Drones are a fun hobby to have, but they can be hard to get the hang of. While flying your drone is usually easy enough, it’s not uncommon for them to tilt or drift when you’re trying to fly them.
And while this isn’t always a big deal, it can certainly be frustrating if you’re trying to take quality photos or record footage with your drone!
The most common reason your drone is tilting to one side is that it’s drifting. Drifting is when a drone is not level and instead follows a curved path. This can happen if the GPS isn’t working correctly, or if there’s interference with the signal.
In this article we’ll go over some reasons and explain the question “why is my drone tilting to one side” and how you can fix the problem so you can start flying like a pro again!
Why Is My Drone Tilting To One Side?
Crash Damage
If your drone has been damaged in a crash, inspect it for damage. If the propellers are bent or broken, you will need to replace them before flying again. If the case is cracked, take your drone to a professional for repairs.
If you are not sure how to repair it, take it to a professional who can help you get back up in the air in no time!
Motor Failure
If your drone is tilting to one side, it could be a motor failure. You can check the propellers and motors for damage, but also look at the ESCs (electronic speed controllers) which are responsible for controlling the throttle of each motor.
If they’re damaged or not working correctly, then they may not be able to send enough power to each motor and will cause it to tilt.
You can also check the battery: if it’s discharged too far then this can cause issues with stabilizing your drone because there isn’t enough juice left in them to work properly.
The last thing that you should check is that nothing else has been damaged during landing or flight; if any part of your drone has been broken or cracked then these problems may occur as well!
Battery Too Weak
If your drone is tilting to one side, the first thing you should check is the battery. If it’s not fully charged, it could be putting out less voltage than it should and affecting how your drone flies.
To check if your battery is charged, first remove its connector from the drone. Then use a multimeter or voltmeter to measure the voltage of each cell in the pack (you can also use an app on your smartphone).
The ideal range is between 12V and 14V per cell; if any are lower than 10V or higher than 16V, they’ll need recharging before flying again—and if they’re below 5V/cell, then there’s definitely something wrong with them!
You can also use this method during flight to determine whether a cell or two has gone bad; simply record all four readings when you land at home base so that you have reference data for future flights (if anything changes drastically).
Propeller Unbalanced
If your drone is tilting to one side, it’s likely that your propellers are not spinning correctly. If you notice that one or more of the motors are not spinning at all, you may have a motor that isn’t working.
You can check this by putting the drone on a flat surface and watching if any of the propellers rotate. If none do, check to make sure all connections are secure and try again.
If some of your motors spin but others don’t, then it might be because they’re unbalanced or damaged (see below). In order to fix this issue, you’ll need to replace those specific blades with new ones—you can buy them online or at most hobby stores in sets of four matching pairs per set (usually two clockwise-spinning blades and two counterclockwise-spinning blades).
How To Fix A Drone Tilting To One Side
For those of us who are new to drone flying, one of the biggest challenges is learning how to keep our drones from tilting left or right. It’s not a problem that occurs often, but it can be frustrating when it does happen. Luckily, there are many ways to fix this issue—and all of them are pretty easy! Here’s what you need to know:
Calibrate Your Drone
Calibrate Your Drone by flying it in a large, open space. Make sure the drone is in a straight line. The built-in sensors of most drones help keep them level. If you can’t calibrate the drone, try using a compass to help keep it level while you’re flying.
Even Out All The Propeller Blades
If your quadcopter is tilting to one side, the first thing you should do is check the propellers. If one or more of them are bent or damaged in any way, they may be causing your drone to lean over unexpectedly while hovering or flying.
You can use a balancing tool (which you can find online) or a small piece of paper as a makeshift balancer if yours isn’t lying around. Just place it between two of the blades and adjust them until they’re aligned evenly with each other on both sides!
Check For Deformed Parts
If you’re having trouble with your drone tilting to one side, the first thing you want to do is check for damage. That means checking the motors, prop guards, propellers and battery.
Check inside the quadcopter too; if there are any bits of debris in there that could be interfering with its movement, get all that out before proceeding. Finally, make sure all of your sensors are intact and working correctly as well.
If none of this works for you (or if it does indeed fix your problem but then gets messed up again), then time for some more drastic measures:
Get Rid Of Anything In Your Drone’s Way
The first thing you’ll want to do is get rid of anything in the way of your drone’s sensors or motors. This could include things like dirt, debris, or other objects that are causing a blockage. If you don’t know how to take apart your drone, find someone who does!
Remove any dirt or debris from the area around the sensors on your drone by using compressed air (if you have it) or simply blowing gently with your mouth. It may take some time depending on how dirty they are and in what environment they’ve been used in, but eventually all of this stuff will come out!
Re-position The Battery In The Chassis
The battery can be re-positioned in the chassis, to ensure that it’s located as far away from the propellers as possible. This will ensure that the battery won’t be affected by any vibrations and is less likely to fall out of place.
- The battery should be placed at least 1/3 of the way down the chassis, if not further towards one end (the front).
- If you’re using a quadcopter frame (like a DJI Matrice) or similar drone frame with arms, try removing all 4 arms from your copter and placing them back on with just 2 screws each (so there are only 2 per side). Then re-insert your batteries so that they rest between these extra long screws for added stability when flying!
