So disappointed in this drone, this drone has been nothing but firmware issues and fake warnings. This morning it was calm and I took off straight up to just some take some great fog photos. Stayed below the fog ceiling, etc...

It hovered for about 3 to 4 minutes and then just took off to the east on a mind of its own. Not responding to anything, just drifting away. Finally after 3 or 4 attempts of return to home it decided to slowly return home, only to increase to 43 mph for the last short leg into a fir tree and destroy itself. Obstacle avoidance? Got me?

So disheartening when your dad of six, save your cash for a year and you end up with this. Tried to be positive thru the all firmware issues that occurred while it was in warranty. Then the sort of stable firmware came out after I was out of warranty, so it sat grounded a lot prior. Something is definitely amiss, as to why it just floated away. Down stick nothing, RTH for a few tries, nothing. Finally sure, ill come home and cram into a tree.

Not sure what happen, it was nice early AM flight and then it just took off on its on. Never seen it fly so fast, the log says 43.1 mph. No disconnects on the controller etc... It will be greatly missed, it will be a few years before I can save up enough for another one.


Thank you all, DJISusan etc for help up here with this thing over the last year or so. Hope to be back some day. I can't believe this much $$$ was such a disappointment, and ended as it did. Been different I was the running it in the tree. So much for P mode ;-( and obstacle avoidance.

Did you find anything in your flight log that explains what happened? If you didn't check, you can upload and view it online here. Post a link back here if you'd like other members to review and comment on it.

Hello and good day BSilverthorn. I am really sorry to know that your DJI Phantom 4 was damaged. This is not the experience we want you to have with your DJI drone. Since this issue happened the best thing you can contact DJI support at https://www.dji.com/support and create a case for your DJI Phantom 4.  Please sync the flight records as well for us to further investigate what really happened on your previous flight. Thank you.

msinger Posted at 12-10 07:29
Did you find anything in your flight log that explains what happened? If you didn't check, you can upload and view it online here. Post a link back here if you'd like other members to review and comment on it.

looks like it just went haywire. Odd, as it was hovering peacefully and I was just hitting the photo button.

Went up, came back down, swapped out SD Card. Was going back up for 3 minutes to get two more shots and it took off...

http://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/P7NVL0VGKIGKKQF75F4Z/

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 08:12
looks like it just went haywire. Odd, as it was hovering peacefully and I was just hitting the photo button.

NO DJI Care, Yeah I know, it was grounded mostly due to firmware ;-(.... Well at least I got to beta test some firmware and provide feedback. Man I hate to file 13 this...

PM me with your address, and for Christmas, I will send you a check for $100.00 towards your next Phantom. Andy

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 08:12
looks like it just went haywire. Odd, as it was hovering peacefully and I was just hitting the photo button.

Went up, came back down, swapped out SD Card. Was going back up for 3 minutes to get two more shots and it took off...

What type of surface was your Phantom sitting on when you took off?

msinger Posted at 12-10 12:25
What type of surface was your Phantom sitting on when you took off?

Large Red Brick patio. Its launch point for the last yet ;-). Fairly level and professional installed. I always make sure it is not able to wobble prior to take off etc.. Its smooth enough the kids skate on it.

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 12:56
Large Red Brick patio. Its launch point for the last yet ;-). Fairly level and professional installed. I always make sure it is not able to wobble prior to take off etc.. Its smooth enough the kids skate on it.

Did you turn the drone on near some metal? You have a bunch of compass errors, which would probably explain the lack of control. Did you notice the compass warning while you were flying?

fansb1fe1104 Posted at 12-10 13:04
Did you turn the drone on near some metal? You have a bunch of compass errors, which would probably explain the lack of control. Did you notice the compass warning while you were flying?

Nope, no compass errors on the screen. Take off from the same spot as always almost.  Take off all green, no errors. Could have had one or two I missed while I was running to try and watch where it had decided to take off to. But nothing that I saw, no mr obvious, it was just like every other perfect flight.

Some of those compass errors towards the end are probably as it hung from the tree for a short bit.

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 13:13
Nope, no compass errors on the screen. Take off from the same spot as always almost.  Take off all green, no errors. Could have had one or two I missed while I was running to try and watch where it had decided to take off to. But nothing that I saw, no mr obvious, it was just like every other perfect flight.

Some of those compass errors towards the end are probably as it hung from the tree for a short bit.

I know you said you took off from same launch point you always do, but did you happen to turn the drone on someplace other than the launch spot, and then carry the drone to the launch spot?

fansb1fe1104 Posted at 12-10 13:25
I know you said you took off from same launch point you always do, but did you happen to turn the drone on someplace other than the launch spot, and then carry the drone to the launch spot?

