Drone flight time

How long can my drone fly on one battery?

Flight time from the battery’s mAh and voltage or Wh and the average draw, with a landing reserve and the energy in Wh.

Battery capacity

mAh

Capacity in

Nominal voltage

Average draw

Draw in

Margins

Usable share of the battery

Landing with about 20% left spares the battery.

Landing reserve

min

Time kept back to return and land.

Time to fly before landing

22 mins

24 mins on the usable energy, minus 2 mins to land.

How it adds up

Time on the usable energy: 24 mins
Usable energy (80%): 61.6 Wh
Average power: 154 W

Where the battery’s energy goes

Used in flight 56.5 Wh · 73%
Landing reserve 5.1 Wh · 7%
Left in the battery 15.4 Wh · 20%

= Battery energy 77.0 Wh

What this means

Cold batteries deliver less, so expect shorter flights in cold weather and keep batteries warm until take-off. Wind, fast flight and payload raise the draw too.
At 77.0 Wh, airlines allow this battery in cabin baggage (100 Wh or less, IATA). Spares go in the cabin, terminals protected.

Sources: IATA: Passengers travelling with lithium batteries · Checked 13 October 2026

How to use

Enter the battery capacity in mAh with its nominal voltage, or straight in Wh.
Enter the average draw in flight: the current in amperes or the power in watts, from the drone’s telemetry or a power meter.
Under Margins, set how much of the battery you use and the minutes you keep back for landing, then read the flight time.

Flight time by average current

A	min
5	46
10	22
15	14
20	10
25	7.6

5000 mAh at 15.4 V, 80% usable capacity, then 2 minutes held back for landing.

How it works

A drone’s battery holds a store of energy, and the motors spend it at a steady rate while flying. Flight time is the energy you are willing to use divided by the rate you spend it. Two margins make the estimate realistic: you don’t run a lithium battery flat (landing with about a fifth left keeps it healthy), and you keep a few minutes back to return and land.

The energy is E = Q × V: the capacity Q in milliampere-hours times the nominal voltage V gives milliwatt-hours, so divide by 1,000 for watt-hours (Wh). The power is P = I × V, the current I in amperes times the voltage. The time is t = (E × usable share) / P, in hours; times 60 for minutes.

Example: a 5,000 mAh battery at 15.4 V holds 5,000 × 15.4 / 1,000 = 77 Wh. Using 80% leaves 61.6 Wh. At 10 A the drone draws 10 × 15.4 = 154 W, so 61.6 / 154 = 0.4 h, or 24 minutes. With 2 minutes kept back for landing, plan on 22 minutes in the air.

The answer is only as good as the average draw. Cold batteries deliver less energy, and wind, climbing, fast flight, payload and an ageing battery all shorten real flights. Manufacturers’ rated times are usually measured in calm, mild conditions.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find the average draw?

Many drones show current or power in their app or flight logs; a watt meter between battery and drone measures it on the bench. You can also work backwards from a flight you timed: the energy used divided by the minutes flown.

Why not use 100% of the battery?

Running a lithium battery nearly empty shortens its life, and its voltage sags at the end, which can force a landing. Landing with about 20% left is a common rule of thumb.

How do I convert mAh to Wh?

Multiply the mAh by the nominal voltage and divide by 1,000. A 2,250 mAh battery at 7.7 V holds 2,250 × 7.7 / 1,000 ≈ 17.3 Wh.

Can I take my drone batteries on a plane?

Under IATA’s guidance, batteries of 100 Wh or less are fine in cabin baggage; over 100 to 160 Wh needs the airline’s approval, with at most two spares; over 160 Wh can’t go in passenger baggage. Spares always go in the cabin with their terminals protected. Airlines can be stricter, so check yours.

Will doubling the battery capacity double flight time?

Only the endurance before reserve doubles when voltage, usable percentage and average draw stay the same. A heavier battery can increase draw, and the fixed landing reserve is subtracted afterward.

More in Aviation

All 19 utilities in Aviation