Table of Contents
Introduction
You know that drones can be pretty noisy, and if you are flying them on nearby beaches, you will get plenty of complaints about the noise factor that comes from these drones. Or, even if you did not receive any complaints, you may have found that the fact that drones make so much noise takes away the fun from using them. There is good news. You can find ways to make drones much quieter. To do this, you have to find the root of where the noise originates. The blade’s shape, diameter, and pitch can be the noisy culprit. That way, you can enjoy flying them and, at the same time, not have to dread any complaints coming from disgruntled neighbors. Let’s talk about the ten ways to quiet down drones.
Switch From Two-Blade To Four-Blade Propellers
If your drone consists of two-blade propellers, you will want to consider changing it to four blades as if you expand the surface area; you will also broaden the lift. Your drone will decrease the revolutions per minute or RPM as it does not need to spin the props quickly. However, you can lift it off the ground effectively if you have a four-blade propeller, even if you reduce the RPM. However, keep in mind that the engines will have to work extra hard if you do this, quickly decreasing battery life. But this hack does make your drone much quieter.
Make The Switch To Larger Propellers
If you do not want to switch from two-blades to four-blades, then you can increase the surface area by changing to larger propellers for your drone. That will decrease the RPM naturally, which will make the drone much quieter. However, you need to remember that if you make this switch, like switching from two-blades to four-blades, this can put extra strain on the drone’s motor, increasing wear and tear. Therefore, if you want to make this switch, the best thing to do is get the propellers from the drone manufacturer instead of them being custom-made from elsewhere. That way, you can minimize that risk.
Take Sandpaper To Remove Logos
Some drones come with logos on their blades by their manufacturers that make surfaces bumpy, disrupting the prop’s aerodynamics. The best thing to optimize the edges is by sanding off the logos and the best sandpaper to use is 600 to 800 grit sandpaper. The best way to finish it off is by smoothing it out with a scotch pad. You would be incredibly amazed at how this tip can work well and how it can make your drone much quieter. Because when the blades have bumps, that can cause the drones to become very noisy.
Clean The Propeller’s Molding Marks
The logos on the propeller’s blades will disrupt the way it flys which can make it noisy. The same goes for molding marks that the manufacturer often leaves on the edges, which also causes disruptions to the aerodynamics. You can also use 600 to 800 sanding paper to remove the marks the same way you would remove the logos from the blades. You can use a scotch pad after sanding the edges to smoothen them. However, before you do it, you will want to ensure that this does not hurt the warranty, so you will want to check that before you make changes this drastic to the drone.
Balance Your Propellers
Perhaps the reason for the drone’s loud noise is that you need to balance the propellers. When there is an imbalance, it can cause them to drag. You will need a metal balance rod to do that so you need to push it through the drone propeller. Then you will need to put the washer and the spring on the rod. Then the next step is to mount the rod with the propeller on the balance rod and allow it to hang. First, you want to have the blades set at a horizontal level. Then sand down the edges with 180 grit sandpaper for around ten seconds. If the blades are not flat to one another, then you need to keep sanding them down.
Clean The Blades
If your drones are noisy, here is a simple point for you. When was the last time you cleaned your propellers? If you have clay or mud stuck on them, it means it is time to clean them because noisy drones can result from a lack of proper cleaning. The dirt can disrupt the aerodynamics, and you will need dishwashing detergent in addition to a scotch pad to clean them well. Before you fly your drone each time, you will want to ensure that they are clean so that way if they are noisy, it has nothing to do with dirt.
Replace Them With Silent Propellers
One easy solution to get rid of the noise on the drone is to get silent propellers if you do not like the idea of making changes to the propellers that you have. Quiet propellers work well because their tips are tapered off and have a larger surface area, which means there is less pitch. Therefore, that creates more lift and increases the blade’s aerodynamics. Thus, the PRM is much lower, resulting in much quieter done. However, bear in mind that these blades will be more expensive for this reason. It is an investment that you will want to make.
Never Get Cheap Blades
The one thing you want to do is remember how much you spent on your noisy blades. If you spent very little money on the propellers, then that right there is a sign as to why your drone is loud. Cheap propellers mean that they are challenging to balance, which will disrupt the aerodynamics, and that will only increase the turbulence, which also increases the RPM. That explains the noise. Therefore, invest in quieter propellers from the manufacturer, and you will need to realize that you will need to spend more money. The saying you get what you pay for is true in this case.
Replace Old Propellers
How old are your propellers? If you cannot remember when you bought them, that is why they are noisy. Wear and will cause them to become imbalanced, which will disrupt the aerodynamics. Therefore, when that happens, the drone will become louder. That means the simple fix for this problem is to buy your drone brand new propellers. You can get silent ones or larger ones, depending on your preference. But remember that everything ages and becomes worn down, including those propellers.
Invest In A Quieter Drone
If you do not want to replace the blades, you may want to get a new drone altogether. Some drones are quieter than others, and you will want to prepare yourself because more silent drones will be more of an investment. But if you don’t want to put the work into making your existing noisy drone into a quieter one by doing a lot of work on the blades, then the simple solution is to go and get a new drone that will not disrupt your neighbors. For instance, a glider drone is an excellent option as they do not make any noise when you fly them.
Conclusion
There is no reason that you should be flying noisy drones that will only upset your neighbors or those at the beach if you are flying one there. You also don’t like to listen to the high pitch of the drone, either. Therefore, there are ten solutions to keep the noise down, and you can choose one fix that should take care of the noise issue. Anytime there is a disruption of the aerodynamics, the RPM increases, which also means the drone will be louder. However, you can always go and invest in a new and quieter drone that will not disrupt you or anyone else!
