How often do you use your gimbal cover?

[UAV Ernst]

Hmmm...I have the Air2s, Air3s, and Mini5 Pro. Putting on and taking off the cover is cumbersome at best and damaging at worst on all of them. I am always leery putting on and taking off the cover. The Mini 4 Pro must be different.

Paul, I have (or have had) four DJI drones, and the Mini 4 Pro is by far the easiest to snap in place, no fiddling about whatsoever.

 

[Dronecation]

I used to do that One day I was reaching up on the shelf and "punched" the gimbal pretty hard, No damage BUT I leave the covers on now.

Sounds like an 'anger management' issue....

 

[Dronecation]

I only use mine when taking long trips either by car or by plane. For just short rides close to home, I don't use the cover; I just brace the gimbal against a pillow to keep it from vibrating. What about you?

I use it as little as possible. I also don't fold the arms up unless it's a really long road trip, otherwise, I keep it ready to fly at the drop of a hat...

 

[Dronecation]

Yeah, sometimes it takes as long as five seconds to put the cover on or take it off, and I can't imagine how either process would be damaging unless a person completely lacks manual dexterity. The manufacturer provides a gimbal cover with every drone. Use it.

You are lucky not to have arthritis in your fingers.

 

[Paul Harvey]

I use it as little as possible. I also don't fold the arms up unless it's a really long road trip, otherwise, I keep it ready to fly at the drop of a hat...

Same here.

 

[Dronecation]

Sorry, I do not understand this.

 

[DISC]

Only ever owned a Mini 4 Pro and the gimbal cover and prop strap were a real pain to begin. Now I’m into it they are quite straightforward and only take seconds. The gimbal in particular is so delicate I always want it protected when not flying. Just wish I could leave it on when I’m using Fast Transfer to wirelessly copy files to my phone at the end if a session.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Not booted up ready for flight? All drones: always on. No exceptions.

The mini 3/4 is a doddle compared to the Mavic 2 pro & zoom (can be a bit fiddly).

If you want a real stress-fest: try the original Mavic pro - two part gimbal protection... The gimbal lock (tiny clear plastic wedge that clicks in place behind the gimbal assembly) and then the semi-spherical gimbal cover.

In a hurry? You can guarantee you'd forget to take the plastic wedge out and end up with a gimbal overload warning.

It really doesn't help when the O/G Mavic pro gimbal and camera ribbon cables tear like tissue paper.

 

[twickers14]

Wow bet you never thought you”d get this number of replies but a great question. I wouldn’t dream of not putting my MA2 gimbal back on after flying. I agree you can occasionally catch the gimbal as you place the cover back on and I take great care when I do it but a gimbal repair is expensive I suspect so safety first.

 

[careless]

Gimbals are to fragile not to be protected when in transport.

 

[Fun Flyer]

Hi Paul. I have the original mini and when I’m done flying I leave the drone powered up till I have the gimble cover installed. That keeps the gimble from flopping around when trying to install the cover. Makes it much easier.
Never have the gimble cover off except when flying.

 

[Droning on and on...]

As others, only off when flying. Comes off when unpacking gear before flight, goes back on when packing up.

While the gimbal is not quite as delicate as some here seem to think, it is the most fragile part of the drone. There's a good reason DJI designs and includes the gimbal protector, and the expected operation is to keep it on when a drone is not in use.

No matter how careful you are, you can't anticipate everything. Accidents happen. That's when you'll be thankful you have it on.

 

[Prop Wash]

Like many here, the cover is on while stored in my case. It stays on until I ready it for launch. Taking it off is part of the routine of folding out the arms, remove the gimbal cover, power up the Mini2 and controller, set it on my launch pad. When I'm done for the day, everything in reverse.

 

[agiorgitis]

Always on, better safe than sorry

 

[Paul Harvey]

Hi Paul. I have the original mini and when I’m done flying I leave the drone powered up till I have the gimble cover installed. That keeps the gimble from flopping around when trying to install the cover. Makes it much easier.
Never have the gimble cover off except when flying.

Great fix, thanks!

 

[Bad Santa]

I always put the Gimbal cover on. Prop guard too.
It's there for a reason.

 

[Cymruflyer]

I only use mine when taking long trips either by car or by plane. For just short rides close to home, I don't use the cover; I just brace the gimbal against a pillow to keep it from vibrating. What about you?

That pressure against the pillow might possibly cause damage that you were not aware of.

 

[Cymruflyer]

As soon as I have finished flying for the day, the gimbal cover is the first thing to go on. Keeps the gimbal mechanism and lens safe and clean. It is worth the few seconds.

 

[Paul Harvey]

That pressure against the pillow might possibly cause damage that you were not aware of.

hmmm...had not thought of that. I thought I was preventing damage by not using the cover and using something else to steady it :/

 

[Cymruflyer]

hmmm...had not thought of that. I thought I was preventing damage by not using the cover and using something else to steady it :/

The cover keeps it in place. The pillow, although soft, is just something for the gimbal to get stressed against as it moves about. Say you had to hit the brakes hard and it slipped off, it could just be the last time you ever got to fly the drone, if the gimbal got damaged.

Regardless of the pain it might be to fit, it is still your safest option to protect the most vulnerable part on the whole drone. Image if you damaged that, what would you now do with your flying machine?

Of all the things to repair on any drone, the gimbal is always the most troublesome and the one thing that most, if not all people, seem to have the hardest time to repair properly, if it is repairable at all.

You might just think about that the next time you push it against the pillow and as you travel, it begins to flop around because it is not secured in place with the cover that was designed to keep it safe and intact.