In recent years, drones have grown in popularity. Even though using a drone may seem like harmless entertainment, research has shown that people in residential areas who live close to drones have sleep loss. But what is the reason behind this?
It is because of the noise produced by a drone’s rotor. A drone makes a noise which depends on the size and the type of drone. Moreover, the drone’s noise also depends on its speed and altitude. Although some drones are made to be quieter than others, all drones do make some noise.
This article will discuss the noise levels of drones and ways to make them quieter. It will also shed light on why a drone is so loud.
How Loud Is A Drone?
The loudness of a drone can be measured using a decibel scale. The intensity of sound at various noise levels is reflected using color. The distance between a drone observer and the sound source increases the perceived volume of the noise. The closer a drone comes to the observer, the louder the noise.
Several citizens have complained about the noise of drones, especially those constantly exposed to such noises. Since drones are audible from a variety of distances as well as outside the intended target region, it shows that drones are exceptionally loud noisemakers.
Noise Levels Of Drones
Drone noise levels often range between 70 and 80 dB. It sounds about as noisy as a bee. Small, versatile vehicles and drones are capable of a variety of tasks. These machines can always be quieter by adding huge and potent fans or propellers.
They may also make them louder by omitting all fans and propellers. Drones can be quite noisy by certain motors, or they can be quiet enough to be brought inside a hospital without raising a fuss about how loud it is there.
How Much Damage Can A Drone Cause?
The damage caused to your ears due to the noise of drones depends on the way you are exposed to the drone.
If you are continuously exposed to the same noise for eight or more hours, you might run in danger of irreversible hearing damage if the sound is steady and you continue to be subjected to it.
Distance And Drone Sound Levels
As mentioned above, the noisy sound of the drone depends directly on the distance between the person and the drone itself. The following sections will explain this in detail.
- Drone Noise When It Is Far Away
A buzzing sound resembling little bees will be audible if the drone is flying high. Because the air is less tight, the sound will be less loud. However, the sound will have the same frequency. Less piercing tones will be heard. It will feel more buzz-like.
- Drone Noise When It Is Nearby
You might be startled to learn that the drone’s propellers are primarily responsible for the noise you hear when one is flying overhead. When in flight, the propellers make a noise like a low-flying helicopter or airplane since they evolve swiftly.
It sounds more like a bumble bee buzzing over your head when a drone is closer to you. The noise gets louder and higher in pitch as the blades rotate more quickly.
Watch this video to learn about various types of drones:
What is a drone? (types of drones explained) + Full Glossary list
Reason Behind The Loud Noise Of Drones
There can be several reasons behind the loudness of a drone. One of the factors behind their loud noise is a drone’s propeller. The noise level of the drone increases with the size of the propeller. It is because smaller propellers are thicker and contain many more blades per volume than bigger ones.
Additionally, each motor’s revolutions per minute (RPM) also affects how loud a drone is. Smaller motors and smaller propellers, by necessity, spin more quickly and generate more noise, especially at high throttle settings when the drone is using a lot of power to maintain flight.
A drone’s noise depends on how quickly it moves through the air. Since sound travels through air and compresses as you get closer and expands as you move further from it, similar to waves on water but slower since air is less thick than water, the quicker you go, the louder you sound.
Following are the major reasons behind the loud noise of Drones:
- Propellers
- Compact design
- Battery
- Speed
- Altitude
How To Reduce The Noise Of Drones?
There are always ways to make a machine quieter, just like with any machine, like autos. Quieter propellers can be used in their stead. An efficient and quieter electric motor can be used in place of the current one.
To quiet down the sounds of air turbulence, you can make the drone’s body more aerodynamic. Finally, you have more control over the drone’s flight path, enabling it to fly straighter and with less jerky movement.
The Ultra Quiet Drone
The ultra-quiet drone is exactly what you need if you’re seeking a drone that buzzes less loudly than usual. Without sacrificing features or performance, this cutting-edge drone was built to be quieter than others. This drone will give you great quality and an impressive flying experience.
To reduce noise in the air, the ultra-quiet drone features enhanced motors and propellers. These components account for most of a quadcopter’s noise; improving their efficiency has significantly reduced sound production.
Although this drone is not fully silent, it is substantially quieter than most other drones today. Plus, it still has all the fantastic capabilities you expect from a top-of-line drone, like 4k video recording and 30 minutes of continuous flight duration. So that your drone can safely return home on its own if you lose control of it, it even has a built-in GPS.
List Of Quietest Drones
The following are the quietest drones currently available in the market, however, do remember that there aren’t any actual silent drones made yet:
- DJI Mavic Pro – 71db
- DJI Phantom 4 Pro – 72db
- DJI Phantom 4 Advanced – 72db
- DJI Phantom 4 – 74db
- Yuneec Typhoon H – 75db
- Yuneec Typhoon H Pro – 75db
- Yuneec Typhoon 4K – 76db
- Yuneec Q500 4K – 79dB
Conclusion
The truth is that depending on various conditions, drone noise can vary substantially. The quick answer is that different drones can range in volume from 40 to 85 dB. For comparison, a typical discussion takes place at about 60 dB, a car traveling at 25 mph typically produces up to 70 dB, and a lawnmower cutting grass at a distance of 50 feet produces 90 dB.
