Is my GPS ruined?

[lukepadgett]

Hey guys- I need a little advice. GPS puck popped off in a hard landing and got nicked by a rotor . Wondering if the antenna windings are intact or if this is a total loss. Please see the pictures below.

(I know the puck is not oriented correctly right now. It moved when I hit the flower bed.)


The rotor is fine mostly. Think it was just the tip, baby. Also, one wee A2 antenna lead got munched barely, can see a bit of metal, but it looks undamaged. Thinking it's just rubber that was hurt. Throw on some heat shrink and go? Smear some sealant or radio-neutral goop to keep moisture out of the puck?

Also ordered a replacement arm since the small flange on M2 got cracked. Figure I can use a spare motor and ESC for later and hoping I'll never need it. Feel like I got lucky on this one. Get to know your batteries...#noob


Safe flying
LP

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[CdA D]

Hey guys- I need a little advice. GPS puck popped off in a hard landing and got nicked by a rotor . Wondering if the antenna windings are intact or if this is a total loss. Please see the pictures below.

(I know the puck is not oriented correctly right now. It moved when I hit the flower bed.)


The rotor is fine mostly. Think it was just the tip, baby. Also, one wee A2 antenna lead got munched barely, can see a bit of metal, but it looks undamaged. Thinking it's just rubber that was hurt. Throw on some heat shrink and go? Smear some sealant or radio-neutral goop to keep moisture out of the puck?

Also ordered a replacement arm since the small flange on M2 got cracked. Figure I can use a spare motor and ESC for later and hoping I'll never need it. Feel like I got lucky on this one. Get to know your batteries...#noob


Safe flying
LP

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Looks like a little clear silicon sealant will fix the GPS, but you won't know if the GPS is goofy until you try it, be careful. Heat shrink should fix the antenna. The prop(s) should be sanded or filed to match the other tip and rebalanced. Check the prop, by flexing slightly, to be sure that it is good at the hub. If you don't feel good about the prop replace it. They are cheap compared to your aircraft. If you know your flight time on the batteries then set a timer on the Tx, if you can, and make it a minute shorter as to allow you a little failsafe. Just my thoughts.

 

[OneStopRC]

Personally, I would get rid of the prop as you don't know if it is fractured internally. Is it worth loosing more just because of a couple of prop blades? to me, it is not worth it.

 

[olof]

If it was me I would trash the prop, not worth the risk.

I would also trash the GPS antenna. Or possible put it on a cheaper test platform than the S800 if you can. But an antenna, arm and prop are cheap compared to a catastrophic in flight failure.

But then I am the very cautious type. I have over 2 dozen fixed and rotary wing aircraft all flying in great shape. I always replace worn or damaged parts. I had a Trex 450 main rotor bolt break a while ago in flight inside a gymnasium. I am very lucky I did not kill someone including myself. Both blades flew off at chest hight and luckily hit the walls padded with mats. No apparent damage at all, but they are retired. The Trex was on inflatable floats so it was not damaged at all. New blades $60.00 and I count myself very lucky.

Things happen fast in this "hobby"...

 

[lukepadgett]

Right on, thanks. Yeah, best to do it all proper. Have the spare blades already anyway.
Will do with the tx timer. Still trying to see if the A2 will send me real-time voltage data to the tx display.

Hoping to carefully test the GPS. Wish there was a way to get some kind of solid information on it about continuity etc etc. I guess it could fail at any time... just like with all this stuff, an extra $500 for a probably-needs-replaced part is worth the $10,000 I have in the air. Jeez.... never even owned a car that cost that.

 

[lukepadgett]

yeah, I hear you olof. Leaning that way too. damn... still I guess I got away easy with that one. Only fell from about 40 feet, and it was still under power. Hit soft dirt instead of steel wellhead right next to it.

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Luke, good to hear that you have replacement props. DJI now has new props for the EVO. They are composite and much tougher than the CF props. They also give 10% greater lift. You may want to look at them also. I would not trash the GPS until you try it. I agree that the damage to the A2 antenna is minimal.

 

[OneStopRC]

The GPS antenna would be pretty hard to damage, the compass and other electronics around the GPS antenna, that is another story. Power it up on the ground, see if you get GPS lock, if so, try a compass calibration too and see how that goes.

 

[lukepadgett]

Hey thanks for all the advice everybody. I flew today without the gimbal with the batteries balanced in the middle. Calibrated compass and flew in attitude mode just fine. I have almost never flown in GPS mode, but I tried that too, briefly. There was a slight irregular breeze and I didn't really have enough room to go high enough to suit me letting the robot have more control. I'll try some of the orientation modes tomorrow in a bigger field, then I'll know whether the compass is really working ok or if it has gotten some drift. But all looks ok so far. Here's hoping.