New serial number after a repair?

[akdrone]

I sent both my Mav3 and controller in for repair. At one point I got an email that listed cost for repair of a part for each item (but free under warranty) so I assumed I was getting my original gear back, repaired. Fine with me if they fix it this time (second trip back to DJI). Now, however, I am getting new serial numbers for each unit. It may well be that upon completion of a repair they get a new serial number. Either that or they record the cost of the repair for accounting purposes and send a new unit. Anybody know what's up with that?

 

[DanJ]

I too sent in my RC Pro controller for warranty repair and was suprised to see a different serial number.
I think that I was sent a NEW controller instead of them fixing it.

 

[akdrone]

I just got a call from DJI. A young woman said they were sending a new drone and controller, by 2nd day air and including a small present (I'm hoping for a gold bar) because they messed up the previous repair. Nobody's perfect so I do appreciate the extra attention and 2nd day service (to Alaska). Now...hopefully both issues will be fixed.

 

[66427cobra]

It appears to be commonplace that DJI sends a different unit back when returned for repair under warranty and/or care refresh. I got back a different Mini 2 in a new, shrink wrapped box. It was new or like new. I suspect this is cheaper for them and definitely makes for quicker turnaround time.

I did have to register the new drone and pay another $5 to Uncle Sam because I am Part 107 certified and use it for both business and recreation. This meant a new registration number for my drone and deactivating the old drone.

Make sure you don't forget to take care of this, too. If you are recreational only you use the same registration number but want to tie it to the new unit and deactivate the old one. If they do refurbish it, you don't want it to still showing as yours if it ends up with someone else.

 

[LoudThunder]

I just got a call from DJI. A young woman said they were sending a new drone and controller, by 2nd day air and including a small present (I'm hoping for a gold bar) because they messed up the previous repair. Nobody's perfect so I do appreciate the extra attention and 2nd day service (to Alaska). Now...hopefully both issues will be fixed.

Last March I crashed my Mini 2 and had it replaced under the Care Refresh Policy, the replacement started acting up right away and I sent it back under the Warranty coverage.

In my dealings with DJI, various reps have said that repairing a Drone under Care Refresh is not economical and DJI usually just sends out a New Drone and sends the damaged drones off to an "undisclosed location" to be rebuilt and refurbished for re-sale by the multitude of resellers.

Drones sent in for repair work will almost exclusively be repaired (at your cost…) and returned. What DJI does to your drone will not be a secret, as they will email you a bill with estimates and explanations.

Of the three Mini 2s, the First one was New, the second two, replacements, I carefully examined the drones, especially the "landing pads" and both replacement drones had No scratches, scuffs, or any other markings that indicated they were anything buy New…

Below is the posting I made of my experience at the time… If you have further questions and I'll monitor this thread and provide any other info I may have.

By the way, I got a FREE Battery out of it, perhaps you'll get Your Gold Bar…

A few questions about insurance/warranty through DJI vs. "others", and a few other questions as well......

Let me assure you with this; except for the image coming out of the camera of the M3 (and not by much), the Air2s is their best value for the consumer line. You purchased the right bird . . . incredibly powerful and rock solid stable. Enjoy yourself pilot!! Thank you, that was my goal! I...

mavicpilots.com

 

[Lasidora]

Same here last Dec had my Mavic 3 clip a branch in low light, damaged the camera gimble and some other minor damage, got a brand new Mavic 3 back with new serial, got to give credit where it's due, DJI provide faster service than they do firmware updates.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

It's well known DJI send out either new or refurb aircraft (and probably other equipment) when doing warranty or Refresh 'repairs'.

I suspect they would gather all the faulty drones up at certain intervals and batch repair them is a special facility.
Makes sense for such a huge operation . . . even though DJI products are generally quite reliable in the main, the sheer number they are dealing with in a minuscule % of returns would be a lot to deal with dribbling in to them.

When they get too many refurbs on the shelf, ie well into product life, we start to see them pop up for direct resale in places.

 

[FLDave]

Non-warranty and non-Care Refresh also get new replacements instead of repair with cost based on parts pricing.

 

[akdrone]

Last March I crashed my Mini 2 and had it replaced under the Care Refresh Policy, the replacement started acting up right away and I sent it back under the Warranty coverage.

In my dealings with DJI, various reps have said that repairing a Drone under Care Refresh is not economical and DJI usually just sends out a New Drone and sends the damaged drones off to an "undisclosed location" to be rebuilt and refurbished for re-sale by the multitude of resellers.

Drones sent in for repair work will almost exclusively be repaired (at your cost…) and returned. What DJI does to your drone will not be a secret, as they will email you a bill with estimates and explanations.

