I have had problems with reception on my P4 ever since I bought it. Could get about 1-1/2 miles and after that I would loose signal. And this was with a boosted DBS antenna setup. Today I was taking it apart to swap out the shell because of the dreaded stress cracks and I discovered that one of the antenna wires going to the landing gear had broken off!! What? this is a brand new drone can't be. It has never been crashed nor has it ever been sent in for service so it had to be this way when I bought it. So any of you having trouble with weak reception may want to pop off the little cover there on the leg and take a look at the wires to make sure you don't have the same problem as I had.

Where were your P4 stress cracks and did they go through the Chassis. Why were you swapping the shell if it was still new under warranty.

Can you please post pics of these areas, of what you are describing? Stress cracks and antenna broken.


RedHotPoker

My range isn't too good either, but those covers are fairly firm, where is the best spot to lever from to remove them.

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 16:00
Where were your P4 stress cracks and did they go through the Chassis. Why were you swapping the shell if it was still new under warranty.

The worst crack was under the battery and yes it went all the way thru. I elected to do it myself after hearing all the horror about dji customer service plus I didn't want to be without my drone for a month. I have also modded the transmitter for the DBS antenna so they may have denied the claim anyway.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 16:08
Can you please post pics of these areas, of what you are describing? Stress cracks and antenna broken.

I would if I new how to post pics on here!

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 16:06
My range isn't too good either, but those covers are fairly firm, where is the best spot to lever from to remove them.

You can use a thin blade knife right under the bottom edge and it should pop right off.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:11
I would if I new how to post pics on here!

When you open a thread or you can tap Edit too. Tap Advanced.
See the photo icon next to the emoticon and left of the attach paper clip?
Tap that picture icon, which brings you a pop up window.
Tap Choose File, when you go through the following menus
You can pick your pics. One at a time, Then the blue Upload tab, then  they will become visable in the pop up window.
Touch the area in your thread where you wish the pic to be, then tap the pic to upload it to the post.


RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 16:25
When you open a thread or you can tap Edit too. Tap Advanced.See the photo icon next to the emoticon and left of the attach paper clip?
Tap that picture icon, which brings you a pop up window.
Tap Choose File, when you go through the following menus

Thanks!! I got it done.

In the picture of the wire I show it there already repaired but the wire was completely out of the connector.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:44
Thanks!! I got it done.

Hey, cool, happy to be of assistance. Now you can post some of your drone pics, down the road...

I made a request that the misspelled Upload, be corrected.  



RedHotPoker

My range problem appears to be in the remote. I have a p4 and can't get more than about 5000 feet when I use the p4 remote. When I use the p3p remote I have to turn it around due to low battery, not range. I can get it about 20,000 feet. Maybe I should crack open my remote and check for loose wires?

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:12
You can use a thin blade knife right under the bottom edge and it should pop right off.

Thankyou Sprtbkrydr, I assume you mean the 4 approx. 10mm x 20mm profiled covers at the top of the legs. My gap there is so small I can't even insert a razor blade.

Stop press, I did slip a razor blade under the vertical edge of one of the covers and followed it up with a small thin knife but I deformed the cover without it popping off so I didn't want to go any further since its only 3 months old without any problems (except a short range).

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:11
I would if I new how to post pics on here!

Not sure how the solder joint became disengaged, but those cracks on the shell appear to be from a hard hit. Stress cracks mostly all appear near the end of the under shell, right near screw pocket holes.

The cracks/breaks you shared are nothing like normal stress cracks, but looks much more like a crash result. But you say different?


RedHotPoker

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:10
The worst crack was under the battery and yes it went all the way thru. I elected to do it myself after hearing all the horror about dji customer service plus I didn't want to be without my drone for a month. I have also modded the transmitter for the DBS antenna so they may have denied the claim anyway.

You didn't show the battery area crack, you mention?


RedHotPoker

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:10
The worst crack was under the battery and yes it went all the way thru. I elected to do it myself after hearing all the horror about dji customer service plus I didn't want to be without my drone for a month. I have also modded the transmitter for the DBS antenna so they may have denied the claim anyway.

I have never seen inside a P4, is the plastic molded around the magnesium alloy chassis or are they separate parts. You must have experience and confidence in your abilities to attack your P4 while it is in warranty, I assume you also had to buy the replacement shell as well.

