Introduction to the Classification of Drone blades

The rotor blade of an unmanned aerial vehicle is one of the key components of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Its classification can be conducted from multiple dimensions. The following is a detailed introduction:

First, classify by the number of blades

Two-blade paddle

Advantages: Simple structure, light weight, high efficiency, and suitable for various flight states. For example, DJI's M300 RTK unmanned aerial vehicle adopts a two-blade rotor design.

Disadvantage: Under the same rotational speed and propeller diameter, the generated pulling force and lift force are relatively small.

Three-leaf paddle

Advantages: Compared with two-blade propellers, three-blade propellers can generate greater pulling force and lift force at the same rotational speed and blade diameter, and have lower noise. For instance, the Rainbow series of unmanned aerial vehicles in our country are equipped with three-blade propellers.

Disadvantages: The structure is relatively complex, the weight and moment of inertia are large, and the requirements for the motor are also higher.

Four-blade blades and more blade blades:

Advantages: At the same rotational speed and rotor diameter, it generates greater lift and thrust, making it suitable for unmanned aerial vehicles that require heavy load or high-speed flight.

Disadvantages: Complex structure, greater weight and moment of inertia, extremely high requirements for the motor, and relatively high power consumption.

Second, classification by materials

Wooden blades

Advantages: Made of natural materials, it has good seismic performance, high hardness and low vibration.

Disadvantages: Heavy weight, low efficiency, not suitable for high-speed rotation and long-term use.

Plastic/nylon blades

Advantages: Low price, lightweight, easy to process and replace.

Disadvantages: Poor rigidity, prone to deformation, and prone to vibration during high-speed rotation, which affects flight stability.

Carbon fiber blades

Advantages: High strength, wear resistance, good rigidity, excellent seismic performance, light weight, suitable for high-speed rotation and heavy-load flight.

Disadvantages: Relatively high price, difficult processing, and high requirements for the usage environment.

Composite material paddle blades

Advantages: It combines the advantages of multiple materials, such as light weight, high strength, and good rigidity, and is suitable for flight in various complex environments.

Disadvantages: High cost and difficult processing.

Third, classification by installation method

Quick-release blades

Advantages: Quick and convenient installation, easy disassembly, and convenient for replacement and maintenance.

Disadvantage: It is not convenient because the quick-release propeller needs to be used in conjunction with a blade holder. There is a spring inside the blade holder. After long-term use, the elasticity of the spring will decrease, causing the propeller to sometimes not fit tightly and requiring manual tightening by oneself.

Self-tightening blades

Advantages: Easy to install, no additional fasteners required, and the fastening is achieved through the structure of the blade itself.

Disadvantage: There may be a certain risk of loosening, and regular inspections are required.

Ordinary blades

Advantages: Simple structure and low cost.

Disadvantages: Installation and disassembly are relatively complicated and require the use of tools.

Fourth, classification by function

Propulsion paddle

Features: It has the characteristics of air intake guidance, low noise, high density, high efficiency and power, and is suitable for unmanned aerial vehicles that require high-speed flight.

Tail rotor

Features: Mainly used for attitude control, braking and reverse thrust control, it can quickly change the direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle and is suitable for multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles.

Main propeller

Features: Mainly used for vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles such as helicopters, it can provide lift and control angles.

Folded blade paddle

Features: It can be folded during takeoff and landing, making it convenient for storage and carrying. It is suitable for small-sized drones with limited space.

Fifth, classification by rotation direction

Forward paddle

Feature: Counterclockwise rotation generates pulling force, usually marked with "CCW" or "L".

Reverse paddle

Feature: Clockwise rotation generates pulling force, usually marked with "CW" or "R".

The application of forward and reverse paddles:

To counteract the counter-torque of a single propeller in a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle, the rotation directions of adjacent propellers are different. Therefore, both forward and reverse propellers need to be used simultaneously.

In summary, there are various types of drone blades. Users can choose the appropriate blade type based on the actual needs of the drone, flight environment, budget and other factors.