It looks like the butterfly tabs are not holding the rear legs in the horizontal position during flight, allowing the ends to rise above horizontal and angling the props into the rear of the body

It's pretty amazing how the thing can still fly like that!

DJT_MVSP Posted at 2018-2-2 09:59
One of the prop looks bent on the last photo.It could have bent when you stored the Air

I took it out on a couple short flights this weekend since it is too cold for a real flight in NY right now and it was doing fine and wasn’t contacting the body anymore. Possibly since the part of the prop that was contacting the body broke off (yes I know I should’ve changed the prop out but I wanted to see if it were still an issue)
Once it warms up I’ll switch out the rear props and give it a real spin, hopefully it was just a freak thing

Hello, does anyone know if these incidents occurred on the first flight? right our of the box??? or did the incident occur in later flights?  how was the drone being packed away?  what was the final outcome of the blade strike to the body while in flight?   did the drone correct itself or did it enter an uncontrolled spin or roll?    propellers made of plastic like anything else made of plastic can change shape if they are bent in different ways....just a thought...  please inspect propellers before flight.

also if anyone has information on what flight modes they were in and the ambient conditions when the event took place that would be really helpful to finding the root cause of the problem.  Thank you in advance for your feed back

Hello everyone, I just took my brand new air out of the box, followed all instructions and took it outside for a first flight and am unfortunately experiencing the same problem, I will attach a couple photos here

Stevealps your props for sure look bent....look at second pic...have u tried a spare set on the rear? Try it and get back to us....this could be from shipping/packaging

SteveAlps Posted at 2018-2-6 16:08
Hello everyone, I just took my brand new air out of the box, followed all instructions and took it outside for a first flight and am unfortunately experiencing the same problem, I will attach a couple photos here

Sorry for this, Steve, could you please provide me with your drone's serial number? I had forwarded this case to our engineers.

$gambino$ Posted at 2018-2-6 16:30
Stevealps your props for sure look bent....look at second pic...have u tried a spare set on the rear? Try it and get back to us....this could be from shipping/packaging

Yes, you're 100% right the props are definitely bent, I swapped the rear props with the spares which seem to have plenty of clearance from the body.

Seems like some props are being bent while packaged.  Makes me wonder if the case that the MA is shipped in is putting pressure one some props.  

A CW Posted at 2018-2-1 15:27
Sorry - I missed your opening statement. Thats not good! This would be a DOA unit IMO - I strongly suggest you return it to DJI for a brand new replacement asap

Agree...that's not normal.  Looks like you got a defect in yours.  Would have it replaced.  

Far_North Posted at 2018-2-7 07:08
Seems like some props are being bent while packaged.  Makes me wonder if the case that the MA is shipped in is putting pressure one some props.

I wonder if they will send an extra set of props out to customers who received bent props from shipping

Hi Kyle and Steve, could you please kindly send the drone in for a further analysis? Please kindly contact our support to start a case. And please kindly provide me with the case number once you get it, sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for the assistance.

DJI Thor Posted at 2018-2-1 20:41
Sorry to read on this. I have now forwarded your case to our engineers to check and confirm. May I have a short video about the rear legs unfolding? And could you please provide me with your drone's serial number? Appreciate your help.

I am having the exact same issue with my mavic Air don't understand what the issue is but that back propellor is hitting the unit.  

I also have the same issue! Back right prop hit the drone on the vent. When replaced with the spare set the clearance is fine... not before my first flight and slight damage to the drone though Mega disapointed!!

Same issue here! Very very diapointed!

I don't have a Mavic air, however preflight checks include looking at your props to see if they are bent. I bet this would have saved a bunch of new users some heartache. So is it from the packaging or what? Who has an Air they can study how it was packed and see if that's the issue .

Just wandering, The Mavic Air fits snugly in its original case, could it be that orientating it wrong caused the bent props?

LoSBoL Posted at 2018-2-19 09:13
Just wandering, The Mavic Air fits snugly in its original case, could it be that orientating it wrong caused the bent props?

I am looking into getting one but doing research on them but, have seen a video that it fits in one way and if put in another was hard to close case. To me i seen a cutout on bottom that it fits into but if put in wrong i think can bend props as the cutout is made for being in one way.  Wish some can check this as i do not have yet but just trying to be helpful.

LoSBoL Posted at 2018-2-19 09:13
Just wandering, The Mavic Air fits snugly in its original case, could it be that orientating it wrong caused the bent props?

I tend to get that impression. Wrong storage might be the cause.

nmac Posted at 2018-2-19 10:15
I am looking into getting one but doing research on them but, have seen a video that it fits in one way and if put in another was hard to close case. To me i seen a cutout on bottom that it fits into but if put in wrong i think can bend props as the cutout is made for being in one way.  Wish some can check this as i do not have yet but just trying to be helpful.

There is a subtle picture of the Air's outlines inside the case for easy orientation.

Strobing_NYC Posted at 2018-2-19 09:13
I don't have a Mavic air, however preflight checks include looking at your props to see if they are bent. I bet this would have saved a bunch of new users some heartache. So is it from the packaging or what? Who has an Air they can study how it was packed and see if that's the issue .

Checks upon delivery have the prop clearance check shown...

https://forum.dji.com/thread-133546-1-1.html

Hope that helps someone from nicking the svelte body

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-2-19 10:54
I tend to get that impression. Wrong storage might be the cause.

