Mavic Air 2/2S/Mini 2/Mini3 gimbal replacement

[BSauce955]

So I've seen in previous threads that people seem to have issues when changing the gimbals from the newer drones. However, the threads are a bit old and I'm wondering if anything has changed in regards to changing gimbals yourself. I know on the Mavic 2 series, it was a fairly simple changing between Zoom and Pro cameras or simply replacing a broken gimbal. However, I'm not sure if DJI has made any changes. I can't find anything recent online so I figured to ask here to see if anyone knows anything. I've seen a lot of damaged drones on eBay for sale, however, most have gimbal problems. Since you have to send it to DJI for repair, I can't imagine who would be purchasing it unless for other spare parts.

 

[pati0furniture]

I'm not sure about other models, but you can't just swap the gimbal on a Mini 2 because it has to be paired with the main board either by DJI or running some python scripts with it connected to you PC. I managed to run the scripts successfully after installing a new board but the gimbal was damaged as well and couldn't complete the calibration.

I was originally just going to sell it for parts after getting an Air 2s like you mentioned, but I think I'll see how much DJI would charge for a repair and just keep it if it's not too much.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

The newer drones have to be paired to the board using proprietary software that only DJI has so they are no longer DIY. I forget which model they started that with, perhaps the MA2?

 

[BSauce955]

So what I'm hearing is that gimbals can no longer be swapped by the consumer. In that case, what parts of the gimbal can be replaced? Could I just swap the main boards on the cameras? I can't imagine that the motors were somehow paired to the main board as they don't have any "mind" (I can't find the right word). So in that case, I would think the main board of the camera would be paired to the drone so swap the boards and it's fine?

 

[CaseyK]

You may want to ask DDS. I sent them an Air 2 for a gimbal overload problem. I was given a loose $600 estimate and a very long time line for repair. The long time estimate was to obtain proprietary software from DJI, so I was told. I solved my problem by purchasing a drone only Air 2s with a battery for not much over the repair estimate. So now I have two drones, one that has shaky video at times and the other with better features. I just saw post 3, he answered your question with less words.

 

[BSauce955]

You may want to ask DDS. I sent them an Air 2 for a gimbal overload problem. I was given a loose $600 estimate and a very long time line for repair. The long time estimate was to obtain proprietary software from DJI, so I was told. I solved my problem by purchasing a drone only Air 2s with a battery for not much over the repair estimate. So now I have two drones, one that has shaky video at times and the other with better features. I just saw post 3, he answered your question with less words.

That's the same thing that happened to me with my Air 2S so I opted to skip the gimbal replacement. I don't have a drone at the moment with that issue, but I figured it might be worth a shot to get one and try swapping the main boards. You never know what you might find out.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

So what I'm hearing is that gimbals can no longer be swapped by the consumer. In that case, what parts of the gimbal can be replaced? Could I just swap the main boards on the cameras? I can't imagine that the motors were somehow paired to the main board as they don't have any "mind" (I can't find the right word). So in that case, I would think the main board of the camera would be paired to the drone so swap the boards and it's fine?

The board and the camera need to be paired if you replace the camera. You can replace things like cables, motors, and other accessories I believe without the main board issue. It's the camera itself that requires pairing to the board using the proprietary software.

 

[BSauce955]

The board and the camera need to be paired if you replace the camera. You can replace things like cables, motors, and other accessories I believe without the main board issue. It's the camera itself that requires pairing to the board using the proprietary software.

That makes a lot of sense. I forgot the camera has a board as well. So essentially, I could purchase a new gimbal but I'd need to swap the camera module.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

That makes a lot of sense. I forgot the camera has a board as well. So essentially, I could purchase a new gimbal but I'd need to swap the camera module.

I'm not sure if DJI or authorized dealer would do the pairing if you swapped the camera but maybe it's worth asking.

 

[BSauce955]

I'm not sure if DJI or authorized dealer would do the pairing if you swapped the camera but maybe it's worth asking.

I'm not sure if I'm making sense (sometimes I don't). Let's say I crash my Air 2 and the gimbal is destroyed. However, the camera portion (the part connected to the mainboard) is still majorly intact. Can I purchase a new gimbal, remove the camera module from it, and install my old camera into the new gimbal? That way, I have the paired camera in the new gimbal or is that not how it works?

 

[CaseyK]

I'm not sure if I'm making sense (sometimes I don't). Let's say I crash my Air 2 and the gimbal is destroyed. However, the camera portion (the part connected to the mainboard) is still majorly intact. Can I purchase a new gimbal, remove the camera module from it, and install my old camera into the new gimbal? That way, I have the paired camera in the new gimbal or is that not how it works?

