Strange Crash: P3P Lost, Compass Went Haywire

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Here is a link to my flight log on Healthy Drones... HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

So I went out over a semi-frozen lake, temp was great today, mid-30s Fahrenheit, very light wind (less than 5mph), full charge on original battery and NEW props I recently put on from Best Buy to replace the originals when I bought it in May. I am running the last F/W version as I just got home and haven't had a chance to update yet but the battery was in my pocket kept warm until flight.

I used the DJI Go app to take off and hovered a moment then headed out over the lake, no issues with compass, no issues with warmup, IMU, etc. and after a few thousand feet of distance, all line of sight to me, I increased altitude to approximately 240 feet. That is when a compass error flashed on my iPad mini 2. I reviewed the situation quickly, initiated a RTH and noted that the bird started spinning pretty wildly. Then it stabilized and looked like it was about to head home when suddenly it spun out some more then I lost the image altogether.

The log is interesting. The video I recovered from iPad cache shows open water below the bird and that is probably where it landed but I note in the flight log review that it fell 30-40 feet in less than one second.

Question is...now what? Go hit up DJI or am I toast? The darn thing never came home, I went looking for it and there is nothing but water and ice out there. No P3P.
 
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the battery report looks like something of interest, 43 charges and cell one has many deviations, more than 10, have you been monitoring that battery ?
 
the battery report looks like something of interest, 43 charges and cell one has many deviations, more than 10, have you been monitoring that battery ?

I have checked it here and there and from the Go app, did not see any issues with voltages but the log review on HealthyDrones gives a much different story so I am not sure what thats about. I always see green cells when I check my app.
 
Here is a link to my flight log on Healthy Drones... HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

So I went out over a semi-frozen lake, temp was great today, mid-30s Fahrenheit, very light wind (less than 5mph), full charge on original battery and NEW props I recently put on from Best Buy to replace the originals when I bought it in May. I am running the last F/W version as I just got home and haven't had a chance to update yet but the battery was in my pocket kept warm until flight.

I used the DJI Go app to take off and hovered a moment then headed out over the lake, no issues with compass, no issues with warmup, IMU, etc. and after a few thousand feet of distance, all line of sight to me, I increased altitude to approximately 240 feet. That is when a compass error flashed on my iPad mini 2. I reviewed the situation quickly, initiated a RTH and noted that the bird started spinning pretty wildly. Then it stabilized and looked like it was about to head home when suddenly it spun out some more then I lost the image altogether.

The log is interesting. The video I recovered from iPad cache shows open water below the bird and that is probably where it landed but I note in the flight log review that it fell 30-40 feet in less than one second.

Question is...now what? Go hit up DJI or am I toast? The darn thing never came home, I went looking for it and there is nothing but water and ice out there. No P3P.
I wonder what made the compass go crazy?
 
Here is a link to my flight log on Healthy Drones... HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

So I went out over a semi-frozen lake, temp was great today, mid-30s Fahrenheit, very light wind (less than 5mph), full charge on original battery and NEW props I recently put on from Best Buy to replace the originals when I bought it in May. I am running the last F/W version as I just got home and haven't had a chance to update yet but the battery was in my pocket kept warm until flight.

I used the DJI Go app to take off and hovered a moment then headed out over the lake, no issues with compass, no issues with warmup, IMU, etc. and after a few thousand feet of distance, all line of sight to me, I increased altitude to approximately 240 feet. That is when a compass error flashed on my iPad mini 2. I reviewed the situation quickly, initiated a RTH and noted that the bird started spinning pretty wildly. Then it stabilized and looked like it was about to head home when suddenly it spun out some more then I lost the image altogether.

The log is interesting. The video I recovered from iPad cache shows open water below the bird and that is probably where it landed but I note in the flight log review that it fell 30-40 feet in less than one second.

Question is...now what? Go hit up DJI or am I toast? The darn thing never came home, I went looking for it and there is nothing but water and ice out there. No P3P.
How many flights on the new props?
 
It looks like it was most definitely a compass error . When and where did you calibrate your compass at? Also do you check your sensor mods as part of your preflight check list ?
 
It looks like it was most definitely a compass error . When and where did you calibrate your compass at? Also do you check your sensor mods as part of your preflight check list ?

New props made 6 flights. Last compass calibration was probably 4-5 flights ago but within 2 miles of where I am flying.
 
Wow... look at the jet boat... Just happens to be under it when it drops. Compass error from the start, was it not showing on the app?
 
Wow... look at the jet boat... Just happens to be under it when it drops. Compass error from the start, was it not showing on the app?

In the logs I see the compass error start after 2minutes 27sec into the flight which soon after about when I hit the RTH. I did not see any logs or indication on the screen of a compass error prior to that. Are you sure you see errors from the start?
 
From the start just from looking at Battery Cells Cell 1, and then later under -General -Notifications, G through P was what I see first. Then the boat screams by under it and down she goes... But I'm just looking, I've not experienced a crash yet... with the P3 anyway
 
I don't think the boat is a factor as these maps are not real time.
 
I guess I'm a simpleton. I don't see anywhere in the general logs where there is a "compass error from the beginning." Someone enlighten me please.

OP: Do you think you might be able to recover the quad
 
I don't think the boat is a factor as these maps are not real time.
hmmm, not real time heh? lol So they got me :) Now that's funny and I learned something new at the same time.
Thanks :)
 
Can you post a screen recording of the flight that's in the dji go app. That will tell us more information.
 
The P3P flew normally until the 2min 27sec mark then started spinning around wildly then RTH started to settle it out then spin again then screen goes black. Just before the incident it was around 170 ft. of altitude then just before the final blackout it was higher because I was trying to improve the signal and I verified that with the uploaded log file. I took off on the lake shore next to nothing metallic. I have flown here many times before no issues.

I don't think I can recover it. The lake is deep and it is mostly in ice now and no boats are going out there because the waterway is closed off in places due to ice.
 

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