6S vs 4S LiPo for FPV Drones: Which Battery Voltage is Higher for Effectivity and Efficiency

In case you are simply beginning out with 5-inch FPV drones, you would possibly discover it difficult to determine whether or not to make use of a 4S or 6S LiPo battery. On this put up, I’ll clarify the variations and show you how to make an knowledgeable choice.

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Additional Studying: New to FPV drones? Check out our newbie’s information.

Professional Tip: Betaflight has launched a brand new function that permits powering a 4S quad with a 6S LiPo battery by lowering motor output.

Right here’s a listing of my favorite 6S and 4S LiPo batteries.

Advantages of 6S Over 4S

A 6S LiPo battery has a 50% increased nominal voltage than a 4S resulting from two additional cells. The utmost voltage of a 6S is as much as 25.2V, in comparison with 16.8V for a 4S.

The potential enhancements from utilizing a 6S over a 4S embrace (a few of these factors is likely to be up for debate):

• LOWER amp draw
• LESS voltage sag
• LONGER flight time
• MORE responsive and agile efficiency

Decrease Amp Draw?

Probably the most vital benefits of 6S over 4S is the decrease present required to provide the identical energy.

Energy is voltage multiplied by present: P = V x I

For instance, to provide 1000W, it takes practically 60A on 4S (at 16.8V) whereas it’s solely underneath 40A on 6S (at 25.2V).

Decrease amp draw ends in:

• Much less stress on the battery
• Lowered “voltage sag” all through the flight
• Much less power loss within the wires resulting from resistance, although that is typically negligible

Take a look at some DVR footage of a 6S quad:

Is 6S Higher for Your Battery?

The decrease amp draw means your batteries run cooler throughout flight, which is helpful for battery longevity. This additionally permits the usage of decrease C score packs for a similar energy, probably saving prices by deciding on inexpensive cells.

Nonetheless, to match the load of a 4S battery, we frequently select decrease capability batteries, which might restrict the most discharge present, since battery capability is a think about most discharge present. So, increased C score packs would possibly nonetheless be crucial.

Max Discharge Present = C Ranking x Battery Capability

Responsiveness

Attributable to much less voltage sag underneath load, the motors keep constant acceleration, enabling them to vary RPM extra quickly and persistently. This ends in an total extra responsive and agile plane. The quicker RPM change price considerably impacts the dealing with of your quad.

Increased Effectivity?

There’s a controversial principle {that a} 6S FPV drone affords longer flight occasions than a 4S.

This isn’t essentially true, as we frequently choose 6S batteries of comparable weight or watt-hours (Wh) as 4S batteries. To realize related speeds on a 6S, the motors must spin at comparable RPMs, requiring an analogous quantity of energy. Due to this fact, theoretically, flight occasions ought to be akin to these of a 4S when flying on the identical velocity.

Longer flight occasions with a 6S are potential by lowering motor energy (e.g., utilizing lighter props or adapt a much less aggressive flying model) or utilizing bigger battery packs with increased power capability. Nonetheless, both method will inevitably impression plane efficiency.

The profit in flight time is extra more likely to be seen in AP (aerial images) platforms, the place motor velocity is extra constant, and fast RPM modifications like these in racing drones are much less frequent.

However why are there folks claiming they’re getting longer flight time on 6S than 4S? Perhaps it’s because of the decrease present within the system, which results in much less overheat and total increased effectivity. Nonetheless this profit won’t be noticeable most often.

Is 6S Sooner?

A 6S quadcopter, with specifically chosen parts, actually have some benefit over a 4S (as demonstrated by {most professional} racers have now switched from 4S over to 6S batteries). Nonetheless, in drone racing, race tracks typically function quite a few turns and gates, requiring as a lot pilot talent as uncooked velocity, if no more.

The decrease present draw and decrease voltage drop of 6S give racers extra room to experiment with motor and prop combos. This flexibility permits for extra strategic decisions find the most effective steadiness between effectivity and efficiency primarily based on the precise race monitor.

Selecting Motors for 6S

There are two sides to the argument when deciding on motors for a 6S FPV drone. Some advocate decrease KV motors to match the theoretical max RPM of 4S-equivalent motors, whereas others counsel utilizing related KV motors as on 4S to totally make the most of the additional energy from 6S batteries.

I’ll experiment with each concepts in my testing.

Decrease KV Motors

For a safer and extra environment friendly setup, select a low KV motor that gives a theoretical max RPM in the identical vary as an equal 4S setup utilizing a standard KV rated motor.

With extra volts within the system, you’ll be able to execute the KV extra successfully. The truth is, you would possibly want even barely decrease KV than calculated to attain the identical RPM in flight. For instance, 1600KV on 6S would possibly equate to not 2400KV on 4S, however really barely increased similar to 2500KV.

As KV will increase, the torque score is alleged to lower. Nonetheless, from my observations, voltage sag is a extra influential issue, stopping you from reaching the theoretical max RPM on 4S. That is likely to be why some folks declare 6S really feel “extra punchy”.

With a 6S setup, I additionally observed the flexibility to swing a heavier prop extra successfully (e.g., increased pitch props). If I had been utilizing a 4S LiPo, most excessive KV motors wouldn’t have the facility to swing a heavy prop at excessive RPMs like on the 6S setup.

Listed here are my motor suggestions.

Working 6S LiPo on 4S Motors

I examined 4S motors (2350KV) on 6S batteries.

These motors are thought-about extremely excessive KV for 6S, and so they did present brutal straight-line velocity and spectacular cornering. Nonetheless, the downsides had been vital: extreme voltage sag and horrible inefficiency. The motors additionally turned extraordinarily sizzling after a brief flight. Personally I might keep away from utilizing 4S motors on 6S batteries, motors may simply get broken.

Nonetheless, Betaflight affords an answer to cut back motor output, which lets you energy 4S quad with 6S LiPo by setting motor output to 66%.

How About 5S?

Effectively, the cell depend and voltage of 5S are in between these of 4S and 6S, so you’ll be able to anticipate its efficiency to even be intermediate. Nonetheless, 4S and 6S batteries are extra extensively out there, making 5S batteries comparatively uncommon.

Conclusion

Personally, I choose 6S principally for the diminished voltage sag. Aside from that, I don’t really feel it’s considerably completely different from 4S in different facet. Oh, how many individuals nonetheless bear in mind the dialogue again in 2014/2015 after we had been deciding between 3S and 4S? It appears we’re nonetheless transferring up in voltage. Perhaps sooner or later, 8S and even 12S will turn out to be frequent – who is aware of? 🙂 Replace – Right here’s a brand new article discussing the potential of utilizing 8S Lipo in FPV drones in 2023: https://oscarliang.com/8s-fpv-drone-2023/

Edit Historical past

• Feb 2018 – article created
• Jan 2020 – added data about operating 6S on 4S motors
• Dec 2023 – up to date article