The drone is one of the most amazing technologies that people use in various events, ranging from secret operations to wedding shoots. However, not all drones are the same, as they mainly differ on the basis of their flying limits, which, too, depend on various factors. Therefore, to help you in this matter and answer the most asked question, “How far can a drone fly?” We have made this complete guide. Here, we will be covering everything, including its flight-determining factors, the capacity of different drone, performance-boosting tips, and so on.
What is a Drone?
So before learning how far a drone can fly, let’s first learn about the existence and usage of drone. So, drones are basically remote controlled flying robots which are available from small to medium sizes. They have modern technology which makes it loaded with high functions such as HD cameras, GPS, radar, etc.
Moreover, it runs on different sources of energy including combustion motors, electricity, and jet. Apart from this, people use drone for various purposes such as:
- Asset protection
- Journalism
- Search
- Rescue
- Healthcare
- Firefighting
- Wildlife monitoring, and more.
Furthermore, different drone have different blades that make them fly on various ranges and fulfill the desired goal.
5 Factors Affecting The Flight Of Drone
Now that we know about drone and their uses in different fields, it’s high time to learn about the factors that hamper and limit their flight. Hence, get a quick glance at the below-shared points:
Battery: It is the one and foremost source of power in drone. Thus, those which have lightweight yet high energy batteries can fly higher and longer than those which have heavy and low capacity batteries installed.
Weight: This is very obvious that those drones which are heavy in terms of weight are less capable of surviving longer in air. Therefore, drone which have streamlined bodies according to the aerodynamics designs can cover more distance.
Environmental conditions: Drone flying in extreme heat, cold, or wind also suffer from shortening of flight distance. Therefore, in such conditions the battery efficiency reduces and results in inconveniences.
Motors: Drones with unbalanced or damaged motors or propellers also decrease the flight range. Thus, those with efficient motors, such as brushless motors and appropriately designed propellers, result in great longevity and performance.
Signal: One of the other factors that decide how far can a drone fly is the controller’s signal range. Thus, if the control is not strong, then the drone’s signal may malfunction or break communication, which may lead to a crash with any obstacle.
How Far Can A Drone Fly?
The answer to how far can a drone fly depends on the type of drone you are using, its features, by-default limits, and so on. Hence, to know the flight capacity of every type of drone, read the below-shared points:
Military Drone
These drones are designed specially to cover missions. Thus, they have high range as compared to commercial drones. Therefore, the MQ-9 Reaper is a military drone which can cover up to 1,150 miles. In addition, the tactical drone can cover a distance of up to 50 miles, depending on the type of mission they are designed for.
Police Drone
The flight range of police drone varies depending on the population and interference of the city’s buildings. However, the JOUAV’s CW-15 drone which is used for surveillance and safety has the ability to fly up to 31 miles.
Delivery Drone
Applications such as Amazon or Zipline have recently started their drone delivery services. Therefore, such drone serve a flying range of up to 50 miles. The best part of these drones is their ability to balance weights and cover long distances.
Commercial Drone
Such types of drone are used for filmmaking, mapping, inspections, and so on other commercial uses. For example, JOUAV’s CW-30E and DJI Inspire 2 are the drones with flying ability up to 4.3 miles and 124.3 miles, respectively.
FPV Drone
The First-Person View drone records live aerial footage. Hence, depending on the settings, it can cover from 0.5 miles to 4 miles accordingly.
Toy Drone
These drones are especially designed for beginners or indoor usages. They have very low flying range and can go as far as the Wi-Fi signals or bluetooth connection stays uninterrupted. Moreover, it can fly up to 300 feet of height only which is quite minimal.
Different Brands of Drone and Their Flying Range
Thus, when we know how far can a drone fly, it’s time to judge them according to different brands and their specific ranges. Therefore, have a look at them below and decide which drone suits your needs, budget, control range, etc.
|
S. No. |
Drone Model | Maximum Control Range | Maximum Flight Time |
| 1. | DJI Matrice 300 RTK | 15 Kilometer |
55 minutes |
|
2. |
DJI Matrice 350 RTK | 20 Kilometer | 55 minutes |
| 3. | DJI Matrice 30 | 7 Kilometer |
41 minutes |
|
4. |
DJI Air 3 | 20 Kilometer | 46 minutes |
| 5. | DJI Agras T30 | 5 Kilometer |
20.5 minutes |
|
6. |
DJI Tello | 0.1 Kilometer | 13 minutes |
| 7. | Parrot Bebop 2 | 2 Kilometer |
25 minutes |
| 8. | Autel EVO II Pro 3 | 15 Kilometer |
40 minutes |
|
9. |
Holy Stone HS720 | 0.9144 Kilometer | 26 minutes |
| 10. | Holy Stone HS600 | 3 Kilometer |
56 minutes |
5 Different Ways To Increase Drone Flying Range
After learning about how far can drone fly, let’s learn about their other aspects. However, you can still customize the drone to change its fixed flight range. Thus, read the below-shared points to learn about them:
- Replace the antenna: Use high gain antennas and position them optimally so that its strength and stability boost up.
- Use signal boosters: Install this device in your drone as it will enhance the communication or connection between drone and the controller.
- Consider the environments: Use your drone when the sky is clean and weather is not extreme as this saves you from signal disturbances.
- Update the software: Make sure to install the updated version of the software that your drone and its controller demand.
- Eliminate interferences: Fly your drone higher in the sky to get longer flying time and keep it away from obstacles such as wires, buildings, trees, etc.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we briefly answered “how far can a drone fly”. Ranging from its meaning and types to limits and tips, we discussed everything in detail. Choosing the best drone can be challenging, so refer to the table above for drone types, range, and flying time. I hope the page answered all your queries and gave you a clearer view towards this topic.
FAQs
Why are drone used?
People use drone for various purposes, including asset protection, journalism, search and rescue, healthcare, firefighting, wildlife monitoring, and more.
Which drone has the maximum flight time?
Holy Stone HS600, DJI Matrice 350 RTK, and DJI Matrice 300 RTK are some of the drone’s models which offer maximum flight time.
What are the different types of drone?
Commonly used drone include military, police, toy, delivery, commercial, and FPV drones.
How far can a drone fly from the controller?
It depends on the type of drone you are using. For example, a delivery drone can fly up to 50 miles, a police drone can fly up to 30 miles, commercial drone up to 123 miles, and so on.
