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Topic: Battery Question for Arduino Quadrotor (Read 1 time) previous topic - next topic


I'm currently trying to make a small quadrotor powered by an Arduino Uno. I'm having trouble figuring out the power supply side of the project. I already have 4 motors and 4 electronic speed controllers, but I'm still in need of a battery.

Here are links to the relevant parts I already have:

I was considering this battery(http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__7308__Rhino_610mAh_3S_11_1v_20C_Lipoly_Pack.html). I'm not concerned with a large fly time, more cost effectiveness at this point. Is this battery enough to power the 4 motors? Or, how can I figure this out?

Thank you for any help!


There is probably a quadrotor fraternity somewhere, and that would be a better source. The motors look pretty serious  and four of them can present a 30 Amp load. That is the only information you have, and I think it translates to 1 minute 13.2 seconds of flying time - presuming the batteries can actually get that sort of power out and it will actually fly, and the Arduino is just going along for the ride. You should either test a motor with the propeller on, thereby ascertaining the true load, or take the suppliers recommendation for the battery. Either way, I don't think the Arduino is a player.


Most ESCs have an inbuilt BEC providing 5V that goes out on the red wire of the servo cable.


The battery wont come close.
The batteries spec is 610 mAH at 20C max discharge rate, which is 12.2 amps max.
The motors are specced at 7.5 amps each at full power which = max discharge rate of 30 amps for 4 motors.
The battery will be destroyed.
You need a far bigger battery, at least 1500 mAH @ 20C, or much smaller motors.


Depends on the mass of the craft, very light and you might average 2A per motor, heavy and upto 5A or more.  Peak currents can be a lot
higher.  For a small light craft a large battery will just make it heavier, but something like 1.5 to 2Ah and 20C ought to be around the right

Ideally you'd measure the load current using a single motor with the correct load and prop to give a better idea of the operating

I'm working on a craft with total mass of about 900g and it needs about 3A per motor (at 11.7 V) to sustain hover - ie about 120 watts total.
The battery is 3.0Ah 30C and about a quarter of the total weight (255g).


MarkT is on the ball ! im a newb with arduino but i've been around the block with quads and if it's scratch built it will take some time to dial in props and battery (LIPO) keep in mind you need to think about runtime and payload. i can build them faster than i can set them up, with that said take it slow and you will have it flying in no time,

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