Hello all,

I have seen other posts and comments from other people having the same issue, but the past couple flights with my Mavic Mini led to error messages saying "Max Powerload Reached". Yesterday(the second time I got this error message) my Mini even fell from the air only throttling enough to keep it from impacting the ground at full speed. Right before it fell I started noticing that it did not sound the same while hovering. Note this did nothing to the drone, but it was definitely terrifying. After this I simply wanted to try each battery and see if it would take off. Now every time I try to take off it seems the rear motors do not fully engage, and when the front begins to lift the rear propellers make contact with the grass which immediately shuts off the drone.

For reference, I technically have 42 recorded flights with this Mini, although several of those were nothing but takeoffs. I know I've at least had two dozen full flights out of it with zero issues whatsoever. I have always flown without the prop guards.

first step would be replacing the propellers

You've found the Mini's special surprise.
Many people have lost Minis because they fail to hold altitude and descend even if you push the left stick up.
Your Mini is not safe to fly, just like hundreds of others.
Talk to DJI about it.
They know about the problem but don't seem to think it's serious enough to do anything about.
They need to hear from more Mini owners.

Yes... definitely, when the props are deformed from being incorrectly handled in storage. I've read about cases directly reporting degrading performance over time. It's possible faulty props were installed at the factory bur far less likely.

Just FYI: not being a complete DUD I obey to Strong Wind Warning notices, my MM flights in which Strong Wind warning notices appear are usually always completely free from ESC not enough force errors. And so far every case that I've seen addressed with propeller change managed to fix the problem.

Change your propellers and you'll most likely be OK.

It's ridiculous... when allegedly expert people take the upper hand like in some other forum: I've been witnessing  a case in which a forum user and fellow MM pilot was advised by highly regarded experts -what !? your Mini fell !? It's normal... every Mini does that... how could you not know ?! You throw away that garbage... loss of time-. I am appalled by this whole selfish mentality, like we know better you stay away from that carp.

Labroides Posted at 4-1 05:56
You've found the Mini's special surprise.
Many people have lost Minis because they fail to hold altitude and descend even if you push the left stick up.
Your Mini is not safe to fly, just like hundreds of others.

i think this is actually an awesome opportunity. A Mini that manifested the uncontrolled descent issue and is not unable to take off is absolutely PERFECT for getting a clear answer of whether props are to blame here. If I were DJI, I would offer him a free upgrade to a bigger drone if he sends this one back in the condition it is now, to investigate exactly what went wrong with the props or the drone.

@sreese240 Please keep us updated if changing the props fixes your issue.

Ice_2k Posted at 4-1 07:56
i think this is actually an awesome opportunity. A Mini that manifested the uncontrolled descent issue and is not unable to take off is absolutely PERFECT for getting a clear answer of whether props are to blame here. If I were DJI, I would offer him a free upgrade to a bigger drone if he sends this one back in the condition it is now, to investigate exactly what went wrong with the props or the drone.

@sreese240 Please keep us updated if changing the props fixes your issue.

Will do! I'm going to change the props and check the battery firmware. I should be able to test in a couple hours and I will report back.

I found several more posts from other users that said one of those two actions fixed their problems, and honestly I can completely understand how it could be the props. I've had a few dozen flights now and I'm not a big fan of the way the props are stored while in the case and underneath stress. However, they look flawless and do not appear to have any damage whatsoever. Still hoping swapping them fixes my problem.

The only concerning thing is most people do not seem to have the issue of the MM not taking off at all after this problem occurs. It almost looks like the rear motors are only engaging maybe 20-30%. Of course when the props contact the ground it shuts off completely as a safety feature;however, I think it may even flip over without this safety measure.

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 08:05
Will do! I'm going to change the props and check the battery firmware. I should be able to test in a couple hours and I will report back.

I found several more posts from other users that said one of those two actions fixed their problems, and honestly I can completely understand how it could be the props. I've had a few dozen flights now and I'm not a big fan of the way the props are stored while in the case and underneath stress. However, they look flawless and do not appear to have any damage whatsoever. Still hoping swapping them fixes my problem.

Ideally, please do just one action at a time, to make sure you identify the issue. Like, just change the props and give it a go without messing with the firmware.

Ice_2k Posted at 4-1 08:07
Ideally, please do just one action at a time, to make sure you identify the issue. Like, just change the props and give it a go without messing with the firmware.

You're right. I will change the props before doing anything else. That seems like the most likely fix anyway.

I'll let you know, thanks for the help!

