Did you crash your drone into a brick wall? Slam it into a power line? Give it a dunk in a river? We’ve all been there. Flying drones is hard, ok? But don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to get your drone back in the air. Here are three easy and affordable options to get your baby flying again. Don’t worry – your drone is going to be just fine!
1) Fix it yourself
Even if you don’t have any experience, this can still be a great option for you, especially if the damage isn’t too severe. If you only have a cracked prop or two, this is almost always the way to go.
The best part about doing it yourself is that you only need to pay for parts, which can be super cheap if you know where to look. Have a look on your drone manufacturer’s website to see what they have available. Most of the time, you’ll be able to find everything you need there. If not, have a trawl through eBay for a scrap drone. You’ll be able to get the part you need for a fraction of the cost, and be up in the air in no time.
Remember, though – you shouldn’t spend more than a few hundred dollars on parts. Anything more than that and it makes more sense to just buy a new drone.
2) Send it to the manufacturer for repair
If you’re not in too much of a rush to get flying again then this is the option for you. Getting your drone repaired by the manufacturer is a great way to save money – but lose some time. We’ve heard of turnarounds in excess of 6 weeks! There can be long waits, poor customer service, disputes over warranty, and loads of other issues.
Still, there is definitely an upside. If you can prove that your drone crashed due to a build defect, rather than pilot error, then your repair will almost certainly be free! In fact, 5% of drone crashes are because of a build defect. It’s a great way to save yourself some money.
What’s more, manufacturers are getting faster and better at repairing their drones by the day. They also have some great deals available. GoPro, for example, offers two year Care coverage for just $149. With this, they’ll completely replace your Karma for only $199 in under two weeks. Not a bad deal, huh?
3) Find a repair centre
It’s easy to say you should have bought warranty when you bought your drone. If you didn’t, though, there are tonnes of other options available for you. There’s definitely no harm in taking your drone to an authorised repair centre in your local area.
If you’re looking to get your drone back in the air fast, then this is definitely the way to go. Turnaround times with local repair shops can be as little as 24 hours – lightning quick compared to your other options.
Also, there might be more wrong with your drone than you think. During crashes, circuit boards tend to get knocked loose (unbeknownst to the owner), meaning that the drone won’t function properly, even after being repaired by a layman.