Replace bottom cover/aux light

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

I recently had a crash for my 2s after doing the StartRC battery mod. I lost power at about 100 feet altitude and it hit grass fairly hard. The gimbel was wonky for a while and the left leg was ever so slightly bent (not broken). The only real damage seems to be the aux light is not working.

I ordered a new bottom cover with aux light and proceeded to try to take off the the bottom cover. After getting 5 of 6 of the T6 screws out, I realized the last one appears to have a nut instead of a screw head. How do I remove it? I can't find a tool for it. Any help is appreciated.

 

[jmbsmt63]

I recently had a crash for my 2s after doing the StartRC battery mod. I lost power at about 100 feet altitude and it hit grass fairly hard. The gimbel was wonky for a while and the left leg was ever so slightly bent (not broken). The only real damage seems to be the aux light is not working.

I ordered a new bottom cover with aux light and proceeded to try to take off the the bottom cover. After getting 5 of 6 of the T6 screws out, I realized the last one appears to have a nut instead of a screw head. How do I remove it? I can't find a tool for it. Any help is appreciated.

Are you sure there isn't just a drop of glue in the top of that screw?
They usually add that as an "anti-tamper" indicator so if that is removed to remove the screw they will know it was disassembled (evidence in the case of warranty repairs, etc.)

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

Are you sure there isn't just a drop of glue in the top of that screw?
They usually add that as an "anti-tamper" indicator so if that is removed to remove the screw they will know it was disassembled (evidence in the case of warranty repairs, etc.)

I don't have it with me but it has to be, right? Thanks, I'll look at it again when I get home.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

The "nut" might be an Allen key recess.
If it really is a nut then look for a very small socket or a "nut spinner" (screwdriver type handle but with a socket on the end rather than a male end).
Some screwdriver kits for small sized screws come with small sockets or nut spinners.
However, with regards to the crash damage, I crashed my M2Z and initially thought I'd got away with damage to the nose and front sensor. But when I looked closely the front left leg drooped a bit, that turned out to be a bent spigot on the pivot mechanism.
I fixed that but a test flight showed the drone to be shaking at times, I then noticed that the outer end of the left rear arm lifted a bit when the motors were throttled up from idle. That problem turned out to be a broken off lug on the inner end of the left rear arms pivot.


The moral is some damage is very hard to spot and a number of test flights are needed and investigate thoroughly and changes spotted

 

[StantonZ]

Would love to see those flight logs if you can post them.
I have used the StartRC mod as well and would like to understand how it was related to the loss of power.

 

[BSauce955]

I recently had a crash for my 2s after doing the StartRC battery mod. I lost power at about 100 feet altitude and it hit grass fairly hard. The gimbel was wonky for a while and the left leg was ever so slightly bent (not broken). The only real damage seems to be the aux light is not working.

I ordered a new bottom cover with aux light and proceeded to try to take off the the bottom cover. After getting 5 of 6 of the T6 screws out, I realized the last one appears to have a nut instead of a screw head. How do I remove it? I can't find a tool for it. Any help is appreciated.

Also, (at least on the Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom) the light requires soldering. So make sure to be prepared to do that.

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

So after another gimbel issue, I recalibrated. Gimbel moves freely and sometimes functions fine. Everything appears normal. Then it just goes out of whack and it’s out of angle for no apparent reason. Or the camera faces up. SC says it’s stuck or overloaded, but then it comes back. Could I be dealing with a geomagnetic calibration issue?

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Also, (at least on the Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom) the light requires soldering. So make sure to be prepared to do that.

the attached shows the bottom light and sensor board from a Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom, in terms of normally avalable spares I think it is all plug and play via those pop off/on ribbon cables

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

the attached shows the bottom light and sensor board from a Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom, in terms of normally avalable spares I think it is all plug and play via those pop off/on ribbon cables

I don't think it needs soldering, but if that's all it needs, I should be OK. I need to do a total recalibration and see if that fixes the gimbel issue. If not, I'm sending it to an service center to have them look at it. I have a lot going on, so no time for flight logs right now.

 

[BSauce955]

the attached shows the bottom light and sensor board from a Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom, in terms of normally avalable spares I think it is all plug and play via those pop off/on ribbon cables

I was mistaken. I thought he meant the lighting on the arms.

 

[BSauce955]

I don't think it needs soldering, but if that's all it needs, I should be OK. I need to do a total recalibration and see if that fixes the gimbel issue. If not, I'm sending it to an service center to have them look at it. I have a lot going on, so no time for flight logs right now.

If you're going to send it in, keep in mind that a replacement gimbal is $375 and fairly easy to install yourself. If the gimbal is the issue, they might decide to charge you for a new gimbal and labor whereas you could just do it yourself. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

If you're going to send it in, keep in mind that a replacement gimbal is $375 and fairly easy to install yourself. If the gimbal is the issue, they might decide to charge you for a new gimbal and labor whereas you could just do it yourself. Just something to keep in mind.

Thanks. I did a total recalibration of the IMU and compass. That fixed the gimbel issue. I took a test flight last night and everything was working except for the bottom light. I think I’m in good shape. Once I can figure out how to get that screw out lol….

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

Thanks. I did a total recalibration of the IMU and compass. That fixed the gimbel issue. I took a test flight last night and everything was working except for the bottom light. I think I’m in good shape. Once I can figure out how to get that screw out lol….

Ok, so I replaced the bottom plate with LED. No dice. I had to reset the IMU each time I removed the bottom. Everything else seems totally fine. There is no visible damage to any contacts. I took two flights today and they were completely normal. It’s just the auxiliary light doesn’t work.

Thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Do you by any chance have it switched off in the app?

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

Do you by any chance have it switched off in the app?

No. I have a SC and it toggles from off, to enabled, to on...but no light. There must be something on the main board that is out of whack..maybe not touching the contacts on the light. It did land hard on the belly, though there are no signs of physical damage or debris/dirt. I don't get it.

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

Update: I took the bottom cover off yet again and took another look at the contacts that activate the LED. I wondered if it could be as simple as them flattening out, since it landed on his belly. I carefully bent them up a little bit and reinstalled the cover. Voila! Fully functional. The hardest part of the repair was dealing with the screws on the belly. The heads strip very easily.

 

[StantonZ]

Now that you've completed all your repairs, how about those flight logs??

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

Now that you've completed all your repairs, how about those flight logs??

Yeah I’m working on it. Installed AirData on my SC. Thing is, I’m having continued intermittent gimbal issues. Requires recalibration (IMU) a lot. Sigh.

 

[cgmaxed]

Are you sure there isn't just a drop of glue in the top of that screw?
They usually add that as an "anti-tamper" indicator so if that is removed to remove the screw they will know it was disassembled (evidence in the case of warranty repairs, etc.)

I was wondering why they put a dab of glue in some of the screw heads. Thanks for the info.

 

[Mid-AtlanticDroneServices]

I was wondering why they put a dab of glue in some of the screw heads. Thanks for the info.

Yeah that’s what it was. Finally got it out.