Dear DJI Support,
My Inspire 2 has just come back from your factory for repairs after a crash a few months ago, caused by DroneDeploy.  I have not yet attempted to start it up or fly it.  Today I was doing a visual safety inspection and installed the propellers.  I spun each propeller to check for any problems.  Unlike before the crash, now each propeller/motor makes a strange sound when I spin them (see video).  There seems to be a sound like a bearing is loose or something is grinding.



(I am aware of the propeller problems from earlier this year and was also one of the customers who had faulty props.  I followed a YouTube video that instructed how to use the foam from the battery case to create small inserts into the underside of the props)

What is your opinion?  Is this normal? Safe to fly?  Or do I have to send it back to the factory again?

The crash happened in the middle of July and I have just recently received the aircraft.  I received an email stating that a full QA procedure was performed and that it passed.  I have CareRefresh but I'd rather not use it if I don't have to.

On top of all of this, your telephone support staff nickel and dimed me on replacement props.  They claimed that I did not send in the broken props, but in fact, I did.  After seven calls and what added up to many hours on hold and talking with various agents, I finally gave up and bought new props myself, from your online store.  I spent over $12,000.00 on this aircraft, including extra lenses and licenses, etc.  The aircraft is under warranty.  As I mentioned, I also have CareRefresh.  Yet, I had to buy $25.00 props myself?  Pardon my language, but WTF?!  Your telephone support process is the most awful customer experience I've ever had.

Please advise regarding the prop issue.

Thank you,

Doug Cuffman
Swarm Media

Doug, we are really sorry for the unpleasant experience with our customer service, I've seen the new propellers are on the way since you complained about the propellers were missed in the package before. Have you received the shipping label?
For the propellers you purchased, are there foams in them? Could you please take a picture for us to review?

Good Morning,

Yes, a package showed up this morning.  HOWEVER, only two props were inside.  What am I supposed to do with only two props??

In any case, I did install them and spun them.  The sound is normal now, which leads me to believe that the props I purchased were indeed faulty.  After all these months, how can you guys still continue to sell these faulty propellers??!!

I've taken photos of each faulty prop as you requested.

How can I get the other two props and a refund for these faulty set of four props?

Thank you,

Doug Cuffman
Swarm Media

(Three of the four props.  I can't find the fourth photo)
http://www.swarmmedia.net/prop-photos

Swarm Posted at 2017-9-28 05:53
Good Morning,

Yes, a package showed up this morning.  HOWEVER, only two props were inside.  What am I supposed to do with only two props??

Can you please provide us the order number of propellers firstly?

Order Number:  0019528870550

Can you please send the other two propellers to me, asap?  I have a job coming up and need to have them.

Thank you,

DC

Swarm Posted at 2017-9-29 04:51
Order Number:  0019528870550

Can you please send the other two propellers to me, asap?  I have a job coming up and need to have them.

I will escalate to local repair team to send another two propellers as soon as possible, you can also contact our support to start a ticket to send in these four propellers for replacement.

It sounds exactly like the "loose Prop" problem. If you can see any "teeter taw" motion when you take the tip of the prop and move it up and down then the problem is the loose prop.

Does it make any odd noise with the props off? do they all feel the same when you turn them with the props off?

Mark G.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2017-9-27 23:14
Doug, we are really sorry for the unpleasant experience with our customer service, I've seen the new propellers are on the way since you complained about the propellers were missed in the package before. Have you received the shipping label?
For the propellers you purchased, are there foams in them? Could you please take a picture for us to review?

Oh please mindy, does this go on and on?, we have this promblem from the start, so stop look for answers here from users, you need to give us answers, no DJI have to give us answers!,

I'm afraid that you'll have to fix the props yourself.

The ones that DJI sell or send you will have a foam insert in the connector. This will fix the wobble for a very short amount of time but then the foam will loose it's cushion memory and the wobble will return.

I actually think it's dangerous for these to be sent out because people may not check the state of there props for some time after they are first used. By the time they do check and realise that they wobble badly, there may have been damage to the motors or air frame caused by the vibrations of the loose props.

There are various ways to stop the props wobbling. Adding a layer of glue or other material to bulk out the connection to the motors seems to work fine. If you check previous threads you can find all the help you need.

Altitude Drones Posted at 2017-10-2 02:23
I'm afraid that you'll have to fix the props yourself.

The ones that DJI sell or send you will have a foam insert in the connector. This will fix the wobble for a very short amount of time but then the foam will loose it's cushion memory and the wobble will return.

Totally agree!  How can they continue selling these?!

I've had to come to the conclusion that nothings perfect.

The fact that you can adapt the props to make them safe is good enough and if anything has made me more interested in how else the drone can be adapted for the better.

I've spent over 10K on this kit and have to say I love it to bits even with it's problems.

If I brought a Ferrari that had loose wheels that shook the axial off I'd expect it sorted though

Without glue..

I received a new set of propellers today from your support team.  However, all four of these propellers are defective as well!

Honestly, what is a customer suppose to do?  It is not safe for me to fly the drone in this condition.  And while I'm sure I can jerry-rig the props using a YouTube solution, it's not right and certainly not precision.

Please help!  I have a job coming up on Monday and I need this drone to work!

DC

Hello Support,

Are you going to respond to my request?  You sent me new props but they are defective as well!

Please help!

DC

fanse186c04e Posted at 2017-10-1 11:39
Oh please mindy, does this go on and on?, we have this promblem from the start, so stop look for answers here from users, you need to give us answers, no DJI have to give us answers!,

Sorry for the late response because of Chinese National Holiday.
We have given the answer from the beginning that this is normal and it won't affect flight performance. The tolerances are within a standard range.
I personally understand your concern, but this is the official expatiation from our engineers, hope you can understand.

Swarm Posted at 2017-10-8 04:42
Hello Support,

Are you going to respond to my request?  You sent me new props but they are defective as well!

Hi, Swarm, sorry for the late response because of Chinese National Holiday.
Did you get the propellers with foam inserted?  I will explain again this situation。
The abnormal sound and shake occur because there is a gap between the propeller and propeller mounting plate. As the propeller and propeller mounting plate are plastic parts made through injection molding, there might be an engineering tolerance with them. The shipped Inspire 2 aircraft have been tested and quality assessment has been conducted. The tolerances are within a standard range. This issue does not affect the normal use and flight safety.

Thanks for your understanding.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2017-10-12 04:07
Hi, Swarm, sorry for the late response because of Chinese National Holiday.
Did you get the propellers with foam inserted?  I will explain again this situation。
The abnormal sound and shake occur because there is a gap between the propeller and propeller mounting plate. As the propeller and propeller mounting plate are plastic parts made through injection molding, there might be an engineering tolerance with them. The shipped Inspire 2 aircraft have been tested and quality assessment has been conducted. The tolerances are within a standard range. This issue does not affect the normal use and flight safety.

DJI Mindy,

Perhaps that is your canned response, but indeed this is not normal by any means.  The prop clearly does not fit as-is and must be modified to fit properly.  This is simply not acceptable, especially after paying almost $12k for the aircraft.

It seems obvious to me that DJI really doesn't care about keeping its industry/professional customers.  After all, you could sell 20 Spark toy drones and equal the amount I paid... so why worry if I'm happy, right?

So appalled.

i would suspect that isn't your i2 i would make sure your drone is numbers matching to your box. to me it sounds like your motors have something in them sound like the old brushed motors when they go bad that is concerning.