Dear DJI, you've got a problem

[olof]

I just picked up a F550 Hexa about 2 weeks ago. I have had 4 of the 6 included DJI props explode. 3 on the ground at spin up, and one in flight at 30 feet....I was able to crash-land with no damage thankfully. I threw the rest of the DJI props in the trash and replaced them all. No issues since then with the new props.
This is unacceptable. Please fix the "propblem" and update your customers when it's been resolved, or risk being known forever only for this issue.
Thanks-
Mark

That sounds really bad. Can we have some more details.
Where on the prop was the break on the ones that exploded on spinnup (was it at the hub or how far up the blade)?
Were those brand new first flight props, or had they been flown before?
I am just curious why did you continue using those props after they obviously proved defective?
Did they have any visible cracks or dents or did the casting look bad?

 

[globalwad]

That sounds really bad. Can we have some more details.
Where on the prop was the break on the ones that exploded on spinnup (was it at the hub or how far up the blade)?
Were those brand new first flight props, or had they been flown before?
I am just curious why did you continue using those props after they obviously proved defective?
Did they have any visible cracks or dents or did the casting look bad?

Mine were all splitting at the hubs. The DJI design as you know has two flat sides on each motor post that coincides with two flat surfaces inside each prop hub. It appears that the hubs are too weak to handle the stress of those flat surfaces pushing against the hub and it's causing the hubs to break (push) apart from the inside-out. Drilling out the props with an 8mm bit helped by removing the two flat areas inside the hub, but only slowed the failures down.
This was a brand new kit and I assumed I was doing something wrong like over tightening the prop nut, etc. So I was testing my installation technique and nothing helped. Crazy that this is being allowed to continue by DJI. Could really change their position in the industry.
Dirt cheap nylon gemfans have replaced the DJI props and have been perfect with about 25 flights on them so far.

 

[ChrisViperM]

Since in my company we deal with suppliers of injecton moulded parts, we know a little bit about it. All propellers are made on injection moulding machines, where the injection tool has to be heated very prcisely to a temperature matching the injected material. Also the granular has to be preheated to a specifc temperature. On a moulding tool you have at least 3 different inlets where the heated granular gets injected...in other words: three different streams of material will meet somwhere in that form to merge to one propeller. If, for any reasons, the parameters are not met (tool or granular not hot enough, tooling opens to soon ect...) you won't get one homogenic strem of material out of that form. With the free eye it looks like one propeller, but in reality its various pieces "glued" together. Almost always, if a propeller snaps in mid air, it's exactly at one of the "meeting points" of the moulding process. That's why this does not happen a lot with Graupner props 'cause they have the hell of a Quality Control, where QC doesn't mean looking at the finished prop if it looks good or not, but to have the production parameters documented and under control.

Thats what I wrote in August last year in this thread: http://www.multirotorforums.com/sho...H*T-Together!!!!&highlight=injection+moulding

But the problem is known now for over a year and is documented in endless numbers of threads all over the net....and after a year DJI comes along and pretends they have now re-invented the wheel with their "great, unbreakable" props....and on top of it some noob here states: Well, it's not a problem since DJI adressed the issue with their new props....
AFTER A FULL YEAR ??????? and the crap props are still being sold....


And the endless storie with the S800 (Flip Of Death)....and the OSD Mark I which had to be replaced (or firmware updated) with Mark II....or the Zenmuse HDMI converter which had to be replaced....or the Groundstation, where you need a computer science degree to get it going....and so on and so on....
....and no support from DJI at all (at best a little bit after serious pressure from forums), no sorry, no replacement plan....just nothing. Not even a statement from DJI.....


This whole thing is not just because a few problems with props...it's about customer care and business ethics...but as long as we are stupid enough to buy their stuff without showing some sort of protest, nothing will change...


Bitching mode over !!!



