I Crashed 3 Drones & Lost 100K RMB – 5 Rules That Save Lives

(2026 Latest Edition – Newbies Will Bomb Without This, Veterans Will Still Break into Cold Sweat)

Straight to the Conclusion First

If you honestly follow these 5 rules every single time, 99.9% of all drone crashes can be avoided. I already paid the tuition for you: 3 machines destroyed, nearly 100,000 RMB gone. Worth it? Wait until your own tens-of-thousands-RMB drone turns into fireworks in the sky… then you’ll understand. I’ve been flying drones for 4 years, visited more than 20 provinces across China, and managed to lose machines over canyons, inside cities, and in abandoned factories. Every single crash felt like a nail driven straight through my chest – pain I will never forget for the rest of my life. Today I’m laying it all bare: the bloodiest real accidents, the 5 ironclad rules, and dozens of tiny details that later saved my life. This post is long, but every sentence was paid for with real money, cold sweat, and moments when I almost wet myself. After reading, please do two things:

• Share this article on social media

• Forward it to every drone group you’re in
  
  I never want to see another version of “me” crying under a tree with a ruined trip ever again.
  
  Here comes the pure gold.

  

  
  
  

  Rule #1: You MUST Zoom Flight Map Apps to the Absolute Maximum Detail Before Every Takeoff – Otherwise You Won’t Even Know How You Died

  2022, 20 km outside Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. I thought I was safe. DJI Fly showed green, so I pushed the sticks. At 400 meters altitude, the drone suddenly froze – like an invisible giant hand grabbed it, completely locked. Then it forced a landing into a cornfield. My legs turned to jelly when I ran to pick it up. Only later did I learn the entire area had been placed under temporary flight restriction that day. DJI’s no-fly-zone database simply hadn’t synced in real time. From that day on, I made it a life-or-death rule:

  • Always open the latest versions of at least two flight-map apps (DJI Fly, AirMap, Jianfei, etc.) at the same time

  • Zoom all the way in and read the recent user comments – especially the newest ones

  • If two comments mention military drills, police activity, or anything unusual, I refuse to take off

  I now permanently carry a spare Xiaomi phone whose only job is running flight maps (my main phone only flies). Battery stays above 80% at all times – just in case. A lot of people call it paranoid. I call it cheaper than being shot down by a signal jammer with nowhere to cry.

  Rule #2: Propeller Inspection Has to Be Downright Obsessive – One Hairline Crack = Immediate Replacement

  2022, Qinghai Lake, three consecutive days of level 6–8 winds. On the third day the wind finally calmed – perfect mirror reflection on the water. I was shaking with excitement. I checked battery, gimbal, SD card… but only glanced at the props. Original set, only 18 flights old, looked brand new. At 800 meters out over the lake and 120 meters high, the video feed suddenly started shaking violently – like an epileptic seizure. I yanked it home just in time. Close inspection: the right-front prop was cleanly snapped in half – fracture so smooth it looked knife-cut. Invisible fatigue cracks from the previous windy days. My new 3-step propeller check (non-negotiable):

• Hold against sunlight and rotate slowly – any uneven light reflection = replace

• Flick each blade with your finger – must ring bright and crisp. Dull thud = replace immediately

• When in doubt, throw it out – no compromises
  
  A set of original props costs a few hundred RMB. A decent drone costs 20,000–60,000 RMB.
  Are you really willing to gamble tens of thousands just to save a couple hundred? I’m done gambling.
  
  

  Rule #3: Takeoff & Landing Spots Must Stay At Least 5 Meters Away from the Nearest Person – See Kids? Abort Mission Instantly

  2022, Big Wild Goose Pagoda North Square, Xi’an – absolute sea of people. A local pilot was heads-down adjusting the gimbal. He never noticed a 5-year-old boy squatting 3 meters behind him playing with rocks. Drone lifted 30 cm off the ground – the curious kid reached out… “PA!” Blood sprayed everywhere. The boy’s middle finger was sliced open to the bone by the prop. Screams everywhere. The mother’s face turned ghost-white. Police arrived instantly. If that had been an eye instead of a finger… I don’t even want to imagine. Ever since, I became clinically obsessive about takeoff spots:

  • Must be completely open

  • Zero people within 5 meters in any direction

  • Before unlocking, shout loud: “Taking off! Please stay clear!”

  • The second I see kids, elderly, or dogs – 20-meter minimum, no exceptions

  I’d rather walk 2 extra kilometers to an empty field than roll the dice in a crowd.

  

  Rule #4: After Unlocking, You MUST Hover at 5 Meters for 10 Seconds Until the Return-to-Home Point Is 100% Updated

  I almost set the RTH point 100 meters away over forest or water – twice. First time: Tangya River, Enshi, 6 AM, sea of clouds like a fairyland. I got greedy – pushed full stick right after unlock, flew 80 meters out in 10 seconds. RTH point never updated. When I hit return, the home icon was grey – drone hovering above dense virgin forest. Battery dropped from 28% to 12%. I sprinted 300 meters with my backpack to an open parking lot and manually saved it. Leg cramps for a whole week afterward. Second time: Siguniang Mountain – almost left the drone forever in icy water. Now the sequence is burned into my DNA: Unlock → slowly rise to 5 m → hover 10 seconds → stare at screen until “Home Point Updated” voice + green icon → only then fly far. Those 10 seconds can save a machine and prevent your heart from exploding.

  Rule #5: Before Every Takeoff, Put the Phone Down and Do a Full 360° Head Turn – Memorize Every Obstacle Within 10 Meters Above You

  2022, a scenic spot in Hanzhong, Shaanxi. I was glued to my phone – pushed the sticks… “THUNK!” Drone slammed straight into a century-old ginkgo tree, stuck 10 meters up, swaying in the golden leaves. Protected heritage site – no ladders allowed. Staff: “Flying is banned here anyway, figure it out yourself.” I nearly got on my knees. Waited 2.5 hours until a security subcontractor showed up with a ladder. Begged like crazy to get it down. Now, without fail: Put phone down → hands off controller → full 360° neck spin. Power poles, billboards, tree branches, eaves, clotheslines, shop signs, kite strings… everything that can hit gets memorized first. One full turn can save a machine worth tens of thousands.

  Final Words from a Pilot Who Crashed 3 Times and Lived to Tell

  My 3 destroyed drones taught me:

  • First one: Chengdu temporary restriction taught me respect for maps

  • Second one: Qinghai Lake taught me respect for props

  • Third one: ancient ginkgo tree taught me respect for people, 10-second hover, and looking up

    

  Flying drones is never “just playing” – you’re gambling with tens of thousands of RMB and real danger. Every crashed machine is your former arrogance and luck being smashed to pieces. If because of this article you:

  • Check the flight map one more time

  • Flick the props one extra time

  • Hover 10 more seconds

  • Turn your head one full circle

  • Shout “Clear!” one more time

  Then my 100,000 RMB tuition was worth every penny. May every push of the sticks be safe, May every return land exactly at your feet, May every low-battery alarm still leave you 10% juice. Fly high, but fly steady. After reading, please do three things:

• Share this on social media

• Forward to every drone group (saving one pilot is better than building a seven-story pagoda)

Drop a “1” in the comments: What was YOUR worst crash story?

I’m off to flick my props again.
See you in the next airspace.
— An old pilot who crashed 3 times and somehow survived
December 2025