lucky it didn't fall

i had this happen yesterday with my brand spanking new MPP. i charged all batteries and took it out for it's maiden flight in my large back yard. (yes, it is WAY quiet!) it was flying fine, but when i was a couple feet off the grass and it decided to do a front flip with zero altitude. it crashed hard but i only lost a front leg and the tips off props. i brought it back and swapped out the battery for a fresh one, and right away it violently went from 0-100, flopped upside down for a bit before i could get to it. lots more damage, so i just sent it off to DJI in CA.

i have a spark that flies flawlessly in the yard, so it wasn't interference of any sort.

i guess i fall under the first time adopter clause. which surprises (and angers) me that this issue still is around for the MP/MPP.

i'll post back when i hear from DJI

fans01cae61a Posted at 2017-10-18 10:24
i had this happen yesterday with my brand spanking new MPP. i charged all batteries and took it out for it's maiden flight in my large back yard. (yes, it is WAY quiet!) it was flying fine, but when i was a couple feet off the grass and it decided to do a front flip with zero altitude. it crashed hard but i only lost a front leg and the tips off props. i brought it back and swapped out the battery for a fresh one, and right away it violently went from 0-100, flopped upside down for a bit before i could get to it. lots more damage, so i just sent it off to DJI in CA.

i have a spark that flies flawlessly in the yard, so it wasn't interference of any sort.

DJI emailed me 4 or 5 days later and said they couldn't figure out the cause and asked that i sync the flight records. i did within 10 minutes and still haven't heard a thing.

fans01cae61a Posted at 2017-11-3 15:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwNl_KMsVwk

DJI emailed me 4 or 5 days later and said they couldn't figure out the cause and asked that i sync the flight records. i did within 10 minutes and still haven't heard a thing.

I don't suppose you retrieved and kept the DAT file from the flight before sending the Mavic back to DJI, did you? I'd have loved to take a look at it, but without that there's probably no way to determine the cause. And I'm surprised DJI would ask you to synchronize the logs from your mobile device at this point, because if they couldn't figure out the reason for the crash from the DAT file it's very unlikely they'll be able to diagnose it from the TXT log.

no i didn't. i didn't even think about it. i was too angry that i waited so long after pre-ordering the Platinum, finally got it, and this happened within the first few flights. i hastily packed it up and sent it back to them.

i don't understand DJI. this had to have happened to someone else - why is this taking so long?!

fans01cae61a Posted at 2017-11-4 05:06
no i didn't. i didn't even think about it. i was too angry that i waited so long after pre-ordering the Platinum, finally got it, and this happened within the first few flights. i hastily packed it up and sent it back to them.

i don't understand DJI. this had to have happened to someone else - why is this taking so long?!

Well, for what it's worth, if they couldn't figure out the cause from the DAT file then they very likely won't be able to with the TXT data either, in which case you'll probably get a free warranty replacement.

thanks. and sorry to the OP for derailing this thread.

Was there any powerlines or major interference nearby? The mavic could of got confused or something else was sending a signal out on the same GhZ.

Boston_H Posted at 2017-11-4 16:37
Was there any powerlines or major interference nearby? The mavic could of got confused or something else was sending a signal out on the same GhZ.

good tip, but all powerlines are underground in my neighborhood. i have a Spark that i've flown countless times in that same area of the yard and have had zero problems.

a 2nd exact incident for the MPP happened moments later after putting a fresh battery in. i had it on the patio table (about 100 feet from the video) and it just spun up and did the same thing, falling to the ground. again - no stick input from me from the controller, aside from using the sticks to get it spun up.

it's now been 2 weeks since my Mavic Pro Platinum has been with DJI for repair. my $1500 + has been tied up with them since i first pre-ordered it at the beginning of September (the 4th). still no word from them, and when i call, it's the same story - an email will come from them for the status either by EOD or the next business day.

if they're waiting for another from China - tell me, don't leave me in the dark. this must have them truly puzzled.

fans01cae61a Posted at 2017-11-7 12:43
it's now been 2 weeks since my Mavic Pro Platinum has been with DJI for repair. my $1500 + has been tied up with them since i first pre-ordered it at the beginning of September (the 4th). still no word from them, and when i call, it's the same story - an email will come from them for the status either by EOD or the next business day.

if they're waiting for another from China - tell me, don't leave me in the dark. this must have them truly puzzled.

I understand your frustration but time is on your side: if they haven't given you a definitive answer yet it means that they haven't been able to find anything to indicate that it was your fault, which in turn means that you're likely going to get a warranty replacement.

i finally got a response from DJI - or rather an invoice. no mention is made of what caused the problem, but i'll get 2 brand spanking new motor arms covered under warranty.

What I find amazing is how fast the  Mavic stabilized after the apparent flip.

To answer the concrete concerns.  Rebar or wire mesh in concrete is a concern during compass initialization.  I typically does not interfere with communications - in fact it may help ( vertically), acting as a ground plane reflector.

can you make it do it anytime you want to or have you tried?
Also do you have any HAM radio operators near you that you know of?

it has now been 1 month today that DJI has had my Mavic Pro Platinum for warranty service. it still hasn't shipped. maybe i'll get it for Christmas.

fans01cae61a Posted at 2017-11-21 06:18
it has now been 1 month today that DJI has had my Mavic Pro Platinum for warranty service. it still hasn't shipped. maybe i'll get it for Christmas.

