Crashed P3A, worth to repair or better sell for parts?

[firepol]

Hi there,

INTRODUCTION

a few weeks ago I crashed my P3A. I was using a banggood battery (the one with 4.9 star ratings, with "warranty" etc.), I saw an error "1 cell damage" and by the time I realized it and tried to land, it just crashed near me. I was depressed for my loss, especially because it was not pilot error, I'm really sure about it. My only fault was to use that cloned battery. Lesson learnt the hard way... anyway, now it's time to move on...

After weeks checking on ebay and similar websites I could find a good deal for a second hand P3A. I'll pick it up during these days. I'm really looking forward for it. Now, what should I do with my wreck, please read on

I found a good page showing not only how to disassemble the P3,b ut also explaining a bit what is what: Dji Phantom 3: Torn Down Before Taking Off! First Ever Phantom 3 Live Anatomy! - MakeTheOne

Please have a look at the pictures of my crashed drone.

• I could connect a battery, turn it on, but it beeps. I checked online and it seems that the beeping is caused by ESC either damaged, or something else not connected. I checked the cables and they are all connected.
• The antennas got detached from the legs, but that doesn't seem a big deal...
• The camera got disconnected from the gimbal and also got a bump in the back. But I think it could still work.
• The gimbal seems ok.
• 3 motors don't move, so I think 3 motors are damaged and need to be replaced.
• The box in the middle of the ESC center (the one containing the gyroscope) was open, the crash did that.
• One piece of metal was moving around in the drone and I could finally figure out where it came off, it came off from the mainboard. See in the pictures. Also a corner of that piece of metal seems damaged. Also another smaller piece of metal around 2mm large (orange colored) came off, no idea from where. Maybe you have an idea?

MY GOAL

I'd like to learn to do a good damage assessment of a broken drone and if it's worth it, buy the necessary parts and try to repair it myself (or ask a relative/friend who is good in electronics to assist me).

COSTS ANALYSIS

The most expensive parts, for what I know, are:

• gimbal + camera: I can find those for around 370 USD (**** expensive!)
• mainboard, aka ESC center: 170 USD but...
• ...a seller at a hobby shop told me if I change the mainboard, I need to replace also the "identification chip" (he called like that, I googled but didn't really find much about this)

Cheap (or at least not so expensive, if I had to change only those) parts I can find on aliexpress or similar:

• gimbal repair kit (some parts for the gimbal, not gimbal itself and ribbon cable): 30-33 USD
• or separately the ribbon cable for 12 USD and the gimbal parts for 13 USD
• original motor 2312A: cheapest I could find: 20 USD so if I replace them all: in total 80 USD

QUESTIONS

Note: on second hand websites I can find P3A/P3P drones for around 500-600 USD (normally for this price with several batteries, sometimes also some other accessories like hard shell or so).

In Switzerland a P3A (new) costs around 770 USD, a P3P new costs around 860 USD.

"Worth to repair it" is kinda subjective... for me to spend 300 USD in parts would be the limit. If I have to spend 300 USD it's still a lot of money, but on the other hand I'll have the satisfaction to have a side project and learn to repair a drone. But if I have to spend more, I rather sell my wreck for whatever I can get and save the money for something else.

1. Based on the information I gave you (including prices etc.), do you think it's worth to repair my crashed P3A drone?
2. Do you think it's a good idea/worth to try to disconnect the camera from a working P3A (the one I'll get in a few days) and try to attach the camera from my crashed P3A just to test if the camera works?
3. Or should I try to sell my wreck on ebay? (Note I'm located in Switzerland)
4. If selling, should I try to sell parts separately to maximize chances of sale/profits? I see some people sell e.g. just the camera, without gimbal, for around 100 USD. Remote controller alone, also around 100 USD etc.

Thanks for your advise and cheers!

 

[Quest-So]

@msinger @Oso @alokbhargava do you know what is the "identification chip" @firepol is mentioning above ???

Firepol, the P3A gimbal may be found for 259 $ on ebay's DJI store. The ESC too for 149 $, but since you have an issue with 3 of 4 motors, perhaps it's better to try buying the ESC with attached motors (ebay is offering such items, resulted from on-purpose dismantled birds).
A successful DIY repair of the bird will give you a lot of self confidence, but based on how many damages I see, it will cost you I guess more than your budget upper limit of 300 $.

