Why Brushless Motors Are More Powerful

(Photo Credit: droneworks studios) When designing multirotors for commercial or industrial applications, motor selection is one of the most important considerations. Should you choose brushed or brushless motors? What voltage will the system operate on? The list can be extensive and sometimes, intimidating to directly match the requirements of your application. After selecting the type of motor, you’ll consider factors such as motor capability and brand. Depending on the application, you may need something for heavy-lift that can accommodate large payloads and harsh operation, to something with high-durability that can withstand extreme weather conditions. When you need more power and durability, brushless motors from KDE Direct are the best choice for commercial and industrial applications.

Brushed vs Brushless Motors

Brushless motors have become the industry standard in multirotor applications, and for good reason. Compared to their brushed counterparts, brushless motors are more powerful, more efficient and more significantly longer-lasting.

Brushed Motors

The multirotor industry has moved away from brushed motors for several reasons. Brushed motors, which utilize sacrificial contact brushes for operation, offer the benefit of very simple control and cheap electronics. On the other hand, they tend to require frequent maintenance and eventually wear-out, as the brushes must be cleaned and replaced for optimal operation, and are not favorable in situations requiring high torque. As speed increases so do brush friction and wear speed – significantly reducing overall efficiency, and wasting more energy as heat than generating the desired output, torque. Other limitations of brushed motors include:

• Inadequate heat dissipation caused by rotor design limitations
• Low-speed range due to limitations imposed by the brushes
• Electromagnetic interference (EMF noise) generated by brush arcing

Brushless Motors

Brushless motors solve the limitations of brushed motors, providing much higher output power, smaller size and weight, better heat dissipation and efficiency, wider operating speed ranges, and very low electrical noise operation.

When it comes to torque and power, brushless motors can’t be beat. While brushed motors have difficulties maintaining torque at varying speeds, brushless motors thrive and continue to improve with newer motor-control algorithms. Additionally, brushless motors have no electrical contacts designed for wear, providing the greatest advantage in reliability and required maintenance. 

KDE Direct Brushless Motors - Engineered for Maximum Power

When it comes to choosing motors for your multirotor, brushless motors are the clear winner. Next, you’ll need to factor in size and brand — not all brushless motors are created equal.

At KDE Direct, we’ve engineered our UAS Multirotor Brushless Motor series for maximum power and efficiency, providing industry-leading performance for multirotor applications. After years of field testing and computerized electromagnetic field simulation, our motors have been optimized for power efficiency and torque curves. We proudly deliver industrial-level performance, with motors built to the highest quality standards in the industry.

How KDE Direct Motors Differ from Competitors

In your search for the most powerful brushless motors in the industry, you’ll find a few companies with products that appear similar upon first glance. KDE Direct stands head-and-shoulders above the competition, providing industry-leading performance and the most durable brushless motors available for rugged applications.

• KDE Direct motors are designed in the United States by a team of engineers
• KDE Direct employs design redundancy standards when applicable, providing fail-safes and backup support for dependable in-flight operation
• KDE Direct motors are engineered for longer flight times, higher efficiency and higher payloads that continually push the limits of available technology
• KDE Direct manufacturing facilities are ISO 9001 certified, and implement RoHS, CE, and WEEE initiatives for leading production quality
• KDE Direct provides best-in-class customer service and support

Technology Review

The technological specifications that differentiate KDE Direct brushless motors:

• Stator construction uses the highest-grade, Japanese 0.2 mm silicon steel laminations
• Polyimide-coating, ultra-high temperature (240°C/464°F) windings provide optimum efficiency and power transfer, even under the harshest environmental conditions
• Permanent attachment to the stator is achieved with a Kevlar-tie wrap around all stator teeth and vacuum-pulled epoxy coating, reducing chances of winding failures
• High-temperature rated (180°C/356°F), N45UH Neodymium sintered magnets are installed for maximum performance in high-temperature operation
• An upper CNC-machined magnet retaining ring, dedicated slots, and 360° epoxy bonds are incorporated at each magnet location to secure a permanent and dependable connection to the magnet bell assembly
• All mounting hardware and 24K bullet connectors are included with each motor edition for easy and hassle-free installation
• All motors are permanently bonded and sealed internally, protecting critical components from harsh weather, dust and debris and vibrational hazards for long-lasting operation in the most demanding requirements
• All motors are installed with triple-supported, ABEC-7 rated Japanese NMB and/or NSK radial bearings for extremely smooth operation and life (200+ hours)

KDE Direct Brushless Motors

Designed and engineered in the United States, KDE Direct brushless motors provide best-in-class power, performance, and efficiency. From design redundancy and Engineering logic to payload capacity and thrust performance - when investing in a KDE Direct motor, you’re investing in quality.