All,

  
  

I'm pretty annoyed about this, hence venting my anger here. I always wanted a DJI drone and being a family man, home, kids, everyday life came first. Anyways, I manage to save enough money to purchase a second hand DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Drone. This drone was in immaculate condition and has hardly been flown (as confirmed by the smart batteries). Now, I'm a fair weather drone flyer, I never fly in wind, and am always careful where and how I fly.

  
  

So, before every flight, I complete a flight check, and on this occasion I has noticed a stress crack just below the left had rear motor. I am really annoyed with DJI on this (as I previously stated, this drone has always been flown with care), not only have I had to save to purchase this drone, but with only half a dozen flights under my  belt I now have to (if I decide to) spend more money on obtaining the correct repair. In all honesty, I’m tempted to just get rid and not go down the DJI road again.

  
  

Surely this is a design fault – Not that DJI will ever admit it, and no it is not under warranty.............

Thanks for reading

Chris

  

That cheap plastic will always haunt them.  Sorry this happened to ya.

Hi, thanks for reaching DJI Forum. We do apologize for the troubles. May we ask if its an online purchase? We're here to help. Thank you.

Plastaid works nicely for repairs like this.  Also, you might consider adjusting the brakes down as I did so it doesn't halt so abruptly.  

Mark The Droner Posted at 2018-7-21 08:52
Plastaid works nicely for repairs like this.  Also, you might consider adjusting the brakes down as I did so it doesn't halt so abruptly.

Hi Mark, many thanks for the information. I'll try a self repair, I have never used 'Plastaid', I'll Google and go from there. I'll also adjust the brake down as suggested. Thanks again buddy.

DJI Gamora Posted at 2018-7-21 07:35
Hi, thanks for reaching DJI Forum. We do apologize for the troubles. May we ask if its an online purchase? We're here to help. Thank you.

It was an online purchase via Ebay (as stated in my opening post - the drone was immaculate condition when purchased, no crashes, and only a handful of flights). I just cannot believe a company like DJI would use inferior plastics.......

ALABAMA Posted at 2018-7-21 07:04
That cheap plastic will always haunt them.  Sorry this happened to ya.

Thanks Alabama.

Chris, sorry for your issues. I have 2 Phantom 3's, a Standard and a Professional but have yet to notice any stress fractures. I have heard of them and if you Google it you should see some posts on it. I have heard people say that this is sometimes caused by people installing prop guards and torquing the screws to much? I hope you can get this resolved pal and please post your progress!

Chris_A Posted at 2018-7-21 09:49
Thanks Alabama.

Chris, this has been talked about for a long time and there are a ton of posts about those pesky cracks. You are one of many that has experienced them, along with myself. I have used the Plast-Aid, and it does work. It is like a solvent that will melt the cracks together. It is like water, so be careful with it because it will run all over the place. Dab it on a bit at a time. I have repaired quite a few of the phantoms, and I also use the motor supports. The help too and are cheap. The cracks you are showing are nothing compared to what I have had and seen. But you are doing the correct thing by trying to fix them now. They shouldn't cause you any problems. I have put new shells on phantoms and had them come back in short order, yet some people will saying they have been flying for a long time and never had any.

Didn't mean to post the above so quickly. I had the same issue and bought some motor mount brackets. Don't think they will help a lot but maybe a little. I don't think the cracks will cause catastrophic failure so I will keep on flying till it disintegrates or I decide to replace the shell. Looks like an easy job.

Interesting that there is no warranty whatsoever on the Airframe!

Rodger8 Posted at 2018-7-21 16:34
Interesting that there is no warranty whatsoever on the Airframe!

Where is that stated?

I too had the stress cracks.. I purchased my 3 pro from y wife's cousin and it was like new but no warranty. I called DJI to raise hell but they didn't care. I pointed out that it is clearly a design flaw.  I know an engineer who claims it isn't a design flaw but the fact that the screws are tightened too tight at the factory.. EITHER WAY ITS NOT OUR FAULT and DJI should cover this.  I went to the DJI store in Paramus, NJ who sent it to NYC for repair. Cost me $75.  but I wasn't crazy about trying to do it myself.  When I got it back I loosened the motor screws and gently tightened them up.   I also purchased brackets but have not put them on yet.   The rep at the DJI store in Paramus said that he had the cracks on his pHantom 4 . He said mine were. not that bad, but when I asked him how I would know that the motors were about to fall out he laughed and wrote it up for repair.

