Phantom 3 adv crashed - need your help please

Hello all,
In April this year I purchased a new phantom 3 advanced .Earlier this weak, while I was flying the drone near my home (where I usually fly it), the drone suddenly crashed.
The crash happened approximately 90 seconds after takeoff. Before the crash happened the screen showed "bad compass error" notification and I wasn't able to control it from that point.
There was no reason for the drone to crash (it didn’t hit anything and it happened during a normal flight under my house with no unusual elements or interruptions).
I found the drone, and from what it looks like there is nothing left to save.
Before every take off i check that the prop are sitting tight, and i let the drone hoover a few seconds next to me to see that everything OK.
I tried to upload the Flight file to https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/, but for some reason the phantom help site just gives a blank page.
I attached the Flight log file here, and also added a link to healthydrones.
HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters
I have to say that i am really sad right now because of what happened, but one thing i can say for sure that i don't want to leave this hobby because of that.

varona, we will need you to retrieve the DAT file from the flight in question. When you get to the file, you'll notice there will be several showing for that flight. We need the one that is the largest in file size. Now, due to the size of the DAT file, you will need provide a public Dropbox link so that we can download it and then run it through a DAT to CSV file converter in order to view it. Use the info below to get the file from your aircraft.

Windows PC
1. Go to the DJI GO App and connect to the P3
2. MC Settings --> select Advanced Settings Advanced Settings --> Enter flight data mode
3. wait until you get a dialog telling you that the P3 is in flight data mode.
4. Connect a USB cable from the USB plug in the nose of the P3 to your computer. This is not the USB connector on the side of the camera. Your P3 should have come with the required USB cable
5. The data drive should mount and be available.
6. Use the date on the FLYXXX.DAT files to pick the one you want and copy it to your computer
 
varona, we will need you to retrieve the DAT file from the flight in question. When you get to the file, you'll notice there will be several showing for that flight. We need the one that is the largest in file size. Now, due to the size of the DAT file, you will need provide a public Dropbox link so that we can download it and then run it through a DAT to CSV file converter in order to view it. Use the info below to get the file from your aircraft.

Windows PC
1. Go to the DJI GO App and connect to the P3
2. MC Settings --> select Advanced Settings Advanced Settings --> Enter flight data mode
3. wait until you get a dialog telling you that the P3 is in flight data mode.
4. Connect a USB cable from the USB plug in the nose of the P3 to your computer. This is not the USB connector on the side of the camera. Your P3 should have come with the required USB cable
5. The data drive should mount and be available.
6. Use the date on the FLYXXX.DAT files to pick the one you want and copy it to your computer

Thanks for your help.
I will try to do that. it is the same process on a MAC (i dont have windows PC) ?
 
varona, we will need you to retrieve the DAT file from the flight in question. When you get to the file, you'll notice there will be several showing for that flight. We need the one that is the largest in file size. Now, due to the size of the DAT file, you will need provide a public Dropbox link so that we can download it and then run it through a DAT to CSV file converter in order to view it. Use the info below to get the file from your aircraft.

Windows PC
1. Go to the DJI GO App and connect to the P3
2. MC Settings --> select Advanced Settings Advanced Settings --> Enter flight data mode
3. wait until you get a dialog telling you that the P3 is in flight data mode.
4. Connect a USB cable from the USB plug in the nose of the P3 to your computer. This is not the USB connector on the side of the camera. Your P3 should have come with the required USB cable
5. The data drive should mount and be available.
6. Use the date on the FLYXXX.DAT files to pick the one you want and copy it to your computer

Trying to that now. the problem is when i turn on the phantom all LED's are solid red and he is unable to connect to the App.
Do you know another way to do that ?
 
Which Phantom LED ?

Steps (at least for Windows are):
- Turn on RC, P3, tablet, launch GO app
- You should connected to the P3 in the GO app
- Settings menu MC Settings / Advanced Settings / Enter Flight Data Mode
- Windows pop-out telling you that it will turn to Flight Data Mode
- Press Ok
- The P3 is now in Flight Data Mode
- Connect the USB of your computer to the USB connector in the front (not in the camera) just bellow the logo (it is hidden by a silicon cap).
- You should get a new drive in your computer with the flight data file in it.
- Then copy the files you need.
- In the GO app, press the OK on the Flight Data Mode window.
- It says that you should power cycle your P3 so it quit really the Flight Data Mode, just do it.
Done
 
Which Phantom LED ?

