Help Fixing A Blacklisted Air 3

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T12:32:42-0400

About a week ago I bought a Air 3 Fly more kit on eBay and it was sold as a for repair final sale. I bought it but to my surprise nothing needed to be fixed except for there was a error coming up on the screen 1581, so naturally I contacted DJI support.

To my surprise I come to discover that this error means the drone has been blacklisted from connecting ever again. Reason for said blacklist was due to theft.

I tried to get a return, but since it was sold with no returns since its for repair that's not happening. Police are not an option as it is from outside the country, so I'm stuck with a $1000 paper weight. Hardware is bran new, but wont activate.

So I asked them what can be done and I get absolutely nothing out of them. Even though I have proof of a receipt of a legal purchase, even though I offered to pay an activation fee if need be, even though I asked if something can be repaired or replaced, they were willing to do absolutely nothing for me. They will give me absolutely no information and will not help. Its been a back and forth for about a week between e-mails and the DJI Forum's goons just to get the same answer...

Its not that they cant help, its that they wont help.

I just want to clarify that it's not that they couldn't do anything, it's that they were not willing to do anything. Such fantastic business practices as a company, refusing to help legal third-party owners. They're completely happy with you throwing away money. I'd love to blast DJI's media pages but they are too smart to let bad business advertisement happen.

My question to anyone here who has dealt with this before whether they have found a drone or had the same issue, what can be done?

I'm technical enough to be able to open the system and service it, do you think a motherboard /main board change can fix this? Because I'm assuming the serial number is what's banned and I don't know which piece of the hardware is the serialized portion.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wes

GFields · 2025-04-12T12:35:17-0400

I don't think you can do anything to fix it

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T12:38:13-0400

I'm thinking replacing the mainboard might be the thing. I just need to figure out what that serialized part is.

GFields · 2025-04-12T12:42:01-0400

Yeah, I hope you succeed. Keep us posted.

sarahb · 2025-04-12T12:43:00-0400

I hate this happened to you. I hope you get it fixed. I love my Air 3

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T12:47:13-0400

GFields said:
Yeah, I hope you succeed. Keep us posted.

Anywhere you might know of where I can get a board that wont cost an arm and a leg? Or perhaps somewhere that sells broken or lost/found drones?

mavic3usa · 2025-04-12T13:19:35-0400

Without getting into the details (because there are many) my advice to you is to sell it to someone else on eBay using the same/similar listing making sure to point out the drone is for parts only and no returns. Optionally you can point out the drone is stolen and cannot be activated but I think anyone should be able to figure that out as a possibility when they read your listing and "read between the lines." Hopefully you can get $1000 for it because after all....that's what you were willing to pay for it so it's a fair price, right?

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T13:22:01-0400

mavic3usa said:
Without getting into the details (because there are many) my advice to you is to sell it to someone else on eBay using the same/similar listing making sure to point out the drone is for parts only and no returns. Optionally you can point out the drone is stolen and cannot be activated but I think anyone should be able to figure that out as a possibility when they read your listing and "read between the lines." Hopefully you can get $1000 for it because after all....that's what you were willing to pay for it so it's a fair price, right?

Do you think anyone on here might be interested in the full fly more kit for a grand? Id need to wait 30 days before I can post it tho.

Id like to fix it as I've been waiting a long time to be able to afford this thing... but your probably right.

mavic3usa · 2025-04-12T13:24:31-0400

Sir Cloake said:
Do you think anyone on here might be interested in the full fly more kit for a grand?

Nope

rexster1505 · 2025-04-12T13:30:15-0400

If you paid through paypal you might have some recourse.

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T13:32:12-0400

rexster1505 said:
If you paid through paypal you might have some recourse.

Says "For Repair/Parts Final Sale No Returns" they wont unfortunately I tried.

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T13:33:12-0400

If I can get another drone thats broken and swap the parts thats my best chance. Or sell it like mavic3usa said.

Cafguy · 2025-04-12T13:39:50-0400

Sir Cloake said:
I have proof of a receipt of a legal purchase,

Actually The purchase wasnt legal. The seller was breaking the law. You got it for repair so Why would DJI want or need to help. there are many parts that are serielized my advice...Keep the Batteries and other stuff and buy another Drone from a seller that STATES its a drone that flies. OR Get a Refurb from CamRise.