The only way to avoid this is to not purchase a phantom.. Stick to Mavic... do they have any flaws?

Photojunky - You're right - you don't put loctite in a Phantom - at least not while it's wet.  It's been documented that the fumes from the curing process will damage the plastic.  So that's probably where your second set of cracks came from.  It might be possible to put the loctite on the screw and then let it dry completely before threading the screw in.  Personally, I don't use anything.  

Geebax Posted at 2018-7-21 16:47
Where is that stated?

Under the DJI Warranty Statement ![tr][/tr]

Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 \ Phantom 4 Pro \ Phantom 4 Advanced \ Phantom 4
	Remote Controller with Built-in Screen（Screen）	6 Months
	Remote Controller with Built-in Screen（Controller）	12 Months
	Battery	6 Months and Charge Cycle less than 200 Times
	Battery Charger	6 Months
	Frame	No Warranty

There, I read it for you!
Why do you comment on things you know nothing about or have experience with other than grabbing a couple of points !

Rodger8 Posted at 2018-7-21 18:29
Under the DJI Warranty Statement !

Amazing, I just looked it up and you are quite correct, none of their aircraft carry a warranty on the frame itself. For anyone interested, look at it here: https://www.dji.com/service/policy

Mind you, in certain parts of the world they would not be able to get away with that, as those countries grant you excpanded rights with regard to warranty coverage.

Sorry for your cracks.  It has been observed that some frames suffer from that symptom, many others do not.  It has been put down to a bad batch in the moulding process.  We saw a spate of them for a while, but nothing much since, so the problem must have been addressed.  A bad batch does not make a design flaw, otherwise everyone else would be experiencing the same problem.   DJI were pretty good about replacing the defective airframes while they were under warranty.  There are many threads on the subject attesting to this.

Unfortunately what you have is a second-hand product.  This model has been out of production for a couple of years.   You cannot expect DJI -- or any manufacturer -- to warranty a product forever.  Their stated periods were 6 to 12 months, depending on the component, however that is often overridden and extended by local consumer protection laws.  As a second-hand product you also take the chance the previous owner did something silly -- did he have a non-apparent crash/hard bump?  Did he overtighten the screw himself?  Did he attach prop protectors poorly?  This doesn't necessarily excuse the cracks for appearing but any remedy would have been provided to the original owner for the first year or so while the model was current.  Warranty is non-transferrable.  

You wouldn't expect a car manufacturer to have to warranty a used car with a cracked windscreen 5 years later, especially when every other car isn't experiencing that fault.  I don't think it is reasonable to expect DJI to cover this fault so long after it has ceased manufacturing that model.

I wold also support the advice about getting some motor mounts and fitting them. I put them on my 3 as soon as I saw even a hint of a crack developing and so far they have been successful. Added to the other advice about screws and Plastaid, I should think you can achieve a very good repair and keep flying.

Chris_A Posted at 2018-7-21 09:49
It was an online purchase via Ebay (as stated in my opening post - the drone was immaculate condition when purchased, no crashes, and only a handful of flights). I just cannot believe a company like DJI would use inferior plastics.......

Hello there. We sincerely apologize for what happened. I just want to let you know that you bought this item through eBay and in eBay, you may not be sure if the item doesn't have that damage before you actually fly it. I highly suggest contacting the reseller to confirm it. Or we can send it to our facility to check the damage and the flight logs.

Geebax Posted at 2018-7-21 19:07
Amazing, I just looked it up and you are quite correct, none of their aircraft carry a warranty on the frame itself. For anyone interested, look at it here: https://www.dji.com/service/policy

Mind you, in certain parts of the world they would not be able to get away with that, as those countries grant you excpanded rights with regard to warranty coverage.

The problem is that the airframe is prone to cracks due to weakness. It seems to be prevalent at the rear port and starboard arms around the motors. I feel that it is due to the added weight of the battery in the rear and the hard braking in GPS Mode. They need to strengthen those arms or design them with some give, a bit more flexible. I am not a hard flyer by any means and both of the rear arms around the port and starboard motors are cracked in several places. I did some CA glue and hot glue gun on the cracks but that did not do much. What is left of the frame seems to be solid, but I do check it before every flight. If DJI warrantied every airframe they would be replacing every unit sold, so they do not warrant it.

