Average lifespan of a Phantom UAV?

schemer · Sep 24, 2015

Just wondering what the over and under is on the expected lifespan of the Phantom UAV with the "average" pilot at the controls. I'll bet it's less than 6 months. Be honest. Personally, I've logged over 330 miles in about 45 days. A few close calls, but no Blackhawk down yet. Knock on wood.

GadgetGuy · Sep 24, 2015

schemer said:
Just wondering what the over and under is on the expected lifespan of the Phantom UAV with the "average" pilot at the controls. I'll bet it's less than 6 months. Be honest. Personally, I've logged over 330 miles in about 45 days. A few close calls, but no Blackhawk down yet. Knock on wood.

You are about due!

I figure depreciation of about $12-$20 per hour of flight at the current P3P bird cost for a competent pilot. I have 128 miles, 16 hours, and 120 flights over the last 4 months on my P3P. I would hope to get in a total of 50-100 hours of flight before the P4P is released, or the perfect storm of "Blackhawk down!"

Every time it comes back in one piece, I am thankful, and looking forward to more bonus flight time.

As to your question, I suspect that 90% of all P3's are crashed due to pilot error long before 6 months of use. The remaining 10% are piloted by above average pilots who learned to fly quads in ATTI mode long before purchasing a P3P. Most P3P buyers have never owned or flown any other quad. They don't "need" any other experience. The box says right on it, "Ready to fly." It is! They aren't! They quickly get overconfident with how easy it is to fly, and keep pushing the limits until they panic and crash. Game over. Probably within 30 days or less.

mmee1992 · Sep 24, 2015

If you are careful and know what you're doing and make sure you understand a feature before you use it, it can last you a long time. Ive had my P3P since the first week it was delivered and have never one crashed or even had a close call.

schemer · Sep 24, 2015

Your right. 30 days or less is probably more accurate. Great reply. I must admit, I've developed an affinity towards my P3P and it grows with each successful return flight home. I need to think of good nickname for her[emoji18] I will be seriously depressed if she doesn't make it to her 1st birthday.

Bret Lucas · Sep 24, 2015

Learning to fly in full manual (blade nano qx) is invaluable. And an aviation background (PPL, CPL, Multi Eng, B Cat Inst, IFR rating etc, certainly helps, more so from understanding the culture of aviation and respecting the unit you are flying. Using checklists and having an emergency plan also helps. I suspect 99% of crashes can be attributed to pilot error. The P3 is a solid unit, it has its shortcoming as does any aircraft. Love to know the stats on this. Great post!

Goldni · Sep 24, 2015

55 flights since my purchase in mid July and ibalmo crashed into my house messing with Way points. I got careless and too comfortable. It won't happen again!

Vanjo Grale · Sep 24, 2015

I do all my stupid maneuvers with an X5c. Got too close to a tree once early on with the P2v+, but just chopped off a few leaves. I think I'm more anxious than most pilots though - I don't even like flying it. I just like getting the pictures back!

750r · Sep 24, 2015

Still flying my P1 2-3 years now nothing but props replaced . I do fly manual and beat the sh** out of it .

GoodnNuff · Sep 24, 2015

I have a 2.5 year old (antique in Phantom years) Phantom 1. No idea how many hours on it, but it is on it's 2nd, I think even 3rd shell! Props have been changed several times. Original parts otherwise.
And the Phantom 2 has about 60 hours on it.
Phantom 3 is almost 5 hours so far.

Fplvert · Sep 24, 2015

I'm on my 3rd Phantom, been fairly careful with them. They all still fly. The oldest one, a P2V is on her third owner. The only thing I wore out was batteries!

au01st · Sep 24, 2015

I haven't crashed my 2week old P2, but it has had a hard landing when I was messing with the return to home fail safe. I wanted to see how it works so I flew it out 20m then flipped the switch. It flew straight over the home location and started descending. When it hit 10m it started wobbling very badly and while I was able to flip to manual I couldn't prevent the hard landing. I mainly did it to build confidence in the return to home feature should my P2 get out of radio contact, but I did not gain said confidence.

Fplvert · Sep 24, 2015

au01st said:
I haven't crashed my 2week old P2, but it has had a hard landing when I was messing with the return to home fail safe. I wanted to see how it works so I flew it out 20m then flipped the switch. It flew straight over the home location and started descending. When it hit 10m it started wobbling very badly and while I was able to flip to manual I couldn't prevent the hard landing. I mainly did it to build confidence in the return to home feature should my P2 get out of radio contact, but I did not gain said confidence.

It's best to cancel RTH once the bird is back in sight. The settling under power or vortex ring state is common problem with rotor aircraft. Moving laterally while descending will minimize the risk.

Glad your bird survived, same crash probably would have resulted in a broken gimbal on a Vision or P3.

dirkclod · Sep 24, 2015

Fplvert said:
I'm on my 3rd Phantom, been fairly careful with them. They all still fly. The oldest one, a P2V is on her third owner. The only thing I wore out was batteries!

Bet that one still flying too ! P2V's are tough birds !!!!!

I've bounced em..rolled em..landed in tree's and tumbled but they always have survived

See

au01st · Sep 24, 2015

Fplvert said:
It's best to cancel RTH once the bird is back in sight. The settling under power or vortex ring state is common problem with rotor aircraft. Moving laterally while descending will minimize the risk.

Glad your bird survived, same crash probably would have resulted in a broken gimbal on a Vision or P3.

I'm not convinced it didn't break my H3-2D. But that's ok, gives me an excuse to get the H3-3D. Or make it a light flyer and get a P3.

GadgetGuy · Sep 24, 2015

Any shortened lifespan is invariably due to pilot error and inexperience. The birds themselves are rock solid. They just aren't very forgiving, when mistreated by their handlers.

RoyVa · Sep 25, 2015

Two P2v+ s over one year and two months. Couple of small crashes about half dozen props. Have 6 batteries. One has gone bad. Replace 1 ESC and motor. Fly couple time a week or more weather permitting. Summer and winter. No other issues. I fly autonomous way point a lot due to trees and rivers in my area. Tightens my butt cheeks a lot but still flying. Couple off close calls as that bad battery was going bad. Fly fly fly...