R.C. broken

bimmy · Aug 31, 2015

I was flying and suddenly my rc stick was stuck . Thank god there is something like RTH. I heard something shaking inside the controller .... that's not the right sound , so I decided to open up my controller . Oh my what's this .... what a mess. Almost all the places where the 2 sides of the RC are connected and more importantly the places where the RC control sticks are connected to the RC are broken to . Never dropped my rc or whatever. Someone got a idea how I can fix this the best way. If it is even worth trying .

robinb · Aug 31, 2015

As you have modified the controller you have zero chance of DJI doing a repair.

You need to be creative and clever with some epoxy.

dottat4 · Aug 31, 2015

Well I almost posted this over the weekend but knew I had to after seeing your post. I was out 1200 foot and about 275 up. Noticed my RTH button was suddenly depressed in way too far and not centered. Also heard a slight rattle too. Never was dropped...always babied. And I rarely ever used the actual rth button. I immediately recalled the aircraft via the app because I was concerned the rc could develop control issues.

Took apart the controller and found the same thing, the screw holes broken into tiny pieces. Curious to note the holes were about 8-9 threads deep and only 3 threads depth had been broken off. I measured the screws and found I had longer ones in stock that would nicely fit. I glued the pieces back into place meticulously and allowed to dry overnight. I then installed with the longer screws and it snugged up perfectly.

Seems the brittle shell issue isn't limited to the crafts shell.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

bobmyers · Aug 31, 2015

dottat4 said:
Well I almost posted this over the weekend but knew I had to after seeing your post. I was out 1200 foot and about 275 up. Noticed my RTH button was suddenly depressed in way too far and not centered. Also heard a slight rattle too. Never was dropped...always babied. And I rarely ever used the actual rth button. I immediately recalled the aircraft via the app because I was concerned the rc could develop control issues.

Took apart the controller and found the same thing, the screw holes broken into tiny pieces. Curious to note the holes were about 8-9 threads deep and only 3 threads depth had been broken off. I measured the screws and found I had longer ones in stock that would nicely fit. I glued the pieces back into place meticulously and allowed to dry overnight. I then installed with the longer screws and it snugged up perfectly.

Seems the brittle shell issue isn't limited to the crafts shell.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Starting to look like they has some bad plastic in the manufacture of these parts-- or these screws were also over torqued as was suspected in the Phantom causing the cracking an breaking. There have also been posts of cracks in the controller housing.

dottat4 · Aug 31, 2015

bobmyers said:
Starting to look like they has some bad plastic in the manufacture of these parts-- or these screws were also over torqued as was suspected in the Phantom causing the cracking an breaking. There have also been posts of cracks in the controller housing.

Plastic does seem brittle. From an engineering point of view I think they used too short of a screw in this scenario as they only used approx 1/3 of the available depth.

Even if I hadn't glued the pieces back in place I would have enough depth with the longer screws I used than what the originals had. That point is the crazy one.

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bobmyers · Aug 31, 2015

dottat4 said:
Plastic does seem brittle. From an engineering point of view I think they used too short of a screw in this scenario as they only used approx 1/3 of the available depth.

Even if I hadn't glued the pieces back in place I would have enough depth with the longer screws I used than what the originals had. That point is the crazy one.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Yes the screws are very short.

spin2win · Aug 31, 2015

Count me in for one who noticed all posts for screws to hold controller together shattered upon opening it up to install the DBS antenna mod. Couldn't figure it out. Built all posts back up with gorilla glue and installed longer screws and all is good now. Glad I saw this thread as it was clearly a problem created in original assembly of my RC @ DJI. Hopefully they (DJI) take it up with the Gorillas assembling these items.

tgarcia · Aug 31, 2015

Same here. The plastic used is extremely soft and simply removing screws broke the screw holes to bits. Repaced with 1/4 inch longer screws ands seems ok now. Hope i don't need to get back in there again.

tgarcia · Aug 31, 2015

I also wonder how dbs is handling this when he does the mods for his customers. As careful as i was removing and installing the screws and to have a 4 of them break u cant tell me he doesn't experience this issue.

spin2win · Aug 31, 2015

tgarcia said:
I also wonder how dbs is handling this when he does the mods for his customers. As careful as i was removing and installing the screws and to have a 4 of them break u cant tell me he doesn't experience this issue.

