Is this normal? Lost rear propeller blade w/ 1.5 mi safe return flight

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

CanadaDrone said:
I'm surprised you were able to fly with half a prop on one corner, I didn't think a M2 could fly on 3 props but apparently it can.

This, is making me want to try it out on my MP. I’m looking for a worn out or old prop that I can cut one blade off.

CanadaDrone · Apr 24, 2019

I feel like the imbalance of half a prop spinning at such high RPM would be worse than no prop at all, but that is purely a guess. To my knowledge the M2 doesn't have any built-in ability to compensate for things like that but I am happy to be shown otherwise.

old man mavic · Apr 24, 2019

i agree it does seem to be the case that it would cause an imbalance on that motor,but the point i was trying to make was because the break was so close to the hub it allowed the prop to spin fast enough to still provide some lift and keep the mav air born the IMU is constantly adjusting props to allow the mav to fly, and its not beyond the realms of probability,that given the circumstances of the failure the fact that the prop was spinning when it snapped .that it allowed the mav to keep flying

Former Member · Apr 24, 2019

MichiganMavic said:
This, is making me want to try it out on my MP. I’m looking for a worn out or old prop that I can cut one blade off.

You should also try it on a worn out old Mavic, so you wont be too sad if things dont go as planned.

.

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

Thunderdrones said:
You should also try it on a worn out old Mavic, so you wont be too sad if things dont go as planned. .

Well, found a pair for the sacrificial flight. Cut this as close as I could to the OP’s picture.

Took a flight, err tried to anyways. I recorded it with my camcorder, but I’ve never tried posting a video.

Former Member · Apr 24, 2019

MichiganMavic said:
Well, found a pair for the sacrificial flight. Cut this as close as I could to the OP’s picture.

Took a flight, err tried to anyways. I recorded it with my camcorder, but I’ve never tried posting a video.

You can post it up on Youtube then link it here.

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

Thunderdrones said:
You can post it up on Youtube then link it here.

Going to sound dumb, but my wife does that stuff for me. She’s on a flight back from Texas atm.
I can email you the video Rob?

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

I think I got it!

Former Member · Apr 24, 2019

MichiganMavic said:
I think I got it!

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Thats great of you for trying. Just reinforces my thought of how lucky the OP got.

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

It didn’t want to go straight up. You can see that it banks left when I tried to take off. You can hear the esc unbalanced too.
Had to do an emergency shut down [emoji15]

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

Thunderdrones said:
Thats great of you for trying. Just reinforces my thought of how lucky the OP got.

The M2Pro must have Luckyitis compared to the Mavic Pro [emoji6]

fozzzy · Apr 24, 2019

Thats got to be the greatest escape story i've heard for ages, must have some Irish blood in you sir to get that kind of luck

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

Does the M2Pro’s blades have that much more lift?
Maybe the difference in in-flight loss, and trying to take off? If I’d known it was going to bank that hard, I would’ve compensated sooner. Unfortunately I only have one good hand [emoji870]

Former Member · Apr 24, 2019

MichiganMavic said:
Does the M2Pro’s blades have that much more lift?

I would think so because the blades are longer and have to pick up a heavier drone.

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

If my M2Pro was a little older, had the gimbal off, and had a worn prop, maybe I would try it. Not in the next 6months [emoji38]
OP was very lucky in the least [emoji120]

MichiganMavic · Apr 24, 2019

If you send me some 2 blades, I’ll try it again on the Mavic [emoji6]

kadras · Apr 24, 2019

Here the broken blade from the original post

Here are pictures of fatigue cracking
Plastic

Metal

Generic

The crack origin is normally at an internal or external defect. The pictures are from lab tests so are uniform. The granular/rough surface on the blade appears to be in the upper right and the beach marks are oriented in that direction, rather than perpendicular to the edge. I'm not saying it was a fatigue crack but...just suggesting the possiblity.

Former Member · Apr 24, 2019

If it is fatigue, then it could have happened before the flight even took place, such as being bent inside a case. When the prop was subjected to the outward inertia of the blades spinning, and upward flexing due to forces of lift, it might have failed.

Thoraldus · Apr 24, 2019

Thunderdrones said:
Brings some of these to mind. Both made it back alive. Did you happen to see any ME109's in the area?

View attachment 70477
View attachment 70478

Off topic, but the A10 is one TOUGH bird!!!