I blame myself.

When I turned on the DJI Vision App there was a message thatthe controller needed calibration. But I was already here at the shore, readyto shoot some video and didn’t want to quit. So I turned everything off andthen on again and the message did not reappear.

I made four runs down the shore line perfectly without aproblem, capturing great video. I landed, turned everything off, and headedback to the car. Then as I walked along the path through the marsh, I thought ashot flying over the marsh toward the bay would add to the video. I set upagain, getting no warning message.

I sent the bird up 30 feet, and then noticed it was headingto the front, even though I hadn’t touched the stick. I pulled back on thestick. The Phantom kept moving forward toward the bay. I turned off thecontroller, expecting a fail-safe return to home. The Phantom kept headingtoward the bay. I kept throwing switches but the distance kept increasing. 800feet. 1000 feet. A message that the Phantom had reached the distance limit.Still going. 1600 feet. A message that the software had lost touch with thePhantom.

My last view of the Phantom was of it heading across Peconic Bay.

In my mind I keep seeing it running out of power and slowlysinking into and under the waves, like a warbler migrating across the Caribbean into a headwind.

"like a warbler migrating across the Caribbean into a headwind."
That has got to be the best analogy of a watery demise this year.
My condolences on your loss.

"...slowly sinking..."  Good imagination.  It likely dropped like a stone not even slowing down when it hit the water.  I know I lost on at sea and I got to watch it fall.  Nothing slow about it.

Sorry for your lose.  I have not seen that error message before I will will be very careful if I do.

U.S. Navy will pick her up next week.... May be.!!!! If they can get a sub free. Their is a Phantom blocking view of their periscope....

wow that sucks.  sorry for your loss.