Today marks a milestone in my tech journey. After nearly three months of effort, learning, and troubleshooting, I successfully repaired my first drone—a water-damaged DJI Mavic Air.
The Backstory
The drone had crashed into water and was initially left to dry in the sun. However, it never powered on again. When the owner brought it to me, I used a home dry cleaner to gently clean the internal components. It came back to life, at least partially—but couldn’t fly.
Being a trained Electrical and Electronics Engineer (Telecommunication option), I saw this as more than a repair. It was a hands-on learning opportunity.
Diagnosing the Issue
After multiple attempts at calibration and functional testing, I narrowed the problem down to a faulty ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) board—a critical component for motor control. The owner, who had returned to the U.S. (Washington), ordered the part from eBay and shipped it through a prominent contact in Kenya.
The Repair Process
When I received the ESC board, I installed it with care. The drone powered on, and the rear propellers began to twitch—progress! But the front motors remained unresponsive. I revisited the wiring and discovered that I had missed proper reconnection of the forward sensor, which had three wires: red, white, and black.
The board showed terminal labels: 3V6, G, and R. To be sure, I consulted ChatGPT, which helped confirm the proper color-to-terminal mapping. After correcting this, I powered the drone again—and this time, all four motors responded, and the forward sensor activated with a red light.
Testing the Drone
Due to our location—near the Department of Defence in Nairobi—and the fact that the President was passing nearby at that very moment, outdoor testing was not an option. Instead, my friend Steve and I tested the drone in a TV studio with a low roof. It flew perfectly in the limited space.
The owner was thrilled by the results. Since he’s still based abroad, he officially added the drone to my company’s equipment list for future projects and assignments. I am deeply grateful for his trust and patience.
Key Lessons
- Photos are powerful: Always take reference images of internal wiring before disassembling devices.
- Leverage your training: My electronics foundation made troubleshooting smoother, even in a new domain like drones.
- Never stop learning: Using tools like ChatGPT helped me avoid mistakes and gain confidence in drone circuitry.
- Patience pays off: Some repairs take time—but the results are worth it.
This experience has sparked my curiosity in drone repair and embedded systems even further. I now see drones not just as tools, but as platforms full of engineering and creative potential.
On to the next tech challenge!