Update on P-OPTI crash

[marzipana]

I haven't had the confidence to fly my P3A since the other evening, where at 12m high, it decided to go from P-GPS into P-OPTI mode, at which point it took off on its own and crashed into a tree.

I spoke to someone at DJI in Holland via chat, and they told me to return it to the distributor where I purchased it from in Australia, as well as open up a support ticket with DJI. I opened the support ticket 24 hours ago and haven't heard back.

So today, I drove almost 2 hours to return the unit and explain the situation, and they received it as "warranty repair" and said they'd have to send the flight logs to DJI. When I got home, I got a phone call from the distributor telling me they'd tested the P3 at their office and it was stable, it wasn't doing the "p-OPTI" thing. I'm not sure the guy who actually contacted me realized it didn't just change flight modes, it took off and crashed into a tree and then into the ground...I will speak with him about that tomorrow.

Thing is, after this event - and I'd only had it two days when this occurred - I've lost my confidence in this particular unit and don't know if I want it back...what if it happens again? I hardly touched the controller at the time, hoping it would hover, yet it just sailed off faster than I'd actually been flying. There was some damage that was visible, on the body with scrapes and scratches, and a propeller snapped in half...I'm not sure if there was anything worse that happened internally or to the gimbal...it looked in one piece, but I'm no expert.

It cost me $1700 AUD...I wonder if it would be safe to ask for a complete replacement? Any advice?

 

[Jay H]

Have you uploaded your flight log to healthydrones? Might be able to get a better idea of what happened after looking at it. You could always turn off VPS if you are scared that will happen again.

Personally, I have turned off VPS because i usually fly over water. Ive only flown indoors once and i turned on vps for that.

 

[marzipana]

Thanks Jay - after the crash I realised it was on by default so I turned it off. I had good satellite coverage and no one has been able to explain why it happened. I did upload my flight log and a few people here viewed it but no real answers as to what the cause may have been...right now it's two hours away from me at the distributor's office.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[msinger]

high, it decided to go from P-GPS into P-OPTI mode, at which point it took off on its own and crashed into a tree

I'm not sure why it switched to P-OPTI mode (since the log doesn't seem to indicate that), but it seems it drifted with the wind into the tree and crashed because you did not attempt to countersteer it. Since GPS is not used to hold the position in P-OPTI mode, you cannot just let it hover in the air with no stick input. What am I missing here?

 

[marzipana]

I'm not sure why it switched to P-OPTI mode (since the log doesn't seem to indicate that), but it seems it drifted with the wind into the tree and crashed because you did not attempt to countersteer it. Since GPS is not used to hold the position in P-OPTI mode, you cannot just let it hover in the air with no stick input. What am I missing here?

I understand what you're saying, but people also tell you to take your fingers off the sticks to get it to hover in -p-GPS mode, right? And I didn't realize at the time that it had even shifted into another flight mode, all I knew was that suddenly it went from hovering to speeding away to the left and crashing into a tree. I didn't notice that it had changed flight modes until I viewed the flight record in the Go app once I got home and tried to figure out what went wrong...bear in mind, I'm a total beginner and had thought I was perfectly safe to fly in p-GPS mode. It didn't occur to me that it would suddenly switch off into another mode.

 

[With The Birds]

When you say distributor is that the importer in melbourne?

 

[marzipana]

CR Kennedy...there are a few retailers in Vic though apparently.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[msinger]

I understand what you're saying, but people also tell you to take your fingers off the sticks to get it to hover in -p-GPS mode, right?

Correct. Unfortunately, you were not in P-GPS mode at the time

 

[marzipana]

I'm not sure why it switched to P-OPTI mode (since the log doesn't seem to indicate that), but it seems it drifted with the wind into the tree and crashed because you did not attempt to countersteer it. Since GPS is not used to hold the position in P-OPTI mode, you cannot just let it hover in the air with no stick input. What am I missing here?

Also, it was over 12m in the air, P-Opti shouldn't kick in at that altitude? I thought it was 3m?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[msinger]

P-OPTI means only VPS is being used to hold your position. When you're that high up in the air though, VPS is not used either. So, you were flying like you were in ATTI mode at that point.

 

[marzipana]

P-OPTI means only VPS is being used to hold your position. When you're that high up in the air though, VPS is not used either. So, you were flying like you were in ATTI mode at that point.

So, it's not unusual then for a drone to kick into p-Opti mode when you've got good satellite coverage? I find that scary as a beginner

 

[With The Birds]

CR Kennedy...there are a few retailers in Vic though apparently.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Ok. So.not the importer. If they dont have in house service then i suspect they havent read the dat file. People here looked at the log txt file which has a lot less info. I would ask cr kennedy to send it back to E Hobby, the importer who has the techs and wquipment to do a proper diagnostic. You may get closer to the outcome your after that way.

 

[msinger]

From looking at your data, I cannot explain why it switched modes. Perhaps someone else (DJI?) will spot something I'm missing. Either way, it's a good idea to always be mindful of your current mode and to learn how to handle your Phantom when in ATTI mode. I know this will not help you now, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.

 

[marzipana]

Ok. So.not the importer. If they dont have in house service then i suspect they havent read the dat file. People here looked at the log txt file which has a lot less info. I would ask cr kennedy to send it back to E Hobby, the importer who has the techs and wquipment to do a proper diagnostic. You may get closer to the outcome your after that way.

I was told they had to send the log from the drone to DJI because they have all the top technology to analyze what happened...he told me that he personally can't see any more info than I can myself. They do repairs and servicing there, but all according to what DJI tells them to do.

 

[marzipana]

From looking at your data, I cannot explain why it switched modes. Perhaps someone else (DJI?) will spot something I'm missing. Either way, it's a good idea to always be mindful of your current mode and to learn how to handle your Phantom when in ATTI mode. I know this will not help you now, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.

Fair enough...but when you're watching the drone in the air you can't see your tablet at the same time, it's easy to miss if it suddenly switches modes...


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[marzipana]

From looking at your data, I cannot explain why it switched modes. Perhaps someone else (DJI?) will spot something I'm missing. Either way, it's a good idea to always be mindful of your current mode and to learn how to handle your Phantom when in ATTI mode. I know this will not help you now, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.

Has it every happened to you personally, that your drone suddenly switches flight modes?

 

[With The Birds]

has happened to me a lot, the changing modes in flight...

 

[msinger]

Has it every happened to you personally, that your drone suddenly switches flight modes?

Not yet. I do practice flying in ATTI a lot though -- just in case.

 

[marzipana]

Not yet. I do practice flying in ATTI a lot though -- just in case.

How long have you been flying? How many flights would be under your belt? As a beginner, the idea of practicing ATTI is a bit frightening, when you're still trying to learn the safest way with P-GPS. For this to happen on the 2nd day of ownership really wigs me out.

 

[marzipana]

has happened to me a lot, the changing modes in flight...

So what does it change to, the same as what happened to me? p-OPTI?