You are planning to invest in a new drone, but before pouring a large amount of money into these interesting drones, you should clearly understand which type of drone is right for your job first.
Hexacopter Vs Quadcopter are the two most popular drones on the market today; if you are still confused about them, right here in this article, Staaker will help you better understand the difference between them. Keep reading our article to know which is the most drone suitable for you?
Quadcopters
The quadcopter uses four arms to fly. They have motorized propellers at the tips. You can think of a quadcopter as a helicopter with four propellers.
Quadcopters have a smaller tail rotor for stability. Helicopters do not need one. Their four propellers allow them to fly and hover in the air.
Quadcopters are popular among drone enthusiasts looking to fly drones for recreational purposes. It is easy to assemble, and it flies well even when used by amateurs. Many users attach videophones, walkie-talkies, and cameras to the quadcopter’s body.
The quadcopter design is a powerful variant of the helicopter. Because it is more powerful than traditional helicopters, quadcopters can carry heavier loads than other helicopters of the same size.
The military widely uses quadcopters for transporting smaller items between dangerous locations. Quadcopters can fly and hover, making them very maneuverable in the air.
Pros:
- Fast and agile
- Inexpensive when compared to drones with more rotors
- Easy to build at home
Cons:
- No backup rotors mean that if one fails, the drone will crash
- Can carry a payload, but not one as heavy as a hexacopter
Hexacopters
The quadcopter only has four propellers; the hexacopter, however, has six! The propellers are placed in a circular arrangement around the main body.
The machine can land stably by landing on the ground with its pair of legs-like appendages at its bottom. Due to its six propellers, the quadcopter is more powerful than the quadcopter and can carry heavier loads.
Six propellers give the hexacopter a major advantage. The machine can fly even if one propeller fails. The drone can still fly if one propeller fails.
However, this does not mean that the drone will crash down and cause damage to the equipment. The device will not be able to fly if two propellers fail. However, it will still be stable enough to land safely.
Hexacopters can travel faster and at higher altitudes than quadcopters. Hexacopters can be more expensive, so they are often used to transport more valuable cargo that cannot be saved in a crash. They are also larger than quadcopters and require more assembly and storage.
Pros:
- Powerful and capable of carrying heavy payloads
- Can reach higher altitudes than drones with fewer rotors
- Can stay aloft even if one rotor fails
- Stable even on windy days
Cons:
- More expensive to purchase and repair than smaller drones
- Too big for tight spaces or areas with many obstacles
- Difficult DIY assembly
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Quadcopter vs Hexacopter: A comparison
Stability
Consequently, propellers and motors with greater power can offer greater wingspan. Greater stability is possible with a larger wingspan. Stability is better for data collection and imagery.
A hex and octocopter can capture still photos, video, LiDar, or any other type of data. A hex or an octal copters large wingspan and high combinant power are a great advantage in turbulent conditions or high winds.
These two images show the area of prop coverage. The red circles indicate the propeller’s operational point. This means that only half of the propellers are used for lift.
The rest is used to bleed off energy for smooth flying. The hex system allows for greater efficiency and covers more ground, balancing against external forces (important for high winds).
Precision
Higher wingspan and better motor control mean greater precision, especially in high-wind conditions. The benefits of stability are similar to those offered by a larger wingspan.
A greater wingspan allows for more precise flying, especially in slower-movement operations. In highly technical environments, such as flying close vertical objects for inspection, precision is crucial. This can make the difference in an object strike or a successful inspection.
Payload
Larger motors/blades will result in greater lift capacity. Large camera systems may require considerable lift power, which is not possible with hex/octocopters.
Stable flight is essential for maintaining level flight because heavy payloads can be very difficult to balance. Hexcopter or Quadcopter can balance these heavier loads for a safer and more confident flight.
SpectralSky and Velodyne together provide a safe and confident flight platform.
Retracting legs are not available on many quadcopters, as they can block camera views. However, almost all hex/octocopters have retracting leg options, which allow for 360° camera/sensor rotation. This component may be critical for many inspection scenes, law enforcement, construction, and broadband repeating.
Safety
This is a very rare topic that should be discussed or considered when selecting an sUAS system. But, in any operation that extends beyond the personal responsibility of the pilot, it is important to ask the question: “What happens if a motor fails or strikes?” In an emergency, hexacopters and Octacopters can fly with as few as four propellers/motors.
If a motor or blade is lost in an accident or strike, no quadcopter can fly. Imagine a conversation between a state agency and a judge explaining that they could not fly if a motor or blade is lost due to a strike or technical failure.
Battery Life/flight Time
There are many opinions that quadcopters fly longer than hex/octocopters. In the early days of the industry, this was true. Today, quadcopters can fly for as long or longer than quadcopters.
The current popular quadcopter model flies for 28 minutes, compared to the YuneecH520’s 31 minute flight time. However, the battery life and payload are dependent on the environment, so that users may experience a slight variation in their experience.
Technology advancements in motor and electronic efficiency have effectively leveled the playing field for battery time/flight time.
Speed
This is the one area where quadcopters generally win. Modern quadcopters are capable of flying at speeds up to 100 mph, which is faster than hexacopters. They are also more agile than an octocopter.
The gap is closing, however. The DJI Phantom 4 and DJI Mavic have speeds between 40 and 44 mph, while the Yuneec hex copter (H) exceeds 50 mph in manual flight modes. It can also fly at 43 mph in “follow me” modes. This is a feature that few commercial operators would ever use.
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Conclusion
Before choosing a drone to buy, you should determine your intended use; first, a more expensive drone does not mean it has the highest work efficiency for you. Once you know what to expect from the drone you intend to buy, it will be much easier to determine the type of drone.
A Quadcopter drone will be suitable for those who want to take still images in the air and move around the area of the house or the park. A Hexacopter is ideal for professional filmmakers; this drone has greater stability even in a collision. Don’t forget to read our new post Tricopter vs quadcopter to be coming soon.
