Should I get DJI Osmo Shield? Here’s the Ultimate Guide

Let us insure. Let us protect. Let Us Drone. My wife and I just played with my new DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for a couple of hours. It arrived yesterday in the mail, just in time for our two-week road trip across the country. When activating the Osmo, I was asked if I would like to purchase Osmo Shield. I had heard about it but wasn't sure what it entailed. So, did I choose to get the extra coverage, and should you? Read on to find out!

What is Osmo Shield?

DJI Osmo Shield is a comprehensive warranty for your DJI Osmo that extends the included 12-month limited warranty for another 12 months, totaling 24 months of coverage. In addition, DJI will repair your Osmo up to one time within that 24 month period if accidental hardware damage occurs. 

How much does it cost?

Like me, one of the first questions you're likely going to have when considering Osmo Shield is “how much does it cost?” Refer to the table below for a complete list of prices for each Osmo model. 

What parts of my Osmo are covered?

You're probably wondering what parts of the Osmo are covered. Here is a list according to DJI's website:

• Gimbal
• Camera
• Buttons
• Handle 
• Mobile device holder (for Osmo Mobile series)

What Osmo Shield doesn't cover is: third-party accessories, batteries, and chargers/charger cables.  

How do I get Osmo Shield?

So if the price looks right and you decide that Osmo Shield will give you the peace of mind knowing that DJI has your back if you drop that new Osmo Mobile 2 into your friends pool, let's talk about how to get the protection. 

Option 1: When buying your new Osmo online or in-store you will be asked if you would like to purchase Osmo Shield. If you opt-in here, the coverage will begin three days after the Osmo has been shipped (if bought online). 

Option 2: If you do not choose to initially purchase Osmo Shield you have 30 days from the date of purchase to change your mind, and Osmo Shield can be bought here. This is the route I went for my new Osmo Mobile 2. I wanted to thoroughly research Osmo Shield before making the decision. When I decided to pull the trigger, the process was simple. After entering the serial number for the device, I was able to complete the payment and the service agreement was emailed to me from DJI within the hour.

How is Osmo Shield different from DJI's limited warranty?

DJI drones and gimbals come with a limited warranty. This limited warranty is designed to cover any manufacturer defects the user may experience within the specified time period. I wrote an article here that thoroughly explains the limited warranty and how to find out how long each product is covered for. 

Osmo Shield does two things: first, it extends the original 12-month limited warranty for another 12 months, and secondly, your Osmo will be repaired by DJI up to one time if accidental hardware damage occurs within 24 months of activating the service agreement.

Think “manufacturer defects” when referring to DJI's limited warranty, and “protection from user inflicted damage” when referring to Osmo Shield.

To me, the big selling point is the accidental hardware damage coverage. I decided that is was worth $15 to purchase Osmo Shield for my new Osmo Mobile 2, especially with how much I plan to use the gimbal. Shoot, I may need to use the one time repair after our two-week road trip, what with all of the hikes and luggage tossing that will inevitably take place.  

How long does Osmo Shield last?

I touched on this above, but we'll get into more of the specifics here. When you activate Osmo Shield, 12 months will be added to the 12-month limited warranty (totaling 24 months) and you get 24 months of accidental hardware damage coverage from the date of activation. If you purchase the Osmo online along with Osmo Shield, the service agreement will be activated three days after the Osmo has been shipped.

Remember that you have 30 days to purchase Osmo Shield after activating your new Osmo, Osmo+, Osmo Mobile, or Osmo Mobile 2. 

If your Osmo gets damaged and DJI repairs it under the accidental hardware damage part of the agreement, you will be responsible for any repair fees of future damages. DJI will repair an Osmo that has user-inflicted damage a maximum of one time during the 24-month agreement.

If you use your one “free pass” after doing something like accidentally dropping your Osmo out of the car window while getting that sweet shot, you will still have the extended limited warranty until the 24 months is up.

What falls under “Accidental Hardware Damage”?

Well, DJI doesn't attempt to provide a complete list of potential scenarios, but they do make a point to inform us that water damage is covered by Osmo Shield. 

Basically, the keyword in the description of what's covered is “accidental”. If you aren't intentionally inflicting damage to your Osmo for the fun of it, you should be fine. 

Here are a few examples of what would fall under accidental hardware damage:

• Water damage
• Drop damage
• User error 
• When your wife crams too many clothes in your suitcase and decides to pack your Osmo without its box to save room. Okay, I don't think mine would do this, but a friendly reminder wouldn't hurt. 

The circumstances that will exclude you from coverage

DJI doesn't go into every scenario that justifies a repair, but they sure give a comprehensive list of circumstances that will exclude you from coverage. 

There are two lists, the first being a thorough list of what will exclude you from the extended limited warranty coverage, and the second being a thorough list of what will 12-month you from accidental hardware damage coverage.

Here is what will exclude you from the extended warranty coverage:

1. Damage not caused by a quality issue. 
2. If abnormal use causes damage.
3. When unauthorized actions cause damage, like trying to take apart your Osmo. 
4. If your Osmo gets damaged from not following the manuals recommendations.
5. Damage caused by unauthorized repairs attempted by the user.
6. Damage caused by the alteration of wiring or using batteries with chargers that aren't compatible.
7. Damage from third-party accessories, software, or batteries.
8. Using under-charged or defective batteries that causes damage. 
9. If you lose or someone steals your Osmo. 
10. Repair fees for batteries, chargers, the device holder or other accessories.
11. Damage that doesn't affect the functionality of the Osmo.
12. Loss from force majeure. 
13. Repairs requested outside the period of validity.
14. If you attempt to make a profit from the warranty.
15. Fees resulting from performance improvements. 
16. Personal injury and/or property loss caused by the Osmo. 
17. Any legal fees relating to the Osmo.
18. Water damage (remember, water damage is covered with the accidental hardware damage portion of Osmo Shield). 

