How to Choose a Drone Tether System? 4 Core Questions to Help You Avoid Mistakes and Select the Right Equipment
1. First, Clarify: What Core Requirements Should Be Prioritized When Choosing a Drone Tether System?
Before selecting equipment, you must first identify your core needs; otherwise, you may fall into the trap of "parameter stacking without practicality." Focus on three types of requirements:
①.Operation Duration Needs: If continuous operation for more than 4 hours is required (e.g., commercial street building cleaning, long-term inspection), prioritize "tethered power supply stability." Choose a system that supports "continuous power supply + backup power switching" to avoid mid-operation shutdowns caused by relying solely on batteries.
②.Operation Scene Risks: For high-altitude operations (over 50 meters) or operations in crowded areas, prioritize the "safety protection mechanism"—such as whether it has automatic return in case of power failure, cable tensile strength (≥300kg), and base station anti-tipping design.
③.Environmental Adaptability: For outdoor operations, consider wind resistance (≥Level 6) and waterproof performance (IP65 or above); for indoor or enclosed spaces, focus on system heat dissipation (to avoid overheating shutdowns) and noise level (≤70 decibels, no interference to the surrounding area).
Example: For busy commercial street building cleaning, the core needs are "8 hours of continuous power supply + zero falling object risk + quick deployment without disrupting business." In this case, a system like MAIYOUWEI M400X—with "dual tethers (synchronized power + water supply) + triple circuit protection"—is more suitable.
2. When Looking at Parameters, Which Are "Must-Check Hard Indicators" and Which Are "Gimmick Parameters"?
Many people are confused by "high parameters" when selecting equipment, but in fact, you only need to focus on 4 must-check hard indicators; other irrelevant parameters can be ignored:
Must-Check Hard Indicators:
Power Supply Stability: Focus on "continuous output power" (it must match the drone's power consumption—e.g., if the drone consumes 300W, the system needs ≥350W redundancy) and "voltage fluctuation range" (≤±5% to avoid equipment damage from unstable voltage).
Cable Performance: Do not only look at length (it only needs to meet the operation height; there’s no need to blindly choose ultra-long cables). More importantly, check "tensile strength" (≥500kg for high-altitude operations) and "wear resistance level" (outdoor operations require UV resistance and anti-aging, with a service life of ≥3 years).
Safety Response Speed: The trigger time for automatic return after power failure must be ≤1 second, and the response time of the base station alarm system (overload, short circuit) must be ≤0.5 seconds to avoid risks caused by delays.
Deployment Time: For commercial scenarios (e.g., shopping malls, business districts), choose a system that can be "quickly deployed within 10 minutes" to avoid affecting surrounding operations due to long setup times. Traditional systems requiring more than 30 minutes of deployment are more suitable for industrial enclosed scenarios.
Gimmick Parameters (Can Be Ignored):
"Oversized Display": The size of the base station display is irrelevant to core performance; it only needs to clearly show power supply status and cable tension.
"Multi-Device Connection Count": If only operating a single drone, there’s no need to pursue "support for connecting more than 5 devices"—this will only increase system complexity.
"Redundant Function Stacking": For example, an indoor operation system with "Level 10 wind resistance" is an unnecessary parameter that also increases costs.
3. How to Determine Whether the Safety Protection of a Tether System Is Truly Reliable, Rather Than Just Empty Promises?
Safety cannot be judged solely by promotions; it needs to be verified from two aspects: "design principle + actual test data":
Check Whether the Protection Mechanism Is "Multi-Layer Redundant":
Basic Protection: Whether it has "overvoltage, overcurrent, short circuit" triple circuit protection—this is the bottom line to prevent equipment burnout.
Advanced Protection: For high-altitude operations, additional "cable tension monitoring" (automatic cable retraction when tension exceeds the threshold) and "drone attitude anomaly correction" (automatic adjustment when tilt angle exceeds 15°) are required.
Emergency Protection: It must have a "backup power supply" (power to support the drone’s return after power failure, with a minimum endurance of ≥5 minutes), and the base station must have "anti-tipping fixing devices" (e.g., counterweights, ground anchors).
Demand "Actual Test Data" Rather Than "Theoretical Data":
Ask the manufacturer for "third-party test reports," such as "actual test videos of return after power failure," "cable tensile fracture test data," and "operation stability reports in high and low temperature environments (-10℃~45℃)." Avoid relying solely on "ideal environment data" provided by the manufacturer itself.
Check Actual Application Cases:
Prioritize brands with "practical cases in similar scenarios," such as the number of cases used for "over-100-meter building cleaning" or "operations in crowded areas." If the manufacturer can provide more than 3 cases with stable operation for over 1 year, its safety and reliability are more guaranteed.
4. When on a Limited Budget, Which "Functions" Should Be Sacrificed First, and Which "Core Performances" Should Be Maintained?
When on a limited budget, follow the principle of "no compromise on safety, no reduction in core functions, and elimination of non-essential functions":
Must Maintain: Power supply stability (sufficient continuous output power), safety protection (automatic return after power failure + cable tensile strength), and basic environmental adaptability (Level 6 wind resistance + IP65 waterproof).
Can Be Sacrificed:
Non-essential "intelligent auxiliary functions" (e.g., automatic cleaning path planning—manual operation is sufficient if the operation area is fixed).
"Comfort functions" such as oversized displays and multi-language interfaces.
"Redundant performance" beyond needs (e.g., for an operation height of 50 meters, an 80-meter cable is sufficient; there’s no need to choose a 150-meter one).
Example: For a building cleaning project with a limited budget, "automatic path planning" can be sacrificed, but the three core points of "8 hours of continuous power supply + 500kg cable tensile strength + 10-minute deployment" must be maintained.
5. After Selecting the Equipment, What "Hidden Costs" Need to Be Considered in Advance?
Many people only calculate the equipment purchase price and ignore subsequent hidden costs, leading to total investment exceeding the budget. Focus on three points in advance:
Maintenance Costs: Clarify the "replacement cycle and unit price of vulnerable parts (cables, connectors)." For example, if a cable needs to be replaced annually at a unit price of 2,000 yuan, the cost over 3 years will be 6,000 yuan—this must be included in the total cost.
Training Costs: Is additional payment required for operation training? Prioritize brands that provide "free on-site training (1-2 times) + video versions of operation manuals" to avoid subsequent training expenses.
After-Sales Response Speed: Clarify the "after-sales maintenance time limit." For commercial scenarios, if the equipment malfunctions, it must ensure "response within 24 hours and on-site service within 48 hours (in first-tier cities)"; otherwise, a one-day shutdown will result in lost operation income.
Conclusion: The core of choosing a drone tether system is "demand matching + safety first + cost control." Do not blindly pursue parameters or cheap prices, nor be misled by gimmick functions. First, identify the core pain points of your scenario, then screen based on hard indicators, and finally evaluate after-sales services and hidden costs—this way, you can select "practical and reliable" equipment.