DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Drone recovered from lake will it still work

ednufc

Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
5
Reactions
0
Age
35
Location
Germany
Hi,

my girlfriend was flying our mavic mini above a lake and 20% it just dropped out of sky into lake but luckily close to shore line (I wasn’t with her as she is in Armenia) she has retrieved it and says it still turns on does anyone have any experience if they still work after this?
Thanks
 
Hi,

my girlfriend was flying our mavic mini above a lake and 20% it just dropped out of sky into lake but luckily close to shore line (I wasn’t with her as she is in Armenia) she has retrieved it and says it still turns on does anyone have any experience if they still work after this?
Thanks

bit more info the drone was displaying high altitude at 11m high. And then some high wind warnings, ive flown the mini in high winds in Canary Islands and was able to fly it back ok in sport mode.
 

Attachments

  • 7C24240A-6B35-4311-867D-770C3014FCD0.jpeg
    7C24240A-6B35-4311-867D-770C3014FCD0.jpeg
    49.6 KB · Views: 75
thanks! told my partner not to use it and let it dry completely. dropped into a freezing cold lake so no idea how long it took her to get it out as i am not there. we shall see if it works.
 
Better than 50-50 chance it will be OK, just keep it in the warmest driest place you have, don't cover it in sticky dusty rice or other such nonsense.
A week or so should do it. Or not. ;)
 
If you tried turning it on while still WET. That would be a BIG NO NO.
 
thanks for all the advise guys. I’ve past it on to her and hopefully the drone survives to fly another day.
 
buy a box of rice put it in a container with the mini on top of rice. rice works just like the silica pouches.
 
Also take the memory card out, in case water got in. If she got to it in time, she might still have a chance. I bounced my P3S into a lake last summer and was able to grab it almost immediately and yank the battery out. It went in upside down, everything was wet. When I popped out the memory card, water poured out of the camera.

My garage was hot and dry enough that it completely dried out in 4 days. It lived to fly again.
 
buy a box of rice put it in a container with the mini on top of rice. rice works just like the silica pouches.
No it doesn’t.

Rice actually performs poorly as a desiccant. Many things in your kitchen will outperform it by a significant margin.

This is one of most constantly repeated myths associated with electronics and mishaps with water.
 
For the highest chance of survival do not power it on! The best thing you can do is disassemble it and clean all the electronics with 90% or greater isopropyl alcohol. Rice doesn’t do anything to help.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CareyL and zeusfl
For the highest chance of survival do not power it on! The best thing you can do is disassemble it and clean all the electronics with 90% or greater isopropyl alcohol. Rice doesn’t do anything to help.
The IPA treatment will likely prove unnecessary if the lake was fresh water and relatively clear.

Being powered on would be if no consequence either. Despite popular belief fresh water is a poor conductor of electricity. Not likely to be an issue at the working voltages in the Mavic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ednufc and Alan_M
The drone is drying out completely. Seems battery ran out mid air with multiple failures to the return to home function. Took her 20 minutes to get the drone out of the water as it was -10degrees Celsius, luckily it’s fresh water and incredibly clear and can even be used for drinking! Waiting a few more days to see if drone will power on again.
 
The drone is drying out completely. Seems battery ran out mid air with multiple failures to the return to home function. Took her 20 minutes to get the drone out of the water as it was -10degrees Celsius, luckily it’s fresh water and incredibly clear and can even be used for drinking! Waiting a few more days to see if drone will power on again.
Fascinating, this is a real cliffhanger ... will it turn on? will all the motors work? will it fly? Please update here when you know. Thanks, good luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ednufc
Has anyone experience of floats that attach to the Mavic mini ? They look like two round poles made of foam plastic. Do they work? do they destabilize ? do they affect handling in wind?
 
You mean like this one here?

Any increase in wind resistance (bigger surface) will affect it, in a negative way.
 
Has anyone experience of floats that attach to the Mavic mini ? They look like two round poles made of foam plastic. Do they work? do they destabilize ? do they affect handling in wind?
Will more than likely trigger payload mode.
 
I ordered a set off eBay as I intend to do some filming of dinghy sailing over water and was worried that if the MM failed, I would not be able to retrieve it for a DJI Care claim.
I am not planning on deliberately taking off or landing on water as I think the spray from the prop wash could damage the MM.

Due to high winds since the kit arrived, I have only managed a test flight indoors.

The MM remained stable with the kit attached and the downward facing sensors worked correctly, allowing an auto land with no drama. I didn't enable the extra payload setting in the menus.

I suspect the MM will be more prone to wind effects with the kit fitted as the floats will catch the wind. This may make filming the dinghies interesting as I will need to be flying with some wind anyway, otherwise the dinghies won't be going anywhere!!

If the floats interfere too much, then I guess I will just have to take my chances and fly over water without them.

Here's a couple of photos showing how the floats are able to keep the MM above water with some clearance between the MM body and the water.

P1020511.JPGP1020512.JPG
 
LOHR500~~ will you please post a devoted thread when you get to test out the floats??

I have pond here on the mountain that I would like to "low-fly" for a video, but I too am worried about taking a drenching. Who cares about payload for as long as it takes to get a quick shot or two?
These look like something that ought to be in every MM owners kit
 
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,583
Messages
1,554,088
Members
159,588
Latest member
gfusato