Big Brushless Motor Manufacturers for Drones and eVTOL
Big Brushless Motor Manufacturers for Drones and eVTOL
By Lauren Nagel
For more information, please visit Wing Flying.
If you're looking for big and powerful drone motors, look no further.
In this article we are focusing on big and powerful brushless motors that have at least 9 kW of power. These are motors for heavy lift drones, eVTOL, electric airplanes, and more.
Skip to the end to see the performance summary table.
In this article we will provide an in-depth comparison of these motor brands:
Need to test large motors and propellers? Check out our Flight Stand 150 (150 kgf/ 150 Nm) and Flight Stand 500 (500 kgf/ Nm) test stands:
magniX
magniX has become a household name for those following the development of the commercial electric aircraft industry. Through several fruitful partnerships, magniX motors have powered some of the most promising electric aircraft ever tested, including Harbour Air&#;s electric Beaver seaplane as well as the largest fully electric commercial aircraft to date, the Cessna eCaravan. Noting that in over 45% of commercial flights were less than 500 NM, magniX hopes to electrify these routes for improved environmental sustainability. Currently magniX lists two electric propulsion units on their website, the specs for the magni650 EPU are below.
Specifications:
Max power: 640 kW
Continuous torque: 3,200 Nm
Max speed: 2,300 RPM
Weight: 220 kg
Known for: proven success in airworthy electric airplanes and seaplanes
Location: Everett, USA
-
Website:
www.magnix.aero/
Figure 1: Electric Beaver seaplane by magniX and Harbour Air (Photo from Harbour Air)
H3X
A new and ambitious player on the scene, H3X is a US-based company with aims to power large commercial aircraft like the Boeing 737. Their unique design combines the electric motor, inverter, and gearbox into a single unit. They currently have one model ready to order, the HPDM-30, with two larger models available for pre-order. Below are the performance characteristics for the HPDM-30:
Specifications:
Max power: 41 kW
Max torque: 19.6 Nm
Max speed: 20,000 RPM
Weight: 4.1 kg
Known for: superior power density
Location: Minneapolis, USA
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Website:
www.h3x.tech/
Further reading: Automated Tests for Your BLDC Motor
EMRAX
The idea for EMRAX was born in when founder Roman Susnik flew Slovenia&#;s first flight in an electric aircraft. The flight ended in an emergency landing when the aircraft&#;s brushless motor failed, inspiring Susnik to develop a suitable motor himself. By a functional prototype was created and tested, and EMRAX had several requests for collaborations. Now in , EMRAX engines are already used in a variety of electric gliders and aircraft. The motors possess a high power density and air-cooling, making them ideal for aviation applications. The performance figures for their largest model, the EMRAX 348, are summarized below.
Specifications:
Max power: 400 kW
Max torque: Nm
Max speed: 4,500 RPM
Max voltage: 800 V
Peak efficiency: 96%
Weight range: 43.9 kg
Known for: high power density and stacking option
Location: Kamnik, Slovenia
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Website:
emrax.com/
MGM COMPRO / Rotex
Based in Czechia, MGM COMPRO and Rotex collaborate to bring advanced motor-ESC systems to the electric aviation market. They are involved in many innovative projects including eVTOL vehicles, tilt-rotor aircraft, and personal flying machines. Already on the market are the VELO self-launching gliders developed in partnership with GP Gliders and the ΦNIX all-electric plane by the Pure Flight consortium. Here are the specs for their largest off-the-shelf motor, the REB 90:
Specifications:
Max power: 80 kW
Max torque: 300 Nm
Max speed: 4,000 RPM
Max voltage: 800 V
Peak efficiency: Up to 99%
Weight range: 23.8 kg
Known for: tailor-made, unique technical solutions
Location: Zlin, Czechia
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Website:
www.mgm-compro.com/
Website: https://www.rotexelectric.eu/
Figure 2: VELO glider by MGM COMPRO and GP Gliders (Photo from GP Gliders UK)
NeuMotors manufactures both inrunner and outrunner brushless motors. They have been active since . Their largest motors are their 180xx series, whose specs are below.
