If you know a few basics about drone batteries — like the types, connectors, and key specs — it becomes much easier to pick the right one for your drone.

Types of Drone Batteries

There are a few types of batteries commonly used in drones:

• Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries
• Cylindrical lithium-ion batteries
• Lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries
• Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries

Which one you need mainly depends on the type of drone you’re using.
For drones that aren’t super picky about weight or power output, you might see standard 18650 lithium-ion batteries or even NiMH batteries being used.
But these days, most drones run on soft-pack LiPo batteries.
That’s because LiPo batteries are lighter, pack more energy, offer bigger capacity, and can handle high discharge rates — perfect for fast, exciting drone flying!

Drone Battery Wires and Connectors

Drone batteries come with different wires and connectors, depending on how much power they need to deliver.
Common wire sizes include 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, and 22 AWG (basically, the thickness of the wire).
The connector type depends on the current you need. Two popular ones are XT60 and T-plug connectors.

• XT60: Highly recommended! It can handle around 60 amps of current.
• T-plug: Shaped like the letter T, and usually supports up to 20 amps.

If you’re not sure, XT60 is usually safe bet.

Key Specs for Drone Batteries

When picking drone battery, keep eye on a few important numbers:

• Capacity
• Voltage
• Discharge rate (how much current it can safely deliver)
• How the battery cells are wired together (series or parallel)

Once you understand these, choosing the right battery becomes much easier — especially if you’re into building or tweaking your own drones.
Generally, you want battery that offers high capacity, can handle high current, and stays as small and light as possible.A good choice for performance would be high C-rate LiPo battery.

Storing Drone Batteries

When you’re not using your batteries, store them somewhere dry and well-ventilated.
Lithium batteries naturally lose charge over time, and heat or humidity can speed that up.
Try to keep them at temperature between -10°C and 45°C (14°F to 113°F).

If you’re storing them for long time (like more than 3 months), aim for a place around 23°C (73°F) with about 65% humidity.
Also, give them recharge every three months to prevent the battery from draining too low, which can cause permanent damage.