If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 READ!

[Pmcdn]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

That is a very scary thought that the DJI rep doesn't know his own product line?????

That a Rep would not be on top of this issue is not really all that surprising to me, but that the entire company (DJI) seems generally uncommunicative and disconnected from these issues is quite telling. I was considering adding an Inspire to my little fleet but have come to the conclusion that the overall company service at DJI just does not make the cut for more expensive birds. This despite the fine performance from my PV2+v3. Given that GoPro's customer service record is the polar opposite of DJI's, my current plan is to get in line as early as possible for their product. It's a shame that DJI just does not seem to grasp the importance of effective customer service.

Love my Phantom, but expect it to be my last DJI bird.

My 2 cents.

All reasonable. Unfortunately it's a bit of a catch 22. This is why I am looking forward to seeing Gopro and other companies catch up, if not pass up DJI in good quads. Competition is good for the consumer.

Good customer service is a no brainer to me when running a business, but not everyone agrees. As long as, or while they are the leading quad maker and people are buying up their products as fast as they can, they'll feel no need to change.

When their customer base decreases and their profits suffer due to many of us switching to their competitor's products, watch how they'll suddenly come around.

 

[Pmcdn]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Someone should use this DJI link to their 24/7 Inspire Customer Service and say "Hey DJI, while I've got you on the phone..."

 

[MacCool]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

I ultimately received the following email:

E. T. (DJI Technology)
Jan 08 15:49

Dear XXXXXXX,

Thank you for contacting DJI.

The issues that you're describing require for you to send in your unit for repair.

In order to be issued an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number, we encourage you to call our support staff via phone to discuss your options.

You may contact us Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm PST at 818-235-0789.

Thank you for choosing DJI,
"The Future of Possible!”

DJI Customer Service North America

 

[OzarksPilot]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Watch it now. The administrators here will brand you subversive or worse...

If the admins here were truly so sensitive that the facts of reality were banned, then this wouldn't be the right forum for me anyway. I understand that admins have a commercial operation to protect and that sometimes they have to take actions that are not popular amongst the users, but I don't think an honest discussion about what pretty much everyone acknowledges to be an issue is something that the admins are looking to suppress. I guess their actions will reveal which of us is right about that.

In the meantime, I'm going flying tomorrow with the hardware I have. Truth be told I'm much more concerned about the 9*F temperatures and 18 MPH winds than I am the ESC's or the wires or any other goblins. I'm approaching 100 flights on my V3, early on I had a couple tip overs, and to date my bird continues to perform like the day it was unboxed!

 

[GoodnNuff]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Watch it now. The administratiors here will brand you subversive or worse...a TROLL. I totally agree. And just today I watched an event at my local RC park where there were air races with small helicopters. Watched a team fly the Inspire. Lots of issues. But it flew FAST and very high. Very difficult to see in the air. They affixed lots of LEDs so it could be seen. I'll wait for the Gopro.

I'm curious why you made this statement? I've never seen the administrators here brand anyone as subversive or a troll for dissing DJI.

 

[VE5MDH]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Greetings Flyers!

Newbie Warning! and new here to the forums.

First off, thanks to the 2 guys who started this thread! It has kicked up a lot of controversy, which is great for debate issues. At present I do not have the Phantom 2 Vision+ V3, but I do own the "bird brand" drone2, which has even more issues than this bird! I am planning on making a purchase of the said drone w/ Gimbal & Camera in the near future. Maybe on our way down to Florida in a couple weeks time. Who knows, eh?

My background is a C130 Mechanic, so I do have the theory of flight down pat. I have no intentions of racing the drone. I plan to use it to pan around capturing wildlife videos. My present drone2 is just too sloppy, and unreliable to control (You get what you pay for, right?).

Reading through this thread, (which took me 3 days to complete) What I have came up with is there are 5 guys who know what they are talking about. In the future, I'll be jotting their handles down to observe future posts from them (on this thread and others they participate in).

