Core Comparison Between Multirotor UAVs and Fixed-Wing UAVs

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1. Core Definitions and Flight Principles

(1) Multirotor UAVs

Definition: Relying on the coordinated rotation of 3 or more rotors to generate lift and power, multirotor UAVs are capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) as well as hovering. They feature easy operation and high stability, serving as mainstream models in both consumer and industrial sectors, and apply to scenarios such as aerial photography, logistics, and agriculture.

Flight Principles

• Lift Generation: The rotation of propellers creates a pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the blades. When the total lift exceeds the UAV’s own weight, the UAV ascends.

• Attitude Control:

Pitch (adjusting the rotational speed of front and rear rotors);

Roll (adjusting the rotational speed of left and right rotors);

Yaw (relying on the counter-torque difference of paired rotors, e.g., diagonal motors of a quadrotor rotate in the same direction).

• Hovering and Direction Control: Hovering is achieved when the rotational speeds of the rotors are balanced and the total lift equals the weight. Changes in the rotational speed difference of the rotors enable movements such as forward and backward flight (e.g., increasing the rotational speed of the rear rotors and decreasing that of the front rotors to achieve forward flight).

(2) Fixed-Wing UAVs

Definition: Fixed-wing UAVs generate lift through rigid, fixed wings and require forward movement to maintain flight. They boast high aerodynamic efficiency, long endurance, and excellent wide-area coverage capabilities, making them suitable for professional surveying and mapping, national defense, and other scenarios.

Flight Principles

• Lift Generation: Based on Bernoulli’s principle, the difference in airflow velocity between the upper and lower surfaces of the wings creates a pressure difference, which is converted into lift.

• Force Balance: Stable flight is maintained when four forces are in balance: lift (upward to counteract gravity), gravity (downward), thrust (forward to overcome drag), and drag (backward).

• Maneuver Control:

Roll (controlled by the ailerons on the wings, with one aileron raised and the other lowered);

Pitch (controlled by the elevators on the horizontal stabilizer, with upward deflection causing the nose to pitch down and downward deflection causing the nose to pitch up);

Yaw (controlled by the rudder on the vertical stabilizer, which generates lateral force when deflected).

2. Key Components and Classification

(1) Multirotor UAVs

Core Components

• Power System: Includes clockwise/counterclockwise rotating motors (to counteract counter-torque), propellers (to adjust rotational speed for lift control), and lithium batteries (providing 10-40 minutes of endurance for ordinary models; industrial-grade models can be equipped with fuel generators).

• Flight Control System: Comprises a gyroscope (for attitude measurement), an accelerometer (for acceleration measurement), and GPS (for positioning; visual positioning is used indoors). It adjusts the rotational speed of the rotors to correct the UAV’s attitude when it tilts.

• Remote Control and Image Transmission: Consists of a remote controller (transmitting commands via the 2.4GHz frequency band) and an image transmission module (with a delay of less than 200ms for ordinary models and 4K transmission support for professional models).

• Payload: Consumer-grade models are equipped with aerial cameras (such as DJI gimbals), while industrial-grade models can carry equipment like lidar and pesticide pumps.

• Airframe: Mostly made of carbon fiber (lightweight and high-strength); low-cost models use ABS plastic. The airframe is designed in X-type or +-type.

Classification

• By Number of Rotors:

Quadrotors (mainstream, balancing cost and stability, used for aerial photography);

Hexacopters (high redundancy and payload capacity, used for surveying and mapping);

Octocopters (strongest payload capacity, used for heavy logistics);

Tricopters/Pentacopters (rare, used for experiments).

• Special Types:

Coaxial multirotors (compact, suitable for narrow spaces, high cost);

Customized multirotors (with an unconventional number of rotors, used in industry, military, and scientific research).

(2) Fixed-Wing UAVs

Core Components

• Airframe Structure: Includes fixed wings (with layouts such as conventional or flying wing), a fuselage (for carrying equipment), and a tail (horizontal + vertical, for stability and control). Materials are mostly foam or composite materials.

• Power System:

Electric (for small-sized UAVs, low noise);

Fuel-powered (for large-sized UAVs, long endurance);

Hybrid (balancing endurance and environmental protection);

Jet power (for high-speed models).

Avionics System: Includes autonomous flight (preset flight routes), GNSS positioning (RTK/PPK for improved accuracy), and data transmission (real-time interaction).

