Why a pre-flight checklist is important....

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Had a job to do today. Thankfully my preflight inspection found this. Could have resulted in a bad outcome. If you don't have some type of preflight routine i recommend you put something together. I realized i shut my case on the tip of my low noise props. ugh..
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Most aircraft manuals have a preflight checklist that is to be used. I still have not seen a consumer drone manufacturer publish one.
 
There are quite a few check lists developed by various people. Some are good. Some not so user friendly. The one I found for the P3P is three pages.
 
There are quite a few check lists developed by various people. Some are good. Some not so user friendly. The one I found for the P3P is three pages.
The point of my previous post is that the drone manufacturers do not publish pre and post flight checklists for their products the way other aircraft manufacturers do. This is why you see such a variance in checklists for the same drone. A preflight is there to try and prevent accidents. Post flight checklists are there to help check that nothing was damaged during the flight.

It is OK to add to a manufacturers approved checklist, but should never be less. Maybe that is why they don’t publish one, then if you check anything you are exceeding the manufacturer’s recommendations.
 
Most aircraft manuals have a preflight checklist that is to be used. I still have not seen a consumer drone manufacturer publish one.
you're right...and i wouldn't expect one. Though it would be helpful i still think we should create and follow one that fits our routine.
 
Here is the preflight checklist DJI provides in the manual for the Phantom 4 Pro

View attachment 121621

For those who fly part 107 you are required to conduct preflight inspection.

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Here is a recommendation from the FAA

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The Phantom 3 Standard has a short "Pre-flight Checklist" as well starting on page 41 of the manual. It's the bare minimum.
 
Had a job to do today. Thankfully my preflight inspection found this. Could have resulted in a bad outcome. If you don't have some type of preflight routine i recommend you put something together. I realized i shut my case on the tip of my low noise props. ugh.. View attachment 121617View attachment 121618View attachment 121619
A preflight detailed inspection should be mandatory; just like we do when flying a manned aircraft. Also a good post flight inspection is good too. In the summer I always have parts of bugs on the props. These must be removed and checked for damage; just like the photos above. My bet is many just unpack and launch. Probably when so many fall out of the sky.
 
A preflight detailed inspection should be mandatory; just like we do when flying a manned aircraft. Also a good post flight inspection is good too. In the summer I always have parts of bugs on the props. These must be removed and checked for damage; just like the photos above. My bet is many just unpack and launch. Probably when so many fall out of the sky.

A preflight inspection is mandatory under part 107. I believe most recreational flyers and even some part 107 don’t preflight each flight. This means preflighting each time you bring your drone home to change batteries. Manned pilots preflight each flight not just because it is mandatory but because their lives depend on it. There are no big consequences (unless one has personal or property damage) for those who’s lack of preflight was the cause of their accident other than becoming great at fixing drones. They are very much appreciated here on this forum.
 
Here is my input too, based on (sometimes bitter...) knowledge gathered from other pilots:

- make sure the battery is well seated in its compartment, by checking it clicked on both upper & lower clipses (P3)
- check the altitude for RTH if AC losts RC signal (make sure the flight over a straight line to home will be well above any buildings or trees etc.)
- video cache is ON (for cases when the bird will get lost, so the video from the phone/tablet will help somehow finding it)
- for older batteries, check the actual capacity after charging (Remaining Pwr), not the Total Capacity
- check the compass mod value, its normal value should be in the range 1400-1600
- check sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer)
- at travel altitude go for a while in ATTI mode, to see wind direction, hence understanding any possible flight-to-home difficulties against the wind
- check locked sats (at least 9 pcs)
- make sure the Home point is locked on the map

ANY further input is warmly welcomed !
 
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Good catch on the propeller tip. During my inspections I mostly see blood from the bugs that met their fate at the hands of my Phantom.

I used my phone to fly for years but now that I'm a CrystalSky user, my checklist reminds me to download my offline maps and load my DJI authorizations before leaving the house.

@Quest-So, those are some good tips. I am always sure to clear my video cache in case of the dreaded flyaway. I like the Atti drift you mentioned to see which way (and how strong) the wind is at a certain altitude.

Ah, the things we learn over the years that would have avoided a few crashes along the way!
 
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#19 not good. Compass calibration not necessary unless app tells you to.
 
My preflight is a continuation of my previous post flight. I examine my aircraft every time I pick it up. I always always start with a fully charged aircraft battery, not always the remote, but always with the aircraft battery, good condition and properly installed props, and hover abit after takeoff to verify no errors or issues reported on the Dji app. Then I fly. Never had an issue. These are serious and dangerous devices and must be handled with respect for everyone's safety. Always inspect your aircraft before flying.
 

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