When FPV pilots talk about battery performance, the first number they look at is usually mAh. But the number that actually decides how a drone punches, recovers, and delivers power under load is the C rating.
And here’s the truth the industry rarely says out loud:
Most C ratings on the market are exaggerated — sometimes by 2× to 4×.
Some packs labeled “150C” barely perform like a real 60–70C cell.
This article explains the difference between real and fake C ratings, how manufacturers calculate them, and how pilots can identify genuine high-performance packs.
1. What Is C Rating, Really?
Simply put:
C rating = Discharge capability.
It tells you how much current a pack can safely deliver without collapsing voltage or damaging the cell.
Formula:
Max Continuous Current = Capacity × C Rating
Example:
1300mAh (1.3Ah) × 100C = 130A continuous
But here’s the key:
The industry has no universal “policing system” for C rating.
Brands can print any number they want.
Which leads us to the real problem…
2. Why Fake C Ratings Exist
Three main reasons:
① Marketing pressure
If one brand prints “150C,” competitors feel forced to print “200C” — even if the chemistry can’t support it.
② No standardized testing
Unlike automotive or aviation batteries, hobby LiPo packs have no official standard for how C rating should be tested.
Every factory can choose its own method.
③ Most brands don’t make their own cells
They buy cells from traders → assemble packs → print labels.
Since they don’t control the cell chemistry,
they can’t provide real test data — so they rely on numbers that “sell.”
3. So What Is a Real C Rating?
A real C rating reflects true, stable discharge performance tested at the cell level.
A real high-C cell must maintain:
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Low internal resistance (IR)
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Stable voltage under high load
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Safe temperature increase (< 80°C on full load)
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Consistent performance across batches
Here is the industry truth:
True 120C = Very rare
Only a few factories in the world can produce cells with real 120C continuous ability.
True 150C = Almost impossible without advanced cell chemistry
If a pack says 150C but weighs unusually little,
it’s 99% marketing.
4. How Fake C Ratings Are Made
Most exaggerated C ratings come from tricks like:
Testing at unrealistic short bursts (0.1 sec spikes)
Then printing the number as “continuous.”
Testing a single hand-selected cell
Not mass-production cells.
Using a calculation instead of real power load testing
Reducing battery weight on purpose
Less active material = lower real C rating.
Many “200C” packs weigh the same as a real 90–120C pack —
chemically impossible.
5. How to Identify Real vs Fake C Ratings (Pilot Guide)
① Look at weight
This is the easiest method.
More active material = more discharge capability.
If a battery is suspiciously light, it cannot be high-C.
Example:
A true 6S 1300mAh 120C pack is normally 220–240g.
If you see “150C” at 190g, it’s fake.
② Look at voltage sag
Real high-C packs stay above 3.5V per cell under punch-out.
Fake high-C packs drop to 3.0–3.2V instantly.
③ Check temperature
After a full-throttle flight:
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Real high-C: Warm / controlled heat
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Fake high-C: Too hot to touch
④ See if the brand controls the whole production
Brands that don’t make their own cells
cannot guarantee real C ratings.
Factories that control:
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cell design
-
mixing
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stacking
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injection
-
formation
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matching
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final pack assembly
→ These brands provide the real numbers.
6. Why NewYenk Uses Real C Ratings
At NewYenk, we control every step from cell chemistry to final pack assembly in our own production bases.
This allows us to offer:
✔ Real C rating data
✔ Consistent batch performance
✔ No fake marketing numbers
✔ Transparent testing videos
✔ Packs tuned specifically for FPV load profiles
We don't chase the highest number on a label —
we chase real-world performance that pilots can feel.
7. The Future: Why the Industry Must Move Toward Real Ratings
As FPV drones become faster, heavier, and more demanding, fake C ratings cause:
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premature battery death
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cell swelling
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voltage collapse mid-air
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dangerous thermal events
Pilots deserve true specifications, not marketing.
Factories like ours are pushing for a future where C rating is based on standardized, repeatable testing, so pilots can compare packs honestly.
Conclusion
Fake C ratings have confused the FPV industry for years.
But experienced pilots know:
You can’t cheat chemistry — real performance shows in weight, voltage sag, heat, and consistency.
High-C LiPo packs are not defined by labels,
but by real-world load performance.
NewYenk will continue delivering real data, real testing, and real C ratings —
because FPV power should be based on truth, not hype.