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Let us first understand what a quadcopter actually is before we get into the details. A quadcopter is a multi-rotor aircraft that has four motors and four rotors and is capable of undergoing more stress compared to its counterpart of two motors. Also, the craft is more stable and agile due to the presence of four different motors. This allows the device to work better under windy conditions.
We have seen the number of drone hobbyists’ increase significantly in the past few years. Also, the competition among quadcopter companies has produced a number of interesting quads and additions. As far as size goes, today there are quads ranging from the micro-sized models to relatively bigger ones.
Large quads are usually used by people who treat the concept of flying as a hobby or by professionals in the genre of aerial photography. They are also used for rescue operations in case of emergency situations as well as for military and defence purposes.
Their wingspan can vary from about 15 inches (380 mm) to 30 inches (760 mm). This is quite large in comparison with smaller quads. Large quadcopters come with a number of advantages and useful features. Most of the models are also capable of carrying cameras for capturing the views as seen from a height or for FPV. The camera is held steady due to the steady gimbal. This allows you to get a smooth flight and crisp pictures.
As with any of our similar guides, we will do two types of lists: one is where we list largest commercial drones that semi-professional and hobby pilots are likely to buy; and the second list where we mention actual largest drones that are mostly used by professionals from certain industries (filmmakers, delivery companies, military, firefighters) and can’t be bought by regular citizens.
The second group is of less interest to our readers and it can be rather classified as entertainment and fun facts than useful tips. We have listed those drones right below in the table presentation.
Actual largest non-consumer drones
| Model | Size | Use | Flight time | Range | Weight capacity | Weight |
| Griff Aviation 350 | 265 cm long | cargo drone | 45 minutes | several thousand km | 440 lbs | unknown |
| AT200 | 38 ft. long | cargo drone (used in China) | several hours | 2000km | 1.5 tons | 1.5 tons |
| K-Max | 51 ft. long | military cargo drone (retrofitted helicopter) | several hours | several thousand km | 7,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Feihong 98 | 41 ft. long | commercial cargo drone | several hours | 1200km | 1.5 tons | 7,000 lbs |
| Hermes 1500 | 31 ft. long | military surveillance drone | several hours | several thousand km | unknown | 4,000 lbs |
| General Atomics Avenger | 44 ft.g | military strike drone | several hours | several thousand km | unknown | 60,000 lbs |
| Northrop Grumman RQ-4/MQ-4C | 48 ft. long | military surveillance drone | several hours | several thousand km | unknown | 33,000 lbs |
| Divine Eagle | 59 ft. long | military surveillance drone | several hours | several thousand km | unknown | 50,000 lbs |
Largest consumer drones you can buy
DJI Matrice 600
- Dimensions: 1668 x 1518 x 759 mm (65.7 x 59.8 x 29.9 inches)
- Weight: 9600 grams (21.2 pounds)
- Wingspan: 1133 mm (44.6 inches)
- Battery: 22.2V 4500mAh Li-Po 6S
- Flight Time: 16 minutes
- Controller Frequency: 2.4GHz
- Operating Range: 5000 meters (16404 feet)
- Payload Capacity: 6000 grams (13.23 pounds)
- Maximum Speed: 18 m/s (40 mph)
- Maximum Flying Altitude: 2500 meters (8202 feet)
The DJI Matrice 600 is another awesome product by DJI. DJI is one of the most renowned drone manufacturers. They have redesigned their old model after the success of Matrice 100 and designed a brand new heavy lifting drone.
The DJI Matrice 600 is DJI’s new heavy lift drone. It is designed for industrial applications and aerial photography. It is very important to note that the Matrice 600 modular design is very easy to assemble.
This drone will operate efficiently without any issues despite the conditions in which is being used because it is equipped with the dust proof propulsion system and actively cooled motors.
This drone also comes with a powerful 4500mAh battery and has a flight time of about 16 minutes. The Matrice 600 uses sine-wave driven intelligent ESCs to ensure it performs effectively, safely and accurately. On the other hand, A3’s self-adaptive flight systems adjust flight parameters based on different payloads.
