You Might Want To Watch This Before Buying Platinum Pro Props

[CaveDrone]

I have the old props and shot a 360 the other day with Litichi. I have NEVER seen the horizontal bands in there until now. I've shot several 360s without issue. So, no crashed Mavic, no new props, no scratches on the lens and yet....horizontal banding lines that I've never seen before. Something has changed!

Sun is a lot lower in the sky this time of the year. Maybe the case?

 

[LeafPeeper]

I flew again yesterday, with similar sun glare, but this time no banding. I'm thinking it had to do with the rare instance where the prop speed and the shutter speed align to some multiple. I'm not worried about it...nothing a hood or ND filters won't fix when it does happen.

LP

 

[alamak]

I just saw this video from Dragon7 and I figured I would give you guys a heads up.
It might be an individual problem or it might be a compatibility issue that may or may not be fixable by a firmware update. Either way i think we need more tests done to confirm the issue.

If it is a truly a compatibility issue then we need to hear from DJI if it's a known issue and can/will be fixed with a firmware update. Unfortunately for those of us like me running older firmware it becomes a moot point if the problem is systemic to all Mavic Pro's running the older firmware.

Rob

The tone of the pro props sounded higher pitch when compare with the standard blades...?

 

[setxws6]

Hi I have a new Mavic Pro I got a couple weeks ago. I put the Platinum blades on and I notice a difference in noise for sure in my opinion and I like them. But today I noticed that the front left prop was rubbing on the fuselage top. It would only do it after easing up abruptly from fast forward flight. I could hear it briefly rub in the air and can also see the lightly rubbing from the gold being transferred from the prop tips to the top of the fuselage. Looking at both right and left props from the front of the quad I can tell the left prop has a little less clearance than the right prop when over the fuselage.

Anyone else notice this on theirs or is this just mine?

 

[Brojon]

Yup - I noticed the wash also - I just figure it comes from being folded and transported.
There is zero prop damage to indicate that it is in fact striking the body.

 

[KiterTodd]

...lightly rubbing from the gold being transferred from the prop tips to the top of the fuselage. Looking at both right and left props from the front of the quad I can tell the left prop has a little less clearance than the right prop when over the fuselage.

Anyone else notice this on theirs or is this just mine?

I haven't noticed this but you're not the first person to mention it. Make sure the prop hasn't bent from storage. The thin tips seem a lot more pliable than the original props. That may be why you only notice it on one. You should be able to bend it up so this doesn't happen. ?

 

[setxws6]

Yup - I noticed the wash also - I just figure it comes from being folded and transported.
There is zero prop damage to indicate that it is in fact striking the body.

No this is definitely happening in flight as I could hear it clearly. I must mention I've been flying RC planes for over 22 years so I'm very familiar with flight characteristics and abnormal noises or tight tolerance in moving or rotating mechanisms in the radio control hobby. My first inclination is to shim the left motor to give the prop proper clearance from the fuselage. Of course the DJI quads are more like sealed computers or televisions rather than hobby grade quads...

 

[setxws6]

I haven't noticed this but you're not the first person to mention it. Make sure the prop hasn't bent from storage. The thin tips seem a lot more pliable than the original props. That may be why you only notice it on one. You should be able to bend it up so this doesn't happen. ?

No I swapped the left front and right rear just too check. And its the same clearance.

 

[sar104]

Hi I have a new Mavic Pro I got a couple weeks ago. I put the Platinum blades on and I notice a difference in noise for sure in my opinion and I like them. But today I noticed that the front left prop was rubbing on the fuselage top. It would only do it after easing up abruptly from fast forward flight. I could hear it briefly rub in the air and can also see the lightly rubbing from the gold being transferred from the prop tips to the top of the fuselage. Looking at both right and left props from the front of the quad I can tell the left prop has a little less clearance than the right prop when over the fuselage.

Anyone else notice this on theirs or is this just mine?

How much clearance do you have with the props stationary? Mine has about 9 mm and requires a lot of bending to touch the body, which I haven't seen happen in flight.

