The popularity of commercial drones has been steadily increasing over the past few years. From high-resolution cameras to logistics and transportation, drone technology has evolved to the point where it is no longer a fragile camera that cannot raise payload items.
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Heavy lift drones are large drones with the ability to carry and operate 10 pounds and more of heavy payloads used to transport cargo, packages, food, medical supplies, etc. These drones are not only designed to lift cargo and materials but also heavy-duty cameras used for photography and videography.
If you are looking for such a heavy-duty drone that can carry weight or things, you are just on the right page. Below, we review the best heavy lifting drones in the market. We'll also look at how a heavy payload drone works and how much weight a drone can carry.
Asking how much weight a drone can carry is like asking how fast a car can go. The short answer is that how much a drone can carry depends on the type of UAV and the purposes for which it is designed.
The function of amateur drones is not to carry extra loads, but to take pictures and help beginners learn the basics of flying. They can usually only hold 500g, or even less than 100g in some cases.
Heavy lifting drones are different in that they are specifically designed to carry weight, such as those used for drone delivery. The technology behind these is quite impressive, and they can generally handle payloads of 20 kg to 220 kg. Some drones have the ability to carry more than 50% of their original weight as an additional payload.
Many companies have identified commercial and military applications for heavy payload drones and are taking advantage of the opportunity to use drones for multiple purposes to effectively manage their workflows.
Engineering companies can make good use of heavy-duty drones carrying high-quality cameras, which they can use for in-depth projects such as maintenance inspections, transmission cables, and oil pipelines. A drone in construction can also help engineers perform various critical activities such as airport planning and road maintenance, making efficiency exponentially higher.
Drone delivery is one of the fastest-growing and most popular applications of drones. Cargo drones are being used to deliver medical and healthcare supplies such as medicines, blood, and vaccines. Heavy lift delivery drones can also deliver goods and mail to remote communities, which is both faster and cheaper than transitional transportation methods.
Farmers can reap multiple benefits from heavy-lift agricultural drones, which they can use for spraying fertilizer or pesticide. Using this technology to perform these time-consuming tasks can help farmers save significant amounts of overhead and time.
Heavy lift drones are also used for emergency response, which can bring food, fuel, water, supplies, medicine, communications, and even electricity to areas hard hit by natural or man-made disasters - and can do so faster and more efficiently than any other platform.
Military heavy lift drones have improved military capabilities around the world in many ways; they are used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and transporting materials such as explosives and heavy weapons. They can also deliver equipment to areas that are too dangerous for manned flight, such as resupply in frontline areas, and casualty evacuation.
The average heavy payload drone is made up of three important parts. Below is a list of the parts that make up a heavy lift drone and what they do:
Taking off with heavy weight is not an easy task. The heavy lift drone motors must generate a lot of upward propulsion. Generally, larger and heavier drones use brushless motors because they can carry the extra weight of the electronics. In addition to this, innovative counter-rotating drone motors are becoming popular, offering greater thrust and higher efficiency than standard single-rotating motors.
Constructed of carbon fiber, which is lighter than plastic, the propellers of heavy-duty drones provide better flight performance. Typically, heavy lift multi-rotors have greater than four propellers, their longer blades give the stability and balance needed, and the smaller pitch easily carries the extra weight associated with the longer blades.
Gimbals for heavy-duty UAVs are designed to accommodate a wide range of cameras, sensors, and payloads, providing stable footage for numerous industrial applications, such as mapping and surveys. With the gimbal attachment, the concern that the pilot must keep the drone stable while flying is eliminated because the gimbal's sophisticated technology allows for an almost completely automated process. There is no need to worry about the drone's lens wobbling.
Before purchasing a heavy lift drone, it is important to consider the features and functions that the drone has to ensure that it will do its job.
The first thing you need to consider before buying a drone is "why should I buy it?" because this will determine how you use the drone and whether it needs to carry additional cameras or sensors.
Since you will be using these types of drones to lift objects, you must consider the battery life that will allow you to stay in the air for longer. If a drone can carry 20 kg but can only stay in the air for 5 minutes, it is useless because it can't even reach the set destination.
We recommend buying a drone with a built-in camera, but not every drone is equipped with one. You need to be aware of the mechanism you will use to allow the drone to carry a payload. Can it be carried with a traditional connection, or will you need to customize a solution for your specific situation?
Another key factor is whether the price of the drone fits your budget. Drones range from entry-level to high-end drones, with all the bells and whistles. Before spending any money, you need to think about the drone model and features you really need.
