An Opportunity Cost between Cost and Quality
Carbon Fiber Propellers for the DJI Phantom 3 |
During the upgrading and the creation of quadcopters,
people need to take a major decision regarding the propellers of the drone.
Some decide to go for the plastic ones while others go for the carbon fiber.
Both have their own pros and cons. So the real question is which one is
superior?
Before starting a debate, one should have
a clear idea about what carbon fiber actually is? Carbon fiber is a super
strong material that is also extremely lightweight. Engineers and designers prefer
it because it is seven times as strong as steel, two times rigid, yet weights
about two-thirds less compared to the other materials of such category. But
because of all those qualities, carbon fiber is much more expensive as compared
to the plastic. So the real question is whether or not spending a large chunk of
money on carbon fiber propellers is worth It or not. According to different multicopter
pilots, the carbon fiber propellers are better because;
1. Stiffness
and Better Sound
It
provides unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) stiffness and reduces the noise of the
drone. According to one test, plastic propellers vibrate at a rate of 1.6-1.8 meters
per second and they also produced more noise. Whereas, carbon fiber propellers
runs at healthy 0.2 - 0.3 meters per second and sounded much better. Similarly,
carbon fiber propellers are considerably lighter in weight and stronger than
plastic.
2. Better
Quality Videos
Secondly,
it increases the quality of the video recording by keeping the drone static in
one position even during in windy conditions. However, with plastic propellers
the drone continues to drift in the wind which affects the quality of the
video.
3. Durability
Thirdly,
as carbon fiber is made of strong material, so the propellers are not destroyed
even if the drone crashes. Nevertheless, plastic is inferior material. So the
propellers that are made of plastic have a high chance of getting destroyed in
case of crash.
4. High
Speed
Fourthly,
due to the lightweight of carbon fiber, the drone’s speed is enhanced. That is
why most the people that are using drones for racing purposes are opting for
the carbon fiber propellers.
5. Super
Affective Control
Last
but not the least, due to the feather weight of carbon fiber, the control feels
much responsive as compared to the plastic ones.
But there are also some drawbacks of using carbon fiber propellers;
1. Imbalance
Most
of the carbon fiber propellers are imbalanced. So firstly, you need to balance
them otherwise they would be worthless and balancing propellers aren’t as easy
as it sounds so.
2. Rigidity
Secondly,
as carbon fiber is made of rigid material, so the propellers may not break on
crash which means that there might be a possibility that the motor will be
destroyed or may be the frame of the drone.
3. Expensive
Lastly,
carbon fiber propellers are twice as expensive as the plastic ones. So it means
that most of the people are not able to afford them because of high cost.
Conclusion:
There are renowned sayings that “each act
is a prospect to improve” and “If something is worth doing, then it is worth
doing well”. In the light of above discussion it seems that carbon fiber
propellers are far better than the other versions of propellers including
plastic propellers. Even though carbon fiber propellers are expensive, but the
quality and benefits that are being provided are worth spending money on. It
will increase your flight experience for sure but it is not essential to have
carbon fiber propellers. Like if you are a beginner and learning to fly the
quadcopter, then plastic propellers are the right choice because in case of
accident, the propellers will share most of the burden and the frame and motor
of the drone will be safe.
References
(n.d.).
Retrieved from OscarLiang.net:
http://blog.oscarliang.net/carbon-fibre-props-plastic-propeller/
Advantages/Disadvantages
to Carbon Fiber Props. (2014, September). Retrieved from Phantom Pilots:
http://www.phantompilots.com/threads/advantages-disadvantages-to-carbon-fiber-props.25664/
Deaton, J. P. (n.d.).
What Is Carbon Fiber? How Stuff Works.
Plastic vs Carbon
Props - Vibration Test. (n.d.). Retrieved from DIY Drones:
http://diydrones.com/forum/topics/plastic-vs-carbon-props-vibration-test
Quadcopter Props? Wood
vs Plastic vs Carbon Fiber. (n.d.). Retrieved from Stack Exchange:
http://robotics.stackexchange.com/questions/2418/quadcopter-props-wood-vs-plastic-vs-carbon-fiber
Quality Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved
from PROQC International: http://blog.proqc.com/quality-quotes/
Now a days drones used as a hobby and also used in the field of photography. I like the features of nano drone but, I want to buy nano drone. Your article will help to people who are beginners.
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