First of all I have been lucky. I have a Mavic Pro which worked fine out of the box and the only problem I have had is video being lost when using the included lightning lead which I think will be fixed when DJI accept it is an issue affecting quite a few people.
My concerns though are seeing lots of posts about people receiving Mavics that are broken (Gimbal clamp disc, tab at back of gimbal mount etc) which seems to be a big concern over quality control.
But also, the fact that the Gimbals are mounted on what are basically rubber bands and rubber bands do perish over time so what happens in a years time when our DJI Care Refresh has ran out and the Gimbals start falling apart?
Hopefully by then there will be local outlets that can do repairs but it does worry me that these devices may have a limited lifespan.
What are others thoughts on this?
Thanks
I have seen some Mavics arrive with dislodged bubbles, or gimbal locks, but I have not seen one, in the many dozens I have dealt with, arrive damaged or broken. Every single one has been flyable right out of the box. I have seen a few posts here about the rear cover of the camera breaking loose in the box while shipping, a simple fix by mounting it back on and turning the 2 screws that hold it on with a small philips screwdriver. The gimbal clamp and bubble could definitely have been designed stronger, but the cam and gimbal themselves are very strong and I have seen many survive crashes with just a ribbon or top plate broken. Gimbal clamp $5.00, gimbal bubble $12.50, they dont worry me much.
Yes the gimbal is mounted on rubber bands but so was the Phantom series. Rubber dampers. These things have a certain longevity to them, the old P3 dampers would crack at the bottom, and you would have to buy 4 new ones for $3.00. They had plastic retaining drop pins that would last forever even if the damper failed. Im sure that there are some replacement parts coming in the near future for the rubber bands. The bubbles and gimbal clamps are available. I sell them. The rubber bands and old P3 dampers are standard wear-and-tear items that will wear out after 50 or 100 flights, maybe less if they are kept in a very dry environment.
I should also point out that the rubber bands make for a smooth gimbal movemen, and they are the first line of defense in case of a crash. They break away first, then the ribbon cable, other cable, then the top plate. All cheap replacement parts, that is after the ribbon and other cable are introduced into the market. I sell reinforced top plates that will never break.
If you mean the Mavic when you are referring to "these devices," they will last for as long as you replace the wear-and-tear items. Some of these items might be motors, props, batteries, the rubber parts, and so on. DJI makes has always made a sturdy, long lasting machine that is made to withstand the abuse of newbies, but also deliver fantastic video at a ridiculously low price for what it is and what it can do. Yes you should probably take it in to you local hobby shop or other repair shop for a tuneup after 6 months or a year, but my dad always said, "if it aint broke, dont fix it." But my dad always changed his oil and tires like clockwork.