*NOTE: Most of the above exclusions were paraphrased and put into layman's terms for comprehension purposes. To find the exact exclusion list, click here and scroll down to “Exclusions of Extended Warranty”.

Here is the list of exclusions from the accidental hardware damage coverage:

1. If you lose part of the Osmo.
2. If your Osmo gets stolen, robbed, or any other circumstance that keeps you from sending in the gimbal. 
3. Repair fees for the batteries, chargers, or other accessories. 
4. If you intentionally lose the Osmo.
5. Any damage that doesn't affect the functionality of the Osmo.
6. Losses from force majeure. 
7. Repair requests outside of the period of validity.
8. If you attempt to make money from Osmo Shield.
9. Fees resulting from performance improvements. 
10. Personal injury and/or property loss caused by the Osmo. 
11. Any legal fees relating to the Osmo.
12. Damage caused by the alteration of wiring or using batteries with chargers that aren't compatible.
13. Damage from using third-party accessories, batteries, and software.

*NOTE: Most of the above exclusions were paraphrased and put into layman's terms for comprehension purposes. To find the exact exclusion list, click here and scroll down to “Exclusions of AccidentalHardware Damage Coverage”.

Which Osmo's are NOT covered by Osmo Shield?

Unfortunately, not every Osmo is covered by Osmo Shield. Here are the Osmo's that are not currently included:

• Osmo Pro Combo 
• Osmo Pro & CrystalSky
• Osmo RAW Combo 

I broke my Osmo, how do I use Osmo Shield?

If you have a damaged Osmo that currently has Osmo Shield, the first thing you need to do is contact DJI. 

DJI will ask for the serial number of your Osmo to check its validity status. You can quickly look this information up if you saved the Osmo Shield service agreement email from them. If you can't find the service agreement, DJI states that they will still be able to look up the service agreement if you give them the S/N which can be found on the Osmo. 

If it is determined that your damaged Osmo indeed warrants coverage for your particular circumstance, DJI will take down a report of the damage and give you instruction on sending in the Osmo for repairs. 

Shipping is covered by DJI and although I couldn't find confirmation on their website, I know with Care Refresh DJI sends you a shipping label that you can print out. Since DJI states that they cover shipping fees, I'm thinking they will send you a shipping label for Osmo Shield as well. 

DJI is noncommittal with regards to how long repairs will take. Here is the direct quote from their website: 

“We will process your product as soon as possible. Repair times depend on the damage.”

-DJI

I should note that international coverage is not included. If you purchased the Osmo is the US and travel to Europe, don't plan on trying to use Osmo Shield in London when you realize that your Osmo was damaged in transit.

Not that we're comparing Osmo Shield and Care Refresh (DJI's comprehensive drone warranty) here, but there is a big difference between the two that I would like to quickly point out. With Care Refresh, once DJI receives your drone and inspects it, they will immediately send you a new or like new drone replacement. With Osmo Shield, DJI repairs your Osmo and sends it back, which means you may be out of a gimbal for quite some time if their repair centers are backed up. 

Can I cancel or transfer Osmo Shield?

Osmo Shield can be canceled if you return the Osmo, at which time you will receive a refund for Osmo Shield. 

Osmo Shield cannot be canceled if you do not return the product. It also cannot be canceled once the coverage has been claimed. This seems like common sense to me, but sadly, DJI still has to include this in their terms. 

Osmo Shield is bound to the S/N of the Osmo, not the owner. So yes, if you are selling or buying an Osmo that has valid Osmo Shield coverage, the plan goes with the product. 

Is it worth it?

So if after reading all about Osmo Shield you are still uncertain whether it's worth it or not, I've come up with a few questions to ask yourself that may influence your decision. 

• What am I mostly going to be using my Osmo for? If you love the idea of taking timelapses or hyperlapses from a stationary tripod, your chances of incurring damage aren't too high. On the other hand, if you're a running vlogger or a pro skater, then I'd definitely recommend getting Osmo Shield due to your high-risk activities. 
• How often will I use my Osmo? If you plan to only break out that Osmo on Christmas and Thanksgiving family gatherings, 24 months will go by quickly for that practically new gimbal. Using it daily or weekly is a different story, and like with any electronic, they have a lifespan. 
• How do I usually treat my equipment? Casey Neistat is a professional vlogger, YouTube sensation, and businessman. His videos have an addictive quality that I haven't been able to quite put my finger on. I absolutely cringe though when I see the way he treats his equipment or the way he opens boxes. If you're like Casey, getting Osmo Shield sounds like a no-brainer to me.   

Trevor's Take

After performing a couple of hours of research for this blog post, I decided that getting Osmo Shield for my new Osmo Mobile 2 was definitely worth it. With 24 months of coverage for $15, Osmo Shield was too good to pass up. What about you? Are you thinking about getting Osmo Shield for your new Osmo? What was your experience like if you've had to use the Osmo Shield? Comment below!

Here's a list of helpful links regarding DJI Osmo Shield:

• General info 
• Terms of service
• FAQ
• Purchase at online DJI store