Li-Ion vs. Li-Po for drones and airplanes? Pros and cons14:13

Great video as always. I would just add that the surge in battery wholesalers in the past 2 years has really changed the economics. For example, you can get LG MH-1 or 18650BD cells with 3.2Ah and 10A continuous for about 1.50 USD each. Lately “salvage” means never used because companies go bankrupt before even selling one scooter or bike. So, a 4s2p is maybe 13 USD with wires and heat shrink and is good for maybe 4 times the charge cycles of LiPo. Another advantage of LiIo is configuration. You can pretty much make the pack any shape you want. Center of gravity off? Form a 4s tube that runs the length of the craft. Only have an “L” shaped space left in your bay? No problem. Lastly, with balance equalizer boards, you can say goodbye to balance chargers and hello to 24/7 cell balancing, including during flight, at any discharge level. In other words, LiIo looking better every day.

Well stated Pawel, for wing cruiser LiIon 18650 are cool. I can fly 45 minutes plus with the mini AR Wing cruising 60+kmh on 3s Sony VTC6. Launch no issue using iNav autolaunch,

Got to keep the cells happy 😉 Thanks for the information Pawel.

The one big issue I have with 18650 cells…is that they only come in one physical size/ capacity….18650.
This is why the 4 inch LR quad is designed around 4 X 18650 cells…. Very limiting.

For long range adventurers I love my homemade Molicel p42A 21700 4S packs. 8km one way with an 5 incher are no problem.

I’m testing the Samsung 21700 40t. In the Fms cessna the average consumption is 15A and peaks of 20, with very little power drop compared to lipo.
I have tested a 40 A discharge bench and they can withstand them but with more pronounced power drops and high temperatures. I think it is a good alternative in motorsailers.

XT60 or XT30?

Why u try look like Bardwell? Haircut glasses wtf…

Been flying 18650 VTC5D as my preferred cell and VTC6A for almost a year now. Primary pack is 6s2p configuration for 7in on 2806.5 1300kv Avengers or 10inch on 3115 640kv motors.

Can very nearly rip quite nicely on 3s VTC5D packs with 3600kv 1406-1506 sized motors and 3.5in triblades. Best to have an amp meter so you can use Betaflight to run up your motors tab and see at what throttle you hit 15 amps and 25 amps. Then make sure you have throttle % active in your OSD because many of the small budget 4:1 escs do not have a current sensor so go by throttle % instead.

Have also run two packs for 6s4p on 13inch Xclass cruising for 18 minutes at a constant 50mph. Soon will have 4 sets of 4s2p built for 6in drones but used for paralleling and series for 8s4p on the Xclass becase it really wants 32v instead of 24.

We need affordable and compact high voltage escs handling 8s or 10s and combine with low kv motors, so we can keep current low, and use thinner wires etc. The Molicell 21700 are very good also

“similar weight but twice the capacity”…
Well if you want to sell Lions that sounds promising but I think here is something wrong.
capacity does not count unless you compare it with the same voltage. But Li ion vs lipo do not have the same voltage. So if you compare the stored energy the advantage is far from twice as good. In fact if you compare the energy densities they are very close
The fact that makes lipos heavier is the posibility to create large cathodes for high discharge rates. So imho you cannot compare a 130C Lipo to a Lion. If you go to a 5-10C Lipo with the advantage of well manufactured design , more stable voltage and safer use the whole advantage shrinks.
At the moment I am calculating and measuring the options for a bigger long range drone. And yes the weight of a lion would be a little less. But not even near 50% that justifies a Lion over the disadvantages..Maybe I miss something at the moment…lets explore this further