Crashed, grounded. What do I do?

[Narrator]

Hi guys... I'm grounded.

What do you suggest I do - warranty - fix it myself - pay for repair?

I was flying today, and as I brought it towards me, I went for a gentle turn and bank. Just as I did, it behaved as if someone kicked its front right arm up, then cartwheeled into the ground. The gimbal top plate was bent, the horizontal stabilizer is bent, and the front right motor may be bent (with all four blades in line with each arm, one is lower than the other three). When I power it up, the gimbal does not function. It just make some noises. The gimbal clamp won't fit now.

The ground I was flying at is where I regularly fly.

Yesterday, as I was doing my 'type' testing for a commercial license, I had it idling on the ground for a couple of minutes while the tester and I talked. Abruptly, 2 of the motors wound up quickly and tipped it onto the other two. I dismissed it at the time, but now I'm wondering if it's related.

I've had this Phantom since Dec 16 and flown it a total of 14 hours. What action do you folks recommend?

Here's the video of today's crash.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU8yM1dPPzA[/youtube]

 

[4wd]

It looks like a failed ESC, this must be a V3?
What happens if you try to power it up now.

 

[Narrator]

It looks like a failed ESC, this must be a V3?
What happens if you try to power it up now.

Yes, it's a v3. Is this an issue with the v3?

When I power it up, the gimbal fails to function, but I haven't tried the motors. Turning by hand, they appear to rotate freely.

 

[lake_flyer]

This idling, was that after you landed or before take off?

If you let any Phantom idle after landing it will try to hover again because, if you don't shut down the motors, it assumes it is still in the air. If it happens BEFORE take off, right after motor start, then there's something wrong in the firmware or the flight controller. Normally a re-install of the firmware, using the latest and appropriate assistant software, followed with advanced calibration (controller also), and the old compass dance (needed after a full calibration), will do the trick and bring things back to normal. I have had this a few times, it was always solved following the above procedure.

 

[Narrator]

This idling, was that after you landed or before take off?

If you let any Phantom idle after landing it will try to hover again because, if you don't shut down the motors, it assumes it is still in the air.

It had landed, but I held the throttle down, just above the bottom lock.
Also, when it lifted, it did so on two motors while the others remained at idle.
This happened about 7 min into the battery. After righting the Phantom, I got another 9 or 10 mins flying.

 

[lake_flyer]

It looks like a failed ESC, this must be a V3?
What happens if you try to power it up now.

Yes, it's a v3. Is this an issue with the v3?

When I power it up, the gimbal fails to function, but I haven't tried the motors. Turning by hand, they appear to rotate freely.

First thing is hooking up to your PC or Mac and check the motors in the Assistant.
Haven't you done that yet?

If one of the motors is off axis your shell is cracked. take off the motor and check if the shell is cracked at that spot. You could try to repair it with epoxy, I heard people do that with great results. If the shell is repaired, the motor will be back in the right position.

It had landed, but I held the throttle down, just above the bottom lock.

That's it then. Always shut down after landing.
I don't think the lift off while idling problem in any way was related to the (probable) ESC failure. I heard a lot of problems with the new V3 engines and ESC's. Maybe (I hope for you) it is related and you can get it fixed or replaced for free.

 

[lake_flyer]

Abruptly, 2 of the motors wound up quickly and tipped it onto the other two

Thinking about this more.....It could be related, how hard did it tip over? Maybe one of the connections of one of the ESC's became unreliable after the incident. I wouldn't tell this to your supplier, he would probably say it's pilot error related.

 

[aartsf]

Abruptly, 2 of the motors wound up quickly and tipped it onto the other two

Thinking about this more.....It could be related, how hard did it tip over? Maybe one of the connections of one of the ESC's became unreliable after the incident. I wouldn't tell this to your supplier, he would probably say it's pilot error related.

+1 That is exectly what I was thinking.

 

[lake_flyer]

it had landed, but I held the throttle down, just above the bottom lock.

And while I'm at it, keeping the stick just above throttle lock (or the shut off position on the older controller) tells the Phantom nothing else then 'keep descending with Xm/s' (depending on which Phantom you have). Even if it's on the ground it will listen to your command and will try to carry it out. You are basically overriding its own common sense. It senses it doesn't change altitude for some time, yet you order it to descend further.

 

[Narrator]

Abruptly, 2 of the motors wound up quickly and tipped it onto the other two

Thinking about this more.....It could be related, how hard did it tip over? Maybe one of the connections of one of the ESC's became unreliable after the incident. I wouldn't tell this to your supplier, he would probably say it's pilot error related.

Advice noted. Cheers. It wasn't a hard tip, It rocked onto its side, stopping the two props on that side. I shut down the motors straight away, righted it and then restarted the motors. It flew fine for the rest of that session.

 

[Narrator]

it had landed, but I held the throttle down, just above the bottom lock.

And while I'm at it, keeping the stick just above throttle lock (or the shut off position on the older controller) tells the Phantom nothing else then 'keep descending with Xm/s' (depending on which Phantom you have). Even if it's on the ground it will listen to your command and will try to carry it out. You are basically overriding its own common sense. It senses it doesn't change altitude for some time, yet you order it to descend further.

Makes sense. Another 'todo' to add to my list.
If not touch and go, then land and shut off motors.

 

[Andrey320]

The tip-over after landing happened to me on the first flight.
This should be made known.
I'll start a thread.

 

[Narrator]

The reseller called me this morning. He told me the distributor will be in touch.
One thing he did tell me was, they always ask for the video footage. Makes sense.
He told me that my case sounds better than most.

 

[Narrator]

I fly most days. So, my wife walked in just now and asked, "Not flying today?"
Then she looked at my unhappy Phantom and remembered... red-faced apologies.

 

[Narrator]

Update

Well, I took it in to the Aussie distributor yesterday, after a week and a half of emails back and forth.
They told me it will take about 2 months!!!!!!

Want to see a grown man cry?