Ice_2k Posted at 4-1 08:07
Ideally, please do just one action at a time, to make sure you identify the issue. Like, just change the props and give it a go without messing with the firmware.

What do you know, it seems the prop swap did the trick! I swapped them on lunch and then flew a fully charged battery down to 20% with zero issues whatsoever. I knew as soon as I took off that my problem was most likely gone. It sounds normal again. I didn't go very far or over 50 ft or so because it is very windy today, but hopefully we are good to go!

I feel somewhat silly and it seems like such a simple fix, but I think it is tough to fathom that any slight imperfection with the propellers can cause a complete meltdown of the system like that. Your first thought is that you have a major issue.

Thank you for reporting back. Glad this fixed your problem.

This is another important proof to be contemplated and pinned for every future ESC error complaint to be correctly addressed.

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 09:33
What do you know, it seems the prop swap did the trick! I swapped them on lunch and then flew a fully charged battery down to 20% with zero issues whatsoever. I knew as soon as I took off that my problem was most likely gone. It sounds normal again. I didn't go very far or over 50 ft or so because it is very windy today, but hopefully we are good to go!

I feel somewhat silly and it seems like such a simple fix, but I think it is tough to fathom that any slight imperfection with the propellers can cause a complete meltdown of the system like that. Your first thought is that you have a major issue.

Good to hear that! Did you have any accidents with those props?

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 08:05
Will do! I'm going to change the props and check the battery firmware. I should be able to test in a couple hours and I will report back.

I found several more posts from other users that said one of those two actions fixed their problems, and honestly I can completely understand how it could be the props. I've had a few dozen flights now and I'm not a big fan of the way the props are stored while in the case and underneath stress. However, they look flawless and do not appear to have any damage whatsoever. Still hoping swapping them fixes my problem.

Good job, but one thing what was wrong with other props, I have had no problems with my mini and never changed props have flown it plenty, props are in great condition, this test is telling you that something was wrong with other props, not that you needed new props, so what is the answer to the question .

Ice_2k Posted at 4-1 09:50
Good to hear that! Did you have any accidents with those props?

It dropped to the ground twice on me. The first was on concrete, but only from a few feet. That left hardly noticeable scratches on the contact points, but no serious damage.

The second fall was from 50 feet or so, but it happened in soft grass. No damage from that one at all. Unless you count the heart attack I had while holding full throttle up and watching it plummet lol

hallmark007 Posted at 4-1 09:51
Good job, but one thing what was wrong with other props, I have had no problems with my mini and never changed props have flown it plenty, props are in great condition, this test is telling you that something was wrong with other props, not that you needed new props, so what is the answer to the question .

I agree, but I cannot locate a single imperfection. I examined each one against the new ones as I replaced them. Whatever it is, it is something that can't be seen easily or at all with the human eye.

I too had what I would consider to be a significant number of flights without a hiccup. I have even noticed bug guts on the props after a few flights and wondered how on earth that doesn't damage such thin plastic. However, once you clean them off there would be no damage at all.  

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 10:07
I agree, but I cannot locate a single imperfection. I examined each one against the new ones as I replaced them. Whatever it is, it is something that can't be seen easily or at all with the human eye.

I too had what I would consider to be a significant number of flights without a hiccup. I have even noticed bug guts on the props after a few flights and wondered how on earth that doesn't damage such thin plastic. However, once you clean them off there would be no damage at all.

I certainly would report to dji, if you’re not sure about sending in contact dji Mindy and ask her if engineers will look at your flight logs, do this before you have an accident where it might be more serious, it’s a definite problem with the drone and some malfunction.

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 09:33
What do you know, it seems the prop swap did the trick! I swapped them on lunch and then flew a fully charged battery down to 20% with zero issues whatsoever. I knew as soon as I took off that my problem was most likely gone. It sounds normal again. I didn't go very far or over 50 ft or so because it is very windy today, but hopefully we are good to go!

I feel somewhat silly and it seems like such a simple fix, but I think it is tough to fathom that any slight imperfection with the propellers can cause a complete meltdown of the system like that. Your first thought is that you have a major issue.

To me, the props are pretty flimsy compared to my other drones but I understand why.

When will DJI make some decent props that don't have this issue. I don't care if they are heavier as come the summer the 249g thing is irrelevant in the EU anyway. I've always kept mine immaculately in the fly more case yet have had a similar issue. Will DJI supply free props to people that have these issues?

I had a similar thing happen on a flight today with my mini, was up 50m no wind warnings then all of a sudden max power warning and it dropped 30m in a few seconds, luckily it didn't hit anything but it certainly makes you lose confidence in the drone.

