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DJI Drone Crashed? What to Check Before You Fly Again

If your DJI drone has crashed, do not try to fly it again until you’ve checked for damage. Power off the drone immediately, remove the battery, and visually inspect the body, propellers, gimbal, and arms. Even a minor crash can cause internal damage that isn’t visible — flying a damaged drone risks a second, worse crash.

💬 Not sure if it’s safe to fly? WhatsApp us a photo or video of the damage — +6011-1555 5520. We’ll tell you what we see.

Step 1 — Power off and remove the battery

Do this immediately, especially if the drone landed in grass, sand, or water. Keeping it powered on after a crash can short-circuit damaged components or overheat a cracked battery.

If the battery is visibly swollen, dented, or hot to the touch — do not reinsert it. Set it aside on a non-flammable surface and do not charge it.

Step 2 — Check the propellers

Remove all four propellers and inspect them individually.

What to look for:

  • Cracks, chips, or bends — even a small nick affects flight stability
  • Propeller won’t click into the mount properly — the mount may be stripped
  • One propeller is significantly more damaged than the others — that arm likely took the impact

Can you DIY this? Yes. Propellers are cheap and easy to replace. Use only genuine DJI propellers for your specific model — third-party props affect flight performance and void DJI Care Refresh.

Step 3 — Inspect the arms and body shell

Hold the drone and gently try to flex each arm. They should feel rigid with zero play.

What to look for:

  • Visible cracks in the arm or arm hinge
  • An arm that wobbles or feels loose at the joint
  • Cracks in the top or bottom shell
  • Broken or missing landing gear (on models that have it)

 

Can you DIY this? Arm replacement is possible if you’re handy with small screws, but the internal ribbon cables are easy to tear. Most people bring this to us.

Step 4 — Check the gimbal and camera

The gimbal is the most fragile and expensive component. It’s also the most commonly damaged in a crash.

What to look for:

  • Gimbal hanging loosely or at an angle
  • Camera lens cracked or scratched
  • Gimbal motor overload error when you power on (check the DJI Fly app)
  • Camera image tilted, shaking, or not responding
  • Ribbon cable visible or torn (the thin flat cable connecting the camera to the body)

Can you DIY this? Generally no. Gimbal assemblies require calibration after replacement, and ribbon cables are delicate. This is specialist work — it’s also our most common repair.

See our gimbal troubleshooting guide

Step 5 — Check the motors

Spin each motor gently by hand (with propellers removed).

What to look for:

  • Grinding, crunching, or rough resistance — debris or bent shaft
  • One motor spins freely while others have slight magnetic resistance — that one may be damaged
  • Motor won’t spin at all — seized bearings or internal damage
  • Visible dirt, sand, or grass inside the motor bell

Can you DIY this? Cleaning out debris, yes — use compressed air. Motor replacement requires soldering on some models. If it grinds after cleaning, it needs replacing.

Step 6 — Power on and check sensors

Only do this step if the body, arms, and battery passed the checks above.

Power on the drone (do not take off) and open the DJI Fly app. Check for:

  • Compass error — the crash may have knocked the compass out of calibration. Try recalibrating. If it fails repeatedly, the compass module may be damaged.
  • IMU error — same story. Recalibrate through DJI Fly → Safety → IMU Calibration. If it fails, the IMU may need replacement.
  • Vision system error — inspect the downward and forward-facing sensors for cracks or dirt. Clean with a microfibre cloth. If the error persists, the sensor module may be cracked internally.
  • GPS not locking — if the drone can’t get a GPS lock indoors, that’s normal. Test outdoors. If it still can’t lock after 2–3 minutes in open sky, the GPS antenna may be damaged.

Can you DIY this? Recalibration yes. Sensor or GPS module replacement, no.

Full guide: compass & sensor error fixes

Step 7 — Test hover (if everything above passed)

If all the checks above came back clean, do a low test hover in an open area:

  1. Take off to 1 metre height
  2. Hover for 30 seconds — watch for drifting, tilting, or unusual vibrations
  3. Check the camera feed — is the image stable and level?
  4. Slowly move the drone in each direction — does it respond normally?
  5. Land and check the battery temperature — abnormally hot = problem

If anything feels off during the hover test, land immediately and don’t fly again until it’s been checked by a technician.

When to bring it to a professional

Bring your drone in for repair if you see any of these:

  • Gimbal hanging loose or gimbal motor overload error
  • Cracked arm or arm that wobbles
  • Motor grinding after cleaning
  • Persistent compass or IMU errors after recalibration
  • Cracked camera lens
  • Battery swollen or dented
  • Drone drifts or behaves erratically during hover test

At Drone Care Malaysia, we diagnose crash-damaged drones from RM50, with most walk-in assessments done within 60 minutes. We repair everything from broken arms to full gimbal replacements, with a 30-day parts warranty on every repair.

📞 WhatsApp +6011-1166 9996 — send us a photo or video and we’ll give you a ballpark before you come in.

📍 Walk into our Puchong or Shah Alam branch — Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm.

→ Full repair details, pricing, and FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to fly my DJI drone after a minor crash?

Only if you've completed every check in this guide and the test hover was normal. Even minor crashes can cause internal damage — a cracked ribbon cable or bent motor shaft won't always show symptoms until mid-flight.

How much does it cost to repair a crashed DJI drone?

It depends on the model and what's damaged. At Drone Care Malaysia, diagnosis starts from RM50 and we always quote before starting work. Common crash repairs include arm replacement, gimbal repair, and motor replacement.

Should I try to fly my drone to test it after a crash?

Only after completing the full visual inspection (Steps 1–6). Never take off without checking the propellers, arms, gimbal, and battery first. If anything looks or feels wrong, don't fly — bring it in.

My drone crashed into water — what should I do?

Power off immediately. Remove the battery. Do not try to charge it or turn it on. Bring it to us within 24 hours — the faster we get to it, the higher the chance of recovery.