Good Morning forum!
BLUF: Roll motor malfunction after crash. Everything visually appears ok, I've completely disassembled the gimbal and camera, completing a visual inspection on everything. I've also replaced "most likely" faulty components in a "process of elimination" attempt to figure this out: the PTZ cable, and the roll motor itself. I have also attempted manual calibration via the Python CLI scripts and DJI_Tools. I'm afraid I'm down to the main board/ motherboard.
Quick about me: This is my third DJI drone. I started back in ~2016-2017 with a Phantom 3 standard. Flew it for a few years, eventually crashing it into a tree at my house flying it on a day that was arguably too windy. Earlier this year, I started thinking about trying to fix the P3S, but replacement parts quickly exceeded what I wanted to spend on that drone. I instead, bought a Mini 3 w/ RC. M3 is SO much better and nicer to fly than the P3. I quickly wanted more capability, and started looking for something "inexpensive" that could "share" the RC remote with the Mini 3. I searched around and bought a pristine Air2S Fly More kit second-hand. I am a DIYer through and through, well versed in all sorts of repairs (ASE certified technician for a number of years, home alarm installation tech, HVAC service tech, and currently in IT - cybersecurity).
The Scenario/ Crash: I flew the 2S a couple times before deciding to "test" try active track while walking the dog. Bad piloting caused by inexperience with ActiveTrack led to the drone tracking me sideways into a tree. I tried to push it "up" as I saw it tracking, but apparently hit a "maximum tracking altitude" preventing me from being able to clear the tree. Anyway, hit the top of the tree, and tumbled down, landing upside down in the grass, still "complete" with a broken LR arm socket (axis). The drone was still "on" (motors stopped), as was the camera when I picked it up. I did not do a full diagnosis at that time sadly. I essentially powered it down as soon as I picked it up and carried it home. The gimbal was in-tact - other than a "dent" on the roll arm cover.
Repair Service: Replacing the LR arm axis was honestly a relatively easy repair. After replacing the arm, and powering up the gimbal does its vertical and horizontal tests, but the roll motor "snaps" to ~-45* offset and doesn't move. The roll motor "buzzes" lightly and stays engaged, providing resistance to the touch. If you manually move it to center or just past, it tends to "snap" to ~+45*. The motor/ arm gets hot to the touch after about 30s of powering on. When powered off, the roll motor moves freely and cleanly, no obstructions at all. Doing some research and "common sense" troubleshooting, I'm thinking either the hall-effect sensor was knocked loose/ broken, so it activates and "can't find" its location; OR that the dent on the cover indicated a hard enough impact that a coil or something in the motor broke/ shorted internally hence it "turning on" and getting hot soon after powering on.
So, I painstakingly disassembled the entire gimbal / camera to replaced the roll motor itself, and put it all back together, to find the same symptoms. The camera itself works, and shows up in the app. After replacing the motor to no avail, I started digging deeper again. Eventually finding a YouTube video explaining the DJI_Tools and manual recalibration of the gimbal. Initially thinking this new motor / hall effect needed to learn its "stops" correctly. I think I am doing the CLI setup correctly, and can attempt the "CoarseCal" which mimics the actions of the POST - gimbal moves Up and Down and Side to Side, but no roll. Ok, disassemble again, and even closer look at everything to be sure. Remembering I had trouble getting the larger gimbal connector off the MoBo initially (I didnt realize it was just the "center bar" on that connector, rather than an external housing like the smaller one), I looked at and replaced the PTZ cabe (not the ribbon cable) and am left with the same results. I'm at about $50 so far ($10 Axis, $20 motor, $20 cable), but looks like just about all that is left is the MoBo. Happy to post detailed pics / follow-ups, etc.
I'm thinking now, that I likely created the gimbal issue during the repair of the axis... which may end up killing this drone. I cant imagine replacing the MoBo on these is feasible / especially DIY (at least without extensive knowledge of the DJI_Tools suite).
Thank you all! Please help me not waste $500 for 3 short flights, anything else I can do to check/ confirm/ test? Anything I've overlooked? Anyone know appx how much a mobo repair/replace is?
