Keep in mind that those two 3" prop suggestions are VERY fragile, the Avan 3" has an extremely thin blade material which will bend/crease badly in most crashes and then the HQ 3x3x3 will break entire blades off during crashes since it's very weak at the hub. Adding durability in real life crashes over years and years and years of testing all of these into the data that Chris is presenting here, the best 3" options IMO are the Gemfan 3052 for 250 - 300 gram builds and the Dal Cyclone 3028 for 200 - 250 gram builds.

you missed the HQProp T3.5X2.5X3 - my favorite one.

The vibration diagram is interesting. However, I don't think comparing all props at same thrust is fair, since these props cover completely differently scenarios. The weight of 3 inch drones can vary from 50g to 400g (or even more?), so the different props produce different thrust under their normal working conditions (hover / 20degree forward flight). However, the graph measures these props at 200gF thrust. For a light setup (a 100g AUW toothpick) using GemFan Hurricane 3016-3 prop, that means 800gF total thrust which provides **8g** acceleration, which is almost full throttle for a light drone. That also means this prop is spinning at way higher rpms than other heavier props, which causes other issues (the tip could be spinning at near sound speed causing even more vibration). So this comparison just doesn't reflect the working condition of this prop. Maybe it would be better to normalize the result based on pitch & diameter of the props, at same **tip speed**, say, 100m/s? Or maybe just provide a vibration - thrust graph, that way it would be easier to compare props at any desired thrust, since it just doesn't make sense to normalize the results and try to compare props for light toothpicks with props designed for heavier freestyle/racing/cinematic quads

Hello Chris! Now that I've been binging your empirical test of FPV theories, may I pitch an idea for your next series? I'm curious to know how different duct approaches affect performance. Duct features like low profile, straight profile, variable geometry, low prop tolerance, extended inlet bell, extended exhaust, stator vanes, or the combinations of these. See how they affect the performance in various parameters. Evaluate whatever the improved performance is worth the added weight. Will happily elaborate the full idea and help you further if you're interested. What do you think?

Wow what a difference in vibrations between props!! Amazing work

Avan mini has been my go to prop for years! no mater which prop I use this one always gives me the smoothest flight feel while being quiet and exactly as you show here the least vibrations as long as the props aren't bent. but its not the most efficient. Ive gotta check out these 3.5 versions now :D Thanks for the work you do here very interesting and good data

As already mentioned by another viewer sad too, the HQ 3.5 2.5 3 was not included as I have them on the AOS 3.5 O3 as on KZfaq I found a test where that prop outperformed all other 3.5 props in overall performance. Would you like to have a look at them too? Totally love your videos on tuning and the AOS 3.5 makes me not want to switch to 5 inch my other guys fly as this thing with 750mah is 249 grams and blasts me away in how smooth and agile it can freestyle ❤

I've actually just mounted a set of the HQ T3x3x3's on my Diatone Roma L3 build, and could both hear and feel the difference from my old 3x2,4x3 props. They are super smooth, has great power Flew them in 12m/s winds and still had plenty power to bail me out of problems :D Great prop !

It’s always pleasure to watch your sci-fpv researches. Going to order 3x3x3 😊

Intresnting why you not testing hq3525?

You left out the HQ 3.5x2.5x3 prop which would have been a more comparable version to the Gemfan

Could you do a test on what the best 6 inch props are?

Great video, been waiting for this. I would be interested to see how the DJI avata props compare.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do a 2" and 2.5" comparison!

Avan mini have fit problem to some 1404 motors. But these are good 3" props.

excelent vid bro!!!

You beautiful mind. I love this test. Thanks for the chats about my AOS 3.5 questions. I basically built & tuned the whole thing with all of your part recommendations and new presets. It's my snappiest-flying quad. BTW, GNB yellow 350mah 4s batteries did work well- short flight time but lightest 4s I could find. I run larger ones too but I wanted to see how shaving 20 more grams would fly.

I've been racing a 3" indoors all winter. Lots of concrete. Tried quite a few of these and some of them (especially the emax props) just explode on impact. I stuck with the Dal 3028 as they are very durable and perform good enough for me...

Great video! would be really interesting to see same but on 4" props.

Where is HQ 3525? I think they are the best props. Emax are too much flexible

First and just the info I wanted Chris. Cheers.

I'm surprised you didn't test the HQ 3.5x2x2.

Ordered GF hurricane 3525 two days before this video came out, since I heard good things about them for a 3.5" 👌

Very nice RecursionLabs would concur ^^

can't wait till the part 2 video as I havea CineBot 30 (3")

I'm a bit sad you didn't include the HQ T3.5x2.5x3, since those are the ones that come with the BNF from iFlight.

