Difference between 2-blade and 3-blade propellers?

[Scott H]

I was online looking to buy some replacement/backup propellers. I noticed some 2-blade carbon fiber props that claimed to have smoother handling. I wonder is there any truth to the better handling thing? Then I came across some propellers for the P3 that had 3 blades. Has anyone tried the 3-blade propellers? If so, could you tell any difference? Thanks in advance for any comments/suggestions or input concerning the purchase of new props for the P3.

 

[msinger]

DJI put a lot of time into designing props that perform well on the Phantom. They work better than most 3rd party props. Furthermore, using DJI props won't void your warranty.

 

[N017RW]

The overwhelming majority opinion is stick with DJI props.

The motors, props, and ESC (firmware) are a tuned system.

DJI sells CF reinforced (not woven) if you feel you need a bit more stiffness otherwise you can't do better.

As far as # of blades, you can Google this for more on the pros/cons of them.

 

[Scott H]

I did notice there really wasn't much being said on this forum. So three blades are basically trivial and insignificant? No other real prop alternatives? I just imagined a plethora of options based on handling, speed, turning, etc. similar to tires for race cars and the like. I didn't see that DJI had anything else in terms of prop alternatives either. Oh well. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Meta4]

I just imagined a plethora of options based on handling, speed, turning, etc. similar to tires for race cars and the like. I didn't see that DJI had anything else in terms of prop alternatives either.

Because the clever DJI propulsion engineers have already put a lot of effort into getting the best matched motor/prop combination for your Phantom.
You aren't going to improve on that by just trying random off-the-rack propellers that might look badass

 

[N017RW]

I did notice there really wasn't much being said on this forum. So three blades are basically trivial and insignificant? No other real prop alternatives? I just imagined a plethora of options based on handling, speed, turning, etc. similar to tires for race cars and the like. I didn't see that DJI had anything else in terms of prop alternatives either. Oh well. Thanks for the reply.

Remember, you bought a flying camera.

Didn't say 3 blades were trivial or anything else.
There are engineering considerations for various multi-blade designs.
As I mentioned you can research them if you wish to learn more.

 

[alokbhargava]

We have enough problems with batteries, stress cracks, vibrations etc, please don't add one more variable by adding 3rd party props. We can think of those once current issues are in full control.

 

[afx]

Has anyone tried the 3-blade propellers? If so, could you tell any difference?

3-blade will fly almost same as 2-blade. I've tried original DJI props and some chinese unknown props, same thing. Now I fly with some carbon noname props and they are ok. 3 blade are not good when you crash, they break faster for some reason (I suppose, because of geometry). 2 blade take less space in your bag. In theory 3 blade props may have more momentum forces when you change speed, but I didn't feel it anyway. Maybe because P3 is not a racing drone ;-)

And yes, check the balance of noname props, you may need to cut them to have good balance. But, I've got also some original DJI props unbalanced, so I think it's common problem for all of them.

 

[Wibble]

A 3 blade prop would have more lift but less speed and shorter battery life.
Unless you plan on carrying a heavy payload there is no point.
Actually the most efficient prop of all would be one bladed but might be a tad unbalanced lol.

 

[Scott H]

Great feedback. Love the diverse responses. All the more reason to appreciate this forum. I really do appreciate you guys. So…can I finalize this thread with one last request? I know we're only talking about a few bucks here…but can anyone recommend [a link to] the highest quality, most reliable and least expensive (carbon fiber?) props for a P3? Thanks again, ya'll.

 

[ianwood]

Don't use non-DJI props unless you know what you are doing.

 

[alokbhargava]

A 3 blade prop would have more lift but less speed and shorter battery life.
Unless you plan on carrying a heavy payload there is no point.
Actually the most efficient prop of all would be one bladed but might be a tad unbalanced lol.

Not necessarily

 

[phantom13flyer]

Great feedback. Love the diverse responses. All the more reason to appreciate this forum. I really do appreciate you guys. So…can I finalize this thread with one last request? I know we're only talking about a few bucks here…but can anyone recommend [a link to] the highest quality, most reliable and least expensive (carbon fiber?) props for a P3? Thanks again, ya'll.

The dji carbon reinforced props are the best choice if that's what you are looking for. You can find several sellers on ebay . You can order them straight from dji but shipping is 20 bucks no matter what you order so unless you are ordering a few items I wouldn't recommend ordering from dji.

 

[syotr]

The only real reason to use three bladed props is if you need more thrust and don't have room to swing a larger diameter two bladed prop. They are also hard to balance.

 

[Robert L. Murphy]

The main reason to go with 3 blades is to reduce noise. The only reasons DJI went with 2 blades instead of three is that two blade props are easier to pack and ship, two blade props are easier for the end user to pack in a drone case or drone back pack and if you get 23 minutes of flight time with 3 blades you get about 25 minutes with 2. The main reason they went with two blades is the amount of space they take up when the drone is not being used.

 

[N017RW]

More blades equal less efficiency.

I'd like to see the evidence for the DJI 'reasons' some have posted here.