IoT Techniques and Elements for Drone Package Delivery Networks
Categories Recognized by US FAA
Category Weight / Max . Energy Transfer Comments 1 Under 250 Grams / 0.55 lbs Hobby , aerial photography , surveillance
2 Max of 11 ft-lbs Energy
3 Max of 25 ft-lbs of Energy
Smaller cargo deliveries , typically in the 5 kg payload / 10 kg takeoff weight range
Large cargo deliveries , typically in the 10kg payload / 25 kg takeoff weight range
4
Special Certificates for Heavier / Specialized Drones
Table 5-1 : Categories of drones .
Heavy lift drones , construction
Figure 5-1 shows the anatomy of a typical cargo drone . The following subsections describe them in detail .
5.1.1 ROTORS ( PROPELLERS + MOTORS )
Figure 5-1 Elements of a typical cargo drone .
Drones have several aerodynamically efficient propellers that are directly driven by brushless electric motors . Four and six rotor configurations are common ( called quadcopters and hex copters , respectively ), but other numbers are possible for specialized flight characteristics . Even / odd numbered rotors typically turn in opposite directions , and by carefully coordinating and controlling the speed of all rotors , flight maneuvers including pitch , yaw , roll , translation in four directions and altitude changes are achieved .
The electric motors are connected to motor speed controllers that commutate the motors to run them at the commanded speed and power . A typical motor controller for a mid-size cargo drone might have 80-amp outputs per motor running at about 22 volts , for a theoretical maximum
Journal of Innovation 35