This is apparently common - my P4+ plummeted

JTotten · May 9, 2020

Hey guys - newbie here. Haven't done a forum in ages, but today on a real estate shoot after about 5 minutes of flight time, my P4 Pro+ lost power and just plummeted from about 200 feet up and crash landed on the roof of the $1.7 million dollar lake home I was shooting. After googling, I was able to pull the flight log, but have no way to transpose it. Also seems to be a common issue with these? Thanks in advance.

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
my P4 Pro+ lost power and just plummeted from about 200 feet up and crash landed
Also seems to be a common issue with these? Thanks in advance.

Although it happens, it's not a common issue at all.

JTotten said:
I was able to pull the flight log, but have no way to transpose it.

Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
That will give you a detailed report of the flight.
Come back and post a link to the report it gives you.

LarBear360 · May 9, 2020

Sorry to hear about yet another P4 falling out of the sky. If I recall, there is an issue with the battery popping out.

Upload the flight log anf then come back a post the link. Several people here can read these and explain.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

JTotten · May 9, 2020

Hope I attached this correctly......thanks guys. I upgraded to this from a P3 and I've never had a single issue with this one until today. I use this almost weekly for work and I'm sick over this!

Bone4Drone · May 9, 2020

LarBear360 said:
Sorry to hear about yet another P4 falling out of the sky. If I recall, there is an issue with the battery popping out.

Upload the flight log anf then come back a post the link. Several people here can read these and explain.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

I think the battery popping out problem is caused from not pushing it in far enough. With my P4P v2.0, I have to grab the battery, squeeze both sides hard to release the catches and pull with considerable force to remove the battery. If installed correctly, I can't imagine any battery "popping out" in flight.

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
Hope I attached this correctly......thanks guys. I upgraded to this from a P3 and I've never had a single issue with this one until today. I use this almost weekly for work and I'm sick over this!

Almost .. but not quite.
If you can post the .txt file rather than saving it as a pdf, it would be good.

JTotten · May 9, 2020

let's try this again.....lol

LarBear360 · May 9, 2020

Bone4Drone said:
I think the battery popping out problem is caused from not pushing it in far enough. With my P4P v2.0, I have to grab the battery, squeeze both sides hard to release the catches and pull with considerable force to remove the battery. If installed correctly, I can't imagine any battery "popping out" in flight.

Exactly. It had something to do with the catches and it would disconnect just enough to lose power.

LarBear360 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
let's try this again.....lol

Here it is, boys and girls:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
let's try this again.....lol

Before I go to work on that .txt file, it's from 2019 so it's probably the wrong one.
We're probably looking for one with the file name: DJIFlightRecord_2020-05-09_[13-46-00].txt

LarBear360 · May 9, 2020

Meta4 said:
Before I go to work on that .txt file, it's from 2019 so it's probably the wrong one.
We're probably looking for one with the file name: DJIFlightRecord_2020-05-09_[13-46-00].txt

I uploaded this and couldn't see anything. It appears it landed just fine. House is on Milton Lane. No lake :<

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

LarBear360 said:
I uploaded this and couldn't see anything. It appears it landed just fine. House is on Milton Lane. No lake :<

See post #10 above.

JTotten · May 9, 2020

Crap. WTH - I don't know why it downloaded that one. Hang tight.

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
Hang tight.

That's the right file, the flight data looks like this: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

There are no obvious indications of anything that would cause the fall.
The battery was full at launch and healtyh a second before the fall.
You flew very gently the whole time with no full stick movements.
Shortly before the end of data, you had been hovering for a while and then gave it a little left stick down to descend.
Maybe that could have dislodged a battery if it wasn't properly latched, but it's not possible to tell if that's what happened.

JTotten · May 9, 2020

Meta4 said:
That's the right file, the flight data looks like this: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

There are no obvious indications of anything that would cause the fall.
The battery was full at launch and healtyh a second before the fall.
You flew very gently the whole time with no full stick movements.
Shortly before the end of data, you had been hovering for a while and then gave it a little left stick down to descend.
Maybe that could have dislodged a battery if it wasn't properly latched, but it's not possible to tell if that's what happened.

That's odd that it shows it not moving at all - height or distance - I was in the process of bringing it down a bit lower to start heading over the lake to get my fly in shots when it happened. It wasn't just sitting there hovering in the same place for any length of time. I brought it up a bit higher to get a full property shot but it wouldn't have taken that long.

PhantomWetSuits · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
That's odd that it shows it not moving at all - height or distance - I was in the process of bringing it down a bit lower to start heading over the lake to get my fly in shots when it happened. It wasn't just sitting there hovering in the same place for any length of time. I brought it up a bit higher to get a full property shot but it wouldn't have taken that long.

Dont feel to bad, this is a known issue with the P4 and has gotten quite a few seasoned pilots if it turns out to be the battery eject.

Here is video I made of the battery problem and if its not the battery , at least you will be aware.
Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the rain
Coal

JTotten · May 9, 2020

PhantomWetSuits said:
Dont feel to bad, this is a known issue with the P4 and has gotten quite a few seasoned pilots if it turns out to be the battery eject.

Here is video I made of the battery problem and if its not the battery , at least you will be aware.
Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the rain
Coal

Thanks - I'm not seasoned by any means, but still can't believe this happened. I'm always so careful with my gear. I appreciate everyone's help in here and not laughing me out of the place.....lol

Meta4 · May 9, 2020

JTotten said:
Thanks - I'm not seasoned by any means, but still can't believe this happened. I'm always so careful with my gear.

It might not have happened too, there's no proof.
It's just a guess.

NotMyNewDrone · May 10, 2020

JTotten said:
Hey guys - newbie here. Haven't done a forum in ages, but today on a real estate shoot after about 5 minutes of flight time, my P4 Pro+ lost power and just plummeted from about 200 feet up and crash landed on the roof of the $1.7 million dollar lake home I was shooting. After googling, I was able to pull the flight log, but have no way to transpose it. Also seems to be a common issue with these? Thanks in advance. View attachment 118580

Did the battery maybe just become disconnected mid flight? Mine was having issues properly securing and when it was grounded the battery was no longer in it. Seems like normal ware and tare. I never crashed before but I was aware of that issue before it crashed, just never expected it to just drop.