Nope, out the front down. Set it down, turned on remote, turned on drone, fired app and waited for Go / green light to.

I have turned it on before when out in a field and moved it, but I always set RTH before take off, but not this time. Did it the same way I have done over and over.

It went up nice, hovered around 250 feet nicely, I snapped off some photos by just turning slowly, and then it started to just drift away...

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 13:31
Nope, out the front down. Set it down, turned on remote, turned on drone, fired app and waited for Go / green light to.

I have turned it on before when out in a field and moved it, but I always set RTH before take off, but not this time. Did it the same way I have done over and over.

The reason I asked that is because usually the drone gets the compass error from where the drone first initializes due to metal. You could have a faulty compass, in which case I would assume DJI would replace your drone.

fansb1fe1104 Posted at 12-10 13:45
The reason I asked that is because usually the drone gets the compass error from where the drone first initializes due to metal. You could have a faulty compass, in which case I would assume DJI would replace your drone.

Could be, thought it was odd  I could do nothing Down stick etc did nothing.  It ignored me, then decided to come home for some reason.  Well sort of home. Quite rapidly and down.  Sucks :-(.  

ATJ Posted at 12-10 11:35
PM me with your address, and for Christmas, I will send you a check for $100.00 towards your next Phantom. Andy

Andy,  I DO admire people like you!  Few and far between these days.  My hat is off to ya.

fansb1fe1104 Posted at 12-10 13:45
The reason I asked that is because usually the drone gets the compass error from where the drone first initializes due to metal. You could have a faulty compass, in which case I would assume DJI would replace your drone.

Could be, thought it was odd  I could do nothing Down stick etc did nothing.  It ignored me, then decided to come home for some reason.  Well sort of home. Quite rapidly and down.  Sucks :-(.  

The flight record is full of compass errors in the later part. This is almost always a symptom of launching from a magnetically dirty location. I know you said it was a brick patio, but what is under the brick, is it concrete containing rebar?

Geebax Posted at 12-10 14:16
The flight record is full of compass errors in the later part. This is almost always a symptom of launching from a magnetically dirty location. I know you said it was a brick patio, but what is under the brick, is it concrete containing rebar?

4 inches sand, 2 inch of crushed gravel  then old fashion dirt. I live on a farm.  Nothing else.  

Taken off quit a bit from the same area over the summer. When i say erea i mean 2 or 3 inches either way.  It’s middle of my launch and landing pad ;-).  Guess the compass puked.  Odd it ignored the request to come down. Even if it was confused.  

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 15:05
4 inches sand, 2 inch of crushed gravel  then old fashion dirt. I live on a farm.  Nothing else.  

Taken off quit a bit from the same area over the summer. When i say erea i mean 2 or 3 inches either way.  It’s middle of my launch and landing pad ;-).  Guess the compass puked.  Odd it ignored the request to come down. Even if it was confused.

The only change was I upgraded to DJI go 4.38 a day before the flight.  Coincidence I am sure, but that just came to mind.  

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 20:31
The only change was I upgraded to DJI go 4.38 a day before the flight.  Coincidence I am sure, but that just came to mind.

You know it was just one of those days. I have a special needs son, a little guy who loves two things.  Dad flying his drone and being with me and his cat. We lost both today :-(.  Here is to a better today , tomorrow.  :-).  

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 20:31
The only change was I upgraded to DJI go 4.38 a day before the flight.  Coincidence I am sure, but that just came to mind.

1st flight on 4.38 on IOS.

Do you calibrate the compass?
Was there anything near by thats made of metal?
Is it possible that it just so happened that on this take off point you was close to the cables running to the garages?

Bashy Posted at 12-10 20:42
Do you calibrate the compass?
Was there anything near by thats made of metal?

It's not possible to successfully complete a compass calibration when the compass is near a metal object that is not attached to the aircraft. The calibration attempt will fail.

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-10 12:56
Large Red Brick patio. Its launch point for the last yet ;-). Fairly level and professional installed. I always make sure it is not able to wobble prior to take off etc.. Its smooth enough the kids skate on it.

When I first looked at your log, it seemed the aircraft was not obeying your commands at the beginning of the flight (often caused by interference at the takeoff point). After a second look, I'm thinking your troubles were caused by strong winds. After you ascended to 253 feet over top of the takeoff point, DJI GO attempted to warn you about that by displaying this message:

"High wind velocity. Fly with caution and land in a safe place ASAP."

