Just use your teeth to bend the chunks back. Usually I'll fly them until there are a bunch of chunks, the prop has a terrible whine noise when flying (which might indicate they are starting to flex too much after bending them back a lot), or when there are signs of cracking starting (which risk bursting during a punch out).

Props last a ridiculous amount of time now compared to the old glass nylon props that you'd be swapping out a bunch every outing.

In general, if whole prop is still there, but dinged, I keep flying.
You would be surprised what you can do with a badly damaged prop.


I couldnt recover from sharp turn and crashed my 9". I flew back about 1km. The top prop nut was loose. Somehow Betaflight PID found way to compensate.

I ripped through branches of a tree in a 5". Two triblades become biblades. Flew wobbly. Mehh.. kept flying. Did more S turns, flips and power loops before landing. Motors bit hot, but otherwise OK.

My first flight with 1607 5" ultralight, forgot to tighten motor screws on one motor, and lost 3/4 screws midflight.

Yeah, I’m reviving one of my own old posts- but, I’ve got more experience now.

Here are two examples of when you should absolutely put new props on, especially the bottom one:


Here’s an example of a prop that is still flyable, as long as your tune isn’t super aggressive:


The top prop in that first picture is actually still flyable as well, but, not well. You might get some shakes or wobbles.

If I can bend it back into position, and it’s not missing a significant chunk, I keep on flying it.

As others told me, there is a distinct change in sound/tone when you’re having an issue with a motor or prop. These days, if it sounds funny/different, I land and check things out. Sometimes it’s a prop, sometimes it’s a motor bearing. Sometimes it’s just a loose bolt.

I constantly fly with dinged up props. About the only time I swap is when they either look horrid and are loaded with dents and warps, or they just outright explode. Granted, that's just freestyle. If it's cruising, I want those suckers to be immaculate as I want my efficiency and stability to be as high as possible.

(25-Jun-2023, 07:28 AM)Suros Wrote: I constantly fly with dinged up props. About the only time I swap is when they either look horrid and are loaded with dents and warps, or they just outright explode. Granted, that's just freestyle. If it's cruising, I want those suckers to be immaculate as I want my efficiency and stability to be as high as possible.

Yeah. If it still has all of its blades, and they can all at least somewhat be bent back into position, I’ll typically try to put it back in the air.

I keep them on as long as I can get away with. But creased and missing ends come right off. I’ve had plenty of return flight that sounded like I had baseball cards in my spokes

oneblade is the most efficiency anyway xD