There's a rather profound video on YouTube by "Idaho Quadcopter" who receives the same "Max Power..." message, over and over.  Very loud straining of the motors which the pilot seems to ignore!  (It's a long video and most of us would be screaming, 'bring it DOWN').  He's thinking it's the wind, but he eventually comes to the conclusion that something is wrong.  Somewhere near the 30 minute mark he shares his theory.  The Mini has been in its' case for nearly a month and he thinks the props have been flattened.  Looking at the case, if the props are extended forward, instead of nested together, he speculates that the pressure on the thin blades flattens them, and they aren't springy enough to return.  If that's true, one would expect the ESC for the motors assigned to the misshapen props to work harder!  Watch and listen and see what you think.  Makes changing props (which he did) make sense.   Spoiler alert....after changing props, all was normal.   

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To find the video referenced in my previous post. [#25] , go to YouTube, search for " Idaho Quadcopter " and then 'DJI Mavic Mini - Unstable Flight - ..."

WebParrot Posted at 4-2 12:40
There's a rather profound video on YouTube by "Idaho Quadcopter" who receives the same "Max Power..." message, over and over.  Very loud straining of the motors which the pilot seems to ignore!  (It's a long video and most of us would be screaming, 'bring it DOWN').  He's thinking it's the wind, but he eventually comes to the conclusion that something is wrong.  Somewhere near the 30 minute mark he shares his theory.  The Mini has been in its' case for nearly a month and he thinks the props have been flattened.  Looking at the case, if the props are extended forward, instead of nested together, he speculates that the pressure on the thin blades flattens them, and they aren't springy enough to return.  If that's true, one would expect the ESC for the motors assigned to the misshapen props to work harder!  Watch and listen and see what you think.  Makes changing props (which he did) make sense.   Spoiler alert....after changing props, all was normal.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbsJOCr7S3s.

Thanks I'll check it out. It rings true maybe for me the mini has been in its case for easily a month with the shocking weather we've had in the UK.

Are replacement props easy enough to get hold of and cheap?

fans1ed26ff8 Posted at 4-2 12:44
Thanks I'll check it out. It rings true maybe for me the mini has been in its case for easily a month with the shocking weather we've had in the UK.

Are replacement props easy enough to get hold of and cheap?

You're welcome.   At DJI's store they go for about $10-12. US plus shipping !!

I'd check with your "local" electronics store, Apple local, or other online RETAILERS which carry DJI Mini's They might have more reasonable shipping, etc.

WebParrot Posted at 4-2 12:50
You're welcome.   At DJI's store they go for about $10-12. US plus shipping !!

I'd check with your "local" electronics store, Apple local, or other online RETAILERS which carry DJI Mini's They might have more reasonable shipping, etc.

Thanks I guess it's worth trying to contract DJI to see if they send some out for free.

fans1ed26ff8 Posted at 4-2 12:28
When will DJI make some decent props that don't have this issue. I don't care if they are heavier as come the summer the 249g thing is irrelevant in the EU anyway. I've always kept mine immaculately in the fly more case yet have had a similar issue. Will DJI supply free props to people that have these issues?

I had a similar thing happen on a flight today with my mini, was up 50m no wind warnings then all of a sudden max power warning and it dropped 30m in a few seconds, luckily it didn't hit anything but it certainly makes you lose confidence in the drone.

After my experience, changing the props would definitely be my recommendation. I just finished a second flight since I changed them and everything worked flawlessly. I was back to flying that insanely stable drone, and I was pretty confident based on the behavior I was seeing.

It is no doubt that the props are creating issues for many of us. It is a relatively affordable endeavor and is very simple to do, but how does DJI expect us to know when we need to replace them?? We cannot wait for the Mini to fall out of the sky every time we need to replace slightly warped or flattened props. You and I are examples of people who were pretty lucky on our first bad experience.

Not only I've managed to spot deformed propellers in some user posted picture when dealing with the problem, but I am pretty confident in reviewing footage I can distinctly notice a higher pitched sound coming from motors. I could definitely tell that it didn't sound right as I wouldn't expect a so highly pitched sound from a hovering Mini.

This to say the problem isn't invisible and could and must be properly addressed with in depth inspections and evaluations.

sreese240 Posted at 4-1 10:00
It dropped to the ground twice on me. The first was on concrete, but only from a few feet. That left hardly noticeable scratches on the contact points, but no serious damage.