Specifications:
Max power: 80 kW
Max torque: --
Max speed: 8,000 RPM
Voltage range: --
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 8 kg+
Known for: inrunners and outrunners
Location: San Diego, USA
Website: https://neumotors.com/
Safran
With a strong electrical engineering portfolio, it is no surprise that Safran has developed their own brushless motors for use in the aviation industry. Called ENGINeUS, the line of smart motors boast some unique features, such as motor controller integration and a sealed design for use in harsh environments. The ENGINeUS is already used in Bye Aerospace's eFlyer, and Safran has announced that they now have hybrid motors available for commuter-sized aircraft. The performance characteristics for the largest fully electric ENGINeUS motor are outlined below.
Specifications:
Max power: 1 MW
- Max torque: --
Max speed: 3,500 RPM
Max voltage: 850 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: --
Known for: tolerance of harsh environments, integrated motor controller
Location: Paris, France (headquarters)
-
Website:
www.safran-electrical-power.com/
Further reading: Comparing Drone Power System Designs
Figure 3: Bye Aerospace eFlyer with Safran Engine
T-Motor
T-Motor remains a drone-focused company, but their high-powered brushless motors are suitable for much more than quadcopters. Their U15L, XL and XXL models in particular are highly relevant for the manned aviation industry, producing up to 98 kg of thrust per motor. While no manned applications are advertised to date, theirYouTube channel highlights some of the larger UAVs and eVTOL vehicles that their motors can power. Below are the performance specs of their U15XXL motor:
Specifications:
Max power: 28 kW
Max torque:
Max speed: --
Voltage: 100 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 5.2 kg
Known for: climate versatility, all-around performance
Location: Nanchang, China
-
Website:
uav-en.tmotor.com/
Turnigy
Having been around for over 20 years, Turnigy takes pride in keeping prices low for consumers through their &#;slick&#; supply chain. They offer nine main models of motors, each suited to a unique function. While they are focused on the drone and RC industries, their motors offer sufficient power for certain manned flights, such as manned multicopters and paramotors. They also offer their own pre-made mini paramotor. Below are the specs for Turnigy's largest motor available on Hobby King's website:
Specifications:
Max power: 9.8 kW
Max torque: --
Max speed:
Max voltage: 52 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 2.53 kg
Known for: motors for a variety of uses
Location: sold through Hobby King (Hong Kong, China)
-
Website:
www.turnigy.com/
Thin Gap
Designed with both civilian and military uses in mind, Thin Gap motors are known for their toughness and high torque: weight ratio. They also prides themselves on their proprietary ironless stator and no cogging design, which allows for high power density, smoothness and efficiency. Looking to break into the VTOL industry, Thin Gap partnered with Aurora Flight Sciences to develop a powerful fan system for lifting heavy unmanned vehicles. The research contributed to the design of the Aurora LightningStrike XV-24A, an electric Osprey-like project that has been discontinued. Below are the performance specs for their LSI 267-58 motor.
Specifications:
Max power: 44 kW
Max torque: 191 Nm
Max speed: 2,200 RPM
Voltage: > 726 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 4 kg
Known for: ironless stator and no cogging design, high torque: weight ratio
Location: Camarillo, USA
-
Website:
www.thingap.com/
Figure 4: Thin Gap motor kit (image from Thin Gap website)
KDE Direct
KDE Direct approaches manufacturing with the mission to power future-focused applications such as flights, satellites and space exploration. Their brushless motors are designed for longevity and zero-vibration operation, ideal for smooth flights and missions. While they are largely used in drones and UAVs, they also offer sufficient power to lift heavy lift drones. The performance range for KDE Direct&#;s brushless motor fleet is outlined below.
Specifications:
Max continuous power range: 0.43 - 12.8 kW
Max torque range: --
Max speed range: --
Voltage range: 60.9 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight range: 2.1 kg
Known for: zero vibration operation
Location: Bend, USA
-
Website:
www.kdedirect.com/
Further reading: Why You Should Measure Your Brushless Motor's Torque
Pipistrel
Pipistrel is a leader in the electrical propulsion industry, with several different models of fully-electric aircraft available for purchase. Their Velis Electro aircraft was the first ever electric-powered aeroplane to receive a type certificate from the EASA, paving the way for the development of the industry. They also offer electric self-launching gliders and hybrid general aviation style aircraft. Powering these aircraft is their E-811 liquid-cooled engine, capable of 49.2 kW of continuous power. Here&#;s a full summary of its basic characteristics.