Re-balance And Tighten Your Propellers
The first thing to do if your drone tilts to one side is to check the propellers and motors. This can be done by using a screwdriver to tighten each of the blades, making sure that they are not too loose or too tight.
If any of them seem off-balance, it might be necessary for you to remove them and reattach them in order for them to spin properly.
Additionally, check all motor shafts for damage; if there is any noticeable wear or tear on them, it could indicate that your drone has been through many flights before you got it and may need servicing soon.
Finally, make sure that none of the wires connecting the motors will break off when landing hard during flight—this could cause irreparable harm!
Re-balance And Tighten The Body Of Your Drone
If you notice that your drone is tilting to one side, then it’s likely that the body isn’t balanced. There are two different ways to fix this.
You can either take it to a professional and have them re-balance it for you or do it yourself with a weight on the other side.
Replace Any Propellers That Are Damaged Or Dulled
If you suspect the tilt is caused by a damaged propeller, it’s simple to replace. Propellers are cheap and easy to swap out on most drones. If one of your drone’s propellers has been damaged or dulled, and you’re unsure whether it can be used safely again, look for damage and/or pitting on the blade edges.
If there are any raised nicks or dents in the blades’ edges (as shown in the image below), toss that prop and get a new one. You’ll still need to take care when replacing it—check out our article on how to properly install your new propellers before taking off!
Replace Any Motors That Are Damaged Or Broken
If you find that one of your motors is damaged or broken, it’s probably the result of a crash. Fortunately, replacing a motor isn’t too difficult if you have some basic knowledge and tools.
However, before doing anything with your drone’s mechanics, make sure to check for damage that could be caused by the motors themselves. If your drone tilts to one side when flying even though everything else about its performance seems normal, then this could indicate that something is wrong with the motor assemblies themselves.
Replacement motors are easy to find online or at drone retailers near you; just search for “DJI Inspire 1 quadcopter replacement motor” on Google and see if any stores nearby offer parts like these! Make sure they’re compatible with your specific model before buying them though—different models use different types of motors (for instance).
Conclusion
If your drone is tilting to one side, it’s probably because your drone isn’t level. Your drone will automatically correct itself, but if it’s not level and you’re trying to use a manual feature like Hover, the drone may be unable to stabilize itself.
Here are some important things to remember.
First, it’s important to note that your drone might be tilted because of crash damage or motor failure. If you suspect this is the case, take your drone in for an inspection from a professional.
Second, if your drone keeps tilting even after all these checks and fixes have been made then there may be something wrong with the battery or propellers which must also be replaced before you can fly again safely without fear of crashing again!
Frequently Asked Questions (why Is My Drone Tilting)
Why Is My Drone Tilting To One Side?
If your drone is tilted to one side, it may be because of a faulty motor. This can be resolved by replacing the motors with new ones or by having them professionally repaired.
If your drone is tilted to one side, it could also be due to a faulty motor mount. If this is the case, you can replace the motor mounts with new ones or have them professionally repaired.
When a gimbal is not aligned properly on a drone, it will cause problems with stability and tilt when flying. If this happens, you should check that all connections are tight and secure before flying again so as not to risk further damage
Why Does My Drone Keep Going Up?
If your drone is not calibrated correctly, there’s a chance that it will tilt and move in every direction when you give it instructions. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to take pictures or video, because the camera angle may be off and cause blurry images. Or, if you’re using a quadcopter for racing purposes, the tilting could affect how well your drone flies through the course.
To correct this issue, make sure that all of the calibration elements are set correctly before flying again:
- Make sure that the frame is level on both sides (front-to-back) and front-to-back (side-to-side).
- If possible, try setting up a test run outside with no obstacles around so that everything can be measured accurately. If indoors is unavoidable (for example if there are walls), try moving farther away from any items that might distract from getting an accurate reading — like furniture!
How Do I Make My Drone Fly Straight?
- Make sure the drone is level. If you’re like most people, your drone will be in a tilted position. This doesn’t mean it’s broken; it just means you haven’t calibrated the compass correctly yet.
- Check to make sure that no wind is blowing in the direction of your drone or around any trees or buildings nearby (this can cause interference with the GPS signal). If there is wind, fly at a lower altitude so as not to disturb any branches overhead.
- Fly slowly and steadily—don’t try for high speeds until later when you’re used to controlling your drone’s flight patterns!
How Do I Stop My Drone From Flying Away?
Most drones come with a variety of different flight modes, each with its own unique purpose. Most people are familiar with the basic ones like return to home or follow me, but there are others that can help you gain more control over your drone.
Here’s how you can use these various modes:
- Use GPS lock mode to keep your drone hovering in one spot in an outdoor environment (like a park). This is helpful when you want to capture footage from a fixed position without having to worry about manually holding down the sticks and navigating through menus at the same time.
- Use altitude lock mode when flying indoors or outside on windy days; this will prevent your quadcopter from drifting up or down while keeping it stable and centered around a point in space (like a person). You’ll have more control over where it goes if you don’t let it move up or down on its own while flying!
- Position lock mode works similarily as altitude lock except instead of controlling height above ground level this function only focuses on left/right movement around whatever point it’s locked onto—so no vertical drift here either!
