How much prop damage is TOO much?

[DBT_Drone]

Props probably go through more stress every flight than any other part on the drone. A light surface scrape may well be no problem. A nick is worse, a hole, as has been suggested (as still being okay) is something never to fly with.

What you can't see is a possible hairline crack that started. I'm not saying yours has this, but that is the sort of damage you can't see without a microscope. And that is what will begin to split as the prop suffers vibration and stress during flight.

A prop strike may have caused a tiny fracture that your eye can not see and during the stresses of flight and throttle inputs that could propagate and turn into a crack that will break a piece off. In flying real aircraft in questionable weather, we say it is better to be on the ground, wishing you were up there, than being up there, wishing you were on the ground.

So with the cost of your drone upper most in your mind, if something were to go wrong with a prop in flight and I could freeze time and ask you this question, just before it tumbled out of the sky and smashed to the ground, "would you like to give me $30 dollars to stop this right now, or would you just prefer to buy a new drone?", what might your answer be?

I'm guessing you would rather go with the $30 cost. So, I'll just ask you now, what value do you put on your drone? If it is less than $30 then keep flying with those props. If it is more than that, then just buy a set.

Already replaced the props and ordered another set as well! Thanks for your guidance!

 

[Tootalltodd]

This is topical for me as I am new to the drone world. I recently purchased a mini mavic 2 mainly to help spot waterfalls and good swimming holes. To do so I have been practicing flying basically a par course in 3 dimensions. I have less than 5 hrs so far so I have a lot of fun earning competence ahead of me. I was hovering about a foot over the ground and suddenly recieved some sort of warning and the crafe suddenly flipped upside down and crashed. Upon inspection there was only 1 blade that was missing from the hub, not broken, missing. I carefully inspected the others and there was no visible damage. I ran a couple more circuits and then I heard a clackety clack sound and it simply fell out of the sky. A blade was again missing and the arm was broken. I sent it back and they replaced it. All I can think is there was some hidden damage or weakness to a blade and it hit the arm and broke off. Does anyone with more experience have any other insights? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you T3

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

When inspecting, especially after an incident like a light foliage crash etc, flex the blades a little to hopefully pick up any closed cracks.
Also, inspect the little bayonet clips (or cracks from screws if a mini etc) for similar damage.

Unless you have really good eyes, do this in good light.
Using a good pair of magnifying eye glasses, or a magnifying glass on a stand, very helpful for visual checks.