Drone Maintenance

Be sure to follow recommended Manufactures procedures for your drone.

The following is a good guideline if your drone does not have a procedure from the manufacturer. It is very important to do battery maintenance which is commonly overlooked by a lot of people. This will ensure long reliable battery life.

Basic Drone Service

Triggered by any of the following:

Flights:20

Number of flights with this drone since the last Basic service

Airtime:200

Total airtime in minutes with this drone since the last Basic service

Recommended Service Items:


Aircraft Inspection


While it is recommended to inspect the aircraft before each flight, the Basic drone inspection is a little more thorough:

  1. Look for cracks in the outer shell, specifically around the motors which are more prone to cracks
  2. Check visually that all screws are in place and are tight
  3. Inspect the propellers and look for broken pieces, bent blades or other damage


Extended Drone Service

Triggered by any of the following:

Flights:100

Number of flights with this drone since the last Extended service

Airtime:1000

Total airtime in minutes with this drone since the last Extended service

Recommended Service Items:

Sensor Calibration

This service is a good opportunity to make sure all sensors are calibrated:

  1. Perform IMU calibration. IMU calibration works best on a completely flat surface. After you’ve connected the remote controller with the mobile device, go to Settings – Sensors – Check IMU – IMU Calibration.

  3. Tip: Perform this calibration when the aircraft has cooled down to room temperature. This will assist later with the startup time of the aircraft.
  5. Perform Compass calibration
  6. Perform Gimbal calibration

It is strongly recommended to also perform the Basic drone service as part of this service.


Full Drone Service

Triggered by any of the following:

Flights:200

Number of flights with this drone since the last Full service

Airtime:2000

Total airtime in minutes with this drone since the last Full service

Recommended Service Items:

Aircraft Thorough Inspection

Carefully inspect all systems of the aircraft:

Exterior Shell:

  1. Check that all screws are in place and make sure there are no loose screws. Use a flashlight and a small screwdriver to help with this.
  2. Inspect all the stickers on the aircraft and make sure there are no loose stickers. Loose stickers may fall midflight and obstruct the motors.
  3. If your country regulations requires, verify that the aircraft registration label shows up properly on the aircraft
  4. With propellers on, rotate each propeller with your finger and make sure all move freely
  5. Remove propellers, turn on aircraft and start the motors. Check if motors are rotating without unusual vibration and that the motor shafts rotate straight without any wobble.

Sensors and Vents:

  1. Verify all vents are clean and open
  2. Verify that the Sonar sensors and Proximity sensors (if equipped) are clean

Gimbal:

  1. Check gimbal vibration absorbers - make sure they are not cracked or stiff and that they are inside their housing
  2. Check the gimbal pins that are securing the vibration absorbers - make sure at least 2 are installed
  3. Inspect gimbal lens for damage
  4. Inspect gimbal arm and wires for damage

Battery Contacts:

  1. Remove the battery from the aircraft
  2. Check all gold battery plates inside the aircraft. If there are any stains on the surface, you can use a Q-tip dipped in pure (anhydrous) isopropyl alcohol (alcohol containing no more than 1% water) or electrical contact cleaner (typically comes in a spray can) to clean them to ensure good contact.
  3. Check to see if the metal contacts of the battery power and data sockets are damaged. If the surface severely burnt, use a piece of a fine sandpaper (Grit 150 or higher) to carefully clean the surface.

It is strongly recommended to also perform the Basic and Extended drone services as part of this service.


Basic Battery Service

Triggered by any of the following:

Charges:20

Times the battery was charged since the last Basic service

Flights:20

Number of flights with this battery since the last Basic service

Airtime:200

Total airtime in minutes with this battery since the last Basic service

Recommended Service Items:

Battery Deep Cycle Discharge

When you deep cycle the battery, it also re-initializes the battery's internal software. Always allow a LiPo battery to cool completely before any recharge to help protect your battery and extend its life.


Slower Deep Cycle Method:

  1. Fly until battery level reaches 25%-30%
  2. Allow battery to cool completely to room temperature
  3. Put battery back in and turn on aircraft (optionally starting motors with no propellers) and allow battery to discharge until it gets down to 8%, or until the battery can no longer be turned on. Launch the DJI GO app to check battery levels.
  4. Important: NEVER fully discharge the battery to 0% - it can cause permanent damage
  5. Tip: With engines stopped, the battery seems to drain about 1% every 5 minutes or so
  6. Allow the battery to cool completely again to room temperature
  7. Recharge battery normally

Rapid Deep Cycle Method:

  1. Fly the aircraft outdoors until there is less than 8% of power left, or until the battery can no longer be turned on.
  2. Allow the battery to cool completely again to room temperature
  3. Recharge battery normally


Full Battery Service

Triggered by any of the following:

Charges:160

Times the battery was charged since the last Full service

Flights:160

Number of flights with this battery since the last Full service

Airtime:1600

Total airtime in minutes with this battery since the last Full service

Recommended Service Items:

Thorough Battery Inspection


For the full service it is recommended to carefully inspect the battery:

Exterior inspection:

  1. Check if there is damage or any deformities, such as swelling of the outer shell
  2. Look for any cracks in the plastic enclosure
  3. Verify that the battery grip is firm and that the latches (plastic clips that you push to get the battery out of the aircraft) work properly and return to position after pushed

Contacts inspection and cleanup:

  1. Check all gold plates on the battery. If there are any stains on the surface, you can use a Q-tip dipped in pure (anhydrous) isopropyl alcohol (alcohol containing no more than 1% water) or electrical contact cleaner (typically comes in a spray can) to clean them to ensure good contact.
  2. Check to see if the metal contacts of the battery power and data sockets are damaged. If the surface is severely burnt, use a piece of a fine sandpaper (Grit 150 or higher) to carefully clean the surface.

It is strongly recommended to also perform the Basic battery service as part of this service.