Specifications:
Max power: 57.6 kW
Max torque: 220 Nm
Max speed: 2,500 RPM
Max voltage: 400 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 22.7 kg
Known for: the first electric engine certified for general aviation use by the EASA
Location: Ajdovščina, Slovenia
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Website:
www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/
Figure 5: The fully electric Velis Electro Aircraft (Photo from Pipistrel)
MAD Components
The brushless motors created by MAD Components were "born for" heavy lift and manned drones, to put it in their words. Each rotor equipped with a MAD Components motor is designed to offer a maximum thrust of up to 114 kgf per rotor. Designed for both commercial and recreational uses, you will see MAD motors in aircraft ranging from emergency rescue drones to paragliders. Below are the specs for their top performing motor, the MAD TORQ M50C35 PRO EEE 34 KV.
Specifications:
Max power: 25 kW
For more 50 kg thrust brushless motorinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
Max torque: up to 78.4 Nm
Max speed: --
Max voltage: --
Peak efficiency: 87%
Weight: up to 4.2 kg
Known for: optimized cooling design, sturdy components
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Website: https://mad-motor.com/
ePropelled
ePropelled is determined to shake up the brushless motor industry for eVTOL and aviation by developing solutions that meet the power-to-weight ratio needs of the trade. Their mandate specifically mentions the delivery of &#;propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL).&#; Their patented technology &#;produces a dramatically more energy-efficient method of electric propulsion that increases flight range and life expectancy of the battery pack&#;, allowing the manufacturer to save money on battery costs. Below are the specs for their largest motor, the PML.
Specifications:
Max power: up to 15 kW
Max torque: up to 30 Nm
Max speed: 8,000 RPM
Max voltage: 72 V
Peak efficiency: 94%
Weight: up to 3.1 kg
Known for: High power-to-weight ratio
Location: Lowell, USA
-
Website:
https://epropelled.com/
Fly Dragon
Fly Dragon is a Chinese company operating in Chengdu. They offer three motors for heavy lift drones, the largest of which is the G110. All of their heavy lift motors come as a kit that includes a propeller and ESC. The specs for their G100 motor operating at 500 V and 80% throttle are below.
Specifications:
Max power: 54 kW
Max torque: 108 Nm
Max speed: 2,670 RPM
Max voltage: 650 V
Peak efficiency: >88%
Weight: 13.2 kg
Known for: motors for heavy lift drones
Location: Chengdu, China
- Website: http://www.dronefromchina.com/
Figure 6: G110 propulsion kit from Fly Dragon (photo from Fly Dragon website)
Plettenberg
Plettenberg&#;s guiding principle is to achieve maximum efficiency at the lowest possible weight. They have several off the shelf electric motors available for purchase and they also do custom projects on request. According to their website, their standard solutions &#;offer efficiency levels of up to 95 % and power-to-weight ratios of up to 26 kW/kg.&#; Their Nova 50 motor is the most powerful in their fleet, full specs below.
Max power: 50 kW
Max torque: 142 Nm
Max speed: 5,600 RPM
Max voltage: 320 V
Peak efficiency: >93%
Weight: 11.5 kg
Known for: High efficiency motors
Location: Baunatal, Germany
-
Website:
https://plettenberg-motoren.net/
Further reading: How Brushless Motors Work and How to Test Them
Beyond Motors manufactures a range of axial flux motors for various applications including aviation, marine, automotive and racing. They use a 'patent pending' water cooling system that enables high efficiency and continuous power. Their range of motors starts at a continuous power of 75 kW and continues all the way up to 230 kW continuous with a 430 kW peak in their AXM4 motor. And for those who need it, their motors are designed to be stacked up to 3 in a row for triple power within the same diameter.
Specifications:
Max power: 430 kW
Continuous torque: 600 Nm
Max speed: --
Voltage: --
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 48 kg
Known for: their high continuous power: weight ratio.
- https://www.beyondmotors.io
Website:
Geiger Engineering manufactures electric motors, propellers, and accessories for aviation applications. What makes their motors unique is their Duplex option, which contains two identical power systems with homogenous redundancy to protect the aircraft in the event of one system failing. Below are the specs for the largest member of their High Power Direct (HPD) family of motors.
