Broken Camera and Gimbal, now what?

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Good Evening folks, long time lurker, first time poster. So I pulled the trigger this past Monday and purchased the Pantom 2 Vision +. Received it a couple days, went through all the steps to calibrate it properly to avoid possible fly away issues, read the manual through a couple times and I was ready to go. Spent the last 4 days flying it, had some previous experience with some helicopter type machines, and it was very easy to control and got the hang of it pretty quick. Tonight I was descending from about 350 feet and from everything I've read you really want it slowing down at 10-12 feet. Right around 12 feet I tried slowing it down but it decided it didn't want to and it smashed into the ground breaking the gimbal and camera. The rest of the Phantom is fine other than the feet have some gouges but it flies fine. I don't know for sure but I'm like 100% positive no warranty or vendor that sold it to me is going to cover any of the parts. So I guess my question is whats the best way to go now. I've seen a gimbal and camera combo on ebay for $800, do I upgrade to something different since I'm replacing that? Give me your words of wisdom fellow pilots.





 
Pyamed said:
Good Evening folks, long time lurker, first time poster. So I pulled the trigger this past Monday and purchased the Pantom 2 Vision +. Received it a couple days, went through all the steps to calibrate it properly to avoid possible fly away issues, read the manual through a couple times and I was ready to go. Spent the last 4 days flying it, had some previous experience with some helicopter type machines, and it was very easy to control and got the hang of it pretty quick. Tonight I was descending from about 350 feet and from everything I've read you really want it slowing down at 10-12 feet. Right around 12 feet I tried slowing it down but it decided it didn't want to and it smashed into the ground breaking the gimbal and camera. The rest of the Phantom is fine other than the feet have some gouges but it flies fine. I don't know for sure but I'm like 100% positive no warranty or vendor that sold it to me is going to cover any of the parts. So I guess my question is whats the best way to go now. I've seen a gimbal and camera combo on ebay for $800, do I upgrade to something different since I'm replacing that? Give me your words of wisdom fellow pilots.






Sell it as parts or part it out yourself.
Learn by your mistake and get a new one be more carful
86 flights and counting on the new + and flys like a dream
camera gimbal has the dreaded not level tilt, but hope to have that fixed soon (DJI PLEASE) :roll:
 
Another new casualty and I'm very sorry to hear of your accident. You entered vortex ring state, aka prop wash, aka settling under power. I think you might have misunderstood the idea that you have to start slowing down at that height. You should always come down slowly from any height and preferably while you are moving either forwards, backwards, left or right. What happens in basic terms is when you descend from any height at full speed your rotors wash away any good air below your aircraft that give it lift so it basically drops like a stone. The exact same principle relates to full size helicopters. The tell tale signs are, as you are descending your craft wobbles from side to side. If you ever see this never try to throttle up as it will be completely in effective and add to your problems. You need to stop descending and either push forward, backward, left or right to get out of the dirty (non) air and get back into good air. Full sized helis can fall out of the sky even in just a hover. I hope dji release parts soon so you can get your bird fixed soon and cheaply but please read up more. Watch all the youtube videos from the origional phantom vision made by colin guinn.
 
Thanks for the explanation Mal! I read that DJI is having parts issues, Is the recommendation to just wait or try to sell it? Are there other gimbals available that I could purchase?
 
Pyamed said:
Thanks for the explanation Mal! I read that DJI is having parts issues, Is the recommendation to just wait or try to sell it? Are there other gimbals available that I could purchase?

Sorry for your misfortune. There are other gimbals you could use, but it is going to involve some modifications, and it sure won't be as pretty as your Vision+. Hopefully DJI will catch up soon and spare parts will begin to become available.
 
Dji arent issuing RMA numbers till next week which are need to be able to return your bird to them. Try get one asap from monday so you can send it back. You might be able to get it fixed off then for half the price of a new gimbal/camera. It all depends on how deep your pockets are. You can probably buy a new one and get it in a week and then try sell your broken one for parts or wait 4-5weeks to get yours fixed. Its up to yourself mate. I dont have the cash for a new one personally so I'd be waiting. But that's up to you. Its probably only a gimbal motor arm thats broke or bent thats really only worth $2
 
You've received some excellent advice already so I can't really add anything new except to offer my condolances. :(

But at the risk of sounding like a vulture ....... if you need to get a new camera ...... and are willing to open your old (assumedly busted) one up, I'd be really interested in knowing what exact sensor the camera has in it (mfg and part number). :oops: :)
 
Flyer91 said:
You've received some excellent advice already so I can't really add anything new except to offer my condolances. :(

But at the risk of sounding like a vulture ....... if you need to get a new camera ...... and are willing to open your old (assumedly busted) one up, I'd be really interested in knowing what exact sensor the camera has in it (mfg and part number). :oops: :)

You vulture lmao!!! (Kidding)
 

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