You say- "all power lines are underground in my neighbourhood" . Same as our place, 8 homes on 1 acre each & to keep it "green" all power/phone/coax. cables underground, which makes for flying in my front yard, impossible!
Backyard my Mavic & P3A fly as normal, but out front I get compass errors, flipping into ATT mode, etc.
Not sure why?

yep - here too. all power/cable lines are on the front (road) side of the house.  i've never tried to fly there, for that reason. both crashes with the MPP were in the back yard on the same day i got it.

i contacted DJI support in Cali yesterday to see if i can get any information other than the email stating the work would be done and i would see it in 2-6 days. i got that a week and a half ago. i was told the service center in CA had no more Mavic motors and they were waiting on China to ship more. A certified DJI center ran out of Mavic motors?! i asked when they expect that shipment to come in, and his reply was that he didn't know.

all of this for a kick butt drone that was pre-ordered Sept. 5th, and i still don't have. correction: i got to enjoy flying it for 5 minutes. then i had to pack it up and send it off.

this entire customer service situation has been the absolute worst encounter i've experienced yet. when i asked why i wasn't sent a new one right away as it wasn't right from the factory, after a long pause i was told 'DJI policy states we can't replace a crashed drone with a new one'. my reply was 'um, did you hear me say it wasn't right from the factory? i have a Spark and know to wait for all the satellites before flying, the danger of ATTI mode, etc. so i'm more than confident it wasn't me or my flying location.'
silence.
i said 'hello?'
rep: i'm here.
me: did you hear what i said?
rep: yes, but the policy is still the same. you have 15 days for an exchange or refund, and you're past that now. besides, we don't exchange broken or not-new drones.
me: why would i wait as long as i did for the pre-order, then get it only to give it back for an exchange or refund?
rep: ...

i'm hoping a mod is reading this and can contact someone that knows about my case. i've gone through all the channels i can think of with zero ETA of when i'll get it back. and i don't even want it back with no explanation of what caused it to freak out.

^^ all of that is paraphrasing from memory based on trying to be calm though all the blazing red anger, lol

I have 2 flip accidents within a week of fly from receive the DJI care refresh express replacement. The phenomenon is quite similar to the video shown. But during and before the flip, I switched sports mode and while ascending. a strange noise from the propeller or motor lead to a flip, but correct itself afterward. The second one is from backward flying under sport mode. My guess is that one of the motor torque is higher than others causing propeller unfold in incorrect position. Also while ascending, the drone rotate to the right sometimes which determines a CCW motor output higher thrust or a CW motor is underperfoms. While checking the drone motor, it appears that one of the arm is a replaced, causing unbalanced thrust in total. This has been a significant risk for owner that DJI should investigate into.

oh that was a flip all right.

Siambuddhas Gro Posted at 2017-8-2 00:07
wow....i tot only the other made can flips...didnt know MP can do that....really safety reason ..dji have to get a fully check on this issue...

What was that word salad that just came out? Wow.

Jeff7577 Posted at 2017-8-1 18:43
Bro, most concrete does not have reinforcement...especially sidewalks and driveways. This was the gimbal and not the drone most likely, put your .DAT file from this flight on Dropbox and we will see.

All concrete, unless installed by the homeowner by himself, has either wire mesh or re-bar in it.  National Building Code.  The only times that I've seen it without is by an illegal contractor.  If that was a sidewalk in any city, it has wire mesh in the slab and re-bar in the curb/edges.  

If they don't, they self destruct in just a few years.   

With the first instance of flipping, the drone flew well until it was well above the houses.  While rebar or mesh might be in the sidewalk, that doesn't affect the drone when it's 100 feet up.  Could it have affected the compass calibration?  Perhaps, but was the compass calibrated just before the flight?    Furthermore, it would seem that a compass error is going to cause a problem with the drone in the x and y axis and not the vertical, z axis.   A flip of the drone should have nothing to do with a compass bearing.  

It seems that this neighborhood isn't overly industrialized.  Perhaps there could have been some HAM radio interference, but that is a crap shoot suggestion.  It seems unlikely that some man made interference could happen.  I wonder if anyone has had problems flying within a few hundred feet of high tension power lines?

Early in the  8th second of the video, the cloud cover is shown.  As a former weather forecaster, I observe that there is rain and potentially virga on the horizon.  There are tall, cumuliform clouds that indicate a very unsettled atmosphere.  It is likely that thunderstorms were building or could be in the area.  While I have no facts to point to, one could consider that a cloud to cloud electrostatic discharge potentially could have disrupted the communications between the controller and the Mavic.  

Klass7 Posted at 3-26 13:17
With the first instance of flipping, the drone flew well until it was well above the houses.  While rebar or mesh might be in the sidewalk, that doesn't affect the drone when it's 100 feet up.  Could it have affected the compass calibration?  Perhaps, but was the compass calibrated just before the flight?    Furthermore, it would seem that a compass error is going to cause a problem with the drone in the x and y axis and not the vertical, z axis.   A flip of the drone should have nothing to do with a compass bearing.  

It seems that this neighborhood isn't overly industrialized.  Perhaps there could have been some HAM radio interference, but that is a crap shoot suggestion.  It seems unlikely that some man made interference could happen.  I wonder if anyone has had problems flying within a few hundred feet of high tension power lines?

"While rebar or mesh might be in the sidewalk, that doesn't affect the drone when it's 100 feet up."

That is true, but the rebar will affect the compass when the aircraft is powered up while sitting on the concrete. This is a known cause of aircraft flyaways, but I have never heard of it causing a flip.

"Perhaps there could have been some HAM radio interference, but that is a crap shoot suggestion."

None of the HAM bands conflict in any way with the unregulated band used by the aircraft.

The control signal to the aircraft uses digital techniques, and it is coded in such a way that radio signal interference does not affect the signal as it is received.