Carbon Fiber vs. Plastic Propellers.

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/