[Pdelcast]

Well, my $.02:

There are electromagnet-electromagnet motors today -- just open up a plug-in hand drill and you'll see one. They need a lot of cooling because they just aren't all that efficient (double the I^2R losses.)

Induction motors are great, and can be very efficient, but they are expensive to control, and don't scale DOWN very well -- and they are VERY heavy compared to DC brushless (which is really a three phase AC permanent magnet motor) for the same power output. And they don't scale well for high RPM applications -- the rotor losses get really high at high RPMs.

So for the hobby, and for any application where highest power to weight ratio is required, you just can't beat a DC brushless motor.


Patrick