Spotty 3DR IRIS+ product support

After my recent crash I replaced a couple of broken arms.  No problem finding the parts.  But like some of you I found dealing with the plastic clips and snap-on LED diffusers as much or more difficult than the rest of the work.  The plastic clips that hold the motor wires to the arms are especially fragile.  Bend a tad to far and they yield and break when you try to straighten them out. In replacing the 2 arms I broke one of these clips and almost broke an LED diffuser or 2 since the fit was very snug especially on one of the 2 replacement arms.

So I tried to get a replacement clip and some more for spares.  Looked on 3DR web store, no dice.  So I contacted customer service and after a couple of iterations they told me, we don't sell those, sorry for any inconvenience.  Pretty pathetic.

Yes, there are workarounds for the wire clips, like zip ties.  Not attractive but functional.  Not sure there is any alterantive to the LED diffusers.

I find this very strange.  3DR sells every other bit to basically build an Iris+ up from parts: shell, ESC, plates, arms, motors, even a complete hardware kit that has every bolt.  But NONE of the plastic clips or diffuser lenses that you need.

I also find this to be a little tone deaf and just  don't understand how they don't realize users WILL need these parts even if they don't lose them or break them outright in a crash since any disassembly of Iris risks breaking these things.

My final e-mail to them said 1. Why don't you sell these things?...  and 2. You should sell them. 

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  • I dunno either? I guess they are so occupied with trying to get the SOLO bugs worked out, that "we" Iris+ owners don't count for much anymore. They already got our money, and have moved to China, and I hate to say it, but the more stories I hear like yours, the more they are sounding like DJI. I smell something fishy, and it ain't on my upper lip!

    • Yes, 3DR is "interesting".  They seem to be more into the tech than the business end of it, although the support is (or was)  supposedly better than DJI.

      Another oddity from my crash is that I broke my battery door LED module trying to get the connector back on while working on the repairs.  You would think they would sell spare LEDs.  And they do... but only along with the USB port and 2 I2C cables.  Really? It's like they are selling parts to build up a new quad rather than to repair an existing broken one.  It is like you had a burned out light on your car and the dealer sold them only in a package with a new cigarette lighter and wiring harness for both... or some other random part.

      And one of my arm LEDs was inop after the crash.  Again, 3DR doesn't sell them.  Luckily Superbright (saw this elsewhere on the forum here) does.   I just find this all to be very odd... and annoying.  Not sure my next quad wil lbe a 3DR.  Might as well just build my own.

  • The rails on the bottom of the arms are called picatinny rails. They are very common for mounting things on guns. These clips are used for aesthetics, holding wires for pressure switches etc etc.

    Quick google search: https://www.google.com/search?q=picatinny+rail+clips&safe=off&a...

    picatinny rail clips - Google Search
  • Ok. Working

  • Eh, hold on my store is broke for the moment... 

    • Excellent, Jimmy.  Ordered....  Hope the material is more bend resistant than the OEM pieces of junk.  Also, I wouldn't mind having a couple of spares of the arm LED Diffusers if you ever get around to designing and printing.

    • Got it. These are a bit thicker. They will snap right on. When removing, always use a small flathead screwdriver to pop them off. 

    • Off was pretty easy.  On another story.

  • I sell them. They are 3D printed.

    https://shadowquad.com/product/iris-picatinny-rail-clip/

  • Yeah, I broke my clips too. I used a dab of glue and now my Iris is a bit lighter.

    I do find it irritating you can't buy them though.

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