Replacement screws for Mavic 2 camera assembly

[Garbe]

So I have a M2P and a M2 (zoom) camera assembly that I swap out on occasion.
It’s really easy and quick to do but I’m always anxious about losing one of those little screws while I swap them out. Especially if I wanna do it in the field.
Anyone know where I can source them? I’d like to have some extras on hand

 

[Dougcjohn]

I’d contact DJI service and chat with a tech and see if you can obtain or buy direct.

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Next, contact a few of the larger DJI service shops. A few Shops on the forum, @Florida Drone Supply Is always helpful. Another is the shop developing the Mavic Boson Thermal sensor @io390 , he’s not in USA but may be able to help.

 

[io390]

Speaking as a DJI dealer in Europe, DJI have finally added Mavic 2 screw packs to their spare parts ordering system (only taken a year). Maybe someone will eventually resell them.

In the meantime, any M1.6 screw of suitable length (6mm?) will be fine.

Please do note however that the small connectors used for the gimbal are only designed to be connected once in their life, during production. The datasheet (Hirose DF40) specifies a maximum lifetime of 30 disconnect/connect cycles, and that's in a factory environment. No matter how careful you are the connector will eventually break, so try to limit the number of changes or maybe get a second drone with a damaged gimbal.

 

[Garbe]

Speaking as a DJI dealer in Europe, DJI have finally added Mavic 2 screw packs to their spare parts ordering system (only taken a year). Maybe someone will eventually resell them.

In the meantime, any M1.6 screw of suitable length (6mm?) will be fine.

Please do note however that the small connectors used for the gimbal are only designed to be connected once in their life, during production. The datasheet (Hirose DF40) specifies a maximum lifetime of 30 disconnect/connect cycles, and that's in a factory environment. No matter how careful you are the connector will eventually break, so try to limit the number of changes or maybe get a second drone with a damaged gimbal.

Was unaware of that, maybe I’ll look for a Mavic 2 body to put the zoom lens on. Thanks for the info!

 

[Dougcjohn]

Speaking as a DJI dealer in Europe, DJI have finally added Mavic 2 screw packs to their spare parts ordering system (only taken a year). Maybe someone will eventually resell them.

In the meantime, any M1.6 screw of suitable length (6mm?) will be fine.

Please do note however that the small connectors used for the gimbal are only designed to be connected once in their life, during production. The datasheet (Hirose DF40) specifies a maximum lifetime of 30 disconnect/connect cycles, and that's in a factory environment. No matter how careful you are the connector will eventually break, so try to limit the number of changes or maybe get a second drone with a damaged gimbal.

Wow, that’s info!
We use that type of connector in small IT components, Server MB, and security cameras. Similarly, we’re informed it’s not to be considered a common disconnect point, but MTBF was low but more in the 200-250ish range and then we’d need to replace the associated board. For a micro connector, even that’s low... a designed disconnect is normally 1k.

That brings up another curiosity... is the small circuit board mounted to the craft available as a separate component?

 

[Garbe]

Would it be the circuit board or the connector from the camera assembly that’s easily damaged? Or is it both?

 

[GadgetGuy]

Was unaware of that, maybe I’ll look for a Mavic 2 body to put the zoom lens on. Thanks for the info!

Highly recommended solution to the problem! Cheapest source is $475 from MidCityHobby on eBay. The source of their supply is sketchy, but they will replace it with a better one, if you get one of the sketchy ones!

 

[Dougcjohn]

Would it be the circuit board or the connector from the camera assembly that’s easily damaged? Or is it both?

Normally it's the tension of the cable's contacts and the socket contacts getting weak... not enough tension to securely hold & make stable contact. In my small opinion the socket contacts don't return to proper closure... the cable's plug esentially bends the contacts ever so slightly.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Highly recommended! $450 from MidCityHobby on eBay.

