Shell and GPS Module Replacement

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Okay, here it goes. I got my P3 Shell and GPS modules in. Time to tear her down and rebuild. It looks like it's going to be one hell of an undertaking so if anyone has advice, I would appreciate it. I'm also going to take pictures for those curious of the tear down.
 
I just got my shell from Advexure today and just finished the "transplant." Took me about 2.5hrs. Before buttoning up the top shell to the bottom shell, I need to put a dab of silicone on the LED's just to make sure they don't get jolted or vibrate loose. Also have to replace my gimbal dampers, but that is it, except for the stickers and emblem on the front. Fired it up w/o props and gimbal and all seems to work great including getting a GPS fix in my garage. By far the most difficult part of the process was the VPS removal and fishing the sensors through the holes and back onto the new legs. VERY tricky but we got er done! Battery snaps in just like it should and everything looks like NEW as it should. So far, no screws left over!

IMG_4732.jpg
 
Update: All buttoned up pre-flight test showed motors installed right and gimbal working as it should. Took her outdoors, auto take-off, hover, altitude hover and fly around in GPS then ATTI mode, then back to GPS more, test low battery, OK, take control, then test dangerously low battery at low altitude and take control to land w/o incident. 14k' flight, 19min, 100' altitude. PERFECT!

Happy camper here! Now I don't have to fly my "battle drone" looking old shell with the JB Weld stripes on it! Now, where did I put my extra stickers?
 
Okay, here it goes. I got my P3 Shell and GPS modules in. Time to tear her down and rebuild. It looks like it's going to be one hell of an undertaking so if anyone has advice, I would appreciate it. I'm also going to take pictures for those curious of the tear down.


You Have 7 days Sammy! Better start now.... Looking forward to your the photo's of the tear down and rebuild.
AND Good luck!
 
Hey, I saw a post where a phantom was fixed by applying bondic to the internal areas around the mounting studs/standoffs and motor mounts. Are you guys going to reinforce those areas to prevent future cracks?
 
Couldn't get it done. GPS module from crash ripped the connector off the esc board. I'm officially fed up. Parting it all out if anyone wants anything. 4 hours later. Controller. Advanced camera/gimbal for sale and odds/ends. Let me know. Ugh
 
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That looks nerve racking......about to do the same. SK...did the new shell include the bracket that the main board screws down to? All four of my post snapped in the crash.
 
That looks nerve racking......about to do the same. SK...did the new shell include the bracket that the main board screws down to? All four of my post snapped in the crash.

It's really not that bad if you just take your time and organize everything as you take it apart. Take some pics along the way so you don't forget where something goes. Patience goes a long way here. Plan to get the lion share of it done in one setting so you don't lose "mental" momentum. And if you're a surgeon, it's a piece of cake! LOL
 
It's really not that bad if you just take your time and organize everything as you take it apart. Take some pics along the way so you don't forget where something goes. Patience goes a long way here. Plan to get the lion share of it done in one setting so you don't lose "mental" momentum. And if you're a surgeon, it's a piece of cake! LOL

Sky King, your new shell, is it reinforced? is it same kind of weak designing, like the original?
 
I didn't notice any difference between my original shell and the new one as far as strength etc. It seemed exactly the same to me.
 
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Sky King;
I'll be getting my new shell tomorrow. One quick question...does the shell come with LED covers on the arms? The pictures I've seen on the net don't show them. My LED's work just fine, as I tested them after the crash, but one of the original covers popped off and it was lost in the underbrush.
 
Mine from Adventure.com came with the LED covers already in place. I'm like you in that my LED's were fine. It's a little tricky getting the LED's off, but if you pry as close to the post as you can, they come right off. The plastic "mushroom" from a heat device on the post comes right off.
 
Yeah, I used a small exacto knife to trim the top of the post, and they came off easily. I've done some of the uninstall work already...camera and gimbal mount off (good thing I didn't toss those extra locking pins for the dampers), VPS removed, and a few other things. Like you, not looking forward to fishing the compass and Lightbridge wires through the body shell, or the countless other cables that seem to disappear to nowhere beneath the main board. Like you said, though...take your time.
 
Well, my new P3 body shell arrived on Friday, and I opened up the box today.
First off, two thumbs up to DJI. First of all, they supplied a set of landing skids for the shell. No big deal, until you realize that they also sell them separately. So kudos to DJI for including them in the package and not making you buy them if your old landing gear got trashed.
They also supply what seems to be a complete screw package, so if you're fumble fingered like I am and happen to loose one of the originals down an air vent (hey, it could happen), you've got a spare or two. Thank you, DJI.
Just one raspberry...the shell is shipped assembled. That's right, the top is snapped on to the bottom. Separating the top and bottom of the shell was the single most difficult thing to do in taking apart my old shell, and now I have to do it all over again with the new one before I can even start the re-assembly! Just as my cracked and bleeding fingernails were beginning to heal. Now where did I put that old, dull kitchen knife...er, I mean shell removal assist tool?
 
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