It is a true shame that there has been no one from the DJI Camp to pipe up on this matter. Though I am not too familiar with GoPro's stake in this really is, what I have observed is there sure are many people jumping ship due to the lack of complacency from DJI.

On one note I do wish to address is the fact that on some of the ESC's, it is reported, and backed with photos here, that some of the boards are not marked either with 2.0 or 2.1(Blank after the QR Code). What this may point to could be the fact of 3rd party suppliers not marking their board labels appropriately. I can't see DJI manufacturing the PCB's, they just hire out other Chinese companies to do the hard work, and they piece the pieces together. A clear detailed image of a CB from a V1 Phantom (original 2012) should reveal the circuts used on the ESC board. This then should be compared to the V3's board. If the chips are identical, then Houston... We have a PROBLEM! If not, and the chips used are identical to the V2.1 board then it is probably a supply chain issue.

I do agree with the fact that from the motors to the PCB should be heavier stranded wire (18g), with proper insulation (Obviously an oversight by DJI, as has been noted by others). I doubt it was selected this way to save money, since these copters are well over priced to start with!

Also, the guy who bench-tested the MOSFET to the point of destruction... Hats off! Fantastic trouble-shooting! The more important issue here would be: are there suitable replacements that may produce a better lifespan than whats on the board? Of course we all do not wish to tinker with the guts of what should be "fly from the box", but if a suitable candidate is located, this should be addressed to DJI directly (and shared here for others) so it can be implemented in a future revision (like very soon! I'd like to purchase one, you know!).

Also, never place paper on or near a MOSFET! Poof!... I've blown a few MOSFETS on my 2m Pre Amp, and damm!, they sure are HOT! (Any idea as to why there are no Heat Sinks on the 2? (Using a small heat-sink to lap over the 2 would dissipate some heat build up here.

A more important issue here is WHY the QC people at DJI allow the 3 wires to rest on the MOSFETS in the first place??? You always keep a MOSFET free & clear due to the heat build up within! (Sloppy Chinese "make it happen ASAP" at $0.37 / hour labour force).

There are some fantastic people here on this board, and I'm just blown away at how fast this thread has grown! Too bad DJI does not have a plant on this board to pick up on the ideas shared here within! It may come to bite them in the *** down the road.

P.S. I did not intend to open a can of worms here. There were many posts I have read that shared improper information, but there are posts by others who's input should be valued more, and not dismissed.

P.S.S. I would prefer to let my warranty expire before I tinkered with my guts though. If and when I do decide to make my purchase, my first step will be to crack it open and lift my wires up and away!!!


Michael

 

[VE5MDH]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

... I'll wait for the Gopro.

Prylar Bek, is GoPro entering the QuadCopter market? I've tried to google this with no sensible results.

If so, can someone share a link (or 2) as to where to research further information on this?

thanks in advance,

Michael

 

[eyecon82]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Greetings Flyers!

Newbie Warning! and new here to the forums.

First off, thanks to the 2 guys who started this thread! It has kicked up a lot of controversy, which is great for debate issues. At present I do not have the Phantom 2 Vision+ V3, but I do own the "bird brand" drone2, which has even more issues than this bird! I am planning on making a purchase of the said drone w/ Gimbal & Camera in the near future. Maybe on our way down to Florida in a couple weeks time. Who knows, eh?

My background is a C130 Mechanic, so I do have the theory of flight down pat. I have no intentions of racing the drone. I plan to use it to pan around capturing wildlife videos. My present drone2 is just too sloppy, and unreliable to control (You get what you pay for, right?).

Reading through this thread, (which took me 3 days to complete) What I have came up with is there are 5 guys who know what they are talking about. In the future, I'll be jotting their handles down to observe future posts from them (on this thread and others they participate in).

It is a true shame that there has been no one from the DJI Camp to pipe up on this matter. Though I am not too familiar with GoPro's stake in this really is, what I have observed is there sure are many people jumping ship due to the lack of complacency from DJI.

