After you have spent hundreds of dollars on top-rated drones, you are probably expecting for a long and satisfying experience using this flying gadget. But however durable and efficient your own drone may be, you still have to do your part in maintaining its tip-top shape to ensure its usefulness. Here are some steps on how to take care of your drone properly:
1. Get insurance.
All gadgets have a warranty, so most probably there will be no effort on your part for this. If your drone breaks, your retailer or drone manufacturer will fix it or replace it. There might be some who are offering drone deals with better and more affordable insurance policies, so better check them out.
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2. Have a flight checklist
Before takeoff, make sure you would check all the basic things that affect flight. Are your batteries fully charged? Are your propellers, motor, sensor, camera and any other parts or props in good condition? Are they all functioning properly? Is your transmitter working freely? Is there any unusual noise? These questions have to be answered to ensure a safe flight, not only for your drone but also for people and basically anything near your flying area.
It is also necessary to inspect your drone every week, once a month or frequently if you are using it more often. Drones vibrate, so parts may come loose over time. Make sure the screws on your drone remain tight.
You also need to have good malware protection and up-to-date software. Keep your companion app updated too, if there is any, to help you fly better and more safely. You won’t want hackers to get in the way of your flying experience.
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3. Take care of your battery.
Get the most out of your battery life by always making sure the batteries are fully charged right before you fly. The last thing you want is your batteries to run out mid-air.
Don’t overcharge or fully drain batteries. Don’t charge them right away when they are still hot. Don’t also use them right away when still hot out of charging. Also, inspect for any physical damage before charging.
4. Clean your drone.
Your drone will surely gather dirt and grime after a number of flights, so you need to clean it often to protect the insides of its motor and circuit boards. Provide a soft cleaning brush and a microfiber cloth, so you can dust and wipe out dirt from tight corners. Use isopropyl alcohol in cleaning the outer shell. Canned air spray is also a great cleaning tool to clear out particles from hard-to-reach spots. You might also need lubricants if motors need lubrication.
5. Learn some DIY repairs and have an emergency repair kit.
It is important if you would at least know how the parts of the drone work together. If you understand how your drone flies, diagnosing problems and repairs would be easier.
When you’re out in the field flying a drone, you will experience crashing, props falling off or parts coming loose at times. So, you really need to have an emergency tool kit for easy repairs, depending on the type of drone and parts you have. At least you should have a small screwdriver to make sure everything is tight.
Keep extra sets of props, because they are usually the easiest to get damaged or lost. Have some spare batteries charged.
Also, to lessen trips to repair shops, you might need to learn how to use the soldering iron. You don’t need to bring it always with you, but it will come in handy if your wirings would become damaged.
6. Give it a break.
Drone motors need to rest once in a while, otherwise, you may burn it out. They also tend to overheat once they are overused.
7. Put it in a case.
This one is self-explanatory. Just like cellphones, laptops, cameras and other gadgets, drones will be more protected if you have a case for storing and transporting them.
Even the best drones fall down sometimes, so follow these guidelines to prolong the life of your flying machine. Give it some tender loving care so that it would serve you longer.