Technical
Drone maintenance checklist: how to keep your aircraft flight-ready
Essential pre-flight checks, battery care tips, and expert maintenance advice to keep your drone safe, reliable, and flight-ready
Before every flight, make sure you’re in a safe flying environment.
Follow key pre-flight checks for the frame, propellers, and batteries.
Get expert drone maintenance advice from the Heliguy Repair Team to keep your aircraft in top condition.
Find answers to the most frequently asked maintenance questions and practical repair tips.
Learn about the Heliguy Drone Maintenance Course, designed for enterprise operators.
Regular drone maintenance is essential to ensure safe and reliable operation.
Before every flight, carry out a full visual inspection — checking the frame, propellers, and batteries — and clean key components such as the camera and sensors.
A few minutes of care can help prevent costly repairs and maintain consistent flight performance.
In this blog, we outline a practical drone maintenance checklist to follow before each flight, along with expert tips from the Heliguy Repair Team on keeping your aircraft in top condition.
10 checks to do before you fly your drone
Before every flight, make sure you’re in a safe flying area and not within a no-fly zone. Once confirmed, follow the steps below to ensure your flight is safe and compliant with regulations.
Remove dirt and debris: Clean the frame and components to prevent obstruction or imbalance.
Inspect for damage: Look for cracks, dents, or loose fittings on the body and arms.
Tighten all screws: Make sure every screw is secure to avoid mid-flight vibration or detachment.
Check the propellers: Inspect for chips or bends and confirm they’re securely attached and spin freely.
Test the motors: Ensure they rotate smoothly and are free from debris or obstructions.
Inspect wiring and solder joints: Look for fraying, exposed wires, or weak connections.
Clean the camera and sensors: Use a microfibre cloth to remove dust or smudges for clear imaging and accurate sensing.
Check the landing gear: Confirm there are no cracks or loose parts that could affect take-off or landing stability.
Inspect batteries and charging equipment: Look for swelling, leaks, or damage, and make sure batteries are fully charged before flight.
Update and calibrate software and sensors: Keep firmware current and regularly calibrate the IMU, compass, and other sensors for safe and accurate flight.
Most asked questions about drone maintenance
At Heliguy, we operate a DJI-certified drone repair centre where our expert team services hundreds of DJI drones each month.
Here, they share the most common questions they receive from drone pilots — along with their top maintenance and repair advice.
How often should I service my drone?
We recommend a full service every 6 to 12 months, depending on flight frequency and operating conditions.
How long does a drone repair take?
Most drones are inspected within three working days and serviced within five.
Does Heliguy offer DJI-certified repairs?
Yes — Heliguy is an authorised DJI repair partner, ensuring all work meets manufacturer standards.
Top tips from the Heliguy Repair Team
The Heliguy repair team shares practical advice for keeping your drone safe, reliable, and flight-ready.
Andrew Blake, Head of Technical:
“Battery maintenance is key — it’s one of the most important aspects of your aircraft. Once a battery drops below its minimum voltage, it can’t be recovered, so it’s vital to regularly monitor your battery health.”
Kieren Browell, Drone Technician:
“Proper packaging is essential — always use certified cases and foam inserts to keep your drone safe during transport.”
Jack Hall, Drone Technician:
“Don’t attempt to repair your own aircraft — it can often cause more problems. It’s always best to have it professionally inspected and serviced.”
Tyler Collins, Drone Technician:
“It’s important to keep batteries and charging stations clean. High levels of dust build-up can lead to faults, even after cleaning with rubbing alcohol. Dust ingress is a common cause of faulty battery stations and connection issues with the aircraft.”
Drone repairs
If your drone needs repair or servicing, get in touch with the Heliguy Repair Team.
The process is simple:
Contact us via phone, email, or by submitting an online repair ticket.
Assessment: Your drone is inspected, and you’ll receive a quote upfront — with no hidden costs.
Turnaround: Most drones are assessed within three working days and serviced within three to five.
Heliguy Drone Maintenance Course
If you’re an enterprise drone operator wanting to understand drone maintenance and regulatory compliance, the Heliguy Drone Maintenance Course provides practical guidance on both.
Tom Anderson, Head of Safety:
“A robust maintenance program ensures compliance with legislation, helping to reduce the organisation's risk exposure.”
“Ensuring that personnel assigned to roles related to maintenance activities are suitably knowledgeable and competent to perform the duties expected of them is an essential requirement.”
Our course gives enterprise operators the skills to maintain, service, and safely operate DJI Enterprise aircraft - specifically the DJI M350 RTK, M30 Series, and Mavic 3 Enterprise Series.
Held at Heliguy HQ, this one-day course combines theory and hands-on training.
The course covers:
Maintenance Legalities: Understand your responsibilities to stay PDRA-01 compliant and meet audit standards.
Develop Good Habits: Learn best practices for servicing, replacing parts, and handling equipment safely.
Become a Maintenance Master: Identify faults, replace components, calibrate sensors, and update firmware confidently.
Component Deep Dive: Gain practical insight into motors, propellers, ESCs, batteries, sensors, and controllers.
Practical Assessment: Apply your skills through hands-on exercises in a guided training environment.
Contact the Heliguy Training Team to learn more.
Summary
Regular maintenance is essential to keep your drone safe, reliable, and compliant.
Whether you’re a hobbyist or professional, following proper maintenance procedures helps extend your drone’s lifespan and ensures every flight is ready for take-off.
If you have any questions about drone maintenance or repairs, get in touch with the Heliguy team for expert guidance and support.
