Remote Control 1 antenna broke & shell cracks

MattyDread · Feb 6, 2016

One of the antennas has been loose for a few months & has now finally come away from the remote housing - a small piece of plastic rattles around in the remote.

Also I've had 2 small cracks in the rear arms (for also a few months) so I'm biting the bullet & sending them both off to DJI for repair.

I've had it since June - never dropped the remote or crashed the P3

Does anyone know the best procedure for contacting DJI & requesting an RMA (I think it's called)
I bought it from amazon.com (us)

Also what's the best way to package it before sending? Bubble wrap/ sturdy box etc

Any replies much appreciated

DroneDestination · Feb 6, 2016

Original packaging, if u have it. Lol

gmartinez0003 · Feb 7, 2016

How did this happen? I had a friend with this same problem on his P3P. It was actually his fault. He used a windsurfer and repeatedly pushed down on it to keep it snug before each flight. Apparently he was pushing to hard because his antenna broke.

MattyDread · Feb 7, 2016

gmartinez0003 said:
How did this happen? I had a friend with this same problem on his P3P. It was actually his fault. He used a windsurfer and repeatedly pushed down on it to keep it snug before each flight. Apparently he was pushing to hard because his antenna broke.

I use the dji hardshell back pack & it has a strap inside that goes over the P3 & controller - it must push down on the antenna.. that's the only thing I can think of

clintgeaney · Feb 7, 2016

Same thing happened to me when I first got the P3A all you need with the Hardshell backpack.

I definitely think it was the strap that holds the Phantom and remote in place.

I feed the strap underneath the antennas now.

I sent an email to DJI but the language barrier and time it would take to send it back was a problem.

I was just about to travel to do my CASA Controllers Certification so I looked for other options.

It seems one of the lugs that hold the antenna in came apart.

So all I did was put a small bit of super glue on the outside of the antenna base and slid it back into place making sure the antenna could still slide side to side as usual.

Haven't had a problem since.

Cheers

MattyDread · Feb 7, 2016

clintgeaney said:
Same thing happened to me when I first got the P3A all you need with the Hardshell backpack.

I definitely think it was the strap that holds the Phantom and remote in place.

I feed the strap underneath the antennas now.

I sent an email to DJI but the language barrier and time it would take to send it back was a problem.

I was just about to travel to do my CASA Controllers Certification so I looked for other options.

It seems one of the lugs that hold the antenna in came apart.

So all I did was put a small bit of super glue on the outside of the antenna base and slid it back into place making sure the antenna could still slide side to side as usual.

Haven't had a problem since.

Cheers

I thought about a quick fix but as I've also got cracks under the rear arms I might as well send it all in - I've just emailed dji & await response

They are doing Chinese new year from 7th -13th Feb.

msinger · Feb 7, 2016

MattyDread said:
I use the dji hardshell back pack & it has a strap inside that goes over the P3 & controller - it must push down on the antenna

Correct. This is a common issue when using the DJI backpack. You must place the strap under the antennas.

MattyDread · Feb 9, 2016

msinger said:
Correct. This is a common issue when using the DJI backpack. You must place the strap under the antennas.

I think I will be doing this when I get it back - not sent yet as chinese new year. I don't even feel like flying as the antenna just flops down..

With The Birds · Feb 9, 2016

The first time i used the backpack the strap went underneath the antennas, i could see it would only be a matter of time before something broke.

Now i do this. Enough room for ipad, sunshade and landing pad.

Samuaw · Feb 9, 2016

Also, remember it isn't just the straps that break the antenna on the DJI Hardcase. Mine broke because i closed by case in a certain way and the top part of the foam caught the ends of the antenna as they closed. So you need to be careful when closing and not just closing it like a cardboard box.
My repairs for the Antenna came to £25, shipping to DJI Neatherlands was £44.
Then the remote came back, the repair quality was so poor that my controller hasn't been screwed together properly or they broke something when it was opened.
I complained and they sent me a new DJI controller in exchange for my badly repaired one- Shipping all covered by them.

Almost feel like the repair cost + shipping cost i paid wasn't quite justified.

TheLightSpeedz · Feb 9, 2016

DroneDestination said:
Original packaging, if u have it. Lol

Noooo... They will not take it in the original packaging! Has to be just the piece to be fixed and nothing else. On a box with peanuts and bubble wrap!

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

TheLightSpeedz · Feb 9, 2016

MattyDread said:
I think I will be doing this when I get it back - not sent yet as chinese new year. I don't even feel like flying as the antenna just flops down..

You could just clip the antenna off and open it up and put the DBS long range antenna on? Then those old antennas are old news anyway!

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

TheLightSpeedz · Feb 9, 2016

RMA's have very specific instructions.... Like not using original box to ship it back! Follow the instructions. They will replace the shell and send it back.

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Denver_Flight · Feb 9, 2016

Stephen Kelly said:
RMA's have very specific instructions.... Like not using original box to ship it back! Follow the instructions. They will replace the shell and send it back.

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

It's okay to use original box, as long as it is then put inside a plain box, see instructions from when I recently sent mine in.

MattyDread · Feb 13, 2016

Denver_Flight said:
It's okay to use original box, as long as it is then put inside a plain box, see instructions from when I recently sent mine in.

Good info - Thanks

TheLightSpeedz · Feb 15, 2016

They specifically say not to ship it in the original box... They recommend a box and bubble wrap and peanuts....

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MattyDread · Mar 8, 2016

I've received my P3 & remote back today - 3 weeks door to door, fairly impressed with the email responses, shipping times etc etc

I opened up the box & the remote has been repaired but the P3 still has the cracks in the arms & the shell hasn't been replaced

Does anyone know what to do now? It cost me $70 to ship from Australia to Hong Kong - surely they are going to pick up the tab for shipping?

The pics of the cracks were sent by email to dji.

I might just fly it & do a self fix - FFS

MattyDread · Mar 8, 2016

I think it will be going back to Dji

DroneDestination · Mar 8, 2016

IMO just buy a new shell for 60 bucks and do it yourself its not worth the wait a second time

rmfa · Mar 8, 2016

Stephen Kelly said:
They specifically say not to ship it in the original box... They recommend a box and bubble wrap and peanuts....

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Wrong. If that were the case they wouldn't have been able to send it to you in that packaging condition originally. DJI specifically says to not use ONLY the original box. They require that you put the original box into another box then write your RMA all over the box. The guy on the phone said it keeps them from having hundreds of Phantom boxes everywhere without identification.