Cracked Arm

[li2099]

Hi

Just received my P3A minutes ago and out of the box, spotted 1 cracked arm.
A deep crack. So much for purchasing carbon sub-frame from UAV Bits to combat any stress cracks.
I took photos of the packaging and it was not opened before which lead me to believe, it was overtightened out of the factory.
As I'm from Australia and purchased from US, what do you guys think I should do?
Do DJI send out replacement shells?

 

[Teds quichen]

Yikes! I have read somewhere here that they do in fact covers it under warranty. Apparently, there is another version of the casing that dji made after this. You can check in youtube. Search for "phantom 3 stress crack". You may need to send the drone back to them though. May take some time to get it back.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[rockydog]

Contact your seller by email adding the photos, and ask them what they're going to do about it.

 

[peterepeat69]

Should have bought it from the distributor in Melbourne, that's the risk on warranty when you buy overseas from Australia.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[RedHotPoker]

Sorry to see that. Very frustrsting indeed. Yes, they will, warranty repair it, but you need to send it to a service centre for repair.

RedHotPoker

 

[li2099]

I took the risk because I figured, if something goes wrong, I'll need to send it somewhere which is just as troublesome.
By reading threads of lot of people with stress cracks, I was prepared to fix it myself.
Originally wanted to get a Yuneec Q500+ but that had cracks that were even harder to fix.
I've emailed the seller and DJI with photos.
So far only DJI ([email protected]) has responded by telling me to email their [email protected] which the emailed bounced back and could not be delivered. I'm not surprised really as DJI isn't really famous for their after sales support.
Anyways it's not a huge deal. At worse, I'll fork out AUD$100 and get a new shell. Spend a few hours swapping it out.
I'm also going to inquire with my closest DJI AD to see how much they would charge for labour. I'm guessing a lot since they sell this Phantom for AUD$500 more than what I've paid.
I decided to install the UAV Bits sub-frame on it while the controller and battery are charging.

 

[peterepeat69]

I took the risk because I figured, if something goes wrong, I'll need to send it somewhere which is just as troublesome.
By reading threads of lot of people with stress cracks, I was prepared to fix it myself.
Originally wanted to get a Yuneec Q500+ but that had cracks that were even harder to fix.
I've emailed the seller and DJI with photos.
So far only DJI ([email protected]) has responded by telling me to email their [email protected] which the emailed bounced back and could not be delivered. I'm not surprised really as DJI isn't really famous for their after sales support.
Anyways it's not a huge deal. At worse, I'll fork out AUD$100 and get a new shell. Spend a few hours swapping it out.
I'm also going to inquire with my closest DJI AD to see how much they would charge for labour. I'm guessing a lot since they sell this Phantom for AUD$500 more than what I've paid.
I decided to install the UAV Bits sub-frame on it while the controller and battery are charging.

If it was an Australian distributor you bought it from they would replace it free


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[li2099]

If it was an Australian distributor you bought it from they would replace it free


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Yeah I guess but I'll need to send it back at my own cost and they might tell me they want the whole thing back.
Anyways, I've got a plan B: Araldite.
Saw Selleys 24ml Araldite Super Strength Epoxy Adhesive
Do you think it'll be much use?

 

[peterepeat69]

Yeah I guess but I'll need to send it back at my own cost and they might tell me they want the whole thing back.
Anyways, I've got a plan B: Araldite.
Saw Selleys 24ml Araldite Super Strength Epoxy Adhesive
Do you think it'll be much use?

Might hold for a while, as soon as you add glue, it can void the warranty, worth sending it back as its faulty


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[li2099]

Might hold for a while, as soon as you add glue, it can void the warranty, worth sending it back as its faulty


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Yeah since I've got 0 warranty unless I ship this thing back which will cost +AU$100, I might as well deal with it myself.
So I set off this morning with battery charged and firmware updated to the local sports ground and tested the drone.
Everything worked fine.
After flying for approximately 5 - 10min doing simply manoeuvres , I landed it gently when the battery dropped to 50%.
Inspected the crack and see no deterioration.
Brought it back to my bench, disassembled that arm and the UAV sub-frame. Inspected inside and looked like the sub-frame did it's job of supporting that arm well.
What I did noticed though was the all the bolts that held the UAV sub-frame were looser than it was when I tightened it last night.
Gary from UAV Bits did say to use nail polish to act as a loctite when screwing in those bolts but I didn't use it since I'll need to take it apart soon.