Your aircraft then started drifting around on its own while rolling at pretty steep angles (indicating very strong winds).

msinger Posted at 12-11 06:21
When I first looked at your log, it seemed the aircraft was not obeying your commands at the beginning of the flight (often caused by interference at the takeoff point). After a second look, I'm thinking your troubles were caused by strong winds. After you ascended to 253 feet over top of the takeoff point, DJI GO attempted to warn you about that by displaying this message:

"High wind velocity. Fly with caution and land in a safe place ASAP."

Yeah, that's a known issue. It was as calm as could be. If you search up here you will see a lot of us get that. I get the high wind error on the app even when the drone is connected.  I grew up in planes, happy grandson of a pilot and at 250 feet things could change. But the fog wasn't even moving and the flags were hanging down flat as pancakes. I always throw some grass in the air or snow to see the wind direction. Just something silly my Dad taught me growing up at AMA and flying models.

I get that error ever so often even when sitting on the ground. Calibrated or not, just as you will see others up here. Even in high windows it should have responded to down stick, come down baby ;-). I have flown in worse around ocean cliffs etc...

Ill get that nutty error even when my kids 50 dollar light weight drone is hovering next to me. Not all the time but ever so often.
It was the second flight back to back as well. I went up, straight up and shot some great photos. Landed, powered off, ejected the SD card, replaced the SD card with another like card as I had filled the card and went back to capture just a few more photos.  It landed with in 6 inches of where it took off from, and then I sent it back up. Probably the same thing I have done many, many, many times. Even in wweather, where the snow is blowing a bit, or trees are moving. Yesterday it was still. Then it decided to go off on its own,

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-11 06:51
Yeah, that's a known issue. It was as calm as could be. If you search up here you will see a lot of us get that. I get the high wind error on the app even when the drone is connected.  I grew up in planes, happy grandson of a pilot and at 250 feet things could change. But the fog wasn't even moving and the flags were hanging down flat as pancakes. I always throw some grass in the air or snow to see the wind direction. Just something silly my Dad taught me growing up at AMA and flying models.

I get that error ever so often even when sitting on the ground. Calibrated or not, just as you will see others up here. Even in high windows it should have responded to down stick, come down baby ;-). I have flown in worse around ocean cliffs etc...

Never had an RC device not respond to down stick.  I have had a few planes really respond to down stick over the 30 to 35 years of flying .

Well it was fun, I will miss comradery up here. I am sure I will pop back here and there. Might be a long time before I can swing a second a drone. I hope my next experience is better than with the P4. Not just the crash, but the nightmare of issues till the latest firmware. It was kind to me at times and took some great photos and provided good times for my son and I. I enjoyed the beta testing, that is something I love to do and do quite a bit for some photography software companies. Ill grab me a cheap drone so at least I don't get rusty and practice up on light weight flight. Going to so miss the photography, those 50 dollar drones are obviously nothing like I had. Hard to toss thing ;-(.

Thank you all for help over the year so.

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-11 06:51
Yeah, that's a known issue. It was as calm as could be. If you search up here you will see a lot of us get that. I get the high wind error on the app even when the drone is connected.  I grew up in planes, happy grandson of a pilot and at 250 feet things could change. But the fog wasn't even moving and the flags were hanging down flat as pancakes. I always throw some grass in the air or snow to see the wind direction. Just something silly my Dad taught me growing up at AMA and flying models.

I get that error ever so often even when sitting on the ground. Calibrated or not, just as you will see others up here. Even in high windows it should have responded to down stick, come down baby ;-). I have flown in worse around ocean cliffs etc...

I do lots of searching, but never came across that one. Do you have any flight logs that show "High wind velocity. Fly with caution and land in a safe place ASAP" while your Phantom was sitting on the ground?

quick question...did you try to go ATTI to get it back?

Trampintransit Posted at 12-11 09:04
quick question...did you try to go ATTI to get it back?

Nope, well sorta went from P to Sport. Wouldn't respond to anything, it just kept on flying out of sight almost. I dont recall anyway hitting ATTI, but I tried a lot of things as it was heading towards a major highway and grain siloh's on its on.

I did try

P, S, RTH numerous times, Down stick, and just cut power when it was when it was 15 to 20 feet from the tree. It just kept on going. It was not in interactive mood ;-).

msinger Posted at 12-11 07:56
I do lots of searching, but never came across that one. Do you have any flight logs that show "High wind velocity. Fly with caution and land in a safe place ASAP" while your Phantom was sitting on the ground? I still saw on the most gorgeous of calm sunny sets. My sons light wight quad copter would be right up there with me and if there was a wind it would have tossed his drone like a tumble weed.

