sergeant Posted at 10-27 01:50
Look at it this way, if you never closed your car doors before driving off, they'd shut on their own due to the momentum, but it wouldn't do the hinges any good over time. Initially they'd be fine, but after a year or so I'll bet they'll have challenges!

Yes, it's called centrifugal force. Basic physics.

A J Posted at 10-27 02:07
Yes, it's called centrifugal force. Basic physics.

Precisely dude, precisely.

sergeant Posted at 10-27 03:41
Precisely dude, precisely.

Indeed - particularly important to unfold if flying the MA2 as that force also causes the drone to bolt forward if the props are not unfolded. Arm the motors indoors with the props folded and with the drone sat on the edge of a table and it could very well bolt forward and crash to the floor. Or starting the motors with the drone on the edge of a cliff - even worse!

A J Posted at 10-27 04:11
Indeed - particularly important to unfold if flying the MA2 as that force also causes the drone to bolt forward if the props are not unfolded. Arm the motors indoors with the props folded and with the drone sat on the edge of a table and it could very well bolt forward and crash to the floor. Or starting the motors with the drone on the edge of a cliff - even worse!

Until reading this thread, I never unfolded my props. I've started on the edge of many a cliff, and many times indoors on a tile (slippery) floor, and never experienced any issues with the drone moving at all. All I've ever seen is a little wobble until the blades unfold.

Your experience may vary. That said, I always unfold my props now. It just makes sense.

Dangerly Posted at 10-27 11:01
Until reading this thread, I never unfolded my props. I've started on the edge of many a cliff, and many times indoors on a tile (slippery) floor, and never experienced any issues with the drone moving at all. All I've ever seen is a little wobble until the blades unfold.

Your experience may vary. That said, I always unfold my props now. It just makes sense.

Thats odd - I've had two MA2's and they both have done that - I've also seen a few YT vids with the same thing happening. That is of course when manually arming the motors.

Dangerly Posted at 10-27 11:01
Until reading this thread, I never unfolded my props. I've started on the edge of many a cliff, and many times indoors on a tile (slippery) floor, and never experienced any issues with the drone moving at all. All I've ever seen is a little wobble until the blades unfold.

Your experience may vary. That said, I always unfold my props now. It just makes sense.

Here's an example from Irix Guy YouTube channel - notice the drone when he arms the motors at 03:30 in his video.

I'm going to provisionally call BS on this. Does unfolding your props really make a difference? Will your drone lurch out of control if you're on a cliff and you don't unfold your props? Will you eventually break some part somewhere sooner than otherwise? I've done this numerous times and never had a problem. Show me the data if you disagree - don't give me analogies or physics explanations. If I never unfolded my props, what's going to happen to my Air 2 after some time?

I put my Air 2 on a slick tile floor and launched it twice. The first time I had the props folded up, just the way it came out of the bag. The second time I intentionally put all the props in the same direction to maximize the chance that the drone would move out of control.

Don't get me wrong - I'm going to unfold my props before I launch just because the story makes sense and I get how that second or two of wobble puts stress on things. But I really do want to see data on this, which I have not yet seen.

Here are my experiments:

Dangerly Posted at 10-27 15:59
I'm going to provisionally call BS on this. Does unfolding your props really make a difference? Will your drone lurch out of control if you're on a cliff and you don't unfold your props? Will you eventually break some part somewhere sooner than otherwise? I've done this numerous times and never had a problem. Show me the data if you disagree - don't give me analogies or physics explanations. If I never unfolded my props, what's going to happen to my Air 2 after some time?

I put my Air 2 on a slick tile floor and launched it twice. The first time I had the props folded up, just the way it came out of the bag. The second time I intentionally put all the props in the same direction to maximize the chance that the drone would move out of control.

Watch the video I posted - he manually arms the motors with the props folded on his MA2 and the drone bolts forward. It is clearly evident in the vid - not that the OP was even testing it or mentioned it in the video. So how you can call 'BS on this' when it is clearly shown in the vid is beyond me.

Watch Billy Kyles first vid on the MA2 too - he hand launches with the props folded and the drone nearly fell out of his hand. Both of my MA2's also bolt forward slightly upon arming when the drones motors are armed if the props are folded. The drone does not move at all when unfolded.

