So much for the battery myth !! Non DJI batterys

Joined
Oct 14, 2016
Messages
4,232
Reaction score
1,956
Age
68
Location
UK Brit living Latvia
I have to laugh ... I cannot help it ..

The number of posts that I read ...

Logs will show non DJI battery - warranty voided

Non DJI battery will fail to fly - DJI will block it via APP

What a crock !!!!!

Yes I accept there are some really bad copies out there which MAY not work ... I do not say there are not. But to condemn all for that is rubbish.
Second I know of Warranty work conducted on P3's that have used non-DJI batterys extensively ... the question is in what context the warranty work was required ... IF the battery can be held accountable - then possible.... but unlikely.
I can even quote my own P3P which I collect tomorrow from DJI ... repaired under warranty and flown frequently prior to board failures on both DJI and non DJI batterys. No comments at all from DJI at all about their findings in logs.

I know there will be posts made telling me I'm wrong .... fair enough ... but proof is in my P3P and also others I personally know ...

Good news is - that I shall be back in the air after tomorrow ... !!

Nigel
 
I think this "OEM only" thing stems back to about March of 2016 for P3 owners. At that time, DJI did an update that checked for DJI batteries and if a knock off was detected it gave the error, "Non-DJI Intelligent Battery Detected. Aircraft Flight Prevented." See video below for an example of how quickly the P3 shuts down when a non-DJI battery is detected.

I recall at the time that the third party manufactures were scrambling to update their FW so that their batteries worked again.

It seems that DJI has removed the battery check, though I suppose as you noted that they can add it back at any time.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Numone
Thanks Nigel for your thoughts (and sarcasm!) and I'm pleased you'll be back in the air soon, mate.
Obviously, price differential vis-a-vis OE / Non-OE was the driver when it came to pressing "Buy", but now you can buy OE for as little as £76 in the U.K. via e-global today, I guess that now makes a non-OE battery a pretty pointless purchase.
 
Yeah I know, DJI put the frighteners on you to buy OEM, and it usually works. The standard response is why risk your 1500 dollar/pound/euro whatever to save a few bob(Yes I am UK and Bob is slang for small change).
So the choice is yours, I am easily frightened, so always take the genuine route, but hey we need people to push the limits and test these things for us, so please report back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Neon Euc
Tks guys ...

My P3P comes back tmrw and will be videoing all and sundry shortly ... (just to send all back to sleep !!)

If DJI batterys can be had as cheap as I WAS getting - then great - no contest. Sadly my supplier has stopped selling them - so our club are looking for another source.
We were told that the batterys we were buying through an Irish 'online' shop were from same factory as DJI originals ... but as anyone who knows LiPo's ... its not the battery that is the factor - its the FW and charge control board that is ....

Nigel
 
  • Like
Reactions: Numone
I was hoping to add to this discussion when I got my after market battery but mine is lost in the mail , refunded and now looking for a deal , OEM batteries are $230 here
 
I'm all for aftermarket and saving money (I'm extremely mindful of spending) but I won't use a non-oem battery with my bird. It's really the most important thing keeping it from falling like a stone. It sucks to spend the extra but the piece of mind that having a battery fail is very low on the list of possible causes is worth it to me.

BTW deals are out there. I just picked up a new in box P3 battery off of ebay (genuine oem) for $72 USD. Zero charge count in a sealed box.
 
As far as I am aware - a genuine DJI battery should show a count from DJI checking before dispatch.

Second - if the battery is rejected by the drone - it will not fly ... they do not stop in flight.

If you have a failure in flight - then its not the battery - its another fault to blame.

Nigel
 
I would imagine that DJI don't actually manufacture the batteries themselves, that they buy them in. Therefore they'd all be third party batteries, wouldn't they? I wonder if the monopolies' commission (insert your own institution here) had any say in the decision for DJI to remove the battery checking software?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daddy-Rabbit
DJI battery's actually have factory name on them !

Nigel
 
I have often wondered what the insurance companies would say about a non oem battery, or any other component ,in and aircraft that crashed, and perhaps injures someone. The 'other side' may consider that the craft may not have been airworthy.
Are we perhaps obliged to use oem components to ensure that the aircraft is within the original specifications that it was originally produced with.
For us in the UK these devices are classed as aircraft and all rules that apply to full size aircraft also apply to our Phantoms where they are appilicable. One the owners of full size aircraft use. One oem components without absolute prooog they are of the same specification as the original? Perhaps some of the pilots on the forum may be able to help us there.
 
I have often wondered what the insurance companies would say about a non oem battery, or any other component ,in and aircraft that crashed, and perhaps injures someone. The 'other side' may consider that the craft may not have been airworthy.
Are we perhaps obliged to use oem components to ensure that the aircraft is within the original specifications that it was originally produced with.
For us in the UK these devices are classed as aircraft and all rules that apply to full size aircraft also apply to our Phantoms where they are appilicable. One the owners of full size aircraft use. One oem components without absolute prooog they are of the same specification as the original? Perhaps some of the pilots on the forum may be able to help us there.

I think you take the Aircraft rule a bit too literal ... I am involved in discussions about RC aircraft and Drones in particular for Latvia. where the EU is trying to standardise across states and we have UK rules / proposals in front of us.

RC aircraft are not classed as Full Size and do have separate guidelines / rules. In UK the BMFA has in fact given and generally been accepted Drone / Multi-Rotor suggested guidelines to CAA and the EU body.
Nowhere does it mention OEM or Original Battery. The only area that may come near to this is unofficial modifications. But then as long as you are part of a Recognised Club and flying within the Clubs Guidelines / Rules - you are good to fly.
The only area that over-rides the Club Rule part - is if you apply for Commercial use of the Drone and have Certification - then you are required to use items as designated by that Certificate.

Nigel
 
Thanks Nigel for your thoughts (and sarcasm!) and I'm pleased you'll be back in the air soon, mate.
Obviously, price differential vis-a-vis OE / Non-OE was the driver when it came to pressing "Buy", but now you can buy OE for as little as £76 in the U.K. via e-global today, I guess that now makes a non-OE battery a pretty pointless purchase.

I carry 6 batteries with me. All, except the first, are used and bought on Ebay - from crashed drones or even a seller who collects dji batts and sells them. Always in the range of $40 to $50.
 
"OEM" stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. In this case, DJI.

OEM in DJI case is actually "Dongguan Amperex Technology Limited" - who produce the batterys under "licence' for DJI.

It is well known that batterys appear on market suspiciously similar .....

Like Nokia - the Chinese factory ran more than one line .... main being Nokia ... others being same product but with slightly altered name ! Ex R&D Manager of Nokia is pal of mine and the truth of matter was confirmed. The only difference was that Nokia as iPhone and others do (when using 3rd party manufacturers) program the SW themselves - they do not give to the factory. This is why Noki phones do not work quite same as Nokia .....

Its a really interesting subject in fact ....

Nigel
 
A few years ago there were counterfeit Canon lithium-ion camcorder batteries. They worked perfectly until they overheated and exploded inside the camera. I would not want something around me that could explode because the manufacturer cut corners in the production of an item.

Cell phone lithium-ion batteries have overheated and burst into flames as with the last version of the Samsung smartphone which then had to be recalled. With third party batteries there is never a recall as they can simply put a different label on the next run of batteries. If a DJI battery causes problems I can sue DJI but with brand XXX I am on my own.

The math does not work for me in terms of dollar savings versus risk to my drone, my car, my house, my person, by buying knock-off high output lithiium-ion battery packs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Neon Euc

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,054
Messages
1,467,297
Members
104,919
Latest member
BobDan