Drones are everywhere these days.
They come in many different shapes and sizes, and their applications are as varied as their configurations. They can be used for warfighting, mapping, providing internet connectivity, and they even have their more humorous uses.
But what do you know about the different types of drones? They come in many more configurations than the standard quadcopter that we all know and love. So let’s take a look at the many kinds and variations of personal drones.
1. Multi-Rotor Drones
Multi-rotor drones are some of the most common personal drones that are available.
Of all the types of drones, they’re probably the most stable, since the extra rotors maintain greater balance and hovering ability. Multi-rotors, like the sleek and sophisticated drdrone, make for perfect recreational and photography drones.
2. Single-Rotor Drones
Single-rotor drones are some of the more basic types of drones on the market.
They’re basically helicopter drones, possessing (as the name indicates) only a single rotor. However, these drones can generate greater thrust and often have longer flight times than their multi-rotor counterparts.
On the other hand, they can be much less stable and can be prohibitively expensive.
3. Fixed-Wing Drones
In contrast to the helicopter-style drones of our previous offerings, fixed-wing drones are more akin to remote-controlled airplanes.
Like the single-rotor drones, fixed-wings can be rather pricey. They can be gas-powered as well, and unlike multi-rotor drones, fixed-wing drones can stay aloft for much longer periods of time. However, they cannot hover, and landing them is tricky, and requires a practiced hand.
4. Micro Drones
These miniaturized drones are some of the coolest and most sophisticated types of drones out there.
As the name suggests, these drones are extremely small versions of your standard drone—often in a multi-rotor configuration. Typically, micro drones are associated with military uses, such as surveillance and reconnaissance activities.
Still, there are quite a few commercially available micro drones for recreational uses.
5. Fixed-Wing Hybrid Drones
These unusual drones combine the best of both worlds, from the fixed-wing and the multi-rotor drone configurations.
Drones of this type have a number of rotors attached to fixed wings, creating what can be considered a sophisticated VTOL-type drone. Interestingly, the designs for these kinds of drones come from earlier vertical takeoff designs from the 50s and 60s.
6. Small Drones
As the name suggests, these are drones that sit on the small side and tend to cost much less than other types.
By “small” we usually mean from around 20 to 80 inches long. These are strictly personal drones and are often best used for learning how to pilot and control drones, without expecting much more.
For instance, these are not great photography drones, since they lack the requisite stability to snap the best pictures. Still, these more affordable drones are the perfect introduction to the world of personal drones.
The Types of Drones for Personal Use
These are the standard types of drones for personal and recreational use. As you can see, there’s a wide variety of different kinds of drones, so you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding something that works for you.
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