The second fall was from 50 feet or so, but it happened in soft grass. No damage from that one at all. Unless you count the heart attack I had while holding full throttle up and watching it plummet lol

I am sorry to hear about the accident. If there are damages caused by the accident, I suggest that you send the drone for a full diagnosis and service. Please start an online service request from our website https://repair.dji.com/repair/index?site=brandsite&from=nav.

DJI Thor Posted at 4-5 00:59
I am sorry to hear about the accident. If there are damages caused by the accident, I suggest that you send the drone for a full diagnosis and service. Please start an online service request from our website https://repair.dji.com/repair/index?site=brandsite&from=nav.

Thor, little buddy.... Have you had a chance to watch the video ( post #'s 24-26 ) ?

Just wondering if you would express an opinion on what this customer experienced.  

It appears very clear that something altered the profile of the props, and as a result the Mini wasn't able to spin those props fast enough to provide lift.  The motors are roaring trying to maintain altitude.  Later in his post on another site he shows a flight log that indicated very little wind.  

In that same forum there are 20-25 posting of 'sudden descent,' 'straining motors,' high wind warnings  where none existed a the altitude (usually below 30 feet).  One even went so far as to simply change to props that were thicker Please, no warnings about using non-DJI parts. (we all know the tune).  There just seems to be something going on with these super light weight props and arms.

I will just say that swapping all of the blades on my mini seems to have cured the very marginal lift the unit had from day one.

The flights I've been able to make since swapping my blades have been satisfactory.  Does this mean it won't develop issues again?  No.  But for the moment, it has been good.

So I do recommend people try replacing all of their blades if and when they notice the mini struggling.  And swap blade pairs any time they notice any damage, even if it's minor.

As had been said, the sound of the mini is a reasonable thing to observe and note.  A change in the sound may be the first and most noticeable symptom of a bad blade pair.

It would be neat if we had a display showing the motor RPM for each individual motor.  That would allow us to hover for a while and evaluate if all four motors are running at the same speed as each other, and as the previous flights, as a pre-flight check.

Out of interest, how do you store your mini? Do you have anything holding the props to store the drone?
I see a lot of different prop holders. Some are like a band that hold the props on an angle in storage. If you remember when you bought the drone how they were stored. Not diagonally, not with any pressure on the props held on any funny angles. They were simply held together with a small band of plastic to keep them straight across themselves. I personally have a molded case that allows the props to sit flat without needing any kind of prop holder. I just wonder if the people having prop issues care for their drones properly while they are in storage...

deathsquad Posted at 4-5 13:32
Out of interest, how do you store your mini? Do you have anything holding the props to store the drone?
I see a lot of different prop holders. Some are like a band that hold the props on an angle in storage. If you remember when you bought the drone how they were stored. Not diagonally, not with any pressure on the props held on any funny angles. They were simply held together with a small band of plastic to keep them straight across themselves. I personally have a molded case that allows the props to sit flat without needing any kind of prop holder. I just wonder if the people having prop issues care for their drones properly while they are in storage...

Mine has spent I'd say 60% of its life in the DJI case that comes with the fly more combo. The rest of the time I leave the mini opened up sitting on a computer desk in my house.

I'm not a fan of folding it up to put it in the case, but I have always been careful to watch how the props are situated underneath the mini. Even then I can see how that could cause issues over time. I think I would rather have a case that doesnt require me to fold the mini up.

sreese240 Posted at 4-5 14:01
Mine has spent I'd say 60% of its life in the DJI case that comes with the fly more combo. The rest of the time I leave the mini opened up sitting on a computer desk in my house.

I'm not a fan of folding it up to put it in the case, but I have always been careful to watch how the props are situated underneath the mini. Even then I can see how that could cause issues over time. I think I would rather have a case that doesnt require me to fold the mini up.

I use this case from Sunnylife. It allows the props to sit without any pressure on them and it's easy to get the drone in and out of without having to worry about prop holders. I have a camera backpack that I use to store everything else and the drone. I can store the drone in the backpack also without the case and I did for awhile but I didn't like prop holders and felt the case made it more secure also.

I use the case from the fly-more combo, but I am very careful to orient the blades so they aren't in contact with the case.  It's fiddly to do that,  but I don't want to use any bands or other things that will potentially warp the blades.

For long term storage It probably makes more sense to just leave the Mini folded out, and leave it sitting somewhere safe rather than in any case where it might be scrunched up.

Perhaps the blades that originally came mounted on mine were either warped or of a different design.  They really had a lot less lift than the new ones.

But the difference has to be very subtle, because I can't see any obvious difference.  We need LIDAR scans of both so a true comparison can be done!