Common configurations

[edit] Electronically controlled

These use a central lithium polymer battery and 'flight controller' or stabilization board (containing an IMU, mounted in a core/hub section), and brushless motors & propellers mounted on nacelles extending outwards. The props are fixed-pitch, and the motors are mounted rigidly to the structure - all control is done in software throttling the motors differentially, necessitating a very rapid feedback loop.
Electronic multirotors come in a number of different configurations: ^[7]

• X4 / 'Quad' - A typical quadrotor, quadrocopter, quadcopter, or just quad, with all props mounted on the ends of arms arrayed radially outward from a central hub, pulling upwards at opposite ends of the craft; May be switched between 'X' or 't' configuration (with one arm leading 'forward') in software
• Y4 - Arrayed like a tricopter without the servo, this uses two normal props in front on separate arms, and two coaxial ones in the rear mounted to one arm.
• H4 / H-Quad - A quad with a long, flat wood bar for a chassis, and the props mounted on two cross members bolted to the ends. Tends to fly in 'I' configuration for ease of camera mounting.
• V4 / V-Tail Quad - a quadrotor with the front props on normal long booms, and the rear props located in close proximity, tilted at an angle from vertical. This should give lower efficiency & flight times, but better orientation visibility and potentially better stability.
• 'Hexa'- A typical hexacopter, or just hexa, with six arms arrayed radially outward from a center point
• Y6 - A type of hexacopter that can be made more compact for the amount of lift, but is less efficient, with three arms arrayed radially outward from a center point, and one motor mounted at the end of each arm pointing up, and one pointing down
• 'Octo' - A typical octocopter, or just octo, that follows the pattern of one motor per arm arrayed radially. Common on 'heavy lift' designs that re-use parts from smaller part inventories. May have independent radial arms or a branching structure
• X8 - An octocopter that uses four arms, with motors arranged coaxially pointed up and down
• H8 - An octocopter that uses two parallel rails, each containing four rotors, attached to the core at multiple points. Generalizable (less commonly) to H6, H10, or H12 designs
• Asymmetric designs - Any of these can be stretched and skewed, possibly with the central core offset, to create a design that offers clearance in the front of the craft for a forward-looking camera un-obstructed by propellers. The center of gravity on these designs must be carefully managed to remain maneuverable