Chris

 

[helloman1976]

I just picked up a F550 Hexa about 2 weeks ago. I have had 4 of the 6 included DJI props explode. 3 on the ground at spin up, and one in flight at 30 feet....I was able to crash-land with no damage thankfully. I threw the rest of the DJI props in the trash and replaced them all. No issues since then with the new props.
This is unacceptable. Please fix the "propblem" and update your customers when it's been resolved, or risk being known forever only for this issue.
Thanks-
Mark

Mark, out of curiosity where did you get this kit? Was it old stock at a Hobby store? Did the box or label happen to have a manufacture date on it? I'd be curious to know how old it was versus what I thought would come in the "new" kits which is the new props.

 

[Oztravels]

I know this question wasn't directed to me but I had a similar problem. My F550 was purchased from flying hobby in Hong Kong a few weeks ago. Same issue with 8" props.

Mark, out of curiosity where did you get this kit? Was it old stock at a Hobby store? Did the box or label happen to have a manufacture date on it? I'd be curious to know how old it was versus what I thought would come in the "new" kits which is the new props.

 

[globalwad]

Mark, out of curiosity where did you get this kit? Was it old stock at a Hobby store? Did the box or label happen to have a manufacture date on it? I'd be curious to know how old it was versus what I thought would come in the "new" kits which is the new props.

It was actually an online R/C shop on the East Coast, Maryland I think. It certainly could have been on the shelf for awhile, but I really don't know. I just went out in the garage and checked the DJI box and it doesn't have anything about a manufacture date but does have a sticker with some info, but no date unfortunately. This was purchased as a RTF kit that was assembled, calibrated, and flown by them and trimmed out before shipping it out to me. The owner told me each one he sells is built after the order is placed, but I guess that doesn't really provide any clues about the frame kit's age.

 

[Hartz]

If the majority here are not happy with the fact that there is no DJI rep available to provide a face to the company, then maybe MRF should stop advertising their products. Just a thought. I guess Bart will need to weigh up server costs and finding another advertiser.

I am personally happy with my DJI 8" props (at the moment). I have flown with my current props quite a few times now and wondering if breakage is something that can just happen out of the blue? I *feel* like the ones I am using have proven themselves but still worry about them based on what everyone is saying.

I am hanging for some Graupner 10x5's. Does anyone know where you can get any from? They appear to be out of stock EVERYWHERE.

 

[bladebender]

Yes ,the old 8" and 10" props do break, it's proven and dji knows it, i suffered 5 crashes. I installed the new 1038 props and have over 70 hours on them with extreme flying , loops, rolls etc. and never had one single issue, i now can fly with confidence that i'm not going to sling a blade. With these props my flight time went from 9 minutes to 13 minutes, quite amazing, tons of lift and forward speeds has increased. I ran a set of Graupners only one time and they are pitiful, overpriced piece of molded plastic, 6-8 minutes flight times, super noisy and very brittle. I'm currently running the f 550 stock with a 4s 3300mAH battery. For those Graupner people, try the new dji 1038's, less than a quarter the price and 3X the performance. Happy Flying!

 

[Tahoe Ed]

When I am flying at high altitude, above 6000' I use the DJI 8" props vs graupners because they provide higher lift. I have heard good things about the new 10' props. I don't use 10" any more so I wish they would look at redesigning the 8" like they did the 10". I will put my 2 cents in here. I have had only one 10" prop fail and that was the old design. I have had none of the new design fail, that is the old new design to be specific. I always check my props for micro fractures before I fly, the little white lines on black props. This is no different than what I do with any prop, graupners included. Personally I think that a lot of people are overloading the props with too much weight and then try for maximum performance. The two do not work together and the prop fails, go figure. Just my opinion and personal experience flying DJI stuff for almost 2 years now.

 

[Noskipallwd]

How would I determine if I've received the older 10" props vs. the new design? I received my kit 3 days ago but I don't think that means a thing. If I can't find out one way or another, I'll go the better safe than sorry route, and replace them.

Cheers,
Shawn

 

[helloman1976]

If the majority here are not happy with the fact that there is no DJI rep available to provide a face to the company, then maybe MRF should stop advertising their products. Just a thought. I guess Bart will need to weigh up server costs and finding another advertiser.

I am personally happy with my DJI 8" props (at the moment). I have flown with my current props quite a few times now and wondering if breakage is something that can just happen out of the blue? I *feel* like the ones I am using have proven themselves but still worry about them based on what everyone is saying.