I just build a aos 3.5 with 1604 motors a few days ago. Im using the gemfan 3525 props happy that i took the right decision. Even without tuning it fly's beautifull on betaflight 4.3.1 defaults. Thanks Chris! I will tune it on betaflight 4.4 this weekend after I saw your tuning video.

Hey great video! I love the 3inch GF wind dancer on my whoop. Be great to see where these all stack up wrt weight. The WD seemed really light, in fact I find GF tend to be light. Might this account for better efficiency for same sized / pitch props?

I like those T3x3x3 props. Very durable. I also like the GF Windancers. Those Avan Minis are hard to find in the EU.

I would have liked to see more 2 blade testing. The gemfan 3018-2 is the most efficient toothpick prop I have been able to find.

i cant fully agree to the theory of pushing. the other theorie is, that the props are pulling themselves with the quad up. there will be always the frame in the way in the pressured area of the air. BUT the other theory says, that the lower pressure air in front of the prop is more affected in a bad way if there is something in front of the prop. SO i think it is better for this type of test mounting the prop the other way. otherwise you will add to your test the ability how good can the prop fetch the air around an obstacle direct in front of it. there was a industry project in germany which some professors made in the 90´s. dont remember the names, but some germans built a pusher prop system out of it and it was great. the idea was alining the air around a fuselage to the prop in the back. the only downside was the high volume and annoying sound. :-) much too loud. i also use the hq 3x3x3 and the 3x2,5x3 on my tadpole. it is way more quiet, but i have more jello in video as i had with 2 blades before. flight time is around the same, 3-5 minutes. but 2 blades are about 2 times or more noisier.. ? huge difference

thanks, very interesting as always! quick question on the set-up: since you have a regulated power supply anyway, couldn't you run the motor from that too? or, in other words, why use the 4S battery? thanks, just curious (and probably not very knowledgeable)

have you tested the hurricane 3630? they should fit on most frames. and maybe you could test some motors for 3 to 4 inch quads?:)

Very interesting comparison of scientific data 👍. I've tried the 3 3.5" props and feelwise (absolutely not scientific) the 3.5 Avan Scimitar are very brittle and break with the slightest crash plus they imo feel / hover or maintaining level flight is hardest with them. The GF are somehow in-between and I today only use the HQ 3x2x3 or HQ 3x2.5x3 as they are sturdy, low noise and I can fly them more precise than the other two. (flying with 4S 3.5" HD quads between 240 - 280 gramms / 1404 3800kv - 1504.5 3950kv motors)

I really like the emax 3.5” Avan Scimitars ! Not sure how much I like the 5” Scimitars though…Will you be testing these??

would these 3.5 inch props work on the protek35 without any problems?

can i use the open props on 3.5inch cinewhoop? like the cinelog35

What about 4 or 5 or 6 bladed props for a Rotor riot Skylite in 3 inches for the ducts

This is some great info. Would love to see a 40mm comparison. There has been so many updates in the last 2 years

Fantastic testing, Chris! Thanks a bunch! 😊 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

What about efficiency at speed? From my experience, as well as ecalc results, a steeper pitch can yield lower power consumption over a distance traveled. For this reason, a prop that gives the longest hover duration is not necessarily the best option for flying a given distance.

I have an aos t3 with 1204 8000kv on 2s. gemfan hurricane 3016-3 needs ~12a. my esc is 12a. i want more top speed. i know the 2-blade is what i want, but i ask myself if a HQ 3x3x2 with motor output limit will give me more speed than hurricane 3018-2 without. what output limit would you choose to not blow the esc?

Has anyone used the hq 3.5x2.2x2 biblade props? I run gemfan 3018 biblades and thinking abiut moving up to 3.5, it is the only biblade option.

Hi, for best 3.5 props suggestions, what size motors you think suit the best? Plz let me know. Currently I fly my geprc Smart35 frame with 1404 3750kv on 4s with Hq Prop 3.5 inch and 2 pitch. I feel it’s a little slow.

Why not go to 4" for efficiency?

Interesting...., but only for hovering performance.

You forgot the best 3inch off all times gemfan 3035 bn

3545 or 3550

What about the best prop for cinewhoop 3inch and 3.5inch?

The prop is too close to the stand to provide accurate measurements. The performance of a prop doesn't matter if it can't handle the environment. EMAX Avan Scimitar shatters like thin glass if it touches the softest blade of grass.

1st❤

i literally could not watch this.. your mic was picking up literally every noise your mouth made as you spoke and it annoyed the crap out of me..