Those replacement Props you see on ebay or Amazon are not made to OEM standards. I just bought non-oem props. Let me tell you about it.

[Walleye Hunter]

I wonder is the use of OEM an Americanism?

It is very possible. I think it is more than just regional over here because I interact with folks from all over The States and nobody has ever discussed it.

 

[OklabyGodhoma]

As a past Quality Assurance professional (now retired) the terms being used are in some instances being used incorrectly. The term OE is Original Equipment and is strictly used when the part is what was installed when the unit was manufactured. The term OEM is as has been correctly stated Original Equipment Manufacturer. This does not mean that the manufacturer was the one who supplied the original equipment. It just means that they manufacturer a product that meets the specifications published by the equipment maker. In order to use the term OEM they must be able to prove that their product meets all the specifications of the original manufacturer.

When dealing with after market parts (any after market parts) be leery of terms such as "fits" or "just like" or "same as" because these parts do not have to meet any specifications published by the original manufacturer. In the case of props I personally have no knowledge if DJI actually manufacturers their own props or contracts to a supplier to make them. In either case if DJI is selling them then they are considered OE or Original Equipment.

I have used the Master Airscrew propellers and truly liked them right up to the point where they struck some high grass on a landing. That one instance fractured 5 tips and long cracked 2 others; so much for $25.00 worth of propellers. Yes they were quieter and flight time did appear a bit longer but to be destroyed that easily left me a bit cold to reordering.

Lastly allow me to offer some words about testing other props. First ensure they weigh exactly the same to the gram. Measure for exact length and compare shape and pitch. After those conditions are met then feel free to give them a go. I most surely would keep my drone close and within a few feet. Watch how it hovers and responds to commands. Most of all when you are happy with the props performance HAVE FUN!!!

I hope this helps a bit.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

First ensure they weigh exactly the same to the gram

I think it should be much less than 1g.
A Mavic mini prop tip is around 59mm from the motor's axis.
From memory n-flight motor speeds can be in excess of 10,000rpm. Centripetal Force Calculator
For the Mavic Mini
10,000rpm equates to 6,598g at the blade tip.
12,000rpm " " 9,501g " " " "
14,000rpm " " 12,931g " " " "
It is not only the total weight/mass that is of concern but also where/how that mass is distributed.

 

[Frank Dracman]

That may be true but I maintain my position that OEM is an accepted way of saying genuine manufacturers goods and I have seen it used everywhere in my circles. It may be different in

ust because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean anything. It's a simple acronym Original Equipment VS Original Equipment Manufacturer. It's in the description. It has been in use world wide (not just America) in the manufacturing industry for decades. Just because you manufacture parts for the original item doesn't mean the parts you sell are identical to the original part you manufactured. Many times it is for legal reasons

That may be true but I maintain my position that OEM is an accepted way of saying genuine manufacturers goods and I have seen it used everywhere in my circles. It may be different in yours.

OE like OEM is a simple acronym that has been used in the manufacturing industry for decades. Just because you manufacture parts for the original item doesn't mean the parts you sell on your own are identical to the original part. It can be for a number of reasons. Here are a few examples and part of the reason allot of times when you get OEM parts they are different; A no compete agreement, proprietary material or proprietary design owned by the company the part it is to be used on, sometimes it is to offer a less expensive alternative.
Just because you haven't heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Believe it or not before walleye hunter (or his small circle) ever heard of drones they actually existed.

 

[PeteTheJack]

OE or OEM IS the grammatically proper way to reference items from the manufacturer. Why is that so difficult to understand?

It is not easy to get a clear idea of what the term means.

I have a HP laptop PC. The original HDD was Samsung, so Samsung is an OEM for that HP product. I think the use of OEM, when applied to DJI parts, and replacement parts for many other items, may not be strictly true. Do DJI make their own props? Even if they don't, and use a third party supplier of props, that company could make cheaper, inferior ones and call them OEM items, as that is what that company would.

Considering the cost of props, I'd prefer to get genuine DJI ones, or non OEM props from a reputable manufacturer like Master Airscrew.

 

[Torque]

Not understanding an established acronym should not lead one to make their own definition, and argue in favor for it.
I will continue, along with thousands of others in various industries across the planet, to refer to part supplied by the original manufacturer as OEM.
In the meantime this thread should be closed, it serves no purpose but to cause further confusion of a well accepted term.

 

[OklabyGodhoma]

I would tend to agree with Torque. I offered the usage as accepted and printed by professionals in industry and it is still debated. If the true usage as accepted by engineers and manufacturers won't work then nothing will. And I guess I should have specified to the hundredth of a gram to satisfy. This reminds me of when Bill Clinton when he was trying to weasel out of the Monica mess and he said "it depends on what the meaning of is, is".

