Types of copters. How to choose a quadcopter: detailed instructions for beginners. Automatic functions and smart modes

It is widely known that helicopters have a single main rotor, while multicopters are unusual aircraft with 2 or more rotors. In this article we will look at the main types of copters and describe their pros and cons.

general information

In multicopters, propellers with a constant pitch are most often used, so that the aircraft is controlled by changing the rotation speed of the motors. RC multicopters are becoming more and more popular for aerial photography and earth exploration. A recent trend that has emerged is copter racing (or drone racing) - copters are used for both freestyle competitions and gongs.

There are many types of multicopters. They mainly differ in the number of motors used, for example a quadcopter with three motors is called a tricopter, and the configuration can be referred to as Y3.

The number of motors and their location affect flight characteristics. For example, the more motors, the greater the lifting force, i.e. you will be able to carry a heavier load. A larger number of motors also means greater reliability in case one of them fails. The disadvantage is a decrease in energy efficiency and an increase in cost (due to the purchase of motors and related components).

Bicopters - copters with 2 motors

Bicopters have 2 motors that can be rotated by servo machines. They look like the gunship from the movie Avatar. Here's a similar example:

Bicopters are perhaps the cheapest configuration of all types because they only require 2 motors and 2 servos, but they are the most complex platform in terms of flight stabilization. The lifting force is minimal, because only 2 motors.

Bicopters are not very popular, and there is not much information about them.

Tricopters - copters with 3 motors

Tricopters have motors arranged in a Y shape, with the arms positioned at an angle of 120 degrees relative to each other. Sometimes they are shaped like the letter "T". The two propellers on the front beam rotate in different directions to compensate for each other's torque. The rear motor can be tilted to the side using a servo, which makes it possible to change course.

Quite a popular and cheap configuration, because... Only 3 motors are required, despite the fact that an additional servo is required (but it is usually cheaper than a brushless motor). Generally speaking, a tricopter is less stable than quadcopters with other numbers of motors, and is not as reliable, due to the fact that the servo is easy to break in an accident. It is more difficult for hobbyists to assemble due to the rotating mechanism.

Tricopters have the best course control. When a quadcopter or hexacopter needs to turn around, they slow down half of the motors and speed up the other half. If the copter is already flying at full speed (100% throttle), then it will have to slow down to turn around. Tricopters use servos to turn, so they lose less thrust in this case.

There are still few engines, so they don’t lift much.

Quadcopters - 4 motors

Quadcopters have 4 motors on a symmetrical frame. For the X4 configuration, the beams are at 90 degrees. Two motors rotate clockwise (CW), two motors rotate counterclockwise (CCW), this is necessary to compensate for rotation. Quadcopters are the most popular configuration among all copters.

There are 2 main quad configurations: “X” and “+”. Option "X" is more popular because the propellers do not fall into the frame (in the case of FPV flights and aerial photography). Some people prefer “+” because this option is more intuitive and more airplane-like. In addition, it is easier to determine the orientation of the device.

There is another configuration, this is “H”, it allows you to place the camera on the frame by moving it forward so that the screws do not fall into the frame. The debate about whether “X” or “H” is better will probably never end.

Y4 - also 4 motors

Looks like a tricopter, but without a tail servo. Two conventional propellers at the front, and two coaxially located motors at the rear, on one beam. Mechanically simpler than a tricopter, because no turning mechanism.

They weigh about the same as tricopters, but can lift a little more. In addition, they are more reliable than tricopters, because... no servo.

VTail and ATail - 4 motors

VTail and ATail are essentially quadcopters in which the front motors are located on regular arms, and the rear 2 motors are located next to each other at some angle. You can also say that it is a mixture of tricopter and quadcopter and Y4.

Not a very popular config, because... the lift force is less (due to the mutual influence of the tail motors). However, they look awesome and there are no problems with visually determining the orientation of the device.

Pentacopter – 5 motors

There is almost no information about them, few people collect them.

