P4 Advanced Crashed and Lost! Is it Traceable?

[Deleted member 99081]

DJI are telling me it could be weeks before I hear back from them about the "flyaway" and I doubt that they will accept it was a technical fault. I have read online that that very best I could hope for would be a 30% reduction on a new aircraft, and the whole thing could take a couple of months.

So, as I was actively using the drone and feel a bit lost without it, I've ordered another P4A from Amazon.co.uk. They have a limited offer of £1000 for 5 of them. There are currently 2 left at that price (mine is on it's way to me). Even with the conversion (I'm in Ireland now) I'm still saving about €400. Obviously I would have saved a lot more if it had not crashed.

If anyone is interested, this is the link to the offer (at 10am 21st September 17).

UPDATE: Now only one left.

 

[technics1200mk]

I've seen video of guys with a hook made from a hanger and rope pull another drone from being stuck in a tree.

 

[Paul Buckley]

Thanks Paul - but the link doesn't work.

Try this link, or you could just google 'Mantis claw for drone'
The 'Mantis Drone Claw' is a grabber for your drone - Amazon.com

 

[Deleted member 99081]

Just had a call from the Valentia Island Coastguard radio station. They are bringing one of their drones (they have a Mavic, P4 Pro and an Inspire 2, that they are testing) to search for my drone at the weekend.

Using the coordinates I gave them, they believe it to be on the top of the cliff, I was at twice, over the last few days. But it could be at the bottom of the cliff. This doesn't sound good, as it may be below the waterline. The coastguard felt it might be retrievable if it was on a ldge on the cliff itself.

 

[danny lewis]

I was flying my 6 week old Phantom 4 Advanced off cliffs in County Kerry Ireland, near my home, on Sunday when it seems to have hit the top of adjacent cliffs, and lost contact with the controller.

I couldn't see it and assumed it had fallen to the bottom of the cliff, which is not accessible, other than possibly by boat. However, after contacting DJI, I became aware of the flight data, which seemed to show that it was on the top of the cliff.

I followed the coordinates, the next day, to the exact spot but I couldn't see it, even after a long search in tall grass. But, it did look as if there was other footfall in the long grass (but I can't be sure). I contacted the local police to ask if it was found (it hasn't been so far) and I have filed a crash report with DJI.

My question is (as a drone tech newbie): If it was found, can it be traced via the GPS (assuming it was turned on). If so, how would I do that, and is there any point?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Stephen

I don’t want to fly mine anymore because of the possible loss

 

[Deleted member 99081]

I don’t want to fly mine anymore because of the possible loss

That's very wise. I also recommend not getting into a relationship in case the other person leaves you. Or buying a car in case you crash it.. Or starting a degree course or an apprenticeship in case you fail it. Basically, stop living your life because sometimes it might go wrong.

 

[rene van der meer]

I agree. People should be born either. That is the largest cause of death
All fun aside Danny. Drone flying has the risk of loosing your AC, but if you take precautions it is quite safe. One in a while you may have to do some repairs or buy a new one. All hobbies cost some money. I "had to" buy a P4 after my P3 hit a building. As soon as I realized the advantages of the P4, my original feeling of loss vanished completely

 

[Deleted member 99081]

I have now heard back from DJI. It Appears that they feel the problem was "Pilot Error" (see below). They are, I think, offering me 30% discount on a new P4A, with no controller or charger (I have those anyway). They are asking me to reply with "I accept the offer" but, there is no mention of the total cost. I have contacted them to find out how much I would pay if I accept the offer.


For your claimed case CAS-1013448-S3D1V0, we have already finished the analysis, and the result is as follows:

1) Aircraft worked at GPS mode in flight.
2) Pilot pushed pitch stick backward, the aircraft flew backward, then the record ended at t=13:47, h=1 m, d=169 m.


With the record ended without any sign of abnormality, we could not verify what happened afterwards. We truly appreciate your support for DJI, and especially applied for a 30% off discount for P4A without charger and remote.

Sorry that we are not able to credit money back to your account and this discount doesn’t apply to any other model.


If you would like to accept the offer, please let us know, for example “I accept the offer”and inform us the shipment country.

 

[rene van der meer]

That might be a better deal than then the one from amazon!

 

[Deleted member 99081]

That might be a better deal than then the one from amazon!

The Amazon one has just arrived. I'm keeping it in the box until I hear from DJI (nothing yet).

Do you know if it's 30% off their retail price for the full "kit", which at the moment is €1399? If so, I would save just under €200 on the Amazon one.

But there would be the cost of returning the Amazon drone (or trying to sell it) and the delay in getting the new one, as I would need to wait until October to have the cash. Unless it's a better deal than that from DJI, I might just cut my losses and keep the one from Amazon.

