Can you paint the P2?

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Hey all,

As you can see, I'm new to the aerial world. :)

I'm a professional photographer and figured that I would try getting into some aerial photography/videography and am looking into purchasing the Phantom 2 v2.0.

I currently have a HERO3 Black, but was possibly looking into buying the HERO4 Black for its 4K capabilities. So, I was thinking of going with the Zenmuse H4-3D gimbal in case I upgrade to the HERO4 soon, but I figured I could at least use my HERO3 on it to test. :)

Anyway, my question is this...can you actually paint the Phantom P2 without any adverse results? I wanted to make sure that if I decided to paint it another color instead of leaving it "stock white" that it wouldn't have an adverse affect on GPS signal acquirement or flying abilities. I would hate to paint it and then find out afterwards that it messed up the GPS or flying abilities and then I just wasted my money. I was figuring normal car paint (Sherwin-Williams / PPG / etc...) to paint it with. I would just take it all apart and paint the upper and lower bodies (along with the landing gear too, I would image). Just thought I'd make it different than everyone else's. :)

Thanks a bunch!
Mat G.
 
Sure can.

If you look around you'll see some quite clever paint jobs out there.
Though not tested to my knowledge, using metallic flake paint MAY have some attenuation of the GPS when painted on the top shell.

Hydro-dipping is also a technique that can create some very cool looking quads.
 
Awesome to hear. Thanks, N017RW! :)

I was considering painting it Plum Crazy Purple (1970/2010-2013 Dodge Challenger color), but that is a metallic paint job. Hmmm....might have to go with another non-metallic paint color.

But anyway, thanks for the heads up and info. Now I might have to start thinking about patterns/designs instead of painting it all one color. ;-)
 
Maybe someone who has used metal-flake will comment but otherwise you should be good to go!
 
I hope so...I'd love to use that metalflake paint. I thought it would cool shining in the sunlight, but won't do it if it will cause GPS/flight issues. Not worth it if it can only sit on the ground. LOL! But I do appreciate the comment and the help. :)
 
Your best bet imho is PlastDip spray because it functions as a "protective skin" and can be removed whenever you like.
I removed mine after a year or so (black) and the shell is like new.
Just the color choices may not be so diverse, but I've seen very cool PlastiDip colors on cars lately.
 
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What does a PD 'paint job' weigh?
Any ideas?
 
Unfortuantely I didn't have a digital scale handy, but it might be a couple grams at most. Really nothing to worry about.
 
Academically speaking, I would say the PD is better if you want to revert back to OEM, unpainted white at sometime in the future but otherwise it's not worth the weight penalty.
 
It certainly isn't as heavy as decal skins some users apply. I can't imagine it being any heavier than regular paint, it just never hardens and isn't permanently adhered like paint. There's no need for a layer thicker than say 50-80 microns.
 
N017RW, I was wondering the exact same thing. I was reading the PlastiDip website and it sounds like it is more of a rubberized material (which it's called PlastiDip, then, I don't know. LOL), but I was wondering how much weight it was going to add to the P2. (or any drone) Paint is usually pretty light, even with a few coats on. I just keep thinking of this thick rubberized coating in my head. I've never worked with PlastiDip, but I know a few people have used it for their motorcycle parts, but I've never witnessed it first hand.

More than likely the only reason I would want to put it back to stock white is if I was going to sell it. However, then again, I could just repaint it white and be done with it. :)
 
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**** you move fast, Fyod! ;-) LOL Seriously though, thanks for the info. It doesn't appear that the stuff should be that heavy and looks like it is a heck of a lot easier to take off than trying to repaint. I appreciate the video! Plus, looking at the PlastiDip website, they have a ton of color selections now, so that doesn't hurt either. ;-)
 
Regarding the thickness, its like the thinnest vinyl skins (70-90um), just much more flexible and not sticky when removing it.
Approx. the thickness of the red/blue Phantom arm stickers.
I have been making various vinyl skins for about 3 years, so this is something I'm very familiar with.
With one can of PD I was able to cover the Phantom top and my whole Xbox, with some left over.
 
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Cool. I might have to look into that option then. If it ever seems like an issue, I can always pull it off and then just paint anyway. :) Thanks for the thought and option!
 
Always glad to help.
Another good option is dye. I did the PD at a time when I wanted to keep the Phantom as virgin as possible, but now that I got used to the black, I may dye it. It requires a lot more work removing everything that you don't want colored, whereas with PD, you just peel away anything you accidentally painted. Its basically fool-proof. I would only advise not to do it in high temp dry weather, because the paint tends to partially dry in the air, giving you a structured, not smooth layer.
 
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Always glad to help.
Another good option is dye. I did the PD at a time when I wanted to keep the Phantom as virgin as possible, but now that I got used to the black, I may dye it. It requires a lot more work removing everything that you don't want colored, whereas with PD, you just peel away anything you accidentally painted. Its basically fool-proof. I would only advise not to do it in high temp dry weather, because the paint tends to partially dry in the air, giving you a structured, not smooth layer.

Is the high temperature something a Floridan Like me should worry about in 90 degree summers?
 
Prep is the most important aspect of any paint job, dye or dip. With Krylon, you have a wide range of color selection unless your going to use an auto paint in which case, prep is even more critical. I painted my first set of prop guards and got some over spray on the ends of the arms. I painted them a bright yellow thinking that it would help me see the guards at distance. Wrong. Once you hit a certain distance, color disappears for the most part, except maybe black. I am considering LED's instead of paint, they provide assistance when seeing the Phantom 2 at a distance from what I can see on posted video's. Regardless of your choice, good luck with the color change.
 

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