1. The most common is lithium polymer battery
Most consumer and professional drones use lithium polymer batteries. Why? Because it has the following advantages:
Light: LiPo batteries are very light and will not make the drone too heavy.
Large capacity: high energy density, can hold a lot of electricity, and have a long battery life.
Fast discharge: flying drones require a lot of electricity instantly, so LiPo batteries are very suitable.
2. Another kind is lithium-ion battery
Lithium-ion batteries are also used in some drones, especially some models with higher battery life requirements.
The advantages are:
More durable: more charge and discharge times, longer life than LiPo.
High energy density: can store more electricity per unit weight.
But its discharge speed is not as fast as LiPo, so it is more suitable for drones with low flight intensity and high battery life requirements.
3. Small toy drones may use nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH) or lithium battery packs
For small drones that children play with, some use:
Nickel-metal hydride batteries (NiMH): cheap and safe, but heavy and low in energy.
Ordinary lithium batteries (such as 18650 batteries): low cost, but long charging time and slow discharge speed.
4. How to read battery specifications?
When buying drone batteries, you will often see some parameters, such as:
3S, 4S, 6S: indicates that the battery is composed of several cells. The larger the S, the higher the voltage and the stronger the power.
mAh (milliampere hour): battery capacity. The larger the value, the longer the battery life.
C value (discharge rate): determines the speed of battery discharge. The higher the C value, the faster the output.