Flyaway database

[Ksc]

I've suffered a flyaway when I first flew my phantom. DJI sent me another. I was able to find their phone number and give them a ring. Its a funny office. Even during business hours they let it go to voicemail. I didn't give up. Got someone on the phone. Anyways, we should put together a flyaway log. We can list what we were doing, with what equipment, where, and see if we can figure out the true reason. Also see if we can figure out a work around. If it is due to a software issue or the stock radio or something.

You can copy and paste this template and fill it in:

Date of flyaway:
Flight mode (GPS/ATT):
Software version (if known):
Type of Radio:
Extras (gimbal, props, anything that makes it above a stock phantom:
Last compass calibration:
Type of battery (stock/aftermarket):
How long into your flight did the flyaway happen:
Did you have GPS lock:
Did you find it:
Any additional info you want to add:

 

[Ksc]

I'll start

Date of flyaway: 8/16/13

Flight mode (GPS/ATT): GPS

Software version (if known): unknown but it was a phantom with the 2 black prop nuts

Type of Radio: stock

Extras (gimbal, props, anything that makes it above a stock phantom: bone stock without gopro or gopro holder

Last compass calibration: just before

Type of battery (stock/aftermarket): stock and fully charged

How long into your flight did the flyaway happen: 5 minutes

Did you have GPS lock: yes

Did you find it: no

Flight pattern you were doing: I was making a big circle over the houses. Clockwise.

Flight pattern the phantom took: At the 3 oclock spot it took a hard turn away and kept going straight. did not respond when radio switched off and return to home should have kicked in.

Any additional info you want to add: This happened on my very first flight. There is a chance I did something wrong but I followed the instructions and videos to the letter. In fact I was watching the video on my ipad while doing the steps at the same time. user error? maybe.

 

[jumanoc]

DJI knows about this... months ago and not word around:

Check some statistics here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1872000

 

[DeweyAXD]

Not a bad idea but I don't think it will help the poor people that have suffered one.

I talked to a UK supplier that had just been to visit DJI HQ in Shenzuan in late August. At the time DJI were shipping 20,000 units a month which was a number that had been rising 20% per month since the start of the year.
We assume therefore about 6k were sold in Jan and increase it 20% each month from there. This suggest just under 100k units are actually sold to trade by August. We know they sell out quickly but lets play safe and say 70k were sold at retail and are actually flying (that doesn't of course include 2012 stats).
If you take those figures in RC Groups... triple them (for the sake of assuming not everyone in the world uses RC groups or saw that thread) = 0.53% of of Phantoms sold retail have had a Fly Away. Half of those were found and it is very hard to know which of the others were genuine malfunctions. From experiance manufactures (especially in the electrical component industry) aim to have <3% failure rate in the first year. Even if you take that thread and times the poll figure by 10 you are still well under 2% failure..... don't get me wrong I for one think that is a poor figure but I still don't think it is enough to make DJI sit up and worry.

It doesn't make losing one any easier on the person that it happens to. I for one would love to see evidence of some torture tests that they do on the components (especially the tiny RX) against interference. I like to think they do test this but you just don't know on a product packing this much tech for very little outlay (compared to other kits).

Food for thought.... I am flying mine in the middle of nowhere over a canal, taking off from a metal boat this weekend so you may well see me back here adding to the thread again by Monday! :lol:

 

[eckoner]

Sounds like a safer idea for the company to host this..however that could be as bad as admitting guilt!

 

[Ksc]

Dewey, I absolutely agree with you. I wasn't aware of their numbers but I knew they had to be doing pretty well. It took me forever to get them on the phone but when I did, they had a new phantom my way, no questions asked.

For those who have suffered a flyaway, it wont help. But it could help those new users who are nervous to buy a phantom. I think they are great and if someone told me that if using (insert cause of flyaway here) was the cause of the problem, I would have bought it and a replacement for the issue.