Phantom 4 prop failure averted

[Nick Mendocino]

I found damage in the hub of one of my original P4 props that would probably have caused a crash if not corrected. I had noticed a slight wobble in one of the props just after takeoff while hovering at eye level. I landed it and pulled the wobbly prop off. Looking at the underside of the prop I saw that one of the three spots where the prop latches to the hub was different looking. On closer inspection and comparing the prop to another one, I could see that a piece of the plastic had broken off. I replaced the prop and everything is fine. I'm including a closeup photo of the damaged prop bottom center. It's not that easy to see the damage, but it's there if you study it, located at the upper right.

I keep the P4 Advanced in a hard case that's big enough to leave the props on while stowed. It makes for very rapid deployment. The damage to the prop wasn't caused by repeated mounting and dismounting, but probably by a hard landing or impacting a bush.

 

[Deleted member 62848]

Yeh that's good eyes on that one,,not checked mine even though they on and off,,I better now,,
Good heads up

 

[t65d]

Adding to pre-flight check.
Good catch!

 

[Martin Healy]

Hi Nick, Thanks for the heads up. A useful reminder of the need for a thorough inspection of the bird before launch.

Do you think that this faulty prop was an original DJI prop? I query this because when I zoom in on your photo of the prop I can see a lot of rough edges in the plastic. This is called 'flash' or 'flashing' and is caused by liquid plastic leaking past the seams of the mould during the manufacturing process (see Wklipedia searching for 'Flash (manufacturing)'. I have looked at my P4 props under a magnifying glass and none of them showed any flashing. I therefore think that your prop may be a 3rd party aftermarket item.

All the best, Martin

 

[Nick Mendocino]

Hi Nick, Thanks for the heads up. A useful reminder of the need for a thorough inspection of the bird before launch.

Do you think that this faulty prop was an original DJI prop? I query this because when I zoom in on your photo of the prop I can see a lot of rough edges in the plastic. This is called 'flash' or 'flashing' and is caused by liquid plastic leaking past the seams of the mould during the manufacturing process (see Wklipedia searching for 'Flash (manufacturing)'. I have looked at my P4 props under a magnifying glass and none of them showed any flashing. I therefore think that your prop may be a 3rd party aftermarket item.

All the best, Martin

Yes, it's an original OEM prop. The rough edges are due to wear. The photo is about double life size. The props stay on my bird all the time because my case allows it to be stowed with props on. Now I realize that I should remove the props and inspect the hubs from time to time, and make sure the spring clips on the prop mount are screwed down tight. These same props have been used for several years. I got my first P4 in 2016, and my P4 Advanced in 2017.

 

[Lucpa]

Will put this on my checklist also, thanks!

 

[Martin Healy]

Hi Nick, Thanks again for your helpful reminder to change the P4 Standard prop mounts. I got a set of the new mounts after reading your comment but I only got around to fitting them a couple of weeks ago. I also fitted a set of new (P4) props for good measure. The improvement in the tight fit is huge. There is zero wiggle movement when the prop is fitted and there is a less frantic note to the prop noise. So glad that I have completed this very simple upgrade and I highly recommend all all P4 owners to make this change for peace of mind. It is a cheap upgrade and it may save your precious drone.

All the best, Martin