Camera slid out of gimbal- BUYER BEWARE!

[joejoelo]

Let me start off by saying this is my 1st post ever on any website in regards to any product but I'm so mad I just had to let others know. The condensed version is that I ordered a Mavic 2 zoom from Amazon and after it arrived, while I was attaching my props before its 1st flight, the camera slid out of the gimbal. The cold solder or other adhesive used just didn't hold. I boxed it back up and sent it back for a new one. When that one arrived I put it together, flew it a while, and when I hit return to home under my back porch awning it ran itself into to wall. I looked it over and although it had some scratches all seemed fine. I flew it 9 or 10 more times, no problems, but after the last flight I noticed the vision sensors were off although they were actually turned on so I decided to bring it in to calibrated the vision sensors. I removed the props, calibrated the front just fine and when I started doing the back one, the camera slid out of the gimbal just like the 1st one. Again, the glue didn't hold. I sent it to DJI and after they reviewed my flight records they still came back and said it wasn't a factory defect but instead my 1st accident which caused it...even after all the other successful flights that took place after that accident! I had them reevaluate the records and after keeping it for over 2 weeks they came back with the same answer. I finally thru up the white flag even though I didn't agree with the outcome and the icing on the cake was when I said I would pay my refresh fee for a new one but asked them to expedite the shipping since this process has taken so long and the customer service supervisor said she would have to charge me extra for that!!! I am attaching 3 pics from the original unit I returned to Amazon and 2 pics from the 2nd unit I sent to DJI.

 

[mavikelli]

That’s a zoom model? Looks like 2 pro

 

[ac0j]

There was a few people complaining here about that same problem on some of the first batch shipped. Maybe do a forum search for a thread title similar to this thread . gimball fell off or Camera fell off......

 

[joejoelo]

Yep it's a zoom. I'll have to search again to see if I can find others with this issue. I did when it happened to the 1st one but didn't find anything then.

 

[ac0j]

I think this is one of them.....
Mavic 2 Fatal Flaw: Broken Camera/Gimbal?

 

[Rusty in Bend]

Well ... the comment that flagged for me was hitting RTH while "under an awning". I can't imagine why that would be something you'd ever do on purpose. That, and the comment about the vision sensor settings ... could absolutely fly your M2Z into the wall. After it hit that wall, DJI had at least a reasonably justifiable argument regarding gratis replacement.

Consider channeling your anger towards the great learnings that this experience provides you.

Lessons learned include (1) Don't fly under or in close proximity to overhangs or obstacles, (2) Don't RTH in dangerous situations - fly manually, and (3) Be very familiar with all settings so that you can predict what the aircraft will do in any given situation. I've learned (painfully) that the vast majority of these situations are actually "pilot error", or the pilot error at least "contributes" to the incident.

Honestly, not trying to be critical. Just trying to educate and share my own experiences.

 

[joejoelo]

I'm with you and all the lessons you mentioned were learned (the hard way) by this experience but you left out that a $1200 drone shouldn't use cheap glue to connect a camera to a gimbal- period! I don't mind posting my faults due to being a new pilot and appreciate the guidance. FYI- the 1st mavic 2 zoom I purchased had the camera slide out of the gimbal while I was attaching the props...never flew it (hard to point to pilot error here)! I get that DJI wants to use my 1st wreck as the excuse for the camera sliding out but the fact that I had 10 flights plus after the 1st accident and then it slid out while holding it indoors while calibrating the sensors. I learned quite a bit about being a better pilot but hopefully DJI will learn to be a better manufacturer and hopefully will provide better customer service in the future. I read some posts now (thanks to the person who sent them) where others have had similar issues so it seems DJI really doesn't care unfortunately. Thanks for sharing and hopefully this will help others as well.

 

[Rusty in Bend]

Totally agree ... having the camera break free "twice" in the same way is totally unacceptable.

 

[4wd]

I'm not sure you can blame camera glue for the second incident - after it ran into wall.
While they can often survive quite serious hard landings, crashing into a wall is not going to end well.
They have been held with glue like that over several models and it is unusual for it to let go unless something else happened.

 

[Suren]

I had my zoom get wrapped around electric wire yesterday while ascending which caused the gimble to turn sideways as it stabilized itself but no issues so far with the camera glue giving up. These drones are very durable and from owning a Pro1 for over a year can atest to it strenght and durability

 

[Speedmeister]

My M2Z camera is equipped with sunhood. I have not crashed it yet but should give some protection. I have crashed my spark many time and my camera/gimble with sunhood is still good.

 

[ff22]

My M2Z camera is equipped with sunhood. I have not crashed it yet but should give some protection. I have crashed my spark many time and my camera/gimble with sunhood is still good.

Is this a commercial product or something you created or improvised?

 

[Speedmeister]

Is this a commercial product or something you created or improvised?

https://www.amazon.com/Threeking-Gi...8&sr=1-9&keywords=dji+mavic+2+camera+sun+hood

 

[ff22]

https://www.amazon.com/Threeking-Gi...8&sr=1-9&keywords=dji+mavic+2+camera+sun+hood

Thanks. Very interesting.