This is the issue with off-the-shelf products like the Mavic. Preventive maintenance is rather limited as you for one can't really get under the hood of the thing, and second, even if you did, there isn't much you can do.
The problem with a multirotor is that basically every single component is a single-point-of-failure. Meaning, that if you lose a blade on a prop, you crash. Lose an ESC, you crash, lose a motor.. you get the picture. But there isn't much you can really do for these things, that you aren't doing already. You're checking your props, which is a good thing - since props are probably the most common failure mode on the aircraft. But you can't diagnose your ESCs, you can't check the main board, and checking the motors is limited to checking if they spin smoothly.
The story is completely different with a fixed-wing, where much of the components are mechanical.
But however, there are a few things I do - but these are minor. Mostly, they're about keeping the electronics from failing, which would most likely be from two things; moisture and vibration.
-In general, keep the thing clean. Wipe it down if it gets dirty.
-Get some canned air and blow it clean carefully. Keep dirt out of the swing arm joint. Get the dirt out of the innards and keep the air intake (in the front, behind the gimbal/camera assembly) clean also.
-Don't get it wet (duh
)
-Don't fly in the fog / clouds
-Always have spare props nearby
-Change the props out of you notice any notches in them. This is for two reasons. One being that a notch can turn into a crack during fatigue loading, two being that a prop out of balance will send vibrations through the motor (wearing the shaft/housing fit or bearing, if there's one) and into the frame - and finally, into the electronics. Failure of a solder joint will not look good for the remaining aircraft.
-Batteries: Keep an eye on the longevity of your batteries. How many cycles they've had and how they're doing with regards to flight time. Unless you've been really cruel to them, they will wear out gradually. This is fine, completely normal for a Li-Ion battery. Hoever, as they get worn out, they will typically get voltage sag. This means that when unloaded (or during light load) the battery will display a 'normal' voltage. However, if your flight style changes (or you fly into headwind, going home again), the voltage will drop drastrically. This can cause confusion as your indicated remaining battery percentage is calculated from the voltage. So if you fly out and turn back around at 60% battery, you could see a 20% drop after heading into head wind. I guess the general advise is to keep focus on how used your batteries are - and planning your flying accordingly - just in case.
BR Peter