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T13:45:46-0400

Cafguy said:
Actually The purchase wasnt legal. The seller was breaking the law. You got it for repair so Why would DJI want or need to help. there are many parts that are serielized my advice...Keep the Batteries and other stuff and buy another Drone from a seller that STATES its a drone that flies. OR Get a Refurb from CamRise.

CamRise you say? Ill check them out.

Cafguy · 2025-04-12T13:47:11-0400

Sir Cloake said:
CamRise you say? Ill check them out.

Yes they are the Drone superstore on Ebay they sell with full DJI benefits and the like.

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T13:48:28-0400

Cafguy said:
Yes they are the Drone superstore on Ebay they sell with full DJI benefits and the like.

I've been looking for one that needs repairs but ill keep them in mind.

MARK (LI) · 2025-04-12T13:57:03-0400

Sir Cloake said:
About a week ago I bought a Air 3 Fly more kit on eBay and it was sold as a for repair final sale. I bought it but to my surprise nothing needed to be fixed except for there was a error coming up on the screen 1581, so naturally I contacted DJI support.

To my surprise I come to discover that this error means the drone has been blacklisted from connecting ever again. Reason for said blacklist was due to theft.

I tried to get a return, but since it was sold with no returns since its for repair that's not happening. Police are not an option as it is from outside the country, so I'm stuck with a $1000 paper weight. Hardware is bran new, but wont activate.

So I asked them what can be done and I get absolutely nothing out of them. Even though I have proof of a receipt of a legal purchase, even though I offered to pay an activation fee if need be, even though I asked if something can be repaired or replaced, they were willing to do absolutely nothing for me. They will give me absolutely no information and will not help. Its been a back and forth for about a week between e-mails and the DJI Forum's goons just to get the same answer...

Its not that they cant help, its that they wont help.

I just want to clarify that it's not that they couldn't do anything, it's that they were not willing to do anything. Such fantastic business practices as a company, refusing to help legal third-party owners. They're completely happy with you throwing away money. I'd love to blast DJI's media pages but they are too smart to let bad business advertisement happen.

My question to anyone here who has dealt with this before whether they have found a drone or had the same issue, what can be done?

I'm technical enough to be able to open the system and service it, do you think a motherboard /main board change can fix this? Because I'm assuming the serial number is what's banned and I don't know which piece of the hardware is the serialized portion.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wes

Although you may have bought it with good intentions, you are in possession of stolen goods...it is not legal. And the policy of DJI in this regard is to help mitigate drone theft. Did you report the seller to ebay, did you leave feedback? The fact that it was sold "for repair" does not change the fact that it has been stolen. The premise that it was stolen and not advertised as such ( I know, no one would mention that) makes the item different than described.....I don't particularly care for dji as a company, but they are not the ones doing anything wrong here.....The seller is wrong and ebay and paypal have facilitated the sale of stolen goods...if you put it to them that way, they may take another look at your situation....but dji is out of it....Here is link to a recent thread which is quite similar to your situation DJI's horrific support in unbinding a drone - SHOUT OUT

Cafguy · 2025-04-12T14:01:21-0400

Sir Cloake said:
I've been looking for one that needs repairs

DJI Drones are VERY expensive "tinker Toys" even if you know what you are doing!

Sir Cloake · 2025-04-12T14:03:29-0400

MARK (LI) said:
Although you may have bought it with good intentions, you are in possession of stolen goods...it is not legal. And the policy of DJI in this regard is to help mitigate drone theft. Did you report the seller to ebay? The fact that it was sold "for repair" does not change the fact that it has been stolen. The fact that it was stolen and not advertised as such makes the item different than described.....I don't particularly care for dji as a company, but they are not the ones doing anything wrong here.....The seller is wrong and ebay and paypal have facilitated the sale of stolen goods...if you put it to them that way, they may take another look at your situation....but dji is out of it.

All possible legal actions were taken, nothing can be done. Now I'm just looking to find a way to fix it or now sell it.

My issue with DJI is not that they could not help me, its they would not help me. They gave me no information to hel me fix it, no alternative to fix it, nothing. Sure they don't owe me anything, but they dont have any morals either... go china. sure it is a stolen item, just not by me.

Now im just trying to dig myself out of a $1800 hole.