Weight and balance — transcript

00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:05.328 Weight and balance. How much your drone carries, and where it sits.

00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:09.982 All the weight acts through one point, the centre of gravity.

00:00:09.982 --> 00:00:12.524 Hang the drone there and it balances level.

00:00:12.524 --> 00:00:15.412 Move the payload and the balance point moves too.

00:00:17.900 --> 00:00:21.531 Mount a heavy camera at the front and the CG moves forward.

00:00:21.531 --> 00:00:26.494 The drone tends to pitch nose-down, and the motors on the heavy side work harder.

00:00:28.900 --> 00:00:32.960 Too far aft and it's tail-heavy and unstable, especially in wind.

00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.483 Small inputs give exaggerated responses.

00:00:36.900 --> 00:00:39.582 So check before every flight. Fit the payload,

00:00:39.582 --> 00:00:42.151 then check the total weight and the balance.

00:00:43.900 --> 00:00:48.427 More weight means more power to stay airborne. Flight time drops,

00:00:48.427 --> 00:00:52.338 the drone is less agile, and your safety margins shrink.

00:00:53.400 --> 00:00:57.307 Add up the empty weight, batteries, payload and attachments.

00:00:57.307 --> 00:01:01.341 Over the max take-off weight? Lighten the load before you fly.

00:01:01.900 --> 00:01:06.524 Quick check. You mount a heavy camera on the front. What happens?

00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:11.458 The CG moves forward. Expect a nose-down tendency, and more power needed.