Statistic:125 flight, 330km, 17 months, no crash, wind not stronger than 5m/s, no rain/snow.
I'm quality inspector in the Aviation Company and I put lots of attention to my aircraft.
Unfortunately during after fly inspection I have found 3 small cracks directly under engine mount. It makes me very sad.

I thougt that this problem is only for older version of P3 Standard and maybe DJI company solved it.
Shop where I bought it said that is my fault and it can not be repaired on waranty terms.

How do you think, can I count on DJI support on that matter or try to look for local servis to change shell?
How much it could cost?
Whats are your expiriences?

Regards
KoYoT

You might take a look at plastaid.  You also might consider decreasing the hard braking action of the AC via Go.

Good luck.

It happens.  Bad batches of plastic.

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-24 03:22
You might take a look at plastaid.  You also might consider decreasing the hard braking action of the AC via Go.

Good luck.

All AC settings are changed to give me a slow, smooth yaw & pan movement be proper for smooth video recording. Acceleration/Breaking always were set to proportional setting. Hard breaking happend few times, it looks more hard when I fly with wind.

I have asked for servis some local company they estimate price for shell switch at ~$100.   

KoYoT, I am sorry to hear about your cracking dilemma.  I know you stated that you had your bird 17 months but I would still contact DJI support.  In Europe don't you have a 2 year warranty?  If so they will look at your flight records and DJI will determine the fault. (it doesn't sound like it was caused by you)  When you do swap out bodies I highly recommend using the plastaid that Mark The Droner suggests.  There are many videos on YouTube showing how to reinforce with the plastaid product on a new uncracked body. Good luck.

P3KoYoT Posted at 1-24 10:07
All AC settings are changed to give me a slow, smooth yaw & pan movement be proper for smooth video recording. Acceleration/Breaking always were set to proportional setting. Hard breaking happend few times, it looks more hard when I fly with wind.

I have asked for servis some local company they estimate price for shell switch at ~$100.

Doesn't matter even I your settings are in your favor. Some phantom owners have experienced these cracks on various aircrafts. As Mark suggested, Plastaid is a solvent that will kind of fuse the plastic together. And it does work. You might also consider some motor re-enforcements. There have been quite a few posts regarding these cracks, with many suggestions. Nothing to get real upset about until they get really large. No guarantee a new shell won't crack again.
A lot of us have just gotten use to dealing with them.

Mine is produced in 2017 too more then 200 flights and more than 400 km and no crack visible until now. May be you got a bad production charge of the shell.

Peterx Posted at 1-25 06:49
Mine is produced in 2017 too more then 200 flights and more than 400 km and no crack visible until now. May be you got a bad production charge of the shell.

I thought abou that. Some people reports that they shells got broken after just few flights. I can't imagine how hard need to fly to broke it. I was almost sure when I pass 300km that this problem is not related to my model. Unfortunately it seems that was hidden trouble and even my smooth slow flight did not help at that distance.

P3A with cracks.    @150.00 US.    Bench test and flight tests by service provider afterwards.   All good.  

MEK  (methy ethyl ketone) is a good solution. Small amount applied with pin or wire welds the cracks. Used it on mine, with no further progression of cracks. This is a common problem with phantoms.

There are some photos of existing cracks. I just sent warranty request to seller, we will see is it polite so much to help me.
On 3 of 4 arms I have detect small cracks, it was hard to take photos. Maybe I panic too much, but it is professional deviation.

Slight, but they will get worse with time.

I'm not going to fly anymore until I get answear from the seller or DJI

P3KoYoT Posted at 2-11 09:39
I'm not going to fly anymore until I get answear from the seller or DJI

You may not be flying for a long time. Best of luck getting someone to do anything with those cracks. I understand how you feel, but the truth is this has been an issue for a very long time. With you having it now for around 1 1/2 years, pretty sure DJI will not do anything, so hope your seller will.
Those cracks you show are really nothing, but they will increase over time. I wouldn't hold out, but obviously it is your choice. Many of us have been dealing with these cracks for over 4-years now, and I have never seen an aircraft fall out of the sky because of those cracks. But I encourage you to do something to repair them if you can't get any warranty work done. Good luck to you.

