So, You Want a Drone? In Chronological Order

 Well, it's June 1st, 2025, and I'm officially in drone limbo. What started as an exciting new purchase has quickly devolved into a waiting game, a crash course (pun intended) in drone repair logistics, and a good dose of self-inflicted frustration.

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It all began on Monday, May 12th, when $1,754.90 vanished from my bank account, destined for DJI. I was buzzing with anticipation. Looking back, it felt like an eternity for the drone to arrive, even though it was only a week. And frankly, my patience was tested by the shipping process. Three different packages, three different tracking numbers, all originating from Hong Kong and Penang. Seriously, DJI, a little stockpile of finished goods in a more central location would be a game-changer!

Finally, on Monday, May 19th, all three packages landed. The remote controller and battery charging station arrived first, and FedEx, bless their hearts, decided the ditch behind my mailbox was the perfect delivery spot. The actual drone, however, was the last to show up, arriving that same day.

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Once everything was in hand, I wasted no time getting it airborne. I have to say, when it was working, this drone was impressive. The camera, self-tracking features, obstacle avoidance, landing, return to home, and battery life all worked flawlessly. It's a truly remarkable piece of technology. On a side note, and a strong recommendation for anyone buying one of these – get yourself a 100-watt charging block. The batteries, even with a 2.5 or 5V charger, take an absolute age to power up. Seriously, it's a game-changer for getting back in the air quicker.

But, and this is a big "but," I got a little too confident. I had disabled some of the safety features – a decision I now deeply regret – and was definitely not flying as responsibly as I should have been. My first mishap, on Saturday, May 24th, resulted in some broken propellers and three sliced fingers. A quick Amazon order later, and on Tuesday, May 27th, fresh props arrived.

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You'd think a near-miss and some minor injuries would teach me a lesson. You'd be wrong. Later that same day, I managed to pilot the drone straight into my roof. When I retrieved it, the camera was dangling by its cords, completely dislodged. My heart sank.

Immediately, I filed a repair service request online with DJI. Their repair cost estimator suggests a gimbal replacement or repair will be somewhere between $160 and $190. I'm bracing myself for the wait, especially since their site mentioned North American customers could experience additional delays due to components coming from various warehouses. They estimate 9-11 days after they receive it, plus another week for shipping back to me, and then add in the time it takes to ship it to them. We're talking close to a month, maybe more.

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Drone in Transit

Today, June 1st, after a brief moment of confusion (I initially didn't realize the UPS label I received was from DJI), I finally made it to the UPS store. The drone and controller are officially on their way to Louisville, KY, with tracking number (x1)

So, now the real waiting game begins. Here's hoping my beloved drone makes a swift recovery and returns to me sooner rather than later. I've learned a valuable lesson about responsibility and the importance of those "pesky" safety features. Wish me luck!

It is now Friday June 6th 3:42 pm and while taking a shit at work I noticed at new email from DJI with a subject line reading "notification.na", it says it will be 108 for a repair or replacement. I'll check for more details later 
It is now Friday, June 6th, at 3:42 PM, and while taking a break at work(LOL), I noticed a new email from DJI with a subject line reading "notification.na." Turns out, the repair or replacement cost is $108. I'll check for more details later.

This whole process has dragged out—mostly because of me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend another $108 on the drone, so I held off. Now, it’s June 9th, and I’ve finally authorized the payment. While navigating the website, I found photos from the inspection that I’d like to share.

An update arrived on June 10th: Repairs complete. Then, on June 11th, two emails landed in my inbox—one confirming quality assurance checks were done and another, four hours later, announcing that the drone had shipped. From the tracking number, it looks like the repairs (or replacement) happened somewhere near Kentucky. Surprisingly, it’s scheduled for delivery on Thursday, June 12th—way ahead of my initial estimate.

Well, it's here, on time and working fine so far.I’ve only flown it once, but active track and obstacle avoidance are definitely functioning.

Now, I’m curious—did DJI send me a replacement? I need to check if I can find the serial number of the unit I originally sent in. The drone box was sealed in a way that made it feel like a different unit, whereas the controller arrived in the same dirty, opened box I shipped it in. Not a big deal, just something I’m wondering about.

I also have to say—this time, setup felt way faster. Just a quick pair to the controller and we were good to go. Plus, the shipping turnaround? Much smoother than expected.