Drones don’t have wings like birds or airplanes — instead, they use rotating propellers to fly.
Each propeller acts like a mini-wing that pushes air downward, creating lift.
Let’s break down the four forces of flight that make this possible:
- Lift
- Lift is the upward force that helps the drone rise.
- When propellers spin fast, they push air down — the air pushes back, lifting the drone.
- Lift must be greater than weight for a drone to take off.
- Weight (Gravity)
- Gravity always pulls the drone downward.
- To stay in the air, the propellers must generate lift equal to or greater than this weight.
- Thrust
- Thrust is the forward or directional force.
- The drone’s propellers tilt slightly to move it forward, backward, or sideways.
- Drag
- Drag is the resistance of air against movement.
- Smooth drone design helps reduce drag and save energy.
Fun Fact:
Drones with four propellers are called quadcopters. Each pair of opposite propellers spins in the opposite direction to balance lift and prevent spinning out of control!