Selecting the Right Motor for Your Drone: A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing the right motor for your drone is a critical decision that significantly impacts the performance, efficiency, and capabilities of your aerial platform. Drones come in various shapes and sizes, and the choice of  drones motor depends on factors like the drone's weight, intended use, and desired flight characteristics. In this guide, we'll explore the key considerations for selecting the appropriate motor for your drone.

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 1. Understand the Basics

Before delving into motor selection, it's essential to understand the fundamental aspects of drone motors:

 1.1. Types of Motors

There are two primary types of electric motors used in drones:

1.1.1. Brushed Motors: These motors have internal brushes that come into contact with the commutator to control the flow of electricity and generate motion. They are simple, affordable, and suitable for smaller drones, but they tend to have a shorter lifespan and lower efficiency compared to brushless motors.

1.1.2. Brushless Motors: Brushless motors are more efficient and durable than brushed motors. They do not have internal brushes, resulting in less wear and tear. They are the preferred choice for most drones, especially larger and more advanced models.

 1.2. KV Rating

The KV rating of a motor indicates its rotational speed. It stands for "RPM per volt." A motor with a higher KV rating spins faster, while a lower KV rating produces slower rotations. Selecting the right KV rating depends on your drone's purpose and the size of its propellers. Higher KV motors are often used for racing drones that require quick acceleration, while lower KV motors are suitable for drones designed for stability and endurance.

 2. Consider Drone Weight and Size

The weight and size of your drone significantly influence the motor choice. Heavier drones require more powerful motors to lift off and maintain stable flight. To determine the right motor size, you'll need to consider both the drone's total weight (including batteries and payload) and its frame size.

 3. Think About the Payload

If your drone is intended to carry a payload, such as a camera or sensors, you must account for this additional weight. The motor you select should be capable of lifting the drone and the payload while maintaining the desired flight characteristics. Ensure the motor's thrust is sufficient to accommodate the added load.

WF-EDU-01 Motor and Propeller Test Kit

 4. Calculate Thrust Requirements

The thrust required for your drone depends on its total weight and intended flight characteristics. The thrust-to-weight ratio is a crucial factor in determining the motor's ability to lift and maneuver the drone. You can calculate thrust requirements using the following formula:

Thrust=Weight of the Drone×Acceleration Due to Gravity

For example, if your drone weighs 2 kilograms (kg), the thrust required to maintain hover is:

Thrust=2 kg×9.81 m/s2=19.62 NThrust=2kg×9.81m/s2=19.62N

To ensure stable flight, you should aim for a thrust-to-weight ratio of at least 2:1. In this case, you'd need a motor capable of producing 39.24 N of thrust.

 5. Choose the Right Propeller

The propellers used on your drone significantly affect motor selection. Matching the motor to the propeller is essential for optimal performance. Different motors are designed to work with specific propeller sizes and pitch. Pay attention to the motor's specifications to ensure compatibility with your chosen propellers. Selecting the wrong combination can lead to inefficiency and poor flight characteristics.

 6. Battery Compatibility

The voltage of the battery you plan to use is another critical consideration. Motors are designed to work with specific voltage ranges. The choice of battery voltage affects the motor's RPM and power output. Make sure the motor's voltage range aligns with the voltage of your chosen battery.

 7. Efficiency and Motor Data

Efficiency is a key factor in motor selection. More efficient motors convert a higher percentage of electrical energy into mechanical power. Look for motor data provided by manufacturers, which should include efficiency ratings. High-efficiency motors are particularly important for drones designed for longer flight times.

 8. Motor Mounting

Consider how the motor will be mounted on the drone's frame. Different drones may have specific mounting requirements, and the motor's design and mounting options should align with your frame's configuration.

 9. Cooling and Heat Dissipation

Drone motors can generate heat during operation. It's important to ensure that the motor is designed to handle this heat and dissipate it effectively. Overheating can lead to motor failure and reduced lifespan.

 10. Test and Experiment

Choosing the right motor can involve some trial and error, especially if you are building a custom drone. It's a good practice to start with conservative motor choices based on calculations and then experiment with different motors and propellers to find the combination that best suits your drone's performance and stability needs.

