Anafi USB port/On-Off switch assembly pictures

[Waldo Pepper]

In case anyone is having issues, USB port loose or breaking off it can be repaired if no warranty is available.

Bebop 2 Skycontroller 2 has issues with the USB port breaking off, I’ve repaired a couple of controllers in the past. Skycontroller 3 can experience the same, if you’re handly with a soldering iron you can repair this.

Just be careful, disassemble SC3 until USB port is assessable. Carefully separate USB mini board from charge port board, they will separate after removing complete assembly from housing. Resolder these anchor connections holding USB port to mini board, only at these two connections as shown in the picture. A dab of epoxy on both sides of USB won’t hurt, after soldering these two anchors.

There are also four pins soldered to the mini board, these provide signal to and from phone. If any of these are broken, resolder but extreme care each of four pins must be separate from another.

Also included picture of On/Off switch, in case anyone is interested how the antenna door activities the on/off feature.

Good luck, wishing everyone the best with repairing problems like this USB port issue.

All the best,
Paul

 

[davyg]

many thanks for posting the pictures up.... will get my mates controller broke down ready for repair....

 

[Liger 1956]

davyg, if possible can you take photos of the failure points before and after you repair them as it will be useful to know exactly what the problem is.

 

[davyg]

the repair didn't take..... no matter what I do it makes no difference......... still can't connect phone to the controller......the 4 contact points had indeed separated from the mini pcb.. will let my mate take it to the local TV repair shop to see if they can get it to work...

Must admit the tear down of the controller was simple enough

 

[davyg]

davyg, if possible can you take photos of the failure points before and after you repair them as it will be useful to know exactly what the problem is.

Paul has already posted pics above on the repair points...

 

[Liger 1956]

I assume that the socket anchor connections were loose and you resoldered them. Did you see whether the tracks to the USB connections at the back of the socket had broken or lifted off the board?

 

[davyg]

anchor connections were solid, looked like the 4 USB connector pins had lifted clean off the board along with the solder that had originally been on the PCB..

 

[Liger 1956]

I can't see from Paul's photos where the tracks from the 4 USB pins go to. There should be a +ve, ground, data+ and data-. If you could follow the traces back to another component or solder pad you could use some thin wire to make a bridge. However I am surprised that there does not appear to be anything holding the USB socket to the board near to the back. Even if you manage to remake the tracks you would then need to attach the socket to the PCB with glue or something. I did notice that when I removed the weights from my controller it had a tendency to fall forwards and the USB lead would rest on the floor carrying the weight of the phone. I therefore put the weights back and 3D printed a combined phone "kicker" and USB port connector protector.

 

[davyg]

does this one make it easier.....

 

[Liger 1956]

davyg, thanks for the photo. There do appear to be 2 tracks near to the pins but I cannot tell where they connect to. They also appear to go through the board to the other side. When I get time I may take my controller apart and see whether I can trace the connections and also see how the socket can be more firmly fixed to the board to prevent it lifting and breaking the copper traces. The sockets that I have seen in equipment have always had the attachment lugs towards the back of the socket.

 

[davyg]

I really took my time and studied the contact points under a magnifying glass and a torch to get a better view of what I was trying to repair...I tried repairing things twice and it didn't make any difference, you would think that Parrot would do a spare USB-A mini pcb that could easily be swapped out instead of having to resort to some DIY fix that does/doesn't work...... it's a really bad design fault on the USB-A board

 

[davyg]

just a wee update..... my buddy took his duff controller to the local TV repair shop, where they re-soldered the loose USB pcb connections....he now has a spare working controller now...

 

[Ana789]

And after repair, hot glue the usb port to the card!!
Every time, you have a device in the controller and put it down, it will topple and push some force on the USB plug!

The USB A port is at the wrong position, I have to say.

Trying to lay hands on a Skydio 2 controller.
Since they have blocked the USB-A slot and using the USB -C not just for charging, I'd like to know if we could release the USB-C plug for connecting to the device, too.
I mean, to check how difficult it would be.
Or just needed some soldering, perhaps!

A 90 degree USB C plug is a lot less exposed, in case the RC lays on its back!

 

[S.C.C.]

And after repair, hot glue the usb port to the card!!
Every time, you have a device in the controller and put it down, it will topple and push some force on the USB plug!

The USB A port is at the wrong position, I have to say.

Trying to lay hands on a Skydio 2 controller.
Since they have blocked the USB-A slot and using the USB -C not just for charging, I'd like to know if we could release the USB-C plug for connecting to the device, too.
I mean, to check how difficult it would be.
Or just needed some soldering, perhaps!

A 90 degree USB C plug is a lot less exposed, in case the RC lays on its back!

Skydio is selling the controller for $150, but it looks quite the same when it comes to the USB slot, and they say it's not compatible with the Anafi : "However, the Controller is pre-loaded with Skydio software, and is set up to be used exclusively with Skydio 2. It won't be compatible with the Anafi, nor will an Anafi controller be compatible with Skydio 2." Skydio 2 Frequently Asked Questions

A few photos to illustrate the advantage of the L shaped USB plug :



Straight plug



With 90° L shaped plug, clearly less problematic, the weight of the phone applies less on the plug (and on the electronic board inside which the issue discussed here!)



You can find L shaped USB cables with even smaller heads than this one...

 

[Ana789]

The Skidio Controller has NO USB A plug (closed!), in case I see that right on the pictures.

Which means, that the the data flow is going via USB C cable, too!
Right now, I am experimenting with these.
Till I find and get some like in your picture!
They just make the space to camera angle or zoom a bit tight, but they work!
Thanks

 

[S.C.C.]

The Skidio Controller has NO USB A plug (closed!), in case I see that right on the pictures.

Which means, that the the data flow is going via USB C cable, too!

Right, I see...

Right now, I am experimenting with these.
Till I find and get some like in your picture!
They just make the space to camera angle or zoom a bit tight, but they work!
Thanks

The perfect combo would be something like that, with a tiny switch to add resistance to the "neutral" cable, to prevent the controller to charge the Android phone when unecessary, like explained here : Skycontroller 3 drain issue ...

In any case let's be cautious when plugging/unplugging any of these USB cables, straight, L, etc, some may help to prevent exagerrated effort on the internal USB port, but if this latter is fragile, any action is a danger. Same caution with the phone, if it is ejected from the controller and falls, it could break the port by pulling the cable. As advised in this forum I added a soft silicon case to the phone, and the grip is much better, less slippy. Still not solid as rock, but a bit less "dangerous".

 

[sibujacob]

davyg, thanks for the photo. There do appear to be 2 tracks near to the pins but I cannot tell where they connect to. They also appear to go through the board to the other side. When I get time I may take my controller apart and see whether I can trace the connections and also see how the socket can be more firmly fixed to the board to prevent it lifting and breaking the copper traces. The sockets that I have seen in equipment have always had the attachment lugs towards the back of the socket.

Unbelievable a company like Parrot making cheap main circuit boards ....

 

[PollyWannaFly]

Resurrecting an aged thread here - sorry.

Does anyone know if there are test points on the SC3 board(s) that can be used to confirm the connectivity of the USB-A socket once repairs are made? I'd like to butcher one of my old male USB-A cables to provide four exposed leads, plug it into the SC3's port and then check for continuity with a multimeter on each lead thru the PCB (ie: beyond the solder points). Thanks in advance, gang.

 

[ParrotAnafiFan]

Didnt the original handle bar white weights prevent the usb cord strain problem? People started to take them out and the problem manifested. If you are worried about strain on connector, just open up the controller and put non conductive / non magnetic heavy objects back in the 2 handle bays.