Trust your end stinks 101!

MacDyver · Aug 18, 2016

Even while doing my pre purchase research I quickly concluded I wanted to fly with prop guards, even with so many arguing against it I've always resisted the temptation.
Today while out at Key Biscayne a couple younger guys were flying a racing drone and told me how the wind and prop guards were trouble waiting to happen and flying with guards would cause the world to stop turning forward and go into reverse spin causing utter chaos and end of times, Revelations type scenarios.
So I figured what the heck try it and see how it flies... I saw no appreciable difference, Many have their own views I appreciate that, mine is I'm not into aerial acrobatics I saw no difference in handling.
HOWEVER upon landing sequence I flew within a few feet of my truck nothing new there and a gust of wind caused it to drift slowly into the side of my truck!!!! I've learned don't over correct, under correcting causes a lot less damage.
Lost a couple props and seems to have some Gimbal damage I'll asses that when I get home fortunately I have another one I can cannibalize.
Well I can truly say our end stinks for a reason, I will NEVER fly without prop guards again!

MacDyver · Aug 18, 2016

Well the damage was worse than I thought. Since I know there are no replacement parts I'll send it off to usdronerepair to be micro welded. If anyone has a busted X5 gimbal I'm open for photos and offers

Pescatoral Pursuit · Aug 18, 2016

Ouch.

Ftolino · Aug 18, 2016

I recently saw one on eBay might want to check it out

Dobmatt · Aug 18, 2016

MacDyver said:
Well the damage was worse than I thought. Since I know there are no replacement parts I'll send it off to usdronerepair to be micro welded. If anyone has a busted X5 gimbal I'm open for photos and offers

This is typical damage of abused gimbal, called The Ahilles Heel of X5. Happen to me once ... Unfortunately there's nothing you can (or should) do in order to fix it. No welding, no epoxy adhesive of any kind, nothing! The good news is that NA repair service in California usually can replace the yaw axis sub assembly quickly. Expect approx. 400USD total penalty, including your shipment. Mine turnaround was a mere week, can you believe?!

MacDyver · Aug 19, 2016

Dobmatt said:
This is typical damage of abused gimbal, called The Ahilles Heel of X5. Happen to me once ... Unfortunately there's nothing you can (or should) do in order to fix it. No welding, no epoxy adhesive of any kind, nothing! The good news is that NA repair service in California usually can replace the yaw axis sub assembly quickly. Expect approx. 400USD total penalty, including your shipment. Mine turnaround was a mere week, can you believe?!

So if I'm sending the part in they would be fixing it, however if you're telling me the have the replacement part I'd happily purchase a few if you supply contact info.

MacDyver · Aug 19, 2016

Ftolino said:
I recently saw one on eBay might want to check it out

I tried pretty sur this part is in high demand

Dobmatt · Aug 19, 2016

MacDyver said:
So if I'm sending the part in they would be fixing it, however if you're telling me the have the replacement part I'd happily purchase a few if you supply contact info.

None of above, my friend. You'll have to send the entire gimbal assembly (apart or not), but without the lens and SD card. They'll put everything back together with new yaw axis assembly and do whatever else is required. And no, sorry, I don't have this part, and I don't know any source for it despite my desperate research a few months ago. However, re-assembling the gimbal by yourself and without detailed instructions is much more tricky than you'd think, even for seasoned mechanic. Many tried to fix the thing using various methods with no success. Presumably a gentleman called njabinc is working on CNC machined, much stronger version, but I haven't heard anything more about it to date ...

MacDyver · Aug 20, 2016

Dobmatt said:
None of above, my friend. You'll have to send the entire gimbal assembly (apart or not), but without the lens and SD card. They'll put everything back together with new yaw axis assembly and do whatever else is required. And no, sorry, I don't have this part, and I don't know any source for it despite my desperate research a few months ago. However, re-assembling the gimbal by yourself and without detailed instructions is much more tricky than you'd think, even for seasoned mechanic. Many tried to fix the thing using various methods with no success. Presumably a gentleman called njabinc is working on CNC machined, much stronger version, but I haven't heard anything more about it to date ...

