Into the ocean...again!

[K Henry]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

 

[flyboy73]

What have you got to lose at this point? I say glue it!

 

[PhantomWetSuits]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

I am trying to wrap my head around the battery falling out again when you made it to the shoreline, is that what made the drone crash or the battery fell out when it hit the shoreline.

We are working on a NEW PRODUCT called the Phantom Rain Rescue Jackets , seems we cannot make them fast enough though. They are going to offer a very small foot print and allow your drone to float on the water for Rescue or possible relaunch.

As far is the marriage goes , just let her know that you will do better next time by taking some safety precautions.

In regards to taping the Gimbal. Its not a bad idea, you can tape it at different angles if it still records and still have fun with recording with it. I Recommend Rubber bands to keep it in place for a softer buffer, but do not recommend HOT GLUE at all.

Now what can you tell your wife to ease the growing pains:

You can pick up a Phantom Rain Wet Suit that will seal the battery in, and make it more water resistant and
be on the top of our list for the the New Phantom Rescue Jackets coming out soon.. .

Some people have tried Rubber Bands to lock the battery in but we prefer the battery being sealed with Neoprene.

Phantomrain.org
Approved Vendor

 

[Meta4]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

Saltwater corrosion has started and it's going to keep going.
That drone isn't ever going to be reliable and will only get worse.

 

[jlrsn]

Is your rain suite preventing the battery locks from fully latching? It doesn't take much!!!

 

[PhantomWetSuits]

Is your rain suite preventing the battery locks from fully latching? It doesn't take much!!!

No the problem with the Battery as we have shown numerous times is being fooled that your battery is locked in as we show below.
Its been posted many time but may be needed again to understand fully , this is why they introduced the V2 because of this.

The Seal locks in the battery tight , because any looseness and you can disconnect on a hard brake. We have video of that also on are website.

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

Once them tiny ball bearing start to rust internally ...and get pitted the races....freeing them UP might Be ok.....But the bearings will all self destroy them selves...I doubt if they really got dryed out because over the weeks...the salt water inside them has been doing its damage..sounds like a "kamikaze" drone now....and very unsafe flights !

 

[PhantomWetSuits]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

So as expected you are going to hear a lot of negative things about the Salt Water and Rot however you took all the right steps. You drenched your drone in fresh water , did the rice and you did the oven, compressor and a prayer, that should be good enough to save the drone from Rot.

The saving grace was acting quickly and not being afraid of the freshwater ,congrats I think you will be fine.
Phantomrain.org
coal

 

[FL_Mike]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

I would look into some insurance. I personally have state farm. $75 a year here in FL and I'm covered for total loss or theft. That's about $25 less than a piece of colored neoprene.

Right now you have an operable aircraft. Do not lie about ANY question asked when you insure it.

I also wouldn't invest any money into this AC. The only real hope of saving it for reliability has long passed.

 

[Alan Russel]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

Maybe stop flying over the ocean for starters

 

[Meta4]

So as expected you are going to hear a lot of negative things about the Salt Water and Rot however you took all the right steps. You drenched your drone in fresh water , did the rice and you did the oven, compressor and a prayer, that should be good enough to save the drone from Rot.

Saltwater is much worse for electronics than you seem to realise.
It's even worse when the circuit is live and carrying voltage from the battery.
There's a really good reason you would hear negative things about saltwater.
Seawater means death to electronics.

 

[Meta4]

Maybe stop flying over the ocean for starters

The ocean is a great place to fly, no interference and no obstacles to hit.
Falling from the sky can easily be fatal for a drone regardless of whether it's water or solid ground down below.

 

[elent1]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

I fly over the Pacific mostly, so you have my sympathy. One of my p3ps is like yours. I plan to make some money on it by going to the coastal rifle range and charging twenty a shot to shoot me out of the sky (rifle only)...they'll get a bang out of it and I'll score $$$$

 

[Alan Russel]

The ocean is a great place to fly, no interference and no obstacles to hit.
Falling from the sky can easily be fatal for a drone regardless of whether it's water or solid ground down below.

If your drone falls from the sky over the ocean there is zero chance of recovery but if this happens over land a good chance of recovery and if your lucky a tree or bush could break it fall.

 

[African wildlife]

Saltwater is much worse for electronics than you seem to realise.
It's even worse when the circuit is live and carrying voltage from the battery.
There's a really good reason you would hear negative things about saltwater.
Seawater means death to electronics.

SpaceX know the practical truth of this - even when a rocket section has only been in the sea for a very short time - and they reuse whenever possible.

But, from my perspective, the real question here would be “How can I massively up my game?”

 

[Staffydog]

Hi, here is my story...Mt first P4Pro went down in the deep blue (pilot error). So I got another one from the repair shop in CA, after they refused my claim. Great, but following some thing I saw, said to push the battery in from the top front. So I did try the 'new' way. Second flight made it to the shoreline when the battery fell out and into the salt water again. This time it was right at the shoreline, about 5 inches deep. So I rinsed it out with fresh water, blow dried with a compressor, put it in a bag of rice, in the oven at low speed. Blew it out again to get the rice out. Then it sat there for weeks, as I was disgusted. Today I tried it out. The props were frozen but freed them up with a few spins. THE THING FLEW! The camera records! But the camera moves all around with no stability at all. But it flies! Question...what if I hot glued the camera in place (like a cheap drone) and flew it. What could happen? Marriage is at stake here! Sending it in to the shop will be another $850, no doubt. Any one with experience on this issue? I need some confidence, please!

Buy a new drone and get rid of the wife. It's a no brainer lol

 

[Matchlock]

If he glues the Gimbal he may get errors from the firmware saying that the Gimbal is obstructed. I'm not sure what consequences will arise if he does this.

Bud

What have you got to lose at this point? I say glue it!

 

[Matchlock]

Why would you fly your Quadcopter in the rain in first place? That's just asking for trouble.

No the problem with the Battery as we have shown numerous times is being fooled that your battery is locked in as we show below.
Its been posted many time but may be needed again to understand fully , this is why they introduced the V2 because of this.

The Seal locks in the battery tight , because any looseness and you can disconnect on a hard brake. We have video of that also on are website.

 

[LarBear360]

Why would you fly your Quadcopter in the rain in first place? That's just asking for trouble.

My wife asked me the same thing; why would anybody in their right mind want to fly in the rain anyway? Assuming the shell is protected, that does nothing for your camera and gimbal, the most expensive components to replace. INSANE!

 

[Matchlock]

I agree, and furthermore, that orange seal won't work. To create a proper seal you would need a rubber edge around the battery as well or the water/rain will still seep in between where that orange stuff is and the quads body.

You cannot seal it perfectly tight with just a rubber piece on one part. Capillary action will still allow water to get in between the battery and the body.

Finally, just what sort of decent video or photographs are you going to get while shooting in the pouring rain? I couldn't be bothered with video that has rain all over it. What a complete waste of time it would be to fly in the rain and take absolutely useless video. Also, try to get DJI to honor any warranty after it crashes in the rain.

Bud

My wife asked me the same thing; why would anybody in their right mind want to fly in the rain anyway? Assuming the shell is protected, that does nothing for your camera and gimbal, the most expensive components to replace. INSANE!