How often should props be changed

[Camerart]

Hi,
Up to now, I've built tricopters, using the cheapest parts so I could crash and repair, and I broke many props. I did upgrade to carbon fibre!

I've just bought a mini copter, with quite flexible blades, that seem 'unbreakable', but I'm sure they have a life. So how often should these be renewed, please?
Cheers, C.

 

[Max Headroom]

I only change mine when they get damage however small i don't think they have a maximum lifespan at least i have never read they do.

 

[mavic3usa]

For me personally, I change the props when I stop liking black and start liking other colors.

 

[Camerart]

I only change mine when they get damage however small i don't think they have a maximum lifespan at least i have never read they do.

Hi M,
Ok, that sounds good.
C

 

[Camerart]

For me personally, I change the props when I stop liking black and start liking other colors.

Hi M3,
OOOoo do they have different colours
C

 

[Max Headroom]

Hi M3,
OOOoo do they have different colours
C

Be careful where you buy them you don't want to have the nicest looking drone at the bottom of the lake

 

[Cafguy]

when I notice something otherwise I keep using them Just dont get cheap props or your stuff will fly funny or you will shred one.

 

[mavic3usa]

Hi M3,
OOOoo do they have different colours
C

Be careful where you buy them you don't want to have the nicest looking drone at the bottom of the lake

For sure avoid all those cheap aftermarket props on Ebay and amazon. Only the best from Master Airscrew. Because we all know, DJI don't make their own props....they buy them from someone else, too.

 

[Max Headroom]

Because we all know, DJI don't make their own props....they buy them from someone else, too.

I didn't

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[mavic3usa]

I didn't

Thanks for pointing that out.

well, to be honest I don't know that for sure, I assumed. of course they likely design everything themselves to their own specifications but it hard to believe they manufacture these when 1) we don't see others buying them from dji (is the locking still proprietary?) and 2) we never really see the same prop used twice. If they do, that's a lot of time and effort spent to making these and keeping them supplied but maybe that's the reason why they can drop a handful of them inside the box for "free." maybe they started out doing so, years ago....

How hard is it to make a prop; MAS can get the DJI prop and knock it off in no time and even make it better so....that's what I will go with.

 

[anotherlab]

well, to be honest I don't know that for sure, I assumed. of course they likely design everything themselves to their own specifications but it hard to believe they manufacture these when 1) we don't see others buying them from dji (is the locking still proprietary?) and 2) we never really see the same prop used twice. If they do, that's a lot of time and effort spent to making these and keeping them supplied but maybe that's the reason why they can drop a handful of them inside the box for "free." maybe they started out doing so, years ago....

How hard is it to make a prop; MAS can get the DJI prop and knock it off in no time and even make it better so....that's what I will go with.

Unless you have a source for DJI using a 3rd party for props, that's not a valid assumption. They were manufacturing their props and motors in-house since the Phantom days.

That doesn't mean that MAS props are less safe.

 

[hank970]

I prefer to dance with the one that brung me, so I'll continue using DJI props. Of course, I'm old enough to remember when every teenaged boy had a J.C. Whitney catalog and dreamed of or was lured into ways to "improve" whatever piece of junk he was driving by adding bogus aftermarket crap.

I inspect my props from time to time. Impact damage would be obvious, but I haven't experienced that. I suppose the pivot pins could also be a potential point of failure, but the ones on my props look fine to me -- no visible wear, not too tight, and not too loose. Thus far, I've seen no reason to replace my props.

 

[Camerart]

Be careful where you buy them you don't want to have the nicest looking drone at the bottom of the lake

Hi m,
I'll only get them from DJI, unless there's a good alternative.
C

 

[Starz]

unless there's a good alternative

NO.

 

[AlphaMike2]

I change them out at 200 hours, unless there is an issue.

 

[KB9Radio]

Hi M3,
OOOoo do they have different colours
C

Master Airscrew has good quality props of several different colors. I've been running the same set (orange) for a couple years. I also have several other sets. They aren't cheap, but come as a complete set of four.

 

[a2tomm]

I change props when they get damaged or feel brittle
I experaminted several years ago using a mini 2 getting my props on ebay with NO name props .BIG mistake.Stick with a good name brand .All my drones sport Master Airscrew five years and counting ,they have never let me down

 

[dart106]

Master Airscrew has good quality props of several different colors. I've been running the same set (orange) for a couple years. I also have several other sets. They aren't cheap, but come as a complete set of four.

Agree. Been using them for years and have had no issues. From my purely unscientific observation, the Master Airscrew props seem to be a bit quieter. With a set of the electric yellow props on my Mini 3P, it’s much more visible at distance than the OEM black props.

 

[WanderLost]

I change them out at 200 hours, unless there is an issue.

That's DJI's recommendation as well. I read it in one of my manuals, but can't remember which one.

 

[JC in New Hampshire]

OEM parts are a great choice - until the manufacturer doesn't want to be bothered with stocking them after new models come out. Support for staples like props and batteries should continue indefinitely. DJI has a history of throwing their existing customers under the bus.