The only advantage is that you can make a larger angle between the front beams so that the beams and screws do not fall into the frame. Here is an example of assembling a pentacopter (English)

Hexacopter - 6 motors

Hexacopters have 6 motors, the angle between the beams is 60 degrees, three CW motors and 3 CCW motors.

They are very similar to quadcopters, but provide greater lift due to the larger number of motors. In addition, they are more reliable due to the redundant number of motors: if one motor fails, the copter is still stable enough to make a soft landing. The disadvantage is the large size and high price.

Y6 hexacopter – 6 motors

The Y6 has 6 motors on a Y-shaped frame. It is essentially a tricopter with 2 motors on each arm, one on top of the other. Instead of servos, CW and CCW motors are used on each beam for rotation.

These copters can be quite compact (like a tricopter), but with the payload capacity of a hexacopter. However, the Y6 is a less efficient configuration due to the coaxial arrangement of the motors.

Octocopter – 8 motors

Octocopters have 8 motors in two groups, 4 CW and 4 CCW.

Octocopters are similar to quadcopters and hexacopters. This is like an upgraded version of hexacopters: more payload, more reliability.

However, more motors mean more current consumption, which means you'll have to carry more batteries. This is also quite expensive.

They are very popular for aerial photography and for lifting heavy professional cameras.

X8 - also 8 motors

This config has 8 motors located on 4 beams in pairs (CW and CCW). Features are similar to the X6.

How to choose the right configuration?

Depends on what you want to do with the copter. For racing or freestyle, you can't go wrong with a quadcopter or tricopter. Even if you fall, you only need to change a few propellers (and some will fall, especially if you fly quickly or in close proximity to obstacles). For aerial photography, you can choose a quadcopter if you plan to shoot with something like a GoPro. But if you are planning on heavy gimbals or want a more stable platform, then it is better to consider hexacopters or even octocopters.

Coaxial arrangement of motors

In configs Y6, X8, Y4, the motors are located coaxially. This arrangement has both pros and cons.

Advantages of coaxial motor arrangement

If you have more than 5 motors, then there is redundancy - if one motor fails, the aircraft will still be stable and able to land safely
Compactness
Possibility to make a folding frame for greater mobility

Flaws

Loss of 10-20% efficiency. In fact, the lower motor pulls already accelerated air, which makes it less efficient
Screws catch obstacles more easily
It is difficult to remove the screws from the frame because... motors are located under the beams
Difficult to find suitable chassis

Article written in October 2013, last updated: November 2016.

This article is intended for people who are determined to join the UAV operator community, but are not very familiar with the quadcopter market. Such a person is often lost from the abundance of offers; his choice is complicated by the mass of technical terms present in descriptions, articles and recommendations. We will try to talk about the features of different types of aircraft in simple words, and also draw your attention to the best models of the current marketing year, thus easing the pain of choosing a quadcopter.

A starting point

First of all, you need to decide on the purpose of the purchase. It's one thing to give your child a radio-controlled flying toy, but quite another to purchase one. aerial camera or a racing drone. If in the first case it is necessary to focus on safety indicators, then the main criterion for choosing a racing model is its dynamic characteristics, and the consumer qualities of a quadcopter for aerial filming largely depend on the parameters of its flight camera and on-board controller. An important role is played by the size of the model, its technical equipment, initial flight readiness and price/quality ratio.

What are RTF, BNF and ARF

Descriptions of quadcopters often contain mysterious English abbreviations RTF, BNF and ARF, which can cause confusion and bewilderment in a potential buyer. In fact, everything is very simple here.

