Mavic age of retirement

[Gray_seagull]

I’ve had my Mavic pro for about six months now and I have flown 32 hours. Recently I have noticed some minor errors here and there and I assumed that it was because of the firmware updates but I have been thinking especially after the last error which was about if I remember Correctly motor speed error. I am starting to wonder if we will ever reach and exceed 100 flight hours or Send the Mavic to retirement earlier than that. I am worried that the Mavic will reach a certain point where it cannot handle the stresses and wear n tear then the catastrophic fall from the sky will be inevitable. How can I safely determine that my Mavis had enough and send it retirement?

 

[Oingo Boingo]

32 hours ???? Ur drone is but a baby chick. I've flown close on 154 hours with mine and I just do basic maintenance at certain intervals. I can recommend u use something like AirdataUAV to monitor the drone. It reports even the slightest deviance in the drone from battery voltages per cell to temperatures. Even recommends ur service intervals for both drone and batteries

 

[Gray_seagull]

32 hours ???? Ur drone is but a baby chick. I've flown close on 154 hours with mine and I just do basic maintenance at certain intervals. I can recommend u use something like AirdataUAV to monitor the drone. It reports even the slightest deviance in the drone from battery voltages per cell to temperatures. Even recommends ur service intervals for both drone and batteries

A 154 hours woooow.
And I thought my MP is getting motor arthritis by now.
This AirdataUAV site will monitor the drone current condition but can it detect motor fatigue signs?

 

[cderoche]

Refer to this thread, and I'll re-post some data from it here as well.... "Logger" has flown nearly 500 miles, when I get home I'll check my ipad / DJI Go 4 and see what I have so far, probably no where near this yet... but I do know its way more than a million feet and some of my data isn't logged. Still original props on it, and I bought 4 battery packs switching between them between uses.

 

[Gray_seagull]

Refer to this thread, and I'll re-post some data from it here as well.... "Logger" has flown nearly 500 miles, when I get home I'll check my ipad / DJI Go 4 and see what I have so far, probably no where near this yet... but I do know its way more than a million feet and some of my data isn't logged. Still original props on it, and I bought 4 battery packs switching between them between uses.

Man that's a lot of flying. I have gone thru the thread you mentioned and I'm pretty amazed. Such a wonderful quadcopter design. Two things that caught my attention, Salt air and batteries storage method. I live by the beach and fly mostly over the sea. I don't know if that will have any effect on the MP. I also charge my batteries at night after use during the day. I want to be ready for flying next day. I take my MP with every where I go just in case I see something worth filming.
I guess I can comfortably say that with proper handling and care I can keep it till the dji introduces Mavic pro 2

 

[The Fat Controller]

Depends on whether you are one of those people who is always wanting the latest and best, constantly upgrading, or whether, like me, you're one of those people that buys new and keeps using things until they just won't work any more. Each has its merits. Personally I wouldn't retire it until it won't fly.

 

[Robert Mitchell]

I've been a technician most of my life and was a USAF crewchief.

You did mention motor speed error. Spin your motors carefully, one by one and listen to any change of pitch. If you continue getting the error, track it down and definitely have that motor replaced.

As far as mechanical durability, the only moving parts in the Mavic are the motors, internal fans, and gimbal. The motors should be occasionally checked for smooth spin etc. but would begin to throw errors if starting to go. At that point they can easily be replaced.

The electronics are probably as robust as anything out there, so barring a manufacturing defect (which would probably appear early in its life), they tend to last indefinitely.

Batteries are obvious, but closely monitored by the system.

So for the most part, we probably aren't going to be experiencing sudden or unexpected age related catastrophic failures in machines that have been treated correctly and paid attention to.

 

[pixl]

Your Mavic still has that new-drone smell! I've put 35 hours on mine in a little over a month, and I expect that number will be 250 or so in another year. I have no reason to expect any significant wear except batteries during that time, based on my experience with other DJI drones.

 

[jerryflah]

all this is good news to me!!
keep flyn

 

[pixl]

That said, I expect the next version of the Mavic will have a better camera. I don't expect any big changes to the airframe -- it's so well designed I really couldn't ask for improvements. But if you find yourself hoping for better pictures/video, you may retire your existing one long before it's worn out.

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

the last error which was about if I remember Correctly motor speed error.

That's a very common "error", esp. in Sport Mode, but I sometimes get it in "P" mode as well. The best way to avoid this is to NOT push both sticks full forward at the same time: either back off the throttle or the pitch stick (or both) a bit and that error should not appear.

If you push it too long, sometimes it can go into an "overcurrent" error and will hover until it recovers. That's a real pucker moment.

So that motor error doesn't mean your motors' lives are nearing an end. It just means you are pushing the Mavic too hard. You should get many years out of those motors. Heck, they may even be on the Mavic 3 Pro+ Limited Palladium Edition by the time those motors STB.

Unless there's an obvious problem with a motor or avionics, it's really the battery life you need to be concerned about. Like others stated, keep an eye on that for irregularities. Those will "wear out" much faster than the motors.