BLUF: Roll motor malfunction after crash. Everything visually appears ok, I've completely disassembled the gimbal and camera, completing a visual inspection on everything. I've also replaced "most likely" faulty components in a "process of elimination" attempt to figure this out: the PTZ cable, and the roll motor itself. I have also attempted manual calibration via the Python CLI scripts and DJI_Tools. I'm afraid I'm down to the main board/ motherboard.
Quick about me: This is my third DJI drone. I started back in ~2016-2017 with a Phantom 3 standard. Flew it for a few years, eventually crashing it into a tree at my house flying it on a day that was arguably too windy. Earlier this year, I started thinking about trying to fix the P3S, but replacement parts quickly exceeded what I wanted to spend on that drone. I instead, bought a Mini 3 w/ RC. M3 is SO much better and nicer to fly than the P3. I quickly wanted more capability, and started looking for something "inexpensive" that could "share" the RC remote with the Mini 3. I searched around and bought a pristine Air2S Fly More kit second-hand. I am a DIYer through and through, well versed in all sorts of repairs (ASE certified technician for a number of years, home alarm installation tech, HVAC service tech, and currently in IT - cybersecurity).
The Scenario/ Crash: I flew the 2S a couple times before deciding to "test" try active track while walking the dog. Bad piloting caused by inexperience with ActiveTrack led to the drone tracking me sideways into a tree. I tried to push it "up" as I saw it tracking, but apparently hit a "maximum tracking altitude" preventing me from being able to clear the tree. Anyway, hit the top of the tree, and tumbled down, landing upside down in the grass, still "complete" with a broken LR arm socket (axis). The drone was still "on" (motors stopped), as was the camera when I picked it up. I did not do a full diagnosis at that time sadly. I essentially powered it down as soon as I picked it up and carried it home. The gimbal was in-tact - other than a "dent" on the roll arm cover.
Repair Service: Replacing the LR arm axis was honestly a relatively easy repair. After replacing the arm, and powering up the gimbal does its vertical and horizontal tests, but the roll motor "snaps" to ~-45* offset and doesn't move. The roll motor "buzzes" lightly and stays engaged, providing resistance to the touch. If you manually move it to center or just past, it tends to "snap" to ~+45*. The motor/ arm gets hot to the touch after about 30s of powering on. When powered off, the roll motor moves freely and cleanly, no obstructions at all. Doing some research and "common sense" troubleshooting, I'm thinking either the hall-effect sensor was knocked loose/ broken, so it activates and "can't find" its location; OR that the dent on the cover indicated a hard enough impact that a coil or something in the motor broke/ shorted internally hence it "turning on" and getting hot soon after powering on.
So, I painstakingly disassembled the entire gimbal / camera to replaced the roll motor itself, and put it all back together, to find the same symptoms. The camera itself works, and shows up in the app. After replacing the motor to no avail, I started digging deeper again. Eventually finding a YouTube video explaining the DJI_Tools and manual recalibration of the gimbal. Initially thinking this new motor / hall effect needed to learn its "stops" correctly. I think I am doing the CLI setup correctly, and can attempt the "CoarseCal" which mimics the actions of the POST - gimbal moves Up and Down and Side to Side, but no roll. Ok, disassemble again, and even closer look at everything to be sure. Remembering I had trouble getting the larger gimbal connector off the MoBo initially (I didnt realize it was just the "center bar" on that connector, rather than an external housing like the smaller one), I looked at and replaced the PTZ cabe (not the ribbon cable) and am left with the same results. I'm at about $50 so far ($10 Axis, $20 motor, $20 cable), but looks like just about all that is left is the MoBo. Happy to post detailed pics / follow-ups, etc.
I'm thinking now, that I likely created the gimbal issue during the repair of the axis... which may end up killing this drone. I cant imagine replacing the MoBo on these is feasible / especially DIY (at least without extensive knowledge of the DJI_Tools suite).
Thank you all! Please help me not waste $500 for 3 short flights, anything else I can do to check/ confirm/ test? Anything I've overlooked? Anyone know appx how much a mobo repair/replace is?
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