Hi All,

Reading all the horrible crash stories posted to this thread, as a newbie, I still keep flying with the propeller guards. I am just wondering when to stop using them. It's all about having faith in your own flying skills.

Using the propeller guards won't help if the Mavic Air drops dead out of the air, but do provide protection for other kinds of mishap.

Looking forward to your input!
Herman

Used once indoor but never used it for outdoor flying. Mavic with prop guards is unstable in wind better without it

I have used the prop guards only once in an open area after I bought my MA. If you are in P-Mode, it works nicely. I have also tried flying in sport mode and experienced that I received a warning or rather, sort of an information saying that there was an overload. When in sport mode with the guards, the speed is much lower. When I took apart the guards and switched to S mode, it was flying unbelievably fast.

As to when you need to get rid of the guards, it depends on your competence. Are you able to perform a figure 8 flying forwards and backwards? If so, my personal opinon is that it is high time you took off without them.

Cheers

You're absolutely correct, only your own faith in your flying skills will tell you when to take the guards off.  Personally, I stopped using them after about 5 hours of flying, but I would consider fitting them if I was flying in a restricted space such as a forest.

If you are alone in the field or somewhere else it's OK not to use them. But flying in any possible vicinity of the people, especially children - only with the prop guards. And this is not the question of your skills, but the question of the DJI technology and quality. There are too many cases with MA attacking people. Better to stay away

I never used mine either.

nixuspix Posted at 2018-7-25 03:37
If you are alone in the field or somewhere else it's OK not to use them. But flying in any possible vicinity of the people, especially children - only with the prop guards. And this is not the question of your skills, but the question of the DJI technology and quality. There are too many cases with MA attacking people. Better to stay away

I quite agree.

They would have saved me $400 if i would have had them on my Mavic back when. It was an eye opener to see how easy it was to crash lol

nixuspix Posted at 2018-7-25 03:37
If you are alone in the field or somewhere else it's OK not to use them. But flying in any possible vicinity of the people, especially children - only with the prop guards. And this is not the question of your skills, but the question of the DJI technology and quality. There are too many cases with MA attacking people. Better to stay away

This is what I figured anyway. Better safe than sorry. Besides, drone regulations in the Netherlands are already quite strict and local governments impose even stricter rules by disallowing you to walk through a part... However, you are allowed to fly over it as long as you are not physically present in that park. Crashing into people is the quickest way into getting more of those rules.

All,
thanks for you insights. Although some of you started flying without guards quite soon after purchase, I'll opt for the safe site. The first few hours will be done with guards regardless of conditions. As soon as I get confident enough, I'll start flying without when conditions (trees, wind, people) are good.
Thanks!

Imeadiatly lol

Used them once indoors, and that was it... never used them outside at all.  

I have never used mine. However, as others had opined, they are very good to have if you attempt to fly indoors (not recommended) or close around people. I have never been into the gesture mode stuff, but if I were I would use them then as you are close to the drone and waving your arms about and stuff (at least according to the YouTube videos I have seen).

Do not use the propeller guards when it is windy! The drone will be blown away like a kite.

I say first thing first go outside to an open field with no one around and practice practice practice till your thumb is numb then practice some more.  Only reason I see to ever need them is if flying indoors.  Honestly prop guards may reduce crashes by 10% if that.  If you crash hard into something like a tree, building, any obstacle, or something else a prop guard is not going to mean the difference between a crashed bird or not.  Once you hit something it is going to go down hard regardless.  If you are still learning and around others which you should not be in the first place then sure.  Other than that really no benefit.  Just my opinion.

SparksBird Posted at 2018-7-27 20:58
I say first thing first go outside to an open field with no one around and practice practice practice till your thumb is numb then practice some more.  Only reason I see to ever need them is if flying indoors.  Honestly prop guards may reduce crashes by 10% if that.  If you crash hard into something like a tree, building, any obstacle, or something else a prop guard is not going to mean the difference between a crashed bird or not.  Once you hit something it is going to go down hard regardless.  If you are still learning and around others which you should not be in the first place then sure.  Other than that really no benefit.  Just my opinion.

You are right, the guards won’t act like an air cushion. So somehow I trick myself into more confidence by using them... as soon as I get to an open area without too many people I will give it a go without guards. I already experienced the wind sensitivity when using guards.

I have no experience with prop guards. I’ve never used them. From what I’ve read here, thay act like a sail in the wind. Wind is the enemy of a drone pilot. Well, unless it’s a tail wind on a return flight with a dead battery.

Jeff