Blade life

[J&W]

Does anyone know if there is a recommended number of hours of flight time that you should replace the props


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[Seawolf]

Unknown. Inspect before each flight for cracks, chips or dings. If I have a blade strike I'll replace even if no visible damage.

 

[alokbhargava]

Use them properly, they will last very long. Any time you see any damage, just replace them.

 

[msinger]

DJI has no such recommendation. You can continue to use them as long as they are not damaged. Here's what you should be checking prior to each flight:

• Make sure there are no chips along the edges of the props. This will probably never occur unless the prop strikes something.
• Check around the outside of the hub for hairline cracks.
• Check the inside of the hub for worn/stripped threads and cracks.

 

[Toyz]

I crashes my phantom 4 into some willows. Thankfully no damage, not even a chipped prop. Flew it another dozen times until I saw seawolfs post and it occurred to me I was being stupid. Trying to save $10 by keeping the ok looking blades and risking my phantom? Thanks seawolf!

 

[snowghost]

On my P3A, I changed out the props at 100 flights. But they still looked new.

 

[tecciztecatl]

Just posted this here

 

[G35 Mass]

How many bug strikes can a blade take before its internal structure integrity is to be questioned?

GMass gets bug guts, large or small, slung on the body of the aircraft after almost every flight.

 

[Mike_in_Letcombe]

I went out yesterday, to practice for my UAQ tests early next year - this is the UK qualification. I always fly in GPS mode (it works, I don't need any 'drift') but decided to practice in ATTI mode. For the first time ever, I crashed the P4 - not badly, just into a fence as the wind suddenly picked up and blew it straight into the **** thing - I was practicing 'holding' the drone steady at a metre off the ground. Broke one prop (in half), the others look okay but will replace them all, the cost is around £7.00 a pair so not worth finding out, on my next flight, that a prop that looks fine has an internal crack / weakness. Annoyingly, I have prop guards but didn't bother...

 

[David Cooke]

I've only destroyed one prop in an "autoland" in corn field stubble. . . in my first few hours of training . . I could not figure out how to stop it in time. So to avoid prop damage or or worse, I recommend practicing in ALL modes/functions as often as you can find time. . . that way . . . when the unexpected happens ( or does not happen as planned) you will recover and not panic or making things worse like I did by running out of time trying to decide what to do. Early on, I tried new maneuvers without really understanding their behaviour fully ( had not watched enough mistakes by others yet) and I almost lost it by simply running out of time wondering which mode I'm in and not wanting to hit RTH for fear there was not enough time left . . or that HOME was not a good recovery spot now because I had moved in order to keep it in sight, and other people were now in the way.

Now I try to spend an hour a week just flying various scenarios from one function to another so it's second nature. . . and so far I've had no further prop contact in last 60-70 hrs . .oh sorry there was that other mature cornfield . . . yea I clipped a few tassels when I took my eyes off the thing while intentionally getting a little too close. No Damage. . . just a little green on one prop. I plan to replace all of them between 80-100 hrs. if there is no further "unwanted touching". $12 bucks a set/100hrs I think is reasonable.