Sir i think your right as the many videos i have seen many have said that if not folded right would take pressure to close all the way and hitting the top props. and in a small case could have a prop sticking out some to hit when closing case. Yes i do not have yet but am trying to be somewhat helpful as this puzzles me much.

fansdb4f7190 Posted at 2018-2-12 06:04
I am having the exact same issue with my mavic Air don't understand what the issue is but that back propellor is hitting the unit.

Hi there, I am terribly sorry for the late reply. Please try to change the spare propellers and see if it is the same issue. I am looking forward to your reply.

djiuser_H8mJLRppGMcW Posted at 2018-2-16 10:44
I also have the same issue! Back right prop hit the drone on the vent. When replaced with the spare set the clearance is fine... not before my first flight and slight damage to the drone though  Mega disapointed!!

[view_image]

Sorry for the late reply but we appreciate your feedback, I will forward this case to our engineers.

fans405eecd2 Posted at 2018-2-19 09:02
Same issue here! Very very diapointed!

Sorry for your case, please kindly refer to my reply on 64#. See if the issue still happens after changing the propellers.

Here I go wandering again ;)  



Could the gimbal protection in combination with a little careless unfolding cause the props to bend?

The latches on the gimbal protector do a good job from keeping the propeller tips touching the surface, and therefore no pressure is on those proppeller tips when folded.
They fit comfortably underneath those latches.
But what happens if you unfold the arms while the props snatch free from those latches due to uncarefull unfolding?  Could the props bend enough to the point you loose clearance with the drone's body?

Its probably best to remove the gimbal clamp before anything else, the manual does state 'remove the gimbal protector' as the first thing to do when perparing before flight.

Send her back to DJI.

Same issue here. Props are rubbing off the body. Mine was forced to land as it would not ascend because of this. Props hit some snow on landing and now a motor is damaged. Sending back for repair/replacement now.

if the aircraft is placed revesal in the bag, or is not placed in place, the propellers may be bended. Please confirm whether the propellers is placed right in the bag when the aircraft is in storage, especially when it is placed for a long time.Thanks.

Trehanek Posted at 2018-3-12 20:31
if the aircraft is placed revesal in the bag, or is not placed in place, the propellers may be bended. Please confirm whether the propellers is placed right in the bag when the aircraft is in storage, especially when it is placed for a long time.Thanks.

Another thing is what i have seen in some videos is if not folded right would take some pressure to fully collapse it for storage. If not a arm may stick out some and to me would bend a prop. Yes some has said it makes no difference but others i have seen they had to press hard to fully close when done wrong. Also from what i have seen if in bag wrong some could not close it but think it could be forced to. I wish i had one but soon will and will test.

Forgot to say that the people that builds these built the pro and after many are used to folding one way but this is a new one that's different and not to say that after many pros built the folding and boxing becomes habit of doing one way and when in demand and hurry to put out many some old habits may take over. but do know they do the best they can do but sometimes mistakes can happen. more so when the demand is high.... just a thought.

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-2-2 08:41
Yes, I have received it today and fully agree with you. My assumption was wrong but what has happened with Kyles Air is really weird. Both props would need to be significantly bend for this to happen. I hope the cause can be identified.

No, they only have to be slightly bent. 2mm. Both my rear props got bent enough just from having the drone properly placed in my case (original DJI case). Properly, meaning not backwards or upside down.  I dread that DJI won’t fix my drone, since this was the first real flight and now it’s a paperweight (motors immediatley give me a max speed warning when I take off (take off with unbent props).

ChosenIdea Posted at 2018-3-18 16:48
No, they only have to be slightly bent. 2mm. Both my rear props got bent enough just from having the drone properly placed in my case (original DJI case). Properly, meaning not backwards or upside down.  I dread that DJI won’t fix my drone, since this was the first real flight and now it’s a paperweight (motors immediatley give me a max speed warning when I take off (take off with unbent props).

I wish you good luck that it will be covered under warranty!

Here is what is happening.  I bought mine flew great first few flights.  No issue , blades out of the case were fine.   It’s the case and how you lay it down.   So it seems they bend rather easy and get misshaped.  I have flown mine 4 times... been flying 8 years plus... first DJI product that has given me grief.   The back blades somehow got bent in the case I had not flown it in about 6 weeks.   Sure enough the back blades somehow got bent in the case not sure if they were layed on in the case or what but they bent.   I’m ordering some more but it looks like a defect in the design to be honest.    But yep it can happen ... I didn’t fly mine I almost did though.  

Iskareot Posted at 2018-4-22 15:51
Here is what is happening.  I bought mine flew great first few flights.  No issue , blades out of the case were fine.   It’s the case and how you lay it down.   So it seems they bend rather easy and get misshaped.  I have flown mine 4 times... been flying 8 years plus... first DJI product that has given me grief.   The back blades somehow got bent in the case I had not flown it in about 6 weeks.   Sure enough the back blades somehow got bent in the case not sure if they were layed on in the case or what but they bent.   I’m ordering some more but it looks like a defect in the design to be honest.    But yep it can happen ... I didn’t fly mine I almost did though.

Is this with the case that comes with the MA?  Very curious they would design it this way.  

Yes I figured it out if its laying upside down it will over time bend the props.   I had to use the new props on the rear and all is fine again.   The case if pushed down at all caused this.  Its not exactly a great fit

A CW Posted at 2018-2-1 15:27
Sorry - I missed your opening statement. Thats not good! This would be a DOA unit IMO - I strongly suggest you return it to DJI for a brand new replacement asap

We too strongly recommend to return to DJI so that they can study it in depth!

What is weird is, if i bend my props myself while mounted and move it with my hand, it does not touch the part of the body that was showing damage in these pics. I cannot even force it to hit in that spot. My props are just not long enough.