Selecting the Right Motor for Your Drone

11. Battery and ESC Compatibility

Choosing the right battery voltage (3S, 4S, 6S, etc.) and ensuring it matches your motor's voltage rating is essential. Additionally:

• The ESC’s current rating must exceed the max amp draw of the motor.

• Use a BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) to protect onboard electronics when necessary.

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12. Thrust-to-Weight Ratio and Motor Testing

A good starting point for most drones is a 2:1 thrust-to-weight ratio. Racing drones may require up to 5:1 for aggressive maneuvers, while photography drones prioritize smooth, stable flight over high thrust.

Testing Tips: Use a motor thrust stand Measure RPM, temperature, current draw Check for vibrations or unusual sounds

Motor efficiency ratings (g/W) are important indicators of real-world performance.

13. Cooling and Thermal Management

During long flights or high-performance bursts, drone motors can overheat. Look for:

• Ventilated designs

• Low internal resistance

• Material quality (aluminum alloy, copper windings)

Overheating reduces lifespan and may cause in-flight failures.

14. Mounting and Physical Size

Different drone frames require different motor mount patterns (e.g., 16×16mm, 19×19mm). Check the following:

• Shaft diameter

• Propeller adapter compatibility

• Motor height/weight (to ensure balance)

Always verify frame compatibility to avoid mechanical misalignment.

15. Flight Time and Efficiency

Choosing the right motor can greatly affect your drone's flight time. High-efficiency motors reduce power consumption and extend battery life. e lower KV motors for longer endurance Ensure optimal propeller-motor-battery synergy Factor in altitude, air pressure, and wind resistance

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16. Application-Specific Considerations

Photography & Cinematic Drones

Require low-noise, smooth-response motors Prioritize low vibrations for camera stability

Agricultural Drones

Heavy lift capacity is vital Dust- and water-resistant motors preferred

Racing Drones

Lightweight and high KV motors Focus on torque, acceleration, and responsiveness

Industrial/Survey Drones

Designed for reliability and continuous operation Redundancy and efficiency are priorities

17. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Underpowered motors: Cause overheating and short flight time Incompatible ESCs: May burn out or fail mid-flight Improper KV selection: Results in inefficiency or instability Neglecting real thrust data: Always check manufacturer datasheets

 
18.Conclusion

Selecting the right motor for your drone is a crucial step in achieving the desired performance and functionality. Consider factors such as drone weight, intended use, payload, thrust requirements, propeller compatibility, battery voltage, efficiency, and cooling when making your decision. By carefully assessing your drone's requirements and the available motor options, you can build or upgrade your drone to meet your specific needs and preferences. Motor selection isn’t always perfect on the first try—especially for custom drone builders. Use a scientific approach: Calculate estimated thrust Perform bench tests Adjust prop size or battery Observe flight characteristics

Continuous tuning ensures you get the best performance, safety, and longevity from your drone.

There’s the learn-everything-before-starting way, and then there’s our slightly unconventional method of learning only what’s necessary to get in the air. Here, we're not only providing you with the basics, but we're also pointing you to the right place if you want to understand more. Veteran quad builders might oppose this method, but this is really meant for beginners who need a bit of guidance on picking parts for their first build.

Like we mentioned in our How to Get into FPV in issue, there are so many nuances with each part type, that as a beginner, you’re going to be overwhelmed. This is our take on learning just enough about the considerations and interdependencies of each part to be able to build a quad yourself and get in the air faster.

The Parts List

These are the parts you'll need to build a FPV drone:

• Frame
• Flight Controller
• ESC
• Motors
• Propellers
• Video Transmitter with antenna
• FPV Camera
• Radio Receiver with antenna
• Battery

Frame

Your quad is purpose-built. By now, you probably have a good idea of what you want to build and what kind of flying you want to do. Using this, you can select the frame size you need. To assess a frame, most pilots look at availability, price, and reviews. As a beginner, if price permits, you should look for a frame that lots of people have used. This way, when you inevitably have an obscure question, someone likely has gone through the same thing and can answer your question.