#Quick Reply Here#The reason is because the engine mount screws are a hair bigger than the holes are,  remove them and file down the outer edge one the head of each screw and manually try each screw in each hole to make sure the head of each screw fits in the hole loosely. Just remove enough so the screw heads remain free in each hole...  Let me know

#Quick Reply Here#The reason is because the engine mount screws are a hair bigger than the holes are,  Remove them and file down the outer edge on the head of each screw and manually try each one in the mount holes to make sure the head of each screw fits in the hole loosely. Just remove enough so the screw heads remain free in each hole slightly...    Let me know

The reason is because the engine mount screws are a hair bigger than the holes are,  Remove them and file down the outer edge on the head of each screw and manually try each one in the mount holes to make sure the head of each screw fits in the hole loosely. Just remove enough so the screw heads remain free in each hole slightly...    Let me know

#Quick Reply HerThe reason is because the engine mount screws are a hair bigger than the holes are,  Remove them and file down the outer edge on the head of each screw and manually try each one in the mount holes to make sure the head of each screw fits in the hole loosely. Just remove enough so the screw heads remain free in each hole slightly...    Let me know e#

shawnastels Posted at 3-2 01:30
#Quick Reply HerThe reason is because the engine mount screws are a hair bigger than the holes are,  Remove them and file down the outer edge on the head of each screw and manually try each one in the mount holes to make sure the head of each screw fits in the hole loosely. Just remove enough so the screw heads remain free in each hole slightly...    Let me know e#

Thanks for the suggestions but I have contacted with the seller and we have proceeding with warranty process.
If it is correct what you wrote its mean that quality of manufacturing process is poor. If holes are not calibrated before screws were mounted, and thread line injure  edges of hole that for sure will generate notch. Then it is matter of time when fatigue cracks will develop. Same if tightening torque used for installation is too high or value is not even for each screws.

Mine flew over 300 flights or 1500 miles before cracks developed. DJI service in California fixed it for $115 but sent me a new drone in return.

Glenn Goodlett Posted at 3-4 05:03
Mine flew over 300 flights or 1500 miles before cracks developed. DJI service in California fixed it for $115 but sent me a new drone in return.

Wow impressive, on each fligh ~7km! When I using my drone for video recordings one flight is no more than 2...4km, flights need to be smooth, slow and sometimes it just hanging up. Cracks on my PH3STD are barely visible, I needed to use light trick to magnify the effects, in direct sun are not visible. Flight before last one there was no any cracks.
...
AC has been sent to the seller we will see what he will do with it.

P3KoYoT Posted at 1-24 10:07
All AC settings are changed to give me a slow, smooth yaw & pan movement be proper for smooth video recording. Acceleration/Breaking always were set to proportional setting. Hard breaking happend few times, it looks more hard when I fly with wind.

I have asked for servis some local company they estimate price for shell switch at ~$100.

If I may ask, what settings are you using? I found where to change them in GO, but I have no clue what I should set them at.

Glenn Goodlett Posted at 3-4 05:03
Mine flew over 300 flights or 1500 miles before cracks developed. DJI service in California fixed it for $115 but sent me a new drone in return.

same for me, except I had 35 flights on the ac, so I sent my drone in for a new shell replacement and DJI sent me another drone replacement, now I am in the process of transferring the N# to the new drone serial number.
DJI needs to use ABS plastic for the drone shells.

Phipps33 Posted at 3-13 10:00
If I may ask, what settings are you using? I found where to change them in GO, but I have no clue what I should set them at.

Hi Phipps33, mainly I have chenged EXP to 0.2 and stick filtering: Attitiude 30%, Brake 70%. Also in Gain I have reduce Roll to 80% and Yaw to 80%.
This helps me to fly really smooth aspecially when I start moving or breaking. With stick filtering for breaking you need to be carefull and do not fly to close to obstacles due to inertial lag.
Here you got nice explanation how the settings got impact on your A/C.

