Mini 3 pro lost prop mid flight

[IronSky1]

Nice Idea

 

[Droning on and on...]

There are like 50 threads on the DJI Avata forum with videos of random mid-flight tumbles and pilots finding their drones with a prop missing and the screws intact.

No there aren't. Stop spreading falsehoods.

 

[Torque]

There have been reports here on the forum that the screws supplied with Master airscrew propellers have broken easily, some even experienced that they snapped when tightening them.

I use MAS props on 4 drones. I was one of the people who had a damaging crash with my Mini 3 Pro when a MAS screw head snapped off in midflight. MAS recognized that the initial run had poor quality screws and recalled those M3P props with the shoddy screws. The new screws for that model are much improved. The Mini 3 Pro is the only drone I am aware of that had this problem with MAS props. There may be other models I am not aware of however.
MAS also paid for the damage to my drone. And no, a drone will not fly when it is missing one prop.

 

[PeteTheJack]

No.

I have seen a video of either a Mini 2 or 3 shed a propellor and fly back to home, albeit a bumpy ride.

 

[MS Coast]

Oh puhleez No they're not.

Do you know what "notorious" means?

Or "exploding?"

 

[Torque]

Google exploding Avata props. There are discussions on Reddit, the DJI Forum, Youtube and lots of images of the broken props.

 

[Mazdaman323lx]

I have seen a video of either a Mini 2 or 3 shed a propellor and fly back to home, albeit a bumpy ride.

Yes I'm convinced thats what happened to me though I did not notice anything untill i released the throttle in sport mode as i came into land

 

[tahoejeff]

I have seen mention that the Mini 3 reverted to the 'old' style screw with a shoulder and in so doing did away with the Pro's pivot as part of the motor's rotor.

My mini 3 spare props do include shoulder bolt type screws. The pro is different?

I've been reading several posts about stuck/stripped screws here, so now carry a jewelers screwdriver instead of the DJI driver. Seems odd that they wouldn't use left hand threads on the ccw props. Could that contribute to a screw loosening?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

My mini 3 spare props do include shoulder bolt type screws. The pro is different?

I've been reading several posts about stuck/stripped screws here, so now carry a jewelers screwdriver instead of the DJI driver. Seems odd that they wouldn't use left hand threads on the ccw props. Could that contribute to a screw loosening?

I believe the actual propeller blades are the same, it is the mounting that has been revised.

Just in case....I would emphasise that the screws appropriate to the done be used i.e. use the shoulderless ones where the motor has built in bosses.

 

[old man mavic]

that change to the way the props are attached to the motors ,is a recent innovation ,i believe its only on the MIni 3 not the pro version ,i just ordered some spare props for my Mini 3 pro while they are in stock and they are just the same as the ones that are on the drone now ,its only a guess but i would say that DJI are using Mini 2 motors and their prop fixing method, with modified soft tipped props to allow them to fit the old style screws

 

[Droning on and on...]

Google exploding Avata props. There are discussions on Reddit, the DJI Forum, Youtube and lots of images of the broken props.

Google "house hit by meteor" and you will get real results.

Doesn't mean meteors are notorious for hitting houses. In fact, it's pretty rare.

With the number of Avatas out there, these examples don't persuade me that there's an unusual problem. Anecdotal.

Stats (i.e. rate of occurrence) or a DJI recall (of the props). That would be convincing.

 

[Torque]

Google "house hit by meteor" and you will get real results.

Doesn't mean meteors are notorious for hitting houses. In fact, it's pretty rare.

With the number of Avatas out there, these examples don't persuade me that there's an unusual problem. Anecdotal.

Stats (i.e. rate of occurrence) or a DJI recall (of the props). That would be convincing.

I haven't used the word "notorious" in my posts.
If you do a search for "exploding props on the (insert drone of your choice here)" you will find very little. However when Avata is your search subject, there are quite few results that use the word "exploding" and it common enough that threads discussing this specific problem exists. Anecdotal evidence of a reality a number Avata owners are experiencing.
Discounting those reports doesn't mean they didn't happen.
My friend in Australia a few weeks ago:

 

[Droning on and on...]

Got no argument with you, @Torque. I have an issue with the claim the problem is "notorious" on the Avata.

I have no motive to discount the problem. I have an Avata. If there is some unusually high failure rate with Avata props I want to know.

I don't see how the video you posted makes the case for "exploding props". It even ends asking the question, what happened?

 

[Torque]

Got no argument with you, @Torque. I have an issue with the claim the problem is "notorious" on the Avata.

