MAINTENANCE MANUAL

Maintenance Manual 

for unmanned aerial vehicle

Trimble® ZX5

For Enduser

Version 1.0.0

Revision A

August 2015
Legal information 

Trimble Navigation Limited 

935 Stewart Drive 

Sunnyvale, California 94085 

U.S.A. 

www.trimble.com 

Copyright and trademarks 

© 2015, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. 

Trimble and the Globe and Triangle logo are trademarks of 

Trimble Navigation Limited, registered in the United States and in 

other countries.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

For a complete list of all relevant legal notices, refer to the 

Trimble UX5 Aerial Imaging Solution User Guide.
Contents

1 Warnings............................................................................................................................ 4

2 Visual inspection................................................................................................................. 6

3 Mechanical inspection ........................................................................................................ 8

4 Propeller exchange ............................................................................................................10

4.1 Exchange rigid propellers...................................................................................................... 10

4.2 Exchange foldable propellers................................................................................................ 11

5 Landing gear exchange.......................................................................................................12

6 Motor exchange.................................................................................................................13

7 LiPo battery pack ...............................................................................................................14
1 Warnings

The Trimble ZX5 is a complex high tech flight robot system. This manual describes the maintenance work 

you can do independent. Do this maintenance work repeat periodically with an interval of about 5 to 10 

flights.

Read this documentation carefully and completely.

It is very important to respect all hints and instructions.

Check all components regularly to ensure a long life.

DANGER – IF MISUSED THIS AIRCRAFT IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY HARM TO 

THE OPERATOR AND SPECTATORS AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. ANY DAMAGE OR 

INJURY OCCURRING DUE TO MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT IS SOLELY THE OPERATOR’S 

RESPONSIBILITY

If you lose control of the flight robot you will lose visual sight to the copter.

The copter will fly away and will land somewhere for example:

• on water

• on a building

• on a street

• on a car

• on a person

• on a power line

IN THIS CASE THE COPTER JEOPARDISE THE ENVIRONMENT, OTHER PERSONS AND PRIVATE 

OR PUBLIC ITEMS!

IT CAN PRODUCE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WITH INJURED AND DEAD PERSONS!

Perform all inspection points carefully. If the flight system does not pass an inspection point then 

maintenance work or repairing of the part is necessary. For not described maintenance work or repair 

work please contact your distributor. 

Read and understand all information pertaining to the battery before attempting to use 

or charge it.

Refer also to document „Trimble ZX5 Lithium Polymer Batteries Precautions”.

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After 300 flights or 25 flight hours (depending on the first event) maintenance at an authorized service 

station will be necessary. You will be informed about pending maintenance by an acoustic message after 

starting the motors and a hint on the display of the remote control. A one-time message appears after 

250 flights or 20 flight hours. After reaching 300 flights or 25 flight hours the message for the need of 

maintenance appears after each start of the motors.

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If you get the message „Maintenance deadline expired” after starting the 

motors, you have to perform a maintenance at your authorized Trimble ZX5 service 

station!

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2 Visual inspection

The visual inspection will inspect the copter and the base station for damages. 

Perform the following inspection points for the copter:

• Check all parts for cracks, abrasion, broken parts. 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If you can find those damages, then exchange the part, if described in 

this document or send the copter for repairing to a Trimble ZX5 service station!

• Check all bolted connections at copter fuselage, the six arms, landing gear, gimbal. If you can find a 

solved connection then fix it. 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Use screw safety vanish for all bolted connections!

• Check all wire connections outside the dome:

a. Are they dirty?

b. Are the connectors stuck correctly?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Clean dirty connections with a smooth brush. Fix solved connections!

• Check all wire connections inside the dome only visual:

a. Are they dirty? 

b. Are the connectors stuck correctly?

c. Are the soldered wires fitted correctly?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If you identify dirty or damaged connections contact a Trimble ZX5 

service station!

• Check the antennas: Are they aligned correctly and free of kink points? Align the antennas in a 

straight line. If the antenna has kink points then the range of the signal transmission is limited. 

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Note: If you identify antennas with kink points contact a MULTIROTOR service station. Otherwise the 

range of the video transmission is not as expected.

• Check the propellers:

a. Are they dirty? 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Clean the propellers carefully with a damp cloth to avoid imbalance!

• Do they have cracks, abrasion, broken parts? 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Exchange the damaged propeller immediately. Do not fly with a 

damaged propeller!

Figure 1: Damaged propeller (example)

Perform the following inspection points for the base station:

• Check all parts for cracks, abrasion, broken parts.

Note: If you can find those damages then exchange the part or send the base station for repairing 

to a MULTIROTOR service station.

• Check all bolted connections. Fix solved bolted connections.

• Check all wire connections: 

a. Are they dirty?

b. Are the connectors stuck correctly?

Note: Clean dirty connections with a smooth brush. Fix solved connections.

• Check the antennas: Are they aligned correctly and free of kink points?

Note: If you identify antennas with kink points the range of the radio connections are not as 

expected. Contact a MULTIROTOR service station.

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3 Mechanical inspection

The mechanical inspection has to ensure the mechanical working of the system. 

