How we inspect and grade every unit
Every used drone, camera and gimbal we sell is tested function by function, then given a grade for how it looks. Function comes first and is the same for every grade: a unit that fails a check is not graded and is not sold as graded stock. The grade (A, B or C) describes cosmetic condition only. This page sets out what we test on each product line and what each grade allows.
The three grades
-
Grade AExcellent
Hard to tell from little-used at arm’s length.
- A
- B
- C
- Grade B
Good
Normal signs of use you can see, nothing on the glass.
- A
- B
- C
- Grade C
Fair
Clearly used and marked, every function working.
- A
- B
- C
The letter is about looks. Battery health and shutter count vary between units that look the same, so they are reported per unit, not folded into the letter.
A unit that fails a function check is not graded and is not sold as graded stock.
How a unit gets its grade
Four steps, in this order, for every unit on the list.
Identify
Serial numbers and the firmware version are recorded and matched to the unit. A drone still linked to its previous owner’s DJI account does not reach the list.
Test every function
Each unit goes through the checklist for its product line. A unit that fails a check is not graded and is not sold as graded stock.
Grade the condition
The grade, A, B or C, describes cosmetic condition only. Battery health and shutter count are not folded into it.
Record and pack
The unit’s own record goes on the stock list: serial number, grade, firmware, and battery cycles or shutter count. Packed with air columns and foam inside a carton.
What does a nivon grade mean?
A nivon grade is a statement about cosmetic condition. It is given only after the unit has passed every function check for its product line, so a Grade C drone flies, films and holds its link the same way a Grade A one does; it just looks more used. We separate the two because they price differently: a shop selling to the public pays for looks, a rental house or a working operator mostly does not. Battery health and shutter count are not folded into the grade either. They are reported per unit, because two drones in identical condition can have very different batteries.
| What we look at | Grade AExcellent | Grade BGood | Grade CFair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body and housing | No marks visible at arm’s length (about 40 cm) in normal light. Faint hairlines only on close inspection. | Light scratches and scuffs visible at arm’s length. Some wear on corners and edges. | Obvious scratches, scuffs, paint loss or small dents. No cracks in load-bearing parts: drone arms, gimbal arms, lens mounts. |
| Screens and viewfinders | No scratches visible with the screen on. | Light scratches visible with the screen off, not noticeable in use. | Scratches visible in use that do not hide any part of the image. |
| Optical glass: lenses, drone camera glass, sensor, viewfinder | Clean. No scratches, haze or fungus. | Same as Grade A. | No mark that shows in photos or video. |
| Grips, rubber and printed markings | Intact, not lifting, markings clear. | Shine or light wear on grips; markings may be worn. | Worn grips or markings; rubber may be lifting at an edge. |
| Function | Every check for its product line passed. | Every check for its product line passed. | Every check for its product line passed. |
What we check on a used DJI drone
Drones get the longest checklist because more can go wrong without showing on the outside: a motor bearing, a gimbal that drifts, a battery with too many cycles, or an aircraft still tied to its last owner’s account.
- Power-on and self-check. Aircraft and remote controller power up, link to each other and clear the start-up checks in DJI Fly with no warnings.
- Motors. Each motor spun up and listened to for bearing noise; checked for heat and vibration after a hover.
- Test flight. Take-off, hover, a short flight in each direction and landing, with the aircraft holding position when the sticks are released.
- Gimbal. Full travel on each axis, gimbal auto-calibration run, horizon level, no jitter or drift in recorded footage.
- Camera. Photo and video recorded to the card at the highest resolution the model supports, then checked for focus, banding and dead pixels.
- Video transmission. Live view held between aircraft and remote controller through the test flight, with no dropouts.
- Batteries. Cycle count and battery health read in DJI Fly and recorded. Checked for swelling and damaged contacts, charged to full, cell voltages balanced.
- IMU and compass calibration. Both calibrations completed in DJI Fly without errors.
- Vision and obstacle sensors. On models that have them: lenses cleaned and sensing tested.
- Remote controller. Sticks center and travel fully; every button, dial and the charging port tested; screen checked on DJI RC models.
- Frame and history. Arms, hinges, propeller mounts and shell checked for cracks, repair marks and signs of water entry. Damaged propellers replaced.