I truly appreciate your assistance, is there contact info?

slim.slamma · Aug 20, 2016

Catchy phrase
Depending on how you read it
Trust, your end stinks, 101!

slim.slamma · Aug 20, 2016

MacDyver said:
HOWEVER upon landing sequence I flew within a few feet of my truck nothing new there and a gust of wind caused it to drift slowly into the side of my truck!!!

Question have you played around with the expo, gain, braking settings
Depending on how you have them set is how your bird could react to the wind.
Also nose should always face into the wind whilst landing.

slim.slamma · Aug 20, 2016

From the way you described that pilot error your remedy could be the flight simulator.
Jack the wind speed & direction all the way up, atti mode and stay inside the yellow box until you can hover one spot.

Dobmatt · Aug 20, 2016

MacDyver said:
I truly appreciate your assistance, is there contact info?

You mean e-mail address? Sure: [email protected]. I'm cruising on my boat right now in the middle of nowhere, so the cell coverage is on and off, here and there ...

MacDyver · Aug 20, 2016

slim.slamma said:
From the way you described that pilot error your remedy could be the flight simulator.
Jack the wind speed & direction all the way up, atti mode and stay inside the yellow box until you can hover one spot.

Yep, the error was complacency and removing my prop guards, I was moving slowly from south to north van parked on the east I was within 3 feet of my vehicle because I was too lazy to walk a few extra feet. about 3ft. High And descending steady winds to the south sudden gust or eddy from the west and what would have been a bounce with prop guards will now cost me time and money. Expensive lessons learned are the most lasting! There is nothing anyone could ever tell me that would convince me not to fly with prop guards again.

MacDyver · Aug 20, 2016

Dobmatt said:
You mean e-mail address? Sure: [email protected]. I'm cruising on my boat right now in the middle of nowhere, so the cell coverage is on and off, here and there ...

NA Repair Services, I was unable to find it on google

Dobmatt · Aug 21, 2016

MacDyver said:
NA Repair Services, I was unable to find it on google

Oops, I should mention DJI North America repair service ... Just go thru standard procedure by calling them and open the ticket. They'll provide detailed instructions what to do next. In my case the repair went really smooth and I've got my gimbal back with new yaw axis assembly in a week.

ISP5557 · Aug 21, 2016

I appreciate your honesty in realizing it was pilot error. What we should bring away from this is that whether or not you have prop guards your take off and landing zone should be well free of obstacles and people. First part of my checklist is a safe take-off and alternative landing area. Never flown with prop guards, never will, unless SWAT buys the bird, and wants if flown into a structure.

Dobmatt · Aug 21, 2016

ISP5557 said:
I appreciate your honesty in realizing it was pilot error. What we should bring away from this is that whether or not you have prop guards your take off and landing zone should be well free of obstacles and people. First part of my checklist is a safe take-off and alternative landing area. Never flown with prop guards, never will, unless SWAT buys the bird, and wants if flown into a structure.

Yet another reason for this accident may be related to a compass error or GPS coverage obstruction. Did you noticed any warnings just before collision with the truck body, like Lady Voice announcing "Atti Mode!" It's a solid chunk of steel, after all ... DAT file analysis may tell you a lot about what's really happen ...

ISP5557 · Aug 21, 2016

Dobmatt said:
Yet another reason for this accident may be related to a compass error or GPS coverage obstruction. Did you noticed any warnings just before collision with the truck body, like Lady Voice announcing "Atti Mode!" It's a solid chunk of steel, after all ... DAT file analysis may tell you a lot about what's really happen ...

I am going to say that since he was landing, rather than taking off, his compass was good and GPS was good. Sometimes we just crash into stuff, it doesn't always have to be equipment malfunction.

Dobmatt · Aug 21, 2016

ISP5557 said:
I am going to say that since he was landing, rather than taking off, his compass was good and GPS was good. Sometimes we just crash into stuff, it doesn't always have to be equipment malfunction.

To a degree your assumption is right. What I'm talking about, however, is a momentary interruption of compass or GPS service. It happen twice to me (by far) during landing procedure: once when Inspire get too close to a tree and beneath branches (GPS leash lost causing helpless momentum drifting in Atti Mode). Second time Phantom's compass received water splash, reporting "Compass Error" and speeding suddenly inches above ground to unknown destination. Luckily there was a cushioning tall grass on the way to freedom ...