 

[Frank Dracman]

Not understanding an established acronym should not lead one to make their own definition, and argue in favor for it.
I will continue, along with thousands of others in various industries across the planet, to refer to part supplied by the original manufacturer as OEM.
In the meantime this thread should be closed, it serves no purpose but to cause further confusion of a well accepted term.

Why does everyone want to take something so simple and make it so complicated.
OE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT by definition: What came with it originally including specifications and material color weight size etc etc

OEM ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER the ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER of the EQUIPMENT by definition only states they were the manufacturer who made the parts whether or not it is original specifications is not stated or implied. This is why the term is used and the confusion as to why OEM parts are not always IDENTICAL to the ORIGINAL.

 

[Eagle Eye 62]

So, I had a little brush with some wires, then some branches at a later date with my OEM props. They were starting to look a bit worn and the orange pieces were coming off. I thought I'd by some replacements just in case.

So, I by this 8 pair pack, 1 double bladed prop unit or (blade pair) for each motor. This package sold 8 prop units. Thus, you get 4 blade pairs and a second set of 4 in case you ruin the 1st four. . The price was the same for 4 OEM prop units. So I figured I would by the eight pack for the same price. It boasted lighter weight and longer flight times.

I take these new props out of the box and instantly notice how thin and flexible they were compared to the OEM units that came with the drone. You could easily surmise they would bend easily during high-speed maneuvers or if you were to add a payload to your UAV. I wondered how much bend they could handle before snapping. They were made so much thinner than the original props.

MY ADVICE: Stick with the original OEM props if you plan on high flight speeds, fast altitude increases or carrying payloads. Otherwise, those props are going to bend. How this bending would affect lift is a concern to me.

I carry payloads a lot. I couldn't risk having weak bending props when I take off with a payload. I feared they would snap or have poor lift performance due to their increase in bending. It would also be likely that the motors would have to spin faster to compensate for the reduced lift from bending. Thus, these new cheep weak bending blades might stress the motors and imcrease the heat made by the motors.

So, I just stored the cheep non-OEM blades unless I plan on flying without payloads. Then I bought normal OEM blade pairs x4 instead of x8. The four oem blade pairs were the same price as the cheep non-OEM blades.

I also bought some highly rigid carbon fiber blades, in hopes that their rigidity will increase lift without the expense of increased stress and heat levels on the motors when lifting payloads. I suspect the higher the rigidity the less the motors will have to spin to create the same amount of lift or force.

Not all 3rd party props are bad or poor quality. I have been using Master Screws on My Mavic 3 for over a year and they are great and quieter than the OEM ones from DJI. You just need to be careful "Who" you are buying them from......

 

[shawgod]

I know when I bought some new props for my drones through amazon, I was cautious to make sure the seller was DJI and not a third party person. With such of an expensive piece of equipment I don't want to take a chance that it will fail me because I bought third party props.

 

[Torque]

I know when I bought some new props for my drones through amazon, I was cautious to make sure the seller was DJI and not a third party person. With such of an expensive piece of equipment I don't want to take a chance that it will fail me because I bought third party props.

I had a set of Master Airscrew Props fail due to the tiny screws DJI uses on the Mini 3 Pro. The head of the screw broke off in midair. MAS upgraded their screws after the recognized a problem. They refunded my money and paid for the repairs to the Mini3. Only a quality company does that. I've been using Master Airscrew props since the 80's when they were Windsor Propeller Company making the best RC fixed wing props you could buy. I have MAS props on my Mini's, FPV, and Mavic 3, and Phantom 3 Pro.

 

[lewisrassee]

So, I had a little brush with some wires, then some branches at a later date with my OEM props. They were starting to look a bit worn and the orange pieces were coming off. I thought I'd by some replacements just in case.

So, I by this 8 pair pack, 1 double bladed prop unit or (blade pair) for each motor. This package sold 8 prop units. Thus, you get 4 blade pairs and a second set of 4 in case you ruin the 1st four. . The price was the same for 4 OEM prop units. So I figured I would by the eight pack for the same price. It boasted lighter weight and longer flight times.

Speed Test​

I take these new props out of the box and instantly notice how thin and flexible they were compared to the OEM units that came with the drone. You could easily surmise they would bend easily during high-speed maneuvers or if you were to add a payload to your UAV. I wondered how much bend they could handle before snapping. They were made so much thinner than the original props.

MY ADVICE: Stick with the original OEM props if you plan on high flight speeds, fast altitude increases or carrying payloads. Otherwise, those props are going to bend. How this bending would affect lift is a concern to me.

I carry payloads a lot. I couldn't risk having weak bending props when I take off with a payload. I feared they would snap or have poor lift performance due to their increase in bending. It would also be likely that the motors would have to spin faster to compensate for the reduced lift from bending. Thus, these new cheep weak bending blades might stress the motors and imcrease the heat made by the motors.