My first attempted solution to the crack is to use the strongest glue I could find.
I've got the Shelley's Araldite:
Araldite® Super Strength
I'm being lazy here because I didn't want to disassemble the whole drone so I used a pair of forceps and gently wedged between the top and bottom shell for that arm. This is done after unscrewing all the bolts in that region.
I then used a blade and a needle to apply the glue as accurately as I could. As the crack is quite tight. I tried to "massage" the glue into it with the needle.
The time it takes to reach maximum bond is 3 days.

 

[li2099]

BTW I thought I'll also update.
The seller I bought from on eBay was kind enough to offer either a credit of US$60 or he'll send me another shell.
In Australia, the shell costs AU$100.
I decided to take the partial refund as I'll probably end up buying a shell today from my local hobby store even though it'll mean I'll still be out of pocket for a small amount.
It took 2 weeks for the Phantom to arrive, if I wait for a replacement shell, it might take another 2 weeks or longer.

 

[peterepeat69]

BTW I thought I'll also update.
The seller I bought from on eBay was kind enough to offer either a credit of US$60 or he'll send me another shell.
In Australia, the shell costs AU$100.
I decided to take the partial refund as I'll probably end up buying a shell today from my local hobby store even though it'll mean I'll still be out of pocket for a small amount.
It took 2 weeks for the Phantom to arrive, if I wait for a replacement shell, it might take another 2 weeks or longer.

Well done, yes get replacement shell looks like you saved quite a bit with this bird from overseas anyway, but I always say buy local, then you have someone to send it back to, but over all you have made the right decision, as for updating I never do it myself, seems more a pain than it's worth, that's my 5 cents worth anyway, good luck and happy flying


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Garry C]

Coming in to this late. But if you are keeping the shell fill the crack with super glue. Then cover that with baking soda. Let it dry then sand down. Will hold for a long time


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[li2099]

Coming in to this late. But if you are keeping the shell fill the crack with super glue. Then cover that with baking soda. Let it dry then sand down. Will hold for a long time


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Thanks for the tip but may I ask why I need baking soda?
I've filled it with Araldite and let it dry already.

 

[mdowney58]

Thanks for the tip but may I ask why I need baking soda?
I've filled it with Araldite and let it dry already.

Mixing super glue with baking soda makes a very hard plastic like result.
Just try it for fun.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[li2099]

Mixing super glue with baking soda makes a very hard plastic like result.
Just try it for fun.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Ok thanks for that.
I've already let it dry before getting your suggestion.
I'll remember it for next time.

 

[With The Birds]

Will the super glue baking soda mix do the job here?

250 flights in 7 months. No hard landings. I travelled the best part of two hours to location to find cracks in my pre flight check (maybe I should do post flight as well). Flew anyway and noticed both cracks had travelled all the way to the mating surface on the lower shell moulding. I wasnt risking another flight.

 

[li2099]

Yes those cracks looks about as bad as mine.
I didn't get a chance to add baking soda but using the strongest Araldite (epoxy) I could find, so far no further issues.

 

[With The Birds]

Yes those cracks looks about as bad as mine.
I didn't get a chance to add baking soda but using the strongest Araldite (epoxy) I could find, so far no further issues.

Thanks for the real world feedback. Im looking for a shell now. I still have warranty however the month wait in repair turnaround makes swapping it myself seem attractive. Good excuse for a paint job i guess.

 

[li2099]

Thanks for the real world feedback. Im looking for a shell now. I still have warranty however the month wait in repair turnaround makes swapping it myself seem attractive. Good excuse for a paint job i guess.

Yes that's a great excuse to get it painted/ hydro-dipped.
I was contemplating that but the tedious disassembly put me off swapping the shells.