On one note I do wish to address is the fact that on some of the ESC's, it is reported, and backed with photos here, that some of the boards are not marked either with 2.0 or 2.1(Blank after the QR Code). What this may point to could be the fact of 3rd party suppliers not marking their board labels appropriately. I can't see DJI manufacturing the PCB's, they just hire out other Chinese companies to do the hard work, and they piece the pieces together. A clear detailed image of a CB from a V1 Phantom (original 2012) should reveal the circuts used on the ESC board. This then should be compared to the V3's board. If the chips are identical, then Houston... We have a PROBLEM! If not, and the chips used are identical to the V2.1 board then it is probably a supply chain issue.

I do agree with the fact that from the motors to the PCB should be heavier stranded wire (18g), with proper insulation (Obviously an oversight by DJI, as has been noted by others). I doubt it was selected this way to save money, since these copters are well over priced to start with!

Also, the guy who bench-tested the MOSFET to the point of destruction... Hats off! Fantastic trouble-shooting! The more important issue here would be: are there suitable replacements that may produce a better lifespan than whats on the board? Of course we all do not wish to tinker with the guts of what should be "fly from the box", but if a suitable candidate is located, this should be addressed to DJI directly (and shared here for others) so it can be implemented in a future revision (like very soon! I'd like to purchase one, you know!).

Also, never place paper on or near a MOSFET! Poof!... I've blown a few MOSFETS on my 2m Pre Amp, and damm!, they sure are HOT! (Any idea as to why there are no Heat Sinks on the 2? (Using a small heat-sink to lap over the 2 would dissipate some heat build up here.

A more important issue here is WHY the QC people at DJI allow the 3 wires to rest on the MOSFETS in the first place??? You always keep a MOSFET free & clear due to the heat build up within! (Sloppy Chinese "make it happen ASAP" at $0.37 / hour labour force).

There are some fantastic people here on this board, and I'm just blown away at how fast this thread has grown! Too bad DJI does not have a plant on this board to pick up on the ideas shared here within! It may come to bite them in the *** down the road.

P.S. I did not intend to open a can of worms here. There were many posts I have read that shared improper information, but there are posts by others who's input should be valued more, and not dismissed.

P.S.S. I would prefer to let my warranty expire before I tinkered with my guts though. If and when I do decide to make my purchase, my first step will be to crack it open and lift my wires up and away!!!


Michael

Trust me, DJI monitors these forums. Their shielding Fix Is exactly as described here prior to them implementing it.

 

[VE5MDH]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Thanks for your input eyecon82. Shame on them then. Customer Service is a MAJOR factor when I purchase Chinese.

 

[burlbark]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Greetings Flyers!

Newbie Warning! and new here to the forums.

First off, thanks to the 2 guys who started this thread! It has kicked up a lot of controversy, which is great for debate issues. At present I do not have the Phantom 2 Vision+ V3, but I do own the "bird brand" drone2, which has even more issues than this bird! I am planning on making a purchase of the said drone w/ Gimbal & Camera in the near future. Maybe on our way down to Florida in a couple weeks time. Who knows, eh?

My background is a C130 Mechanic, so I do have the theory of flight down pat. I have no intentions of racing the drone. I plan to use it to pan around capturing wildlife videos. My present drone2 is just too sloppy, and unreliable to control (You get what you pay for, right?).

Reading through this thread, (which took me 3 days to complete) What I have came up with is there are 5 guys who know what they are talking about. In the future, I'll be jotting their handles down to observe future posts from them (on this thread and others they participate in).

It is a true shame that there has been no one from the DJI Camp to pipe up on this matter. Though I am not too familiar with GoPro's stake in this really is, what I have observed is there sure are many people jumping ship due to the lack of complacency from DJI.

On one note I do wish to address is the fact that on some of the ESC's, it is reported, and backed with photos here, that some of the boards are not marked either with 2.0 or 2.1(Blank after the QR Code). What this may point to could be the fact of 3rd party suppliers not marking their board labels appropriately. I can't see DJI manufacturing the PCB's, they just hire out other Chinese companies to do the hard work, and they piece the pieces together. A clear detailed image of a CB from a V1 Phantom (original 2012) should reveal the circuts used on the ESC board. This then should be compared to the V3's board. If the chips are identical, then Houston... We have a PROBLEM! If not, and the chips used are identical to the V2.1 board then it is probably a supply chain issue.

