Make the situation still
Disarm and follow the equipment’s instructions for disconnecting power and safe handling. Let moving parts stop. Do not reach into the propeller area to save a few seconds. If the battery is damaged or behaving abnormally, follow the manufacturer’s safety guidance rather than continuing an ordinary inspection.
Retrieve the aircraft only when you can do so safely and lawfully. A location that requires climbing, entering restricted property, approaching traffic, or entering water changes the problem completely.
Follow the force of the impact
Look at the area that struck something and the components connected to it. Inspect propellers, motor mounting, arms, fasteners, camera mounts, antennas, connectors, and visible wiring. Check for something shifted into the path of a moving part.
A small crack or bent component can matter more than a dramatic scuff. Do not assume that replacing the most visibly damaged part resolves the entire event.
Preserve useful evidence
If the system recorded video or logs, keep the files before overwriting them. Note what happened just before the impact: an unexpected movement, a poor picture, a control warning, or an ordinary piloting error. Those are different starting points for diagnosis.
Avoid making configuration changes to explain away hardware damage. A new vibration after an impact deserves a mechanical inspection before a tuning experiment.
Return through the setup checks
After a repair, repeat the relevant documented checks. Powered bench and motor tests require the precautions specified by the equipment, including propeller removal. Reassess anything disturbed during the repair rather than checking only the new part.
A crash is a chance to improve the maintenance record, not a reason to pretend the aircraft is indestructible. Return to flying when the fault and the repair are understood—not when the battery happens to be connected again.
MAKE IT USEFUL
Your next small job.
Make a post-impact note: where it hit, what changed, what was inspected, what was replaced, and which checks remain.
Go straight to the source.
These official resources support the next step. Hardware, firmware, and local requirements can differ.