 

[Oso]

@msinger @Oso @alokbhargava do you know what is the "identification chip" @firepol is mentioning above ???

I've never heard of such an identification chip. Replacing the main board is not unusual and several folks here on the forum have done it. I don't recall anyone ever mentioning such a chip.

 

[msinger]

do you know what is the "identification chip" @firepol is mentioning above ?

Like Oso, I've never heard of such a thing.

 

[firepol]

Thanks @Oso and @msinger for your feedback. Question, which part of the drone is responsible to determine if it's a Professional or Advanced edition? Or how can a drone be identified from another? Where is this stuff stored?

If there is no such an identification chip, then in theory I find a 4K camera on ebay, buy a new ESC central, replace those and as result I'll have a Professional edition from my Advanced wreck?

 

[Quest-So]

As I've learned here on the forum, the Model ID is in the OFDM module. If you wish to upgrade your P3A to a P3P, except replacing the whole gimbal camera from HD (part 6) to 4K (part 5), you have to flash the AC with the same version FW but the sw meant for the P3P.
Just be aware not to buy by mistake the gimbal camera part 119 which is meant for the P3 4K drone.

 

[firepol]

@msinger @Oso @alokbhargava do you know what is the "identification chip" @firepol is mentioning above ???

Firepol, the P3A gimbal may be found for 259 $ on ebay's DJI store. The ESC too for 149 $, but since you have an issue with 3 of 4 motors, perhaps it's better to try buying the ESC with attached motors (ebay is offering such items, resulted from on-purpose dismantled birds).
A successful DIY repair of the bird will give you a lot of self confidence, but based on how many damages I see, it will cost you I guess more than your budget upper limit of 300 $.

@Quest-So, thanks for your assistance. I appreciate.

I assume the gimbal is not broken too much. I'd like actually to verify this, but how? At least I need to buy the rubber + gimbal parts, but then I could not test this on my wreck, because it'll probably beep when I turn it on. I'd have to test the repaired gimbal + camera on a working Phantom 3 Advanced...

Optimistically:

• 30 USD: gimbal repair kit
• 170 USD: ESC center
• 80 USD: 4 motors, 2312A, 20 USD each
• 280 USD total. Eexcluding shipping and the bloody customs taxes...

@Quest-So: I found on ebay an ESC center + motors already attached for 170 USD, is that what you mean? That would make my repair cost 200 USD instead of 280. (excluding shipping and custom taxes)...

As I've learned here on the forum, the Model ID is in the OFDM module. If you wish to upgrade your P3A to a P3P, except replacing the whole gimbal camera from HD (part 6) to 4K (part 5), you have to flash the AC with the same version FW but the sw meant for the P3P.
Just be aware not to buy by mistake the gimbal camera part 119 which is meant for the P3 4K drone.

So if I understand it's not enough if I buy a 4K camera, like this P3P 4k camera only (without gimbal) on ricardo: the price would be good for an upgrade to 4K, if it would work. But as I understand, you told me I'd have to buy either the 2.7k gimbal + camera or the 4k gimbal + camera (from the pictures I actually see that the gimbals of these 3 cameras differ a bit) because the camera depends on the gimbal... right?

If not repairing the entire drone I may give a try to repair at least the gimbal. The repair kit is 30 USD, if the gimbal camera is foobar, then I lost only 30 USD... but repaired I can try to sell it on ebay or keep it for me... From what I've learnt, the gimbal/camera can easily be destroyed in a hard crash... so it could have some value on the market or be good to keep if I plan using this drone for a long time, which I do...

Question about the future of discontinued DJI Phantom 3 Advanced/Professional

The Phantom 3 Adv/Pro are discontinued, so I guess that spare parts will become rare and prices will stay expensive? Or do you think I may find stuff like the ESC + motors attached for a low price, say in 1 year?
Asking so, because now it may not be worth to repair because of the high costs, but since it's a side project, no rush... I may look around and buy parts only when I really find the good deals (cheap price)...

Thanks again for your help guys, I'm still evaluating what to do...
I'll watch videos on how to repair gimbal + camera. So far this seems the most interesting thing to try.

 

[firepol]

Do you know how to put together this part? See picture, this metallic cube went off, you can see it in my initial pictures, I have it in my hand. Would it need soldering, or can I just "push" it there so it makes contact with the board? If this means the board is damaged too much then I'll consider buying a kit board + motors...