I do agree with the fact that from the motors to the PCB should be heavier stranded wire (18g), with proper insulation (Obviously an oversight by DJI, as has been noted by others). I doubt it was selected this way to save money, since these copters are well over priced to start with!

Also, the guy who bench-tested the MOSFET to the point of destruction... Hats off! Fantastic trouble-shooting! The more important issue here would be: are there suitable replacements that may produce a better lifespan than whats on the board? Of course we all do not wish to tinker with the guts of what should be "fly from the box", but if a suitable candidate is located, this should be addressed to DJI directly (and shared here for others) so it can be implemented in a future revision (like very soon! I'd like to purchase one, you know!).

Also, never place paper on or near a MOSFET! Poof!... I've blown a few MOSFETS on my 2m Pre Amp, and damm!, they sure are HOT! (Any idea as to why there are no Heat Sinks on the 2? (Using a small heat-sink to lap over the 2 would dissipate some heat build up here.

A more important issue here is WHY the QC people at DJI allow the 3 wires to rest on the MOSFETS in the first place??? You always keep a MOSFET free & clear due to the heat build up within! (Sloppy Chinese "make it happen ASAP" at $0.37 / hour labour force).

There are some fantastic people here on this board, and I'm just blown away at how fast this thread has grown! Too bad DJI does not have a plant on this board to pick up on the ideas shared here within! It may come to bite them in the *** down the road.

P.S. I did not intend to open a can of worms here. There were many posts I have read that shared improper information, but there are posts by others who's input should be valued more, and not dismissed.

P.S.S. I would prefer to let my warranty expire before I tinkered with my guts though. If and when I do decide to make my purchase, my first step will be to crack it open and lift my wires up and away!!!


Michael

I do a little tinkering on all Multirotors... I made an order to Digikey and have the mossfets on the work bench. If I can ever get solid info on which esc's are causing the problem and it appears they all do with the hardwire upgraded motors, I will fet stack those esc's. This will allow double the current and should do away with the heat issues on the esc Mosfets. The motor leads however should then cook off the board.

I did some FLIR work and found at idle with no load the esc's where running 126f. The heat wasnt even on the mosfets it was on the logic circuit of the fets... This is just unacceptable to me. The cheap Horizon Hobby blade 350qx has escs that run 85f at idle no load.

 

[Prylar Bek]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

When this all gets sorted out (I hope sooner then later!) at least I have met some very smart, talented guys on this board. Hats off to all of you!

 

[VE5MDH]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

burbark, I'm sure this image will open their eyes at DJI. Idle with no load running at about 126 deg F on the PCB is not cool with any electronics engineer (when considering a mass produced "Hobby Toy". You sure nailed this one on the head.

BTW, how long was your test run at the time the FLIR image was taken? I'm sure someone may be interested. I like the idea of stacking the FET's. See guys... Great minds at work here! And to think, this issue arose just over 1 week ago! Now that is Crowd Sourcing the Human Brain! BZ! (aka Good Show!).

Would be interesting to see what the PCB would do if the motor was isolated from the PCB and the same test conducted! Wow... very interesting indeed. Sure hope you have a handy 5, 10 or 20lb CO2 extinguisher handy by the work bench!

Thanks for taking your time sharing this valued image. Your picture will be worth more than 1,000 words!

Michael

 

[rbtNmke]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

im curious......has anyone added additional ventilation holes (above the esc) and enlarged the lower vents??? this quad is completely enclosed, it cant be helping the situation. thoughts?

 

[burlbark]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

burbark, I'm sure this image will open their eyes at DJI. Idle with no load running at about 126 deg F on the PCB is not cool with any electronics engineer (when considering a mass produced "Hobby Toy". You sure nailed this one on the head.