So, I just stored the cheep non-OEM blades unless I plan on flying without payloads. Then I bought normal OEM blade pairs x4 instead of x8. The four oem blade pairs were the same price as the cheep non-OEM blades.

I also bought some highly rigid carbon fiber blades, in hopes that their rigidity will increase lift without the expense of increased stress and heat levels on the motors when lifting payloads. I suspect the higher the rigidity the less the motors will have to spin to create the same amount of lift or force.

I am aware that many folks consider "OEM" to mean original equipment manufacturer but WHERE is there a legally binding definition that states that such items are made to the same specifications as DJI props. I therefore consider any "OEM" stuff to be pattern parts and probably inferior to DJI parts.

 

[Torque]

I am aware that many folks consider "OEM" to mean original equipment manufacturer but WHERE is there a legally binding definition that states that such items are made to the same specifications as DJI props. I therefore consider any "OEM" stuff to be pattern parts and probably inferior to DJI parts.

Glossary

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)​

An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) most commonly refers to a company that designs or formulates a product and contracts a manufacturer (typically, a contract manufacturer or CM) to manufacture the product (typically called an OEM product), which the OEM then either brands as its own or incorporates into its own branded product. OEM nomenclature is confusing because parties sometimes use the term OEM to refer to the CM and because it is the CM, not the OEM, that is typically the OEM product's "original manufacturer."

https://content.next.westlaw.com/practical-law/document/Ica2bf71e928d11e498db8b09b4f043e0/Original-Equipment-Manufacturer?viewType=FullText&originationContext=document&transitionType=DocumentItem&ppcid=477751dbb6ef45849d9a73278c4a400c&contextData=(sc.Default)#:~:text=An%20original%20equipment%20manufacturer%20(OEM,or%20incorporates%20into%20its%20own

 

[Torque]

I am aware that many folks consider "OEM" to mean original equipment manufacturer but WHERE is there a legally binding definition that states that such items are made to the same specifications as DJI props. I therefore consider any "OEM" stuff to be pattern parts and probably inferior to DJI parts.

Original Equipment Manufacturer Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.

An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) makes equipment or components that are then marketed by its client, another manufacturer or a reseller, usually under that reseller's own name.

definitions.uslegal.com

 

[Mavic-Max]

Hi don. I’m about to buy the Vifly beacon buzzer. What make do you have and what are your thoughts on it.

 

[Anthony Ivory]

WOW so much talk about a simple but important subject.

Which cost more the props or your DRONE?
Dones don’t fly without good props so why buy from anyone other than DJI.
You risk $1000s to save a couple of bucks?
By the way if you send your drone back to DJI with other than DJI props you put everything at risk.

If you can buy it from or comes from CHINA then you know they don’t respect copy rights SO THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OEM to them. Something is lost in translation.

 

[3rdof5]

WOW so much talk about a simple but important subject.

Which cost more the props or your DRONE?
Dones don’t fly without good props so why buy from anyone other than DJI.
You risk $1000s to save a couple of bucks?
By the way if you send your drone back to DJI with other than DJI props you put everything at risk.

If you can buy it from or comes from CHINA then you know they don’t respect copy rights SO THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OEM to them. Something is lost in translation.

Lol sorry Anthony but i had to chuckle. Doesn't all DJI products come from China?

 

[Torque]

WOW so much talk about a simple but important subject.

Which cost more the props or your DRONE?
Dones don’t fly without good props so why buy from anyone other than DJI.
You risk $1000s to save a couple of bucks?
By the way if you send your drone back to DJI with other than DJI props you put everything at risk.

If you can buy it from or comes from CHINA then you know they don’t respect copy rights SO THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS OEM to them. Something is lost in translation.

I have MAS props on all of my drones. They haven't saved me a single cent....lol. American company with American made Props that has been in business for 52 years. But yeah, DJI props cost less than MAS. Safe a few bucks and buy DJI!

 

[Droning on and on...]

Well, I used up the extra prop blades that came with the Mini3P FMC, so I ordered more from store.dji.com. They arrived, put them in the storage compartment in my Mini3P hard case.

I thought they were OEM. Then I read this thread.

 

[Drbobk]

….

I also bought some highly rigid carbon fiber blades, in hopes that their rigidity will increase lift without the expense of increased stress and heat levels on the motors when lifting payloads. I suspect the higher the rigidity the less the motors will have to spin to create the same amount of lift or force.

I bought some carbon fiber blades years ago for my Inspire, but never installed them after reading a warning from somebody who mentioned that “they make knives out of carbon fiber” and you wouldn’t want that spinning anywhere near your hand or face or in proximity to anyone if it went out of control.