- DJI account. Aircraft and remote controller are not linked to the previous owner’s DJI account, and the drone activates in DJI Fly on a new account.
- Firmware and serial numbers. Firmware version recorded. Serial numbers of aircraft, remote controller and batteries recorded and matched to the unit.
What we check on a used camera body
On a camera body the numbers that matter are the shutter count and the state of the sensor. The rest of the list covers the parts that wear: autofocus, stabilization, screens, card slots and ports.
- Shutter count. Read with a shutter-count tool and recorded for each body.
- Sensor. Test frames checked for dust, stuck and hot pixels. Sensor cleaned if needed and checked again.
- Autofocus. Tested across the frame with a test lens, in single and continuous modes; face and eye detection on bodies that have it.
- In-body stabilization. On bodies that have it, such as the Sony α7 III, Canon EOS R6 and Panasonic Lumix GH5: handheld test frames at slow shutter speeds, stabilization on and off.
- Shutter and exposure. Shutter fired across its speed range and in burst; aperture control tested with a lens.
- Video. Clip recorded at the highest resolution the body supports, with sound from the built-in microphone.
- Rear screen. Checked for dead pixels; touch response and hinge tested where fitted.
- Viewfinder. Electronic viewfinders checked for dead pixels and eye-sensor switching; optical viewfinders for dirt and haze; diopter adjustment tested.
- Card slots and ports. Every card slot reads and writes. USB, HDMI, microphone, headphone and hot-shoe contacts tested where fitted.
- Buttons and dials. Every button, dial and switch operated.
- Battery and charging. Battery charges and holds charge through the test session.
- Wireless. Wi-Fi or Bluetooth pairing with the maker’s app tested on bodies that have it.
- Lens mount. Mount checked for wear and loose screws; contacts cleaned.
- Kit lenses. When sold as a kit: glass checked for haze, fungus and scratches; autofocus, zoom and aperture blades tested.
- Firmware and serial number. Firmware version recorded; serial number recorded and matched to the body.
What we check on a used gimbal or stabilizer
A gimbal either holds a camera level or it does not, so the checks are mostly mechanical: three motors under load, calibration, battery and controls.
- Three-axis motors. Pan, tilt and roll each driven through their full range with a camera mounted. No grinding, stutter or drift.
- Calibration. Auto-tune and balance check run to completion; horizon level afterwards.
- Modes. Follow modes, recenter and other trigger functions tested.
- Battery. Charges to full and holds charge through the test session; checked for swelling; charging port and battery contacts tested.
- Controls. Joystick, buttons, trigger, dial and screen tested where fitted.
- App and remote connection. Bluetooth pairing with the maker’s app; camera-control cable and any included remote tested.
- Plates and locks. Quick-release plates, axis locks and clamps checked for play and wear.
- Firmware and serial number. Firmware version recorded; serial number recorded.
What we record for each unit
Each unit on the stock list carries its own record: serial number, grade, firmware version, and for drones the battery cycle count and health, for cameras the shutter count. If a part has been replaced, such as propellers, a battery or a screen, the record says so. Drone batteries below our minimum health level are not shipped as part of a graded unit.
Do the product photos show the unit I will receive?
No. Photos on our product pages show the model, not a particular unit. The condition of the unit you buy is described by its grade and its record. If you want to see the actual unit before you order, ask for photos of it and we will send them.
Why we kept letter grades
Most buyers in the used-electronics trade already price in A, B and C stock, so a letter is the fastest way to match our list to yours. The trouble with bare letters is that every seller means something different by them. That is why each grade here comes with a written definition you can hold us to, and why the function checks are published line by line instead of being summed up as “tested”.
Questions about grades
Does Grade C mean the unit has faults?
No. Grade C describes heavier cosmetic wear. Every graded unit, A, B or C, has passed the same function checks for its product line.
Is battery health part of the grade?
No. Battery cycle count and health are reported per drone on the stock list, separately from the grade, because they vary a lot between units that look the same.
Do you sell untested units or units for parts?
No. A unit that fails a function check is not graded and is not sold as graded stock.
Can I see photos of the actual unit?
Yes. Ask for photos of the specific unit on your quote and we will send them before you order.
Get the stock list, by grade
Tell us the models, grades and quantities you want and where they are going. We quote by model, grade and quantity.