Hello,

I received my Mavic 3 days ago and my lift off 2 days ago now went bad (Inside with ATTI mode),  sinse the Mavic drifted to the left (without stick activity), right after lifting up for about 30cm and crashed into the flowers. I had made Firmware Update and IMU / Compass calibration befor, so I contacted DJI  Support and they asked me to do a VPS calibration with DJI Assistant 2.
I did that, but after performing the first 2 steps , it stopped in step 3  at 57% with an error. All aditional tries failed as well. Again contacting DJI Support and they recommended to request RMA, what I did.

Anyway yesterday I took again my Mavic and checked the front sensors and found a little clear sticker on one of the front vision sensors. Removing that one, I was able to run the VPS calibration without any failure.

Question: Could the sticker be the cause of the crash?

Reading all the crashes already happened I am a little bit afraid to make a next lift off, as I am a newbie in copterflying

Thx for any help, KR

Peter

Hi Peter, Can you make a picture of this plastic sticker coming off the sensor.
Was this sticker a bit loose, how did you notice that there was a sticker if it is translucent?
Only on 1 sensor wright?
Do not throw it away, keep it as evidence(manufacturing problem).

Hi Anoniem,

I can make a picture this evening (hopefully) if I didn´t loose it. The sticker was easy to take off, but from my view it was sized to be placed on the sensor.
I did notice, when I especially checked sensors, while VPS calibration wasn't possible. And yes, only one sensor was covered.

Would be interestind if this could have cause the prob / or is a manufactor problem

Peter

Please post the picture here and I'll help to check it as well.
Also I'd suggest you to sync your flight records from DJI GO app and follow the instruction to send it in for further evaluation.

Hi Mindy,

unfortunately the sticker is gone, but I attach a draw, how the sticker look like. As already mentioned he was completely transparent ans just as big that he could be sticked on the frame of the front vision sensor.

How can I sync the flight record and wher can I find the instruction to send?

Update: I cannot attach a picture. If you need I can send via email to you

On several of the un-boxings you will see the small round clear plastc film sensor covers.
In the manual there should be a pre-flight checklist detailing the location and removal of these and possibly also the yellow tabbed one on the gimbal?

I really don't get why people are just putting it straight into ATTI mode straight away and trying to fly the thing indoors. After every story you hear about it crashing in specific modes or whatever I didn't dare start mine up indoors. The only time I did was without the propellers just to start it up and start/stop the motors etc.

And I'd imagine it was because of the stickers as they were covering the sensors. Once again you should have checked the device and removed all brand new sticker seals that come with it. This is normally the case with any new product you buy not just the Mavic or drones. This is like people not removing their iPhone seal off the front when buying brand new and then complaining they can't hear out of the ear speaker

I think maybe you got too excited. I hope it isn't damaged and you get it working again, and then maybe think about taking it to the park to try again with proper GPS locked in etc.

Hi Kuzz,

thx for your comments. Think I will try as you recommended.

KR

Flying without removing all "transport" stickers is without a doubt not something you should do. It's like complaining about your phones screen before you remove the protective film.

But on the other hand, drifting to the left while indoors also happened to me. With right control stick not responding and only able to land after scratching my wall with the props (luckily no damage done to the props or aircraft). After viewing the log it seems to me that there is a problem when switching between modes while flying. Takeoff in ATTI, then get some weak GPS signals, OPTI, back to ATTI.

Flying outdoors with good GPS has never caused me any problems. Logged over 20 flights so far, but I will not fly indoors in ATTI mode until we get a SW update that fixes "something".

In ATTI mode, it's quite normal that the copter will drift, in your case, the stickers fail the VPS so Mavic can't position itself at indoor where there's no GPS signal either.
In other crash cases, usually the aircraft won't respond to their stick command or just act weirdly, if this is not happening to you, I think you can fly well for the moment.

The advice given in your manual and by many others, is to go to an open space and learn to fly your aircraft first,
Trying to fly Atti for a beginner is a big risk,
My advice is go back and read the recommendations in you manual an watch tutorials..

Hello together,

thx again for yopur remarks and recommendations. I will update after my next outside GPS test flight

Petbrit Posted at 2016-11-3 13:25
Hello together,

thx again for yopur remarks and recommendations. I will update after my next outsid ...

Well thank you for reporting this , it should be of great help and a warning to others.
Good luck

Kuzz Posted at 2016-11-3 10:21
I really don't get why people are just putting it straight into ATTI mode straight away and trying t ...

Not everybody is reading this forum Kuzz
More reason to make it clear within the user manuall.. IF this is something to worry about, only 1 customer till now and no information/ confirmation from DJI

The clear stickers he is talking about are protective manufacturing stickers. I found them on the obstacle cameras, the main camera, the legs and a few other places. there was even one on the backside of the main camera. they all have pull tabs and are meant to be removed but because they are small and hard to see they could be easily missed. I think DJI would be smart to provide a list of the stickers to be removed so people don't miss this step which isn't explained.

