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.

• 1x BEC
• 1x FPC
• 1x 5v Fan
• 1x Front Case
• 1x Back Case
• 1x Alu ND Filter Mount
• 1x Alu Mounting Bracket
• 1x 3D Printed Slide-in TPU Mount
• 1x M1.6x6mm screw
• 4x M1.6x8mm screw
• 1x M1.6x12mm screw
• 1x M1.6x16mm screw
• 2x M2*5mm screw
• 3x M2x6mm screw
• 1x M1.6 nut
• 3x M2x4mm insert
• 1x M2x3mm insert
• 1x 3D Printed WiFi Mount

• 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.

• 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.

• Power off the camera and remove the battery from the camera.

• Remove the battery latch by opening it and pulling at a angle.

• 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.

• Cutting down the left side of the display.

• Reinsert the knife on top facing the opposite direction.

• Cutting down the top side of the display.

• Cutting down the right side of the display.

• Once you cut all three sides you can then fold up the display along the bottom edge.

• Once folded up the display you can remove it completely.
• The flat ribbon cable connecting the back display to the motherboard is still connected.

• Remove the sticker ontop of the battery bay by pulling it down. The screw holes will show up underneath.

• 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.

• Lift and remove the battery bay, putting one finger through the cutout for the battery will help.

• Remove the sticker on the motherboard heatsink.
• The camera should now look like this.

• Remove the shielding tape on top of the ribbon connectors.
• Remove all flat ribbon cables from the motherboard. These connectors are secured with hot glue.

• Heat the glue with a hot air gun and remove it carefully with a plastic tool.

• Gently lift the connectors with a plastic tool to unplug them. It's best to start with the backdisplay. Repeat for all the ribbon connectors.

• Remove the two screws holding the USB C PCB in place using a PH0 screwdriver.
• Then lift up the USB C PCB

• Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the three screws holding the silver bracket ontop of the lens and remove it by lifting it upwards.

• Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the two screws securing the silver lens ribbon cable bracket.
• Remove the lens ribbon cable bracket by lifting it up

• Carefully unplug the lens ribbon cable connector with a plastic tool and lift it up.

• Unscrew the lens protector.
• Place the camera on a microfibre cloth to protect the 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.

• Remove the five screws holding the button ribbon cable in place with a PH0 screwdriver.
• Heat up the ribbon cable using a heatgun.

• Gently remove the ribbon cable from the case.

• Heat up the bottom right section of the ribbon cable using a heatgun.
• Gently lift up the bottom right section of the ribbon cable.

• Remove the foam covering the microphone slot.

• 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.

• Use a PH0 screwdriver to remove the four screws holding 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.

• Screw in the spare screw from the lens cover to the top right corner of the mainboard holder. Make sure to not screw it in to deep and damaging the front display.

• Camera is now fully disassembled, only the front screen is missing.

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 a cutter knife at a angle to remove unnecessary rubber/plastic around the display. Here you have absolutely no electronics so you can go deep. Just make sure you don't scratch the display.

• After one pass with the cutter knife it should look like this.

• 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.

• Use a sharp hobby knife to start carving a groove around the front display.
• Now go deeper step by step removing the rubber and plastic around the screen.

• 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.

• Plastic removed 1

• Plastic removed 2

• Plastic removed 3

• 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.

• Remove material until you can go from the left over the top to the right side with the plastic tool.

• 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.

• Work your way around the whole bezel of the display.

• The cleaned up display should look like this.

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.

• Clean up all leftover glue next to the ribbon connectors, use heat and some plastic tweezers for this making sure to not damage any components on the mainboard.

• Carefully clamp the mainboard onto a holder.

• Add solder to the battery connector pads.
• Heat up the pads and remove the connector.

• Clean up the pads.

• Solder a black wire to the - solder pad of the mainboard and a red wire to the + solder pad of the mainboard.

• Now we remove the needed parts from the back display.

• Start by cutting a groove at the bottom left corner next to the ribbon cable.

• Pry open the shielding from the display and remove it with some pliers.

• The backdisplay should now look like this.

• Remove the stickers ontop of the pcb. Adding some heat will help. Make sure to not damage the pcb.

• Temporary remove the tape above the ribbon plug on the ribbon pcb.
• Disconnect the ribbon cable by opening the lash on the ribbon connector and pulling back on the ribbon cable.

• Heat up the ribbon PCB and remove it from the display using some plastic tools.

• Cut off the display flush at the very left side. Making sure to leave on the black chip on the ribbon PCB side.

• Cut the ribbon PCB like shown in the picture.

• 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.

• Place the motherboard holder into the case, screw on the clear filter from the front.
• Secure the motherboard holder with screws.

• Place the lens assembly into its place.
• Secure with the 3x original screws.

• Place the motherboard ontop of the motherboard holder and secure with two screws.

• Connect the lens ribbon connector and the front display ribbon connector onto the motherboard.

• Secure the connector with the silver plate and two screws.

• Attach the cooling fan to the back case with M2*5 screws using an M2 hex tool.
• Make sure to get the fan direction right.

Final assembly

• Place the BEC into the back case and screw the front and back cases together using 4x M1.6*8, 1x M1.6*12, and 1x M1.6*16 screws with a PH0 screwdriver. The longest 16mm screw goes in the top left corner, the 12mm screw in the bottom left, and the 8mm screws in the remaining holes.