Are DJI F450/550 "legs" structural?? Camera vibrations after removing two legs!!

[Mon0bLE]

Hi, so I'm in the process of renovating a few things on my F550 hex. I've changed my GoPro mount and am about to add some retractable landing legs. I thought, therefore, that the stubby little triangular legs on the ends of each of the arms were redundant.

I removed the two legs in front of where my GoPro is mounted with a saw in order to improve unobstructed field of view. The problem now is that suddenly I have a LOT of jello. I'm pretty sure its not the fault of the new mount, as I tested before removing the two legs and the picture was solid.
My questions:

Are the legs structural in any way? i.e. Is movement of the motors increased by removing them, therefore causing vibration?
OR
Is it just that the front two arms weigh slightly less than the others?

If they have no structural merit, should I go ahead and remove all of the remaining legs?
OR
Should I try to correct the damage by adding weight/support to where the two legs used to be?
OR
Should I simply consider replacing the the arms whose legs I decapitated? (Weirdest sentence in the world)


Thanks, I'd appreciate your advice before I rush in and ruin all six arms.....

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[gtranquilla]

No.... you have not adversely affected the structural integrity of the MR airframe but the center of gravity has been shifted very slightly which should not be an issue.

Vibration is an MR killer...... sooner or later you will have an MR fly-away.
1) May I suggest you first focus on eliminating the MR airframe vibration to the extent that it is possible....
There is plenty of advice in this forum and in Youtube videos on this topic.
2) Since it is not possible to eliminate all vibration, the remaining option is to isolate all electronics including your GoPro camera from the remaining vibration.

This can be done using Kyoto Zeal tape or MoonGel..... The Zeal tape is very similar but is like doublesided stickon tape which is most effective.
Keep in mind that it is heavy and using too much can be counterproductive.

Also keep in mind that the further your GoPro camera is mounted away from the center of gravity of your MR, the more prone it is to remaining vibration.
Directly mounted at the bottom center is the best from the perspective of vibration but not the best for eliminating MR airframe from photos and videos.
Also the further the GoPro is mounted from the C of G, the more it is affected by lower frequency vibrations which will not appear as jello but as double images etc. in your videos.

 

[TAPPEDOUT]

Structural no, but removing mass may increase vibration or change frequency. I made set of legs attached to a plate.they are out of G4 and Gopro is mounted upside down and dead center on plate. I have 3/16" gel pad on the plate. I attach the plate to F450 with rubber bands, and hook rubber band to Gopro and plate to remove slop in Gopro mount. Using rubburbands to attach and gel pad reduces vibration transmitted to camera.

 

[Tim Green]

Looks structural to me. The motor mounts clearly have less support with the legs removed.

 

[TAPPEDOUT]

Prior statement based on memory. After looking at it the legs do add some support to motor mounts!