Ask DDS.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

I'm not sure if I'm making sense (sometimes I don't). Let's say I crash my Air 2 and the gimbal is destroyed. However, the camera portion (the part connected to the mainboard) is still majorly intact. Can I purchase a new gimbal, remove the camera module from it, and install my old camera into the new gimbal? That way, I have the paired camera in the new gimbal or is that not how it works?

Ah, I see now. That, I'm not sure. I mean theoretically it might work as long as you're just replacing the gimbal motors and such. Although saying that, I'm not sure if it's the gimbal control or the camera image that needs to be paired to the board. Maybe @Yorkshire_Pud would have some more insight on that. I know he does a lot of disassembly on these things.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Sorry I am not in a position to help with the air 2, best I can suggest is to look at the likes of

which suggests a python recalibration of the gimbal will be required. At a skim the linked recalibration video

looks quite good.

 

[pati0furniture]

I'm not sure if I'm making sense (sometimes I don't). Let's say I crash my Air 2 and the gimbal is destroyed. However, the camera portion (the part connected to the mainboard) is still majorly intact. Can I purchase a new gimbal, remove the camera module from it, and install my old camera into the new gimbal? That way, I have the paired camera in the new gimbal or is that not how it works?

It would depend on how the gimbal is assembled. I haven't opened up an Air 2 gimbal. But if it's anything like the Mini 2's the are pressed on to the motors and don't look to be removable without wrecking the gimbal arms.

 

[Georgerom]

If you replaced/repaired the gimbal on Air 2/2S as well Mavic 3 you can use the Python method to calibrate the camera but you will have errors 40011/40021 and 10016 after that. They will show up on the screen all the time. The mini drones can not be calibrated with the Python method because they do not show up as COM ports on your PC when you connect them with a USB cable. I can remove the 40011 and 40021 from your drone and calibrate the camera remotely. I can not remove the 10016 because that is stored on the DJI servers and I do not have access to them. Only DJI can.
10016 is a warning at first when you start the drone but will disappear after a few seconds from the screen. That error will not affect the flight or the image quality at all. PM me if you are interested.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

If you replaced/repaired the gimbal on Air 2/2S as well Mavic 3 you can use the Python method to calibrate the camera but you will have errors 40011/40021 and 10016 after that. They will show up on the screen all the time. The mini drones can not be calibrated with the Python method because they do not show up as COM ports on your PC when you connect them with a USB cable. I can remove the 40011 and 40021 from your drone and calibrate the camera remotely. I can not remove the 10016 because that is stored on the DJI servers and I do not have access to them. Only DJI can.
10016 is a warning at first when you start the drone but will disappear after a few seconds from the screen. That error will not affect the flight or the image quality at all. PM me if you are interested.

The mini-s can be calibrated using python, I have done it with one of them or both of them, see posts numbers 6 and 8 in Gimbal calibration after repair, I am stuck, Mavic Mini but may apply to other models.

 

[Georgerom]

The mini-s can be calibrated using python, I have done it with one of them or both of them, see posts numbers 6 and 8 in Gimbal calibration after repair, I am stuck, Mavic Mini but may apply to other models.

I use different software and I don't need to create a virtual COM port via Assistant 2. Even if you do that and is successful you still have those errors I mentioned above.

 

[b1xn00d]

I'm not sure if I'm making sense (sometimes I don't). Let's say I crash my Air 2 and the gimbal is destroyed. However, the camera portion (the part connected to the mainboard) is still majorly intact. Can I purchase a new gimbal, remove the camera module from it, and install my old camera into the new gimbal? That way, I have the paired camera in the new gimbal or is that not how it works?

Late to the party but this works (at least on the Air 2); I've done it.

 

[BSauce955]

Late to the party but this works; I've done it.

Great to hear! That solves a ton of issues for me! Thanks for the info!

 

[b1xn00d]

Great to hear! That solves a ton of issues for me! Thanks for the info!

Glad it's of use! I bought a new gimbal base (pitch + yaw arm: https://m.aliexpress.us/item/3256805292301576.html) on aliexpress for like $40 and put it in, so everything between the rubber plugs and the bracket attaching to the camera case (roll arm?) was replaced, along with both cables. You also need a set of covers ($20, https://m.aliexpress.us/item/3256803277872921.html) if you go this route.

Had to push pretty hard to get the roll arm into the yaw arm socket but it hasn't given me any issues since, and that was three months ago.

If your roll arm didn't make it either, this + a back cover for the camera and front lens ring should do the trick: 10.64US $ 42% OFF|Original Empty Gimbal For Dji Mavic Air 2 Camera Yaw/roll Arm/bracket With Motors Lens Module Component(used Must Be Calibrated) - Drone Accessories Kits - AliExpress

DJI Mavic Air 2 Camera Back Cover Replacement Repair Part | eBay

OEM PULLED PART.

www.ebay.com

I'll look carefully at the startup tonight to make sure there aren't any error messages displaying briefly, but there's nothing when flying.