Hi, I am sorry for the trouble that you have on your DJI Phantom 3 Advance. To help you further with this issue please contact DJI Support for further help. Please send an email to support@dji.com for further help on this issue.

Rodger8 Posted at 2018-7-22 13:12
The problem is that the airframe is prone to cracks due to weakness. It seems to be prevalent at the rear port and starboard arms around the motors. I feel that it is due to the added weight of the battery in the rear and the hard braking in GPS Mode. They need to strengthen those arms or design them with some give, a bit more flexible. I am not a hard flyer by any means and both of the rear arms around the port and starboard motors are cracked in several places. I did some CA glue and hot glue gun on the cracks but that did not do much. What is left of the frame seems to be solid, but I do check it before every flight. If DJI warrantied every airframe they would be replacing every unit sold, so they do not warrant it.

So the DJI response to this is not to fix the problem, but to take action to exclude the airframe from warranty. DJI should be ashamed of themselves, that is the response of a crooked company, certainly not one who cares about their customers.

I'm going for a self repair (as I cannot justify a estimated repair cost of £130.00). I also add motor mounts (as shown above). Thank you for all the comments.

Chris

endotherm Posted at 2018-7-22 01:19
Sorry for your cracks.  It has been observed that some frames suffer from that symptom, many others do not.  It has been put down to a bad batch in the moulding process.  We saw a spate of them for a while, but nothing much since, so the problem must have been addressed.  A bad batch does not make a design flaw, otherwise everyone else would be experiencing the same problem.   DJI were pretty good about replacing the defective airframes while they were under warranty.  There are many threads on the subject attesting to this.

Unfortunately what you have is a second-hand product.  This model has been out of production for a couple of years.   You cannot expect DJI -- or any manufacturer -- to warranty a product forever.  Their stated periods were 6 to 12 months, depending on the component, however that is often overridden and extended by local consumer protection laws.  As a second-hand product you also take the chance the previous owner did something silly -- did he have a non-apparent crash/hard bump?  Did he overtighten the screw himself?  Did he attach prop protectors poorly?  This doesn't necessarily excuse the cracks for appearing but any remedy would have been provided to the original owner for the first year or so while the model was current.  Warranty is non-transferrable.  

No, I agree, but I would expect a car manufacturer to issue a re-call if there was a known issue with said model of vehicle if deemed unsafe. In my opinion, cracking of an air frame (especially under the motors) in my opinion is not safe, not only for the pilot of the aircraft but for those around them also. Yes, I agree, that I cannot 100% prove that the screws have not been tampered with, all I can say is that the air craft has only been flown for a few flights prior to my ownership, but there does seem a raft of complaints of the same issue across the internet. Coincidence, I don’t think so…..

Chris_A Posted at 2018-7-23 00:10
No, I agree, but I would expect a car manufacturer to issue a re-call if there was a known issue with said model of vehicle if deemed unsafe. In my opinion, cracking of an air frame (especially under the motors) in my opinion is not safe, not only for the pilot of the aircraft but for those around them also. Yes, I agree, that I cannot 100% prove that the screws have not been tampered with, all I can say is that the air craft has only been flown for a few flights prior to my ownership, but there does seem a raft of complaints of the same issue across the internet. Coincidence, I don’t think so…..

Unfortunately for you there is not enough to support a case of a recall for a design flaw.  The number of motor supports cracking seems far outweighed by the number of aircraft in service that have suffered absolutely no defect, despite hard crashes and landings. Sure you might see a "raft of complaints" on various forums, but there aren't the corresponding posts of praise because nothing happened to the overwhelming majority of machines.  As with everything mechanical, there has to be a "weak link" somewhere.  It would appear that the motor mount is it, and sometimes it is prone to fail.  That doesn't mean it is a defect or design flaw.

