SO the battery dropped of my DJI spark mid flight! Its never happened to me before however I'd seen a number of report like this happening.

I was flying over a cilff face getiing some great footage util the battery diccounted from the drone and the drone fell from the sky!

Sent in the data from my flight recounds and DJI support are saying the following :

The only thing your data shows is that the record just stops, it does not show it stopped because [insert reason]. There is no way for us to know what happened afterwards and all the data before it does not show any signs of malfunction or anomalies. For this reason we are inconclusive. If your situation is indeed very true than I apologize majorly for the inconvenience, but we have no way of verifying that.


Are they for real?


How to I prove that the battery dropped off the drone mid flight?

Battery pop outs usually happen in sport mode, were you in sport mode?

And sadly DJI won't do jack about it and their explanation is an insult to everybody. They say the data shows the record stops, and that means they can't say why, well the lack of data AFTER the record stops is a clear indication of power outage, either the battery popped out or there was another thing stopping the electrical current from the battery to the AC, either case, manufacturer's fault.

Lack of data is still data, DJI.

Why is that in sport mode, please?
Is the accelerating in sport that great, that the latches are under more pressure, as in P-mode?

S-e-ven Posted at 2018-7-3 03:25
Why is that in sport mode, please?
Is the accelerating in sport that great, that the latches are under more pressure, as in P-mode?

I think it might have something to do with tight turns at great speed, inertia and all that. Which, by the way, shouldn't be a problem. But the latches of the batteries were designed poorly.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-3 03:20
Battery pop outs usually happen in sport mode, were you in sport mode?

Nope wasn't in sport mode!

DJI Paladin Posted at 2018-7-3 03:24
Hi there, sorry for the inconvenience. Kindly provide me your case number so that I can check this on my end.

CAS-1974331-F0W8G2 this is the case number

and this is the last email i had from you, which I dont understand how you would prove if your battery fall out the drone how would you have any data of this?

Kempy04 Posted at 2018-7-3 03:29
Nope wasn't in sport mode!

I wish you good luck in your case with DJI, even though I remain sceptic.

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-3 03:24
And sadly DJI won't do jack about it and their explanation is an insult to everybody. They say the data shows the record stops, and that means they can't say why, well the lack of data AFTER the record stops is a clear indication of power outage, either the battery popped out or there was another thing stopping the electrical current from the battery to the AC, either case, manufacturer's fault.

Lack of data is still data, DJI.

YES 100% AGREE WITH THIS

I can tell you now I won't be stopping until the drone is replaced I will be report this also to trading standard.

This drone needs to be recalled its so dangerous and could be a risk to life!

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-3 03:31
I wish you good luck in your case with DJI, even though I remain sceptic.

Thank you, I will not be letting this go even if i have to take them to trading standards I will!

DJI needs to understand (and they do but act like they don't) or acknowledge that if the record ends abruptly it means the AC had a power outage.
Doesn't matter if the battery popped out, the Spark shouldn't have power outages in mid flight. But they do.
The latches were poorly designed, I understand they changed that, with bigger "teeth", there are still lots of old batteries out there my friends.
How can anyone lie the battery pop out and ask for reparations? How can anyone fake a report? Let's say the the battery didn't pop out in Kempy's case, what happened then? What caused the AC to stop recording any data? You see, DJI kind of told him, well, it wasn't your fault, but we can't help you, there's no data. It's either a faulty product that doesn't record data or a faulty product that pops its battery out.
And another thing, DJI should have designed the batteries in a way that your Spark won't fly unless inserted correctly. A pop up message or something, "we detected the battery is not completely latched, etc.".

oh sorry to read that buddy, good luck with your case, I think they should make an update system to check and record every movement of the drone and make a system to show the battery situation

but I think if the record show 65% while flying then suddenly it turn to 0% then it can be a prove, but I don't thinks it will work cause it don't have battery and how it want to record after the battery fell in the mid flight

Antipaxi Posted at 2018-7-3 03:24
And sadly DJI won't do jack about it and their explanation is an insult to everybody. They say the data shows the record stops, and that means they can't say why, well the lack of data AFTER the record stops is a clear indication of power outage, either the battery popped out or there was another thing stopping the electrical current from the battery to the AC, either case, manufacturer's fault.

Lack of data is still data, DJI.

yup agree with that

This has happened to me with my old Spark at a height of about 30m or so above a construction site I was shooting.

There is nothing in the flight log that would definitively why it happened since it isn't a software issue (its a bad clip design issue). The Spark's batteries (much more so than, say, the Air) don't have a way to hold the battery if the clips get worn, or somehow don't fully click (and there isn't a way to communicate to the pilot that it isn't fully clicked in like the colour indicator on the Air). Hopefully this can be resolved for you.

Sorry to hear your loss. Whatever happened it's clearly shows that the record stopped. Also there is no records after that point. So DJI should find out the reason and come back with a reasonable response.

I've got to be honest DJI are a JOKE this is all they can say!

( I am not home in the technical know-how of Data Analysis, I do know that I have seen it been concluded before so I can personally deduce this is possible. Your case however, does not seem to show whatever it is would convince them of this. )

Ram-UK Posted at 2018-7-3 04:27
Sorry to hear your loss. Whatever happened it's clearly shows that the record stopped. Also there is no records after that point. So DJI should find out the reason and come back with a reasonable response.

