Pushing the limits of your drone is inevitably part of the fun. You want to see how far it can go, not to mention its height. But then, the speed is what makes most of the fun. Plus, it is quite important if you plan on racing with some of your friends.
Now, most people will ask themselves – how fast can a drone fly? There are more answers and they also depend on multiple factors. Some of the fastest drones in the world can reach close to 180MPH, but those are professional military drones that you do not have access to. How about regular drones then?
In the USA, commercial drones can fly at 100MPH – not more. Luckily, the FAA has been quite generous with this limit. Most commercial drones are unable to reach such speeds. The top rated ones fly at 30MPH to 70MPH.
Moreover, you would not even need such a speed. Unless you are into drone racing, chances are you cannot do anything with it.
At the same time, different drone models have different constructions. This is probably the most important element in the process.
Fixed wing drones are more sophisticated and can be used in agriculture for spraying or even the military. They have professional uses and they look like small airplanes. They have fixed wings and allow them to glide.
When it comes to rotary wings, these are the common quadcopter models you can find everywhere. The rotary wing provides a vertical lift. Horizontal movements are achieved by tilting the device. Rotors need to do more work, so these models tend to be slower.
Now, how fast can a drone fly after all?
A well rated drone for both beginners and amateurs can do around 40MPH at full throttle. When out of the sport mode and with a stabilizer for good imagery, the speed can go down to 30MPH. Drones are like cars. If you understand cars, you will understand drones too. You do not always drive at full speed. When you want to take a beautiful video or some pictures, chances are you will spend more time in one place than moving.
A middle range drone – mostly recommended for recreational flying and newbies – will reach around 15MPH. It is not a lot, but at the end of the day, you do not really need more. Obviously, if you opt for professional drones – the commercial type, you want quality and performance. You will use them with business purposes.
The average speed will clock range around 50MPH. Obviously, a racing drone can reach over 100MPH, but it has to be a pricey one. Otherwise, you will be stuck at 70MPH.
So, how fast can a drone fly? Hard to tell. Different drones come with different top speeds. It depends on multiple factors – the type of drone, motor, price, range and so on. Unless you are into racing, the speed is irrelevant though.
Would you like how high drones can fly? Check out our other post.