I agree it looks electrical - I just can't figure out how it happened. Conductive components, such as carbon fiber, behave differently from dielectric materials such as regular plastics, so I'm not surprised that you've seen effects on blades.
Went flying and Mavic Pro returned with…
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I agree it looks electrical - I just can't figure out how it happened. Conductive components, such as carbon fiber, behave differently from dielectric materials such as regular plastics, so I'm not surprised that you've seen effects on blades.
It's possibly not as exciting as it sounds. Composite materials are used extensively to stop or slow down fast projectiles and explosively driven fragments, and so there has been a lot of research in that area. The material response is important in experimental shock wave and detonation physics, which is what I do.
Ol' Sparky
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Why? Wouldn't that throw off the weight and balance? Not to mention it would look like a two bit jury-rigged repair. Just get a new one for 20 bux.
About 20 years ago I was working in my home office which shares a wall with the family room. A storm was approaching and I peripherally caught a flash followed by a thunder clap in what seemed to be less than a second.
It was so loud, I found I had instinctively dropped to the floor from my chair. Long story short, the lightning had struck the chimney in the family room about 10 feet from me. It blew a hole in the brick chimney stack above the roofline and also jumped to the electrical house wiring.....repairs were in excess of $20k CAD, fortunately covered by my homeowners insurance.
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Wouldn't be an issue for weight & balance, people put those big strobes on one arm and the prop revs easily cope with stability.
Would be a battle scar to remember, and talking point with other pilots you may meet.
Sure, can easily replace, and if there is any sort of movement that shows the whole leg might be suspect, or if one didn't like the scarred look, replacement is a good move.
A bullet ‘may’ melt plastic but it won’t carbonise it as it appears to have done here. This is more conducive to a sudden high current electrical discharge.
It may also be the exit point if lightning is the cause. It would be interesting to know if there were any marks on the propeller mount or motor spindle if that were the first point of contact.
It may also be the exit point if lightning is the cause. It would be interesting to know if there were any marks on the propeller mount or motor spindle if that were the first point of contact.
Trackerputnam
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Badgersurfer
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I was on an RAF Nimrod transiting across the US from Brunswick to Whidbey Island Naval Air stations. We got hit going over the Rockies, a loud crack and flash as the St Elmo's Fire went through the plane. 2 minutes later I get a call from the 1st pilot, "I've lost my compasses. I popup to see him and he shows me. Take a look at the standby magnetic compass and it reading the incorrect heading. We do a 360 turn, the compass only moved 20 degrees, The navigators both complained about their equipment too.
On landing, there are multiple strikes to the air to air refuelling probe and the metal frame of the cockpit windows. The radome has a 3 foot hole in it with the scanner taking more strikes. Working the way back, the lightning conductor strips had vapourised, the front ESM pod covers that the ESM radar was mounted to were missing. On top of the tail, the 'canoe' had the rear section missing and at the very back the MAD boom cover was missing.
Instead of the airshow, I spent 5 days fixing the compasses, degaussing the cockpit and doing a compass swing, which involved having the plane towed in circles taking readings at cardinal points, then at every 30 degrees it took 11 hours before we were happy.
On landing, there are multiple strikes to the air to air refuelling probe and the metal frame of the cockpit windows. The radome has a 3 foot hole in it with the scanner taking more strikes. Working the way back, the lightning conductor strips had vapourised, the front ESM pod covers that the ESM radar was mounted to were missing. On top of the tail, the 'canoe' had the rear section missing and at the very back the MAD boom cover was missing.
Instead of the airshow, I spent 5 days fixing the compasses, degaussing the cockpit and doing a compass swing, which involved having the plane towed in circles taking readings at cardinal points, then at every 30 degrees it took 11 hours before we were happy.
Someone said the antenna is in the leg? RF creates an electromagnetic field with the higher voltage appearing at the 'open circuit' end of the antenna element - A known phenomenon in radio transmission at high altitude - i.e. low air pressure - is corona discharge. Given the electrically charged air around the flight path I'm wondering whether conditions were just right at the point this happened to result in a discharge that resulted in the damage shown.....
PTBperegrine
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360 Guy
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St. Elmo's fire is a weather phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a corona discharge from a rod-like object such as a mast, spire, chimney, or animal horn[1] in an atmospheric electric field. The intensity of the effect, a blue or violet glow around the object, often accompanied by a hissing or buzzing sound, is proportional to the strength of the electric field and therefore noticeable primarily during thunderstorms or volcanic eruptions.
St. Elmo's fire is named after St. Erasmus of Formia (also known as St. Elmo), the patron saint of sailors. The phenomenon, which can warn of an imminent lightning strike,[2] was regarded by sailors with awe and sometimes considered to be a good omen.[3][4]
St. Elmo's fire is named after St. Erasmus of Formia (also known as St. Elmo), the patron saint of sailors. The phenomenon, which can warn of an imminent lightning strike,[2] was regarded by sailors with awe and sometimes considered to be a good omen.[3][4]
projectarjun
Well-Known Member
There is a well known saying; If you hear the sound of hoofbeats, think "Horses", not "Zebras". (unless you live in Africa) The man was flying in a thunderstorm, heard a clap of thunder nearby, and subsequently finds a burnt area on his drone. I sincerely doubt that a .22 bullet would cause a "burn" on the plastic leg of the drone. The velocity of a .22 is not great enough and also the .22 is typically lead or possibly copper clad lead, not something that causes a "burned" area. I vote lightning. It's the obvious choice.
Donnie Frank
Well-Known Member
I say "battle scars." Freakin' kewl in my book. If they continue to support weight, I'd leave it.
D
Good morning, Check out my post and pics(Exposed wire, Antenna?) Exposed wire, Antenna?
same thing happen to me. someone suggested that the rear prop had something to do with the burn? It made sense to me, I just chalked it up as user error, 99.9 % Historically USER ERROR on my part. But now I don't know. BCD
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