1.Introduction and characteristics of drone accessories

1.1 Frame and Fuselage

The frame or fuselage of a UAV is its main structural component and is usually made of lightweight and strong materials such as carbon fiber or plastic to ensure durability and stability in flight. The design of the frame often varies depending on the mission the drone is required to perform. For example, drones used for aerial photography are usually designed with a quad-axis or six-axis open frame to ensure stability and load capacity, while firefighting and rescue drones will opt for a closed-frame design with better waterproof capability. In addition, the materials and reinforcement of the frames are different for different sizes and load specifications.

1.2 Motors and Propellers

The motors and propellers are responsible for generating thrust to power the UAV. The number and power of the motors depends on the weight of the UAV and the requirements of the mission. Generally, a UAV with a higher weight capacity will utilize four or more motors. The motors generate thrust and lift by driving propellers attached to an output shaft. The propellers automatically adjust their angle and speed for different flight modes to achieve stable and efficient flight.

1.3 Flight Controller

The flight controller is the “brain” of the UAV, responsible for analyzing the commands input by the pilot through the remote control and using the built-in algorithms to keep the UAV’s flight parameters stable. It has built-in gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer and other sensors, which can monitor the attitude and altitude changes of the UAV in each axis in real time. It can also control the power output of each motor to realize hovering, lifting, forwarding, backwarding, turning left, turning right and more complex flight movements. For professional UAVs carrying advanced optical or sensing equipment, the algorithm complexity of the flight control system is higher, and it can complete the automatic cruising tasks at predetermined waypoints.

1.4 Battery and Power Management

UAVs rely entirely on batteries to power their various electronic and electromechanical components. Lithium polymer batteries (Li-Po), which are widely used today, are an ideal source of power due to their high energy density and light weight. Another new type of lithium-ion battery (Liion) with higher capacity is also starting to enter the UAV field. The role of the power management system is to maximize the duration of a single flight by converting and distributing current to ensure that power is efficiently distributed to the various subsystems, such as flight controllers, motors, sensors, cameras, etc. It also needs to monitor and protect the battery. It also monitors and protects the battery to prevent over-discharge and over-charge.

1.5 Remote Control

The remote control is an important link between the pilot and the UAV. It communicates with the UAV via 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz signals to transmit maneuvering information. The mainstream remote control usually consists of a handle, a display, a control stick, switches and function keys. The handle is designed to be grippable, allowing the pilot to precisely control the UAV’s six degrees of freedom, while the display provides real-time feedback on the UAV’s flight status and telemetry data. The remote control also supports recording and playing back the flight log, which is convenient for checking the flight quality and technical level.

1.6 Camera System

For UAVs that require aerial photography or optical equipment inspection, it is important to have a high-quality camera system. There are integrated camera bodies available on the market, as well as optional cameras with standard interface specifications for the body. Camera selection requires consideration of image resolution, lens type, aperture value, ISO sensitivity, video recording format and frame rate, among other factors that affect shot quality. Camera systems for professional UAVs may also be equipped with a lens gimbal and image stabilization.

1.7 GPS Module and Navigation Features

Accurate positioning and navigation is a core feature of many mission-oriented UAVs, and GPS can provide accurate latitude and longitude information to the UAV. When the GPS signal is blocked, the last GPS data is fused with the built-in IMU data to achieve a more accurate positioning output. In addition, many drones also support waypoint navigation mode, which allows pilots to set up multi-point routes in advance, and the drone will fly over each waypoint in turn to complete the task. This can be beneficial in applications such as mapping, fertilizer control, and border monitoring.

1.8 Gimbal Stabilization System

A gimbal is a load system that can be stabilized with good support and control performance, and is usually applied to UAVs that need to obtain a stable image. The gimbal is controlled in 3-axis by a motor-driven rudder, which realizes the rotational movement of the payload such as the lens relative to the UAV platform, thus isolating the impact of the image bumps and obtaining smooth and coherent video or picture data. This is especially important for mission-oriented UAVs such as surveillance and law enforcement.

1.9 First Person View (FPV) Systems

FPV systems provide the pilot with an intuitive “bird’s eye” view of the flight. It captures real-time video footage through a miniature CCD/CMOS camera mounted on the UAV’s fuselage, and then transmits it back to the ground console or helmet display through digital radio signals, thus realizing a “glasses screen”-like perception of flight conditions. This greatly improves the safety of low altitude and difficult flights, and FPV flights require specialized digital radio transmission equipment with sufficiently high power.

The above content provides a detailed introduction to the main systems of the UAV, and adds information related to the functions and usage scenarios of each system, so as to optimize the word count and content of the paragraphs.

2.List of wearable drone accessories and suggestions for spare drone accessories

When using a drone for a long period of time, it is necessary to know the list of wearable parts and spare parts recommendations. Below is a list of several drone parts with spare needs and some recommendations.