The Matrice 600 is a large drone and is designed to be compatible to a wide host of powerful DJI technologies to increase its maximum performance. These technologies are the Lightbridge 2 transmission system, the A3 flight controller, battery management system and intelligent batteries.
If you are wondering about the DJI Matrice 600 control range you will be amazed by it. Depending on flight conditions, this quadcopter is capable of flying as far as 5000 meters.
As it was mentioned earlier, the DJI Matrice 600 is compatible with Lightbridge 2 software. You will be very pleased with this feature if you are a professional photographer or filmmaker. This drone has been built from the ground to meet the requirements of professional broadcasting. It offers high frame rates and High Definition live streaming (FPV).
Also, USB, 3G-SDI and mini-HDMI ports support video output at up to 1080p/60fps or a broadcast standard output of 720p/59.94fps and 1080i/50fps. The DJI’s Go app allows you to get flight data such as transmission strength, redundancy status, battery status, live HD view and much more.
The DJI Go is also the control centre for the camera. It gives access to ISO, shutter speed, photo and video capture on any Zenmuse X series camera and remote focus.
On top of all this amazing modern technology, the DJI Matrice 600 integrates a Zenmuse camera and gimbal. However, it is also compatible with Ronin-MX gimbal and many other professional cameras. Practically and professional camera and gimbal can be attached to the Matrice 600.
This feature together with the best and newest UAV technology makes the Matrice 600 the perfect camera drone for professional purposes. The DJI Matrice 600 maximum carrying weight is 6000 grams.
DJI Matrice 600 Includes Camrise Lanyard and Camrise USB
Freefly Alta 8
Freefly Alta 8 is ridiculously expensive octocopter but due to its amazing craftsmanship, the price tag is actually justified.
As you would expect from such a monster, Alta 8 has a high payload (20lbs) and very powerful lifting momentum.
As we already mentioned, it has 8 long propellers (18-inch) made of super-light carbon fibers which enables Alta 8 to have long flight-times and incredible lift.
Since it is made with professionals in mind, it carries a cinema camera with utmost ease. Even heavier RED cameras are no problem for this beast. The octocopter is very stable and flies smoothly thanks to its Synapse light controller – huge plus when it comes to cinematography.
Walkera QR X350 Pro
Specifications
- Dimensions: 289 x 289 x 200 mm (11.4 x 11.4 x 7.9 inches)
- Wingspan: 556 mm (21.9 inches)
- Weight: 1347 grams (3 pounds)
- Battery: 11V 5200mAh Li-Po 3S
- Flight Time: 25 minutes
- Charging Time: 60 minutes
- Camera: no inbuilt camera
- Payload Capacity: 200 grams (0.44 pounds)
- Maximum Speed: 72 km/h (45 mph)
- Operating Range: 3280 meters (10761 feet)
- Controller Frequency: 2.4GHz
Features
- RTF model
- GPS Compatible
- Altitude Hold
- Position Hold
- Flight Planning
- Automatic Landing
- Return To Home
- LED lights
The package includes Walkera QR X350 Pro RC UFO Quadcopter, G – 2D brushless gimbal, Devo F7 transmitter, receiver, Li-Po battery, balance charger, and mushroom antenna.
The Walkera X350 Pro is perfect for professionals who are sharpening their skills of flying. This RTF UAV has an altitude sensor and GPS receiver onboard. These features help you to get cleaner footage and pictures by keeping your quad stabilized. Unfortunately, the drone doesn’t come with a camera. This means that you’ll have to purchase a camera separately if you want to capture aerial video or images. When you purchase your drone you can order a compatible camera from Walkera.
The Walkera X350 Pro also offers a One Key to Home feature. This feature uses the drone’s GPS to automatically land the drone and it if you are just starting out flying it will definitely come in handy. The drone also comes with a two-axis gimbal. It keeps the camera oriented and tilted in the same direction as the drone. This will definitely result with smoother video for you.
You get 25 minutes of battery life with this drone thanks to a powerful 11V 5200mAh Li-Po 3S battery. The battery only takes about 60 minutes to recharge the battery. This allows you to spend less time waiting around and more time flying. It is important to note that you will be warned whenever the power in the battery is about to run out because the quad features a low voltage indicator on board.
