How Much Weight Can A Drone Carry?
More and more, drones are being used for various tasks, including remote viewing and carrying packages.
Before you attach something to your drone, however, it’s a good idea to find out much that particular drone can carry.
What a drone can carry depends on a few factors, including the type of drone and what it’s designed for.

Drone Weights and Payload Weights
Hobby Drones
Hobby drones are some of the most common drones. These drones are perfect for amateurs and more experienced drone enthusiasts alike, and they can carry a maximum load of about 4.4 pounds.
In general, most hobby drones are between 5 ounces and 5 pounds in weight, depending on the exact drone type and what it’s designed for. Hobby drones can legally weigh up to 55 pounds, however.
Most medium-sized hobby drones can carry between 3 and 5 pounds.

Mini and Trick Drones
Mini or trick drones are designed to be entertaining and fun. They’re usually very small, weighing between 0.5 and 2 ounces.
They’re so small that they can sometimes even be flown indoors. These drones aren’t really designed to carry anything, but you could still attach between about 0.15 and 0.2 ounces of weight.
Racing Drones
Racing drones are designed to be quick and maneuverable, so they’re often small and are made of lightweight materials.
They tend to have powerful engines, but they may not be strong enough to carry much weight, as they’re not designed to carry a load. Most racing drones weigh between 14 ounces and 1.75 pounds.
Depending on the exact size of the drone, they can carry between about 5 ounces and 2 pounds, but adding weight to the drone can make it much slower.
Heavy Payload Drones
Heavy payload drones are specifically designed to carry large loads. Sturdiness and long battery life are also important features for most heavy payload drones.
These drones can themselves weigh between 13 and 200 pounds. Heavy payload drones are classified as drones that are designed to carry a payload over 10 pounds, but some of these drones can carry up to 400 pounds.
Many of the largest heavy payload drones are used by militaries around the world.
Professional Drones
Professional drones are designed to do specific tasks, such as taking pictures, carrying a camera for shooting film, or delivering small packages. Some drones are even being designed to make food deliveries.
Professional drones tend to be more lightweight and a bit faster than heavy payload drones, but they may not be able to carry as much weight.
These drones usually weigh between 2 and 4 pounds, and they can carry a load of between 2 and 20 pounds.

Factors Affecting Carrying Abilities
Propellers
Propellers can greatly affect how much a drone can carry. Drones with larger propellers create more lift, which makes it easier for them to become airborne and carry heavier loads.
Similarly, drones with more propellers also have an easier time balancing and staying in the air when they’re carrying something.
How the propellers are arranged on the drone can also make a difference when it comes to performance, payload capabilities, speed, and balance.

Motor Power
Even if you have a large drone or a drone with large or multiple propellers, if it doesn’t have a strong enough motor, it will struggle to get off the ground and stay airborne. Drones with weaker motors can’t carry as much as other drones, either.
A stronger motor, even in a smaller drone, can often mean that the drone can carry a much greater amount of weight.
Battery
Batteries can affect when a drone can carry in two ways. First, a stronger battery can increase both flight time and how powerful a drone is, which can help a drone carry a heavier load.
However, batteries that are designed to go for a longer time between charges are generally larger and heavier, and this additional battery weight can mean that the drone can carry less extra load weight.
Drone Weight
The weight of the drone itself can also determine how much the drone can carry. Very lightweight drones are usually smaller and more fragile, so they can’t carry as much weight.
However, a drone must have enough propeller, engine, and battery strength to lift both itself and whatever it is carrying.
If a drone is made of heavy materials, even if it’s large or has a powerful motor, it may not be able to carry as much extra weight.
Weather
The maximum weight a drone can safely carry can change depending on the weather the drone will be flying through.
If it’s a windy day or there’s precipitation, whatever load the drone is carrying can cause it to lose speed or balance. Wind can also be a factor for drones when they’re taking off.
If the propellers and motor are struggling to lift the drone, adding additional weight can cause problems.