The shells for the P2 and early P3's were actually lighter and less ribbed and reinforced.   I'll see if I can find some pictures for you.  DJI quickly redesigned and reinforced the shells which addressed the forces experienced in a more powerful aircraft.  Unfortunately no amount of design can accommodate for a plastic moulding facility taking short-cuts and cost-cutting using recycled or sub-standard non-virgin plastic during manufacture.  It is impossible to know if you are a victim of a bad batch until something gives.  Then again similar damage can occur for a variety of reasons.  I'm sure from a commercial standpoint DJI can't just assume all such damage is from faulty manufacture, but they did seem to do the right thing if the failure was discovered early in life and sent in for replacement of the shell.

endotherm Posted at 2018-7-23 03:31
Unfortunately for you there is not enough to support a case of a recall for a design flaw.  The number of motor supports cracking seems far outweighed by the number of aircraft in service that have suffered absolutely no defect, despite hard crashes and landings. Sure you might see a "raft of complaints" on various forums, but there aren't the corresponding pots of praise because nothing happened to the majority of

So it would seem. Anyways, I just awaiting a quotation from a local drone repair centre before I finally decide what avenue to take. Thanks again for your input.

Have a look at this thread for a comparison of new vs old shells, posted around 2015.

Another discussion here.

endotherm Posted at 2018-7-23 03:52
Have a look at this thread for a comparison of new vs old shells, posted around 2015.

Another discussion here.

Many thanks. The quotation from the drone repair centre placed the cost at £199.99 (as below);

“Alright , as I see the damage is on the bottom shell of that P3, the price of re-housing is £199.99 because you literally have to take out all components (includes soldering of lvl 2) and put it into a new one. That job does take about 2 hours in general. Also, if you would like to bring it in just bring it to your closest branch: https://www.ismash.com/pages/locations they will book you in and after that the device will be forwarded to me and whole process does take up to 10 working days since I receive it here in Central Workshop”

It’s really not worth that cost, I would rather invest the £200.00 in another drone rather than on an aging unit. So, I'll make my own repair (I wouldn’t be comfortable swapping the shell myself), then add the aluminium plates to add a little strength to each arm. As I’m an occasional flyer it should suffice.

Geebax Posted at 2018-7-22 19:34
So the DJI response to this is not to fix the problem, but to take action to exclude the airframe from warranty. DJI should be ashamed of themselves, that is the response of a crooked company, certainly not one who cares about their customers.

I must agree with you and the problem is not a new one. They do not seem to care about much, kinda a take it or leave it attitude. I had one fall out of the air and a complete wipe out. Luckily no one was hurt. The battery just shut down with no warning. This is the good part. When I inserted the battery it turned itself on and off. I thought it was not inserted properly so I took it out and  put it back in and everything was fine for 7 laps around a field and then it fell. Checked every flight log service that is out there and there was nothing failing prior to the shut down and the battery was at 70%. Now, chapter 2. I had bought two batteries with the P4P. The second battery had been cycled 57 times and I went to use it and the same thing happened. I put it in and it turned on and off. This time I was not going to use it. In examining the battery while installed I discovered that by pushing in on the battery front it would turn on and off. Not the on and off button mind you, the cover with the LED's. Perfect!! now I have the culprit in regard to the Phantoms just shutting down and falling from the sky. I'll give DJI the battery the can examine it and remedy the issue for the future. I wasn't looking for a replacement, I wanted to give it to them to help them and the community. I sent an email to DJI Support explaining all of this in detail. The battery obviously has a cracked board or component and turns on and off by itself. Some Clown replies and states to run the battery down to 18% and recharge it. Obviously he never read my detailed report or read it and didn't care! Wh knows? It gets even better, I bought a replacement  battery  and when I went to use it. The same thing! push in on the front cover of the battery, on and off. That went back and I am waiting for a replacement. I have three other batteries and I can push in and out on the cover and they work fine. Press on them all day and not a flicker. The rules out the P4P and isolates it to the battery. Sorry to be long winded but someone my read this and give their battery a push on the front cover and see it blink on and off. If it does, do not use it, it will shut down and fall out of the sky sooner or later. Back to the cracks in the airframe. I am looking at Chris' post below your reply and that may be a remedy. The cracks in the airframe are definitely related to the torque of the motors. They do originate /terminate at the motor.