P3KoYoT Posted at 3-17 01:04
Hi Phipps33, mainly I have chenged EXP to 0.2 and stick filtering: Attitiude 30%, Brake 70%. Also in Gain I have reduce Roll to 80% and Yaw to 80%.
This helps me to fly really smooth aspecially when I start moving or breaking. With stick filtering for breaking you need to be carefull and do not fly to close to obstacles due to inertial lag.
Here you got nice explanation how the settings got impact on your A/C.

Thanks for the awesome reply! Lots to learn! LOL

Phipps33 Posted at 3-18 15:51
Thanks for the awesome reply! Lots to learn! LOL

You welcome.
I suggest also to increase the lenght of Remote Controller sticks.
  

I have just received my AC from the seller, during unpacking I found label that it was in Netherlands. The shell looks good, no sign of repair, more like replacement. So there is time for connection. I hope it will be easy.

I was happy for a while, when I received AC with replaced shell by service until I have tried to fly.
Each time I have tried to further than 50m or higher than 30m I lost  connection totaly.
What happen?
Before I sent it to seller for shell replacement everything was okay except cracks on the shell, when it back it doesn't.

Look at the warnings
  





Any ideas ??

You can get under motor plates to beef up the mounting hardware offer up and use the four longer screws that come with each set . Keep the short screws as if you ever take them off dont just put the long screws in i know many that forgot they wont forget again. Ive found if you look at screen solely braking is always harsher if you maintain some eye on the drone it stops me doing it maybe it will work for you.

G-BYPA Posted at 4-29 09:05
You can get under motor plates to beef up the mounting hardware offer up and use the four longer screws that come with each set . Keep the short screws as if you ever take them off dont just put the long screws in i know many that forgot they wont forget again. Ive found if you look at screen solely braking is always harsher if you maintain some eye on the drone it stops me doing it maybe it will work for you.

Thanks for advice. The shell has been replaced and it is brand new. Unfortunately now I have problem with random distance signal lost. As soon I will solve it for sure I will get rid PH3std.

I have recently had my lower shell replaced,  well,  actually I got back a refurbished drone but that's OK.  Where was I ?  That was after 17 months since new.
I had a 2 year warranty - in Oz that is.

DJI should man up on this and other Plastic issues.   My P3A had cracks and my P4A has cracks on battery tops.    No one purchased a Phantom to replace it in a year or two.    It makes me upset to see them ignore issues like this with all their sales and strength in this market.   Their products are technologically top notch.   Love both birds.   But man up.

Rvrrat14  - > when I bought my drone I was so happy due to fact that everything works brilliant. On the beginning some of my flights reached 500m range. I was positively surprised. I have notice that video-link at 480-500m disappear so I set the limit distance to 480m. 480m was really far away it was hard to see where the dron is going. Then appear firmware upgrade and problems just begin. Once for 3..4 restart of A/C finaly I got stable video-link connection. Downgrade helped a lot. Winter comes and I read that newest firmware was dedicated to winter condition so I performed once again firmware update. This time with no issues. A/C works stable. I bought two spear batteries it costs me 1/3 of A/C price. At the beginning of this year during after flight inspection I have found cracks on the shell. Many of users on other forum told me that it is so small you can fly without problems bu I need to keep an eye on cracks if they not grow to fast. I have sent my A/C to the seller he sent it to the service (I think Netherlands) When the A/C back to me. I have performed all possible calibrations, relink with the R/C, I have checked that all is up to date. I pack my stuff drive more than 30km to get out from CTR zone. An then occurred strange things, first was problem with "you flight altitude and distance have been limited..." so next restart of all equipment. All seems to be good aircraft A/C Status indicator GREEN, lots of sat's, compass calibration okay, take off after 30m lost signal and A/C starts RTH procedure. Another restart. Signal lost at 80m, another restart signal lost and restore so I have fly further at 230m again signal lost and RTH starts.
...I love my bird also, I did not believe that PH3 Standard is able to fly so smoothly and record so good video material. I was sure that PH4Pro makes the job, but price is far away for me, that's why I decided  to buy PH3 std.
I'm sure that during shell replacement, all components were removed from the shell, so before they removed them it needed to disconnect. I'm afraid that's something can be wrongly/poorly connected and that's why I got random problem with SIGNAL LOST issues.