BTW, how long was your test run at the time the FLIR image was taken? I'm sure someone may be interested. I like the idea of stacking the FET's. See guys... Great minds at work here! And to think, this issue arose just over 1 week ago! Now that is Crowd Sourcing the Human Brain! BZ! (aka Good Show!).

Would be interesting to see what the PCB would do if the motor was isolated from the PCB and the same test conducted! Wow... very interesting indeed. Sure hope you have a handy 5, 10 or 20lb CO2 extinguisher handy by the work bench!

Thanks for taking your time sharing this valued image. Your picture will be worth more than 1,000 words!

Michael

It was idling for no more than 5 minutes. It was a full upgrade package and I check the esc's to make sure they have matching characteristics for customers who want reliability. I can compare temps with RPM and make sure they all fall into the proper range. I run it with and without load.

For those saying you cant run it without airflow, or props, the top was obviously off and after heatsinking the wifi unit properly its no problem. Mine has 100+ hrs on it in the last 4 months without over heating, possibly more.

Jeremy James

 

[Phantom2_Duck]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

I have no idea about replacing wires.. is there anyone in Michigan that does this type of service.. or should I return it?

 

[burlbark]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

I have no idea about replacing wires.. is there anyone in Michigan that does this type of service.. or should I return it?

Fly it and enjoy it. DJI is well aware of the shortcomings and appears to have acknowledged it. You "should" be covered by warranty.

 

[ELHEAPO]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

I have no idea about replacing wires.. is there anyone in Michigan that does this type of service.. or should I return it?

Fly it and enjoy it. DJI is well aware of the shortcomings and appears to have acknowledged it. You "should" be covered by warranty.

if you open up your phantom and lift the 3 wires from the mosfets are you risking your warranty??

steve

 

[JDNC]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

Sorry so late...but to answer the question if I've had mine up, no I have not. Too cold rainy and windy.

 

[VE5MDH]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

if you open up your phantom and lift the 3 wires from the mosfets are you risking your warranty??

steve

Steve, it has been well documented by many others earlier on this thread that by either peeling back, or cutting through the red stickers to gain access into the Phantom does NOT void your warranty. People are doing this to REDUCE the risk of fire or damage inside the unit, which has the potential of causing property damage or injury to others.

Once I receive my own (as I do not own a Phantom 2 Vision+ at the time of this entry), the very first thing I shall do is to open it (2mm Hex Allen Key & 00 Phillips driver) to lift these 3 single stranded coated wires up from the PCB!!! There are many well photographed images of how the end result should look like! Well worth the time to read from page one.

Way too many images of either melted wires or cooked circuitry. You are NOT tampering with any internals (removing solder, modifying components, etc.) you are just ensuring your copter is as safe as it can be for the general public (Human or Animal) and property (Public or Private) around where you are flying your craft.

Michael

 

[Nathan Carter]

Re: If you just purchased a brand new Phantom 2 Vision+ V3 R

We need to figure out a way to push DJI to come out with a statement. Maybe an online petition, does someone here have some experience with that? What would be the best place/approach? I believe we are here complaining to each other instead to DJI. No effect...

Lately I've been thinking how outrageous this whole scenario is. Once you buy something you should be able to resell it for almost the same amount if you did not unbox it. Now if you have a serious buyer who understands what he is buying he is going to ask you "do you have the v3 with v2.1 ESCs and new WiFi module with holes?". Then you are going to have to unbox it and open the Phantom up, seriously reducing its value just by that action. And if you find that you have no version on your ESC stickers and no holes on the WiFi module, nobody is going to buy it from you!!! Basically you have a worthless thing! DJI stole your money!
And if you want to sell it to someone you have to part with ethics and basically lie and scam. **** YOU DJI I SAY!
If they had old ESCs lying around and wanted to get rid of them they should still sell the v2 phantom 2 vision+ with older motors!!!
For **** sake how can they even put this v3 with incompatible components on the market with clear conscience?!? It can fall and kill someone, do they say "what the hell, just sell them"?!? It's not just DJI, it seems that all Chinese companies are the same. I really hoped DJI would be different...