How to check your Phantom 3 for stress cracks *VIDEO*

[heli-insane]

I have found cracking on my gimbal arm as well. I do not have any cracks around where the screws that attach the motors but my Phantom 3 is only about 10 flights old.

I have contacted DJI with my concerns and I used some bondic to strengthen the area up where the crack can be seen in my pictures.

Bondic can actually be purchased at Lowes. That is where I got mine from. Great product.

DJI should seriously consider the technology Mikado uses in their plastic framed rc helicopters.

The plastic is a hybrid with carbon fiber in it.

Hopefully this issue is fixed soon or replacement parts are free.

 

[spankybear]

Wow.... I really hope you don't ever attempt to run a business. Knowingly putting out defective products and claiming "the warranty does not cover that part" is not the kind of business practice that would keep you in business for long. Luckily there's a very similar thread here with the same issues and DJI is apparently investigating that this may be an over-torquing issue from the factory. All warranties aside, if you buy a new product and it has a manufacturing defect, the customer should receive some form of compensation. In this case the solution would be DJI sending out a plastic shell that costs them pennies on the dollar and in return, maintaining customer confidence and loyalty. I'm sure within the next few years there will be quite a few more buying options than there are right now.

So you know for a fact that DJI is KNOWINGLY putting out defective products? Can you point to your evidence?

 

[Gary E]

For you folks who are gluing your cracks, I recommend epoxy... Super glue is to "brittle" and has very little ability to fill gaps. Epoxy is very strong and can fill gaps.

I would use Devcon 2 ton epoxy
http://www.amazon.com/Devcon-35345-...8&qid=1435864389&sr=8-5&keywords=devcon+epoxy

And if you want to make a paste or thicken it up I would mix in some micro balloons. This will also lighten up the epoxy
http://www.amazon.com/Top-Flite-Mic...qid=1435864551&sr=8-1&keywords=micro+balloons

Micro is non-structural. Only a filler. Flox is a structual additive. It is chopped cotton. Both are used in composite aviation construction. Only flox is used where strength is needed.

 

[skeeter]

...and a +1 for my P3. Less than 10 flights....motor mount area cracks...looks like it was over-torqued and weak plastic....Grrr..

 

[Scott1012]

Thks for the video , I found a small crack in mine . With that being said what is the point of purchasing a replacement shell if it's a manufacturing defect. The new shell will just eventually crack again ! Any thoughts

 

[storrowdrive]

Thks for the video , I found a small crack in mine . With that being said what is the point of purchasing a replacement shell if it's a manufacturing defect. The new shell will just eventually crack again ! Any thoughts

Im going 3DR Solo then back to dji for phantom 4 when dji hopefully fixes it.

 

[MikeTess]

One arm of my Phantom has stress cracks running between all four motor mount screws and outward. You know why, because I used to use prop guards back when I first got it and when I removed them I replaced the stock screws and over tightened them. I can see under a microscope that the other three arms are going to crack eventually also. I screwed up, not DJI. **** huge muscles what can I say.

 

[NJDroneDude]

I posted else where about a torque wrench to measure inch pounds when tightening the scews and how tight they should be fastened.
Before my second flight test today, The conducted a very detailed preflight inspection and found no problems, especially with loose fasteners and cracks.

 

[Scott1012]

Never touched the screws and still have a crack ! Going to wait for reply from drones etc. Other than that will do some repair with plane epoxy and order new shell. Will fly it and enjoy until phantom 3 plus or the phantom 4 comes out

 

[Scott1012]

Btw what was the time frame from when the phantom 2 was released and then the phantom 3?

 

[ampro]

Hey guys,

I think this is a bigger issue than we realize. I could be wrong but I don't believe I am. Most people don't know what to look for so I made a quick video.

My P3 has 7 hours 52 minutes on the air frame for a total of 49 flights. I've been checking for cracks and found nothing until after my two 15 minute flights last night. No crashes.

Let me know if you guys find cracks like I did.

UPDATE:
Got a call from DJI on July 2nd. The lady on the phone said she reviewed my video and pictures and said she would be sending me a new unit on Monday. She wants me to send mine back once I get mine.

Light at the end of the tunnel? I hope so.

Over here in the UK we have consumer laws which state that if a product has a fault it can be declared as not being fit for purpose and the seller has to replace item or return cash. On a scale of weeks into months the manufacturer has the rights to inspect item. After twentyeight days the manufacturer has the rights to have the item returned for inspection and if then found to be a manufacturing fault must replace or reinburse cash and costs to customer. All of this comes under the sale of goods act and Trading Standards.

 

[desertcat]

Never touched the screws and still have a crack ! Going to wait for reply from drones etc. Other than that will do some repair with plane epoxy and order new shell. Will fly it and enjoy until phantom 3 plus or the phantom 4 comes out

I just got a reply from Drones Etc about my cracks. They said call DJI lol. So I guess unless I want to send my best friend on a 3 month vacation to the orient, I should figure out how to epoxy this myself. How do I fill a giant broken hole?

 

[snowghost]

I just got a reply from Drones Etc about my cracks. They said call DJI lol. So I guess unless I want to send my best friend on a 3 month vacation to the orient, I should figure out how to epoxy this myself. How do I fill a giant broken hole?

What about the zip tie fix, or the gorilla tape?

 

[desertcat]

What about the zip tie fix, or the gorilla tape?

Gorilla tape would probably get melty in the desert heat. I might go the zip tie route for now, as ugly as that might be. I'm just real hesitant of getting epoxy all over and not being as secure as I think.

 

[snowghost]

I think the zip tie is structurally good and can be more easily removed. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Kman]

I just got a reply from Drones Etc about my cracks. They said call DJI lol. So I guess unless I want to send my best friend on a 3 month vacation to the orient, I should figure out how to epoxy this myself. How do I fill a giant broken hole?

Looks just like mine! Twins! Haha!

I was going to epoxy but quickly realized I didn't want to do that.

I have a new P3 coming but I did the zip-tie fix and have flown over an hour with them on. The P3 is rock solid. Cracks haven't got bigger, no wobble on descent. I added zip ties to all four arms. Try it out. Make sure to pull them tight!

 

[snowghost]

Looks just like mine! Twins! Haha!

I was going to epoxy but quickly realized I didn't want to do that.

I have a new P3 coming but I did the zip-tie fix and have flown over an hour with them on. The P3 is rock solid. Cracks haven't got bigger, no wobble on descent. I added zip ties to all four arms. Try it out. Make sure to pull them tight!

Are you going to zip tie the new P3 from the get-go?

 

[Kman]

Are you going to zip tie the new P3 from the get-go?

Great question. Yup. For how cheap zip-ties are it's a great piece of mind. I bought small UV rated zip-ties. I plan on loosening the two screws in each arm that hold the two shells together and tightening them hand tight and then adding the zip-ties.

After my shell cracked I checked the screws and they are clearly over tightened. I think that combined with the wobble that can occur when descending quickly cracked the shell at those screw hole points.

It was windy today and I did a full left stick down descent. Wobble was nearly gone with the zip-ties in place.

 

[desertcat]

I'll have to look into the UV rated zip-ties. For now, I used zip ties from Dollar Tree, $1 for like 500 lol. Also made in China so they probably won't last, but look how fashionable the red ones look:

 

[delirious]

So. Contacted DJI. Six weeks and I have to send it in. How many of you are going to send it in for repairs or just say screw it? I ordered Bondic and may take off the upper shell and reinforce all the areas. Not just the cracks. I'm tired of this. I can't understand why we can't get a replacement for a clear manufacturing defect. I wonder how many of these crack right on the assembly line when the motors are installed