# Octocopter (flat)

> Why use eight motors?

- Category: Drone design › Drone frame layouts
- Kind: Standard part
- Basis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio
- Page: https://xemstudio.com/objects/octocopter/ · JSON: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=octocopter · Plain text: https://xemstudio.com/objects/octocopter/sheet.txt
- License: dimension sheet CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio); files Xem Studio Design License (free to use and sell from, not to redistribute as files: https://xemstudio.com/license/)
- Use in every chat: add https://xemstudio.com/mcp as a connector (https://xemstudio.com/use-with-ai/)

**Exact dimensions.** True size, with no printing tolerance added.

## Notes

- Eight motors in one plane give more lift and redundancy than a hex, for heavy filming rigs, but draw more current and cost more (Oscar Liang). It tolerates a failed motor if enough thrust remains (r/multicopter wiki).
- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above (Illustrative heavy-lift frame.). Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.

## Sizes

| parameter | value or range | source |
|---|---|---|
| Motors | 8, four CW/CCW pairs | Oscar Liang |

## Where the files are

- Oscar Liang: [Types of multicopter](https://oscarliang.com/types-of-multicopter) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- r/multicopter wiki (mirror): [Anatomy of a Multicopter](https://r.datuan.dev/r/multicopter/wiki/anatomy) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts

## Free STEP/STL (1 parts, Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio)

Index: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/octocopter/index.json · license: https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/octocopter/LICENSE.md

- octocopter-layout: [STEP](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/octocopter/octocopter-layout.step) · [STL](https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/octocopter/octocopter-layout.stl) — octo frame layout: 800 mm motor-to-motor diagonal, 15 in props (discs show the swept area; arms and plate illustrative)

## Questions

**Battery?**

May need several (Oscar Liang).

## Fits with

- [True X quad frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/true-x-frame/)
- [Stretched X frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/stretched-x-frame/)
- [Squashed (wide) X frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/squashed-x-frame/)
- [Hybrid X frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/hybrid-x-frame/)
- [Deadcat frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/deadcat-frame/)
- [H frame](https://xemstudio.com/objects/h-frame/)