I am hanging for some Graupner 10x5's. Does anyone know where you can get any from? They appear to be out of stock EVERYWHERE.

If you want Graupner's you may want to look here, they look to be $28USD for 4 of them 2xCW and 2xCCW and this is the very best deal on these that I've found. I've only heard good things about them and I've never heard anything bad about them. That being said, I use Hobbyking's $2 APC props that I balance to perfection and they haven't broken yet and I get about 10-12 minutes of flight time on them.

http://team-blacksheep.com/products/product:123

 

[helloman1976]

How would I determine if I've received the older 10" props vs. the new design? I received my kit 3 days ago but I don't think that means a thing. If I can't find out one way or another, I'll go the better safe than sorry route, and replace them.

Cheers,
Shawn

Check out YouTube, they (DJI I think) do a video of the old props versus the new props and you can see on there the different between the two of them. Compare yours to those and you should be able to determine if you have the old ones or the new ones.

 

[Hartz]

If you want Graupner's you may want to look here, they look to be $28USD for 4 of them 2xCW and 2xCCW and this is the very best deal on these that I've found. I've only heard good things about them and I've never heard anything bad about them. That being said, I use Hobbyking's $2 APC props that I balance to perfection and they haven't broken yet and I get about 10-12 minutes of flight time on them.

http://team-blacksheep.com/products/product:123

Yeah found these guys too but they have an order cap in place... trying to nab some when it lifts. Stay back all you other fiends ~

 

[helloman1976]

Yeah found these guys too but they have an order cap in place... trying to nab some when it lifts. Stay back all you other fiends ~

Let us know how the Graupners work out and what changes you see. I've almost bought them a few times now but the APC props seem to be just fine. If they increase your lifting ability or flight time I'd very much like to know that

 

[kloner]

the easy way to tell how old your kit is by looking at the firmware in the naza

 

[olof]

I ran a set of Graupners only one time and they are pitiful, overpriced piece of molded plastic, 6-8 minutes flight times, super noisy and very brittle. I'm currently running the f 550 stock with a 4s 3300mAH battery. For those Graupner people, try the new dji 1038's, less than a quarter the price and 3X the performance. Happy Flying!

Wow, that is the exact opposite of my experience with 10x5 E-prop Graupners. They seem quieter and seem to give me more flight time as well, both in my F450 stock MR and in my pretty heavy F550/Gimbal, I do run 3cel Lipos 4400's 25c in the 450 and either Dual 4400's or single 6400's 25c in the 550.

And they came very close to balanced, it took only a little sanding on each blade and the hubs were as close as I have ever had one out of the bag, needed nothing or just a touch with an Exacto knife to cut off the injection stub on one side.

As far as brittle, have you had one break? Mine seem very strong, I have even flown them in 15℉ temps no problems at all. They seem very solid to me, no sign of brittleness. And dare I say it I have definitely overloaded my 550 a couple times, still fine.

 

[Noskipallwd]

Thanks for the replies, I found out that the props are stamped. Old version is 1045 and the new props have 1038 on them. Unfortunately I have the old ones.

Cheers,
Shawn

 

[atver]

Thanks for the replies, I found out that the props are stamped. Old version is 1045 and the new props have 1038 on them. Unfortunately I have the old ones.

Cheers,
Shawn

Thank you for this helpful information.

 

[globalwad]

For clarity, my issues were with the included 1045 props. I guess they are the old ones? I have (8) of the DJI 1038s brand new in the package (4CW, 4CCW) if anyone wants them. Just won't run DJI props any longer.
I'm running the Gemfan copies of the Graupners now, very nice so far! (and cheap) Checkout those hubs..
Mark

View attachment 10663

 

[helloman1976]

For clarity, my issues were with the included 1045 props. I guess they are the old ones? I have (8) of the DJI 1038s brand new in the package (4CW, 4CCW) if anyone wants them. Just won't run DJI props any longer.
I'm running the Gemfan copies of the Graupners now, very nice so far! (and cheap) Checkout those hubs..
Mark

View attachment 13641

What do you want for the new ones? I'll take them