Engineer and drone specialist Luke Maximo Bell has built a custom drone capable of flying continuously for more than three and a half hours on a single battery charge, potentially making it the most energy efficient drone ever created.
The record breaking flight represents a major shift from the usual focus on drone speed or maneuverability. Instead, Bell engineered his drone specifically for endurance, optimizing every component to reduce energy consumption while maintaining stable flight. His goal was simple but ambitious, create a machine that could remain airborne as long as physically possible without recharging.
One of the most important design choices involved using massive 40 inch carbon fiber propellers. Unlike smaller propellers that spin quickly and consume more power, these large propellers rotate slowly, generating lift more efficiently. This allows the drone to hover while consuming far less energy. The propellers are powered by lightweight antigravity motors designed to deliver maximum efficiency without adding unnecessary mass.
The drone also relies on advanced semi solid state lithium polymer battery packs with an energy density of around 320 watt hours per kilogram. This is roughly twice the energy density of conventional drone batteries, allowing the aircraft to carry significantly more usable energy without increasing overall weight. Bell further improved efficiency by removing excess packaging and replacing heavy connectors, cutting hundreds of grams from the system.
During flight, the drone consumes about 400 watts while hovering, but becomes even more efficient when moving forward. Airflow improves lift efficiency, reducing power consumption to around 250 watts. This efficiency gain played a crucial role in achieving the extended flight time.
Bell used computational simulations to optimize the drone’s frame design, ensuring the propellers did not interfere with each other while keeping the structure lightweight. Carbon fiber components and carefully selected wiring minimized weight while preserving durability and reliability.
The drone’s electronics were kept intentionally simple to reduce failure risks. After multiple test flights and refinements, the final version successfully remained airborne for more than 3 hours and 30 minutes, even under windy conditions.
While the endurance record is unofficial, it significantly exceeds typical consumer and professional drone flight times, which usually range from 20 to 60 minutes.
The breakthrough highlights how careful engineering and energy optimization could dramatically extend drone endurance, opening the door to longer surveillance missions, environmental monitoring, delivery applications, and scientific research.