P4 Stress Crack

[jogforfitness]

Just found a stress crack on my P4. Getting ready to send it to DJI in hopes they'll cover it under warranty. It's on the front arm right side if you're looking at it from the top. I rarely use sport mode and have never flown in temperatures below 40 degrees. Just unlucky I guess.

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[ftttu]

Mine was covered under warranty, and I should get it back around Wednesday. I never contacted DJI by phone or text. I just went through the service process on their site, and received the shipping label soon after.

If I had cracks in the airframe of my bird without a single crash, tip over, hard landing or overly aggressive flying, I'm sure I will get more cracks in the future, but I will now treat it even better due to my gained experience. DJI needs a better material if not an entirely new airframe design.

 

[SkySensei]

Any crack is obviously bad but is there a way to tell whether or not this is just a crack in the plastic shell or whether it extends into the frame / support beneath? It's quite possible this is just superficial but of course you want to check it before you fly.

99% of the problems I deal with in cars, boats, bikes, airplanes, etc. are due to issues of plastic being used inappropriately. It has its use as a material but is way, way, WAY overused in our society nowadays simply because it's cheap. That said, I'm so sick and tired of bean-counter driven decisions resulting in little plastic tabs, clips, fasteners and what-have-you breaking off and requiring full replacement or epoxy work.

I'd be very curious to see how deep this goes. If it's superficial it's a simple repair but it's good that DJI is taking care of it (I'm actually surprised they are - most manufacturers these days would simply find a way to weasel out of it...). Props to them (no pun intended)!


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[jogforfitness]

I tried to determine how deep the crack was by shining a bright small flashlight head directly underneath that part of the bottom shell up through the top in a darkened room. I can see light getting through. I inspect after/before each flight. This just developed. I'm hoping the P4P, Mavic and future models are designed with improved strength in these areas. I owned a P3P for a few weeks and it developed a crack so, I returned it and bought a P4 (May 2016). I'm 2 for 2. And, I don't believe I fly nearly the frequency or aggression as many on this forum who have never experienced the issue.


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[Xenomorph]

This has me a bit concerned as I have a black P4 that doesn't qualify for DJI Care.

 

[antnyp85]

This has me a bit concerned as I have a black P4 that doesn't qualify for DJI Care.

See, I do too... According to someone on the DJI Forums they were able to purchase DJI Care by contacting them via email at [email protected]

No DJI Care for Black edition


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[ftttu]

This has me a bit concerned as I have a black P4 that doesn't qualify for DJI Care.

It may have passed me by here, but I haven't heard anyone with a SE black P4 complain of cracks. I know there were discussions about pigments in the plastics being positive or negative, but again, I haven't seen anything negative so far.

I would hold off on a new drone purchase for years if someone would offer a shell which wouldn't crack under normal use. Stamped aluminum or carbon fiber would fit the bill for me.

DJI needs to revamp their "Pro" model branding with at least more robust airframes, better range and a more robust RC. When a prosumer drone is used commercially, and more specifically, in public service, there shouldn't be any issues with cracking airframes for obvious reasons.

I will pay more for the "pro" level of performance rather than for the "sumer." Ruggedness and endurance are worth way more to me than selfie gestures and Chinese New Year livery.

 

[N017RW]

The Inspire line is their pro-sumer offering.
The Phantoms are their low-tier consumer line.

 

[N017RW]

Aluminum and CF pose issues with internal antenna designs.
Aluminum would be very dangerous with reduced frangibility.

 

[ftttu]

The Inspire line is their pro-sumer offering.
The Phantoms are their low-tier consumer line.

The Phantom 4 is still considered a "prosumer" drone since so many use it commercially. It may be designed as a hobbyist offering, but it is widely used for business and public service. Honestly, tell me you don't see the classic Phantom shadow in many drone video on TV.

 

[ftttu]

Aluminum and CF pose issues with internal antenna designs.
Aluminum would be very dangerous with reduced frangibility.

I have no idea what is the best material, so I was just throwing out some materials which are universally know to be light and rugged. If they pose the problems you say, then something else which has the properties I'm speaking of.

 

[N017RW]

The product classification is not of my design.

http://www.dji.com/mobile/products/drones

 

[ftttu]

The product classification is not of my design.

http://www.dji.com/mobile/products/drones

Consumer models displayed plain as day and consumer models displayed plain as day so why aren't the prosumer drones displayed plain as day? Is it because drones which are commonly used commercially or for public service, which may be marketed by their manufacturers as consumer drones, are commonly referred to as "prosumer" drones by forums so ch as this, of n the news and other media?