Steps (at least for Windows are):
- Turn on RC, P3, tablet, launch GO app
- You should connected to the P3 in the GO app
- Settings menu MC Settings / Advanced Settings / Enter Flight Data Mode
- Windows pop-out telling you that it will turn to Flight Data Mode
- Press Ok
- The P3 is now in Flight Data Mode
- Connect the USB of your computer to the USB connector in the front (not in the camera) just bellow the logo (it is hidden by a silicon cap).
- You should get a new drive in your computer with the flight data file in it.
- Then copy the files you need.
- In the GO app, press the OK on the Flight Data Mode window.
- It says that you should power cycle your P3 so it quit really the Flight Data Mode, just do it.
Done

I turn on everything, and when I'm opening the App, it doesn't recognize the P3.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Wait...what? The first steps are exactly what you would need to do if you were going to go fly... Forget about the USB cable at the front of the drone. Just connect your device to the RC, load DJI Go, power up the RC and the drone. Once it's connected, go to step 2.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
...it happened during a normal flight under my house with no unusual elements or interruptions...
Is this a typo or were you really flying UNDER your house? Is your house on stilts?
 
Wait...what? The first steps are exactly what you would need to do if you were going to go fly... Forget about the USB cable at the front of the drone. Just connect your device to the RC, load DJI Go, power up the RC and the drone. Once it's connected, go to step 2.
Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Thank you for your help.
I'm doing the usual process like i do before I'm going to fly:
Turn on RC
Turn on P3 (but now because of the crash the 4 LED's of the drone are all solid red)
Connect my IPAD to to RC
Open the DJI Go App
In the App it shows that the aircraft is not connected (before the crash it was all good in this stage).
You understand now what is the problem ?
 
OK clue me in. I have CF props on my P3P. Is this an issue? What do I need to know? Not familiar with any negatives around CF props. What am I missing?
CF props appear to be a bit stiffer - that may be a feature in some cases (different flying characteristics) and may be a bug in others (earlier / different failure modes). They don't seem to help flying much. Again, this is very anectodal, but there are instances here of 'mysterious' crashes (ie, not into trees, behind buildings or other fairly obvious errors) where the aircraft had CF props. I've had one crash where the aircraft bounced into an inflatable raft (long story) lost control and dumped in situations where stock props bounced off the inflatable. I'm not doing that particular experiment any more times, it's expensive and time consuming but since there is no real reason to have them on, I'd suggest dumping them.

If you think they look cool, leave them on when the thing is sitting on the shelf and take them off to fly.
 
I'm just trying to picture me flying under my house. I have a 4 foot crawlspace and if I was flying under it, I'd definitely lose GPS!
My house is 50m behind me. I fly the drone over a very big open field so no problem with GPS.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Thank you for your help.
I'm doing the usual process like i do before I'm going to fly:
Turn on RC
Turn on P3 (but now because of the crash the 4 LED's of the drone are all solid red)
Connect my IPAD to to RC
Open the DJI Go App
In the App it shows that the aircraft is not connected (before the crash it was all good in this stage).
You understand now what is the problem ?

Yep. I understand now. The drone is broken! :)
If it won't power up and sync to the RC, there's no way (that I know of) to put it in the right mode to download. I assume that you tried to connect it via the front USB anyhow and that it didn't show up as a drive?

Have you tried re-pairing the drone with the RC to see if that will allow you to establish a connection? If not, it might be worth a try although I'm not optimistic.

If/when you send it in to DJI, they will most likely be able to retrieve and examine the log file - but if you aren't able to connect to the drone and save off a copy first - there's not much anyone here will be able to do for you. Sorry!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
Yep. I understand now. The drone is broken! :)
If it won't power up and sync to the RC, there's no way (that I know of) to put it in the right mode to download. I assume that you tried to connect it via the front USB anyhow and that it didn't show up as a drive?

Have you tried re-pairing the drone with the RC to see if that will allow you to establish a connection? If not, it might be worth a try although I'm not optimistic.

If/when you send it in to DJI, they will most likely be able to retrieve and examine the log file - but if you aren't able to connect to the drone and save off a copy first - there's not much anyone here will be able to do for you. Sorry!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Thank you for your help.
I didn't try to connect it via the front of the USB. i will give it a try.
Also didn't try to re-pairing. I will try to do that also.



Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 

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