Greetings everyone. I just got my Mini 3 Pro a couple days ago and I immediately noticed that it was way hotter than my Mini 2 SE. The storekeeper also said that I shouldnt leave it on idle when powered on for too long, or else i might eventually damage the board inside that the drone will lose signal at 300-350m.


So i proceeded to use a portable fan to blow air to the drone when updating its firmware. I also didn't have a microSD reader so i had to leave the drone in idle while plugging it to my PC to transfer my files, also using a fan. The firmware update and the file transfer took around 15-10 minutes respectively.


So here's my question: It did indeed get quite hot so i turned the drone off as soon as the proccess was completed, but will this (turning the Mini 3 Pro and leaving it on idle for updates/transfer for 10-15 minutes) really damage the internals in the long run? I've only done this 2 times, so is it still OK? Thanks.

The Mini 3 Pro doesn't have an internal fan to cool off the interior electronics.  While flying the air passes into the body and keeps it cool enough.  However, it can heat up quickly if you are just hovering in place for a long time.  When I'm updating firmware, etc I do the same as you did and just keep a fan blowing into front of the drone.  I don't think you'll have any long term issues or damages as longs as you continue to use the fan to keep it cool when not flying.  Will help to get an SD Card to use for transferring files so as not to have to have the drone turned on during that process.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 9-18 03:04
The Mini 3 Pro doesn't have an internal fan to cool off the interior electronics.  While flying the air passes into the body and keeps it cool enough.  However, it can heat up quickly if you are just hovering in place for a long time.  When I'm updating firmware, etc I do the same as you did and just keep a fan blowing into front of the drone.  I don't think you'll have any long term issues or damages as longs as you continue to use the fan to keep it cool when not flying.  Will help to get an SD Card to use for transferring files so as not to have to have the drone turned on during that process.

Thanks for the reply! I did order a card reader. I posted the video of me plugging my drone with a fan blowing air to it to a local DJI Facebook group, and immediately got some replies straight up bashing me without being any sort of helpful. I turned to this forum straight away after that!

aerosw1ft Posted at 9-18 03:07
Thanks for the reply! I did order a card reader. I posted the video of me plugging my drone with a fan blowing air to it to a local DJI Facebook group, and immediately got some replies straight up bashing me without being any sort of helpful. I turned to this forum straight away after that!

I think the only reason it doesn't have an internal fan was to keep the weight down to 249G.  It truly is a very capable little drone.  It is my go to drone except on very windy days and then I get out the Air 3.  

Keep on flying and have a wonderful week.

Using the fan is the correct thing to do, also be certain to remove the gimbal cover, it might actually be advantageous to point the camera at the fan.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 9-18 03:36
Using the fan is the correct thing to do, also be certain to remove the gimbal cover, it might actually be advantageous to point the camera at the fan.

I always remove the foam gimbal holder and the actual cover before turning my drone, so no problem on that part!

aerosw1ft Posted at 9-18 05:03
I always remove the foam gimbal holder and the actual cover before turning my drone, so no problem on that part!

Good

I also use a fan

The drone will auto shut down if it gets too hot, this will prevent internal damage, if it happens when in the air, it will auto land 1st

There is a setting under your camera tab for USB connection, have that selected (you only need to do it once). The option will only appear with the drone powered up because the setting has to be stored on the drone.  Now every time you connect to your PC via USB it will auto shut down non essential modules and thus lessen the amount of heat buildup.

And I also utilize a fan blowing towards the front.

That black small piece of foam behind the gimbal was only there to protect against any abusive shipping/handling.  I personally do not use it in case I get a brain fart and forget to remove it. Always remove cover then insert the battery.

Hi, aerosw1ft. Thank you for reaching out. DJI Mini 3 Pro is designed without a built-in fan, which can effectively reduce power consumption to make the flight time longer. Additionally, the new structural design with propellers that have been adjusted for a more aerodynamic flight, allows the drone to use the wind generated by the propellers to dissipate heat, ensuring good heat dissipation effects during the flight. If the drone stays in standby mode for a long time, its temperature may continuously rise. DJI Mini 3 Pro comes with a built-in temperature control system that the drone can detect the current temperature and decide whether to automatically power off to prevent overheating.

The regular standby periods of DJI Mini 3 Pro in the stationary state are as follows (measured in an indoor environment with an ambient temperature of 25℃). If exceeding the standby time, the aircraft may automatically power off to prevent overheat.
During flight: The aircraft is not overheated.
When in standby mode on the ground: Approx. 22 mins.
When updating firmware: Approx. 19 mins (sufficient for 3 times of upgrades; 5 to 6 mins for each update).

Remarks: It should not damage the internal as long as you follow the prompts on the app. If the room temperature is high, or when the mobile phone’s fast transmission function is in use, the power consumption of the aircraft will increase, resulting in more serious heating, so the standby time will be shorter. It is recommended to refer to the aircraft’s prompts to shut down and cool down, or use other physical methods to reduce the temperature of the aircraft, such as fans or air conditioners.

If the aircraft is at room temperature within 5 minutes, it will prompt "Aircraft Overheated" and then automatically shut down. It is recommended that the user send it back for further diagnosis.

Rej Posted at 9-18 19:43
There is a setting under your camera tab for USB connection, have that selected (you only need to do it once). The option will only appear with the drone powered up because the setting has to be stored on the drone.  Now every time you connect to your PC via USB it will auto shut down non essential modules and thus lessen the amount of heat buildup.

And I also utilize a fan blowing towards the front.

Didn't know about the USB setting. Will definitely turn it on, though I'll now use a microSD reader just to be on the safe side. Thank you for sharing!

Rej Posted at 9-18 19:43
There is a setting under your camera tab for USB connection, have that selected (you only need to do it once). The option will only appear with the drone powered up because the setting has to be stored on the drone.  Now every time you connect to your PC via USB it will auto shut down non essential modules and thus lessen the amount of heat buildup.

And I also utilize a fan blowing towards the front.

"There is a setting under your camera tab for USB connection, " very good catch


You should post that on
https://mavicpilots.com/forums/mini-3.201/
too, I am sure a lot of folks there would love that little 'gem'.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 9-20 01:23
"There is a setting under your camera tab for USB connection, " very good catch

Thanks;  however, I need to maintain my tally of forums to a minimum so that I can venture outdoors for leg exercise vs my 2 finger hen pecking exercise on the keyboard........LoL.

Sean, you're more than welcome to share that pic & topic with the Mavic community....