How Long Does a Drone Battery Last? Here’s the Answer and Tips on How to Prolong Its Life!

Different factors affect how long a drone battery lasts. Here is a well-detailed article on factors responsible for sapping drone batteries and what you can do to make your drone battery last longer.
By
reviewed
Reviewed by
Last updatedLast updated: February 19, 2024
Extreme Fliers is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process here

Drones are the latest technologies in the art of recording. With drones flying high, you can be guaranteed to capture every detail in your recording process. It keeps beautiful moments you don’t want to forget recorded fully and can even help in the event of an investigation. The challenge with using drones, however, is the battery. If you’re planning to get a drone Trusted Source How to travel with a drone? We’re in a weird time when it comes to drones. The devices are still relatively new, but their popularity is booming, and as such many cities, companies and managerial agencies are all erring on the side of no. Their concerns are numerous, including noise issues, the potential for property damage and personal injury, and other safety concerns. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring your drone when you travel, it means you should consider several factors before you do. www.nytimes.com , you may be wondering how long does a drone battery lasts? A professional drone battery time will last about 30 minutes. A good and quality drone has a flight time of approximately 20 minutes.

You can use a fairly good drone for a period of 15 minutes, while a low-quality drone may not even last you up to 10 minutes. Read on to find out what saps a drone’s battery, how to prolong the battery life, and what drones have the longest life.

What does affect the flight time of a drone?

You are not the only one wondering what affects the flight time of your drone. There are several factors that could be responsible for this. Some of those factors are extensively discussed here. They include the battery life, weight of a drone, add-ons, etc.

Battery life

This goes without saying. The sustainability and active life of any electrical appliance are directly related to how strong or weak the battery of the device is. If your drone Trusted Source Drones: What are some of the coolest things drones are being used for? - CBBC Newsround A kidney needed for a transplant operation has been delivered to the hospital where it was needed by drone for the first time ever. A drone cam video from of the University of Maryland Medical Center captured the journey, as seen in the photo above. The specially designed drone was fitted with equipment so that the kidney could be monitored as it made its three-mile journey to its recipient. www.bbc.co.uk has a powerful battery, you can be sure of a long flight time without frequently recharging it.

However, it should be noted that no matter how strong your batteries are, they can get weaker with usage and time. So, getting more durable batteries becomes a necessity if you want a good flight time for a long time.

Lithium batteries are famed to have the capacity to withstand time and usage. This makes them one of the most durable batteries around. They can store more charge and are pretty durable. Nonetheless, they cost a bit more than regular batteries. But so, it’s anything good. There is some level of assurance that you would get value for your money.

Weight of a drone

How Long Does a Drone Battery Last? Here's the Answer and Tips on How to Prolong Its Life!

Have you spotted those very sleek and portable drone designs? They look cute, right? Well, their sleek and compact designs have more purpose than just being cute. Drone designers and manufacturers are well aware that the bigger a drone is, the more battery power it consumes. And if those batteries are not super strong ones, the lesser the flight time.

This is why most of the extreme fliers drones you will see around are lightweight, with portable designs. This gives the drones more airtime for flight and even allows them to be easily transportable. If you perchance need a heavier design. Prepare for a bigger battery.

Add-ons

It is already settled that you should be conscious of the weight of your drone, as this practically determines the flight time. Another thing that is closely related to the weight or that can directly affect the weight is the add-on. If your drone isn’t just functioning as a kite and it’s for more useful purposes other than play and fun, you will need to put some add-ons or headless modes to enhance the functionality.

The add-ons you add are totally dependent on the function of the drone.
However, the following is usually the add-ons used for a drone: a recorder, a camera, or even a sensor. The add-ons will add their extra weight to the drone, making the drone work harder. While this is cool, it will affect the battery life and consequently tell on the flight time.

How to prolong a drone’s battery life?

Finding means to prolong your battery life becomes a smart choice if you love to have more flight time. If you are wondering how to do this, here are some ways you can prolong your battery life.

Upgrade a battery

Well, this is obvious. If batteries are the chief determinant of how long your drone flies, then it becomes imperative to buy drones with strong battery capacities. Now, you may already have a drone with a weak capacity. If you still desire a longer flight time, then you should just go for a battery replacement altogether. When buying the battery, ensure you buy a stronger and more durable battery than the one you are presently replacing.

