Final week, I constructed a long-range FPV drone utilizing the Chimera 9 ECO body, and whereas researching the required parts, I got here throughout Grasp Airscrew, a US model with a practice in propeller manufacturing. Up to now, I’ve solely used HQprop, Dalrop, and Gemfan propellers, and though they by no means dissatisfied me, I used to be curious to check if these 9″ Grasp Airscrew props can surpass them in efficiency.
Propellers normally have 2-3 numbers within the product identify for simple identification. The primary represents diameter, the second pitch, and the third is the variety of blades.
In a nutshell, pitch is the twist on the propeller’s blades. It represents the space a propeller would transfer in a single revolution by means of a mushy cheese :). It’s just like the advance of screws in wooden -every rotation goes deeper by a selected distance. For instance, the 3MR 9×4.5 props have a 4.5-inch pitch, that means that after one spin, it should transfer ahead 4.5″.
Grasp Airscrew 9″ propellers assessment
Disclosure: I obtained these propellers for a product assessment collaboration with Grasp Airscrew. Though the merchandise had been supplied totally free, all opinions on this article stay my very own, and the sponsor didn’t affect me.
Windsor Propeller was based in 1978 by the U.S. Navy check pilot Frederick Templeton Jamieson, and it makes a speciality of manufacturing high-quality mannequin plane propellers constructed from Glass Fiber Bolstered Composite, Maple, and Seaside wooden. All firm merchandise are designed and manufactured beneath the registered model identify MASTER AIRSCREW in California, USA. Their product ranges in 4 important classes: Mannequin airplanes, DJI drones (nearly all sequence MINI, Air, Mavic, Phantom, and FPV together with AVATA), Different digital camera drones (Hubsan, 3D SOLO, and Autel), and Multirotor propellers (CineLifter, X-class Racing, Lengthy-Vary, and Freestyle). They’ve propellers specialised for electrical motors and fuel/glow engines.
I opted for 2 fashions from the big selection of 9″ propellers obtainable. Each propellers are properly packed in a color-zipped bag with the US flag on it to strengthen the product’s origin. The 3MR 9×4.5 propellers are offered individually (CW or CCW), and the MR 9×4.5 ones are in pairs (two CW or two CCW).
After the package deal was shipped, I observed that the props have 6mm shaft diameters, and my motors have 5mm. Grasp Airscrew has reasonably priced appropriate adapter rings, but it surely was too late for me. Fortunately, I discovered the STL file on Thingiverse and 3D printed them utilizing Nanovia TPU 70D semi-rigid filament.
Each Grasp Airscrew 9″ propellers are constructed from Glass Fiber R composite materials with a pleasant shiny black end. The 2 have similar blade geometry. The three-blade 3MR 9×4.5 weighs 14.5 grams, and the 2-blade MR 9×4.5 9.7 grams.
To offer the very best efficiency, most Grasp Airscrew blades, together with these two nine-inch propellers, are factory-balanced. A well-balanced prop means much less vibration and fewer stress to the motors, plus quieter.
Grasp Airscrew 3MR 9×4.5 3-blade propeller technical parameters
| Propeller diameter | 9″ / 228.6 mm |
| Propeller pitch | 4.5″ / 114.3 mm |
| Variety of leaves | 3 |
| Shaft diameter | 6 mm (adjustable through adaptor rings) |
| Hub thickness | 8 mm |
| Course of rotation | CCW/Tractor/Regular CW/ Pusher/Reverse |
| Materials | Glass Fiber R Composite |
| Shade | Black |
| Weight | 0.51 oz / 14.5 g |
Grasp Airscrew MR 9×4.5 2-blade propeller technical parameters
| Propeller diameter | 9″ / 228.6 mm |
| Propeller pitch | 4.5″ / 114.3 mm |
| Variety of leaves | 2 |
| Shaft diameter | 6 mm (adjustable through adaptor rings) |
| Hub thickness | 8 mm |
| Course of rotation | CCW and CW |
| Materials | Glass Fiber R Composite |
| Shade | Black/Orange/Inexperienced |
| Weight | 0.34oz / 9.7g |
Pricing, availability, and different choices
The 3MR 9×4.5 propellers are priced at $8.97/pcs, and the MR 9×4.5 ones are priced at $7.65/pair in black or $8.65 for orange and inexperienced colours. You’ll be able to order it straight from the producer’s web site or on-line platforms like Amazon. In case you want the very best efficiency on your 9-inch cine-lifter drone, the X Energy 9×8 three and five-leaf propellers can be found for $13.47/pcs. For an additional $2.97/set, you’ll be able to order shaft adapter rings (1/8”, 3/16”, 5/16”, 3mm, 5mm, 6mm).
3 Blade vs 2 Blade Propeller: Which is Greatest on your FPV Drone?
Within the desk under, I in contrast crucial components to contemplate when selecting between two and three-blade propellers.
| 3-blades | 2-blades | |
| Total efficiency | In concept, 3-blade props present the very best steadiness of effectivity, thrust, and grip. | – |
| Motor energy | – | Two-blade propellers require much less highly effective motors. |
| Effectivity | – | Greater effectivity as in comparison with 3-blades. |
| Velocity | – | Quicker pace as in comparison with 3-blades. |
| Maneuverability | 3-blade propellers favor fast maneuvers easily. | – |
| Noise | Usually, three-blade props are quieter than two-blade props. | – |
| Crash resistance | – | They’re extra sturdy than three-blade as they’re much less uncovered throughout collision. |
| Packability | – | Drones with two-blade props require much less house, as they will align with the fuselage. |
| Weight | – | By design, two blades are lighter than three-blade ones. |
| Value | – | Normally, 2-leaf props are cheaper than 3-leaf ones. |
We are able to conclude that two-blade propellers are appropriate for racing FPV drones the place weight and pace are crucial, and three-blade ones for Cinematic drones the place you want stability, maneuverability, much less noise, and extra thrust to hold further payloads (digital camera).
Joyful New 12 months 2024!
