Dji mini SE camera gimbal stuck

[flyingwithkris]

 

[flyingwithkris]

What can I do instead of buying dji mini refresh care? I also tried to open the top, but it was way too hard. It it so fragile and one screw is stuck in there. What should I do? Is the gimbal stuck or damaged?

 

[SkyeHigh]

What can I do instead of buying dji mini refresh care? I also tried to open the top, but it was way too hard. It it so fragile and one screw is stuck in there. What should I do? Is the gimbal stuck or damaged?

We’ll need a bit more information.

• Was this the result of a crash?
• Do you still get video from the camera?
• Is the gimbal physically stuck?
• Regarding Care Refresh, how long have you had the drone?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

You couldn't now "buy care refresh", to buy it outside the 48hr window that follows activation you would have to produce a video showing it to be currently flawless and I doubt you can do that.

If you currently HAVE care refresh then all you can do is close the lid, send the drone in for assessment and if it is not a warranty issue then pay the relevant fee and get the drone repaired or replaced.

If you do not have care refresh then I would either look for a second hand drone or close the lid and send yours in for repair, DJI seems to have a reputation for reasonable repair costs.

 

[flyingwithkris]

We’ll need a bit more information.

• Was this the result of a crash?
• Do you still get video from the camera?
• Is the gimbal physically stuck?
• Regarding Care Refresh, how long have you had the drone?

Yes, this was a result of an upside down crash on the roof. Yes, I still get video from the camera. The gimbal moves fine up and down, but when I tilt it to the left or right side, it moves kind of strange, it touches some corners. I have had the drone since November 21, 2022.

 

[flyingwithkris]

You couldn't now "buy care refresh", to buy it outside the 48hr window that follows activation you would have to produce a video showing it to be currently flawless and I doubt you can do that.

If you currently HAVE care refresh then all you can do is close the lid, send the drone in for assessment and if it is not a warranty issue then pay the relevant fee and get the drone repaired or replaced.

If you do not have care refresh then I would either look for a second hand drone or close the lid and send yours in for repair, DJI seems to have a reputation for reasonable repair costs.

I do not have care refresh (I misunderstood) and I do not want to spend any money because my dad will notice, despite me being 23 years old. Is there a way to fix it by opening and looking inside, since the app says it is stuck?

 

[SkyeHigh]

I do not have care refresh (I misunderstood) and I do not want to spend any money because my dad will notice, despite me being 23 years old. Is there a way to fix it by opening and looking inside, since the app says it is stuck?

Should be no need to open.

When you say the gimbal moves, is that when being controlled from the remote or by hand when powered off? Reason being, need to check the gimbal ribbon cable is ok.

The gimbal is mounted on a vibration isolating board using rubber fixings. It’s possible one or more has become detached. You should be able to tell if you take a close look.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I have occasionally ( once? ) noticed the gimbal stick in a way that is similar to my understanding of your description.
From memory, with the drone on its back, I pulled the gimbal assembly up and forward slightly by perhaps between 3 & 6 mm. That fixed what ever was the problem. DO NOT try to move it much further than that, there is a ribbon cable that you could tear if the movements are excessive.
The damper rubbers ( 4 ) fit over 4 lips on 4 arms and into recesses on those arms on the gimbal, the other end of each damper rubber fits through holes in the drone's body, you can see the latter rear rubbers are clearly in place in the drone's body in you photos but I can't see if those rubbers are in place on the arms.
I can't remember if it is possible to refit the rubbers to the arms with the gimbal in situ.

With the drone's top cover in place relocating the front dampers is a lot trickier that relocating the rear dampers.
If a rubber is displaced DO NOT lose your temper whilst trying to relocate it. If you feel yourself getting frustrated put the drone down for a while and come back to it when you have cooled down a bit.
BE CAREFUL not to puncture the rubbers, use blunt ended tools whilst trying to relocate any displaced damper.

There are a number of youtube showing these rubbers etc. it might be useful for you to watch a few. Do not watch just one, it may not be a good video, watch several.

 

[flyingwithkris]

Should be no need to open.

When you say the gimbal moves, is that when being controlled from the remote or by hand when powered off? Reason being, need to check the gimbal ribbon cable is ok.

The gimbal is mounted on a vibration isolating board using rubber fixings. It’s possible one or more has become detached. You should be able to tell if you take a close look.

