Mabou2 Posted at 2017-9-3 07:54
On one of my first flights, just a column flight straight up for about a minute, then straight down, only about 75 ft up.  When I landed I was horrified by the carnage.  I don't know what kind of bugs have red guts, but apparently I flew up into a swarm of them.  There were literally hundreds of little splashes of red goo and bug parts all over the props and upper casing.  It was like a grotesque magic trick.  Clean one second, totally painted with bug guts the next.  Windex took care of me on that one.

There are more insects than all other life forms combined.... They certainly rule our world.

If you keep your drone clean, if will always be easier to clean next time.

Yes, those little pests, can really leave a mess behind. ;-)



Part of the joy in RC hobbies...  It sure beats a dreaded bird strike. Haha



RedHotPoker

Mabou2 Posted at 2017-9-3 07:54
On one of my first flights, just a column flight straight up for about a minute, then straight down, only about 75 ft up.  When I landed I was horrified by the carnage.  I don't know what kind of bugs have red guts, but apparently I flew up into a swarm of them.  There were literally hundreds of little splashes of red goo and bug parts all over the props and upper casing.  It was like a grotesque magic trick.  Clean one second, totally painted with bug guts the next.  Windex took care of me on that one.

Holy greasy grimy gofer guts batman!
Seems like Windex, straight up, is the go to cleaner for the shell and related casing.

Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning Drones, or trying to write a masterpiece.

Just a simple damp paper towel, no soap.  Its been my experience that plastic and fiberglass topcoat surfaces tend to fade with virtually any kind of chemical.  I have considered polishing it with PTEF as an added UV protectant but haven't tried it as of yet.

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2017-8-30 03:53
I take my p4p in the bubble bath with me!!

Thank you for not posting any pictures or illustrations.  hahaha

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-13 11:26
Just a simple damp paper towel, no soap.  Its been my experience that plastic and fiberglass topcoat surfaces tend to fade with virtually any kind of chemical.  I have considered polishing it with PTEF as an added UV protectant but haven't tried it as of yet.

Very good, I thought the same but many here seem to show different as they use stuff like Clorox or Windex and apparently without issue.

Please identify exactly what PTEF is?  I have not heard of it myself.
Thanks

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-9-13 11:32
Very good, I thought the same but many here seem to show different as they use stuff like Clorox or Windex and apparently without issue.

Please identify exactly what PTEF is?  I have not heard of it myself.

PTEF is an aeronautical coating similar to a spray on wax.  You just spray it on a cloth, or direct on the surface, and wipe it right off.
It not only works on aircraft, I use to put it on the decks of the yachts I use to work on to watch people slip and slide where they shouldn't be walking.  Well, actually the purpose was to prevent moisture and water spots from condensation, but when you work 16 hour days listening to millionaires complain about stupid stuff, you got to have some fun.  We also used it on inflatable boats, to give the rubber hull that beautiful shine... and again, watch the owners slip off and go SPLASH.  So if it repels millliionares, it should repel bugs too.

You can purchase it in Marine stores.  Just look for the aisle with the yachties laughing and telling stories.

Remember first seeing this several years ago,...








RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-9-17 19:24
Remember first seeing this several years ago,...

Yeah...that's gonna need some serious somethin
greasy grimy wasp guts

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-9-17 20:33
Yeah...that's gonna need some serious somethin
greasy grimy wasp guts

Yes, gonna need some moist wipes.... haha



RedHotPoker

i use a damp 'h2o' clean cotton cloth and wipe it down.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-9-3 08:14
There are more insects than all other life forms combined.... They certainly rule our world.

If you keep your drone clean, if will always be easier to clean next time.

good video RedHotPoker i think he will need something a little stronger than h2o.

My only Phantom got drowned in fast flowing river, I guess you can say I cleaned mine with water

Lucas775 Posted at 2017-10-6 20:07
My only Phantom got drowned in fast flowing river, I guess you can say I cleaned mine with water

I guess, inside and out...
So were you able to recover, or are you still licking your wounds?

There is a new cleaning paste for the DJI Phantom 3 SE. With this paste your bird will fly faster:

Cleaning Paste

Chatikib Posted at 2017-10-6 23:03
There is a new cleaning paste for the DJI Phantom 3 SE. With this paste your bird will fly faster:

Cleaning Paste

Well I guess they make something for everything...
Although I wonder if it's a joke...

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-10-6 20:16
I guess, inside and out...
So were you able to recover, or are you still licking your wounds?

Licking wounds.....................

Lucas775 Posted at 2017-10-7 02:13
Licking wounds.....................

Not cool, sorry about that...time will heal

  

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-9-6 22:05
Holy greasy grimy gofer guts batman!
Seems like Windex, straight up, is the go to cleaner for the shell and related casing.

Well this thread has been running now for over a week. There are a lot of interesting answers and some questionable. In Germany „Clorex“ is a bleach known to be capable of removing the shine from a ceramic toilet bowl, I won’t be using that even on my carbon fibre Tornado.

Windex seems to very popular, but this is not specific enough. Which windex is really the best? Originally it was blue (1933), presumably so it didn’t look very appetizing. Now you have the choice of ocean fresh blue, sunshine lemon and citrus orange, descriptions guaranteed to ensure any child will want to find out what it tastes like. Is one of them better for cleaning? Lets not forget the smell as well, do you want to leave a trail of spring bouquet, ocean mist (mist in German is something very unpleasant), lavender or even „tea tree“ (sic) as you fly over your neighbours property? Then there are the additives does anyone recommend vinegar, lemon, lime or orange? There are almost more variations than drone pilots.