The term RTF stands for Ready to fly. RTF devices do not require assembly or configuration. Preparing for flight involves charging and connecting the battery, sometimes requiring the installation of propellers and landing gear. These operations are quite simple, described in detail in the attached instructions and do not require special knowledge and skills. All aircraft for beginners belong to this class.
BNF stands for Bind and fly. BNF quadcopters also do not require assembly, but are supplied without control equipment. The BNF kit assumes that the consumer already has a remote control compatible with this model. BNF class devices are purchased by more experienced pilots who want to update their own fleet of machines from their favorite manufacturer.
The abbreviation ARF (Almost ready to fly or Almost ready for summer) indicates that you are buying a kit for assembly. The ARF definition is broad and may be missing critical components (motors, flight controller, battery, etc.). Before purchasing, you must carefully read the description of the specific kit. However, this delivery is unlikely to interest novice pilots.

What should the user focus on when choosing a model?

Size

The class of a multicopter is determined by the distance between the axes of diagonally located motors (in millimeters). Thus, for 250 class quadcopters, the distance between the motors will be approximately 250 mm. Typically, dimensions are rounded to the nearest side with an accuracy of 50 mm.

All aircraft can be roughly divided into three main classes.

Nano and mini copters (up to 200 mm inclusive). These models can be considered radio-controlled toys. They are very cheap and good for beginners. Devices of this class easily fit in a pocket or briefcase and are used for flying in enclosed spaces. Some of them (Syma X11C, Hubsan H111D Nano Q4, Blade Inductrix FPV) have a built-in camera that allows you to gain basic aerial photography skills. There is no need to talk about the high quality of the video material.
Medium-sized copters are the most popular on the market. Such models are equipped with either a specially designed video camera or a gimbal (almost always motorized) with a high-quality camera. The spatial orientation of the most advanced of them is supported, and to control the flight the pilot can use not only the remote control, but also his own mobile device. Such devices have a wide selection of intelligent modes and are capable of flying in windy weather. Among the most famous and affordable are Syma X8HW, Hubsan H501S X4 or Cheerson CX-35. The most popular racing drones from Walkera also fall into this class.
The largest quadcopters (from 700 mm) have a solid carrying capacity. They are designed for commercial delivery of goods or installation of heavy professional video equipment.

Motors

There are two types of electric motors installed on quadcopters - and. Commutator motors are used on small and cheap models. Their weak point is the use of carbon brushes, which have reduced wear resistance and cause sparking. Brushless electric motors do not have such a unit. They are very reliable and are able to change their rotation speed over a very wide range. These engines are designed for more expensive and heavier UAVs.

Speed

Quadcopter flight time and range

Very important parameters are the time and range of the controlled flight. Modern drones have an average time in the air on one battery charge of 5-10 minutes. A continuous flight of 25-30 minutes is considered an outstanding result. Drones with long flight durations include 3DR Solo (20 minutes), GoPro Karma (25 minutes), DJI Mavic Pro (27 minutes) and various modifications of DJI Phantom 4 (28-30 minutes). It is usually recommended to purchase several extra batteries and a charger that has multiple connection points.

As for the controlled flight range, the range of this parameter is very wide and depends not only on the battery capacity, but also on the power and noise immunity of the control equipment. Small aircraft have a range of no more than several tens of meters. Medium-sized quadcopters can fly several hundred meters. The company's latest models demonstrate an absolutely outstanding range DJI Innovations(Inspire 2, Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced). Their flight range reaches 7000 meters.

Camera and gimbal

If the use of a quadcopter involves first-person flights or video shooting, special attention must be paid to the characteristics of the on-board camera and gimbal. Aircraft with a built-in camera are quite suitable for first-person flights. Not only racing drones have such capabilities, but also some models of the small and ultra-small class. To obtain high-quality material, you will need a good action camera mounted on a motorized and stabilized gimbal.

In this market segment, the latest models of the DJI brand stand out sharply. Among the best developments of this company one cannot fail to mention the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Advanced, Inspire 2 and the folding model Mavic Pro. All of the listed devices have cameras on board with a resolution of 12.7 to 24 megapixels and a wide selection of shooting modes. DJI Inspire 2 is equipped with two cameras - built-in and gimbal.

Some users want to use their drone solely for taking photos in . For them, we can recommend the cheap JJRC H37 Elfie or the expensive Zerotech Dobby foldable quadcopter.

