Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) on a FPV drone is a powerful component

The electronic speed controller (ESC) of FPV drone is a hard-working and powerful component. The ESC connects the flight controller to the motor. Assuming that each brushless motor needs one ESC, four ESC will be required for a four axis vehicle. ESC signals from the flight controller and powers from the battery, and makes the brushless motor rotate. It sounds simple, but it's not! Although some micro UAVs use brush motors, the micro Quad shafts used in racing and freestyle rely on brushless motors. As the name suggests, brushless motors lack contact, or "brush" inside the motor. The brush acts as a so-called commutator, which uses the physical contact of the motor windings to rotate the motor. Because there are no brushes, brushless motors use a different way to convert direct current (DC), unidirectional flow of electrons, into an alternating current (AC). This is done externally by using ESC.

Different types of electronic speed controller for FPV drone

Like everything else on UAVs, ESCs are evolving to meet the needs of pilots. ESCs plays an important role in the performance of UAV, so the hardware of ESCs is constantly improving. There are several basic types of ESCs available. Most ESCs on the market are controlled by on-board 32-bit processors, which run under the name blheli_ 32 (pronounced blheli 32) or kiss firmware. Just last year, most ESCs only used 8-bit processors, and only a few high-end ESCs like kiss were 32-bit. 32 bit ESCs can communicate with faster digital protocols, such as d-shot 1200 (compared with d-shot 600). The 32-bit ESCs can also perform other functions, such as controlling light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and changing the rotation direction of motors, such as tortoise mode (automatically correcting overturned UAVs and motors). These ESCs can also be telemetered, so information such as RPM, amp, and temperature is sent from the ESC to the flight controller. Although the function of 32-bit ESC is a good supplement, many current 8-bit ESC continue to run the widely used ESC firmware blheli_ S. Very good performance.

Another consideration of ESC hardware is whether the ESC is a single unit, between the UAV flight controller and the motor of the connecting arm, or a 4-in-1 ESC, all 4 ESCs are combined into a circuit board and installed on the main stack in the flight controller. For lighter body or cleaner appearance, many pilots choose to buy four in one ESCs. Generally, they have built-in voltage regulators and can also be used as power distribution boards (PDBs).

Rating of electronic speed controller for FPV drone

The rating of ESCs is based on the current they can deliver to the motor. The job of ESC is to power up the motor coil at an incredible speed. The switch is controlled by a microprocessor and operated by a transistor called a MOSFET.

Amperage

The size and mass of these FETs determine how much current (Amperes) can pass through the ESC. Most ESCs will have ratings such as "30 AMP" or "25 amp". These numbers usually represent the continuous current that the ESC can handle. In a short time, generally less than 10 seconds, ESCs can handle a little more current. It is common to see an ESC labeled "30 amperes" that can have a pulse of 40 amperes. When buying ESC, the rating of AMP is an important consideration. It is better to get an ESC to be able to get more current at the cost of scale or cost, compared to an ESC that may be damaged by too much current. Larger engines tend to produce more current, and larger propellers or propellers with larger pitch also produce more current. At present, a 30 AMP ESC equipped with a 4-cell battery (4S) is enough for most pilots.

Voltage

At present, most UAV operators use a 16.8v 4S power supply. Recently, however, that has begun to change. Some competition organizers encourage pilots to use higher voltage 5S and 6S batteries. In addition to amperage, ESCs are also defined as their ability to handle voltage. Some ESCs are rated 3s-4s, while others can handle up to 6S. The power of a motor can be measured in watts, that is, voltage times amperes (volts x amperes = watts). Therefore, it is interesting that as the voltage increases, the current can be reduced to keep the total output power of the motor the same. This means that the high voltage battery can provide the same motor output power at lower current pumping. In addition, if the voltage increases and the pilot chooses to give more throttle, the current will increase and the total power (watt) of the motor will increase, so the UAV with high voltage will fly faster and the UAV with low voltage will fly faster.

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