• Take-off and Landing System:

Taxiing (requiring a runway);

Catapult launch (no runway required);

Parachute (for small-sized UAVs);

VTOL components (for hybrid models).

Payload: Can carry RGB cameras, thermal imagers, LiDAR, etc., with a load capacity ranging from several kilograms to dozens of kilograms.

Classification

• By Size:

Micro-sized (wingspan < 1m, used for reconnaissance, e.g., Strix Nano Goblin);

Small-to-medium-sized (wingspan 1-5m, used for agriculture, e.g., Volantex Firstar V2);

Large-sized (wingspan > 5m, used for national defense, e.g., “Global Hawk”).

• By Take-off and Landing Method:

Traditional fixed-wing UAVs (requiring a runway/catapult launch, e.g., “Predator”);

VTOL fixed-wing UAVs (integrated with rotors, no runway required, e.g., “V-BAT”).

3.Performance: Advantages and Limitations

Type	Advantages	Limitations
Multirotor UAVs	1. Capable of vertical take-off and landing, no runway required 2. Easy to operate, suitable for beginners 3. Precise hovering, suitable for fine operations 4. Simple structure, low maintenance cost, and low failure rate 5. High maneuverability, enabling flexible flight in complex environments	1. Short endurance (20-30 minutes for consumer-grade models) 2. Weak payload capacity (usually < 5kg) 3. Poor wind resistance, unstable in strong winds 4. Slow speed, taking a long time to cover the same area 5. Loud noise, restricted in sensitive environments
Fixed-Wing UAVs	1. Long endurance (2-8 hours for electric models, 20-40 hours for fuel-powered models) and long range (over 96km for some models) 2. Fast speed (100-300km/h) and strong payload capacity (capable of carrying heavy equipment) 3. Good wind resistance, stable in complex outdoor environments 4. Economical and efficient, with a large single-coverage area 5. Highly autonomous, capable of flying along preset routes without continuous control	1. Traditional models require a runway; VTOL models have high costs 2. Traditional models lack hovering capability; VTOL models have short hovering time 3. Large/high-end models have high costs (ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of US dollars), and fuel-powered models are difficult to maintain 4. Low maneuverability, poor flexibility in narrow spaces

4.Typical Application Scenarios

Type	Application Field	Specific Scenarios
Multirotor UAVs	Consumer	Aerial photography (recording beautiful scenery), entertainment (drone racing), home monitoring
Multirotor UAVs	Industrial	Agriculture (plant protection/crop monitoring), logistics (last-mile delivery), emergency rescue (searching for trapped people), surveying and inspection (power line/bridge inspection), film and television production (shooting aerial shots)
Fixed-Wing UAVs	Military	Reconnaissance (high-altitude patrol), combat (precision strikes), target drone training
	Civil	Surveying and mapping (generating 3D maps), agriculture (precision monitoring/spraying), infrastructure inspection (power lines/pipelines), environmental monitoring (tracking wild animals), emergency search and rescue (disaster assessment)
	Others	Archaeology (heritage site recording), commercial entertainment (event aerial photography)

5.Comprehensive Comparison of Key Parameters

Comparison Dimension	Multirotor UAVs	Fixed-Wing UAVs
Take-off and Landing Method	Vertical take-off and landing, no runway required	Traditional: Runway/catapult launch; VTOL: Vertical take-off and landing
Endurance	20-45 minutes	2-8 hours for electric models, 20-40 hours for fuel-powered models
Flight Speed	< 20 m/s	100-300km/h, some models are faster
Range	Single-coverage area is approximately 20 hectares	Approximately 80 miles for small-sized models, over 96km for large-sized models
Payload Capacity	Usually < 5kg	Over 20 pounds for large-sized models, capable of carrying heavy equipment
Hovering Capability	Precise hovering	No hovering capability for traditional models; short hovering time for VTOL models
Maneuverability	High, suitable for narrow spaces	Low, poor flexibility in narrow spaces
Operation Difficulty	Simple, easy to learn	Complex for traditional models, mostly equipped with autonomous flight systems
Cost and Maintenance	Low cost for small-to-medium-sized models, simple maintenance	High cost for large/high-end models, difficult maintenance for fuel-powered models
Applicable Scenarios	Short-range, fine operations (aerial photography/precision delivery)	Long-endurance, wide-area tasks (surveying and mapping/national defense)