Walkera QR X350 Pro Pros and Cons
Pros
- Nice design
- Powerful battery
- Great controller
- GPS system built into the transmitter
- Great value
Cons
- Confusing instructions
- Not GoPro compatible
- Difficult gimbal assembly
Thunder Tiger Robotix Super Hornet X650
Specifications
- Dimensions: 503 x 280 x 173 mm (19.8 x 11 x 6.8 inches)
- Wingspan: 610 mm (24 inches)
- Weight: 2470 grams (5.4 pounds)
- Battery: 6000mAh battery Li-Po 6S
- Flight Time: 18 minutes
- Camera: no inbuilt camera
- Maximum Payload: 730 grams (1.6 pounds)
- Controller Frequency: 2.4GHz
Features
- FPV set
- OSD set
- LED lights
The package includes the Super Hornet X650 frame kit, retractable landing gear, four propellers, four electronic speed controllers, instruction manual, and four 340kV brushless motors.
The X650 has amazing flight power and durability and it can be considered to be a professional quad. This drone comes with 2 options – frame only or ARF (Almost Ready to Fly). So this might not be the drone for you if you aren’t big on tinkering. The X650 is perfect for people who have been flying for quite some time and are in the business of professional aerial photography. This drone might be a little too expensive. However, its performance makes it worth the money.
The drone features 14 inches propellers has an asymmetrical folding frame for transportation convenience. The drone comes with enlarged frame plates. They allow you to incorporate other equipment on board such as electronics, a camera gimbal, a camera, etc. Due to its carbon fiber arms this quad is extremely steady in the air. This feature makes the system a lightweight structure and easy to fly.
The X650 is equipped with a powerful 6000mAh battery Li-Po 6S and has a flight time of about 18 minutes. There is also a mounted battery plate underneath the device. This ensures that the center of gravity is held stable and steady. The best thing about this quad is that is Compatible with major flight control systems and gimbals on the market. However, the manufacturer recommends the 2.4 GHz Dragon and the Morpheus H3D-360 3-axis gimbal with a mount for GoPro Heroes for the best results. Another interesting thing is that the gimbal could also be a mount for death lasers.
Thunder Tiger Robotix Super Hornet X650 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Sleek scheme
- Clean look design
- Enlarged frame plates
- Retractable landing skid
- Easy to pack
- Gimbal for camera and death lasers
Cons
- Expensive
LanLan DJI S1000
Product Specs
- Weight: 9.7 lb / 4.4 kg
- Dimensions: 51 x 45.5 x 29.5 cm (20.1 x 17.9 x 11.6 inches)
- Camera: Canon 5D Camera
- Battery: Li-Po 15000mAh
- Flight Time: 15 minutes
- 15in Foldable Propellers
- Manufacturer recommended age: 5 years and up
The DJI S1000 is designed specifically for heavy lift operations. It can lift heavy cameras which makes it perfect for cinematography. The S1000 is a premium octocopter with a built-in Canon 5D camera. However, the biggest drawback of this drone is that the flight time is restricted to only 15 minutes. Again this flight time depends on the payload, and it might decrease significantly with addition of extra payload
The S1000 is equipped with retractable landing gear made of carbon fiber. This feature allows for low weight and high structural integrity at the same time.
The high stability and safety is also one of the features of this drone. This feature makes this quadcopter smooth and simple to control. However, the price is a bit too high for only this one feature.
The high stability and safety is also one of the features of this drone. This feature makes this quadcopter smooth and simple to control. However, the price is a bit too high for only this one feature.
Pros and Cons of Using a Large Quadcopter
Pros
- Flying outdoors: being able to take it outdoors is definitely of the biggest advantages of flying a large quadcopter.
- FPV (First Person View)
- Professional photography: You can place the heavy cameras on board without having to worry about the load because the large quads are steady and more convenient to use.
- Solid structure: These quads are very solid and even in windy weather the drone remains unperturbed.
- GPS system
Cons
- Because of their large size and the fact that they will disturb objects in the path, the large quads cannot be flown indoors.
