Hi everyone i had a crash after the firmware update. The unit pitched to the left like one of the motors quit. it then slammed into the side of my neighbors truck. It busted the housing and knocked the camera off. should i send it in for a warranty or fix it myself? I am nervous to send it in after reading all of the post. talked to DJI they said they would need too see it first.
Thanks


4 month old phantom vision 2, never had a problem

Ahh, there's the rub!  I too have read with great trepidation the stories of woe when sending in Phantoms for repair.  The loooooong wait, the likelihood of actually being fixed under warranty, the sticker shock of the repair bill, etc, etc, etc.  

Well, all I can do is give you my thought process and experience.  First thing I did was buy another Phantom 2 Vision + because I didn't want to be waiting forever for it to be repaired.  The timing seemed to be good because that same week was when DJI came out with the newest and upgraded P2V+.  Second, I felt I could not honestly criticize DJI about their warranty/repair service unless I actually tried it first (fingers are still crossed)

The "repair it myself" option.  I seriously gave that some thought for a number of reasons.  An abundance of parts from many vendors; I am computer literate, have built my own for decades; I'm comfortable with relatively simple electronics and with soldering.  From what I've already seen inside the Phantoms, and I don't want to oversimplify it too much, it looks like a fairly modular system.  Considering the damage my Phantom sustained I thought about cannibalizing the good parts and putting them onto a Flame Wheel ARF kit.  I also thought what better way to learn more about these things than by getting in there and getting my hands dirty, so to speak.

Again, this is just part of my thought process.  I am fully aware not everyone can just buy another Phantom as a spare but I have quickly learned this can be an addictive and expensive hobby (I now have 4 different Phantoms -- including the one currently awaiting autopsy by DJI)  Hope that helps you make a decision

Hi simon1957, I know it is heartbreaking to see the Phantom crash. Did you fly it in an open area first away from vehicles and people?  Maybe you can send a video or some photos to the tech support people for further advice before going for the repair it yourself option. The Phantom is an all-in-one system, but like what gil said, it is also a modular system for easy expansion and modification. For people like gil, it should be quite fun to get hands dirty. The decision is yours to make.

gil@wk.net Posted at 2014-11-17 03:56
Ahh, there's the rub!  I too have read with great trepidation the stories of woe when sending in Pha ...

Hi Gil thanks for your reply. I too have built my own computers and have been in repair 35 years. I think i will send to dji so i cand find out what happened. Its going to be a long 4 weeks without it.  Thanks again

DJI-Rodimus Pri Posted at 2014-11-17 16:44
Hi simon1957, I know it is heartbreaking to see the Phantom crash. Did you fly it in an open area fi ...

Hi dji, i flew in an open area at aroud 150 feet for 10 minutes with no prblems. I had eight satellite's came down to around 15 feet to take pictures and that is when it crashed. i have decided to send it to DJI for repair to find out what happend. Thank you for the response.

simon1957 Posted at 2014-11-17 19:20
Hi dji, i flew in an open area at aroud 150 feet for 10 minutes with no prblems. I had eight satel ...

Keep faith

Consider me gobsmacked!  Earlier I said I couldn't legitimately comment on DJI's warranty / repair service unless I actually tried it.  Got an email today regarding the P2V+ is sent in for repair on Oct 29th:

We have found that your unit was too damaged to warrant repair in a timely fashion so we replaced Phantom 2 Vision Plus with a refurbished unit. The firmware has been updated to version 3.8, was test flown, and is fully operational.

Your unit has been sent to our shipping department. You will be sent a FedEX tracking number in a separate email once your unit has been shipped out.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact DJI customer support.

Sincerely,
DJI Repair Team
The Future of Possible

DJI North America

Well SHAZAM!

(of course I can only fly it indoors now or the FAA and NTSB will swoop in and fine me $10,000.00 for flying it over my own property and frightening the deer)

That's great thanks for letting me know good luck