Customization, Warranty, and FAA rules?

[Packetdancer]

Delurking after reading for a while; hopefully this is the correct place to post this query! (If not, I apologize; mods feel free to move it where.)

So, while lots of people are keen to modify/customize the appearance of their Inspire (me included!), I came across a mention in at least one thread that even vinyl appliqué invalidates the DJI warranty. I cannot find confirmation or refutation of this anywhere after rather a bit of looking, so thought I'd post a question here: is that the case?

The reason this particularly comes to mind is that the new FAA regulations do require you to display your drone registry number somewhere on any device you're flying, and if even sticking vinyl appliqués on the device counts as 'modification' and invalidates the warranty, that seems unfortunate.

(Mind you, I'm probably going to decorate the shell anyway, but I wouldn't mind knowing whether or not I can still make warranty claims if I do.)

Thanks for any info!

 

[Kilrah]

Pretty sure throwing a simple sticker like required is no problem, but I'd expect anytime it's obvious you had to remove even one screw for your customization DJI would throw your warranty down the drain.

 

[Packetdancer]

Thanks! That was the common-sense answer, so I'm pleased to hear that; I know that "common sense" isn't always the right answer when dealing with customer service policies that have come out of some byzantine process, or been filtered across international boundaries.

 

[Kilrah]

It was indeed a common-sense answer, so don't take my word for it!

 

[Tj_]

If there is a disclaimer on stickers it's because "some" stickers can affect flight controllers. Stickers with metal in them can throw off sensor values. Silver, gold, and reflective colors contain metal. If you were to place these type of stickers over the canopy, or on the feet you could be in trouble!

 

[Packetdancer]

If there is a disclaimer on stickers it's because "some" stickers can affect flight controllers. Stickers with metal in them can throw off sensor values. Silver, gold, and reflective colors contain metal. If you were to place these type of stickers over the canopy, or on the feet you could be in trouble!

Yeah, I'm not planning any sort of art or stickers that would interfere with signal. I work at an engineering firm specializing in wireless devices; I live, breathe, eat, and sleep RF characteristics and wireless protocols—sometimes more than might be healthy—and have no intention of altering them on the Inspire.

More specifically, I've got thin sheets of transparent vinyl appliqué and access to a printer to handle such; I was planning to make some custom nose art and put the FAA registry number on the tail.

So my only concern was the comment I'd run across several places that "even putting a simple sticker on" counted as "modification" enough to violate the DJI warranty. That sounded like hyperbole, but I've run into some reaaaally strange warranty restrictions before, so I figured better safe than sorry!