 

[setxws6]

How much clearance do you have with the props stationary? Mine has about 9 mm and requires a lot of bending to touch the body, which I haven't seen happen in flight.

Im at work now but when I get home in the morning I'll measure and take pictures

 

[setxws6]

Ok today I measured the Platinum props at the closest point they come to the fuselage which is pictured. The left side comes closest at about 3mm and the right prop had about 4mm clearance which it looks to not have touched. So I did unbolt the motor and put a thin shim/washer which lifted the left prop to about 6mm at the closest point (didn't get a picture of this). I haven't test flown it after the shim but I'm confident it will fly and perform fine, just without rubbing when decelerating from forward flight in sport mode.

 

[sar104]

Ok today I measured the Platinum props at the closest point they come to the fuselage which is pictured. The left side comes closest at about 3mm and the right prop had about 4mm clearance which it looks to not have touched. So I did unbolt the motor and put a thin shim/washer which lifted the left prop to about 6mm at the closest point (didn't get a picture of this). I haven't test flown it after the shim but I'm confident it will fly and perform fine, just without rubbing when decelerating from forward flight in sport mode.

That is very strange. On my Mavic, the new props look quite different:

 

[msinger]

Ok today I measured the Platinum props at the closest point they come to the fuselage which is pictured. The left side comes closest at about 3mm and the right prop had about 4mm clearance which it looks to not have touched.

Are you sure you're using OEM DJI props? The colored tips don't look like OEM DJI props.

 

[setxws6]

Got these on ebay....so now that I think of it they're probably cheaper imposters. Guess that could be the good reason they're rubbing?.....They had the option of silver or gold tipped

 

[msinger]

Guess that could be the good reason they're rubbing?

Yep!

If you want to pick up some OEM DJI props, here are a few places where you can buy them:

Gold 8331 Quick Release Low-Noise (Amazon or DJI)
Platinum 8331 Quick Release Low-Noise (Amazon or DJI)

 

[setxws6]

Yep!

Yea that's got to be it. Just ordered a official DJI branded set. Cost more than double what the knock off cost, but we all know you get what you pay for....obviously in this case...

 

[4wd]

Yea that's got to be it. Just ordered a official DJI branded set. Cost more than double what the knock off cost, but we all know you get what you pay for....obviously in this case...

It's still surprising they are so different they can catch.
They will have basically copied the shape exactly, perhaps the plastic is more bendy.

 

[setxws6]

It's still surprising they are so different they can catch.
They will have basically copied the shape exactly, perhaps the plastic is more bendy.

Yea possibly a less stiff plastic. They do seem pretty bendy at the ends. It doesn't cause any issue when hovering or slow flight. Just when in sport mode and coming to a quick slow down from fast forward flight

 

[djaco]

I just saw this video from Dragon7 and I figured I would give you guys a heads up.
It might be an individual problem or it might be a compatibility issue that may or may not be fixable by a firmware update. Either way i think we need more tests done to confirm the issue.

If it is a truly a compatibility issue then we need to hear from DJI if it's a known issue and can/will be fixed with a firmware update. Unfortunately for those of us like me running older firmware it becomes a moot point if the problem is systemic to all Mavic Pro's running the older firmware.

Rob

I ordered the props as soon as they came out, without a decibel readout I didn't notice any changes in the sound, I did notice my camera gimbal doing some wild gyrations as it compensated for the vibrations set up by the new props. The video was clear, but I did notice the lines also, and assumed it might be caused by some late day sunlight. I would not recommend them. I will keep them as emergency back up props.-Don Jacobson

 

[jag32266]

Might actually be reflected sunlight? I haven't had the new props in my hands yet but aren't the tips bent slightly?

I'd expect shadows to come in from the top.

My experience as a lighting technician (gaffer) tells me a lot of that emphasis was sun glare/angle- the crawling wave type of event. The 'real' issue still does exist, not saying it doesn't but more emphasis was put on the problem by the glare/reflection on the lens type of problem