Specifications:
Max power: 70 kW
Continuous torque: --
Max speed: 260 RPM
Voltage: --
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: 16 kg
Known for: Duplex system for extra security
Website: https://www.geigerengineering.de/en
The MP is Free RC Hobby&#;s largest off the shelf motor. It offers customizable parameters for sensors, cooling, and Kv. From their website, their slogan is &#;we can do what you need"!
Max power: 100 kW
Max torque: up to 180 Nm
Max speed: --
Max voltage: 400 V
Peak efficiency: --
Weight: up to 19 kg
Known for: --
Location: Dongguan, China
Website:https://www.freerchobby.cc/
Summary table (from highest to lowest max power)
Thrust 50 Motor with RotorKool technology
Len Clements I&#;m running PA Quantum 40A ESC with the Thrust 30 & PA MAH lipos on APC 12x6E prop. Static (on the ground) current draw @ WOT is about 31.5 amps.
Awesome power and everything is very cool even after several flights with no cool down time in between. scootergeo @ RCGroups I tried the PA batteries in on of my other planes (a parkzone F4U Corsair foamy), and I was surprised by the power&#; A completely different plane with those packs. Those mAh packs rock! I normally fly with the E-Flight packs which pale in compared to the PA packs of equal $$.
Tim Semeraro @ RCGroups I also Like the cooling system, for the motor. Not only is The thrust 40 with its built in cooling fan a great motor , but the working Air ducts are very well thought out.
There not joking when they say, &#;4cell power, on 3cells!&#; Mecha @ RCGroups I really liked the quality of the Thrust 40 Motor. They are also very competitive in price with the other brand names like Scorpion and GoBrushless.
I since had sold it and went to a cheaper Turnegy brand. You get what you paid for. the Turnegy magnets came loose and had to be glued back. What a hassle. It works fine now but man it sure ruins your day.
I look forward to wining the Thrust 50 and finally get back to a quality product.
kneekolaas @ RCGroups I have a thrust 10, 20 and 30 with their ESC&#;s would love to add the 50 to them&#;
all i can say is quality&#;!!!!!! I have been using them in my big depron planes.
lwkoss @ RCGroups The Thrust 30 is perfect, never overheats and has worked flawless.
Ekir @ RCGroups I have been flying the same Red Addiction for over a year. What a great model!
The thing that I like about the Addiction is the quality and realibility. I purchased the ESC and Motor from PA and it worked as designed. This lets me put 100% concentration on flying the Addiction.
alaeddine @ RCGroups I bought the Thrust 10 motor plus Quantum 18A esc plus PA mah LiPo 11.1V
Great: cool and powerful
Thank you
Tony Finn @ RCGroups After being dissatisfied with some of the brushless outruners on the market I tried a thrust 30 in my glider and was so impressed with its performance that I now have 4 PA thrust motors and esc&#;s in different planes. I am looking forward to eventually owning a Katana MD and learning 3D. Great product and great service.
Tony.
sylifis @ RCGroups I think the Thrust 40 is one of the quietest and coolest motors that I have gotten&#;and I have over 30 other motors.
OSOFAM @ RCGroups The Thrust motors are awesome. I have them in all my PA planes and they are beautiful, smooth, quiet motors.
Paul, United Kingdom I&#;ve tried 5 different motors on my Electric Shock (Scorpion -18, Hacker A20-20L, Axi etc..)
The new Thrust 10 that&#;s on it now is a dream, powerful yet just few grams lighter than the rest. Even beats a Hacker A20-20l which has always been thought of as a top motor in this weight range & I&#;ve tried one of those on it too.The Thrust 10 wins basically because it&#;s just that little bit lighter & pulls really well for its size; it has a heck of a lot of grunt for such a little motor. It is quieter too & it also seems to sip electrons as my flight times have gone up with it on.Paul , United Kingdom Colin Bullock, Australia I really love the PA Thrust motors. So much so that I bought the full set! Thrust 10 in an Electric Shock, Thrust 20 in an Addiction, and a Thrust 30 in a Katana MD. Not only are they super quiet and powerful, but they are a perfect match for the PA planes! The RotorKool fins really do work to keep the motor as cool on the 5th flight as it was on the 1st! Simply amazing PA, well done!
