You have set up your DJI Mavic Mini to fly and are ready to take off. Suddenly, the DJI Mavic Mini won’t take off or pop the “unable to take off”. If you are in this kind of situation, I feel your pain, and let’s fix this annoying issue.
I have seen many DJI Mavic Mini users asking for solutions for this issue in this article let’s see why the Mavic Mini won’t take off or is unable to take off and how to fix that issue and take off the Mavic Mini.
Different scenarios that DJI Mavic Mini wouldn’t take off.
There are two types of scenarios that the Mavic Mini refuses or is unable to take off.
Scenario 1: DJI Mavic Mini’s propellers are spinning but won’t take off.
If your Mavic Mini’s propellers are spinning but the aircraft won’t take off or keeps flipping, I’m happy you to inform that, you can fix this issue just within a few minutes. There is just an improper propeller installation.
Scenario 2: Mavic Mini’s propellers are not spinning and getting an “Unable to Take off” error.
If your Mavic Mini’s propellers are not spinning at all and getting unable to take off error, there is a software issue refusing the takeoff. Most of the time, those software issues are fixable and don’t take days to fix.
Causes Of DJI Mavic Mini Won’t Take off or unable to take off.
Let’s give a quick glance at causes that could disable the Mavic Mini’s takeoff.
1. Improper propeller installment.
As I mentioned in scenario 1, if your Mavic Mini propellers are spinning but it won’t take off or keeps flipping to the side, you have installed propellers in the wrong pattern. There is a pattern to installing propellers to the aircraft in order to work properly. So if you have installed them in a completely opposite way it won’t get the upward force to take off. Also if you have installed some of them in the wrong pattern, the aircraft would flip instead of taking off.
2. Firmware issues.
If you are getting the “Unable to take off” on the DJI Fly app and facing this issue, most of the time, it’s caused by a firmware issue. There are many incidents users were unable to take off the drone after updating the firmware.
3. Temporary glitch.
Sometimes, you wouldn’t unable to take off the Mavic Mini just because of a temporary system glitch. Restarting the whole Mavic Mini unit would troubleshoot the issue.
4. Low light to sensors.
If you are trying to take off the Mini indoors, this might be the reason for it. If the Mavic Mini system doesn’t get enough light to the sensors and camera, it would refuse the takeoff.
5. No-fly zones.
If you are trying to take off the Mavic Mini on a No-fly zone (NFZ), you won’t be able to take off the drone within the area. Some areas can be unlocked with just a few steps and some areas aren’t.
How to fix DJI Mavic Mini won’t take off issue.
Now let’s see ways that you can fix the Mavic Mini’s talking-off issue.
Step 1: Restart the Mavic Mini.
As I said before, this could be just a temporary system glitch. So when once you restart the Mavic Mini, it would turn on properly.
- Power off the Mavic Mini aircraft and controller.
- Power on the Mavic Mini aircraft. Then power on the controller.
- Connect the DJI Fly app to the Mavic Mini and enter the camera view. Then check whether the error is gone and the Mavic Mini takes off.
If it doesn’t take off move to the next step.
Step 2: Check whether the propellers are installed on the correct sides.
In order to fly the drone propeller, there is a unique propeller installment pattern. So let’s see how you can install propellers properly to your Mavic Mini.
- When you inspect Mavic Mini’s propellers, you would see there are two types of propellers.
- One propeller set has two lines.
- And the other propeller set has a single line.
- Now inspect your Mavic Mini’s arm. You’ll see two diagonal Mavic Mini arms have a mark on the arm and other diagonal arms don’t.
- Install double-lined propellers to the motors on the arms with the mark.
- Install single-lined propellers to the motors on the arms with no marks.
- The final propeller installment should as shown below.
Step 3: Place the Mavic Mini on a bright spot.
The Mavic Mini system would refuse to take off if its sensors won’t get enough light. You can fix this issue by placing the drone on a bright spot or facing the light source to the Mavic Mini’s camera.
- Place the Mavic Mini in a bright spot if you are taking off the drone indoors.
- Or face a light source to the camera of the Mavic Mini
Step 4: Check whether you are in Noflyzone.
If you are on Noflyzone, you won’t be unable to take off. Some geofenced areas are unlockable and some are not. Let’s see how you can check whether you are on Noflyzone (geofenced area) and how to unlock unlockable no-fly zones.
How to check whether you are in a Noflyzone.
- Connect the phone to the internet.
- Open the DJI Fly app and enter the camera view. Then tap on the little map icon in the bottom left corner.
- Tap on it again and you would see the detailed map.
- Now you would see colored circles and boxes in some places. If you are in a red, yellow, or blue area, you won’t be able to take off the drone casually.
- You can see more details by clicking on the area.
- If you are in a Restricted zone (red area), a densely populated area (dark red) area or, Regulatory restricted zone (light blue area) you can’t take off or fly the drone in the area.
- If you are in the Altitude zone (grey area), Warning zone (orange area), or green area, you can take off the drone without any extra work.
- If you are in the Authorization zone (dark blue area), or Enhanced warning zone (brown area), you have to unlock the zone before taking off the Mavic Mini.
How to unlock unlockable Noflyzones.
If you are in an Authorization zone (dark blue area), or Enhanced warning zone you can unlock those areas and fly or take off the drone inside the area.
- Before that make sure you are logged in to the DJI account that is connected to the Mavic Mini.
- Tap on the zone. Then tap on “Yes”.
- Then tick boxes asking whether you are bearing the responsibility to fly in the zone.
- Then hit Confirm.
- The area would be unlocked and now you can take off and fly the drone inside the area.
Step 5: Update/Refresh/Downgrade the firmware.
If you are getting the error after updating the firmware, try downgrading or refreshing the firmware. If it’s outdated, update the firmware.
- Download and install the DJI Assistant 2 application to the PC.
- Open DJI Assistant 2 application.
- Log in to the DJI account that is connected to the Mavic Mini.
- Then connect the Mavic Mini to the PC using the USB cable.
- Turn on the Mavic Mini. Then click on the Mavic Mini box pop on the DJI Assistant 2 application.
- Once you enter the Firmware Update tab, you will find all the previous and latest firmware for the Mavic Mini.
- Click on the “Upgrade” or “Refresh” button in front of the latest firmware. If you are trying to get this issue after updating the firmware, tap on the “Downgrade” button in front of the recent firmware and downgrade the firmware.
- Then click on “Start Update”.
- Wait until the firmware is completely downloaded and installed.
- After updating/downgrading the aircraft’s firmware, follow the same steps connecting the remote controller and update/downgrade its firmware too.