I have no motive to discount the problem. I have an Avata. If there is some unusually high failure rate with Avata props I want to know.

I don't see how the video you posted makes the case for "exploding props". It even ends asking the question, what happened?

I believe everyone who has had a prop break in midair asks "What happened?" I know I that is always my lingering question.
And No, she is not sure what happened, but based on the anecdotal reports and the fact that the Avata was missing a prop without damage to the prop guard would make one wonder if their "prop exploded" don't you think?
I wasn't aware you had an Avata! I haven't seen you active on any of the Avata discussions.
I'm happy to hear you have no argument with me nor motive to discount the problem, should it exist...

 

[Bob in Savannah]

I do not have an Avata but I comb the forums about drones every night and I most definitely have just started seeing some of these issues with the props breaking in flight with this drone. I reluctantly use the word, "exploding" because thats impossible to happen. But to crack and then break is highly likely.

My personal assessment of the culprit would be the tremendous torque applied to these particular props during flight with crazy maneuvers and/or the point of attachment to the motors. And then afterward they just snap off and break apart due to previous (or atm) high performance FPV flight. They may be brittle from the manufacturer themselves..? Maybe they need to be changed more frequently than a camera drone?

 

[Torque]

I do not have an Avata but I comb the forums about drones every night and I most definitely have just started seeing some of these issues with the props breaking in flight with this drone. I reluctantly use the word, "exploding" because thats impossible to happen. But to crack and then break is highly likely.

My personal assessment of the culprit would be the tremendous torque applied to these particular props during flight with crazy maneuvers and/or the point of attachment to the motors. And then afterward they just snap off and break apart due to previous (or atm) high performance FPV flight. They may be brittle from the manufacturer themselves..? Maybe they need to be changed more frequently than a camera drone?

I agree 100% - props aren't actually exploding of course, maybe, shattering, snapping, or breaking with hard flying? Exploding seems to be the common descriptor for whatever reason. But yes, the torque on the attachment point seems to be the issue. I don't think my slow cinematic style of flying my Avata will ever put enough stress on the props to result in an "explosion!"

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Maybe "disintegrated"?

 

[Torque]

The OriginaldoBo did a livestream last night on the problem with Avata's "exploding" (his words) props.
His theory is the clear plastic DJI uses for this prop is too brittle, and they snap at the hub during flight. He suggests that Avata owners switch to after market props like Master Air Screw or Gemfan.

 

[Droning on and on...]

The OriginaldoBo did a livestream last night on the problem with Avata's "exploding" (his words) props.
His theory is the clear plastic DJI uses for this prop is too brittle, and they snap at the hub during flight. He suggests that Avata owners switch to after market props like Master Air Screw or Gemfan.

I looked them over in some detail because of this discussion and was rather surprised at the relatively small attachment of the blade at the root, and the way the blade changes from a flat, wide profile to a small round profile where it's attached to the mounting hub.

This may simulate fine in a CAD stress analysis, but the engineer in me doesn't like it.

 

[BroomRider]

The OriginaldoBo did a livestream last night on the problem with Avata's "exploding" (his words) props.
His theory is the clear plastic DJI uses for this prop is too brittle, and they snap at the hub during flight. He suggests that Avata owners switch to after market props like Master Air Screw or Gemfan.

I don't own an Avata, but you mentioned that the plastic used for their props was/is clear.

I postulate that the problem might be exacerbated by the color of the plastic being clear, & that lack of color (pigment) allows the sun's UV radiation to penetrate into the plastic & deteriorate the material.

The very best color to use to block UV radiation is black.

The next is dark blue. The farther one goes toward the lower end of the color spectrum, the more the UV radiation tends to affect the plastic, so, red is the least desirable.

You can see how badly red-colored plastic seems to stand up to UV radiation when stored or used for extended periods outdoors.

Also, color saturation in the plastic also has an effect, & that goes for any color.

Years ago, in the marine industry, translucent (uncolored/unpigmented) nylon wire ties were commonly used to tie up various things, & sometimes even low- or non-pressurized fuel line terminations onto fittings.

Then, there were several cases where those ties failed, resulting in a number of issues, & at least, 1 lawsuit.

Those ties would get very brittle & weak, sometimes even cracking apart with very little, or even no stress.

The fix was to use black nylon wire ties, exclusively, especially when they were or could be exposed to UV radiation.

I know this, because I used to work in the marine industry, & I got various safety bulletins re: those wire ties & other plastic straps, retainers, etc.

This might help & add some insight into why clear, translucent, lightly pigmented, or red-orange-yellow props might tend to fail (more often).