Colin Bullock, Australia
Kyle Dossick, USA Thrust motors are smooth, powerful and run extremely cool. All of my Precision Aerobatics planes are powered by them. I wanted the exact
performance out of my personal planes as I saw demonstrated in the demo videos. It was a no brainer! Whatever you are flying Thrust motors in any size will deliver the power and performance for any type of 3D manuver!Kyle Dossick, USA Clarence Boudville, Malaysia I have tried many different brushless motors in the past few years and flying in the hot tropics, many previous
brushless motors had very short life spans and it was very frustrating (and expensive) to keep replacing them.I have been running my Thrust 30 for almost 7 months now (600+ flights to date) and it still runs as consistent as a new out of the box. So far my Thrust 30 has outlasted all my 6 Himaxx, 1 Hyperion, 2 Align, 1 RLC GS, 1 Axi BL Motors which have all prematurely died due to heat. Comparing the Thrust 30 to my Hacker A30-16M, the Thrust 30 runs far cooler ( half the operating temperature) and best of all it provides more thrust for the same current draw!Bang for the buck this is THE BEST motors I have ever owned. Two Thrust 20, a second Thrust 30 and a Thrust 10 have just recently joined the stable and they perform just as well as the original Thrust 30 I acquired.Clarence Boudville, Malaysia Daniel Dominguez, Panama I have been flying Thrust Motors and Quantum Speed Controllers, now for a few years, and let me tell you that, this motors are the only electric motors that have lasted me so long, without burning a single one!, Before i used to fly Hacker and Himaxx and they would last me a max of 6 months. As comparison, i have a Thrust 30 with more than a flights that is four years old and is still going strong! a Thrust 40 that is 3 years old and well over 900 flights and still runs like new!! This gives me the confidence to fly 3D aerobatics very low, because i know that when i need the power, the motor and speed controller will deliver it!
bighead93 @ RCGroups Got a bunch of flights on my AMR today&#;got the lipos locked in and now I had the time to really get crazy with her! WOW&#;I almost need to turn the throws down&#;flat spins are CRAZY!! Tumbles are wild&#;knife edge loops are easy! This thing just ROCKS! The power seems pretty close to a 4S set-up&#;I am a happy flyer!
bonner @ RCGroups The thrust 40 motor is smooth, quiet and powerful.
FlopGun @ RCGroups The power is just evil, its pure evil guys. The most power I&#;ve had on any model. The vertical is unlimited, instantaneous and constant. ANd the power is great for KE spins! I&#;m psyched to fly more, I got all the lipos on the chargers, the MX really opens up a big and fast flight envelope to explore.
Of course with the extra stability of the larger size and the super low wing loading the slow rollers are out of this world. I can imagine the RC Oasis III video featuring BT slow rolling to Champagne Supernova&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;&#;
I love the MX! This thing does slow and low 3d like a GS plane. And the vertical power is phenomenal.
Once you get the CG right and get a few flights in, this thing flies effortlessly.
It&#;s Crystal.
Oliver Decker, Malaysia Man, this Extra MX has some serious power. On the climbs faster than most of the hotliners i have seen in the past. And on the other hand it is so light and can be flown really slow.
One thing is for sure: Shaun has set this the bar really really high with this plane. Great looking -3.5 lbs and yet strong- a huge wing &#; insane power. WOW!
Mr Rossi @ RCGroups Picked up my green Extra MX on Saturday, maidened it on Sunday, Thrust 50, 60a ESC, 4x MG&#;s, CF VG&#;s, spats, spinner and 2 VOX 15×7&#;s. I have never flown anything with that much power to weight, and finesse. what a ship!!! in time maybe i can do it justice lol
turboparker @ RCGroups What do I like about my PA plane?
1) Excellence in engineering. Use of geometry to create strength where needed, in the directions needed, with the minimum amount of mass.
2) Excellent construction. Many experienced modelers would have a difficult time building an airframe as straight as this.
3) Adaptability. Can be configured for anything from aileron training or sport-flying, to pattern aerobatics or all-out 3D wildness.