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rover.ebay.com

 

[GadgetGuy]

Brand New DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Only new replacement for crashed drone | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Brand New DJI Mavic 2 PRO Drone Only new replacement for crashed drone at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

rover.ebay.com

Thanks for including the link. I paid them $650 for mine in May!
$475 is a great price! It has been as low as $450.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Normally it's the tension of the cable's contacts and the socket contacts getting weak... not enough tension to securely hold & make stable contact. In my small opinion the socket contacts don't return to proper closure... the cable's plug esentially bends the contacts ever so slightly.

Having done it myself, swapping an M2P camera for the M2Z camera, I never wanted to do it again. Just seemed too risky. That's why I bought the second M2 aircraft, where a 20 second electronic binding from the single remote is all that is necessary to change aircraft, with no risk whatsoever.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Having done it myself, swapping an M2P camera for the M2Z camera, I never wanted to do it again. Just seemed too risky. That's why I bought the second M2 aircraft, where a 20 second electronic binding from the single remote is all that is necessary to change aircraft, with no risk whatsoever.

Personally, the swap didn’t bother me and took less than 15min. I treated the connection very delicate and assumed it would endure the dozen or so times I would perform the swap. I also accepted the fact that’d I probably need to pickup 1-2 spare circuit boards... which probably aren’t much once they begin to circulate on eBay.

Although, If it’s a very low number of connections to failure... that presents a new variable... to consider.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Personally, the swap didn’t bother me and took less than 15min. I treated the connection very delicate and assumed it would endure the dozen or so times I would perform the swap. I also accepted the fact that’d I probably need to pickup 1-2 spare circuit boards... which probably aren’t much once they begin to circulate on eBay.

Although, If it’s a very low number of connections to failure... that presents a new variable... to consider.

Indeed! I also really liked the idea of being able to change cameras in the field with zero risk of damaging the pins or losing a screw. The second aircraft for $650 was worth it to me. At $475 today, it's an even better solution. If anything ever goes wrong with either aircraft, I still have a spare aircraft, and I can then still do the manual camera swap, until the problematic aircraft can be repaired/replaced. Certainly cheaper than buying both retail boxes and having an extra controller and charger, especially with the recent price increases due to tariffs, and DJI now charging CA sales tax on the total!

 

[Patrick T.]

Highly recommended! $475 from MidCityHobby on eBay.

Mid city hobby says there replacement drones are new and there not they are refurbished. I purchased one from them and it looked use so I contacted DJI and they looked up the serial number and it was refurbished and activated before I even ordered it.i posted this on this forum and I wasn’t the only one.so just check your serial number and if the 5th to the last letter is a S or R it’s refurbished

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

Great information everyone! We don't commonly stock extra parts and hardware but we will occasionally have them lying around (part of the perks of having an active aerial services side and using the equipment we sell). While we don't recommend swapping cameras, we completely understand the benefit of having "interchangeable lenses" on the M2.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Mid city hobby says there replacement drones are new and there not they are refurbished. I purchased one from them and it looked use so I contacted DJI and they looked up the serial number and it was refurbished and activated before I even ordered it.i posted this on this forum and I wasn’t the only one.so just check your serial number and if the 5th to the last letter is a S or R it’s refurbished

I was one of those in that thread. I still recommend them, despite concerns over the source of their bare M2 aircraft. Mine from them was previously activated, according the DJI, and wouldn't let me fly it on my account, and still wanted it to be activated first, which it wouldn't do. MidCityHobby offered a free exchange, which I would have taken them up on, but I sent it in to DJI instead, letting them resolve it in conjunction with my M2P camera repair, and DJI replaced it with a brand new aircraft, solving all my problems. $475 for a bare working M2 aircraft is still a great value, whether refurbished or previously activated, as long as you can fly it on your account.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Still no source for the screws, though?

 

[Garbe]

Still no source for the screws, though?

io390 gave me the best course of action:
“any M1.6 screw of suitable length (6mm?) will be fine.“

 

[GadgetGuy]

io390 gave me the best course of action:
“any M1.6 screw of suitable length (6mm?) will be fine.“

Thanks for reminding me. Still not sure where to get those, but Google is our friend.
I found it odd that the gimbal camera assemblies from AliExpress apparently do not include the necessary screws.