DJI Update - Phantom dropped from the sky at 400ft w/video. Options for sending in?

[rtup3p]

I recently had a similar crash from about 100' up. It was flying in a static position for 14 minutes, no wind, I was not touching the controls when it suddenly came crashing down. All props remained on the drone, at least a couple motors were running after it hit the ground. It was over a year old so I new it wasn't under warranty, but I wanted to know why it crashed so I sent it to DJI for their analysis. The repair cost was $373 and it flies perfectly out of the box. I sent DJI a video from the drone, and video from a spectator who caught it hitting the ground, and the flight log. I am very disappointed with DJI because they have not given me any feedback on the cause of the crash.

 

[Tim Pearson]

I am trying to get a definite answer from DJI, and all I keep getting is "Send it in." I'm

Anyone have any insight as to what my options are, or a better idea at how this process will work? I see I can purchase a replacement for just over $700. If I send it in without any warranty or Care, and it does need replacing and not fixed, will it be any cheaper? or be more because of the inspection and shipping?

I have experience with a similar situation involving my P4. This one was a crash caused by a defective altimeter and DJI repaired my Phantom for free. During the process, I signed up for DJI Care on the P4 and in the section where you're supposed to send in this elaborate video showing that your drone is working I entered "You have this drone - RMA# xxxxxxx No Video Needed." It worked! They approved my purchase of DJI Care in about 2 or 3 days.

So if you send the drone in and authorize repair, buy DJI Care WHILE THEY HAVE YOUR DRONE and use the trick above. It worked for me and will hopefully work for you too!

Best of luck!

Tim

 

[Leejax01]

I'd send it in. What's the worst that can happen.

 

[dgd3]

I am trying to get a definite answer from DJI, and all I keep getting is "Send it in." I'm trying to figure out if it will just be easier and quicker, and just as much to just buy a replacement.

Here's my situation.

This past saturday I was flying my P3 Pro. I was flying over an old minor league ballpark converted into apartments. The facade and field are still there. I had just reached 400 feet, and then was going to track back. The camera was facing straight down. Just a second after starting to move back, the drone took a hit. My guess was a bird. The left side landing gear and front left propeller (from the POV of the camera) were instantly in frame. From that point on, the drone tumbled down 400ft end over end.

My app logged that at the moment of impact it was going about 130 mph down, and about 52 mph laterally. It hit the roof of the building, and skipped off it. I was super lucky to find the drone had landed on the ground in about a 10 foot wide patch of grass, and not on top of a car in the parking lot just feet away.

The drone is completely busted. Two arms are broken, one side of the landing gear is broken. The drone has split at the seam and a PCB card is popping out with some cables. The body has crease damage. AND the camera/gimbal completely snapped off. The base with the memory card was still barely attached, but the the camera rig snapped off just below that. I was unable to locate the camera or gimbal.

I have contacted the building to see if they'll let me, or send someone on top of the roof to look for the camera, but haven't heard anything back.

So my question is. This drone is probably a total loss. I can't imagine that they've seen much worse. The question that I cannot get out of DJI is, if I purchase the Care package after the crash, can I still apply it to this drone. I know that they'd be able to tell when the crash was, so I wouldn't try to hide that fact. All I keep getting is "fill out an RMA so that we can inspect it and to see if it's under warranty."

This was purchased in June '16 from Amazon. I was 300 ft above running into anything. The stadium lights are still up, and in the video, you can clearly see I'm way above them. So I am 100% confident that I did not cause this issue.

Anyone have any insight as to what my options are, or a better idea at how this process will work? I see I can purchase a replacement for just over $700. If I send it in without any warranty or Care, and it does need replacing and not fixed, will it be any cheaper? or be more because of the inspection and shipping?

I've attached a screenshot of the log the app took at the last moment.

I'm guessing you're SOL for any warranty especially without the camera unless you have a particularly happy good spirited kind DJI person managing your case.
Note that the camera could have ended up on one of the little balconies shown in your vid. Did the battery stay in or pop out a little?

 

[tbony]

Maybe someone took a shot at it?

 

[Big_A]

Yeah, suppose you're right about tightening if it hit a bird. Guess I was thinking backwards.

So under normal circumstances, how would a prop just fly off? How is it possible to get that far with it on? When I install the props, I spin them until they stop, and then give it a light snug down.

Could it have been the threads just gave way?

I have seen a prop come off when the aircraft was braking. The menu was set up for maximum brake . Under this condition air comes back through the rotor turning it backwards and spinning it off. So tighten your props and dont set brake fnction to max.

 

[Cobs]

Maybe someone took a shot at it?

A drone-slayer driveby hmmmm

 

[pomonabill220]

Figured some of you like looking at aftermath pictures. Here's the state my P3 Pro ended up in. View attachment 66515 View attachment 66516 View attachment 66517 View attachment 66518

OUCH! SO very sad to see that! BOY it really came apart!
I hope you get this resolved in your favor, just don't give up!

 

[Drestin Black]

Allow me to add this, sorry if this has been answer well enough already:

Had a drone also fall 400 ft onto concrete during a video shoot - smashed in pieces, nothing was spared damage. Sent to DJI anyway, no DJI care or warranty (obviously). Total repair bill (including free shipping both ways, wow): $302.

I'm expecting I'll get a new replacement (or a refurb, but in the case of DJI refurbs I challenge you to notice the difference!)

 

[HawkeyeImaging]

Everyone should have an insurance policy on their drone! I got mine through state farm, I got it on my P3P and my Yuneec Q500+ for $60 for the year. Each one is covered at $1500. If it fly's away, gets damaged, or stolen they replace it!

