At a glance

Before you start

1. Check firmware and known issues first

• DJI recommends keeping the aircraft, battery and remote controller firmware up to date before each flight. If an update fails, restart the device and try again; contact DJI Support if it persists. [3]
• Mismatched versions matter. On the Mavic 3E, DJI Pilot 2 asks for a consistent firmware update when module versions don't match, and DJI says inconsistent firmware affects flight safety. The Matrice 4 list warns that malfunctions may occur when the controller and aircraft firmware are incompatible. [1][6]
• Read the known-issue list before you replace a part. Example: on the Mavic 3E/3T, after a consistent or complete firmware update the status indicator can stay solid green and Discreet Mode may not work. DJI's fix is to restart the aircraft. [7]
• Example on the Matrice 4: false obstacle avoidance in fog or at night with bright lights is more likely with dirty sensor lenses. Clean them before flight. [6]
• Both lists are older than the current firmware (Mavic 3E list 2024-04-07; Matrice 4 list 2025-04-15). Also read the current release notes. [8][4][5][9]

2. Safety

• Remove the battery before servicing the aircraft, including cleaning or fitting propellers, and turn the battery off to replace or check propellers. [1][2]
• Propeller blades are sharp. Stay clear of rotating propellers and motors, and don't touch the motors after flight because they may be hot. [1][2]
• Keep the aircraft away from people and animals during a firmware update, system calibration or parameter configuration. [1][2]

3. Tools and supplies DJI mentions

Props & arms

1. Step 1

   Unfold in order

   Remove the gimbal protector, unfold the front arms, then the rear arms. [1][2]
2. Step 2

   Check the arms

   Matrice 4: the arm junctions are not damaged or cracked; the arms fold and unfold smoothly without jamming, shaking or abnormal noise; and they don't retract after being unfolded. [3]
3. Step 3

   Spin each motor by hand

   Feel for blockage or rubbing, and watch the gap between rotor and stator for contact with the motor base. [3] Motors must be mounted securely and rotate smoothly; don't modify them. [1]
4. Step 4

   Check the motor air filters

   Matrice 4: the air filters are not severely damaged or deformed. Keep the motor ventilation holes clear on both aircraft. [3][1]
5. Step 5

   Inspect and clean the propellers

   Look for deformation, severe wear, nicks, cracks and foreign matter, then clean with a dry, soft cloth. Replace a damaged prop right away. Matrice 4: replace propellers after 200 flight hours or one year. [3][2]
6. Step 6

   Check the propeller adapters

   Matrice 4: adapters are not deformed or broken. Replace them if they are. [3]
7. Step 7

   Fit props in the right place

   Mavic 3E: marked props go on marked motors, unmarked on unmarked. Hold the motor, press the prop down and rotate it in the direction marked on the prop until it pops up and locks. To remove, press down and rotate the other way. Matrice 4: match the A and B props to their motors, press down and rotate until they click. [1][2]
8. Step 8

   Use the right props

   Only official DJI propellers, never mixed types, all of the same model. Don't fly aged, chipped or broken props. [1][2][3]
9. Step 9

   Transport

   Fold the arms when powered off and seat the aircraft as shown in the case. Don't squeeze or bend the propellers. [1][2]

Gimbal, camera & payload

1. Step 1

   Gimbal protector

   Remove it before powering on, or the self-check may be affected. Fit it whenever the aircraft is not in use. On the Mavic 3E, level the camera, cover the vision system with the protector, align the positioning holes and press the buckle. [1][2]
2. Step 2

   Protect it at power-on

   Don't tap, knock or apply force to the gimbal once powered on, and launch from open, flat ground. A gimbal motor can go into protection mode if it is obstructed on uneven ground or grass, or after a collision. [1][2]
3. Step 3

   No extra weight

   Don't add any payload to the gimbal other than an official accessory. DJI warns it can cause permanent motor damage. [2][1]
4. Step 4

   Lenses

   The camera lenses are not damaged or cracked. [3]
5. Step 5

   Damping plate and dampers (Matrice 4)

   The screws holding the damping plate to the body are tight. The four gimbal dampers are not damaged, loose, aged or deformed. Dampers are replaced after 200 flight hours or one year by the factory or a DJI-authorized dealer. [3]
6. Step 6

   Sensor glass

   No stickers or obstructions on the vision and infrared-sensing glass. Clean with a soft cloth and no alcohol. [1][3]
7. Step 7

   Wet gimbal

   Flying in heavy fog or cloud can wet the gimbal and cause a temporary failure. It recovers fully once dry. [1][2]
8. Step 8

   Gimbal drift

   DJI's fix is to calibrate the IMU and compass in DJI Pilot 2. On the Mavic 3E, gimbal auto calibration also appears under Gimbal Settings when the RTK module is mounted. [1][2]
9. Step 9

   Thermal image (3T / 4T)

   FFC calibration is a thermal-camera function in the camera view that optimizes image quality. Tap FFC to run it. [1][2]
10. Step 10

    Mavic 3E add-ons

    With the aircraft off, remove the PSDK port cover, mount the RTK module or speaker and tighten the knobs on both sides. The RTK module is not hot-swappable. [1]

Battery & charging

1. Step 1

   Seat it right

   Insert the battery until the buckles click. Never insert or remove a battery while the aircraft is powered on, and don't launch with a loosely mounted pack. [1][2]
2. Step 2

   Know when maintenance is due

   Matrice 4: every 50 cycles, after more than three months idle, or when the app prompts. [3]
3. Step 3

   Run the standard cycle (Matrice 4)

   Take off and hover at up to 2 m. Land and remove the battery at 15%. Rest it for more than two hours, charge it fully, then rest it for more than two hours again. Repeat if the warning persists. [3]
4. Step 4

   Check it in DJI Pilot 2

   No battery error messages and current battery firmware. The pack is not swollen, leaking or damaged, the terminals are clean and the buckles are not cracked. [3]
5. Step 5

   Charge every three months

   Fully charge each battery at least once every three months. On the Matrice 4, DJI says a battery not charged or discharged for three months or more is no longer covered by the warranty. [1][2]
6. Step 6

   Store it right

   Store batteries cool, dry and out of the sun: 22–28 °C (71–82 °F) for more than three months, and never outside −10 to 45 °C (14–113 °F). DJI recommends 15–25 °C and about 40% humidity for storage and transport. [1][2]
7. Step 7

   Self-discharge and hibernation

   Full packs discharge themselves when idle; mild heat is normal. Mavic 3E packs drop to 96% after three idle days and 60% after nine (adjustable to 4–9 days). Packs hibernate when low and idle (below 5% for six hours on the Mavic 3E, below 10% on the Matrice 4); charge to wake them. [1][2]
8. Step 8

   Charging temperature

   Let a hot pack cool before charging. Mavic 3E packs charge only between 5 and 40 °C (41–104 °F); Matrice 4 charging stops if cells pass 55 °C (131 °F). The ideal range for both is 22–28 °C. [1][2]
9. Step 9

   Cold weather

   Batteries can't be used below −10 °C (14 °F), and capacity drops in the cold. Hover for a while after takeoff to warm the pack. Mavic 3E: keep it above 20 °C (68 °F). Matrice 4: warm it to room temperature before takeoff. [1][2]
10. Step 10

    Charging hub lights

    Solid red means a power-supply or battery error on the Mavic 3E hub (reseat the batteries or the charger), or an unrecoverable fault on the Matrice 4 hub. Clean dirty battery terminals with a clean, dry cloth. [1][2]
11. Step 11

    Transit and heat

    Ship at 30% or less. Start RTH right away if the app warns that the battery is too hot. Don't charge near flammable materials, don't use packs in a humid environment, and never disassemble or pierce one. [2][1][3]

Calibration

Pass values (Matrice 4)

• No flight-controller error prompts after the power-on self-check. [3]
• GNSS reaches Strong within one minute outdoors, so the Home Point records automatically. [3]
• Compass interference under 50 after calibration, outdoors. [3]
• IMU sensor bias under 0.05 after calibration. [3]

Cross-model steps for all DJI Enterprise aircraft: Calibration & firmware.

Firmware & linking

Update with DJI Pilot 2

1. Step 1

   Prep

   Aircraft linked to the controller and the controller online. Mavic 3E: both above 25% battery; Matrice 4: DJI says fully charged. [1][2][4]
2. Step 2

   Update All

   Tap the firmware prompt on the Pilot 2 home screen, then Update All. Both devices restart when done. On the Mavic 3E it takes about 15 minutes, depending on the network. [1][2]
3. Step 3

   Every battery

   Battery firmware is part of the aircraft firmware, and only the installed pack updates. Fit and update each spare. [1][2]
4. Step 4

   Stay close (Matrice 4)

   An update can fail if the controller is more than 200 m from the aircraft. [6]
5. Step 5

   Offline option

   Download the offline package from DJI to a microSD card or USB drive. In Pilot 2 tap HMS, Firmware Update, Offline Update, choose the package and tap Update All. [1][2]
6. Step 6

   PC option

   DJI Assistant 2 (Enterprise Series) updates one device at a time: log in, open firmware update, pick the version. A limp gimbal, blinking lights and reboots are normal. Don't remove accessories or power off mid-update. [1][2]
7. Step 7

   If it fails

   Restart the aircraft, the controller and DJI Pilot 2 or DJI Assistant 2, then retry. Contact DJI Support if it still fails. [8][4][1]
8. Step 8

   After a Mavic 3E update

   If the status indicator stays solid green, restart the aircraft. [7]

Re-link the remote controller

1. Step 1

   Start linking

   Power on both. Press C1, C2 and Record together until the status LED blinks blue and the controller beeps, or tap Link Remote Controller in DJI Pilot 2. [1][2]
2. Step 2

   Aircraft side

   Hold the aircraft power button for more than four seconds (Mavic 3E) or at least five seconds (Matrice 4), with the controller within 0.5 m. [1][2]
3. Step 3

   Confirm

   The controller beeps twice and its status LED turns solid green. Updates can unlink the two, so re-link after any update if needed. [1][2]

Cross-model steps for all DJI Enterprise aircraft: Calibration & firmware.

Crash triage

After a collision or crash

1. Step 1

   Document it

   Photograph the aircraft and the surroundings right away, and write down the aircraft's condition before the accident and what happened. [3]
2. Step 2

   Make the battery safe

   Make sure the aircraft is off, remove the battery and store it in an isolation box. After a serious accident, don't power the aircraft on again; DJI warns it can damage the internal circuits. [3]
3. Step 3

   Save the data

   Connect the controller to a computer and export the flight-control data and flight records. Flight data on the aircraft can be exported with DJI Assistant 2 or DJI Pilot 2. [3][2]
4. Step 4

   Inspect every part

   Check every aircraft part after any crash or serious impact, then run Repair types 1 and 2. [1][2]
5. Step 5

   Read HMS

   In HMS, green is normal, orange caution, red warning. Tap a warning for DJI's help document. If it persists, upload the logs from Manage Logs and send DJI the QR code or tracking number. [1][3]
6. Step 6

   Ask for data analysis

   Contact DJI Support or a dealer to request analysis of the exported data, then ship the aircraft for repair. [3][11]

Flyaway

• Contact DJI Support as soon as possible. Use the flight record in DJI Pilot 2 to search near where the data stopped, then export the records for DJI analysis. [3]

General crash steps for any drone: Crash triage.

Water exposure

1. Step 1

   Know the limits

   Neither user manual gives an IP rating. DJI says don't fly in rain, snow or fog, or with visibility under 100 m, and don't use the aircraft in dusty or humid places. [1][2]
2. Step 2

   If it went in the water

   Don't turn it on. DJI warns that powering on an aircraft that has fallen in water may cause permanent component damage. [1][2]
3. Step 3

   Wet camera

   Wipe it dry with a soft, absorbent cloth. Don't use alcohol, benzene or thinners. [1][2]
4. Step 4

   Never clean wet

   Don't clean the aircraft with a wet cloth. Liquid can get through the housing and short the electronics. [1][2]
5. Step 5

   Ports and compartments

   Matrice 4: battery and cellular-dongle compartment ports must be clean and dry with no corrosion, port covers undamaged and tight, and unused ports such as the E-Port closed. Mavic 3E: close the microSD and PSDK port covers before flight. [3][1]
6. Step 6

   Store dry

   Store and transport the aircraft, controller, batteries and charger somewhere dry. [1][2]

Scheduled maintenance

Owner-level checks between services

1. Step 1

   Body and screws

   Body clean and undamaged; wipe with a soft, dry cloth, especially the sensing lenses and the heat vents. All body screws tight. [3]
2. Step 2

   Data ports

   Wipe around the ports with gauze. Disconnect any cable and look inside with a torch. Pick out debris with tweezers and wipe off adhesive with gauze, then tilt the aircraft ports-down and sweep dust out and away with gauze or a brush. [3]
3. Step 3

   microSD slot and covers

   No debris in the microSD slot; the card inserts, ejects and works. Port covers are not damaged or loose. [3]
4. Step 4

   Vents and fans

   Heat vents clear; cooling fans run without abnormal sound. [3]
5. Step 5

   Lights and dongle bay

   Frame-arm LEDs, the auxiliary light and the beacon are not loose or cracked. The cellular-dongle compartment cables are undamaged and its cover is not cracked or loose. [3]
6. Step 6

   Track it in HMS

   Open Maintenance Program in HMS to see flight data and maintenance items. Orange text means standard maintenance is near or due; red means premium maintenance is near or due. The Mavic 3E HMS also includes the DJI Maintenance Program. [3][1]

Test-flight & QC checklist

These items follow DJI's Matrice 4 pre-flight checklist and both user manuals. Fly under your agency's SOP, within visual line of sight. [13]