Rodger8 Posted at 2018-7-23 11:29
I must agree with you and the problem is not a new one. They do not seem to care about much, kinda a take it or leave it attitude. I had one fall out of the air and a complete wipe out. Luckily no one was hurt. The battery just shut down with no warning. This is the good part. When I inserted the battery it turned itself on and off. I thought it was not inserted properly so I took it out and  put it back in and everything was fine for 7 laps around a field and then it fell. Checked every flight log service that is out there and there was nothing failing prior to the shut down and the battery was at 70%. Now, chapter 2. I had bought two batteries with the P4P. The second battery had been cycled 57 times and I went to use it and the same thing happened. I put it in and it turned on and off. This time I was not going to use it. In examining the battery while installed I discovered that by pushing in on the battery front it would turn on and off. Not the on and off button mind you, the cover with the LED's. Perfect!! now I have the culprit in regard to the Phantoms just shutting down and falling from the sky. I'll give DJI the battery the can examine it and remedy the issue for the future. I wasn't looking for a replacement, I wanted to give it to them to help them and the community. I sent an email to DJI Support explaining all of this in detail. The battery obviously has a cracked board or component and turns on and off by itself. Some Clown replies and states to run the battery down to 18% and recharge it. Obviously he never read my detailed report or read it and didn't care! Wh knows? It gets even better, I bought a replacement  battery  and when I went to use it. The same thing! push in on the front cover of the battery, on and off. That went back and I am waiting for a replacement. I have three other batteries and I can push in and out on the cover and they work fine. Press on them all day and not a flicker. The rules out the P4P and isolates it to the battery. Sorry to be long winded but someone my read this and give their battery a push on the front cover and see it blink on and off. If it does, do not use it, it will shut down and fall out of the sky sooner or later. Back to the cracks in the airframe. I am looking at Chris' post below your reply and that may be a remedy. The cracks in the airframe are definitely related to the torque of the motors. They do originate /terminate at the motor.

Yes, I dont trust the new connector that connects the battery to the aircraft. I don't think it is as reliable as the P3's spade connector.

Chris_A Posted at 2018-7-22 21:45
[view_image]

I'm going for a self repair (as I cannot justify a estimated repair cost of £130.00). I also add motor mounts (as shown above). Thank you for all the comments.

I did the same with mine even before I saw a crack.
They help by spreading the load over a larger area when the drone lifts rather than lifting by just the 4 screws.

While I'm here, any recommendations on how best to repair said crack before installing the motor mounts (what glue to use etc. method etc).

Thanks again for all of your input

Chris

I have used some clear 2-part epoxy and actually put it on the motor mounts and bolted them on. Yes, they are now part of the aircraft and not removable, but that is ok with me. You can find it everywhere made by several companies. Don't try to use Gorrila glue or Loctite as those will cause you problems. The Plast-aid is like water, and will kind of melt the cracks together, but isn't thick enough to bond the motor re-enforcements to the shell in my opinion. I have repaired several phantoms this way with very good results. You might want to lightly scuff the lower shell with some steel wool or lightly sand so you get a good bond.

RicardoGray Posted at 2018-7-24 04:23
I have used some clear 2-part epoxy and actually put it on the motor mounts and bolted them on. Yes, they are now part of the aircraft and not removable, but that is ok with me. You can find it everywhere made by several companies. Don't try to use Gorrila glue or Loctite as those will cause you problems. The Plast-aid is like water, and will kind of melt the cracks together, but isn't thick enough to bond the motor re-enforcements to the shell in my opinion. I have repaired several phantoms this way with very good results. You might want to lightly scuff the lower shell with some steel wool or lightly sand so you get a good bond.

Thanks for the information Ricardo, I'm not prepared to pay for a repair so I'll give it ag (did you do the same for all motor arms)??

I was looking at this for an epoxy (any thoughts?)

After reading this thread I decided to look over my phantom 3 advanced I have one stress crack I will be visiting a DJI dealer to see the best repair on the market for this not to happen again

fansfbaf8336 Posted at 2018-7-25 16:24
After reading this thread I decided to look over my phantom 3 advanced I have one stress crack I will be visiting a DJI dealer to see the best repair on the market for this not to happen again

Please let us all know how you get on, I'm guessing your drone is still under warranty?

fansfbaf8336 Posted at 2018-7-25 16:24
After reading this thread I decided to look over my phantom 3 advanced I have one stress crack I will be visiting a DJI dealer to see the best repair on the market for this not to happen again

Please let us all know how you get on, I'm guessing your drone is still under warranty?