If you don't experience the same then good for you but please don't refer to other peoples experiences as BS simply because they are different to yours...

Dangerly Posted at 10-27 15:59
I'm going to provisionally call BS on this. Does unfolding your props really make a difference? Will your drone lurch out of control if you're on a cliff and you don't unfold your props? Will you eventually break some part somewhere sooner than otherwise? I've done this numerous times and never had a problem. Show me the data if you disagree - don't give me analogies or physics explanations. If I never unfolded my props, what's going to happen to my Air 2 after some time?

I put my Air 2 on a slick tile floor and launched it twice. The first time I had the props folded up, just the way it came out of the bag. The second time I intentionally put all the props in the same direction to maximize the chance that the drone would move out of control.

And even in this video that you posted your MA2 physically moved from its original position when the props were folded and motors armed yet didn't move a mm when unfolded. BTW you've asked viewers on the video to tell you what they think but you've turned off comments...

A J Posted at 10-27 23:08
Watch the video I posted - he manually arms the motors with the props folded on his MA2 and the drone bolts forward. It is clearly evident in the vid - not that the OP was even testing it or mentioned it in the video. So how you can call 'BS on this' when it is clearly shown in the vid is beyond me.

Watch Billy Kyles first vid on the MA2 too - he hand launches with the props folded and the drone nearly fell out of his hand. Both of my MA2's also bolt forward slightly upon arming when the drones motors are armed if the props are folded. The drone does not move at all when unfolded.

Precisely, there's no "BS" about this, this is science, logic and fact - but as we know in life, not all of the population believe in rational and reason

sergeant Posted at 10-28 04:17
Precisely, there's no "BS" about this, this is science, logic and fact - but as we know in life, not all of the population believe in rational and reason

Most certainly is fact.

A J Posted at 10-27 23:14
And even in this video that you posted your MA2 physically moved from its original position when the props were folded and motors armed yet didn't move a mm when unfolded. BTW you've asked viewers on the video to tell you what they think but you've turned off comments...

I believe you are mistaken. The video does not show a take off with the props unfolded. Both take offs had the props folded. The first time, they were oriented however the drone came out of the bag, pointing in different directions but still folded. The second time, I intentionally put all the props in the same orientation to maximize the chance it would move. And on a slick floor, it moved a small amount.

Dangerly Posted at 10-28 14:21
I believe you are mistaken. The video does not show a take off with the props unfolded. Both take offs had the props folded. The first time, they were oriented however the drone came out of the bag, pointing in different directions but still folded. The second time, I intentionally put all the props in the same orientation to maximize the chance it would move. And on a slick floor, it moved a small amount.

You say I’m mistaken because it moved a small amount on start up That is what I said it does...
If you arm the motors with the props folded the amount of centrifugal force used to unfold them on start up will cause the MA2 to bolt/move slightly on the ground. If the drone is positioned on the edge of a table the movement could be suffiicent for the front feet of the drone to move off the edge and the drone could fall to the floor. In addition, the props and motors will become worn quicker. BTW - to properly test it try fully folding your props so that the tips of each prop are touching each other before arming the motors - in your video the props are slightly unfolded.

It is always best practice to check and ensure your props are unfolded before every flight. A simple fact for the many reasons given throughout this thread and in the OP's video

A J Posted at 10-28 23:45
You say I’m mistaken because it moved a small amount on start up  That is what I said it does...
If you arm the motors with the props folded the amount of centrifugal force used to unfold them on start up will cause the MA2 to bolt/move slightly on the ground. If the drone is positioned on the edge of a table the movement could be suffiicent for the front feet of the drone to move off the edge and the drone could fall to the floor. In addition, the props and motors will become worn quicker. BTW - to properly test it try fully folding your props so that the tips of each prop are touching each other before arming the motors - in your video the props are slightly unfolded.

You wrote, "yet didn't move a mm when unfolded." My only disagreement with you is that I didn't show a takeoff with the props unfolded...

Otherwise I'm in complete agreement with you. Thanks.

Dangerly Posted at 10-29 07:10
You wrote, "yet didn't move a mm when unfolded." My only disagreement with you is that I didn't show a takeoff with the props unfolded...

Otherwise I'm in complete agreement with you. Thanks.

Cool - unfold the props and we're all on the same page