Crash damage to MAS props after hitting tree at 22 MPH

[iowahill]

The crash of my MP1 into an old pine tree 65' up and at 22 MPH during an autonomous Litchi mapping mission is fodder for another thread WITH video of the flight and collision. But the eventual recovery of the bird in heavy and steep forest after three days of searching is yet another. Needle in a haystack? Try a needle in a forest!

After recovery and surveying the damage of my Mavic Pro NONE was found to the MP1 itself but only to the Master Airscrew props, and even they are still flyable as-is. I'm convinced that had I been using the stock or platinum DJI props I would have found far more damage. Watching the video at the end where it contacts the tree and crashes through branches on the way down before landing right-side up causes one's pulse to race and a choking sensation for those who know the feeling!

Here are pics of the top and under sides of the prop set. The arrows on the top indicate cracks, and leading edge tip damage to one suggest that was the first point of contact with the tree. Even more amazing is about 3 minutes into the 4 1/2 minute video the bird flies THROUGH a tree branch! That may be the source of the black marks on the underside of one blade, though I'm more inclined to think that it came from the initial collision.

In short, the MAS props will always be my go-to choice.

 

[msinger]

After recovery and surveying the damage of my Mavic Pro NONE was found to the MP1 itself but only to the Master Airscrew props, and even they are still flyable as-is

Be careful flying with damaged props (no matter the brand). There's no telling what kind of damage that crash did to the hubs on the props. It would be a shame if you kept using them and lost a prop mid-flight due to a damaged hub.

 

[iowahill]

Be careful flying with damaged props (no matter the brand). There's no telling what kind of damage that crash did to the hubs on the props. It would be a shame if you kept using them and lost a prop mid-flight due to a damaged hub.

No, I have no intention of using them other than to demonstrate at low altitude that they remain intact after what I consider a major event. I broke a few stock DJI props in my earlier days of attempting to master the controls because of comparative brittleness. I think had the props been DJI that I'd have found one or more bare prop hubs and a scattering of blades around the base of the tree!

 

[old man mavic]

The crash of my MP1 into an old pine tree 65' up and at 22 MPH during an autonomous Litchi mapping mission is fodder for another thread WITH video of the flight and collision. But the eventual recovery of the bird in heavy and steep forest after three days of searching is yet another. Needle in a haystack? Try a needle in a forest!

After recovery and surveying the damage of my Mavic Pro NONE was found to the MP1 itself but only to the Master Airscrew props, and even they are still flyable as-is. I'm convinced that had I been using the stock or platinum DJI props I would have found far more damage. Watching the video at the end where it contacts the tree and crashes through branches on the way down before landing right-side up causes one's pulse to race and a choking sensation for those who know the feeling!

Here are pics of the top and under sides of the prop set. The arrows on the top indicate cracks, and leading edge tip damage to one suggest that was the first point of contact with the tree. Even more amazing is about 3 minutes into the 4 1/2 minute video the bird flies THROUGH a tree branch! That may be the source of the black marks on the underside of one blade, though I'm more inclined to think that it came from the initial collision.

In short, the MAS props will always be my go-to choice.

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msinger is correct you may not have any damage to the structure of the mav but what about the motors and speed controllers from the sudden abrupt stop on impact with the tree hopefully no damage was caused to these parts but i do not think that having MAS props as good as they are, as opposed to DJI ones would not have affected the out come of the crash other than the fact that the original props would have bent and maybe suffered more damage which is probably the way the were made to do just my take on things

 

[iowahill]

msinger is correct you may not have any damage to the structure of the mav but what about the motors and speed controllers from the sudden abrupt stop on impact with the tree hopefully no damage was caused to these parts but i do not think that having MAS props as good as they are, as opposed to DJI ones would not have affected the out come of the crash other than the fact that the original props would have bent and maybe suffered more damage which is probably the way the were made to do just my take on things

All with the bird seems fine, though I did an IMU calibration to ensure sensors were centered and operational. Hitting the outer branches seemed to have slowed the bird, then falling through them eased the unplanned landing. It wasn't like hitting a wall or other solid.

And I should point out that the bird was flying sideways as the camera was always pointing north during the planned flight. I doubt that collision avoidance would have helped any as the flight mission had a programmed AGL height that I underestimated. Entirely my fault, but a lesson learned and an experience experienced!

 

[old man mavic]

All with the bird seems fine, though I did an IMU calibration to ensure sensors were centered and operational. Hitting the outer branches seemed to have slowed the bird, then falling through them eased the unplanned landing. It wasn't like hitting a wall or other solid.

And I should point out that the bird was flying sideways as the camera was always pointing north during the planned flight. I doubt that collision avoidance would have helped any as the flight mission had a programmed AGL height that I underestimated. Entirely my fault, but a lesson learned and an experience experienced!

glad it survived and lived to fly another day