Have you at any point spotted a drone hovering very high in the sky and thought about how it stays still so beautifully? There is no sorcery involved. The reason is the way its motors operate.
No matter what a drone does, the control of its motors over the propellers determines the outcome. This control is responsible for the speed, balance, and lift. The motors referred to here are BLDC motors. They are different from the conventional motors in that they do not have brushes. Rather, they rely on electricity and sensors to rotate smoothly and quickly.
Now let us look into the process of controlling BLDC motors and how it helps a drone to fly securely and be in perfect equilibrium in the air.
Motor Control Changes Speed
The motors in a drone spin the propellers. When the propellers spin faster, the drone moves up. When they spin slower, it comes down.
Each motor connects to a small part called an ESC, which means Electronic Speed Controller. The ESC sends power to the motors and decides how fast each one should spin.
If you push your drone’s controller up, the ESC gives more power. The propellers spin faster, and the drone rises. If you move the controller down, the power drops, and the drone slows down.
But going faster isn’t always better. If the motors spin too fast, they heat up and waste energy. So, the controller keeps adjusting the speed to make sure the drone moves smoothly.
Good control means your drone flies steady, turns quickly, and doesn’t shake in the air.
Motor Control Keeps the Drone Balanced
A drone doesn’t balance itself just because it’s built well. It balances because of its motor control.
When the drone flies, each propeller must spin at the right speed. If one propeller spins slower than the others, the drone tilts. To fix this, the flight controller sends more power to that motor to make it catch up.
This happens every second while the drone flies. The motors keep changing speed very quickly to stay level. Even a small wind gust can move the drone, but the motors react fast and bring it back to balance.
That’s why drones can hover in one place without falling. It’s not luck — it’s smart control working quietly in the background.
Motor Control Helps the Drone Lift
Lift is what makes a drone rise. It happens when the propellers push air down and the drone goes up.
When you start the drone, the ESCs send more power to the BLDC motors. They spin faster, and the propellers push more air. This is the drone’s takeoff process.
When all the propellers work together at the same speed, the drone ascends vertically. If one of them gets faster, the drone will incline or rotate. This is how you direct its path.
The remote alters the lift by altering the speed of the motors. It constantly makes minor adjustments so the drone remains stable, even when it is loaded or in windy conditions.
Larger propellers are able to carry more weight but require more powerful motors. On the other hand, smaller ones spin quicker but produce less lift. The controller determines the perfect level of each so that the drone flies unobtrusively.
Conclusion
Motor control is the crucial factor in every aspect of the flight of a drone. The BLDC motors manage the spinning speed of the propellers, the steadiness of the drone, and the height it can achieve.
In case of malfunctioning of one motor, the drone will be tilted. However, through the coordination of all the motors, the drone will be able to fly smoothly and stably.
Thus, when you witness a drone hovering without any deviations, think of it as a scenario where the hard-working little motors are doing their job of maintaining the drone's stability and balance.