4) Well-balanced IPAs. I can fly conservatively and get 15 minute flights; or I can spend 6-7 minutes defying gravity with a 2.5:1 thrust-to-weight ratio! Most of the time, I&#;m using ~ mAh or so at the 10-minute mark. After a 10-minute flight, the pack is just barely warm. There is so much available power, it is nearly ridiculous; yet the weight of the power package is so low. Like putting a .91 4-stroke where a .46 two-stroke should be &#; but without the the excess nose weight and overstress.
5) Surgically-precise controls and throttle. Never before have I owned a ship with precision like this! She responds to the most subtle inputs, yet remains so fluid in motion. Her throttle is like a digital caliper &#; precise, and perfectly repeatable.
6) She gives her pilot a sense of confidence that is difficult to find elsewhere. Not unlike the feeling of confidence one gets behind the wheel of a well-engineered automobile, such as a BMW or Lotus, for example.
7) All of the above inspires her pilot to try new things&#;to push her flight envelope&#;.to push the pilot&#;s envelope &#; to become a better pilot.
8) Knowledgeable staff, willing to help. Very good support &#; both online, and over the .
VictorYow @ RCGroups my katana md flies light on the wings yet the airframe is robust enough to handle high stress manoeuvres. the ipa combo complements the kit very well. the thrust motors .pdf files are extremely helpful b/c they contain info about which propeller is recommended but also which is best for &#;thrust freaks&#;. thrust motors are super quiet and the vox props are a great choice for the modeller. no more apc for me.
the planes are appealing to the eye and the idea of multiple colour choices is very important as well.
working on the addiction for close in flying. keep up the great work PA
Dingfix @ RCGroups Just a quick update on what an amazing package this plane and ipas package(the PA reccomended parts) are
Been flying my add for over 6 months now and it just seems to get more fun each time i fly it &#;
with the supplied PA mounted so that the back of the battery is around 5cm BEHIND the carbon tray this COG just makes the airframe come alive. It just seems to &#;sit&#; into its balance in the air- becoming ridiculously efficient (i fly 14 mins on an pack ) with a mix of hovering, Learning to rolling harrier, KE passes alternating 1 side to the other and then onto low rates for directional projecting pattern work &#; after 14 mins she&#;s only used around &#; mah &#; UNBELIEVABLE efficiency from the synergy of Airframe, Thrust motor, pa batt and esc.
It simply blows me away how much guess work (read time wasting) i used to go through on other planes that would run hot or be under or overpowered (and heavy) and only run 10 minutes. PA have nailed the 3 dimensional analysis of time, energy and efificency on this pack.
I have tried different props too &#; only to find that PA nailed it with the reccomended prop &#; the 1 x 5.5 &#; the slow flyer propd are ok but chew more energy and definitely only really allow slow hovering type moves &#; the 11x 5.5 just needs a little more throttle to hover &#; but pulls out with more acceleration and has alot more feel (the slow flyer props are a little sloppy)- the 11 x 5.5 just a crisper prop for all the components behind it.
I fly around 10 packs a week through this plane &#; each one brings a smile to my face!
And at my local park &#; the audience loves this plane!
PA are so far ahead of the game that Unfortunately now i look at alot of models on hobby shop shelves or online &#; and most of them just look like junk now.
bsbauman @ RCGroups I have the Thrust 40. I have sold many airframes, but I will not sell this motor. I have had mine for probably around 4 years and the performance has made it one of my favorite motors.
J Charles @ RCGroups The thrust 30 is by no means overworked for the PA 260. It is a perfect match and it&#;s performance is exceptional. I fly mine hard with lot&#;s of full throttle up runs followed by longer full throttle KE spins on the down runs and it never comes down hot.
Bleary @ RCGroups I have the 20,a couple of 30&#;s and the 50,and they are great.Excellent power to weight and they come down cool.
They can definately be run hard as per the recomended props and are durable as heck.I also fly in very hot conditions. HTH, Byron PA planes give excellent if not leading edge thrust to weight ratios on less watts (using 3S mAh packs) with flight times exceeding the competition&#;s models by several minutes.
Case in point: 48&#; 3DHS Edge 540 with a quality 3S pack gives me 5 minutes of 3D flight time.
48&#; PA Extra 260, the same pack gives me 7 minutes 3D flight time.
58&#; PA Extra-MX, a pair of 3S packs (wired for 6S) gives me 7 minutes of white knuckle hardcore 3D flight time.