 

[Gray_seagull]

Depends on whether you are one of those people who is always wanting the latest and best, constantly upgrading, or whether, like me, you're one of those people that buys new and keeps using things until they just won't work any more. Each has its merits. Personally I wouldn't retire it until it won't fly.

Indeed I am one of those people, I replace my iPhone and Samsung mobiles as soon as new ones are released in addition to many other gadgets. but drones are my newest thing. I remember before looking at dji old phantom drones in shopping centers and thinking how complicated they must be till I saw the Mavic and that was love at first sight. Now I became a Mavic addict. I can't see myself having fun in the outdoors without it. I am even planning to buy small hand carry generator to charge my four batteries.

 

[Gray_seagull]

I've been a technician most of my life and was a USAF crewchief.

You did mention motor speed error. Spin your motors carefully, one by one and listen to any change of pitch. If you continue getting the error, track it down and definitely have that motor replaced.

As far as mechanical durability, the only moving parts in the Mavic are the motors, internal fans, and gimbal. The motors should be occasionally checked for smooth spin etc. but would begin to throw errors if starting to go. At that point they can easily be replaced.

The electronics are probably as robust as anything out there, so barring a manufacturing defect (which would probably appear early in its life), they tend to last indefinitely.

Batteries are obvious, but closely monitored by the system.

So for the most part, we probably aren't going to be experiencing sudden or unexpected age related catastrophic failures in machines that have been treated correctly and paid attention to.

Thanks for the advice, I just did what you said spinning all motors an thank God no change in pitch. I will fly it today and see if I get that error again

 

[Gray_seagull]

That said, I expect the next version of the Mavic will have a better camera. I don't expect any big changes to the airframe -- it's so well designed I really couldn't ask for improvements. But if you find yourself hoping for better pictures/video, you may retire your existing one long before it's worn out.

I agree

 

[Gray_seagull]

That's a very common "error", esp. in Sport Mode, but I sometimes get it in "P" mode as well. The best way to avoid this is to NOT push both sticks full forward at the same time: either back off the throttle or the pitch stick (or both) a bit and that error should not appear.

If you push it too long, sometimes it can go into an "overcurrent" error and will hover until it recovers. That's a real pucker moment.

So that motor error doesn't mean your motors' lives are nearing an end. It just means you are pushing the Mavic too hard. You should get many years out of those motors. Heck, they may even be on the Mavic 3 Pro+ Limited Palladium Edition by the time those motors STB.

Unless there's an obvious problem with a motor or avionics, it's really the battery life you need to be concerned about. Like others stated, keep an eye on that for irregularities. Those will "wear out" much faster than the motors.

Yes I did that in sport mode. It could be the reason. I am going to fly it today and will see if I get this error again

 

[The Fat Controller]

Indeed I am one of those people, I replace my iPhone and Samsung mobiles as soon as new ones are released in addition to many other gadgets. but drones are my newest thing. I remember before looking at dji old phantom drones in shopping centers and thinking how complicated they must be till I saw the Mavic and that was love at first sight. Now I became a Mavic addict. I can't see myself having fun in the outdoors without it. I am even planning to buy small hand carry generator to charge my four batteries.

I was intending to buy a Phantom 4 and came across the Mavic while doing my research. I know the camera isn't as good, but I'm a hobby photographer, not a pro, and it was the portability of the Mavic that swung my decision. As you say, love at first sight.

 

[Kestrel]

Mine has 38 hours on it, the problem isn't the age of retirement the problem is finding new places to fly and trying to stay relevant, I can only take so many videos of the same spots.. Luckily i'm moving out of state at the end of this month so i'll have some new spots.

 

[pixl]

Mine has 38 hours on it, the problem isn't the age of retirement the problem is finding new places to fly and trying to stay relevant, I can only take so many videos of the same spots.. Luckily i'm moving out of state at the end of this month so i'll have some new spots.

I travel to fly mine -- I almost never fly near home. So half the fun is researching new areas, plotting where the sun will be, what will be the interest on the ground. If I only flew at home I'd probably be bored by now.

 

[Kestrel]

I travel to fly mine -- I almost never fly near home. So half the fun is researching new areas, plotting where the sun will be, what will be the interest on the ground. If I only flew at home I'd probably be bored by now.

I live in South Dakota to go any where other than local means traveling 250 miles east or 140 miles west. there is literally nothing in between. And I can't afford the gas money or the time to do that every time I want to fly.

 

[pixl]

I live in South Dakota to go any where other than local means traveling 250 miles east or 140 miles west. there is literally nothing in between. And I can't afford the gas money or the time to do that every time I want to fly.

Hmm, well, not to be competitive....but I live near Toronto, Canada. I'm in Thailand now. I was in Vietnam 3 weeks ago, and I'll be in Los Angeles next week.

Perhaps getting a lot of use out of it suits some lifestyles better than others.