P3A send to DJI for repair on aug 15, get a new unit RC and AC replacement on Sept 15, exactly one month, so DJI is listening to customer, just test the bird and everything is working fine so far ( Why do I send the unit back? the video record is runing about few second then stop and the video live screen is turn black on my iPad mini 2, call the support number on USA, get FDEX shipping label and instruction by email, Thanks DJI)
My DJI Repair Experience
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I got it out by playing operation with some tweezers and a little plastic pry tool. It looks like the little metal piece of the SD slot inside the gimbal is bent and lower on one side than the other. I had to lift it up over the edge of the housing and pull to get it out. The unit is as bad or worse off then when I sent it in...
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Man I'm so very sorry. Ya know at this stage I can truly relate because I do know what you're going through. The sad fact is you can't "do" a thing about it. Other than send it back. However many times it takes. Forget about getting excited and back out there in a hurry like I was. I'm preparing myself for my 2nd delivery from service for the same bird. If it's not right... it's going back again. Immediately. Just like the 2nd RMA shipment. I calmly printed my paper work, boxed it up again, ran it to FedEx, came home and watched a movie. Done.
They've unscrewed and popped opened my shell twice now. Put it back together and screwed everything down twice. Shipped it across the country twice for a total of four 1780 mile trips. If it shows up this time with no stress cracks, new scratches or gimbal issues... It won't be because of the incredibly fabulous packing job they do. (My last delivery had one, 2 foot piece of brown paper wadded down one side of the bigger box. It was compressed thinner than the space it occupied. So It bumped, banged, shifted and knocked around in that bigger box all the way from Cali) But if it does come in with one thing wrong - it will go back. Immediately. At this point all you can do is make it "hurt" on their end by having to deal with the same customer and same quad over and over again. Until of course they send a new bird.... like they should've from the start. In advertising (pardon the crude comment) we call this the good old "turd polish." At a glance it may "look" prettier.. but...you're still dealing with a turd.
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Update 9/30/15
Got the P3P back. Nothing in the box explaining what was done. Just the P3P in its box in a box with my Controller and P3P inside. Upon inspection the P3P looks a bit dusty but I don't see any cracks anywhere or anything else that looks like it was't before I sent it off. It doesn't look like they took the top off as the stickers are still there and not cut and they appear old and wrinkled in the same spots as before.
It powers on and the RC has 93% battery, meaning they probably didn't fly it. The P3 was updated to the latest firmware though as it wasn't at the latest when I sent it in (firmware came out after I had already mailed it). I now believe ALL they did was update the firmware. I will check the SD card as I sent it in with its SD card. If the latest firmware is there then that is all they did I suspect.
So, I just got off chat with DJi Support. I asked them what was done, gave them my RMA # as they asked for that. 10 minutes later on the same Chat session they asked again, "Hello, how can I help you?". I suck it up and copy and paste my question about me trying to figure out what was done and including my RMA #. 3 minutes later, they say "Sorry, unfortunately there is no documentation regarding your repair" then THEY END THE CHAT and the survey pops up.
I won't be able to test the gimbal horizon and wandering issue for a few days so we'll see I guess. I might have to go back one level on the firmware as that is what I had to do on my P3A to get stable FPV video. But I'll test with the latest firmware they have on there first.
Lets just say I am more than displeased with the customer service. They can't even tell what was done to the P3P. There is complete and utter incompetence running wild there in DJi Support. Using the excuse that they are growing so fast is getting OLD and it's a lame excuse anyway. Welcome to the real world DJi! Anyway I'm done venting.
*Also, when I pulled the P3P out of it's box guess what. The DJi gimbal guard falls off.
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Looking at the SD card now. They took a picture! No firmware on the SD card but I have a shot of the technician who I presume "repaired" or maybe just updated the firmware on my P3P. Well he took a picture too. Anyone want to see?
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Ok, so they may have replaced the camera ribbon cable for whatever reason as it now binds and makes a crinkling sound when I manually move the camera from side to side (yawing).
Sent in my P3P last Saturday with a shell crack under one of the motors. Just received word that it's been repaired and is on its way back to me. All costs handled by DJI (shipping & repair).
Not sure what was actually done - I'm assuming a shell replacement.
Looks like I'll have it back this week.
Pretty quick turn around. Hopefully it's all taken care of and no surprises.
Not sure what was actually done - I'm assuming a shell replacement.
Looks like I'll have it back this week.
Pretty quick turn around. Hopefully it's all taken care of and no surprises.
