Drone Flight Time Calculator

Estimate real-world drone endurance by combining battery capacity, average current draw, and payload weight. Useful for planning aerial photography missions, mapping sorties, inspections, and maintaining a safe reserve for return-to-home.

Enter the usable battery capacity in milliamp-hours (mAh). Use 80–90% of the nominal rating for LiPo packs to avoid deep discharge.
Average current draw in amps during hover or cruise, measured with a power meter or flight-controller logs.
Weight of additional equipment such as cameras, LiDAR, or sensors in kilograms. Enter 0 for no payload.

Real-world conditions like wind and battery age affect flight time.

Examples

  • 5,200 mAh pack, 18 A draw, 0.6 kg payload ⇒ 14.6 minutes (land by ≈ 11.7 minutes for 20% reserve).
  • 6,000 mAh pack, 15 A draw, no payload ⇒ 24.0 minutes (≈ 19.2 minutes usable before reserve).
  • 8,000 mAh pack, 22 A draw, 1.5 kg payload ⇒ 17.3 minutes (≈ 13.9 minutes before reserve).
  • 10,000 mAh pack, 28 A draw, 0.8 kg payload ⇒ 17.8 minutes with 14.2 minutes practical mission time.

FAQ

How accurate is this estimate?

It assumes steady current draw, mild weather, and healthy batteries. Record actual flight logs to fine-tune current and payload factors.

Why does payload reduce time?

Extra weight requires more thrust, raising current draw. The payload factor approximates that increase at 12% more load per kilogram.

Can I use different units?

Yes. Convert capacity to mAh, current to amps, and payload to kilograms before using this calculator for consistent results.

Should I include a safety reserve?

Plan to land with 20–30% battery remaining. Subtract that percentage from the result or reduce the usable capacity input accordingly.

Additional Information

  • Usable capacity is often 80% of nominal for LiPo batteries—adjust the input to maintain a healthy discharge margin.
  • Average current draw can be captured from flight-controller telemetry or bench testing with a wattmeter.
  • Cold temperatures, high altitude, and headwinds increase current demand; plan shorter flights in harsh conditions.
  • Account for take-off and landing power spikes by trimming an extra minute from the calculated mission window.
  • For multi-battery missions, multiply the result by the number of packs carried if you hot-swap between sorties.

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