I prefer my PA planes not only for the extra flight time per given mAh pack, but PA planes are just tougher, stronger and can hold up to the kind of 3D abuse I put them through.
HTH, Byron
wa4geg @ RCGroups The Extra 260 makes an excellent sport flier when set up for conservative control surface throws (recommended sport throws are given in the manual). The plane is built very light, has excellent power to weight ratio, and when powered by PA&#;s Thrust 30 w/ VOX 13×5 prop, it can be sport flown around at 1/2 to 2/3 throttle making for long flight times that will easily meet if not exceed 10 minutes duration.
Xtraquick @ RCgroups The Thrust 40 with the recommended Vox 14×7 has plenty of power on 3S, great match for the Bandit.
Rick Garbinski Las Vegas, Nevada USA ALL three of my (Your) kits were purchased using YOUR suggested Complete Power Pkgs as indicated. (With daily Desert Temps here running 110°/F &#; UR hardware, Motor &#; ESC and the unique cooling system devised had ME flying when others were cooling their heels &#; in the shade &#; this is no joke!! &#; U can see now why I like your kits &#; incredibly designed with ME in mind, THANX! &#;Again, thanx for your time, expertise and support &#; 5-Star!! Take care &#;&#;
B&#;rgds,
Rick Garbinski Las Vegas, Nevada USA
bsbauman I have not found a motor in its class I like more than the T40 motor; as far as issues, mine is now near 4 years old and runs like new&#;
Joel I&#;m flying mine with the iPAs. I&#;m running the Vox 13 x 6.5.
The thrust 30 & Q 45 are a good match. The thrust-to-weight is phenomenal. The throttle is surgically precise. Throttle-response is brutally abrupt &#; as if the throttle stick was directly connected to the motor.
I&#;m on my third season with the plane, and it has performed flawlessly so far.
Joel
J. Charles +1 on the thrust 30- q45 set up. Flawless combo. 100&#;s of flights on mine with zero complaints.
I&#;ve got some of those cheap low end motors too, but for the Extra 260 I went with PA&#;s Thrust 30 and Quantum 45 ESC. Both are very high quality components, and you won&#;t go wrong there. I.e. after a 7 minute flight the Thrust 30 comes down cool to the touch. Yak-man I would recommend vox props. I use them on my extra mx, and get a THIRD more flying time out of my batts over the same apc prop.
turboparker @ RCGroups Over 4 years, so many flights that I lost count, and my T30 still performs exactly as it did back when it was new. The bearings are every bit as precise & smooth as they were when I first took it out of the box & spun it over in my hand. And the Vox props are not only amongst the most efficient props I&#;ve ever used in these sizes, they are also works of art! Quality counts!
Mugen4Lfe @ RCGroups The Thrust 30 was a perfect match for my 260&#; It was well worth the money. Balancing it with mah packs was spot on.
Paul Gunnar Strand, Norway PA product is outstanding good and solid planes! (I have 4 Pa planes in my collection, and i&#;m very satisfied with their performance!)
kohersh @ RCGroups I&#;ve gone through approximately 2 dozen VOX props (3 different sizes) over the years on various PA planes. I&#;ll buy 6 at a time, and my preference is to check them on the balance rig as soon as I get them before sliding them into the neat prop quiver that PA sells.Yes, the VOX are closer to perfect then the other brands I&#;ve tried that you&#;ve mentioned here, though all were better than the injection molded ones I used to fly. Of the total I think I&#;ve had to fine tune 1 blade and 5 or 6 hubs and its very very light sanding to get them perfect. Its a nice time saver not to have to fuss over tuning each one, and its extends the life and run time of your gear.
For hard 3D, the wood wont flex like the injection molded props and even though they are more to replace they are still more affordable than the CF props I run on my gassers
Matt Kelly I love my PA Addiction- it makes me look like a pro! It has raised the level of my flying exponentially. There is nothing this aircraft can&#;t do! Light yet durable thanks to the Fiberfusion construction. My Addiction is on its sixth season! The IPAS system is the perfect match to a perfect aircraft. Thanks PA for the best airplane ever!
Ken Bird Every thing that I have bought from PA has been of the best quality , Battery&#;s , Motors, speed controllers & the air craft ! It makes the complete package.
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