How to Clean Your Drone The Smart Way: A Complete Guide

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Are you wondering how to clean your drone? To make sure your device is in a tip-top condition, refer to the guide for cleaning and maintaining it right below.

In case you have quite recently purchased your first drone or are thinking about picking up the hobby, you will need to get into a decent habit for appropriately taking care of your drone along with its parts. It is significant to keep your device free of residue and grime to guarantee it is prepared to fly whenever you grab it and head out the entryway.

Each of these flying machines is marginally different and will have its own particular requirements for maintenance to ensure everything is great to go. With that being said, in this post, we will help you have a general and better idea related by breaking down tips, apart from specific products and tools you ought to have close by to guarantee you are keeping your flying robot fit as a fiddle.

Please note that here in the guide, we also call drones as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned aircraft, flying machines, flying robots, or automation.

Contents hide

1 How to clean your drone
2 Pro tips for taking care of your UAV
3 How to repair your drone
4 The bottom line

How to clean your drone

If you wish your UAV to be long-lasting, set aside the effort to clean the propellers, engines, and automaton body after each flight. Otherwise, the grime and dirt will accumulate in your engines and may make them lock up mid-air.

On the one hand, drones are intended to take up specific wear and tear; on the other hand, spending some time cleaning them is never a bad idea – your wallet, credit card, debit card, or that sort of thing will thank you.

Here is just about everything you need to know about making your drone spick and span::

1. Things you may need

Having a small toolkit loaded up with all that you will need to clean, maintain, and repair your robot even while in the field is a fantastic practice to start from the very beginning. Again, the particulars of a couple of these things will be subject to the style and make of the UAV you are operating, so make use of the rundown below as a reference to make your own UAV kit.

A handy, soft cleaning brush

Great for dealing with residue or flotsam and jetsam that may develop in crevices or tight corners on your automaton. Else, you can utilize pipe-cleaners.

Canned air

Another extraordinary tool for coping with dirt and dust from difficult-to-reach areas on your machine, for example, close to the circuit boards or around the engines. It additionally will not harm the electronics, by any stretch of the imagination.

Isopropyl liquor

Excellent for making your UAV shell clean. Should work admirably for getting rid of bug guts, blood, grass stains, and dirt — basically everything. Ensure that you get the 99% stuff so that you will not harm your circuits.

Microfiber cloth

Another useful tool for removing and disposing of dirt and dust. Supportive in case you are capable (and ready) to dismantle the drone motor for an all-out clean. Works admirably with the isopropyl liquor.

Lubricant

Check with your automaton’s producer, yet in case your automaton’s engines ask for lubrication, you will unquestionably need a bottle on you whenever flying.

Car cleaning gel

You may need it for cleaning the drone motors.

Recommended product: TICARVE Cleaning Gel – by TICARVE

A Cleaning Gel for Car work also for cleaning drones — TICARVE Cleaning Gel for Car

Besides, you may want to consider using an ultrasonic cleaner or air compressor for more effective cleaning.

2. Clean your drone regularly

Cleaning your UAV every so often is a brilliant way of ensuring there is none of the harmful flotsam and jetsam or soil inside. It is simple and does not take long by any means to do so; thus, there genuinely are no excuses, guys!

You had better clean the engines by inspecting them for any dirt, dust, etc. inside. Follow with utilizing a canned air or soft brush to get rid of anything inside, regardless of whether it be grass, hair, sand, dirt, and all that – simply get them out of there!

To clean the body of the aircraft, you may want to wipe down the device and transmitter using a damp, soft cloth. To give it an excellent cleaning, you can go for isopropyl liquid.

3. How to carry out deep cleaning of your UAV’s components

Motors

Removal of dirt:

Eliminating dirt from the engines by washing them using a bristle brush or water. Guarantee the motors are dried in the wake of washing them and try to limit water reaching the bearings. You can likewise get rid of dirt with a vehicle cleaner gel.

Bearing cleaning:

In case the friction of your bearings is high or they seem rusted/ loaded with dirt, consider cleaning them by putting them in an ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning, re-oil your bearings with Liquid Bearings, SUPERIOR 100%-synthetic oil.

Propellers

It will be best if you can clean the propellers after each flight. A decent brush, even a toothbrush, is good for propellers.

In case you do not know, as a backup to the toothbrush, several UAV pilots depend on toothpaste as a cleaning medium. They brush their propellers liberated from any grime or dirt using the toothpaste before wiping it off with a soft microfiber cloth, which guarantees that the propellers are thoroughly dry a short time later. Others incline toward isopropyl alcohol.

Prior to returning your drone propellers to the housing, you may want to check them for any hairline cracks or warping, especially close to the hub. The least complicated way of doing so is to bend them with care.

In case you notice warping, cracks, or some other problems, think about discarding the propellers and getting new ones. More often than not, investing in new propellers, even the more costly ones, is actually a little cost to pay when contrasted with a crashed UAV that will likely be worth a huge number of dollars.

Drone frame

Removal of dirt:

Use a dry bristled brush such as a paintbrush or toothbrush for most areas. For hard to reach areas, use an air compressor.

