What an Octocopter Is and Why You Need One
If there’s a hierarchy of drones, the octocopter is at the top. That is
not to say that the eight-rotor octocopter is therefore the most prudent
and practical choice for every unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hobbyist,
but it is certainly the most. As in, it has the most thrust from the
most propellers, often on the most booms; the most mass; the most
carrying capacity; the most powerful drone motor, etc.
Whether or not an octocopter is a prudent and practical choice for you depends on several factors. Among those is whether you are a hobbyist or plan to use the drone professionally. Every drone represents an investment of time, money, and energy, and that is particularly true of octocopters. So before you spring for or build an octocopter, there are some considerations to keep in mind.
Why Octocopters for Hobbyists?
The short answer: An octocopter is the ultimate UAV experience. With double the rotor power of the average hobbyist drone, octocopters are considerably faster, more stable, capable of flying higher, and designed to carry far heavier loads than any quadcopter or hexacopter (a UAV with six drone propellers). The extra rotors also mean that up to half of the propellers can fail and an octocopter can stay in the air for a while and land safely. That’s definitely a point in its favor when the catastrophic crash of an octocopter could mean a lot of money lost. Though it also means their batteries drain markedly more quickly than other drones.
Having a drone that’s capable of higher, faster, more stable, and more powerful flight is, without question, a lot of fun. It is also correspondingly more money and likely more work. Octocopters aren’t as get-it-and-go user-friendly as quadcopters tend to be. There are add-ons to calibrate, programming to do, and they are far more likely to require being virtually built out from the frame out.
Understandably, those considerations mean it’s very rare that an octocopter is someone’s first drone. Experience and an understanding of drones, their mechanics, the physics of their flight, etc. is, if not a necessity for successful octocopter use, certainly strongly recommended. However, if you are blessed with a good deal of confidence, insight, patience, a desire to learn new things, and a need for speed, an octocopter might be right up your alley.
Why Octocopters for Professional Use?
It turns out that there are limits to this whole miniaturization thing that has defined technology recently. That seems to apply specifically to camera technology. Sure, camera size has gone down and digital cameras a quarter of the size of film cameras can record exponentially more photos. But, for high-end cinematography, for instance, the cameras necessary for the highest-quality, highest-definition images, digital or film, are still sizable.
Those cameras are the loads most commonly carried by octocopters. Despite an eight-rotor UAV not being exactly cheap, they have proved an incredible boon for filmmakers big and small. They are also far less expensive than employing a crane or an actual manned aircraft, which for decades were virtually the only way to get overhead shots; particularly shots that weren’t static. The additional stability lent to the octocopter by the additional rotors, even when cruising through wind, also means impressively steady, consistent filming. The additional height they’re capable of reaching allows for those inexpensive, smooth, stable, dynamic overhead shots to be captured from great heights. Which means that if you’re a filmmaker on a budget, an octocopter could be an absolute game-changer.
About XOAR
For over 40 years XOAR has enjoyed an international reputation as one of the best, most precise, most trustworthy, and most innovative names in the UAV industry. That reputation rests on their commitment to leading-edge technology that implements the highest-quality designs and components. Their specializations include the best brushless motors and RC propellers for everything from mid-large size UAVs, ultralight aircraft, the RC aircraft market, civil aviation, LSA, and commercial UAV applications.
See for yourself how the best equipment can take you to even greater heights at Xoarintl.com
Whether or not an octocopter is a prudent and practical choice for you depends on several factors. Among those is whether you are a hobbyist or plan to use the drone professionally. Every drone represents an investment of time, money, and energy, and that is particularly true of octocopters. So before you spring for or build an octocopter, there are some considerations to keep in mind.
Why Octocopters for Hobbyists?
The short answer: An octocopter is the ultimate UAV experience. With double the rotor power of the average hobbyist drone, octocopters are considerably faster, more stable, capable of flying higher, and designed to carry far heavier loads than any quadcopter or hexacopter (a UAV with six drone propellers). The extra rotors also mean that up to half of the propellers can fail and an octocopter can stay in the air for a while and land safely. That’s definitely a point in its favor when the catastrophic crash of an octocopter could mean a lot of money lost. Though it also means their batteries drain markedly more quickly than other drones.
Having a drone that’s capable of higher, faster, more stable, and more powerful flight is, without question, a lot of fun. It is also correspondingly more money and likely more work. Octocopters aren’t as get-it-and-go user-friendly as quadcopters tend to be. There are add-ons to calibrate, programming to do, and they are far more likely to require being virtually built out from the frame out.
Understandably, those considerations mean it’s very rare that an octocopter is someone’s first drone. Experience and an understanding of drones, their mechanics, the physics of their flight, etc. is, if not a necessity for successful octocopter use, certainly strongly recommended. However, if you are blessed with a good deal of confidence, insight, patience, a desire to learn new things, and a need for speed, an octocopter might be right up your alley.
Why Octocopters for Professional Use?
It turns out that there are limits to this whole miniaturization thing that has defined technology recently. That seems to apply specifically to camera technology. Sure, camera size has gone down and digital cameras a quarter of the size of film cameras can record exponentially more photos. But, for high-end cinematography, for instance, the cameras necessary for the highest-quality, highest-definition images, digital or film, are still sizable.
Those cameras are the loads most commonly carried by octocopters. Despite an eight-rotor UAV not being exactly cheap, they have proved an incredible boon for filmmakers big and small. They are also far less expensive than employing a crane or an actual manned aircraft, which for decades were virtually the only way to get overhead shots; particularly shots that weren’t static. The additional stability lent to the octocopter by the additional rotors, even when cruising through wind, also means impressively steady, consistent filming. The additional height they’re capable of reaching allows for those inexpensive, smooth, stable, dynamic overhead shots to be captured from great heights. Which means that if you’re a filmmaker on a budget, an octocopter could be an absolute game-changer.
About XOAR
For over 40 years XOAR has enjoyed an international reputation as one of the best, most precise, most trustworthy, and most innovative names in the UAV industry. That reputation rests on their commitment to leading-edge technology that implements the highest-quality designs and components. Their specializations include the best brushless motors and RC propellers for everything from mid-large size UAVs, ultralight aircraft, the RC aircraft market, civil aviation, LSA, and commercial UAV applications.
See for yourself how the best equipment can take you to even greater heights at Xoarintl.com
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