DJI "gimbal motor overloaded" error: causes and fixes

"Gimbal motor overloaded" means a gimbal motor is working harder than it should to move or hold the camera. DJI's help center lists four causes: the gimbal protector, clip or a protection sticker is still on, or debris is jamming it; a third-party filter or lens is mounted; hard stick movements in Sport mode push the gimbal past its limits; or the gimbal hardware is faulty. Remove everything from the camera, restart on a flat surface, and calibrate the gimbal.

Gimbal overloaded: fixes — DJI's help center lists the gimbal protector, debris, third-party accessories and hard Sport mode flying as the causes of a gimbal motor overloaded warning.

Fixes, in order

Strip the camera. Take off the gimbal protector, any clip or buckle, and the protection sticker on the gimbal arm of a new drone.
Unfold the arms, then power on with the drone on a flat surface. Don't touch the camera while it does its startup check.
Remove third-party accessories. DJI names filters and wide-angle lenses. Aftermarket filters are often heavier than DJI's. Use a set made for your drone, such as DJI's Mini 5 Pro ND filter set.
Look for debris. Power off and gently turn the camera to each angle. Grit or grass makes it feel rough. Clean it out.
Calibrate. In DJI Fly's camera view: ··· > Control > Gimbal Calibration > Auto. On Avata 2 and DJI FPV, use the goggles: Settings > Control > Gimbal Calibration.
Fly gentler in Sport mode. If the warning only appears in Sport mode, DJI says pushing the sticks more gently makes it clear by itself.
Update firmware in DJI Fly.

If it continues, DJI says to send the drone in.

Gimbal stuck on DJI Mini drones

On the Mini 3 and Mini 4K the gimbal is small and sits low, so grass, sand and a forgotten protector are the usual culprits. DJI's "Gimbal stuck" message comes with code 40002 and the same causes: powering on with arms folded or the protector on, or debris. If the camera won't move at all, also remove the microSD card and restart, as DJI suggests. Model pages: Mini 3 and Mini 4 Pro.

Gimbal at its limits

Every DJI gimbal has a tilt range you can control. DJI lists -90° to 60° for the Mini 3, Mini 4 Pro and Air 3S, and -90° to 20° for the Mini 4K. If you try to tilt past that, the camera simply stops. That isn't an overload.

Is the startup buzz a problem?

No. DJI says a slight electrical buzz or small knock while the gimbal does its self-check after power-on is normal and stops when the check ends. If you can still hear a distinct noise from about 40 cm away after the check, record a video of the startup and contact DJI.

When it's damaged

Start a repair if the warning returns on a flat surface with nothing attached, if calibration fails, if the camera hangs crooked or buzzes, or if it began after a crash. For numbered gimbal codes, see DJI gimbal errors 40002, 40011 and 40021.