Why Is My Syma Drone Not Taking Off? (and How to Fix It)

Flying drones is an incredibly mesmerizing hobby, and it’s become accessible to the masses since manufacturers began rolling out affordable consumer drones that are easy to use, such as Syma drones. 

Syma has managed to lay claim to a significant portion of the competitive mini-drone market. Since they are entry-level drones, if you own a Syma drone, you may have already come across a few minor issues. But what if your drone has one of the biggest problems of them all? What if your Syma drone won’t take off? What is the reason behind this, and how do you fix it?

Some common reasons a Syma drone won’t take off include:

• Needing a few more minutes to warm up
• **Improperly mounted propellers **
• **Improperly calibrated compass **
• Being in a no-fly zone
• Insufficiently charged battery
• A firmware issue
• Needing to be registered in the area you are flying in

If your Syma drone turns on as specified in the user manual and all light signals indicate appropriately, your drone should take off and fly immediately. Still, some units may be a bit stubborn about taking off. 

In this article, we will explore some of the reasons your Syma drone isn’t taking off and give you tips on fixing the problem. By the end of the read, I hope your woes are over, and you’re up and flying!

So, what may be the reason your Syma drone isn’t taking off? 

1. Your drone may need a bit of warmup time #

Before you start panicking, it’s worth noting that some Syma drone units require a few minutes before they can take off. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong with them; that’s just how they operate. 

This is more likely to happen on cold days or during cold weather when some units require a bit of warming up before taking off. Some Syma drones will notify you about warmup time with a message, so it’s important to watch out for this. If in doubt, just give your drone a few more minutes of warm-up time before liftoff.

2. Your Syma drone propellers aren’t properly mounted #

If you recently had to replace the propellers to your Syma drone and you have never done it before, it’s easy to get confused about how propellers need to be mounted. 

They’re not all identical, and a certain pattern has to be followed when fitting drone propellers to create the necessary airflow to lift the drone in the air. If this isn’t done, your drone will stay grounded even if the propellers are spinning. 

3. The compass isn’t properly calibrated #

Compass calibration isn’t needed now as often as it used to be with earlier Syma drone versions. Still, it may be an issue from time to time, and if your drone’s compass isn’t properly calibrated, the chances are that your drone won’t take off and will remain grounded. This is why it’s important to regularly check if your drone’s compass calibration is okay.

4. You are in a no-fly zone #

While your drone may look like a small toy, it can actually interfere with various commercial and governmental activities. The FAA has set sensitive areas or where you aren’t legally allowed to fly as no-fly zones. 

If you try launching your Syma drone in such areas, then it won’t lift off until you are in an area where you’re allowed to fly. Many of these drones are equipped with GPS and can pinpoint their location, so the software knows if the drone is in a forbidden area. If it is, it won’t take off even if everything is in perfect working order.

Some of these no-fly zones include areas near power plants, airports, schools, military bases, etc.

5. Your Syma drone isn’t registered in the area you’re trying to fly in #

It is required by law that all drones over 0.55 lbs (250g) be registered before they are launched into the air. If you travel somewhere and forget to register your drone, then it may refuse to take off. If you also try to fly the drone too soon after it was registered, it may also refuse to lift off. That’s why it’s important to wait at least a day until your drone is duly registered, and then you can try launching it into the air.

6. Insufficient battery power #

It requires a lot of energy for your drone to lift off and stay airborne. This is why it’s important to keep your drone’s battery fully charged before takeoff. If your Syma drone has insufficient battery power, then it may be impossible to lift off. Your drone may turn on and all, without sufficient charge, it won’t be able to get off the ground.

7. Firmware issue #

One common culprit when a Syma drone is acting up in any way is usually a problem with the drone’s firmware. If your drone’s firmware has bugs or is corrupted, your drone may refuse to take off. It may be that you need to revert to an older firmware version, or more likely, update to the newest version.

All these are some of the reasons your Syma drone won’t take off. So now that you know the possible causes, how can you fix them?

How to fix my Syma drone that won’t take off? #

In this section, we have a look at some tips that may help you get your Syma drone off the ground and flying within no time. If your Syma drone won’t take off, try these fixes:

• Make sure that the drone’s battery is fully charged and in perfect working order. If the battery is damaged, then you will have to get a replacement one.
• Give your drone a few minutes to warm up before you try getting it in the air. At times, all your drone may require is just a bit of time to warm up.
• Update your drone’s firmware every time a new version is released. If you suspect that the firmware is the reason behind your drone not taking off, get a newer version if it’s available, or revert to the earlier version if a new version isn’t available.
• Make sure the compass is properly calibrated. Consult the instruction manual on how to do this correctly.
• Make sure that you are not in a no-fly zone when trying to lift off. Also, make sure that the drone is registered in the area you are trying to fly it in.
• Make sure that the drone’s propellers are properly mounted.

Following these tips should help you fix the issue of your Syma drone not taking off. If none of these work, you may need to contact your manufacturer or a repair technician.

Image Credit: Syma