This is what I've got back

Dear Liam,



We’re sorry, we don’t have enough data to be conclusive and provide warranty. You must do what you think is right.



Kind Regards,



Support.eu5

Stefan van den Berk



SUPERVISOR SUPPORT NL

DJI Europe



cid:image001.png@01D1C735.95060990



From: Liam Kemp <liamnathankemp@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 3, 2018 1:37 PM

SeanGalbraith Posted at 2018-7-3 04:26
This has happened to me with my old Spark at a height of about 30m or so above a construction site I was shooting.

There is nothing in the flight log that would definitively why it happened since it isn't a software issue (its a bad clip design issue). The Spark's batteries (much more so than, say, the Air) don't have a way to hold the battery if the clips get worn, or somehow don't fully click (and there isn't a way to communicate to the pilot that it isn't fully clicked in like the colour indicator on the Air). Hopefully this can be resolved for you.

Thank you for the message, Don't belive this will get replaced. I really don't know what to do next

Do you have DJI Care and were you able to recover the drone? or is it lost?

sorry for your loss,

hopefully DJI will replace your bird , as the sparks get older there will only be more battery drops as the short battery latches wear out.

i lost my first bird in August last year with the same problem

SeanGalbraith Posted at 2018-7-3 05:08
Do you have DJI Care and were you able to recover the drone? or is it lost?

I've only had the drone 3 weeks its like new! No ive only just been told about it. and its on a side of a cliff can't even see it.

m1n1s Posted at 2018-7-3 05:14
sorry for your loss,

hopefully DJI will replace your bird , as the sparks get older there will only be more battery drops as the short battery latches wear out.

Have they replaced the drone? Yes I agree only more and more I think they need to re-call the drone as this is so dangerous

Kempy04 Posted at 2018-7-3 04:33
This is what I've got back

Dear Liam,

Sorry to hear about your loss.  Given the wide responses here, it looks like you might have a battle on your hands.  I can relate to your frustration but hope you are able to get it resolved.  Did you have DJI Care Refresh on your spark?  Good Luck and keep us posted.

Kempy04 Posted at 2018-7-3 05:32
Have they replaced the drone? Yes I agree only more and more I think they need to re-call the drone as this is so dangerous

or at least ship out a battery clip that holds the battery in place.  Will be a pain every time you change the battery but a definite fix for a growing problem.

I just had to get this better $9 than a spark.found this on eBay.I heard too many stories already.hope you get the help you as a customer deserve.

djiuser_drkFYe6gh3jT Posted at 2018-7-3 05:52
I just had to get this better $9 than a spark.found this on eBay.I heard too many stories already.hope you get the help you as a customer deserve.

Thank you yes I know I have seen them online - But really when you spend as much money as they cost you shouldn't have to buy add-on to make your drone SAFE, I have also heard people have still had an issue even with this clip on.  

Sparky_17 Posted at 2018-7-3 05:47
or at least ship out a battery clip that holds the battery in place.  Will be a pain every time you change the battery but a definite fix for a growing problem.

They just don;t want to do anything about the issue

Kempy04 Posted at 2018-7-3 05:55
They just don;t want to do anything about the issue

that is sad of a company with the influence it has on the drone market.  It would be easier and cheaper to produce a battery clip and fix the issue.  than to ignore it and wait for a law suit or a total recall.

Come on DJI .. do us customers / Spark owners the satisfaction that we can fly our spark without any issues caused by poorly designed battery clips.  A two dollar clip would fix this .. yes a two dollar clip.

Kempy04 Posted at 2018-7-3 05:32
Have they replaced the drone? Yes I agree only more and more I think they need to re-call the drone as this is so dangerous

nope I have to pay for a refurb which was also faulty and eventually replaced with a new one , long story and at the flagship DJI store in Shenzhen

Sparky_17 Posted at 2018-7-3 06:04
that is sad of a company with the influence it has on the drone market.  It would be easier and cheaper to produce a battery clip and fix the issue.  than to ignore it and wait for a law suit or a total recall.

Come on DJI .. do us customers / Spark owners the satisfaction that we can fly our spark without any issues caused by poorly designed battery clips.  A two dollar clip would fix this .. yes a two dollar clip.

i agree but with a chinese company they would not want to lose face

djiuser_drkFYe6gh3jT Posted at 2018-7-3 05:52
I just had to get this better $9 than a spark.found this on eBay.I heard too many stories already.hope you get the help you as a customer deserve.

I should get one .. better yet, DJI should ship them out for free ..

Hi,
Can you update on the progress of your case please? I had the same issue today, the battery fell off mid flight, I lost my drone and just logged my case with dji.

djiuser_drkFYe6gh3jT Posted at 2018-7-3 05:52
I just had to get this better $9 than a spark.found this on eBay.I heard too many stories already.hope you get the help you as a customer deserve.

I have the clip also and if DJI included this with the spark, it would reduce the emails they get from spark users and it would be MORE happy customers   
Or tell people to  purchase one with a warning