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My P3 lost contact and disconnected on the first flight following the September update. It was about 1300 ft out, returning manually when it disconnected. I attempted to reboot the app, got nothing then I hit RTH. Got nothing there either. P3 did not return home. Found it in a field nearby shortly after. I'm not sure what happened, just before the disconnect the video signal was breaking up and all contact lost.I suspect that the camera broke lose. When I found it, the camera was gone, the gimbal itself was not broken, it had separated at one of the joints as though it had just fallen apart.
Sent it in to DJI, they paid shipping but charged me for landing gear modules, (part of the radio system) and a sensor which appears to also be part of the com system. They also charged to replace the camera. Since the failure by the parts they listed should have been warrantied, it WAS NOT Operator error, I asked them to explain. With multiple phone calls and emails they still WILL NOT explain to me what happened to cause the P3 to go down or why I was charged and not warrantied. This is the kind of customer service no one needs. A warranty not honored, or no explanations as to why they won't honor it. They did write me one email where they promised to get back with an explanation. After I paid.
Sent it in to DJI, they paid shipping but charged me for landing gear modules, (part of the radio system) and a sensor which appears to also be part of the com system. They also charged to replace the camera. Since the failure by the parts they listed should have been warrantied, it WAS NOT Operator error, I asked them to explain. With multiple phone calls and emails they still WILL NOT explain to me what happened to cause the P3 to go down or why I was charged and not warrantied. This is the kind of customer service no one needs. A warranty not honored, or no explanations as to why they won't honor it. They did write me one email where they promised to get back with an explanation. After I paid.
i had the exact same experience once i called them (waited three weeks after opening a ticket online with no response before i broke down and called). sent it out on 10/3 with a prepaid label, and i was just notified this morning that they are shipping my bird back to me today. i had cracks in the shell, and they replaced the shell and paid for shipping both ways. i'm hoping it doesn't have any other issues when it shows up like some other have experienced.
Sounds very similar, although they weren't able to give me any info as to what they actually did. The guy I spoke with said he didn't have access to the repair department's files. (which I found odd)
The only actual indication that a repair was done was from the shipping email!
A few bumps along the way but for now I'm hoping it comes back with a new shell and no surprises.
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It's here and the external inspection has passed. Shell looks the same and is not the new version. Gimbal looks new. Motors all spin freely. SD card slot works. I'm going to fly the hell out of it later today and will report back. I'll also be putting it through the ringer going forward to see if this shell is going to crack again before my DJI warranty expires. There will be no ***** footing around! 
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It's here and the external inspection has passed. Shell looks the same and is not the new version. Gimbal looks new. Motors all spin freely. SD card slot works. I'm going to fly the hell out of it later today and will report back. I'll also be putting it through the ringer going forward to see if this shell is going to crack again before my DJI warranty expires. There will be no ***** footing around!
Good to hear. Glad you're back in the saddle. I'm doing the same as far as flying the devil out of it before the warranty expires. All my stuff looks new. But mine didn't get any of the "latest updates" either. So far.... so good.
You might look at this option (repair part).
eBay item number. 121689830749
Gimbal Replacement Yaw Arm for the Phantom 3, CNC machined from solid billet 6061-T aircraft grade aluminum adding 2 grams of total weight over the original DJI potted alloy yaw arm. This is not the weaker potted alloy on the original DJI Phantom 3 gimbal.
Milled from solid billet 6061-T aircraft grade aluminum
100% Form, Fit, Function
Fits the Phantom 3 Professional and Advanced gimbals
We ship same day we receive the order.
International Shipments
"Expedited Int'l Shipping" is DHL Express Worldwide with delivery to most countries in 2-3 days.
Yaw arm installation service available at ATKdrones.com
Yeah I'm looking to get away from DJI! I'm thinking about the 3dr SOLO as my next bird several people I know have one they had phantoms too but like to solo much better and service is better!
Update:
So as far as the "surprises" that I'd hoped not to see... I wasn't that lucky. The bird and controller came back very quickly with what I assume was a new (old style) bottom shell - BUT - they were both really dirty and parts were even scuffed up. I cleaned off the dirt(?) but the scuff marks on the controller and the bird were not going away. This was quite a let down as I sent them what could be considered a mint condition P3 (minus the stress cracks) that had very minimal flight hours logged - less than ten hours total.
It was pretty stressful navigating DJIs customer service department but in the end they were apologetic and made the situation right.
I am incredibly happy to report that today I received a new P3P.
As a bonus, it also happens to have the new (x-braced) shell and the updated motors.
Even though they eventually were great, I hope I never have to deal with customer service again!
Looking forward to getting back in the air...
