Making my phantom 3 standard more crash resistant and efficient.

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Just crashed no more flying today, think the wire may have contributed.. :/
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The camera doesn't look all that badly damage at all. You just need to put the rubber dampener back on and it's ready to go. After crash, make sure you do IMU calibration. My opinion on gimbal guard is that it is waste of money. Not sure how that will help.

I would suggest these following 2 mods and the benefit should be obvious from the mod itself:

1. Instead of using the "anti-drop" pin, use 4 zip ties (see picture attached below). Keep it loose so the white rubber dampener can function.

2. Install this: Amazon.com : SKYREAT DJI Phantom 3 Gimbal Saver -Protector Phantom 3 Ribbon Cable & Motors : Camera & Photo
Install instruction:

20151208_215703.jpg
 
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The camera doesn't look all that badly damage at all. You just need to put the rubber dampener back on and it's ready to go. After crash, make sure you do IMU calibration. My opinion on gimbal guard is that it is waste of money. Not sure how that will help.

I would suggest these following 2 mods and the benefit should be obvious from the mod itself:

1. Instead of using the "anti-drop" pin, use 4 zip ties (see picture attached below). Keep it loose so the white rubber dampener can function.

2. Install this: Amazon.com : SKYREAT DJI Phantom 3 Gimbal Saver -Protector Phantom 3 Ribbon Cable & Motors : Camera & Photo
Install instruction:

View attachment 39281
Idk if you could see but this part is broke DJI Phantom 3 Anti-Vibration Gimbal Mounting Plate Part 39 and I'm buying zip ties tomorrow
 
Idk if you could see but this part is broke DJI Phantom 3 Anti-Vibration Gimbal Mounting Plate Part 39 and I'm buying zip ties tomorrow

From the picture, it didn't look damage at all. Just put the dampner back in. That plate is there to allow the white rubber dampener to work. The White dampender is to isolate and dampen the vibration from the quad going to your camera unit so that you can take smooth and steady video / pictures. All the vibration are absorbed by the 4 rubber dampener, keeping the camera unit vibration free.

BY the way, lose the wire. What's that for anyway?
 
From the picture, it didn't look damage at all. Just put the dampner back in. That plate is there to allow the white rubber dampener to work. The White dampender is to isolate and dampen the vibration from the quad going to your camera unit so that you can take smooth and steady video / pictures. All the vibration are absorbed by the 4 rubber dampener, keeping the camera unit vibration free.

BY the way, lose the wire. What's that for anyway?
I have watched your video but still don't understand what the gimbal saver does?
 
I have watched your video but still don't understand what the gimbal saver does?

The camera unit is held to the (not the entire gimbal) vertical gimbal axis by mere magnetic field. A strong bump would knock the camera free from the magnetic field that's holding it in place. When it comes out, it'll rip the ribbon connectors. THAT is an expensive repair.

The Gimbal Saver, puts a stopper in front give a 2mm gap to prevent the camera unit from being knock completely out of its socket and thus preventing the ribbon from being rip apart or the camera separated from rest of the gimbal.

Also same reason why I don't understand how the gimbal guard work because it doesn't prevent the camera from being knock lose by crash momentum.

Yellow lines represents a "single unit" that's connected or fasten together by screws.

Picture.jpg
 
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The camera unit is held to the (not the entire gimbal) vertical gimbal axis by mere magnetic field. A strong bump would knock the camera free from the magnetic field that's holding it in place. When it comes out, it'll rip the ribbon connectors. THAT is an expensive repair.

The Gimbal Saver, puts a stopper in front give a 2mm gap to prevent the camera unit from being knock completely out of its socket and thus preventing the ribbon from being rip apart or the camera separated from rest of the gimbal.

Also same reason why I don't understand how the gimbal guard work because it doesn't prevent the camera from being knock lose by crash momentum.


View attachment 39283
And a gimbal motor bearing
 
The gimbal ribbon is a PITA to replace and the ribbon itself cost $60 or so.

You can look at this video on how to replace the ribbon to appreciate the complexity (and a good idea on how these units are put together and why the gimbal saver makes so much sense and why the dumb *** DJI didn't just engineer one into it):

 
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In fact, I think all you got to do is pop it back in and you are good to go, no need for the mounting plate.

Take a look at this video, go straight to time index: 7:33. it shows you how to take it off, but you get the idea on how it is put on.

 
Take a look at this video (how camera is hook up to vertical axis, and how easy it comes out). Go to time index: 0:32

 
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That seems like a good easy mod to do. Are there any cheaper options tho

Are you talking about the gimbal saver mod? If so, the Amazon link I post is cheapest, RC Killer is essentially the same but cost twice as much.

There ARE cheaper solution but the parts are made out of plastic. I suppose one could argue that if it's hard enough for the plastic parts to break you got bigger issue to worry about.

Like these:
3D Printing Gimbal Protector Guard Saver Anti Crash Fr DJI Phantom 3 Pro Advance | eBay

Somehow I just don't trust these to do much.

These looks to be cheaper then Amazon

CNC Alu Gimbal Crash Protector Ribbon Cable Saver Fr DJI Phantom 3 Pro&Advanced
 
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