I would definitely think DBS sees this maybe not often, but I feel pretty good knowing there are others than just myself who have taken notice to this when opening RC. I was very careful as well. Overly careful. Seems it didn't matter. It has to be happening upon assembly. With as much as the RC cost, I am surprised there aren't actual metal threaded inserts used for a super solid union of top and rear shell not to mention if DJI needed to get into the controller for warranty repair (mainly for any of us installing things like DBS Antenna

). Even though I experienced all of the posts busted to pieces when opening the controller, at least I know I'm not crazy. I was dumbfounded how in the world I could be so careful and destroy those when opening it up. All good now though. I'm with ya tgarcia.... I sure hope I don't have to crack it open again!

tgarcia · Aug 31, 2015

spin2win said:
I would definitely think DBS sees this maybe not often, but I feel pretty good knowing there are others than just myself who have taken notice to this when opening RC. I was very careful as well. Overly careful. Seems it didn't matter. It has to be happening upon assembly. With as much as the RC cost, I am surprised there aren't actual metal threaded inserts used for a super solid union of top and rear shell not to mention if DJI needed to get into the controller for warranty repair (mainly for any of us installing things like DBS Antenna). Even though I experienced all of the posts busted to pieces when opening the controller, at least I know I'm not crazy. I was dumbfounded how in the world I could be so careful and destroy those when opening it up. All good now though. I'm with ya tgarcia.... I sure hope I don't have to crack it open again!

Thats probably why it takes so long for people to get the repairs back from dji. They are waiting on the glue to dry.

Blaze0303 · Sep 11, 2015

Well this happened to me too and I am currently waiting for my glue to dry.....$1300 deserves higher quality plastic.

Phantom751874 · Sep 11, 2015

This didn't happen to me during my DBS install and I didn't really baby the screws either.

tgarcia · Sep 11, 2015

Phantom751874 said:
This didn't happen to me during my DBS install and I didn't really baby the screws either.

I didn't realize that it happened to mine either until I heard a small rattling noise about a week later.

witold · Sep 12, 2015

Are there any legitimate reasons why an end user should be opening up the radio in the first place?

Some things are designed to fail to detract people from messing with that item - and to know if someone has been messing with it. P2 radio was very easy to open and the quad didn't keep any logs. With P3, DJI keeps internal logs of what you are doing and might be trying to prevent people from modifying the radio.

Remember, this is an FCC approved device. It's not like all the ghetto FPV kits out there that sell with a wink and a smile and a disclaimer saying that you need a HAM license and might be facing $10,000 fines if you get caught using it without HAM. You can actually fly the Phantom legally. They are probably not keen on some random person putting on a 10 watt power plant in the radio and possibly drawing very negative attention if the wrong people find out.

D4T_PoM · Sep 12, 2015

witold said:
Are there any legitimate reasons why an end user should be opening up the radio in the first place?

Some things are designed to fail to detract people from messing with that item - and to know if someone has been messing with it. P2 radio was very easy to open and the quad didn't keep any logs. With P3, DJI keeps internal logs of what you are doing and might be trying to prevent people from modifying the radio.

Remember, this is an FCC approved device. It's not like all the ghetto FPV kits out there that sell with a wink and a smile and a disclaimer saying that you need a HAM license and might be facing $10,000 fines if you get caught using it without HAM. You can actually fly the Phantom legally. They are probably not keen on some random person putting on a 10 watt power plant in the radio and possibly drawing very negative attention if the wrong people find out.

You must be kidding rite?

Are you saying the posts breaking are some sort of a failsafe from DJI so that you don't open it up to mess around with it, or so they can tell if you messed with it if you ever send it for warranty? LoL

Blaze0303 · Sep 12, 2015

witold said:
Are there any legitimate reasons why an end user should be opening up the radio in the first place?

Some things are designed to fail to detract people from messing with that item - and to know if someone has been messing with it. P2 radio was very easy to open and the quad didn't keep any logs. With P3, DJI keeps internal logs of what you are doing and might be trying to prevent people from modifying the radio.

Remember, this is an FCC approved device. It's not like all the ghetto FPV kits out there that sell with a wink and a smile and a disclaimer saying that you need a HAM license and might be facing $10,000 fines if you get caught using it without HAM. You can actually fly the Phantom legally. They are probably not keen on some random person putting on a 10 watt power plant in the radio and possibly drawing very negative attention if the wrong people find out.

Mine broke without me opening it, I had to open it to solve the problem.