Q&A - Quick update on DJI 550 down

[TooManyHobbies]

Hi guys,

I have not been active in the last few months and just started to work on the DJI F550 that my father kindly stuffed into the neighbor's garden area.
Enough time has passed.

What chance do we have at getting the bent aluminum extensions back to working condition?
The dry dirt in the motors seems like it should be simply vac'd out and checked for "true" motor spin/rotation, I think?

2012's budget was capped for hobby relations, so 2013 is clear for repair.
I believe Patrick will be getting a call soon for some F550 aluminum extensions that could not be salvaged.

How "off" from flat can the aluminum extensions be in order to not notice any flight changes?
We're using a large vise and some wood to pound the aluminum to what looks close to flat, but not quite...

Thanks.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

I put them in a small arbor press, and then pounded them out with some flat wood and oak scrap.

This is about as good as I can do from the bent condition they were in.
In the end, I think most of the motor shafts are pointing straight up again, and the props look "close" to horizontal.

A test run should answer the final questions of how the F550 got affected.