I was flying my Mini yesterday and I got a propeller warning that basically said land immediately and check that the propellers are properly OK. If not hover for 5 minutes to see if they straighten out and/or replace them. I inspected them and they looked OK to my amateur eye to I flew them again. After a few minutes I got the same warning. For what it is worth it was a windy day and I did get wind warnings if I went high enough. Today, just as a test, I flew it around the house (no wind) and had no problem. Any ideas on what might cause that?
Propeller warning
- Thread starter Kent Lewis
- Start date
What is causing propeller deformation:
mavicpilots.com/threads/motor-speed-error-mavic-mini.86130/page-13#post-1038101
Hover Test motor speed plots:
mavicpilots.com/threads/motor-speed-error-mavic-mini.86130/page-13#post-1038918
How to prevent re-occurrence:
mavicpilots.com/threads/motor-speed-error-mavic-mini.86130/page-14#post-1042991
Zbip57
Wow. Lots of good info there. Thanks. Probably more than I can absorb in one reading, but it did give me somethings to try.
Where would I find the motor speed data? I looked around in the app but didn’t see it.
Wow. Lots of good info there. Thanks. Probably more than I can absorb in one reading, but it did give me somethings to try.
Where would I find the motor speed data? I looked around in the app but didn’t see it.
Well you're going to love this next bit.
The CsvView program lets you examine and plot an incredible amount of data from the DAT log file. This thread (5 pages long) describes how to access the flight log files.
mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-flight-log-retrieval-and-analysis-guide.78627/
Hodge
Well-Known Member
Do you have the Fly more combo case? That's where my problem came from, how I was storing MM in the case was putting pressure on the rear props. Like you I couldn't see anything wrong with the props.
So to test if it was the motor or the props i switched the rear props with the diagonal front set (or match strip to stripe) and when I put the drone up I was now getting the error reported on the front prop set.
So I verified that it is a problem with the props even through with the naked eye the old props in error look identical to the new ones I put on.
That's to a different thread on here I read what my mistake was that I wasn't tucking in the rear props properly when I put the MM in the case and the body resting on the props caused a minor distortion.
I know triple check the props as I'm putting the MM in the case.
I'm curious to know whether you have read the first link I posted above, and what your opinion is on that?
"What is causing propeller deformation: "
mavicpilots.com/threads/motor-speed-error-mavic-mini.86130/page-13#post-1038101
If my theory is valid, then even when carefully ensuring the propeller blades are positioned "correctly" as the Mini is put into the Fly More Combo case, the rear blades are still being bent.
Fresh blades, especially on the rear motors, cannot be folded together across the body of the Mini without deforming the new blades. Have a look at the photos in that post, and let us know your opinion on whether or not that's a concern for you.
Hodge
Well-Known Member
I did see your post I haven't stored it enough the recommended way to have detected a problem. My problem was that I was careless in storing the MM in the case and I had the bottom props pointed towards the rear of the caes so they were resting on that hump and then the body of the MM was resting on them on the hump.
Looking at them folded the recommended way I see the curve up towards the tips. But pressing on the ends with my finger there seems to be enough flex in the tips that I wouldn't think that stored properly the blades are under sever bending pressure. But it is a good hypothesis that the storing even the recommended way could result in the warping to the point that the prop becomes problematic and we get the prop error message.
But like I said I'm new to storing it properly (at least the recommended way) so I don't have the experience to say that that would be a problem too.
Also looking at your first photo after the MM in box photo you have the camera shield causing interference with the props I don't know if it is seated wrong or a design change since the one I have but with mine the camera shield is flush with the body of the MM as shown in the pic below
But I like the idead of storing the MM in a case only when in transport but at home have a nice place to have it sit out at rest.
Looking at them folded the recommended way I see the curve up towards the tips. But pressing on the ends with my finger there seems to be enough flex in the tips that I wouldn't think that stored properly the blades are under sever bending pressure. But it is a good hypothesis that the storing even the recommended way could result in the warping to the point that the prop becomes problematic and we get the prop error message.
But like I said I'm new to storing it properly (at least the recommended way) so I don't have the experience to say that that would be a problem too.
Also looking at your first photo after the MM in box photo you have the camera shield causing interference with the props I don't know if it is seated wrong or a design change since the one I have but with mine the camera shield is flush with the body of the MM as shown in the pic below
But I like the idead of storing the MM in a case only when in transport but at home have a nice place to have it sit out at rest.
Retrieving the logs windows computer android phone USB connection between PC & android.
CsvView = CsvView Downloads download it and open it then give the appropriate .DAT file to it.
Once processed click on motor speeds arrowed and voila.
I think the mini does better in the flymore case with the rear props pointing forward under the gimbal. To that end I ended up cutting away the forward shoulder of the rear moter insets and shown in the 3rd photo
CsvView = CsvView Downloads download it and open it then give the appropriate .DAT file to it.
Once processed click on motor speeds arrowed and voila.
I think the mini does better in the flymore case with the rear props pointing forward under the gimbal. To that end I ended up cutting away the forward shoulder of the rear moter insets and shown in the 3rd photo
Attachments
Yup, that surely is bad.
I had always taken care to store mine "properly" in the Fly More Case since I bought it in December. I received the occasional "Max Power" warnings, but always ignored those. It was only with firmware v01.00.0500 and the new motor speed warnings that I started paying any attention to the state of the propellers. New blades cured the issue. But the new blades also made it evident that storing the Mini with arms folded and blades crossed forces the blades to deflect.
The blades are quite flexible, and they do tend to spring back to the correct shape. But I believe if they're stored like that for too long the blades eventually take on a permanent deflection. Comparing the shape of the old versus new blades, the difference was obvious.
Well spotted.
Those photos are actually not mine. I can't find the original thread at the moment, but the person posting those photos noted that the gimbal shield was loose like that straight out of the box. He had another photo showing how, also straight out of the shipping box, after the paper bands were removed from the propeller blades and the arms unfolded, the blades on the left-rear motor were bent and drooped to the point where they almost touched the left-rear arm.
On mine, the original left-rear blades always slid easily to nest under the right-rears whenever the arms were folded with blades crossed for storage. But the fresh new blades are noticeably different and look exactly like the ones in your photos.
Note in your first photo, when free, how high the tips of the left-rear blades sit above the motor hub of the right-rear motor.
Compare in the 2nd photo how far down those same left-rear blade tips have to bend to nearly touch the right-rear motor when the blades are forced to nest underneath the right-rear blades.
When I wanted to check clearances in the case I put a dollop of soft margarine in a 'bag' made from cling film, the margarine 'squashes' out of the way providing the cling flm 'bag' allows it to spread out.
I would also suggest that those motor covers 'lift' the blades with respect to the ' top' of the motor, not by much I assume, but clearances may be tight enough for that to matter.
I would also suggest that those motor covers 'lift' the blades with respect to the ' top' of the motor, not by much I assume, but clearances may be tight enough for that to matter.
Last edited by a moderator:
Hodge
Well-Known Member
Wow great catch. And yse they are my third set on the back. But they are sold as DJI originals so possible they changed the blade design along the way but I'll have to experiment with tucking them away to see what works with bending them the least.
And I say my third set because of improper storage procedure on my part. But with a deflection like that it would be very easy to distort them and be right back to getting prop warnings again.
But noting that kind of change in the props I'm thinking I should change out the others.