 

[fender37]

sorry to hear about your loss if you find it
get yourself a tracker and a mounting bracket of ebay
i have one fitted to mine if it does go awol and I hope not
i dial the sim card number in the tracker then get a text back were drone location is.
I also have a drone finder mini fitted to the drone so if it comes down in deep grass etc
i can here the alarm beeping, it triggers the buzzer if no movement within 30 seconds
the battery last 2 1/2 hours before no buzzer sound
good luck with your search

 

[Deleted member 99081]

sorry to hear about your loss if you find it
get yourself a tracker and a mounting bracket of ebay
i have one fitted to mine if it does go awol and I hope not
i dial the sim card number in the tracker then get a text back were drone location is.
I also have a drone finder mini fitted to the drone so if it comes down in deep grass etc
i can here the alarm beeping, it triggers the buzzer if no movement within 30 seconds
the battery last 2 1/2 hours before no buzzer sound
good luck with your search

Thanks, I'll look into it.

 

[RoryConlon]

I was flying my 6 week old Phantom 4 Advanced off cliffs in County Kerry Ireland, near my home, on Sunday when it seems to have hit the top of adjacent cliffs, and lost contact with the controller.

I couldn't see it and assumed it had fallen to the bottom of the cliff, which is not accessible, other than possibly by boat. However, after contacting DJI, I became aware of the flight data, which seemed to show that it was on the top of the cliff.

I followed the coordinates, the next day, to the exact spot but I couldn't see it, even after a long search in tall grass. But, it did look as if there was other footfall in the long grass (but I can't be sure). I contacted the local police to ask if it was found (it hasn't been so far) and I have filed a crash report with DJI.

My question is (as a drone tech newbie): If it was found, can it be traced via the GPS (assuming it was turned on). If so, how would I do that, and is there any point?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Stephen

 

[RoryConlon]

Stephen. There must be more drone pilots near you that can help at least have a look for you. I'm based in Cork and could organise to get to you but it would have to be at a weekend ( not this one).

Have you tried posting in Drone Owners Ireland. To ask for help from someone nearby.

Regards Rory from Cork

 

[RoryConlon]

Sorry just noticed coast guard supplying help. Good bunch of lads. You could also approach Civil Defence West cork division they might do it as a training session. Civil defence have invested well into drones and training of volunteers for search and rescue operations especially around the coast line. Let us know how you get on. I'm sure you could sell the amazon drone or sell the 30% discount from DJI. Best of luck

 

[Zenithman]

There was a recent video on one Mavic saving another from a tree. He ran a length of rope down with a hook on the end. Hovered above it, hooked it and pulled it out of the tree. The control was a bit weird with the extra weight but he was able to do it.

 

[Deleted member 99081]

Sorry just noticed coast guard supplying help. Good bunch of lads. You could also approach Civil Defence West cork division they might do it as a training session. Civil defence have invested well into drones and training of volunteers for search and rescue operations especially around the coast line. Let us know how you get on. I'm sure you could sell the amazon drone or sell the 30% discount from DJI. Best of luck

Thanks Rory, much appreciated. I'll wait and see what the Coastguard says, but to be honest, I think it's in the Atlantic. I've been to the exact spot(s) shown on the coordinates 3 times now - 2 sets of coordinates are slightly different - and had a good look along the cliffs with some high-powered binoculars someone there let me use.

I've not been sent a discount code yet, and if I get one, I will try and sell it, as I've taken the Amazon drone out of the box and set it up. I've put the remote controller up for sale on eBay today.

 

[Dronut2]

I was flying my 6 week old Phantom 4 Advanced off cliffs in County Kerry Ireland, near my home, on Sunday when it seems to have hit the top of adjacent cliffs, and lost contact with the controller.

I couldn't see it and assumed it had fallen to the bottom of the cliff, which is not accessible, other than possibly by boat. However, after contacting DJI, I became aware of the flight data, which seemed to show that it was on the top of the cliff.

I followed the coordinates, the next day, to the exact spot but I couldn't see it, even after a long search in tall grass. But, it did look as if there was other footfall in the long grass (but I can't be sure). I contacted the local police to ask if it was found (it hasn't been so far) and I have filed a crash report with DJI.

My question is (as a drone tech newbie): If it was found, can it be traced via the GPS (assuming it was turned on). If so, how would I do that, and is there any point?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Stephen

Hindsight is 20/20. I crashed mine into a tree at a golf course a mile away and could not find it. I got a call the next day. They tried to locate me by the video on the SDcard. They finally called my phone number on the label that I put on the leg. After a new cable, new support bracket, and pitch and roll board, I am at 100%.
T

 

[Deleted member 99081]

Hindsight is 20/20.

I now have a label with my name, phone number and "reward for return" at the bottom of the battery compartment of the replacement P4A, that arrived yesterday. Once bitten, twice shy!

 

[fender37]

good luck, hope it has not dropped into the swim
i,m sure you will get a better picture from below.