Starling 2 Motor EOL (M10000633) replacement & Battery specs for EU sourcing

[LuisRzdearbulo 0]

Hello,

Hope you are doing well and having a great week!

Hardware: Starling 2

What I am trying to do:
We are developing autonomous flight missions using the Starling 2. During testing, one original motor (1504 3000KV, PN: M10000633) suffered physical wear on the upper bell (stripped screw hole causing vibration). Additionally, our original battery was damaged.

Since we lack micro-soldering capabilities in our lab, we strictly prefer a solution without desoldering/soldering motor phase cables. Due to international HAZMAT shipping restrictions for LiPo batteries to Europe, we also aim to source battery replacements locally.

Questions:

1. Bell Replacement Compatibility: If we purchase the 1503 2900KV (M10001231) replacement motor, can we swap just its upper bell onto our existing 1504 3000KV stator/base without shaft/magnet alignment issues?
2. Mixing Motors: Can the PX4/autonomy stack handle mixing one 1503 2900KV motor with three remaining 1504 3000KV motors without causing flight instability?
3. European / Third-Party Alternatives: Do you officially support any commercial alternatives (e.g., iFlight, T-Motor, BetaFPV)? How significantly would transitioning to 4 identical third-party motors impact factory PID tunes on the VOXL board?
4. Battery Specs for EU Sourcing: What are the exact discharge specs (continuous/burst C-rating, chemistry/LiHV vs standard LiPo) for the M10000538 battery so we can source an equivalent locally in Europe?

Thank you in advance for your help and support!

[Moderator]

The older Starling 2 batteries are DJI Mini 2, or very similar. So, you might be able to make those work. We wouldn't be able to tell you how effectively you could hack different motors together. That seems far riskier than soldering.

Drones can be dangerous, it is not advisable to hack parts together.

The Starling 2 batteries are 2S LiIon. 2S Sony VTC6 3000mAh 2S 7.4V, 10C discharge

[LuisRzdearbulo 0]

Hi again,

Thank you for the clarification on the battery specs and for highlighting the risks.

Given that the original motor (1504 3000KV, PN: M10000633) is now officially obsolete/end-of-life (as shown in your product specs) and replaced by M10001231, we will strictly follow your advice and avoid any hardware hacks or mixing different motor specs.
PNG

However, having to replace three perfectly operational motors simply because the single original part was discontinued leaves us in a difficult position for a routine repair.

Since we need a reliable and official path forward to get our Starling 2 flying again, could you please advise on how ModalAI handles this situation?

1. EOL Support / Single Motor Solution: Is there any remaining stock of the original M10000633 motor for RMA/repair cases, or any official solution to avoid replacing the entire set of 4 motors when only one is damaged?

2. Official Replacement Path: If replacing all 4 motors with the 1503 2900KV (M10001231) model is strictly mandatory, do you offer a replacement bundle/discount for users impacted by this EOL transition?

3. Firmware / PID Configuration: If we are forced to replace all 4 motors with the 1503 2900KV model, does ModalAI provide an updated PX4/VOXL parameters file/tune for this hardware revision, or does the default factory tune handle the change automatically?

We appreciate your guidance to ensure our autonomous flight testing remains safe, supported, and cost-effective.

Best regards,