It is also possible to purchase a quadcopter without a camera.

Automatic functions and smart modes

For beginners, automatic flight modes play a vital role. The most important of them are auto-return, the drone’s ability to take off and land on its own, and Headless mode.

Recently, you can increasingly hear about new versions of multicopters that serve different purposes. And in any online store that sells electronics, you can find almost hundreds of different models of these aircraft. That’s why we decided to systematize everything we know about drones and write this simple guide to choosing the best quadcopter for your specific purposes.
Society is experiencing a real fashionable boom in drones - small unmanned aerial vehicles that can be controlled via a simple remote control or even using a mobile phone. The sharply increased popularity of multicopters is explained by many factors. Firstly, it is an increase in their productivity and capabilities. After all, now drones can be used both for private purposes, for example, for entertainment and taking amateur photos and videos from above, and in professional activities.

Remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles are used for professional aerial photography of areas, the creation of feature and documentary films, aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, and cargo delivery. For example, large companies such as Amazon and DHL, as well as smaller companies, for example, pizzerias, are gradually switching to multicopters.

Postal drone Parcelcopter 2.0 from DHL

The second factor in the increased popularity of quadcopters is directly related to the first. As the technical characteristics improve and the capabilities of these aircraft increase, the price of previous models becomes sharply lower. Therefore, devices whose analogues could cost a thousand US dollars just a couple of years ago can now be bought for three hundred.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 - inexpensive quadcopter for $300

Well, the main factor in the popularity of drones is people’s love of exploring the unknown. Among the hundreds of thousands of adult men who see a quadcopter in a store for the price of a good smartphone, a child who seemed to have fallen asleep many years ago awakens. The person again begins to think in the category “I want!”, but this time it is not the parents, but he himself who is responsible for the budget, and therefore in the evening of the same day this respectable guy rushes around the yard with the remote control of the multicopter, enjoying the bird's eye views and flying up to the neighbors' windows.

But choosing a decent aircraft that would ideally match your adequate wishes, and not just your inner call “I want!”, is not so easy. After all, you can find hundreds of different ready-made options on sale, which a person who is encountering this range of offers for the first time will not easily understand. Therefore, in this article we will try to help you understand the problem.

Let's start with the fact that all multicopters differ from each other in several basic characteristics.

1. Number of blades
Multicopters are the general name for remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicles, with the root "multi" meaning "many". The most popular on the market are quadcopters - devices with four blades, but drones with two, three, six and eight motors can also be found on sale.

Octocopter - unmanned aerial vehicle with eight motors

In this case, the power of the aircraft, as well as the stability of its flight, depends on the number of blades. But you need to understand that the more motors, the faster the multicopter batteries are discharged.

2. Dimensions
Roughly speaking, multicopters are divided into three main classes based on size. The first is large drones. They are more often used for professional purposes. This is a real fetish among people who no longer perceive copters as an easy hobby, but have turned them into a serious hobby or even a job.

Large drones can lift quite a significant load into the sky and fly stably at an altitude of several kilometers. Such aircraft can be equipped with reinforced batteries, as well as a gimbal with a SLR camera.

Medium-sized multicopters are the most popular among users. We are talking about small enough aircraft that can be carried in a backpack, where there will be room for other things.

Often such drones are equipped with a built-in camera with good resolution, but even more often there are copters to which this addition must be attached separately.

Small and ultra-small multicopters are an offer for beginners who enjoy remotely controlled flights. These devices can fit in a briefcase or even in a pocket, because the smallest versions easily fit in the palm of an adult. Due to their small size, such drones have problems with flight stability, because any gust of wind knocks them out of the way or even knocks them over to the ground.

A miniature quadcopter that fits in the palm of your hand

3. Availability of a camera
The cornerstone question of choosing a specific multicopter. As mentioned above, there are drone models with cameras already built into them. At the same time, the rule is observed that the larger the multicopter, the less chance there is of a camera in its basic configuration.