Engineered with a hexacopter design, the PH-20's prowess lies in its ability to effortlessly carry payloads up to 20 pounds, making it an ideal carrier for high-quality LiDAR equipment. Its impressive 70-minute maximum flight time and swift 18m/s maximum flight speed allow you to cover vast areas with unparalleled agility.
Crafted from a blend of aluminum alloy and high-performance composite materials, this LiDAR drone seamlessly integrates an intelligent flight system, a triple redundancy IMU, and adaptive controls for ultimate precision. Its onboard microcomputer effortlessly manages a diverse array of data types.
Additionally, fail-safe measures provide an extra layer of security, including automatic return in cases of data link loss or low voltage. Featuring obstacle avoidance radar, IP55 protection, a wind resistance rating of 8, and an impressive maximum altitude of 4,500 meters, the PH-20 thrives in the face of challenging environments.
As a very versatile and efficient VTOL fixed-wing drone, JOUAV CW-30E is one of the most effective autonomous security drones on the market. The CW-30E features a flight time of 400 minutes, a maximum flight speed of 90 km/h, and a transmission distance of up to 200 km.
With the built-in MG-170E dual EO/IR gimbal camera, the CW-30E can perform AI automatic identification, tracking, and positioning of people and objects, and transmit real-time video to the command center. This thermal drone has been widely used in border patrol, emergency response, energy inspection, fire fighting, search and rescue, etc.
The CW-30E large drone with a camera is very easy to use thanks to a fantastic autopilot system and excellent obstacle avoidance system that allow the device to take off capture data, and land on its own.
With an impressive lifting capacity of 35 lbs (15 kg),Freefly Alta X redefines what's possible in cinematography. Whether you're aiming to capture breathtaking landscapes, dynamic action sequences, or intricate aerial shots, the Alta X empowers your creative vision like never before. Its robust design and cutting-edge engineering ensure stability and precision, even when carrying heavy camera setups, making it the go-to choice for professional filmmakers who demand unparalleled performance.
Equipped with a remarkable flight time of 20 minutes, the Alta X doesn't just stop at lifting capacity – it combines endurance with power. Thanks to its adaptable design, flight time can vary based on payload and environmental conditions, providing flexibility for a range of shooting scenarios. With a top speed of 95 km/h, you can effortlessly track fast-paced subjects, achieving stunning cinematic sequences that were once thought impossible.
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The CW-80E can stay afloat for more than 840 minutes at a maximum speed of 135 km/h. With a payload capacity of up to 25 kg, the long range drone allows the flexibility to carry large high-end sensors, such as hyperspectral and bathymetric LiDARs, and SAR radar for large-area surveys.
Combined with the RTK and PPK modules, this big drone with camera not only provides highly accurate data but also ensures that you get the maximum possible coverage. In addition, the CW-80E RTK drone completes its mission completely autonomously from takeoff to landing, even out of communication range.
The CW-80E drone is equipped with built-in software, FlightSurv, for easy management of data acquisition. This intuitive application allows you to automate your UAV flight planning, data acquisition, and image transmission. In addition, it helps you create detailed and accurate 2D and 3D visualizations.
The DJI FlyCart 30, boasting a maximum payload of 30 kg, 18 minutes of flight time with dual batteries, and a delivery range of 16 km at a top speed of 20 m/s, provides a dependable and efficient solution for aerial deliveries. Its robust design enables the drone to withstand extreme conditions, ensuring reliable performance even in challenging environments.
Designed to meet diverse delivery needs, this heavy payload drone supports two payload configurations: cargo mode and winch mode. The winch system facilitates safe deliveries in areas lacking a secure landing site, ensuring precise and controlled drops with intelligent payload sensing.
Equipped with advanced technologies such as DJI O3 transmission, 4G enhanced transmission, and an FPV gimbal camera, the FlyCart 30 ensures clear and stable live feeds in various operational scenarios. Additional features like dual-operator mode, front and rear active phased array radars, a dual binocular vision system, and multi-directional obstacle sensing enhance safety and operational capabilities.
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The average cost of a large drone is over $48,000, depending on the configuration required. Yep, they are so expensive! The batteries alone to run such a heavy drone are very expensive. Not to mention, they require expensive power-hungry motors to spin the large propellers that provide enough thrust to overcome gravity.
Yes, certain large commercial drones can lift and carry a person, like Ehang 184 and GRIFF Aviation 300. Their lifting capacity depends on the power, dead weight, type of propeller, and the number of motors.