Whats missing here however is the real issue, cleaning the drone before a flight. What you need is something to effectively remove fingerprints, skin particles, extraneous hairs and any other DNA evidence. Don’t forget the batteries, the batterie compartment the SD card and inside the rotor arms. There is a constant cooling airflow through these and if you test the drone at home you may well deposit dust and pollen only found in your locality.

Of course to be thorough you must buy your drone with cash, preferably in a foreign country and register it using an anonymous email set up with a false name and address.  

One last point, it is wise to reformat the SD card completely before every flight (no quick formats here) and only start filming when you are a safe distance from home.

I throw my quads in the dish washer.

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-10-7 02:19
Not cool, sorry about that...time will heal

Thanks for the kind words, Im hoping a P5 would come out soon to heal the wounds

Antonio76 Posted at 2017-10-7 02:32
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2sK3jrxPI

Now try it with the brushes spinningNice flying!

Lucas775 Posted at 2017-10-7 05:31
Now try it with the brushes spinningNice flying!

LOL, it wasn't me. Somebody in Italy, though ...

Here's what I use . It's called Plexus. I use it to clean the windshield on my motorcycle. It is a plastic cleaner and polisher it is Anti-Static and it also protects. I have used it on my Bike for years you can use it on panted stuff to. You can get it on line it is a little pricey but good stuff.

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-9-13 11:32
Very good, I thought the same but many here seem to show different as they use stuff like Clorox or Windex and apparently without issue.

Please identify exactly what PTEF is?  I have not heard of it myself.

Polytetrafluoroethylene aka Teflon (brand name)...

Antonio76 Posted at 2017-10-7 02:32
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd2sK3jrxPI

Next time they need to do it with water and soap

Dockater Posted at 2017-10-7 03:20
Well this thread has been running now for over a week. There are a lot of interesting answers and some questionable. In Germany „Clorex“ is a bleach known to be capable of removing the shine from a ceramic toilet bowl, I won’t be using that even on my carbon fibre Tornado.

Windex seems to very popular, but this is not specific enough. Which windex is really the best? Originally it was blue (1933), presumably so it didn’t look very appetizing. Now you have the choice of ocean fresh blue, sunshine lemon and citrus orange, descriptions guaranteed to ensure any child will want to find out what it tastes like. Is one of them better for cleaning? Lets not forget the smell as well, do you want to leave a trail of spring bouquet, ocean mist (mist in German is something very unpleasant), lavender or even „tea tree“ (sic) as you fly over your neighbours property? Then there are the additives does anyone recommend vinegar, lemon, lime or orange? There are almost more variations than drone pilots.

Alrighty then...is this the opening chapter to your Anarchist Book for Drones?
I guess there's nothing like being thorough...

Lucas775 Posted at 2017-10-7 05:29
Thanks for the kind words, Im hoping a P5 would come out soon to heal the wounds

That would do it!

darrell2 Posted at 2017-10-7 06:31
Here's what I use . It's called Plexus. I use it to clean the windshield on my motorcycle. It is a plastic cleaner and polisher it is Anti-Static and it also protects. I have used it on my Bike for years you can use it on panted stuff to. You can get it on line it is a little pricey but good stuff.

Uh that sounds interesting, thanks for the helpful info!

Antonio76 Posted at 2017-10-7 06:38
Polytetrafluoroethylene aka Teflon (brand name)...

Can you fry an egg on it after using this stuff?

I guess the bug guts just slides right off

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-10-7 08:48
Can you fry an egg on it after using this stuff?

I guess the bug guts just slides right off

Sure, but I think one would have to say goodbye to their battery if the shell got THAT hot...

Genghis9 Posted at 2017-10-7 08:43
Alrighty then...is this the opening chapter to your Anarchist Book for Drones?
I guess there's nothing like being thorough...

May not be a bad idea.

Pop it in the washer on "gentle cycle" with a little "Woolite". Toss in in the dryer on a low heat setting to tumble dry. It is best to remove the props so they won't get damaged!  HA

Poker....  You got that right! I just wet/wipe the props and underbody now and then. I kinda like the bug splatter a little.

Props and body - hot water and micro-fibre cloth - wring cloth out til just damp and then rub plastic parts clean of dead bugs etc.

Wipe off dry straight afterwards with a clean dry micro-fibre cloth.

I'll only use a gentle liquid soap as a last resort.  Anything stronger, and you may end up affecting the plastic of the body and props.

If the prop blades won't clean - I'll bin em.  They are cheap enough to replace, and it takes the worry out of using anything silly like a solvent on something plastic that holds the weight of your drone in the air!

Sensors covers - again - damp micro-fiber cloth to clean any marks off, and dry straight away with dry cloth afterwards.

Downward facing sensors?  Never had to worry, due to their orientation - but I know I wouldn't want to go fiddling with them too much (if at all).

Camera lens - I use the same lens cleaning cloth that I have for my DSLR Lenses.

Hi All, I use alcohol free spectacle lens wipes.

Gets all the bug debris off the props and any marks on the shell as well.

I make a point of doing this when I gat home each day when I have been out flying. Only takes a minute and works a treat.

Regards

fansd9797278 Posted at 2017-10-10 04:04
Hi All, I use alcohol free spectacle lens wipes.

Gets all the bug debris off the props and any marks on the shell as well.

Sounds like a good technique...thanks!

Spit......

Geebax Posted at 2017-10-16 14:58
Spit......

Come on...that is old school