Crash after first flight with new battery

[Nathan K]

My DJI Phantom 3 Pro crashed today AFTER landing. This was its first flight using a brand new genuine DJI battery (PH3-4480mAh-15.2V). The battery was fully charged. My first flight of the day with an old battery was uneventful.

The aircraft decended slowly and touched down on a flat surface and all appeared normal. However, when I made the CSC command (method 1) the engines did not stop but instead sped up and the aircraft flipped over and the rotors became obstructed. I received an error message stating that the rotors where obstructed however the CSC still did not work. The motors kept trying to turn and smoke came out from all four engines. The motors have now become decentered and the screws now protrude from the bottom.

When I try to enter the flight data mode, I receive an error stating there is a flight data mode error and to restart the drone. Restarting does not fix the problem. I have been able to download the following log file from my iOS device using iTunes.

1. Any suggestions on what caused the crash?
2. Is this covered under warranty?
3. If not, how can I check whether the drone is safe to fly or do I need to install new motors?

 

[With The Birds]

Loose screws, crooked motors overloaded to the point of smoking I'm gonna say not safe to fly. Will be interesting to see what the log file reveals.

 

[With The Birds]

I uploaded your Log file to Healthy Drones.... HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

 

[msinger]

Any suggestions on what caused the crash?

You did not cleanly execute CSC. That caused the motors to spin up and tip your Phantom. After landing, it's best to hold down the left stick for 3-5 seconds until your motors shut off.

Is this covered under warranty?

No -- since it was caused by user error.

 

[J.James]

Ouch that dont sound like a good crash and if the motors all had smoke coming out of them. No amount of trying to just shut it off and rebooting it is going to help put any of that smoke back inside.

 

[Clipper99]

I'm glad I spent a fair bit of time watching a veritable boatload of YouTube videos on flying the P3 even up to a week AFTER I purchased it before taking it up for a flight. One of the more interesting videos had to do with users reporting their P3s tipping over after landing thusly damaging the props or worse. The "fix" was just like msinger said 2 posts back. Rather that issuing a CSC command just hold down the left stick for a few seconds and the motors power down without the sudden spin up.

 

[neven]

I never knew that there is an option to use CSC for engine shutdown after landing until I saw few topics about tipovers on forum. I've learned basics from dji video tutorials and only way to turn off engines when on ground mentioned there was left stick down for few seconds.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[snowghost]

That and hand catching is what I do.

 

[msinger]

I never knew that there is an option to use CSC for engine shutdown after landing

CSC will shut down the motors in the air and on the ground.

 

[WetDog]

The problem is if you don't execute the CSC correctly, you will flip the Phantom. The software thinks it's tipped over and then it gets all bent out of shape and tries to frantically right itself. Of course it can't so it spins the motors helplessly. Don't use it except in emergencies. Practice it using the simulator - can't break much that way. Use the left control down method and preferably learn to hand catch - it's really much safer on the Phantom than trying to land it.

Oh, and I think most of us have crashed on landing. Usually it doesn't toast the motors but bad things do happen.