Utilize a dry, bristled brush, for example, a toothbrush or paintbrush, for just about any areas. For difficult-to-reach spots, account for the use of an air compressor.

Removal of accumulated dirt/ grass:

Make use of a brush with water or, for the best result, isopropyl liquor since it is non-conductive and decreases the possibilities of corroding/ harming electrical parts.

Electrical components

Removing grass/ dirt:

Wipe using a paper towel or soft brush, or leverage an isopropyl alcohol spray to get rid of dirt from electrical parts. Again, try not to use water because it is conductive and likely to short out your electronics.

Battery and the charger

We suggest you use a dry, clean cloth to deal with battery terminals. Also, please bear in mind, do not make the charger clean with flammable solvents such as denatured alcohol.

Camera

It makes sense to use a cloth to wipe down your aircraft as it comes back wet or close to frozen. However, do not use the same cloth to deal with the lens; instead, count on the suitable lens cleaner at a price that simply makes sense. This powerful cleaner should be able to give your UAV the necessary deep cleaning before you set it for a fantastic mission.

Pro tips for taking care of your UAV

To keep your automaton in most excellent condition, follow these practical tips and tricks:

1. Do a pre-flight check

Before taking off, do not forget to assess your aircraft intently. During your quick inspection, ensure the batteries are correctly inserted, as well as tighten the propellers so that they can turn freely without the danger of falling off.

Also, check carefully that your automaton has the latest firmware and gets set to the correct flight mode. Lastly, remove your lens cover.

2. Scout the location you are wanting to fly in

After you have worked your way through the checklist before the flight, direct your attention toward the sky above.

Evaluate the conditions of weather and the speed of the wind to decide if it is fine to fly. In case it is, search for any obstacles that you have to stay away from, for example, vehicles, trees, and buildings.

Select a protected departure and landing point, and ensure there is a strong signal between your automaton and controller.

3. Remember to charge the batteries before flight

Your automaton cannot fly without batteries; that is why it is fundamental to take significant consideration of them. To do so, kick off each flight with a completely charged battery, and check the batteries for any wear, tear and harm thereafter.

In case your UAV has replaceable batteries, bring a couple of wholly charged spares with you, as well. That way, you will have the option to fly for an extended time and count on the spares if there should arise an occurrence of an emergency.

In the long run, your battery will kick the bucket. To prevent that from happening mid-flight, ditch the battery for another one in case it does not appear to hold its charge.

4. Remove the propellers following each flight

It is significant to remove your propellers as you land your aircraft – and afterward, clean them. We likewise recommend taking a spare set of propellers in such a case that they fall flat, you may need to schedule your shoot again. It is also a great idea to pop batteries out after your flight.

5. Store your UAV in a protective case

At whatever point you are not utilizing your automaton, put it away in a knapsack or a padded bag. If you can, go for a bag with the separated spaces for your robot and accessories.

6. Set up a small toolkit

A few UAVs feature the upkeep apparatuses you may need for fast field repair. As mentioned above, in case yours does not, make your own kit with hex keys, screwdrivers, etc., and keep it with the accessories. Simply ensure the tools work well with your automaton!

How to repair your drone

Since you are out in an open field operating your aircraft, the last thing you may want is to ground your UAV as you were not prepared. Accidents occur, propellers fall off, and components come loose. Below are the fundamentals you ought to have in your kit when you are out for your flight:

1. Additional propellers

Propellers are commonly the first thing to be harmed or fly off in the event that you crash; they are additionally one of the most fundamental parts keeping your automaton airborne.

Keeping an additional set of propellers (or two) on you consistently implies that, in case you lose or harm a propeller in the field, you can simply pop new ones on as well as get back to it.

If you have no alternative but to take the place of one or two propellers, you’re best off replacing the entire set, and ensure that you are purchasing the appropriate size propellers to accommodate your automaton. It will be best if you can check with the producer of the UAV to affirm which propellers fit.

2. A small toolbox that is suitable for your robot

Again, what we intend to state is, ensure you have the tools required for quick field repairs. Your UAV may be constructed in a way that you need not bother with the use of any tool whatsoever, or it might have had every tool that you need. Based on your circumstance, you may just need a small screwdriver to guarantee everything is tight and secure.

3. Soldering iron

You likely will not carry the soldering iron out in the field with you. Yet, in case you wind up doing some considerable harm to your automaton’s electronics or wiring, a soldering iron will prove to be useful. This is likewise the point that makes the hobbyists different from the casuals.

If you have never utilized this type of iron in your life, approach a friend who has for any support or watch YouTube for particular DIY help.

4. Additional batteries

Again, this one is unmistakable to the UAV you own. In case your automaton comes with replaceable batteries, you will unquestionably want to have completely-charged spares since your battery, in the long run, dies or, for most pessimistic scenario situations where your battery gets harmed.

The bottom line

As it costs as much as it does, guaranteeing your UAV is in acceptable condition should be the first concern for you as a pilot.

By following the tips and tricks addressed in this post, you should have peace of mind that your investment is cared for to the extent that this would be possible, and in particular – as safely as could be expected under the circumstances.

Got any tips?

Is it accurate to say that you are a veteran UAV pilot? Then, feel free to share your tips for taking care of drones in the comments section below.