I'm joining the cause ...My phantom was flying just fine until it decided to take a dive in a diagonal approach into the ground. It was on waypoints with altitude set on 100 FT...it was going through waypoints smoothly until it reached almost half way and decided to go full speed into the ground...I took the hit , took it to a repair center and paid for a ribbon cable and repair cost...because i know DJI takes forever...few weeks later, I'm flying just fine and suddenly the picture disappeared ....it has full Video signal but no picture...after that gimbal would turn on for 30 seconds..balance and everything but no picture..and then turns off...tried to update no use...hours of time wasted trying to update and fix the issue...finally decided to send it in, and how quick they were to send me an invoice for $177...they decided to replace horizontal axis gimbal motor...and 2 shells....how is that affecting my picture...no idea...i just contacted them and they gave me the run around that they need few more days to inspect again...but i though they already inspected and came up with $177 worth of repairs..now they need to inspect again? I bet they were going to let me pay the money and get a phantom with a new gimbal motor and shells and a camera that still doesn't work...What to do next?!!
...My phantom was flying just fine until it decided to take a dive in a diagonal approach into the ground. It was on waypoints with altitude set on 100 FT...it was going through waypoints smoothly until it reached almost half way and decided to go full speed into the ground...I took the hit , took it to a repair center and paid for a ribbon cable and repair cost...because i know DJI takes forever...few weeks later, I'm flying just fine and suddenly the picture disappeared ....it has full Video signal but no picture...after that gimbal would turn on for 30 seconds..balance and everything but no picture..and then turns off...tried to update no use...hours of time wasted trying to update and fix the issue...finally decided to send it in, and how quick they were to send me an invoice for $177...they decided to replace horizontal axis gimbal motor...and 2 shells....how is that affecting my picture...no idea...i just contacted them and they gave me the run around that they need few more days to inspect again...but i though they already inspected and came up with $177 worth of repairs..now they need to inspect again? I bet they were going to let me pay the money and get a phantom with a new gimbal motor and shells and a camera that still doesn't work...What to do next?!!My new phantom 3 pro is having electronic speed control errors so I need to send it in for RMA. I have dji Care one year plan on my phantom 3 professional. It has never flown due to the ESC errors so hopefully I'll get my phantom 3 professional back fast, and finally get to enjoy it.
The first thing I did was try the chat yesterday but had no response after 10-20 minutes but that was near closing. Today I started the chat again and had no response from the first representative but the second time I tried the chat today I got somebody to respond, it seems that the chat representatives deal with more than one case at one time so if they stop talking to you for 5-10 minutes don't worry we'll get back to you.
I am a cancer patient and it's really hard for me to use the phone currently but if you can use the phone perfectly fine then I suggest you just call the DJI office in the United States, as it should be faster.
March 8 2016
I am now waiting for the shipping label from dji so I can send in my phantom 3 professional in for repair through dji care, which can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to receive the shipping label. (Wish this was instant as I'd already have it shipped out)
What I'm worried about is crazy custom fees if they use crooks like UPS to ship and that my BRAND NEW unit will be replaced with a scratched up dirty phantom 3/remote like other people have experienced in the past. If I receive a grungy refurb that doesn't look brand new I will be heart broken.
I will keep this post updated on my experience with dji care and how fast it is.
Update - DJI-KEN says they should repair my unit and not send a refurb, which put my mind at ease. I really don't want a refurb, but repairing my unit is fine.
The first thing I did was try the chat yesterday but had no response after 10-20 minutes but that was near closing. Today I started the chat again and had no response from the first representative but the second time I tried the chat today I got somebody to respond, it seems that the chat representatives deal with more than one case at one time so if they stop talking to you for 5-10 minutes don't worry we'll get back to you.
I am a cancer patient and it's really hard for me to use the phone currently but if you can use the phone perfectly fine then I suggest you just call the DJI office in the United States, as it should be faster.
March 8 2016
I am now waiting for the shipping label from dji so I can send in my phantom 3 professional in for repair through dji care, which can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to receive the shipping label. (Wish this was instant as I'd already have it shipped out)
What I'm worried about is crazy custom fees if they use crooks like UPS to ship and that my BRAND NEW unit will be replaced with a scratched up dirty phantom 3/remote like other people have experienced in the past. If I receive a grungy refurb that doesn't look brand new I will be heart broken.
I will keep this post updated on my experience with dji care and how fast it is.
Update - DJI-KEN says they should repair my unit and not send a refurb, which put my mind at ease. I really don't want a refurb, but repairing my unit is fine.
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