The gimbal moves only by hand, not from the remote. The ribbon cable is probably fine, but some plastic parts are maybe deformed? If i move the whole gimbal object with my hand, it touches the bottom of the drone, same with the top. The rubber fixings are not damaged either ...

 

[flyingwithkris]

Here is a closer look. It is very hard to remove the top of the drone, I am afraid it will break and one screw is stuck inside there.

 

[flyingwithkris]

I have occasionally ( once? ) noticed the gimbal stick in a way that is similar to my understanding of your description.
From memory, with the drone on its back, I pulled the gimbal assembly up and forward slightly by perhaps between 3 & 6 mm. That fixed what ever was the problem. DO NOT try to move it much further than that, there is a ribbon cable that you could tear if the movements are excessive.
The damper rubbers ( 4 ) fit over 4 lips on 4 arms and into recesses on those arms on the gimbal, the other end of each damper rubber fits through holes in the drone's body, you can see the latter rear rubbers are clearly in place in the drone's body in you photos but I can't see if those rubbers are in place on the arms.
I can't remember if it is possible to refit the rubbers to the arms with the gimbal in situ.

With the drone's top cover in place relocating the front dampers is a lot trickier that relocating the rear dampers.
If a rubber is displaced DO NOT lose your temper whilst trying to relocate it. If you feel yourself getting frustrated put the drone down for a while and come back to it when you have cooled down a bit.
BE CAREFUL not to puncture the rubbers, use blunt ended tools whilst trying to relocate any displaced damper.

There are a number of youtube showing these rubbers etc. it might be useful for you to watch a few. Do not watch just one, it may not be a good video, watch several.

Repair service is surely available, but I do not want my dad to know. My mom suggested me to take it to an electronics shop, but I said nah, they can not so that

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I doubt a routine electronics shop will be able to do anything, the rear mounts appear to be correct, attached is a photo of my Mavic Mini's rear mounts.
Can you post a video of the movements of the gimbal during the drone's boot process?

 

[flyingwithkris]

I doubt a routine electronics shop will be able to do anything, the rear mounts appear to be correct, attached is a photo of my Mavic Mini's rear mounts.
Can you post a video of the movements of the gimbal during the drone's boot process?

It clearly moves during the boot process. Sorry, but it is pretty hard to insert a video in here, I do not know how because I can not click the video file I made. But yes, it clearly moves up and down during the startup process. The cable is probably damaged or something

 

[flyingwithkris]

I doubt a routine electronics shop will be able to do anything, the rear mounts appear to be correct, attached is a photo of my Mavic Mini's rear mounts.
Can you post a video of the movements of the gimbal during the drone's boot process?

But does it mean it is bad when it still does the startup rotation?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

We don't know if the gimbal dance is correct until you post a video and yes a faulty gimbal can do a dance at boot.

 

[flyingwithkris]

Here is a video, I couldn’t upload it to Mavic pilots.

 

[flyingwithkris]

We don't know if the gimbal dance is correct until you post a video and yes a faulty gimbal can do a dance at boot.

Couldn’t post it here.

 

[flyingwithkris]

We don't know if the gimbal dance is correct until you post a video and yes a faulty gimbal can do a dance at boot.

There are very few drone repair places and drone shops here in Norway, so I don't know who to ask. I asked someone in Power (shop) and they said they would send it to a repair place. But my question is: do you know an approximate price for this situation? I would really like to buy for the repair but I don't want my dad to know it, since it was him who bought it.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

There are very few drone repair places and drone shops here in Norway, so I don't know who to ask. I asked someone in Power (shop) and they said they would send it to a repair place. But my question is: do you know an approximate price for this situation? I would really like to buy for the repair but I don't want my dad to know it, since it was him who bought it.

I would send it to DJI (EU/Europe?), you are quite likely to get a new drone back.
Ask on the DJI forum, the Mods there interact with posters etc..

Mavic Series - DJI Products forum

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forum.dji.com

A repairer would probably have to repair the drone whereas DJI seem to send out a replacement, which saves time as far as you are concerned.
Sorry can't help with repairs costs other than to say DJI seem to be quite reasonable.


The only thing you might have to watch out for is that you complete the customs paperwork correctly to ensure customs consider it a repair and not export and import.

 

[flyingwithkris]

Thanks!