Discussions

Quadcopter vs. Tricopter

Posted by Chad P on June 3, 2011 at 12:26pm

I am preparing to build my first multi-rotor copter and my question is this... What are the pros and cons of Quadcopters vs Tricopters. It seems most of the people on DIY Drones use quadcopters but people like David Windestall, also known as Dadde87 (on YouTube with lots on great fpv videos) use tricopters. Which is best and why?

Thanks for your input.

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Replies

Chad P June 6, 2011 at 4:51am

I see, thank you. Would it be safe to say that a quad could carry more payload (heavier camera) or equal with less effort?
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson June 3, 2011 at 3:58pm

Quads are simpler and considered more reliable because they have no moving parts other than the motors themselves (Tricopters have to be able to tilt one motor). Tricopters are sometimes preferred by people taking video because there is more room between arms and so the camera has a wider free field of view.

Other configurations, such as hex, octo and "Y6" (tri copter with props on top and bottom, which avoids the need for tilting) are sometimes used for their higher lifting power and ability to handle a single motor failure.