It would be excellent to see the pics, obtain the services of some teenager to post them with RHPs guidance. You could bribe them with the promise of a Phantom flight.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 16:57
You didn't show the battery area crack, you mention?

No the drone has never been crashed I assure you. I flew it one day and it came back that way. I thought maybe a bird might could have hit it as well? And that was the crack I was talking about.

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 17:04
I have never seen inside a P4, is the plastic molded around the magnesium alloy chassis or are they separate parts. You must have experience and confidence in your abilities to attack your P4 while it is in warranty, I assume you also had to buy the replacement shell as well.

It would be excellent to see the pics, obtain the services of some teenager to post them with RHPs guidance. You could bribe them with the promise of a Phantom flight.

No they are separate parts. I've never been inside of one before last night! I figure if I can work on my own motorcycles I should be able to work on my own drone.

Rhino9872 Posted at 2017-3-4 16:51
My range problem appears to be in the remote. I have a p4 and can't get more than about 5000 feet when I use the p4 remote. When I use the p3p remote I have to turn it around due to low battery, not range. I can get it about 20,000 feet. Maybe I should crack open my remote and check for loose wires?

The P4 controller (GL 300C) has the lowest TX power of all DJI controllers, All the others (for P3's, P4P and Inspire) have up to double the output power of the GL 300C. I have no idea why and I hope the RX sensitivity or the AC TX isn't similarly emasculated but I don't know.

A number of OPs that need reliable range fly with any other controller than the GL 300C (but still keep it for the updates) but no one including DJI has come up with any logical reason why the GL 300C is the poor cousin of the family.

Bummer...  Thanks, I had until tomorrow to take it back and exchange it for a new one. I guess I'll keep it and use my p3p remote

Thanks again for the reply, I don't know why none of the DJI mods didn't tell me that the last time I asked. They just kept asking me if it was updated.  

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 16:56
Not sure how the solder joint became disengaged, but those cracks on the shell appear to be from a hard hit. Stress creaks mostly all appear near the end of the under shell, mostly near screw pocket holes.

The cracks/breaks you shared are nothing like normal stress cracks, but looks much more like a crash result. But you say different?

RHP when (claimed stress) cracks do occur on a P4 it often is through those little gauze grilles/vents in the lower shell. It is the P3's that have the huge problems around the screw holes due to deficient design/over torqueing screws/manufacturing fault/whatever.

Rhino9872 Posted at 2017-3-4 17:42
Bummer...  Thanks, I had until tomorrow to take it back and exchange it for a new one. I guess I'll keep it and use my p3p remote

Thanks again for the reply, I don't know why none of the DJI mods didn't tell me that the last time I asked. They just kept asking me if it was updated.

That was my response too except I haven't got another controller to fall back to and I would dearly like somewhere close to the advertised range for my P4 without having to go to antenna mods. and amps.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 17:09
No the drone has never been crashed I assure you. I flew it one day and it came back that way. I thought maybe a bird might could have hit it as well? And that was the crack I was talking about.

They are good pics, any chance of one with the bottom shell removed so we can see what is in there. What happened around the top of the leg in the antenna photo, it looks a little bit violent.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:49
In the picture of the wire I show it there already repaired but the wire was completely out of the connector.

I checked mine a long time ago, and for memory it had white sealant/glue holding these joints and wires in place.
Have you had a chance to test the range since your repair?

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 17:42
RHP when (claimed stress) cracks do occur on a P4 it often is through those little gauze grilles/vents in the lower shell. It is the P3's that have the huge problems around the screw holes due to deficient design/over torqueing screws/manufacturing fault/whatever.

If my Phantom 3 Pro had those large shell cracks, , I would have sent it in.
Buying a new shell, at your own expense of for the OP seems unjust.

DJI should simply send those new shells to anyone who can provide pics of the whole drone.
Not just showing the cracks. Was the disconnected solder joint in the same arm as the cracks in shell?


RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 18:17
If my Phantom 3 Pro had those large shell cracks, , I would have sent it in.
Buying a new shell, at your own expense of for the OP seems unjust.

No the antenna was on the other leg from the crack.

Nigelbrinkmann Posted at 2017-3-4 18:13
I checked mine a long time ago, and for memory it had white sealant/glue holding these joints and wires in place.
Have you had a chance to test the range since your repair?

No the drone is still apart. I'm waiting on the shell to get here Monday so I can put it all back together.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 18:37
No the antenna was on the other leg from the crack.