2.1 Propellers

Propellers are one of the most fragile one in drone accessories. Since they are directly exposed to the operation process as propulsion devices, their long-term high-speed rotation makes them susceptible to a variety of external factors such as collision, environmental wear and tear, as well as harsh weather conditions such as rain, wind, and snow. In addition, the propeller edge is also subjected to great stress, long-term high-intensity operation will also accelerate the degree of aging and damage. WDM offers a diverse range of drone propellers, and it’s easy to get the right spare Propellers for different types of drones.

2.2 Motor

The motors, as the power source of the UAV, are subjected to high loads over a long period of time and are also susceptible to wear and tear from years of use, or may be damaged by impacts and crashes. In addition, due to the small size of the motor components, they are susceptible to dust contamination or humid environments, which may affect their performance and lifespan. In severe cases, this may lead to open or short circuit failure. WDM offers a wide variety of drone motors, where you can pick the right Motor for your drone.

2.3 Battery

Battery is another fragile part of the UAV, especially after hundreds of repeated charge/discharge cycles, its lithium polymer or lithium-ion battery plates and electrolyte will undergo a certain degree of chemical changes and internal structure damage. Long-term repeated use of the battery will make the battery’s charging capacity gradually decline, and need to provide more and more energy, and in serious cases, may not be able to provide enough flight power. In addition, over-charging and over-discharging will also accelerate the degradation of battery performance. WDM offers a variety of  drone batteries, battery backup is necessary, come to buy the right spare battery for your drone.

2.4 Remote Control

As the main flight control device, the remote controller is subjected to severe wear and tear due to long-term frequent operation of various parts of the remote controller, such as the control stick, joystick and various function buttons. Especially for the commonly used parts, the thin material of the control buttons may gradually deteriorate and die after being pressed by the fingers. In addition, the pins on the internal circuit board of the remote control may loosen and fall off over time due to repeated insertion and removal. This will affect the quality of the remote control and flight safety. Therefore, regular inspection and maintenance is very important. WDM offers several types of Remote Control, click here to purchase Drone Remote Control.

2.5 Other Accessories

In addition to the above description, the gimbal mechanical connecting handle, multi-port charger and connecting cable are also consumables that need more attention. WDM offers a wide range of finely ground drone accessories, if you need them, please come to our website to buy them.

3.Maintenance of UAV parts and components

3.1 Cleaning

After each flight, use compressed air or a soft cloth to clean and completely remove any dust and dirt that may have adhered to various drone accessories, such as the fuselage, the lower surfaces of the wings, and the inside and outside of the motor gearboxes. In particular, the motor and battery connectors should be dynamically inspected and kept clean.

3.2 Charging and storing batteries

In addition to using the charger correctly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, care should be taken to remove fully charged batteries from the charger in a timely manner and store them in a cool, airy warehouse. Avoid prolonged storage at high temperatures, which may diminish the capacity of the battery. Each battery should be clearly labeled with a serial number and a charge/discharge record.

3.3 Motor and Propeller Inspection

In addition to visual inspection, you can gently rotate the motor shaft with your fingers or a small tool to check for signs of looseness. For propeller, observe whether there is any breakage or deformation phenomenon, once found should be replaced in time. This is a matter of flight quality and safety.

3.4 Update and Calibrate Software

Regularly download the latest version of the flight firmware from the manufacturer and update the control software on the control board via the USB port. After updating, it is necessary to accurately calibrate devices such as the laser compass and gyroscope using the gadgets supplied with the controller to ensure optimal flight performance.

3.5 Storage and Transportation

All critical components such as propellers, batteries, etc. should be properly disassembled and stored in a customized, high quality storage box in a cool place away from direct light. Special containers must be used for transportation to prevent vibration damage to all drone accessories.

3.6 Maintenance after special weather

In case of special weather flights, rinse the dust or rainwater left in each part of the circuit module with clean water in time, and dry the water after proper storage. Avoid humidity directly affecting the service life of electromagnetic components.

4.Preparation of spare drone accessories

4.1 Spare drone accessories catalog

Propellers, motors, batteries, remote control levers and main buttons and switches, gimbal mechanical connecting handles, multi-port chargers and connecting cables, etc.

4.2 Benefits of keeping spare parts

The spare parts store can quickly restore the UAV’s flight function and shorten the downtime if all the spare parts are ready for frequent replacement. Replace damaged parts in time to avoid serious accidents. In the long run, keeping spare parts can reduce the overall maintenance cost. New parts can ensure the flight performance level.

Conclusion

Maintenance and parts replacement of drones are key to ensuring their long-term stable operation. By understanding the characteristics of drone accessories and knowledge of maintenance and replacement of wearable parts, drone enthusiasts and professional flyers can improve the performance and service life of their drones.