- These large quadcopters take more time and precision to assemble.
Benefits of Flying Large Drones
We have been able to make tremendous use of quadcopters and they have definitely turned out to be one of the most exciting innovations of technology. There are many professional photographers and filmmakers who use these aircrafts to help them with their work. On the other hand, a lot of enthusiasts treat flying quads as a hobby and engage in it merely out of passion. As we can see, there are many reasons why one could fly these quads and here are some of them:
- Affordability: Quads are a very clever innovation. However, that does not mean everyone can afford them. To reach out to all the flying enthusiasts, the drone companies made sure that these quadcopters suit different budgets.
- Accessibility: Anyone can fly a quad, which means that these quadcopters are accessible. Some models work well for amateurs while some others require previous experience.
- New perspectives and views: You might be coming across many buildings or features regularly. However, an aerial view will give you new perspectives from a height of 100 feet (30 meters).
- Relaxation and fresh air: Flying is just like any other sport. It is a great way to take some time off, clear your mind and it also gives you freedom and rejuvenates the mind.
- Movies: Using a large quadcopter here can do you a world of good if you are interested in filmmaking. It will give you new and different angles to your sense of photography.
- Learning: Flying quads allows you to learn a lot about flying in general because you learn to keep in consideration the aviation aspect, GPS service, photography, the meteorology, etc.
- Sharing: Thanks to the connectivity of the large quads you get the chance to share the captured video feed and the photos clicked with your family and friends on social media.
Flying a large quad gives you the freedom to experiment with your skills and interests but it is very important to follow the rules for flying your quads. It is very important to keep the quadcopters away from public places where they can interfere with the normal functioning. You should always keep them within your line of sight in order to not cause any harm to the public buildings or the general public.
Classes of Drones
There are different types of quads currently available on the market and in this article we are classifying this amazing gadget on the basis of their sizes and what each size is used for.
- Toy Sized Quadcopters: We find toy sized quads quite a lot and they are more popularly called the mini quads. The propellers of these small devices are about 5 inches (127 mm) long and the wingspan is around 6 inches (150 mm) to 12 inches (300 mm).
The mini quad is a lightweight aircraft and is also sturdy and resistant to some minor crashes here and there. It is also easy to control. It is important to note that the replacement parts are easily available for cheaper prices.
The toy sized quadcopters are mainly used indoors by newbies and amateurs who are trying their hands at flying for the first time.
- Hobby Quads: This is considered to be a large quad. The propellers have lengths varying between 6 inches (150 mm) to 12 inches (300 mm) and the wingspan is about 12 inches (300 mm) to 24 inches (600 inches).
These quadcopters can carry a small camera, such as GoPro Hero 3+ and they can usually fly quite far from the base point where the pilot stands. The fact that they can carry a camera opens the door to many exciting photos and video footages. However, some pilots have reported that these quadcopters tend to become too heavy with the burden of the gimbal, camera, etc.
Hobby quads are perfect for those pilots who pursue flying or aerial photography as a hobby.
- Professional Quads: Professional quadcopters are the largest type. The propellers go as far as about 12 inches (300 mm) and they have a wingspan of about 25 inches (635 mm) to 30 inches (760 mm). Almost all of the quadcopter models under this category come with a camera or a camera gimbal.
Professional quads have a solid body. This feature ensures that the camera remains steady. This also makes it easier to mount a sufficiently equipped camera. Sometimes, pro quadcopters have extra space to fit in a couple of additional gadgets.
Pro quadcopters are well equipped to carry heavy cameras. This enables you to get the most crisp and stable pictures and video footages. These quads can be flown further away from the pilot and they are also able to go through a few crashes without causing much damage.
Pro quadcopters are perfect are for people who are in the business of aerial photography.
There are many large quad options to choose from in the market. This is the reason why we have listed out a few that are among the best in the business. Every quad has its set of pros and cons. We have introduced some of the best largest quadcopters available for sale and the one you choose will depend on your own needs and requirements.
I thought you might be interested in reading similar, peculiar statistics and information about drones so I mustered a couple of lists on the topics of:
