DJI Inspire 1 repair tutorials

supasympa · Feb 25, 2015

@gogowanda - thanks for the tip but that's already what I'm attempting - as mentioned: "What I'm hoping to do is augment my current business by offering aerial work for web publication to add to any stories." My work often involves story telling on the web, promotional marketing photos / video etc

Bene · Feb 25, 2015

Yeah I figured.... can't blame me for hoping!

supasympa · Mar 1, 2015

I've managed to write up a little bit (that's probably obvious) about removing the feet from the Inspire.

I think I've managed to repair the broken one I purchased as well and will write up the process as I get some time this week, with a view to trying to get it to fly next weekend. My advice to anyone thinking of repairing a broken carbon fibre boom themselves - don't!

http://blog.supasympa.com/2015/0 ... -a-boom-for-repair/

supasympa · Mar 2, 2015

Some more detail on my ongoing Inspire 1 repair:

Removing the carbon fibre tube / boom

gogowanda · Mar 2, 2015

I just obtained a repair cost sheet from DJI, the outer arm, for the whole piece, is merely $30...

supasympa · Mar 2, 2015

gogowanda said:
I just obtained a repair cost sheet from DJI, the outer arm, for the whole piece, is merely $30...

LOL! Does that include the repair and the shipping?

Would you mind sharing the repair cost sheet - that would be really interesting to see. Did you get that from [email protected]?

gogowanda · Mar 2, 2015

supasympa said:
LOL! Does that include the repair and the shipping?

Would you mind sharing the repair cost sheet - that would be really interesting to see. Did you get that from [email protected]?

It's a quotation from DJI China for a repair job, so I only know what's broken on his drone. The prop is $8 a piece, the motor is $36 and the arm is $30. repair cost is about $50. that's to replace the left outer arm and one motor. hope this helps. he got his turned around in roughly 10 days.

supasympa · Mar 2, 2015

gogowanda said:
It's a quotation from DJI China for a repair job, so I only know what's broken on his drone. The prop is $8 a piece, the motor is $36 and the arm is $30. repair cost is about $50. that's to replace the left outer arm and one motor. hope this helps. he got his turned around in roughly 10 days.

Really useful information, thank you. Those numbers all add up, I wonder if that will translate in Europe. I think for ~$110 a new motor and boom is a very fair price. The only problem I'd have is that shipping would probably cost around about the same to ship to the US or China from the UK and back. A battery was ~£20 one way to Germany.

Do the parts have part numbers next to them? The parts list I have doesn't list the boom.

My experience of trying to replace an Inspire boom myself has been (fun but) way too much hard work. I wouldn't recommend anyone try it themselves unless they want to waste a lot of time and effort!

gogowanda · Mar 2, 2015

It's listed as "WM610 left outer arm". There are sellers on china's Taobao.com selling every piece of the inspire, part by part, but all on backorder. I think they must have obtained a master bill of materials.

Kilrah · Mar 3, 2015

Or they just buy Inspires (new or broken) and dismantle them for parts. Quite common in other fields (phones, tablets etc).

supasympa · Mar 5, 2015

I heard back from DJI support today after enquiring about repairs costs for an Inspire and their response was simply :

"Hello Sir,

Could you please specify if you are a authorized dealer of DJI? If not, you should contact such with this issue as they will assist you further. You can also contact the online sale support for purchasing items."

Having contacted an authorised dealer (the second one) I was told that they are not able to get parts currently and wouldn't currently be able to offer a fix for either the broken shock in the foot or a broken carbon fibre boom. Admittedly I only tried two dealers who were helpful but couldn't offer a fix.

I've added another post for the repair:

http://blog.supasympa.com/2015/03/0...g-the-new-carbon-fibre-tube-for-re-insertion/

I completed the repair today and have had the Inspire 1 back in the air at for 5 minutes at no more than 2 meters up and well away from anyone. It flew just as well as the one I own that wasn't broken.

Muscleflex · Mar 10, 2015

I've just come across this and I'm now reading your blog - it's one of the interesting blogs I've read. Thank you!

supasympa · Mar 16, 2015

I finally managed to write up the final part of repairing the Inspire 1 boom. It took around 14 hours in total, but that was a lot of stop / start. I think you can do it in under four hours if you have the time tools and energy!

Final blog post is here:
http://blog.supasympa.com/2015/03/1...-and-putting-the-dji-inspire-1-back-together/

I'm going to sell the aircraft as a repaired unit on eBay hopefully or keep it as a backup unit.

I'm interested to hear of anyone who has got their Inspire repaired (out of warranty) or who is selling parts.

Steve is Inspired! · Apr 4, 2015

Hello all, has anyone opened up the Inspire 1 and located the compass? I see the my compass is a bit off and i'd like to move it to a mechanical north like i did with my F450 and F550...

Any advice on this or pictures to show where it is located?

Thank you in advance and best regards,
Steve

supasympa · Apr 4, 2015

Steve is Inspired! said:
Hello all, has anyone opened up the Inspire 1 and located the compass? I see the my compass is a bit off and i'd like to move it to a mechanical north like i did with my F450 and F550...

Any advice on this or pictures to show where it is located?

Thank you in advance and best regards,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I decided against taking the main body apart because the electronic circuits are housed in what looks like an aluminium (sorry aluminum!) case which, if I'm correct would need some kind of destructive "tin opening" to get to the circuits. However - the GPS is in housed in the centre of the aircraft stuck under the top white cover just infront of the battery.

Steve is Inspired! · Apr 4, 2015

Thank you supasympa, i understand.

Best regards,
Steve

Steve is Inspired! · Apr 4, 2015

I was thinking of doing this to my Inspire 1 like i have done on my built F450 and F550 and this resolves the problem of TBE and improves the flight stability so much. My phantom 2V+ also did a tweak and it's rock solid. My new Inspire 1 here is NOTHING for performance like my other birds.

Best regards,
Steve

bunyan · Apr 13, 2015

Is it possible to disassemble an Inspire 1 motor? I mean to take off the top moving part?

supasympa · Apr 13, 2015

bunyan said:
Is it possible to disassemble an Inspire 1 motor? I mean to take off the top moving part?

The casing comes apart in two pieces and the actual copper coil comes out from inside. You need to remove a locking pin from the bottom of the motor.

Rob Suggs · Apr 13, 2015

Steve is Inspired! said:
View attachment 1044

I was thinking of doing this to my Inspire 1 like i have done on my built F450 and F550 and this resolves the problem of TBE and improves the flight stability so much. My phantom 2V+ also did a tweak and it's rock solid. My new Inspire 1 here is NOTHING for performance like my other birds.

Best regards,
Steve

Steve, the compass is located in the nose of the aircraft. It is easy to get to, but not easily adjusted.

From what I have learned, and experiments confirm this, the Inspire "learns" it's magnetic declination as you fly. For me, as soon as I launch the aircraft it goes into a clockwise TBE. However, if it send it out about 100 feet and return, the aircraft stabilizes. Orientation on the GPS map also true's up. From then on, everything is very stable.