I'm not the only one referring to these gimbaled 4k GPS flying camera platforms as "prosumer", and I'm sure that many of us demand a higher level of performance and higher level of robustness, especially when marketed as "Pro" in the product's name. "Pro" in a name should actually designate a level higher than "consumer" in the same model line, but that is for another discussion since Phantoms and the "Pro"/Professional" are a used heavily for commercial and public duty use already.

 

[jogforfitness]

Mine was covered under warranty, and I should get it back around Wednesday. I never contacted DJI by phone or text. I just went through the service process on their site, and received the shipping label soon after.

If I had cracks in the airframe of my bird without a single crash, tip over, hard landing or overly aggressive flying, I'm sure I will get more cracks in the future, but I will now treat it even better due to my gained experience. DJI needs a better material if not an entirely new airframe design.

When you send a P4 to DJI repair, do you send the remote as well?


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[ftttu]

When you send a P4 to DJI repair, do you send the remote as well?


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I did, and the main reason I did even if it wasn't required, was for them to pair it to a new drone that they may have replaced my damaged bird for. I saw other posters here who got replacements instead of repairs for their cracked bird, so I was going to be prepared if they did the same for me. I'm not expecting they do that, but if they do, I won't be unhappy...unless it is a POS. Also, I turned it in just in case there was some low level recall they may have not sent out, but may have corrected at the opportunity they received the RC. You never know.

I will do a search of their service site to see their requirements are.

 

[ftttu]

Alrighty, now I remember the main reason I sent my RC back with my bird. In the repair section, it says "Please send the aircraft, gimbal camera, and remote controller back for diagnosis." So that was the main reason, but those other ones are the lesser reasons. Below, is the link, but i don't know if it will open since I had to sign in to get this far.

https://repair.dji.com/en/SelfRepair/BOMList

 

[jogforfitness]

Alrighty, now I remember the main reason I sent my RC back with my bird. In the repair section, it says "Please send the aircraft, gimbal camera, and remote controller back for diagnosis." So that was the main reason, but those other ones are the lesser reasons. Below, is the link, but i don't know if it will open since I had to sign in to get this far.

https://repair.dji.com/en/SelfRepair/BOMList

Thanks for the details and thoughts. Very appreciative! Hoping for a new bird as well. If not I just hope they get the repair right.


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[Travels with Yoly]

It's not that plastic is an inferior material for the application. But there are huge amounts of different types of plastics all with attributes that make it very suitable for specific applications. Molded plastics have issues with shrinkage which if not manufactured properly can cause stress cracks. You have to have the right type of plastic for the application and a proven manufacturing process. If this criteria is met, plastic is a very good manufacturing choice in many ways, not just because it's inexpensive.

 

[ftttu]

It's not that plastic is an inferior material for the application. But there are huge amounts of different types of plastics all with attributes that make it very suitable for specific applications. Molded plastics have issues with shrinkage which if not manufactured properly can cause stress cracks. You have to have the right type of plastic for the application and a proven manufacturing process. If this criteria is met, plastic is a very good manufacturing choice in many ways, not just because it's inexpensive.

I'm not against plastics/polymers in general, just DJI's ongoing use of or misuse which allows for cracking under normal usage. Due to the fact that the Phantom line has experienced these cracks all down the model line, there has to be a reason they continue. We all know about designed obsolescence, but this borders on ridiculousness.

We drone operators are becoming more demanding, desiring more sophisticated products. DJI is answering the call, but for some unclear reason, they continue using a material which doesn't match the sophistication of their technology. I can come up with possible reasons, but since I'm like a Boy Scout, I would only release a product like this with literature about avoiding moderate to high levels of stress on the craft, and tips on flying techniques on how to avoid this damaging stress. I would also release information that the product has a designed lifespan of X amount of time, and that it will only be supported with software updates for X amount of time. I probably would go out of business by putting this information out to prospective customers, but I'm not a businessman. I am a consumer, and I just demand a product commensurate of the price I initially paid, which was $1399.00.

 

[Travels with Yoly]

When a plastic part is molded, it is very important that the piece be allowed to cool before it is removed from the mold. This is what allows it to keep it's specified tolerances and minimize shrinkage and associated problems. It's possible that DJI has been rushing at every step to meet demand and has upped the cycle rate for the manufacture of the top and bottom shell.

On the other hand, it's hard for DJI to predict the extreme usage conditions and handling characteristics that the marketplace is creating. I realize that there are many who have experienced this issue who will claim that they've never abused the product. I see solid evidence of people flying them well below the design parameters for temperature and I see people routinely carrying them around by one of the landing struts. I see people strapping them to the outside of backpacks by the landing struts, stuffing them unprotected into carrying bags and I see people transporting them in a cavalier way.

At the same time, I had flown my P3A 50 times or more over the course of a year, had several minor mishaps (a couple not so minor) and never a trace of a crack in the shell. That being the case, I tend to believe that some units were rushed into production as described above and other units were not.