The best option in this case are some medium-sized drone models with built-in cameras with good resolution (10-14 megapixels). However, most connoisseurs of unmanned aerial vehicles prefer to install a camera on their multicopter themselves. Most often we are talking about the famous extreme camera GoPro.

DJI Pahantom - a popular quadcopter with a GoPro Hero 2 camera

But there are also many other offers on the market for cameras for extreme shooting, as well as special modules for multicopters.

On small quadcopters, in the vast majority of cases, the camera comes as standard; it is built into the body of the aircraft. But this is a fairly simple device with a photo matrix ranging in size from 0.3 to 2 megapixels.

4. Management principles
Most of the most popular models of quadcopters can be controlled using a smartphone or tablet computer, connecting to them via a Wi-Fi wireless communication interface. This is incredibly convenient, because the device is controlled through a simple and intuitive interface. By moving fingers on the touch screen of a mobile device, the user can control the altitude, speed and direction of the drone’s flight, see the image from its camera in real time, and with just one click take photos and record videos from a bird’s eye view.

But this principle of controlling a multicopter has a significant drawback - the device can move away from the person controlling it only a few tens of meters, that is, the range of receiving a Wi-Fi signal. Therefore, instead of smartphones and tablets, you can use special control panels.

They allow you to increase the flight range to several kilometers. At the same time, the control process itself becomes much more complicated - remote controls have many additional functions and capabilities that mobile devices do not have.

However, mobile devices can be combined with “professional” multicopter control panels. For example, it is possible to use them as a screen for images from the drone’s camera if the remote control itself does not have a built-in display.

DJI Pahantom quadcopter, its remote control and a smartphone attached to the remote control

5. Batteries

Another important point when choosing a multicopter. After all, the greater the capacity of the batteries from which it is powered, the longer and further it can fly. At the moment, the average operating time of a basic drone on one full battery charge is 8-15 minutes.

But larger aircraft can be equipped with additional batteries, which can increase their flight time by up to half an hour. With medium and small multicopters, such an “upgrade” is more difficult to carry out - the power of their propellers may simply not be enough to lift another battery into the air. Moreover, this is not always possible at the hardware level.

However, the problem of low battery capacity in multicopters can be partially solved by using spare batteries, which can be inserted in place of the dead ones after landing the drone on the ground.

Above we talked about five main fundamental factors that may influence your choice when buying a ready-made multicopter. And below we will show you some of the most popular modern drone models.

DJI Spreading Wings S900

DJI Spreading Wings S900 is one of the most popular and best large multicopters, this is a device for real professionals in launching unmanned drones who really know why they need such an aircraft.

Large hexacopter DJI Spreading Wings S900

The DJI Spreading Wings S900 hexacopter has six powerful motors and, therefore, the same number of propellers, which allows it to fly quite stably even at high altitudes.

With its own weight of 3.3 kilograms, the DJI Spreading Wings S900 can lift into the sky objects weighing up to 8.2 kg, including full-size SLR cameras such as the Canon 5D Mark III.

Hexacopter DJI Spreading Wings S900 in flight with a camera

The diagonal of this multicopter from rotor to rotor is 90 centimeters, but when transporting the DJI Spreading Wings S900 can be folded in half. Batteries with a capacity of 10000-1500 mAh allow the drone to fly with half the possible load for 18-20 minutes.

