Textbook on the course"'Electric drive and automation of general industrial mechanisms". Edition. IEA. 1998. The analysis of static loads of crane mechanisms is carried out, the features of dynamic loads are revealed, the influence of these loads on the requirements for electric drives is determined. Requirements for the mechanical characteristics of electric cranes. Typical systems of crane electric drives are described, examples of principle schemes. are given. The influence of pendulum fluctuations of cargo on the operation of cranes is considered, various ways of calming fluctuations are described.