Troubleshooting & Repair

    Keep It Flying: A Step-by-Step Guide to Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Is your drone acting strange? Don't panic. Follow this diagnostic logic.

Scenario 1: The "Jello" Effect (Vibrations in Video)

  • Step 1: Mechanical Check Tighten every screw on the frame. Check your stack screws—they should be firm but not crushing the rubber gummies.
  • Step 2: Propeller Inspection Even a tiny bend or chip in a propeller causes massive vibration. Swap all 4 props for a brand-new set.
  • Step 3: Electrical Check Make sure no wires are touching the Gyro sensor on the Flight Controller. Loose capacitors flapping around can also cause noise.
  • Step 4: Tuning If the build is clean, your PID tune might be off. Try moving the "Master Multiplier" slider down in Betaflight to see if the shakes disappear.

Scenario 2: Water Damage (The "Save" Protocol)

  • Step 1: DISCONNECT POWER If you crash in water/snow, unplug the battery instantly. Milliseconds count.
  • Step 2: Shake and Blow Shake the drone vigorously to remove bulk water. Use compressed air (if available) to blow water out from under chips.
  • Step 3: The Alcohol Bath Submerge the flight controller and ESC in 99% Isopropyl Alcohol. This displaces the water and cleans off conductive minerals. Scrub gently with a toothbrush.
  • Step 4: The Wait Let it dry in a warm, dry place for at least 24-48 hours. Do not use a hairdryer (static electricity can kill chips).

Scenario 3: Battery Care

  • Step 1: Charging Always balance charge. Ensure all cells are within 0.05V of each other.
  • Step 2: Storage Finished flying? Use your charger's "Storage" mode to bring cells to 3.80V. Leaving them full (4.20V) causes them to puff up and lose power.

 

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