Introduction
As a rule, all multi-rotor systems available on the market ( tricopters, quadcopters, hexacopters, etc.) use two types of motors:
1. Brushed
Brushed (other names: DC, Coreless, Brush) - this type of motor is found on almost all toy copters, such as Eachine E013, Syma X8, UDI 818A, Parrot AR Drone, then it is most likely built on brushed motors.
Pros
Cheap manufacture, easy installation, compact, light weight, and they are safer for children, pets, walls etc.
Cons
Brush motors have a short lifespan depending on their size. (The bigger the motor, the longer it runs.) Those used in toy quadcopters usually have up to 6 hours of total run time before they no longer show their potential, or even burn out. Brush motors are not as powerful as the brushless motors mentioned below.
Recommendations
- Brush motors will run longer if the first few overhauls are at minimum RPM. In addition, since high temperatures are the enemy of coreless motors, it is recommended that the flight lasts no more than 6 minutes, since the heat generated after this time will significantly reduce the life of the motor.
- If you are planning to buy a toy-grade copter, try to find those that have disconnectable motors by means of connectors, so that you can easily replace them without a soldering ironSyma X8, Tarantula X6 and Blade Inductrix ). The AR Drone also has these plug-in motors, but they're not prohibitively expensive.
2. Outrunner Brushless
Outrunner Brushless (other names: Brushless Outrunner) - often you will find these motors on UAVs for aerial photography, such as DJI Mavic series, PhantomYuneec Mantice G, Fimi X8SE, GoPro Karma, and racing drones
Pros
Brushless motors are very powerful, provide excellent torque without the need for a gearbox, and, when used correctly, have a very long life time. Such motors can work without stopping for quite a long time, unlike collector motors, without damage from thermal effects (nevertheless, excessive heating can temporarily reduce the performance of brushless motors, but after cooling, their performance should return to normal).
Cons
More expensive than brushed motors and requires additional electronic components such as ESC (Electronic Speed Controllers)... They are more dangerous for the surrounding objects (eg fingers, etc.).
Recommendations
- Brushless motors can operate for many years until their shafts move (eg in an accident). In cheaper used motors, this misalignment can be caused by poor build quality.
- There are lubricants that can be used to lubricate motors to make them more durable.
- Do not allow sand, dirt, dust or other foreign particles (except air) to enter the motors, as this can seriously damage them.
