Learn, How to add a second battery to drone for extended flight time

Most Copters are fun to fly, but the fun runs low when the battery dies. So how to extend the flight time of your drone? Will wire two or more lipo batteries together gives you more battery time? Here are a few tips on how to keep your drone up in the atmosphere longer by extending your drone’s battery life.

How to add a second battery to a drone for longer run-time?

There are many knowledgeable individuals with this form of power; hopefully, somebody will figure it out. Is there some circuit board wired in series with a relay that could automatically transfer the 11.1 volts within the P2V; without losing electrical connectivity?

By way of example, say I have two additional batteries of the same characteristics (3.7v 500mAH). Let us assume that the weight won’t impact the flight; therefore, I want to understand: How do I attach these 2 or more batteries in one single system to boost the drones runtime?

How to add a second battery to drone
Adding a second battery to the drone

Yes, you can achieve this with the Phantom 4 and other modern drones; this bird can surely deal with the weight without much reduction in airtime. Can you imagine; Where we could fly our Phantom 4 platinum with fostered elite maximum range for not a mere 29 minutes more but for 30-40 minutes more, in character for at least a 70-minute flight! Some believe the big problem is the weight.

As soon as you double a battery of the size, you won’t have been able to lift anything else. No FPV, no GoPros, and the craft won’t be as speedy\agile anymore, but that is not true, and you will be able to fly longer.

Parallel and Series

Then, two (2) connectors for the wise battery tech would need to be integrated into the plan. Hypothetically, you can wire the two batteries in series; would that increase the amperage? This could be great to work out because some people are flying long-distance flights.

Batteries that are wired in parallel will result in added amperage. For example: When you jumpstart a normal 12V car battery, you’re really putting them up in parallel, thus adding more amperage to the circuit.
Batteries that are wired in series will result in added voltage. Case in point: 2 – 12V car batteries wired in series will lead to 24V throughout the circuit.

So it is alright to raise the capacity, although not the voltage of the battery? Yes,  Charging the batteries would not be a problem since they would be charged individually via a USB hub. However, the Hub would have the amp rating to control all batteries.

Flight times for drones can vary between 3 minutes and 29 minutes or longer, depending on the version. While low-priced drones generally have shorter flight times, you can take steps to extend the lifetime of your battery life and appreciate more time flying your UAV.

How to make your drone fly longer?

If you’re flying for pleasure, the perfect method to fly more is to lower this drone’s burden. Less weight means that the motors have less to lift so that they end up using less electricity. And that usually means the same battery may raise the drone to get more.

Other ways to get longer flight time from your drone

Reduce the weight

If you’re flying for pleasure, the best way to fly more will decrease the drone’s burden. And that means the identical battery can lift the drone for more. You can take the camera off, the prop guards, and some other extras you do not absolutely need.

Pick a Battery with a Higher mAh.

Many quadcopters come equipped with mid-range batteries that actually do not provide you with the longest flight time possible. If you genuinely want longer flight times, you will want to update a lipo with a higher mAh.

Best High Capacity Lipo Batteries for Drones

From 2200-6000 mAh 7.4v/22.2v LiPo Batteries With Deans T Plug For DJI’s and other Airplane RC Quadcopter Helicopter Car Truck Boat Hobby Multi-Rotor

High Capacity Lipo Battery

Instantly Recharged, long cycle life up to 200Wh/kg energy density.

Battery Dimension: 6.10 x 1.89 x 2.17 inch (155*48*54mm),Weight: 28.53ounce (809g ± 2g)

Application: Suitable for Align T-REX 550/ 700E F3C/ 700L/ 800E RC Helicopter,Mikado LOGO 550 SE V2/ 550 SX V2,E-flite Beast 60e/ CZ P2 Prometheus/ Carbon-Z Cub/Carbon-Z T-28 with AS3X /Habu 32x DF, RC plane, Multirotor, Drone (Only if the voltage, measurement and the plug game, then it will match)

Check your machine’s specifications to the maximum mAh your version can deal with. The larger the battery is, the heavier it is going to be. If the battery is too thick, the additional weight is only going to negate the excess power. Just keep the battery’s weight in mind when selecting an upgrade.

Follow the 40-80 rule to get more from your battery.

Previously, it was good practice to charge your rechargeable batteries to 100% and then drain them thoroughly before recharging. Things have changed, and if you are using a lithium-ion battery to power your quadcopter, you might, in fact, be shortening its life by draining the battery completely.

The conventional lithium-ion battery can be fully charged and emptied between 350 and 500 times before it should be replaced. It is simple to extend your battery’s overall life by merely filling this up only eighty percent, or between 40 and 80 percent. As a general guideline, you also should avoid overcharging the batteries too. Charging your battery in an area that is 100 degrees F may actually reduce the battery’s capacity by 35%.

Bottom line: Charge only to 90% or less and recharge in a cooler environment.

Fly in the Appropriate Conditions

If you are flying your UAV outdoors, you need to avoid flying through windy or rainy conditions. Wind will make it even more challenging for your copter to flip, hover, and stay secure, which will drain more energy in the battery than normal. Rain can have an identical effect. Avoiding this will let you get the most from your battery life.

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