First a bit of background (feel free to skip down to the *** to skip the support story):
I was having issues with my 6 week old P4. Had flown it several times (~30 full flights) with no issues. Then one day I could not get images on the tablet, camera was not recording, I got an odd numbered error message. But it was also saying firmware needed to be updated. But when I tried to update to a new and then later tried to downgrade to an older one I just kept getting a firmware failure.
Gave the first guy at DJI all the info about what was happening, the error message, and what I had already tried. He asked me to do several things and I re-explained I had already done those things. He insisted we do them again together. Ok, annoying but sure I get it. We spent about an hour running through the same things over and over with the same results. Then my last battery was too low to try a firmware update again, so he told me to go charge up and try all that again and if I still had problems to contact DJI again. I was like, I did that 4 times, we did it 4 more, its not gonna change but he insisted.
Charged up and tried again, then contacted DJI again. Second guy said he was pretty sure the error indicated a problem that was going to require me to send it in, but if I wanted we could try a few things. We did, nothing worked, he told me to send it in.
*** Two days after they received the P4 they did a Damage Assessment and next day sent me a detailed estimate of the repair work and the cost. As it was under warranty and there was no damage to it, they zero'd out the cost and marked it 'Free Of Charge'. They then spent Four days 'doing the repairs' which included (Replacing Phantom 4 main control component, Replacing Phantom 4 gimbal camera and a Service Charge for the work). Then they took an additional 2 days to 'Test Flight' the unit. A day later they shipped it back to me.
I got back my original box with my original serial# on it, but its Not my original phantom nor my controller. Both are completely different units with different serial#s. I had marked my originals in multiple places so when I got them back I could see exactly what parts had been replaced. But these don't have new parts they are completely different units. The other oddity is when I booted them up, they both required a firmware update.
So the question I have for you all: Is this normal? Do they usually just send a refurbed item and not actually return your repaired item when they do warranty work? Why go through all the itemized billing showing what will be repaired, then claim 4 days of repair time, and extra day(s) for test flying, if they are just going to send a untested refurb? (or did they do the flight test with the old firmware, which would make less sense)
I was having issues with my 6 week old P4. Had flown it several times (~30 full flights) with no issues. Then one day I could not get images on the tablet, camera was not recording, I got an odd numbered error message. But it was also saying firmware needed to be updated. But when I tried to update to a new and then later tried to downgrade to an older one I just kept getting a firmware failure.
Gave the first guy at DJI all the info about what was happening, the error message, and what I had already tried. He asked me to do several things and I re-explained I had already done those things. He insisted we do them again together. Ok, annoying but sure I get it. We spent about an hour running through the same things over and over with the same results. Then my last battery was too low to try a firmware update again, so he told me to go charge up and try all that again and if I still had problems to contact DJI again. I was like, I did that 4 times, we did it 4 more, its not gonna change but he insisted.
Charged up and tried again, then contacted DJI again. Second guy said he was pretty sure the error indicated a problem that was going to require me to send it in, but if I wanted we could try a few things. We did, nothing worked, he told me to send it in.
*** Two days after they received the P4 they did a Damage Assessment and next day sent me a detailed estimate of the repair work and the cost. As it was under warranty and there was no damage to it, they zero'd out the cost and marked it 'Free Of Charge'. They then spent Four days 'doing the repairs' which included (Replacing Phantom 4 main control component, Replacing Phantom 4 gimbal camera and a Service Charge for the work). Then they took an additional 2 days to 'Test Flight' the unit. A day later they shipped it back to me.
I got back my original box with my original serial# on it, but its Not my original phantom nor my controller. Both are completely different units with different serial#s. I had marked my originals in multiple places so when I got them back I could see exactly what parts had been replaced. But these don't have new parts they are completely different units. The other oddity is when I booted them up, they both required a firmware update.
So the question I have for you all: Is this normal? Do they usually just send a refurbed item and not actually return your repaired item when they do warranty work? Why go through all the itemized billing showing what will be repaired, then claim 4 days of repair time, and extra day(s) for test flying, if they are just going to send a untested refurb? (or did they do the flight test with the old firmware, which would make less sense)