DJI Spreading Wings S900 hexacopter folded

The cost of the DJI Spreading Wings S900 ranges from 1654 to 4594 US dollars, depending on the configuration.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is the latest and greatest quadcopter model from Phantom. The products of this company have gained high popularity due to the simplicity and reliability of the solutions - devices from this manufacturer can be launched into the sky immediately after unpacking the box.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter in flight

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is equipped with a built-in high-performance camera that allows you to take photos with a resolution of 14 megapixels and videos in Full HD 1080p.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter camera

The weight of this quadcopter is 1030 grams, the diagonal is 35 centimeters. It can be 1 kilometer away from the control panel. In this case, the user has the opportunity to program the flight route of the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, indicating a maximum of sixteen points on the map, and the aircraft will automatically fly through all of them, and then return to the starting point.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter

The maximum flight time of DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is 25 minutes. This quadcopter can be controlled either using a special remote control or via mobile devices.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ quadcopter camera and its control panel

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ is priced at $1,369. The simplest drone model from Phantom, the DJI PHANTOM FC40 quadcopter costs $599.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is a simple and inexpensive quadcopter for people who are just starting their acquaintance with unmanned aerial vehicles, and therefore cannot give an exact answer whether they are ready to spend the same thousand and a little dollars on a more “serious” device like DJI Phantom 2 Vision+.

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 quadcopter is controlled exclusively via Wi-Fi using a smartphone or tablet computer, and therefore it can fly a maximum of 50 meters from the launch site. The built-in 1000 mAh battery allows the device to function without interruption for 8-12 minutes.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 quadcopter in flight

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 has a built-in 2MP camera that can also shoot video at 720p resolution (1280x720 pixels).

The fast characteristics of the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 are also confirmed by the low price of this quadcopter. The device can be purchased for $300.

Quadcopter Parrot AR.Drone 2.0

Wltoys V272

Wltoys V272 is one of the world's smallest modern quadcopters with a built-in camera. It is so tiny that it can easily be hidden in a wide pants pocket. It's no joke, but the dimensions of this drone are only 45 by 45 millimeters!

Wltoys V272 - the world's smallest quadcopter with camera

But, despite its miniature size, Wltoys V272 has a built-in camera with a resolution of 0.3 MP. The control panel that comes with the device allows the baby drone to fly away from the launch site by a maximum of 100 meters, but it is best to use this device indoors - a slight blow of wind can result in a crash for the Wltoys V272.

Quadcopter Wltoys V272 and its control panel

The 100 mAh battery gives Wltoys V272 the ability to fly for 4 minutes.

The price of the Wltoys V272 is as ridiculous as the aircraft itself - $30.

Wltoys V272 - the world's smallest quadcopter with camera

tell friends

Which will “meet all our requirements.” In any online store that sells this kind of gadgets, you can find more than a hundred drone options. It is very easy to get confused in all this diversity, and therefore we will try to systematize everything we know about these gadgets and answer the main questions that inexperienced users most often ask: how to choose a quadcopter for beginners, for experienced ones, whether to buy it with or without a video camera, how many blades etc.

Choosing a good one that would ideally meet all your requirements is not so easy. We should start with the fact that all models of quadcopters differ from each other in several basic characteristics that affect both the capabilities and cost of the drone, and therefore it is necessary to find a certain balance of these indicators before choosing a quadcopter.

Number of blades

Multicopters are remote-controlled unmanned aerial drones, where the root "multi" means "many". One of the most popular varieties of these devices is quadcopters, that is, drones with four load-bearing blades, but gadgets with two, three, six and eight propellers can also be seen on sale.

The principle here is simple - the more blades, the more power and the more stable the flight. But you need to understand one more simple thing - more blades mean more engines, and this significantly reduces the drone’s battery life and the battery charge literally melts before our eyes. Therefore, it’s up to you to decide which quadcopter to choose: a stable course even in bad weather conditions and a short battery life, or something in between, but with an acceptable flight time.

Dimensions

All multicopters can be divided into three main size groups. The first is small and ultra-small drones. Such offers are mainly for beginners, amateurs and children. Such devices easily fit in a bag, and sometimes even in a pocket. Before choosing a quadcopter for a child or a beginner amateur, keep in mind that due to their small size, such devices are burdened with problems with flight stability, and a strong gust of wind can not only knock them off the path, but also knock them over to the ground.

