Water damaged Mini 2

[Westoz]

Today using the Litchi app I hit a railing above a lake and down she went. It was only about 2’ down in dirty fresh water. I retrieved it immediately and removed the battery, the red light was on . I took it home and submerged and agitated it in distilled water then dried it with an air compressor and sun dried it for a few hours. Happily the battery is fine. The drone powers up with all the charge lights and it goes through its start up procedure , gimbal and motors as usual but then stars flashing all the colors on the LED and is not seen by the controller. Also it will not turn off and needs the battery to be removed.
What is damaged and what needs to be replaced ?

 

[SkyeHigh]

Compressed air is one of the worst things to use and will drive water/moisture under the surface mounted IC’s as well as into the many miniature connectors and barometer, which has an exposed hole to allow air in. All will lead to corrosion in places you will not be able to access. Corrosion is not immediate but develops over time and could easily cause a failure during flight.

Moisture in the connectors may dry over time and may restore some functionality but there’s no guarantee.

I would never reuse a battery that has been immersed in water. Again corrosion is likely to have occurred and a failure during flight could have serious consequences.

If you have DJI’s cover now would be the time to use it.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

As you know we make the Wet Suits for the Mini 2 and in out testing its the ESC module that goes out quickly and most likely you will need to replace the Main board as well as the Battery and the others have noted.

The Mini 2 had never survived a Submersion test do to the ESC being so compromised so quickly.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 2 in the Rain. Float on the Water

 

[360 Guy]

If it was in water, why then would you "totally" submerge it in more water, dumb move.
Like said, blowing air into the workings is a NO-NO!
I'm afraid your drone is history unless a miracle happens and sometimes it does.

 

[DanJ]

I know from having a wet iPod years ago that the recommendation was to put the device in a bag of silica or uncooked rice to draw out the moisture.
It takes a few days for it to completely disappear.

 

[AZDave]

This may sound counterintuitive, but it isn't .... water gets in much easier than it gets out. When your drone is submerged in water there is some amount of pressure pushing the water in. There is no such force pushing the water out, other than simple diffusion which is a much weaker force.

 

[umanbean]

If it was in water, why then would you "totally" submerge it in more water, dumb move.

Not a dumb move at all.

The OP said it fell in "dirty fresh water" so the inside was filled with dirt, mud, silt, etc. The best thing to do in that situation is what Westoz did - flush it out with clean, preferably distilled, water. BTW , best practice would also be to not let it dry out between the dunk and the flush out.

IMO blowing the excess water out with a little compressed air is not such a bad idea... but it should have been allowed to air dry for much longer than a few hours.... or blow it out with a hair dryer... or sit it in front of a fan for a day or two... or even put it in a bag with some real desiccant for a few days.

I guess that old, tired, 'put it in a zip top bag with some rice' myth will never die!!!

 

[Zonian]

...

I guess that old, tired, 'put it in a zip top bag with some rice' myth will never die!!!

Not really a myth. Ziploc & rice worked for me many years ago when an HTC phone that I had went through an entire clothes washing machine cycle...

 

[umanbean]

Not really a myth. Ziploc & rice worked for me many years ago when an HTC phone that I had went through an entire clothes washing machine cycle...

Myth was the wrong word to use, sorry. And I didn't intend to imply that it does not work, just that it's not the best idea to put a drone in a bag of it. There are at least a dozen better ways to dry out an electronic device.

Uncooked rice is definitely a desiccant, my grandmother used to put a little bit in her table salt shaker, and it worked - the salt always came out easily and the holes never clogged

 

[Zonian]

No worries. Completely agree there are likely better ways. Also, for my ordeal I actually used Minute Rice.. it was all I had.

 

[LoudThunder]

I actually used Minute Rice.. it was all I had.

You should always use Basmati Rice verses "Minute Rice" as Basmati Rice is better for your drone. It provides vital nutrients and contains more fiber, phosphorus, zinc, B vitamins, and it's easier to digest. (LoL)

You do want your drone to grow up Big and Strong like its Daddy Drone?