How Long Does It Take for a Drone to Fall From 400ft?

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In summary, Simon asked for help in estimating the speed and time it would take for a 1.5kg drone to fall and hit the ground if it failed at 400ft. The conversation suggests that a second test drone would provide more accurate results and that the shape and unpowered rotors of the drone could slow down its fall. It is also mentioned that the drone may have fail mechanisms to prevent it from hitting the ground at a high speed.
  • #1
Flying Monkey
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Hi All,

Can you help me, not a student (for a long time) but have a question that I need to answer.

I fly drones and I'm trying to work out the following:

If my 1.5kg drone fails at 400ft (122M) how long would it take to fall and hit the ground and what speed (max) would it be traveling on the way down.

Thank you so much,

Simon.
 
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  • #2
Hi Simon. It's hard to estimate, because we don't know what the wind resistance of such an object would be. It would be ideal if you had a second already-broken drone and could take it up and drop it as a test. :smile: Video its tumble and work out speed from the frames.

The shape and the unpowered rotors would slow down a drone's fall quite a lot, but Murphy's Law would still come into play---your drone crashing onto the only rock in sight for miles around. :oldcry: :oldcry:

There are sure to be videos of plummeting drones online, maybe there's one similar to yours? You may be able to estimate from that.

Good luck! :smile:
 
  • #3
Do drones have basic fail mechanisms built into remove power to all motors in the event of major failure? A mechanism to remove all power would at least stop it powering downwards and hitting at greater-than-freefall speed.
 

1. How does the weight of an object affect its falling speed?

According to the laws of physics, the weight of an object does not affect its falling speed. All objects, regardless of their weight, will fall at the same rate due to gravity.

2. Does the shape of an object affect its falling speed?

Yes, the shape of an object can affect its falling speed. Objects with a larger surface area, such as a parachute, will fall slower due to air resistance. On the other hand, objects with a smaller surface area, such as a bullet, will fall faster.

3. How does air resistance affect the falling speed of an object?

Air resistance, also known as drag, is a force that acts in the opposite direction of an object's motion through air. It increases with the speed of the object and can slow down its falling speed. The heavier and more streamlined an object is, the less air resistance it will experience and the faster it will fall.

4. Does altitude affect the falling speed of an object?

Yes, altitude can affect the falling speed of an object. As altitude increases, the air becomes less dense, resulting in less air resistance. This means that an object will fall faster at higher altitudes compared to lower altitudes.

5. How can we calculate the falling speed of an object?

The falling speed of an object can be calculated using the formula: v = √(2gh), where v is the final velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²), and h is the height from which the object falls. This formula assumes that there is no air resistance present.

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