Of the three Mini 2s, the First one was New, the second two, replacements, I carefully examined the drones, especially the "landing pads" and both replacement drones had No scratches, scuffs, or any other markings that indicated they were anything buy New…

Below is the posting I made of my experience at the time… If you have further questions and I'll monitor this thread and provide any other info I may have.

By the way, I got a FREE Battery out of it, perhaps you'll get Your Gold Bar…

A few questions about insurance/warranty through DJI vs. "others", and a few other questions as well......

Let me assure you with this; except for the image coming out of the camera of the M3 (and not by much), the Air2s is their best value for the consumer line. You purchased the right bird . . . incredibly powerful and rock solid stable. Enjoy yourself pilot!! Thank you, that was my goal! I...

mavicpilots.com

interestingly I got an email that gave the costs and short list of items being repaired but they were under warranty so no charge was being assessed, then I got an email saying the drone and controller were being sent and they gave new serial numbers for both so it appears they fixed the old drone and controller but sent me new ones. They did say they were sending a present...A new battery would be interesting. I have 5 now and my case won't hold another but I won't complain. Gold bar works too.

 

[LoudThunder]

They did say they were sending a present..

You've mentioned "Gold Bar" several times now. Is this a joke as you list North Pole, Alaska, as your location. So is this a joke about being in Alaska and looking for Gold or is this a real "something" that you have acquired from DJI?

They did not offer me the Free Battery up front, I had to ask for it and then they agreed, it was not something "special" that I would receive for being a "Great Customer or Something…"

I am also active on the DJI Forum,

DJI FORUM

Explore the Value of Communication with DJI Users around the World.

forum.dji.com

And DJI issues credits for participation on their web site, both by logging on and by posting on the web site. These credits have "cash value" at the DJI Store.

Judging from the photo you've posted, you probably remember when grocery stores issued "S&H Green Stamps" with purchases. The Green Stamps were pasted into a book, each holding 1,000 stamps, and when you collected enough books, they could be traded in for "Valuable Gifts." And back then, a lot of brands of cigarettes also offered Coupons inside the cellophane of the pack and they too could be traded for "Valuable Gifts." The stamps and the coupons also had a "Cash Value" of One Mill (1/10 of One Cent).

So far, I've racked up less than $1.00 of DJI Store Credit… By the time I earn enough Credit to buy a battery, inflations will have pushed the batteries over $100 each (they are now $55.00 each).

 

[Chaosrider]

I sent both my Mav3 and controller in for repair. At one point I got an email that listed cost for repair of a part for each item (but free under warranty) so I assumed I was getting my original gear back, repaired. Fine with me if they fix it this time (second trip back to DJI). Now, however, I am getting new serial numbers for each unit. It may well be that upon completion of a repair they get a new serial number. Either that or they record the cost of the repair for accounting purposes and send a new unit. Anybody know what's up with that?

You don't get your original drone back when you send stuff to DJI for repair. You get a new or re-furb unit, with a new serial number.

I was very surprised to discover that after sending my first Mini-2 in for repair about a year ago. They don't actually repair your specific drone, and send it back to you.

 

[Starz]

so it appears they fixed the old drone and controller

Doubtful. Probably sitting on a shelf somewhere, then shipped somewhere else to be dealt with at a later time.

 

[Chaosrider]

Doubtful. Probably sitting on a shelf somewhere, then shipped somewhere else to be dealt with at a later time.

When I first discovered this, I started to wonder what they do with the original drone? Does it actually get repaired "off line", or does it get disassembled and the parts re-used, or does it get melted down, or...?

I'm also curious about the level of automation involved in the DJI manufacturing process.

 

[Cymruflyer]

I sent in my M2Pro for a gimbal issue. They sent me a new drone after sending me the parts and labour invoice. It's far quicker for customer service to send out a replacement, than to have it sit in a queue on a work bench for repairs. This is far better for the customer too, fast service and happy customers.

Your original drone gets sent to a repair facility and the work is done but not to any deadline. Then as drones are repaired/refurbished, they go back into stock and can be used to replace future drones coming in for the repairs. It seems like a clever system to me, keeps things moving fast for returns and keeps customers happy.

 

[Chaosrider]

I sent in my M2Pro for a gimbal issue. They sent me a new drone after sending me the parts and labour invoice. It's far quicker for customer service to send out a replacement, than to have it sit in a queue on a work bench for repairs. This is far better for the customer too, fast service and happy customers.

Your original drone gets sent to a repair facility and the work is done but not to any deadline. Then as drones are repaired/refurbished, they go back into stock and can be used to replace future drones coming in for the repairs. It seems like a clever system to me, keeps things moving fast for returns and keeps customers happy.

I agree it's a very efficient system. I just wasn't expecting that.

Thx.