Why do drones need maintenance?

Like any new technology that is incorporated into industrial and utility organisations, drones need to be maintained and operated with the utmost safety in the face of new challenges.

As drones are complex products involving many interconnected systems, it is difficult for an operator to inspect and maintain their fleet alone.

For this reason, we are introducing a new Maintenance Programme, consisting of three plans and a recommended maintenance cycle, which will provide more safety and confidence to drone operators.

What is the recommended maintenance cycle? When should I check and repair my drone?

The time for action (preventive maintenance) is defined by the drone’s operating time (200 flight hours) or the time since its last maintenance check (6 months), whichever comes first, triggering the need for a maintenance check. While this should be followed even if the aircraft shows no signs of damage, if an operator notices significant signs of damage through a visual or performance check, the drone should be sent for inspection so that it can be repaired as quickly as possible (corrective maintenance).

The type of maintenance should also be adjusted from a simple safety check to the replacement of easily damaged parts and finally to the replacement of the engine, depending on the wear and tear and flight hours of the equipment.

Note that in 24 months, the maintenance cycle will be “reset” as critical parts of the drone will be replaced and the basic maintenance schedule can begin again.