Naked Action 6 DIY Manual
This manual shows you how to build a naked DJI Action 6 Pro camera with the FPVFrame.ch DIY Kit. This manual is still a work in progress. The modding of that camera is for advanced users only and you are risking breaking your camera. Please read all the steps carefully and take your time to increase you chance of sucess. Also make sure you have all the required tools before you start the build. Happy building and if you are in doubt don't hesitate to contact support.
Content of Shipment
Soldering Iron
Solder
Solder mask
PH0 Screwdriver
M2 Screwdriver
Cutter Knife
Hobby Knife
Plastic Spudger
Pliers
Heavy duty side cutters
Tweezers
HotAir Gun
Plastic Spudge
UV flashlight
Kapton tape
Thin double sided tape
AWG 28 or 30 silicone wire in the colors red, black and white
2K Epoxy
Power Drill
Drill bit at least the diameter of your PH0 screwdriver
A lot of steps require cutting with knifes. Please be careful and wear eye protection. Some steps require soldering. Make sure to use a ventilation setup or solder in a well ventilated area. For gluing in the front display you have to use some 2k epoxy please regard the safety instructions of the glue you are using. Same for the solder mask required in one step.
Preparation
Start by adding the battery to the camera and powering it on.
Download the latest app onto your device and connect it to the camera.
Activate your device and set date & time.
Update your camera to the latest available firmware.
Test your camera's functionality before proceeding with disassembly.
Disassembly Steps
Step - Remove the Display
Start by using a cutter knife and remove some material between the case and back display.
Slide along the seam of the back display.
Adding heat with a heat gun can make this step easier.
Cut along the left, top and right side of the display, do not cut the bottom side of the display in order to not have any chance to damage the display ribbon cable.
Step - Remove the Battery Bay
Remove the sticker hiding the screws in the battery bay. Alternatively, you can poke holes with a screwdriver to access the screws.
Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the three screws from the battery bay.
Step - Disconnect Ribbon Cables
Step - Lens assembly and USB
Step - Lens
Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the three screws holding the lens assembly.
Remove the lens assembly by pulling it straight up.
Place the lens on a microfibre cloth.
Step - Remove Lower Ribbon Cable
Step - Disassemble Mainboard
Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the mainboard.
Lift the mainboard straight up.
Make sure to not damage the ribbon cable connector during this process.
Step - Remove the Mainboard Holder
Lift it out and set it aside.
Pressing with the thumb on the lens hole can help getting it out.
Make sure to not damage the ribbon cable connector in the process.
Drill a hole on top of the case greater than the diameter of your PH0 screwdriver.
Use the hole to reach the bottom left screw of the ribbon pcb.
Remove the two screws.
Then also remove the other two screws from the ribbon pcb.
You can access these screws via the battery bay cutout.
Step - Front Display
These steps show the Action 5 Pro but the steps are similar for a Action 6 Pro
WARNING: This is the most crucial step of these whole instructions. Compared to a GoPro or Action 4 the front display of the Action 6 Pro is very brittle and breaks easily. There are multiple methods to remove such a front screen. However we did not have luck with any of that. Using much heat results in a non reversible heat damaged display. Using solvents to break up the glue will result in visible spots on the display. Using much pressure to pry the display out will result in micro cracks and a broken screen. Also the electronics are not protected on the backside so by pressing it out you will risk damaging the electronics. Dremeling the display out using a rotary tool will leave lots of plastic on the front screen that is hard to remove without cracking the display.
The approach we took takes a lot of time and work, is also not 100% bulletproof but we had the best experiences doing it like this. If you have found a better method please let us know. Also don't rush with this process. It takes a good hour to get the display out safely.
For safety its recommended to wear safety googles for the risk of tools breaking and also use some cutproof gloves. You can easily slip on the rubber/plastic and cut yourself. So always be mindful of your finger / hand position.
Use some electrical tape to tape the front display ribbon connector to the displays back side. This will protect the ribbon cable a bit.
Make sure to not use a very sticky tape, else you will lift up the LCD from the touchsensor while removing it.
Once you are deep enough, go in at a angle towards the middle of the display.
Be careful at the bottom side, the cable sits very close to the outer edge and when you cut into this its game over so we focus at the left, upper and right side.
Once you are deep enough to reach under the front display you can try to get under it with a plastic tool.
Make sure to not add any pressure to the display. Carve more out if the tool doesn't slide under properly.
Once the three sides are completely free use a little bit of heat on the bottom side of the display.
Now very carefully pry out the display on its bottom edge.
Make sure to not break the display during this process. If you feel to much force, carve out more at the bottom edge and or use a bit more heat.
Once you sucessfully removed the front display, clean up the front display edges from any plastic and silicone residue.
Make sure to not break the display during this process.
Step - Mainboard Preparation
There are some very small components next to where you will need to solder. Be careful to not damage or desolder any of the mainboard components during the following steps.
Step - Back Display Preperation
Assembly Steps
Step - Install Nuts
Step - Install Front Display
Scruff up the surface of the Frontcover a little bit for better adhesion.
Glue the front display in place with 2K epoxy.
Make sure to get the orientation right.
Wait for the epoxy to cure.
Step - Attach 3d Printed Bracket
Step - Attach Motherboard
Step - Attach Lens
Step - Attach BEC Ribbon Cable
Step - Attach Back Display Cable
Attach the back display cable like shown.
Make sure to align the connector properly before applying pressure as a wrong alignment may damage the connector.
Fold down the cable like shown.
Step - Attach BEC
Place the BEC like shown.
Plug in the BEC ribbon cable like shown. You need to open the connector first by pulling softly on the two plastic locking pins. After you inserted the cable, lock them again by gently pushing them in at the same time. Make sure the cable stays straight.
Step - Solder Camera Power to BEC
Step - Prepare Fan
Step - Solder Fan to BEC
Step - Close the Case
Add the six screws to the backcover.
Align the BEC with the cutout for the BEC on the backcover.
Screw in the screws to the frontcover, make sure not to overtighten them.
Step - Attach Fan
Step - Final Camera
Gyroflow Fix
In its naked configuration, the DJI Action 6 camera may exhibit stabilization artifacts after processing footage with Gyroflow. These issues are caused by slight movement of the sensor PCB and its onboard gyro.
To resolve this, place a piece of foam between the rear cover and the sensor PCB. The foam must apply firm pressure to securely fix the sensor assembly. Correct pressure is achieved when the rear cover needs to be pressed onto the camera by hand before inserting the screws.
When installed correctly, this fix prevents micro-movement of the sensor and results in smooth, reliable video output, significantly improving stabilization performance when using Gyroflow or RockSteady.
Our recommendation for Gyroflow settings are:
BEC Power Pinout