It is good to know that stronger does not necessarily mean heavier. As a matter of fact, the heavier the battery is, the more you should avoid it. As discussed earlier, the heavier a drone is, the faster the battery drains and wears out. So, if you buy a heavier battery with the intent of getting a strong battery, it defeats the purpose of the battery. Your heavy battery will make your drone exercise more power, which drains the battery faster, and the cycle continues.

Choose good conditions to fly

Flying in the right weather condition is as important as having a great quality battery. This is because, no matter how great your battery is, flying in bad weather conditions can cause you to lose your battery life and even lose your drone totally. A windy day is not the best day to fly your drone. The wind will disturb the flight of the drone.

The drone will do more work and exert more battery power trying to fly against the wind, and the wind can crash or even scatter the drone. A rainy day is also not the best time to fly a drone. The rain could permeate the drone’s body and affect the interior of the drone. This could make it malfunction or even get spoilt. And if that doesn’t happen, it could significantly affect the battery time by weakening it or even deadening it.

One of the best weather conditions to fly your drone is a dry and bright day. The brightness of the day will give clarity to the quality of your records. You can also be sure your drone is safe on a sunny day.

Reduce add-ons

Add-ons are sometimes indispensable when you want a functional drone. However, you can limit your drone’s add-ons to those that will be used at a particular time. This will help you reduce drastically every unnecessary weight on your drone. As a beginner, some of the add-ons you will be using include cameras and prop guards. The camera for capturing your moments and the prop guards to protect your drone in a crash event. Both 8of these add-ons are removable and should be removed when the drone is not in use. This will preserve the battery life and promote the durability of the drone.

Removing the add-ons and using them only when entirely necessary means lesser add-ons. And the lesser the add-ons you have on the drone, the lighter your drone, and of course, the better the flight time.

Choose different flight modes

There are different flight modes suitable for different functions. There is high speed, medium speed, and low speed. While the high speed may make your drone fly faster, it consumes a lot of battery life. The low speed may take time to get your drone around, but it consumes a lesser battery and increases your flight time.

Depending on the function and purpose of using your drone, you can choose different flight modes.

What drone does have the longest battery life?

After reading all the information above, you may have started wondering what drone has the longest battery life? This section looks at two of our favorite drones with the most extended battery life.

  1. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro

How Long Does a Drone Battery Last? Here's the Answer and Tips on How to Prolong Its Life!

According to customer demands, the DJI Mavic 2 Pro is one of the drones with the most extended battery life. It is a professional drone and has the capacity of staying in flight for approximately 30 minutes if the battery is fully charged. With this professional drone, you have more flight time to record all your details, explore the environment, make videos and capture beautiful moments.

  1. The DEERC Drone

How Long Does a Drone Battery Last? Here's the Answer and Tips on How to Prolong Its Life!

Asides from the powerful battery life this device has, the other features of the DEERC Drone includes the super adult camera, the altitude hold, the wide-angle, the headless modes, and of course, the whooping two batteries to ensure you never run out of flight time with enough battery power.

Final thoughts

Photographers, videographers, private investigators, and everyone who needs to record some moments are beyond grateful for the development of drone technology to help with recordings. However, one of the things they all wish they could have more is the flight time. The flight time of a drone is primarily dependent on the battery life.

This is why you’ll see most buyers researching how long does a drone battery lasts. How long the battery of a drone will last is usually influenced by several factors, some of which have been highlighted and discussed thoroughly. The factors include the add-ons, the flight conditions, the size and weight of the drone’s battery, etc.

To extend the life of your battery, you may need to reduce the add-ons when the drone is not in use, find the right weather condition to fly your drone, and be flexible with your flight modes.

Having done all of that, your battery may still not last long without the proper maintenance practices. One of the appropriate maintenance practices you can adopt is ensuring your drone battery is fully charged at least once in 3 months. This practice is even more important if you are not constantly putting your drone to work. This will elongate the battery life and give you more flight time.

References

1.
How to travel with a drone?
We’re in a weird time when it comes to drones. The devices are still relatively new, but their popularity is booming, and as such many cities, companies and managerial agencies are all erring on the side of no. Their concerns are numerous, including noise issues, the potential for property damage and personal injury, and other safety concerns. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring your drone when you travel, it means you should consider several factors before you do.
2.
Drones: What are some of the coolest things drones are being used for? - CBBC Newsround
A kidney needed for a transplant operation has been delivered to the hospital where it was needed by drone for the first time ever. A drone cam video from of the University of Maryland Medical Center captured the journey, as seen in the photo above. The specially designed drone was fitted with equipment so that the kidney could be monitored as it made its three-mile journey to its recipient.
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *