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What a "normal" spark flight log looks like
1248 3 2017-8-8
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Charles Adams
First Officer
Flight distance : 3821312 ft
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United States
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One of my goals is understanding the characteristics and signatures of a dji flight, as viewed in the flight logs.  I performed a test today, where I flew and landed 4 times.

All flights were using S7 Edge (DJI GO 4 4.1.4), OTG connection to RC, latest firmware on everything.

First flight ended in a "gesture control" landing.
Second flight ended with a manual landing.
Third flight ended with a simulated crash (I grabbed Spark and flipped it over).
Fourth flight ended with an RTH.

First flight ends with "Auto Landing" in log.
Second and fourth flight ends with "Forced Landing" in logs.
Third flight ends with three log entries showing the drone hover in place, where the log terminates.  It contains no log entries indicating any kind of landing.

The purpose of this test was to determine the characteristics of the log files depending on the types of flights involved.  This demonstrates that the third flight log DOES show two abnormalities:  it ends with the craft hovering in place, and it does not contain a landing log entries.
2017-8-8
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Charles Adams
First Officer
Flight distance : 3821312 ft
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United States
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Having had time to review these results, here are my conclusions:

While I disagree with DJI's conclusions about logs which terminate abruptly, I can't see how DJI can or should be compelled to replace a spark which is lot, solely on flight log data.  More data of some kind would have to be presented to DJI in order to compel them to replace the craft.

Here's why - My third flight consisted of a simulated crash.  Think of three possibilities that DJI faces:

1.  Someone crashes into some object terminating the logs, and the dji is lost in deep water.  The warranty requires the equipment be returned, and this scenario fits that use case.  User should return the craft.
2.  Through no fault of the pilot, the drone malfunctions, terminating logs.  Drone crashes in water and cannot be retrieved.  Yes, DJI should replace a drone which malfunctions.
3.  I decide to rip DJI off.  I fly over the water, grab the spark and flip it over, thus terminating the logs, and file a claim with DJI that my drone was lost due to mechanical failure, in order to get an extra drone.  I know that I can't fly the current drone with current software, so I will use other software to fly my old drone which I claimed was lost.  But I'll end up with two drones at DJI's expense.

It's too subject to abuse.  Other evidence really needs to be presented to DJI to demonstrate that the hardware malfunctioned.  Unfortunate, but true.

Now DJI MIGHT want to consider public perception and publicity, but just evaluating data, the logs alone are not enough.
2017-8-8
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DJI Thor
Administrator
Flight distance : 13602 ft
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We feel so sorry to hear about that crash or fly away cases, sometimes the flight logs show the whole process of the flight, thus we can evaluate the data and make a conclusion about the accidents. But there are also cases that the flight log terminates abruptly. In these cases, if it is not a flyaway case, data on the drone might help to illustrate the accident. If the drone flies away and we don't have enough data to anaylze what had happened, the thing we can do is to offer a discount for the customer. So it depends on a certain case and we hope that customers contact us when they have trouble. Hope for the kindly understanding.
2017-8-8
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Charles Adams
First Officer
Flight distance : 3821312 ft
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United States
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Yes, I understand.  I wanted to reach a different conclusion, but this is where the data takes me.  I could someday be one of those individuals who loses the craft (I fly over water), and I will need to evaluate the risk.
2017-8-8
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