RC Helicopters, have a single rotor on top to fly while a smaller motor is used for direction. These kinds are great for carrying things and can endure better (especially ones that run on gas power) but they can be more difficult to control.

Example:

As a civilian drone pilot, you may not encounter as many fixed wing drones but they are basically planes, gliders really. They rely heavily on gliding as they cannot hover like multi rotor drones. These kind of drones are most often used in commercial applications such as agriculture, surveillance, inspecting, construction and more. 

Example:

Lastly, the most common is the multirotor drones having 3, 4, 6 or 8 motors and can hover as long as the battery lasts making them a common choice for photography/videography. These types are the easiest and smoothest to operate and are very stable. 

Example:

Finally, the most important part is the type of drone. For average consumers there are:

• Trick drones for stunts
• Racing drones
• Photography and videography drones
• Beginner or training drones

Trick drones are most often used for fun. They are small and lightweight with abilities like barrel rolls and other tricks.

Racing drones come in many sizes as they race in their size class but are always as fast and agile as they can be. Like trick drones, they are lightweight in order to keep them as fast as possible. Racing drones are also usually paired with VR Headsets for the race.

Drones used for photography and videography come in all kinds and sizes depending on the quality and use. Of all the drones equipped with cameras, not all of them are able to record sound. Anyone intending to use a drone for photos/videos would need to also consider the cameras quality and functions equally as the drone itself.

Beginner or training drones are usually very user friendly with as many automatic functions as possible. These drones help newbies to learn their way around with more safety features to help them get started. 

This quadcopter is a very popular starter drone

Coming soon will be a glossary of terms relating to drones as well as tips to fix common problems. Until then, keep flying safe! Please like and share.