Ok, cool. I would like to see a pic of the whole drone shell, you replaced. But it doesn't matter much since the shell's been replaced.  Enjoy.



Hopefully this shell deterioration doesn't happen again.


RedHotPoker

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 18:07
They are good pics, any chance of one with the bottom shell removed so we can see what is in there. What happened around the top of the leg in the antenna photo, it looks a little bit violent.

You're probably seeing the remains of where I removed the cover as I didn't try to be careful with taking it off since I knew I was replacing both legs as well. I broke the bottom shell into two parts and trashed it already.

I stand corrected, the place you're talking about on the leg is where there were two small cracks and I took my plyers to see if it would break off but it did not.

I think I'm going to buy the Inspire remote to use with it since I've been told that they work very well with the P4.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 16:11
I would if I new how to post pics on here!

That is the worst solder job I have seen in my life, you have more solder on the insulated wire than on the bare wire.
also, your drone has been crashed.

fanse3c1e63c Posted at 2017-3-4 18:45
That is the worst solder job I have seen in my life, you have more solder on the insulated wire than on the bare wire.
also, your drone has been crashed.

What you are seeing there is the shield soldered to the outside of the connector dead beat. And I don't have a thing to prove to you or anyone else I was just passing on what happened to my drone. You can say what you think caused it all night long doesn't matter to me either way. Andwhat you're talking about there is not even solder it's a reflection off of the epoxy that I put over the connection.

I could care less at this point how it got the cracks I just want it to work when I get it back together!!

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 18:17
If my Phantom 3 Pro had those large shell cracks, , I would have sent it in.
Buying a new shell, at your own expense of for the OP seems unjust.

Most manufacturers would want full control over warranty repairs so DJI can't be castigated for that but the length of time involved can be a bit unreasonable. You have to weigh up the cost of the new shell against the probable time you won't have a Phantom. Some OPs go and buy a second AC so they always have at least one to play with, sounds like a good excuse if you can justify it to the other half (or keep it hidden)!!

Quamera Posted at 2017-3-4 18:57
Most manufacturers would want full control over warranty repairs so DJI can't be castigated for that but the length of time involved can be a bit unreasonable. You have to weigh up the cost of the new shell against the probable time you won't have a Phantom. Some OPs go and buy a second AC so they always have at least one to play with, sounds like a good excuse if you can justify it to the other half (or keep it hidden)!!

Well I'm wanting to get a Mavic when ever they get to where you can even get one.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 18:49
What you are seeing there is the shield soldered to the outside of the connector dead beat. And I don't have a thing to prove to you or anyone else I was just passing on what happened to my drone. You can say what you think caused it all night long doesn't matter to me either way. Andwhat you're talking about there is not even solder it's a reflection off of the epoxy that I put over the connection.

what i'm seeing is too much heat put on the wires, I wouldn't feel safe using it.
you also have broken pieces on the landing gear

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 18:49
What you are seeing there is the shield soldered to the outside of the connector dead beat. And I don't have a thing to prove to you or anyone else I was just passing on what happened to my drone. You can say what you think caused it all night long doesn't matter to me either way. Andwhat you're talking about there is not even solder it's a reflection off of the epoxy that I put over the connection.

So you threw away the busted drone shell, and can't post any pics of the whole shell, is that correct?
We're there cracks on the upper shell as well? If not, you might have kept it for future use. ;-)

Fly safe...

RedHotPoker

kidsolo Posted at 2017-3-4 19:01
what i'm seeing is too much heat put on the wires, I wouldn't feel safe using it.
you also have broken pieces on the landing gear

Yeah and I have brand new landing gear to go on it. And I have no clue as to where you think the heat has been too long on it. Heck you can't even see it because of the epoxy!

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-3-4 19:01
So you threw away the busted drone shell, and can't post any pics of the whole shell, is that correct?
We're there cracks on the upper shell as well? If not, you might have kept it for future use. ;-)

Ah....yeah, I threw it away. And the top has no cracks that I can see but I have no need for it so it will be trashed as well.

Sprtbkrydr Posted at 2017-3-4 19:11
Ah....yeah, I threw it away. And the top has no cracks that I can see but I have no need for it so it will be trashed as well.

Best of luck, with the new shell, when ever it arrives...


Enjoy.


RedHotPoker