In the United States, frames are denoted in inches referring to the propeller size they accommodate. In pretty much everywhere else in the world, frame sizes are detonated in millimeters by their wheelbase, or the diagonal distance between the motors.

We in America love to mess with measurements so here is a handy list of rough guidelines for frame sizes based on wheelbase, prop size, and typical use cases.

Size (US) Wheelbase mm Quad Type Flying Style 2in or smaller <100mm Tiny quad/whoop Indoor / practice 2.5 - 3in 110 - 120mm Micro quad/whoop Indoor / cinematic 3in 120mm Mini cinewhoop Cinematic 4in 150 - 180mm Long-range micro quad Long-range 5in 200 - 220mm Freestyle and racing quad Freestyle / racing 6 - 7in 230mm+ Long-range mini quad Long-range / heavy payloads

Find frames by quad type and by size on QuadPartPicker.

Flight Controller

Your quad’s flight controller is your quad’s brain. It’s responsible for linking all electronics together to process all the possible inputs and outputs. As a beginner, you’ll likely only need to find a flight controller with a mount size that matches your frame. Keep in mind that some frames only have a center mount, while other frames have center and rear mounts allowing for more configurations for your electronics.

Here are the common mount sizes:

Mount Size Commonly Found On 30 x 30mm Mini and full size quads. Sometimes denoted as 30.5 x 30.5mm. 25.5 x 25.5mm Whoops and toothpick quads. Mounted in diamond shape. 20 x 20mm Micro and mini quads. Most frames have mounts for 20 x 20mm and 30 x 30mm. 16 x 16mm Tiny and micro quads. This is the smallest mount size.

Processor

As a beginner, another consideration is your flight controller’s processor. In short, select an F4, F7, or H7 flight controller and you’ll have a modern processor that works with the latest firmware. F4s are the cheapest and most time-tested, while H7s are newer and more expensive.

Stack / AIO

The last beginners’ consideration when selecting a flight controller is if you want a stack or AIO. These are flight controllers that have other necessary components that come together as a kit or built into the flight controller board. Usually, these additional parts are ESCs and/or video transmitters. The advantage of getting a stack or AIO is that sometimes the wiring is plug-and-play between the parts, and you know that there was some testing between the parts to validate that they work as intended. As you select your FC, just know that if you select an AIO or stack with these components included, you don’t have to purchase them separately.

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Find flight controllers by size, processor, and stack on QuadPartPicker.

ESC

Think of your ESC as your quad’s gearbox. It handles all the voltage from your battery, takes signals from your flight controller, and controls how your motors spin. You will either select a flight controller with an ESC included, or select a stand-alone ESC.

Amp Rating

The most important factor when selecting an ESC is the Amp Rating. When you look at the specs for an ESC, it will denote whether it’s 15A, 30A, 40A, etc. The amp rating refers to the continuous amps your ESC can handle. This is important because if your ESC's amp rating is too small, it may fry or fire, especially under high throttle situations. The general best practice is to pick an ESC rated for a slightly higher amperage than what your motor and propeller combo will draw at full throttle.

But how do you know how much amperage you need? You can do a lot of math to figure out what the best ESC amperage is for your quad based on your motor and propeller choices, but for beginners, we like Oscar Liang’s approach. He notes that realistically, a 50A ESC will never die on a 5 inch quad due to too much current, because a 6S lipo battery is limited by how much current goes through the ESC. If you want to learn more about ESCs, his article linked above is a great resource.

Here is a list of typical ESC amp ratings for each frame size:

Frame Size Typical Amp Rating 2.5in or smaller <20A 3in 20A+ 4in 30A+ 5in 40A+ 6in+ 50A+

Depending on your flying style, you may want to adjust this. If you fly slowly and cinematically, these are good guidelines. But if you’re freestyling or racing and putting in a lot of throttle, it’s a safer bet to go with a ESC with a higher amp rating. You can’t have an ESC that has too high of an amp rating, but the higher you go, the more expensive and heavier it will be.