I completely go with boldblue737s remarks. I also recognized the little yellow sticker on the gimble, but so far no documentation that it has to be removed. I will double check this evening

I just checked documetations and I can't find any hint that this / this and this sticker has to be removed. Even the above mentioned yellow sticker on the gimbal, there is no hint.

Asuming that not everybody has the background to piock of that gimbal sticker, it would be really nice to get a clear statement from DJI.

Kuzz Posted at 2016-11-3 17:21
I really don't get why people are just putting it straight into ATTI mode straight away and trying t ...

Indoor flight is featured in several Mavic advertisements and the Mavic user manual.

People here really need to stop scolding others for using their Mavics in ways the manufacturer suggested...

I wonder how many of these problems involve the shipping stickers.   Seriously.

Sounds likely it would be the stickers. They will be reflecting the light and causing it to calculate distance incorrectly ... making it try to avoid an invisable obsticle !! eek!

Probably more than most people would admit lol...

This drone is very smart and capable of some really amazing things thanks to the technology that DJI has developed. However people still need to know how to utilize that technology effectively. Much like people drilling holes in their iPhone 7s to add a headphone port after a certain youtube video was released...
this post is NOT directed at you Petbrit.

Annnnnd another IMU calibration when people have been told not to do it unless prompted with a crash.

Anyway, I was able to perform a shirt 5 minute fly outside, without any problems.

Still do not know if the yellow marked sticker on the back of the gimbal needs to be removed?

Thx for all your comments made until yet, helped me to perform another try outside today, which was my first drone flight ever ;-)

Stokke Posted at 2016-11-3 10:17
Flying without removing all "transport" stickers is without a doubt not something you should do. It' ...

Same here, had Mag interference indoor moved mavig away took off in AATI then switched to Opti no responce from right stick mode 2 and quad drifted slowly in to wall no damge to props just scratched wall. Tried in different room same ptoblem but managed to land just before it hit wall.

Remove all the stickers with the yellow tabs. The yellow tabs are there to attract your attention!

As for drifting when flying indoors, google "ground effect". Once you have your head around that, learn how to fly before you try things like that again expecting it to just sit there in the middle of the room and hover happily in the same spot without any input.

AusAir Posted at 2016-11-23 00:55
Remove all the stickers with the yellow tabs. The yellow tabs are there to attract your attention!

...

I test drones, helis and planes for a living and review them for a company based in UK and Germany and well aware of ground effect.

Quad was about 1.5m off the ground (as a rule fliy higher 1-2 times the lenghth of props) and room that it flew was big and open we talking 7m by 11m so no need to be rude and smart a***

Juts in case you get same problem and your own reply wont answer your query - problem was in the ground pattern that cameras had trouble picking up and as a safery only option mavic lets you do is land due to being in OPTI mode.

Next time either try to help best you can or dont comment at all, you probably very sad person in life.

I had a very similar issue... 1st flight, 1st crash (caused by a "drift" left)... as far as I am aware I had removed all stickers, but unfortunately for me the fall (from just 1.2m) was awkward and the gimbal snapped straight off it's mounting plate... rendering the drone unflyable.... so I had to send it straight back to DJI for repair

The mounting plate seems to be a weak point and although the gimbal is partially protected by the prop arms under most circumstances, if it lands just right (or wrong) in a fall, the gimbal is very vulnerable.

TopFPV Posted at 2016-11-24 01:39
I test drones, helis and planes for a living and review them for a company based in UK and Germany ...

Calm the farm sunshine.

No need to be a pompous braggart attempting to belittle another's response regardless of your opinion thereof. Should we all bow down before your hypocritical magnificence?

Ask yourself... did I quote you? Did I respond directly to you? Don't flatter yourself.
As for the "issue" you experienced, I've not had the same problem. I read the manual, changed some settings and pressed a few buttons. Clearly however, I'm but a second class nonse with vastly less experience than yourself, that doesn't know what I'm doing so I shant comment further.

PS: I'm actually quite happy

Hi all,

I just updated the firmware on my Mavic, tried to take off as usual, but the left rear motor suddenly lost power at about 1 meter and the drone crashed to the ground. Damaged badly.

Would DJI advise the possible reason for this and what should I do?

boldblue737 Posted at 2016-11-3 05:38
The clear stickers he is talking about are protective manufacturing stickers. I found them on the obstacle cameras, the main camera, the legs and a few other places. there was even one on the backside of the main camera. they all have pull tabs and are meant to be removed but because they are small and hard to see they could be easily missed. I think DJI would be smart to provide a list of the stickers to be removed so people don't miss this step which isn't explained.

So agree about stickers v difficult to see nearly sent my drone back as acting weird DJI should make this
more obvious!!!

Do all these have stickers? I received mine 2 weeks ago and did not see any stickers anywhere? I have been flying for 2 weeks no issues.

Where should I look for these stickers on my Mav?