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P4 motor mount fatigue crack after 6.5 hours of airtime
1702 15 2017-5-14
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VLG
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Flight distance : 126106 ft
Norway
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I discovered a fatigue crack in the upper shell today, just below the motor.

Flights: 58
Distance: 38 km
Airtime hours: 6h:22m

Always transported in the original case, never crashed or touched any objects. I don't fly hard. I have tested sports mode a couple of times, but I don't find any use for it when filming so almost all of the flight time is in P-mode.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can I expect the same to happen before 10 new airtime hours after this is repaired on warranty or am I unlucky and got a shell from a bad plastic batch?

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2017-5-14
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Nigel_
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Flight distance : 388642 ft
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That's not a nice looking one!

There have been a few of these recently, previously the P4 has been very good on cracks, so I think they have a quality problem either with the quality of a batch of plastic or the quality of new assembly workers.

It wont fall out of the sky because of that crack so I suggest you wait until you wont be using it for a few weeks and then send it in for repair/replacement.

If you bought it from a store then you may be better off just returning it to the store and asking for a replacement.
2017-5-14
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VLG
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Flight distance : 126106 ft
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I'm going to deliver it at the store as Norwegain regulations demands that I get to borrow a similar or better product  from the seller if the warranty repair takes more than one week.
2017-5-14
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dronist
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 09:14
I'm going to deliver it at the store as Norwegain regulations demands that I get to borrow a similar or better product  from the seller if the warranty repair takes more than one week.

We should ALL move to NORWAY!!!
2017-5-14
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VLG
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dronist Posted at 2017-5-14 11:51
We should ALL move to NORWAY!!!

Hehe :-) Or the US should get stricter rules to protect consumers rather than the big corporations. If I have paid for something I sould have access to it all the time within the warranty period. If something takes months to repair this shouldn't be my problem, the company that sold me the item should take the crap.

Tbh I'm not sure if this is a Norwegian rule that is better than general EEC standards, maybe this rule applies to all of the EEC (EU + some other countries) area.
2017-5-14
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VLG
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Nigel_ Posted at 2017-5-14 09:07
That's not a nice looking one!

There have been a few of these recently, previously the P4 has been very good on cracks, so I think they have a quality problem either with the quality of a batch of plastic or the quality of new assembly workers.

If I keep flying with that crack it might very well fall down. No aircraft should be in the air with structural damages to load bearing parts. Who knows how the motor will respond to this crack? Is it already unbalanced or vibrating more than the others? And what if i lose the whole outer piece?  I'm pretty sure the CAA will not agree that I can fly this thing.
2017-5-14
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dronist
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 12:09
Hehe :-) Or the US should get stricter rules to protect consumers rather than the big corporations. If I have paid for something I sould have access to it all the time within the warranty period. If something takes months to repair this shouldn't be my problem, the company that sold me the item should take the crap.

Tbh I'm not sure if this is a Norwegian rule that is better than general EEC standards, maybe this rule applies to all of the EEC (EU + some other countries) area.

Nope it is not going to work with the 'donald' in power. He likes his rich billionnaires buddies... so forget about getting stricter rules against big Corps. He is dismantling, the justice system, the EPA, etc...

Nope we are ALL moving to Norway...
2017-5-14
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tvl
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 12:14
If I keep flying with that crack it might very well fall down. No aircraft should be in the air with structural damages to load bearing parts. Who knows how the motor will respond to this crack? Is it already unbalanced or vibrating more than the others? And what if i lose the whole outer piece?  I'm pretty sure the CAA will not agree that I can fly this thing.

I really hesitated to make any type remark and I do hope this is NOT taken as a negative comment, but:

From what I have heard others say and from my own personal experience, it does appear the manufacturer will routinely return a craft that has been refurbished and not necessarily repair or return yours. Seeing how well yours has been maintained and you personally know the history of the craft, I would hate to see it replaced with something that may end up being inferior. Let's just say that I had some issues in the past, but thankfully Best Buy stepped in and made things right!

If it were mine (and mine is still under warranty also), I would replace the shell when it appeared it was no longer safe to be flown in that condition AND I would do it myself. Why? Because I know my current unit performs flawlessly, has NEVER been rough handled or crashed and does not appear to have any issues whatsoever. I just couldn't or wouldn't chance not getting back MY unit!

That is just my 2 cents!!!!!
2017-5-14
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VLG
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tvl Posted at 2017-5-14 12:34
I really hesitated to make any type remark and I do hope this is NOT taken a s a negative comment, but:

From what I have heard others say and from my own personal experience, it does appear the manufacturer will routinely return a craft that has been refurbished and not necessarily repair or return yours. Seeing how well yours has been maintained and you personally know the history of the craft, I would hate to see it replaced with something that may end up being inferior. Let's just say that I had some issues in the past, but thankfully Best Buy stepped in and made thing s right!

Thanks for the info. I guess I will write down the serial number before it is sent for repair, this can be retrieved with the DJI assistant software I guess. I'm not trading a copter that is barely used for something else with unknown history.
2017-5-14
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VLG
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dronist Posted at 2017-5-14 12:24
Nope it is not going to work with the 'donald' in power. He likes his rich billionnaires buddies... so forget about getting stricter rules against big Corps. He is dismantling, the justice system, the EPA, etc...

Nope we are ALL moving to Norway...

You're welcome here while America makes Trump great again ;-)
2017-5-14
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 12:56
You're welcome here while America makes Trump great again ;-)

Thx VLG... Really do appreciate the   
2017-5-14
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fansb1fe1104
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 12:54
Thanks for the info. I guess I will write down the serial number before it is sent for repair, this can be retrieved with the DJI assistant software I guess. I'm not trading a copter that is barely used for something else with unknown history.

If you send it in for repair it is almost certain you will get a different one back. I think I read somewhere that they always send different units. I sent mine in for repair a few months ago and they sent me back a different one. At first I was upset but then I found the horizon tilt is just about totally gone now, something I could never achieve with the original.
2017-5-14
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Nigel_
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VLG Posted at 2017-5-14 12:54
Thanks for the info. I guess I will write down the serial number before it is sent for repair, this can be retrieved with the DJI assistant software I guess. I'm not trading a copter that is barely used for something else with unknown history.

Under the terms of the warrantee they do not need to return the original, and I doubt your legal rights allow you to have yours back either.  Obviously any replacement should be in a condition at least as good as yours though.
2017-5-14
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VLG
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Nigel_ Posted at 2017-5-14 14:35
Under the terms of the warrantee they do not need to return the original, and I doubt your legal rights allow you to have yours back either.  Obviously any replacement should be in a condition at least as good as yours though.

I don't know what Norwegian law says about same or different item in return, but I know that I don't care much about what's in the DJI warranty terms. I have never done business with DJI, I purchased an item from a Norwegian retailer. I bring my warranty claims to them, the rest is between them and DJI.
2017-5-14
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Mr Pete
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I would suggest you exchange for a new one with the retailer, if it goes back to DJI then you will get a refurbished model which you have no history of the hours run on the motors etc.
2017-5-17
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Sprtbkrydr
Second Officer
Flight distance : 3777011 ft
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Good luck on getting one that don't crack.
2017-5-17
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