 

[Dustin_W]

Allow me to add this, sorry if this has been answer well enough already:

Had a drone also fall 400 ft onto concrete during a video shoot - smashed in pieces, nothing was spared damage. Sent to DJI anyway, no DJI care or warranty (obviously). Total repair bill (including free shipping both ways, wow): $302.

I'm expecting I'll get a new replacement (or a refurb, but in the case of DJI refurbs I challenge you to notice the difference!)

Good to know. Better than the $700 replacement.

What about the battery. I skimmed the RMA info. Haven't sent it yet. I was worried about sending back a battery. Expecially since it fell the 400 feet with the drone. The plastic cap with the button and the clips are missing. And some of the cage around the battery is broken too. Im out a full battery if I can't get it replaced with the drone repair.

 

[Drestin Black]

Good to know. Better than the $700 replacement.

What about the battery. I skimmed the RMA info. Haven't sent it yet. I was worried about sending back a battery. Expecially since it fell the 400 feet with the drone. The plastic cap with the button and the clips are missing. And some of the cage around the battery is broken too. Im out a full battery if I can't get it replaced with the drone repair.

The battery didn't come down where I could find it. Can't say


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Gearbox]

Good to know. Better than the $700 replacement.

What about the battery. I skimmed the RMA info. Haven't sent it yet. I was worried about sending back a battery. Expecially since it fell the 400 feet with the drone. The plastic cap with the button and the clips are missing. And some of the cage around the battery is broken too. Im out a full battery if I can't get it replaced with the drone repair.

Send the Battery with it , & the charge will be $ 140 USD to replace it .
I didn't send my Batt. in with the Drone & they charged me for a new one , I kept in contact with them saying that I had the Batt. & their instructions read , not to send any accessory's with the Drone when returning it , so I didn't & they never updated the repair bill to take it off .
You only have so many days to pay for the repair or they don't fix it & send it back , so the last day I paid the repair bill with the Batt. , just because I got tired of waiting for them to remove it from the repair Bill . I believe they planed it that way .

 

[Dan Fullenwider]

Did you have prop guards Attached? My P3P dropped when the props inter meshed with the prop guards. For this reason I no longer use prop guards.

 

[Dustin_W]

Did you have prop guards Attached? My P3P dropped when the props inter meshed with the prop guards. For this reason I no longer use prop guards.

No prop guards.

 

[Dustin_W]

So I sent the drone back to DJI, and am now confused if they are charging me or not charging me. Here's the email I got:



Dear Customer,

Your product sent back qualifies for repair under warranty. Repair will be finished within three to five business days.

Invoice

Customer: Dustin_W
Case No: XXXXX
DJI Care Balance：
Quote Date: 11-01-16
Remarks: Warranty per flight data analysis.

Item Quantity Unit Price（USD） Total Price（USD）
Phantom 3 roll-axis bracket 1 6.00 6.00
Phantom 3 roll-axis cover 1 2.00 2.00
Phantom 3 bottom cover component 1 8.00 8.00
Phantom 3 gimbal roll-axis motor driver board 1 8.00 8.00
Phantom 3 gimbal soft flat cable（Pro/Adv/4k） 1 7.00 7.00
Phantom 3 right landing gear component 1 10.00 10.00
2312A electric motor (ccw) 1 18.00 18.00
Phantom 3 gimbal pitch motor driver board 1 8.00 8.00
2003 thick-axis electric motor_pitch 1 8.00 8.00
Phantom 3 left landing gear V2 1 2.00 2.00
Phantom 3 video downlink module V14 1 96.00 96.00
Phantom 3 Pitch-Axis rear cover V3 1 5.00 5.00
Phantom 3 top cover 1 3.00 3.00
Phantom 3 pitch-axis gimbal flexible flat cable cover v3 1 1.00 1.00
Phantom 3 main control board component 1 128.00 128.00
2003 thick-axis motor_roll (fxzy) 1 8.00 8.00
Service Charge 1.5 65.00/H 97.50
Freight: 0.00
Total Amount: 415.50
DJI Care deduction： 0.00
Total Payment: 0.00

Please make sure the Case No. is included in your Payment Information when completing your transaction.



So it says it's under warranty. Has a list of parts and the total costs. And then says to include the Case No. with my Payment info. So I'm really hoping that that last bit it tacked on automaticly to all emails, and the the list of parts and price is too. There isn't anything in the email that tells me how I should pay.

So please tell me that this is normal for complete warranty Coverage, and that I don't need to do anything.

 

[Dustin_W]

Logged into my repair status, and looks like the repair coverage is free. Whew! I've been sweating this all this time.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

 

[dave kotinsky]

Is it legal for you guys to fly over built up areas? Dont be surprised if the building owner does reply ... and hits you a bill for roof repairs, its happened on here already.

I fully took blame and offered to pay for any repairs that may have been caused.

I'm not sure what's the worse that can happen to me. I live in Indianapolis, and a few months back someone crashed their drone on top of a war memorial. The news ran with it. They interviewed the police, government, and bystanders. No one fessed up to it at that time. But the government official said that what they did wasn't illegal, it was just stupid and disrespectful. Their main concern was how they were going to get it down. The war memorial is a massive building that houses a museum. And this drone was on a part of a stair-stepped roof that was about 10-15 stories up. No access to it without a big crane being brought in.

Send a bigger drone to get it

 

[dave kotinsky]

Is it legal for you guys to fly over built up areas? Dont be surprised if the building owner does reply ... and hits you a bill for roof repairs, its happened on here already.

yes some guy crashed in Empire state building should have left, no one was hurt, drone was on part of ledge. he went inside to talk to security, they called cops, he got arrested. lawyer fees and fines and your nerves being shot was what happened, not sure if he got drone back

 

[KingDad1985]

So what happened? Prop flew off? That's awesome that it's covered.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots