I recently replaced the propellors on my Mini 3, a task I thought I fully understood until I found I didn’t. Having (semi) carefully screwed the correct replacement props onto their correct motors I launched the drone to check all was well. The beast flew and responded as expected… But… I had a niggle something was wrong.
Firstly, the drone did not quite sound like it usually did, and secondly the motor on one arm felt much warmer than the other three. I then remembered that the new prop screws on that motor had to be left a little loose to permit the new props to rotate freely. This should have sounded alarm bells, but the fact that the other 3 sets of props screwed down tight did not register (drrrrr!).
On closer inspection of the props on the warm motor I suddenly realised I had put them on upside down!! Putting them on the right way up (with the small writing on each prop uppermost) meant the screws tightened up fine, the drone sounded normal when flying, and no motor felt warm immediately after flying.
The lesson I learned was: put new props on the right way up (small writing uppermost) as well as on the right arm otherwise motors might be placed under undue stress. I hope this helps others.
My scew up. I was flying in a field close to the edge of a wood and, intending to rotate the drone prior to bringing it back home (pull the left stick to the right), I pulled the right stick right by mistake. This idiot mistake moved the drone to the right instead of rotating it. The drone was moving slowly and the props just touched the edge of a tree and the Mini 3 fell to the ground. Luckily the drone was easy to find (400m away) using “Find my Drone”, and there was no damage except for 2 broken prop tips. To be safe, I replaced all 4 sets of props only to find subsequently that I had put 3 sets on the right way up and one set the wrong way! Lessons have been learnt…
I usually change the props one pair on the motor at a time. Comparing the new for old. A mate took all his props off, then put a complete new set on. When he fired it up, the drone wouldn’t take off at all. Had lots of fun sorting that out. ( not)
So easy to make a mistake flying. It happens to us all at some point. For example I think the best one for me was when I tried to get a turning shot from a lake and… well lets say a tree jumped out at me. The drone was lost for a few days but @clinkadink was able to retrieve it for me we had a good idea where it was with “find my drone too” but it was a little more complicated with where it was. There is a complete thread of this.
Good points about the props. An easy mistake to do but little reminders will make people take that second to make sure.
Glad you only had prop damage. Ours broke its arm and had to be sent off.
