The next put up about drone repairs was written in collaboration with Drone Nerds, which is a drone retailer and the biggest licensed DJI retailer within the U.S. The corporate additionally has a strong restore group.
Drone Nerds has an affiliate settlement with The Drone Woman, that means The Drone Woman receives a small share of income from purchases made via hyperlinks on this web page.
Drone homeowners face a tricky determination when their gear is broken: is it value repairing, or must you spend money on a brand-new mannequin? Shopping for a brand new drone is nearly actually simpler than first diagnosing the issue, sending in your drone and ready out the restore. Plus, there’s not at all times a assure that the restore would be the most suitable choice. However on the identical time, a drone restore can usually get monetary savings — a minimum of if executed appropriately.
Right here’s consider whether or not a drone restore or alternative is the only option for you.
How a lot does a drone restore price?


Typically talking, repairs can price about 30% to 50% of the value of shopping for the identical drone brand-new. That’s simply a median, the place a extra difficult restore may cost a little extra or a easy restore may cost a little much less. And naturally, that share may fluctuate primarily based on the age of a drone. For instance, a highly-outdated mannequin may need already undergone a steep value minimize.
Water injury tends to be essentially the most difficult restore. In case your drone has been water broken, you would possibly anticipate a complete loss. Whether or not from saltwater or freshwater, the danger of long-term corrosion and unpredictable malfunctions could make water-damaged drones extremely unreliable even after preliminary repairs.
In reality, Drone Nerds says its technicians sometimes advocate in opposition to repairs on water-damaged drones as a result of excessive probability of future points rising, no matter short-term fixes.
However different repairs are simple. For instance, arm replacements and digicam swaps are typically extra simple and customarily yield constant success charges.
When a drone restore is sensible
Right here’s an easy manner you possibly can know that drone restore is the higher choice: if the price of the drone restore quantities to between 50% and even two-thirds of the value of a brand new mannequin, repairing it’s sometimes the higher choice.
“Drone repairs are dependable,” stated Drone Nerds’ Service Heart Supervisor, Robert Settle.“When the plane is fastened, it can work identical to new. Plus, you’re defending your funding by extending its lifespan and sustaining its performance.” Your repaired drone will at all times be value multiple you throw away. You’re getting extra in your cash by repairing it”.
When to skip the drone restore and purchase new
Conversely, that very same calculation may point out that purchasing new could be higher. If the restore will price greater than 66% of the quantity of simply shopping for a brand new drone outright, you usually ought to skip the restore.
Briefly, excessive restore prices relative to the price to purchase new makes the choice to repair your drone much less sensible. A dependable service supplier ought to at all times supply a clear and trustworthy evaluation, guaranteeing that you simply perceive whether or not the restore is financially viable.
What if restore costs balloon unexpectedly?
If the restore value will increase unexpectedly, the technician ought to inform you instantly. With that, they’ll supply steering on whether or not upgrading to a brand new mannequin or searching for various options could be wiser. The objective ought to at all times be that will help you make a cheap determination that aligns along with your wants.
Utilizing a good drone service supplier reminiscent of Drone Nerds ought to mitigate the danger of this taking place. For instance, Drone Nerds provides prospects an upfront estimate after they ship of their drone.
That’s a greater mannequin in guaranteeing transparency and permitting you to know the overall price earlier than opting to proceed with repairs.
Guarantee concerns: when to make use of protection versus paying outright for repairs
You could have an insurance coverage coverage or prolonged guarantee protection in your drone. This could be via a standalone insurance coverage coverage you bought. Typically, owners or renters insurance coverage may even cowl your drone gear. Sure bank cards supply insurance coverage as a profit for objects bought on that card, like your drone.
If it’s a DJI drone you’ve received, you may need bought DJI Care. DJI Care is a safety plan that covers injury. It comes with a deductible and restricted utilization.
In conditions like DJI Care, it is advisable account for that deductible in your ultimate decision-making. If the price of a restore is the same as or lower than the deductible, it’s usually smarter to pay for the restore and save your DJI Take care of extra vital points. With different insurance policies moreover DJI Care, know that submitting a declare can generally enhance your premiums. Submitting a declare for a $200 restore won’t be value it in case your premiums will enhance by greater than $200.
By dealing with minor repairs independently, you possibly can protect your protection for main incidents when it’s actually wanted. Trusted restore consultants ought to enable you assess whether or not utilizing DJI Care, different insurance coverage or paying out of pocket is the higher selection in your scenario.
What if you wish to improve your drone?
Given how quickly drone expertise continues to enhance, drone repairs would possibly inherently not make sense — even on fashions which are one or two years outdated.
DJI drones proceed to get extra reasonably priced — and new fashions roll out rapidly.
Nowadays, drones just like the sub-$200 DJI Neo are able to filming 4K video. In the event you’re seeking to restore, say, a DJI Mini 4K however it’ll price $200 to repair it, you would possibly simply contemplate buying a model new DJI Neo as an alternative. The Drone Woman has loads of guides to discovering the perfect drones. For customized recommendation,
Drone Nerds has a no-risk coverage relating to diagnosing your outdated drone.
“If you wish to purchase a brand new drone from us, we received’t cost a analysis price for assessing your outdated one,” Settle stated. “You possibly can ship in your drone with out worrying about additional prices, and we’ll provide you with an trustworthy advice on whether or not it’s value fixing or upgrading.”
This strategy provides you the liberty to discover all choices with out added strain, whether or not you’re able to improve or simply need to assess your present drone’s situation.
In lots of circumstances, repairing a drone is usually a good monetary determination, particularly if the price is inside cause. Nevertheless, it’s important to weigh the prices, contemplate your safety plan, and take into consideration future wants.
What to find out about Drone Nerds Restore


Drone Nerds is the biggest DJI Approved Service & Restore middle in the US. Engineers are skilled to diagnose and restore your complete DJI product line, offering full confidence within the workmanship and repair capabilities.
What occurs throughout a Drone Nerds restore?
Right here’s precisely what occurs when you’ve shipped your broken drone to Drone Nerds:
- Upon receiving your broken drone within the mail, the group paperwork its situation with pictures.
- It then confirms receipt from the shopper of precisely what it receives.
- The drone then enters the evaluation queue. (Usually, count on a turnaround time of about three days for technician evaluation.)
- As soon as a technician performs the evaluation, they oversee your complete restore course of. They’ll diagnose the drone, let the shopper know their analysis, after which obtain approval (or disapproval) of the restore.
- Drone Nerds says it sometimes has repairs full — and the drones prepared for billing and transport — inside 24 hours of approval.
All through, prospects have direct communication channels—through telephone or e mail—to contact their assigned technician for updates or to supply any obligatory info.
“The Drone Nerds group is devoted to serving to prospects make the perfect choices for his or her drone’s longevity and efficiency,” in response to a Drone Nerds assertion.“Whether or not seeking to restore or improve, consultants will information you thru each step of the method.”
For extra info on what goes right into a drone restore, attain out on to Drone Nerds for recommendation on sustaining a drone funding and holding it within the air.
-In collaboration with the Drone NerdsTeam
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