Why doesn't DJI drones have an IP rating?

[Brutalwarpig]

So where did the OP go to? I get suspicious of a bold statement and then the OP goes silent.

Sorry, I don't check this website very often.

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Don't get me wrong, I love my DJI Mini and Mini 3. However I'm terrified of the absolute lack of any water, moisture or dust protection on any DJI consumer drone. I also own a couple FIMI drones. My FIMI X8 Pro has 3 way obstacle avoidance, many automated flight and tracking modes, 15km control range, 4k HDR Sony camera etc. It also has an IP 43 dust/water proof rating. This means i can fly my X8 Pro and my X8 2022 V2 in the rain safely without damaging the drone. My X8 Pro was only $599.
This tells me that manufacturing a drone with an IP43 rating is not an expensive. So why doesn't DJI add this inexpensive protection to their drones?
My first thought is profits. If a DJI drone flies through low fog or gets caught in a pop up rain shower and is damaged, then DJI makes money when the drone owner sends their drone in for repairs or buys a new DJI drone. I'm sure the fear of water damage drives a lot of Care Express purchases too.
This really bothers me. This obvious decesion by DJI to not include basic water proofing to it's consumer drone models. I would have already purchased a DJI Air 3 if not for this issue. Instead I am about to buy an Autel Evo 2 V3 8k.

let me clarify a bit. The IP 43 rating refers to being water resistant under certain conditions, not water proof. The main component of this water resistance is a waterproof film being applied to the circuit boards and sealed electrical connectors. IP 43 means it can withstand lite to moderate rain falling at no more than a 60° angle from vertical. DJI drones may already meet IP 43 conditions but they know that people often don't read instructions and would think IP 43 means it's submersible.

 

[Felix le Chat]

I'm not familiar with FIMI drones. What physical features do they have to provide dust and moisture protection that the Minis don't have?

I'm not recalling any reports on this forum about DJI drones that were damaged by fog or rain. Have I missed them?

There have been quite a few comments over the past few years about gimbals going on the Fritz after flight through fog or light rain.

 

[Taffer]

Don't get me wrong, I love my DJI Mini and Mini 3. However I'm terrified of the absolute lack of any water, moisture or dust protection on any DJI consumer drone. I also own a couple FIMI drones. My FIMI X8 Pro has 3 way obstacle avoidance, many automated flight and tracking modes, 15km control range, 4k HDR Sony camera etc. It also has an IP 43 dust/water proof rating. This means i can fly my X8 Pro and my X8 2022 V2 in the rain safely without damaging the drone. My X8 Pro was only $599.
This tells me that manufacturing a drone with an IP43 rating is not an expensive. So why doesn't DJI add this inexpensive protection to their drones?
My first thought is profits. If a DJI drone flies through low fog or gets caught in a pop up rain shower and is damaged, then DJI makes money when the drone owner sends their drone in for repairs or buys a new DJI drone. I'm sure the fear of water damage drives a lot of Care Express purchases too.
This really bothers me. This obvious decesion by DJI to not include basic water proofing to it's consumer drone models. I would have already purchased a DJI Air 3 if not for this issue. Instead I am about to buy an Autel Evo 2 V3 8k.

I didn't read many of these posts, and most of this is off the cuff without proper research but providing a better IP rating isn't a big deal. Printed circuit boards are typically coated in a waterproof coating anyway so that's not the risk. They have been built this way for decades because circuit boards would be in a dusty environment and then the humidity would spike and the excess moisture in the layered dust between electrical points would start making short circuits on higher powered circuits. That needed to stop, so they coated the circuit boards to protect them.

That means the biggest threat of getting water into your drone and causing damage would be the battery.

If you ever get water in your drone (or any electrical device), the very first thing you need to do is pull the battery or unplug the power source. Without power the circuits are difficult to be fried. Most computer parts work on low voltages with low current. The next thing is to get some high-pressure air and get as much moisture from the battery connections and motors as possible, besides just allowing them to dry normally. Then set your drone in front of a fan, preferably in air conditioning if possible as it has a lower amount of humidity so the moisture can evaporate faster. If the AC's not on, put it in front of a blowing heat source that's constant. That may be a hair dryer. That may be overkill, but that's what my wife would do to me if I destroyed my drone too, so... Also blow water off around anywhere else water can get into sensitive places such as around the camara and gimbal.

Once a smaller competitor trying to gain a foothold on the market by being new and innovative and listening to complaints and fixing them. Such as making drones waterproof to fly in the rain, snow, etc.

Just my two cents worth.