In the past, the batteries were too heavy to carry enough energy to create enough lift to get off the ground. The motors were not efficient enough to convert enough power to the blades. However, with the development of brushless motors, LiPO batteries, and gas powered drones these conditions have changed.
Nowadays, many giant drones can lift more than 400 lbs, which means they can easily lift a person as well.
According to the FAA Small Drone Rule Part 107, for drones weighing more than 250 grams, you need a license or permit, even if your drone is just for fun.
It depends on what the large drone is designed for. Delivery and passenger drones generally have a range from 500- km. But efficient surveillance drones needs need a range of 10-150 km, and for mapping drones a range of 4-8 km is sufficient.
The A2Z drone delivery winch and drone platorm are drone delivery tools designed to keep the drone at a distance from the home, eliminating noise and many safety concerns, while delivering a package gently and accurately to the doorstep.
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At last month’s Commercial UAV Expo, A2Z Drone Delivery set up a demonstration of their delivery winch system – showing just how easy it is to attach a box, or a stack of pizza boxes, to the winch for delivery or for return. DRONELIFE spoke with A2Z CEO Aaron Zhang.
Aaron Zhang’s first drone delivery project was on the Brown University campus, delivering a high theft item – cookies – to students. The CEO of A2Z Drone Delivery explains that his first product concept of a drone delivery winch came from a deep sea fishing trip. “You lower a line to hook a fish – or you lower a line to deliver or pick something up,” he says. “Our first prototype was literally a very simple 3D printed winch – just high enough to keep the cookies out of reach.”
“I’ve always been into robotics,” says Zhang. A brief stint working for the world’s biggest drone manufacturer, DJI, “Opened up a lot of possibilities of what drones can do for us,” said Zhang.
From delivering cookies on campus just a few years ago, A2Z’s products are now part of drone delivery for one of the world’s biggest retailers, Walmart, through drone services company DroneUp. “We began working together in early , when they were delivering PCR test kits with an Inspire and a fixed line,” says Zhang. “We had a specially built winch, so it was a very natural match. It’s been a huge catalyst for us to improve our products and understand how a real user interacts with our product.”
Retail, however, is only one of the sectors rapidly adopting drone delivery. “Residential delivery is what people first think of when they think of drone delivery,” says Zhang. “But in fact, we have more and more ship-to-shore applications right now. Anything high value and time sensitive is a great application for drone delivery.
“We also have some intersite transport projects at large logistics companies moving high value, time sensitive parts. Where any downtime costs a lot, it makes a lot of sense for drone delivery to replace a driver: and in a finite area, it really makes sense.”
Those new applications inform the product development, says Zhang. “We like putting our eggs in different baskets right now, because it’s important to us to understand how different use cases will benefit. At core, our philosophy is about consumer protection – keeping the drone away from the consumer. Flying lower may be better for performance, but we think staying closer to cruising altitude is better: huge blades are dangerous.”
“Going forward, we’re always working on automating more and more of the process. Now we can take off, fly, deliver, and land autonomously. As we move forward, we’re hoping to eliminate more and more of the tasks that pilots need to do. “
Drone Delivery: Now and Tomorrow
The last few years have been seen a dramatic change in the drone industry. “COVID absolutely gave our industry a huge push – labor shortages, supply chain – we have a lot of COVID related customers,” says Zhang. Not only could drones deliver a lot of COVID tests at once, maintaining the correct temperature range, but consumer acceptance of drone delivery grew. “COVID forced people to accept new things in their lives. People were downloading new delivery apps all the time,” he points out.
This year, A2Z is seeing a trend in the defense sector. “In the beginning we were hesitant about the defense sector,” says Zhang. “But delivering medical kits to troops on the ground is a great application. Delivering time sensitive, high value items is our mission. “
Right now, customer demand for A2Z’s drone delivery winch and drone delivery platform is driving growth. “We’re looking to scale our team: at the moment, keeping up with customer demand is like running up an escalator. We’re completely bootstrapped – and that forces us to be very close to our customers. We’re just focused on making the best possible product. Designed, built, and supported in US.”
“This is the closest thing to an off-the-shelf ready to deliver drone on the market,” says Zhang. “We want to give everyone access to this. We give you a recipe to execute business plans – and it’s really interesting to see how different industries use it. Sometimes people use drone delivery technology in a way that we didn’t think about, and that pushes our boundaries. At the end of the day, we’re very people focused. Making drone delivery work for people is our goal.”
“We’re pretty excited about our upcoming road map – it’s a very fun space to be in,” says Zhang.
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