Perform the following inspection points:

• Check the folding up of the landing gear: 

c. Is there a grinding resistance to avoid flapping?

d. Do the legs snap-in correctly?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If the legs not fixed then the copter can get uncontrolable! See chapter 5 

Landing gear exchange for this maintenance work.

• Check the halves of all propellers (if you have foldable propellers): 

Are they free movable?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Clean dirty folding mechanism with a smooth brush or with compressed 

air. If you fail then exchange the propeller (see chapter 4 Propeller exchange).

• Check the dome: Is there a grinding resistance while open the dome? 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If the dome is slack then contact a Trimble ZX5 service station. Do not fly 

with a slack dome!

• Check the folding mechanism of the six arms: 

a. Is there a grinding resistance to avoid flapping?

b. Do the arms snap in correctly?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If the arms are flapping then contact a MULTIROTOR service station. Do 

not fly with a flapping arm!

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• Check the motors:

a. Are they free movable?

b. Do you hear grinding noise or bearing noise?

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! If it is difficult to turn a motor or if you hear grinding or bearing noise 

while turning with your hand then contact a Trimble ZX5 service station. Do not fly with in 

this case!

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4 Propeller exchange

The propellers will be checked carefully. They are the most sensitive parts of the copter system with the 

highest stress together with the motors.

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Only if all propellers are placed correctly the copter can fly! If one or 

more propellers mounted on a motor with another rotation direction, then the copter 

connot be controlled by the pilot, flips upside down and will be damaged!

For more information see copter manual.

Trimble ZX5 flight robots are delivered with two kinds of propellers:

• rigid propellers or 

• foldable propellers.

In dependance of the propellers used for your copter, read chapter 4.1 Exchange rigid propellers or 

chapter 4.2 Exchange foldable propellers.

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Do not mix your copter with rigid and foldable propellers. Do use only 

one kind of propellers. Otherwise the copter can get uncontrollable!

4.1 Exchange rigid propellers

Perform an exchange of a propeller in these steps:

• Solve both screws in the middle.

• Remove the propeller unit.

• Mount the new propeller unit.

• Use screw safety vanish.

• Tighten the screws.

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4.2 Exchange foldable propellers

The propeller is a complete unit and balanced by the manufacturer. You may exchange only a complete 

unit! 

Perform an exchange of a propeller in these steps:

• Solve both screws in the middle.

• Remove the propeller unit.

• Mount the new propeller unit.

• Use screw safety vanish.

• Tighten the screws.

Figure 2: Screws of propeller

Figure 3: Propeller rotation direction

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5 Landing gear exchange

The first step to exchange a damaged landing gear is to solve the screw at the pivot point of the leg.

Figure 4: Bolt of a leg

Now you can remove the leg. The new leg has to be placed in this direction that the nut at the skid is 

placed at the inner side (only for optical reason). Then you can tighten the leg. 

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Use screw safety vanish!

Figure 5: Screw safety vanish for leg

After that, check the folding up mechanism like described in chapter 3.

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6 Motor exchange

The motors have to be exchanged after 60 hours of operation. Observe the flight counter on the display 

of the remote control. If an exchange is necessary contact your Trimble ZX5 service point.

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7 LiPo battery pack

Lithium-Polymer batteries are a revolution in battery technology. Lithium batteries require special 

consideration and handling techniques due to their extremely high capacity. 

DANGER – Burning battery

Risk of fire and hazardous vapours! First read the document „Trimble ZX5 Lithium Polymer 

Batteries Precautions”.

The copter is powered by two batteries in parallel. To get the best performance and lifetime the two 

batteries should be used always together. The pair of batteries is only as good as the bad battery.

CAUTION – Uncontrolled copter

Risk of damages! Do not seperate a battery pack! Always use a battery pack together all 

the lifetime! Otherwise you will damage the batteries.

Figure 6: LiPo battery pack

The lifetime of a LiPo battery depends decisive of the correct using and storage. Check the batteries like 

described in this chapter. If the needed performance is not ensured exchange the battery pack.

Perform the following inspection points:

• Damage: Check the batteries for pressure marks, cuttings, cracks, deformations. 

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DANGER – Burning battery

Risk of fire and hazardous vapours! If you can find those damages then do not use this 

battery anymore!

• Electrical connections: Check whether the isolation is completely intact. 

DANGER – Burning battery

Risk of fire and hazardous vapours! If the isolation is damaged then do not use this 

battery anymore!

• Capacity: Measure the flight time during every flight. You will observe that the maximum flight time 

will decrease with a higher count of flights.

Note: If the maximum flight time of the battery pack is less than 50 % than the first time when the 

battery pack was new then do not use this battery pack anymore!

• Voltage level: If the voltage level will get below a configured level then you will hear a warning 

message. Normally you can hear this message at the end of a flight. If the flight battery gets older 

you will hear this warning message more often during flight.

Note: If you hear the warning message „Low battery” within the first minutes of a flight then stop 

the flight and do not use this battery pack anymore!

• Gas: Check if the cells of the battery produced gas that blows up the battery pack. 

DANGER – Burning battery

Risk of fire and hazardous vapours!

If you can observe a pillow-shaped deforming then do not use this battery pack 

anymore! 

The performance can get low suddenly. 

The battery could be stuck in the battery holder!

Figure 7: Blown up LiPo battery

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