Drones are so popular today that millions of people already have them in their homes. These drones are primarily utilized as a hobby, and many RC (remote-controlled) car enthusiasts would eventually move on to playing with a more advanced drone that can be customized easier.
However, there are also some people that use drones professionally, as drones would typically have cameras that are beneficial for photographers or videographers to take better shots of landscapes. Also, the cameras are beneficial for building inspectors to have a much safer inspection of unfinished buildings or structures that are going to be demolished.
The most popular type of drone is the quadcopter, which has four rotors that are responsible for rotating the blades of the drone that would then help the gadget fly. However, these rotors and blades can be quite noisy, so most drones cannot be flown at night or in areas where noises aren’t allowed. Luckily, there are effective ways to reduce the noise of the drone. Here are tips on how to make drones quieter.
Buy Low-Noise Propellers
There are several manufacturers that produce and sell low-noise propellers, which would usually have a different shape from the normal propellers that will come in the drone kits. These low-noise propellers would have a low-pitch design, which means that the blades would sit at a less drastic angle compared to the high-pitch design, wherein the thinner part of the blades would be at a much more downwards angle. This low-pitch design would produce less noise since it minimizes the turbulence in the edges of the propeller.
The ends of the low-noise propellers are also sharper than normal propellers, and this sharper shape would help the blades run much smoother against the air when it spins, thus producing less noise. These low-noise propellers would sometimes already come bundled with some drone kits, but if your drone doesn’t have one, you can find a third-party propeller at Amazon and other hobby stores.
Use Bigger Propellers
Besides low-noise propellers, bigger propellers would usually make less noise for most drones. Because of how small standard propellers are, they would typically have higher RPM (rotations per minute), and the faster they rotate, the noisier they would be. Bigger propellers would have a much lower RPM, so they would have low noise.
However, take note that some drones cannot have adjustable frames, so bigger propellers may not fit. So, in that situation, it would be better to use low-noise propellers instead. But, if your drone’s frame can be adjusted, you have the option to install bigger propellers, which also has other benefits besides reducing the noise of the drone. These other benefits include the ability to carry heavier items (like heavier cameras) and have better stability in flying.
On the other hand, bigger propellers would also have downsides as well, and one of these drawbacks is that they can usually consume more power or battery on the drone. But, if you are willing to exchange shorter battery life for low noise, better stability, and better ability to carry a heavier load, you should definitely get bigger propellers.
Install Propellers with Three Blades
Another propeller that can reduce the noise in drones is the one that comes with three blades. A lot of drones would usually have two-blade propellers, and although there is nothing wrong with them, they can often make a lot of buzzing sounds if they are not designed to be low noise. Propellers with three blades would produce less noise mainly because the motors of the drone can run at lower RPM while still having a stable flight.
What’s great about a lot of third-party three-blade propellers is that they can fit perfectly for a lot of drones, so you don’t need to adjust the frame anymore. So, if you don’t want to do any extra work for adjustments, you can just purchase three-blade propellers and pop them right into your drone to get the noise problems fixed easily.
Get Rid of Decals or Stickers on the Propellers
Sometimes, the littlest things in the drone can cause the most noise. These littlest things come in the form of decals and stickers, which would often be placed at various parts of the propellers that come with the drone kit or are sold by third-party manufacturers. These stickers would typically have the brand’s logo, and they could sometimes indicate special features on the propellers.
The drawback of stickers and decals is that they could brush against the air if a little bit of them are peeled off. These peeled portions of the decals would then cause a lot of noise since it clashes with the air whenever the propellers are spinning. So, before flying your drone, make sure that you have taken off the decals and stickers in the propellers if they are brand new so that you can keep them as quiet as possible. If the decals cannot be peeled by hand, you can use sandpaper to get rid of them.
Change the Motor or Bearings of the Drone
The most expensive low-noise option in this article is to change the motor or bearings of the drone. The motors or the bearings can oftentimes produce much more noise than the propellers, especially if they are bulky. In addition, they can also cause a lot of noise when they get old, as the oil within them can dry out, which can then cause friction between different parts.
Applying motor oil on the motor and bearings of the drone can be effective for a few months, but once they get damaged, you will need to replace them. Fortunately, finding replacements for drone bearings and motors is quite easy, although you may need to spend more money on it compared to buying replacement propellers.
Cleaning the motors, bearings, and propellers of the drone would always be the first thing that you need to do before finding replacements for them, as dirt and grime are sometimes the cause of the excessive noise on the drone. However, if you have already tried cleaning them and they still make noise, the best thing to do now is to find replacements for them. So, start with the cheapest option first before deciding on whether you should spend plenty of money on replacements.