4-in-1 or Single ESCs

There are two types of ESCs: 4-in-1 and single. Every motor needs its own ESC. Assuming you’re building a quadcopter, 4-in-1 ESCs are a great option for beginners. The case for using single ESCs is if one breaks, you only have to replace 1 ESC, and not the entire board. We generally recommend 4-in-1 ESCs because they will stack nicely on your frame.

Note that for 4-in-1 ESCs, the amp rating is for each ESC, so a 20A 4-in-1 ESC can handle up to 80A of total current.

Stack Mount

Speaking of stacks, 4-in-1 ESCs typically come in the same mount sizes as your flight controller and frame. The best practice is to select a frame with matching mounts for your flight controller and ESC. Single ESCs do not mount, but are adhered to the frame arms.

Find ESCS on QuadPartPicker.

Motors

There are so many motors available and even more nuance to how a motor performs. For beginners, we’re giving you the most basic guidelines, but you can spend weeks understanding how motors work.

Stator Size

Motor sizes, which are commonly denoted as stator size, give you the dimensions for your motor. For example a motor has a 22mm width and 7mm height. You can use these dimensions to calculate the volume of your motor, which gives you a good idea of that motor’s performance. This is useful for comparing motors of similar stator sizes.

Here is a list of typical stator size range for each frame size:

Frame Size Typical Stator Size Range 2.5in or smaller 05xx - 13xx (the smaller the frame, the smaller the stator size) 3in 14xx - 18xx 4in 15xx - 20xx 5in 22xx - 24xx 6in+ 24xx+

Kv

Unless you’re a serious motor tester or want to get super nerdy about it, selecting a motor on Kv shouldn’t be that difficult. There’s just so much information and so many motor options out there. For a beginner, all you need to know is that higher Kv typically means that the motor will be able to rotate the propeller faster, but at the expense of torque. Lower Kv motors have more torque, but spin slower.

When building for efficiency, larger props are typically paired with lower Kv motors. And smaller props are typically paired with higher Kv motors. This is why tinywhoop motors can go up to 20,000Kv, while large motors for cinelifters are only around 300Kv.

When selecting a motor with different Kv options, most pilots pair higher Kv motors with 4S batteries, and lower Kv motors with 6S. For example, a stator size motor with 1,800Kv would work well with a 6S battery, while the same motor with 2,400Kv would be paired with a 4S battery. This is because Kv represents the speed that the motor rotates per volt applied. So in our examples for the same motor:

4S battery at 14.8 volts * 2,400Kv = 35,520 RPM

6S battery at 22.2 volts * 1,800Kv = 39,960 RPM

Both of these combinations are similar with the 6S/1,800Kv combo providing ~10% more RPM.

For a bit more precision when selecting motors, learn our easy method to calculating your all-up weight (AUW) and thrust in our Quad Drivetrain issue.

To get much deeper into motors, Chris Rosser is a great resource. And MiniQuadTestBench is an excellent site to view performance for different motor and prop configurations.

Find motors by stator size and Kv on QuadPartPicker.

Propellers

There’s nothing better than trying out a lot of different propeller combinations yourself. Props are going to break when you inevitably crash, and you can take the crash opportunity to try out different kinds of propellers.

With your frame already determined, the main consideration is your prop length. So if you were to choose a 5 inch frame, you would choose 5 inch props.

Reading Prop Names

There are two common ways to read propeller product names and descriptions:

Length x Pitch x Blades (ie: 3.5x2x3)

or

LengthPitch x Blades (ie: x3)

Both of these examples mean 3.5-inch length, 2-inch pitch, 3-blade propellers

Length and Pitch

Generally, longer props and pitch mean more speed at the expense of more power draw. And short prop length and pitch spin faster and are more responsive.

Blade Count

It's very common to fly with 2 or 3-blade propellers. The fewer the prop blades, the more efficient and less power intensive the quad. With more prop blades, the quad gets more inefficient while drawing more power.  

Blade Shape

Blades can be narrow and pointy, or fat and stubby. Bullnose-shaped props offer more thrust, but draw more power. And regular pointed props can be weaker, but draw less power.

Clockwise and Counterclockwise

When you purchase propellers, they usually come in a set signified CW or CCW and are usually inscribed on the prop itself. You need 2 of each on your quad and they must be installed correctly for your quad to fly correctly. Refer to the image below on how to position your props. When installing your props to the motors, the CW/CCW inscription should be visible if you have the correct orientation.

