I-2 Prop failure

[CapArt]

As I was landing today after 5 flights ans I heard a very loud buzz and observed a great deal of vibration. I made a rapid landing short of my intended landing pad without incident. I discovered the forward left prop was missing both tips. When I checked my records this was the 117 flight on this set of OEM blades. My last set flew 130 flights before I changed out to these.

Is there some recommendation on the maximum number of flights or hours one should replace the blades??? I do a thorough preflight and the blades had no easily perceptible damage before I started. One witness swears I hit a large bug as I was coming in, but I find it hard to believe a bug could take out a blade.

 

[SanCap]

That is an odd failure if they have never come in contact with anything. I find that most of the times I damage a prop, it is caused by me be careless while loading or unloading my copter from my vehicle. Assuming your 117 flights were 13 minutes on average that comes out to about 25 hours of flight. That is a reasonable amount of time for replacement

Unless the aleged big bug was not a small bird and you can find no other explanation for the damaged prop I would say you need to replace them sooner. I know many people have flown for a year or more on the same set of props without issue. Or maybe you had a bad prop. Either way I would consider replacing all of the props installed now.

 

[CapArt]

No doubt, props are not that expensive and I have two extra sets. The old ones were the garbage before I even wrote the post. They still looked good but I don't trust them now.

 

[NickU]

I'd guess you've unknowingly caught the blades on something, or crimped them in the travelling case at some point.

I had 81hrs and 379 flights on my first set. They're only ex because I ploughed a furrow with the I2, even then two blades where intact (they're retired now!).

I did once see something from DJI suggesting hours/flights per Set of props, but I can't for the life of me find it now ... nothing even in the maintenance manual, just says to do a visual check on them in that!

 

[The Editor]

I'd guess you've unknowingly caught the blades on something, or crimped them in the travelling case at some point.

I had 81hrs and 379 flights on my first set. They're only ex because I ploughed a furrow with the I2, even then two blades where intact (they're retired now!).

I did once see something from DJI suggesting hours/flights per Set of props, but I can't for the life of me find it now ... nothing even in the maintenance manual, just says to do a visual check on them in that!

The figure you're referring to was 200 flights so assuming (average) say 11 mins a flight they recommended changing out props at circa 35-40 hrs flight time.
However, this was for the original (well the V2) props on the I1 which had the god awful quick release props.
I don't like anything with the word ''Quick" in its title when it comes to UAV's/aviation.
The cams wear on quick release props hence the 200 flight change out recommendations.

 

[NickU]

Pretty sure It was with ref to the I2 props, but given the ability of Dji to not know anything about it's own new products, they'd probably just recycled the figures from the I1 .

 

[PatrickP]

As I was landing today after 5 flights ans I heard a very loud buzz and observed a great deal of vibration. I made a rapid landing short of my intended landing pad without incident. I discovered the forward left prop was missing both tips. When I checked my records this was the 117 flight on this set of OEM blades. My last set flew 130 flights before I changed out to these.

Is there some recommendation on the maximum number of flights or hours one should replace the blades??? I do a thorough preflight and the blades had no easily perceptible damage before I started. One witness swears I hit a large bug as I was coming in, but I find it hard to believe a bug could take out a blade.View attachment 20736View attachment 20737

Great to hear you made it in for a safe landing!

 

[Donnie Frank]

As I was landing today after 5 flights ans I heard a very loud buzz and observed a great deal of vibration. I made a rapid landing short of my intended landing pad without incident. I discovered the forward left prop was missing both tips. When I checked my records this was the 117 flight on this set of OEM blades. My last set flew 130 flights before I changed out to these.

Is there some recommendation on the maximum number of flights or hours one should replace the blades??? I do a thorough preflight and the blades had no easily perceptible damage before I started. One witness swears I hit a large bug as I was coming in, but I find it hard to believe a bug could take out a blade.View attachment 20736View attachment 20737

I fly my Inspire 1 props until they suffer a strike of some kind (which happens rarely). I've had aftermarket P4P props that failed mid-flight twice. I now use OEM props only. I don't have enough flights on the OEM props to make assertions as to their reliability. Fingers crossed they don't do this randomly failing during flight BS.

 

[DaveAU]

On something so cheap, I never take chances. Visual inspection of props before every job and if there is anything, even scratches, straight in the bin.