Medium devices

Medium-sized drones are the most popular among most multicopter enthusiasts. They are used by both beginners and professionals. The dimensions of the device allow it to be carried in a backpack without any problems. These drones may be equipped with a good resolution video camera, but most often you have to buy this fancy addition separately, so keep this in mind before choosing a mid-sized quadcopter.

Large drones

Large devices are usually used for professional purposes. This has become a real fetish among those who have stopped perceiving drones as some kind of easy hobby, thereby turning their favorite pastime into a serious hobby or even a job.

Larger drones can carry quite a substantial payload and glide stably at a good altitude. Very often, such devices are equipped with additional batteries, as well as special gimbals for adapting SLR cameras. We cannot recommend models in this category to beginners or children - the toy is too expensive. In the event of a breakdown, components are far from cheap, although it is quite difficult to break the screws of such models due to their quality and durability, keep this in mind before choosing a large quadcopter.

Availability of camera

This point is cornerstone for each specific drone. As mentioned above, there are models where a video camera is included. Moreover, a very strange pattern is observed - the larger the drone’s dimensions, the less likely it is that it will be a quadcopter with a camera.

How to choose the best option? It's quite simple. Medium-sized drones are universal multicopters, which are most often equipped with a built-in camera, with a high resolution of 10-14 megapixels. Such aircraft can be recommended not only to novice pilots, but even to teenage children (preferably under adult supervision).

Most pilots prefer to mount cameras on their drones themselves, choosing the pixelation that they need. As a rule, we are talking about an extreme GoPro model, famous for its “tanky” nature and abundance of useful functions. This point is also worth considering before choosing a quadcopter with a video camera.

In small models for children and beginners, the camera comes as standard, and in the vast majority of cases it is built into the body of the drone. Due to its size, this is a relatively simple device with low shooting resolution (0.3-2 megapixels).

Principles of controlling quadcopters with a camera

Popular and high-quality drone models can be piloted using a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Communication is carried out using the Wi-Fi wireless protocol. And this is very convenient, because it is controlled by the drone through an intuitive and familiar interface.

Thanks to the touch screen, the pilot can control the quadcopter's flight direction, altitude and speed. In addition, the user has access to an image from the camera in real time, with the ability to shoot video and photo materials from a bird's eye view.

Everything would be fine, but there is one fly in the ointment in this control principle - the drone can only fly a certain distance (about ten meters), that is, within the range of the Wi-Fi signal. As an alternative, you can use branded remote controls, which will allow you to reset the restrictions and increase the flight range to several kilometers. The only disadvantage of this method is the complexity of management due to the abundance of additional functions and various specific capabilities that ordinary mobile gadgets lack. Keep this in mind before choosing a quadcopter. Some models can be combined with branded control panels, allowing, for example, to use your mobile device as a monitor if the remote control does not have one.

Autonomous operation

This is another important point that will help answer the question: “How to choose the right quadcopter?” The larger the battery capacity, the further and longer the drone can fly. The average battery life of most aircraft ranges from 8-15 minutes in the basic configuration.

Larger models can be additionally equipped with external batteries, which will extend the flight time by about half an hour. With medium and small drones, such an “upgrade” is more difficult to do, since the power of the propellers does not allow them to lift much weight, and one such battery weighs a lot. In addition, such modification is not always possible at the hardware level.

The problem of short battery life can be partially solved by using a set of replaceable batteries, which can be easily replaced by first landing the multicopter on the ground. The cost of an additional set of batteries for medium-sized drones is not that high, so there is no critical problem here, and it would be a good idea to inspect the propellers once again upon landing while replacing the batteries.

Popular models

Above we have outlined the main points that you need to pay attention to when choosing a quadcopter for beginners. Below is a list of the most successful and modern models for both beginners and professionals. All of them are equipped with a smart video camera and have well-balanced technical characteristics along with an adequate price, and therefore are worth a closer look.

Popular drone models:

DJI Spreading Wings S900.
Byrobot Drone Fighter (combat drone).
Vision+ (GoPro camera available).
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 (for teenagers and beginners).
Wltoys V272 (for children).