Find propellers on QuadPartPicker.

Video Transmitter

Your quad’s video transmitter (VTX) processes the video from your FPV camera and transmits the video to your goggle’s receiver. This is where choosing analog vs. digital HD comes in.

If you’re flying analog, you’ll need an analog receiver connected to your goggles. The biggest consideration is choosing the maximum output power of the VTX. Smaller output power like 25mW are suited for racers, while 1W+ VTXs are suited more for freestyle flying.

If you’re flying digital HD, as of today, you have a few options: DJI v1/v2, DJI O3, HDZero, or Avatar. We recommend looking at YouTube videos to see examples of video quality for each. Generally speaking, DJI has the best video link, while HDZero has the lowest latency. Avatar, the system that Walksnail and FatShark use, are the newest and are showing signs of good performance.

Once you decide, you’ll just need to choose the VTX that fits your needs. The options are limited and mostly perform the same. These digital VTXs also often come with a FPV camera.

Learn more about digital VTXs and Goggles here.

Lastly, for any VTX you choose, make sure an antenna is attached before powering your quad on. If you don’t, you may destroy the VTX.

We’re keeping VTXs short in this issue, but you can learn the ins and outs of VTXs and our recommendations in our other issue here.

Find video transmitters on QuadPartPicker.

FPV Camera

There are a variety of FPV cameras out there. Digital FPV cameras are only compatible with the digital VTXs noted in their product descriptions. An analog camera will not work with digital. And a DJI-compatible FPV camera is not compatible with an HDZero video receiver and vice versa.

The first thing to consider is the size of your camera which is denoted by the width between the mounting holes. This corresponds to what FPV camera mount size your frame supports. There are also adapters that come with frames or that you can purchase, and they allow you to use different sized FPV cameras with unsupported mounts if there is a specific camera you want to use.

These are four standard sizes, most FPV cameras made today are either Nano or Micro:

The other considerations are aspect ratio and field of view (FOV). Aspect ratio is whether you want a wide view (16:9) or a standard view (4:3) when you look in the lens. Field of view refers to how wide or narrow your image is. This is denoted by the FPV camera’s lens focal length. A shorter focal length (1.8mm) results in a wide field of view, while a longer focal length (3mm) results in a much narrower view. Both of these are based on personal preference. Choose what you think will work best for you.

Find FPV cameras on QuadPartPicker.

Receivers

Your quad’s receiver takes the inputs from your radio and tells the flight controller what to do. Since you have a radio from flying on the sim already, (and if you don’t, you should figure this out first!), this decision is already made for you. Our recommendation is to get an ExpressLRS (ELRS) receiver and a compatible transmitter or transmitter module if you don’t have one already. We believe the future in radio links is ELRS because it is open-source, inexpensive, and performs very well compared to other available options.

You can learn more about receivers and radios here.

Find receivers on QuadPartPicker.

Antennas

Your antennas send or receive the signals from your video receiver, video transmitter, radio receiver, and radio transmitter. In some cases, antennas may be included with those parts mentioned above. In other cases, you'll have to purchase them separately. There is a large variety of antennas available, but for beginners, these are the main considerations:

Frequency

The antenna frequency on your radio transmitter and radio receiver need to match. Common radio frequencies are 2.4GHz or 868/915 MHz. If you’re using a 2.4GHz ELRS receiver, you’ll need 2.4GHz antennas for your receiver and radio.

Most video transmitters transmit on 5.8GHz so for VTXs, you’ll need 5.8GHz antennas.

Polarization

Video transmitter and receiver antennas typically have circular polarized antennas. We won’t get into it too much, but you’ll need to pair antennas to the same polarization to get the best signal. If your goggles have RHCP antennas, your video receiver should also have RHCP antenna(s).

Connector

Lastly, you want to consider what type of antenna connector your radio, receiver, VTX, and VRX each support. This way, you can match them without an adapter, which can slightly degrade your signal.

Find antennas on QuadPartPicker.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of drone test equipment. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.