Two of the high wind discussions:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-131733-1-1.html

https://forum.dji.com/thread-78409-1-1.html

Looks like it never got addressed, I know in some of the non DJI forums as well you see people with a High wind warning at 150 feet, yet on the ground its quiet as can be.
Interesting comment from CineView Media "

Welcome to the club, we are a bunch of people waiting for the answer from Dji to that, they wont reply and advice us if we should keep them on the ground until they find out either, mine flew away today, for unknown reasons at the moment, but after studying the log, i lean more towards a software communication error, so be careful with this one, as i suspect there will come a major FW update that will take care of allot of reported bugs and issues." Hendo " I can't find the post but a few days ago I read a reply from DJI_Natalia saying that it is a known issue and will be fixed in next firmware update. I get it from time to time but just ignore and haven't had any issues."

This seems to be another one of those runaway issues that seemed to be reported on P4 threads in abundance about a year or more ago...seemed to be happening a lot. One thing that kept coming up was...bung it into ATTI quick as you can...often it'll then talk to the controller. The runaway is ( but remember I'm no expert...just recalling a lot of reading from BEFORE I got a P4 ) often the result of misleading GPS stream fighting the controller signal....by going ATTI the controller is more likely to gain manual control of the drone.  I think that seemed to be a conclusion that came up a lot?

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-11 09:44
Two of the high wind discussions:

https://forum.dji.com/thread-131733-1-1.html

Thanks for the links. I was referring to your comment about seeing that message while your Phantom was on the ground.

I know a lot of people see wind related messages in DJI GO while flying. It seems the "land in a safe place ASAP" (the message you saw) is one of the more rare wind-related messages. I didn't see anyone mention that one specifically in those two threads.

In that flight log you provided i see a CSC and an altitude -35,8 feet. Was that you or the controller of its own?? That begone 2.12,4 mins after take off (record)

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-11 09:42
Nope, well sorta went from P to Sport. Wouldn't respond to anything, it just kept on flying out of sight almost. I dont recall anyway hitting ATTI, but I tried a lot of things as it was heading towards a major highway and grain siloh's on its on.

I did try

It appears your Phantom was mostly being controlled horizontally by the wind. However, it did seem to be responding as expected to your throttle up/down commands. Other than the shaded red area in the graph below, you can see the aircraft was ascending/descending at your command.



During the red shaded areas, your aircraft was ignoring some of your commands due to the low battery. DJI GO displayed this message during that period:

"Battery power limit will automatically reduce the aircraft's mobility to ensure flight safety"

This graph shows the battery voltage dipping pretty low during those periods:



I'm not entirely sure to what extent the remote controller commands are ignored. Starting your flight with a battery that was charged to 54% and then flying in windy conditions most likely led to this result.

Peterx Posted at 12-11 10:16
In that flight log you provided i see a CSC and an altitude -35,8 feet. Was that you or the controller of its own?? That begone 2.12,4 mins after take off (record)

The negative altitude was recorded after impact. It's common to see bogus data like this in a flight log after a crash.

msinger Posted at 12-11 10:21
The negative altitude was recorded after impact. It's common to see bogus data like this in a flight log after a crash.

CSC was done about 15 seconds before the crash.  It was a safe point it might have just broke a prop instead of trashing the whole thing.  Any CSC prior was not me.  

If it was coming, it was fooling me. It appeared to be climbing and going off after Peter Pan someplace.  

msinger Posted at 12-11 10:21
The negative altitude was recorded after impact. It's common to see bogus data like this in a flight log after a crash.

CSC was done about 15 seconds before the crash.  It was a safe point it might have just broke a prop instead of trashing the whole thing.  Any CSC prior was not me.  

If it was coming done. it was fooling me. It appeared to be climbing and going off after Peter Pan someplace.   In the logs I see it climbing while I never said climb after the initial hover.  

msinger Posted at 12-11 10:18
It appears your Phantom was mostly being controlled horizontally by the wind. However, it did seem to be responding as expected to your throttle up/down commands. Other than the shaded red area in the graph below, you can see the aircraft was ascending/descending at your command.

[view_image]

Wasn’t windy, took back off at 54 after sd card change.  I never JUst take off usually at 50 percent, but this was its second flight only on the ground to change the Sd.  Battery still shows 45 percent charge.

Question is why it took off and why the compass errors.  It has always been responsive even on flights home at 25 percent when further than 250 feet away.  There is no way the wind was blowing like it was flying.  The fog and trees where not even moving.  

Could have been something I did, but was odd to just be watching it Hoover and take off like crazy while sitting still.  Absolutely nothing different from this flight, from others. Done over and over. Except the hard right to west and away it goes.

When it starts ignoring the controller it should land or come home.  

BSilverthorn Posted at 12-11 10:48
Wasn’t windy, took back off at 54 after sd card change.  I never JUst take off usually at 50 percent, but this was its second flight only on the ground to change the Sd.  Battery still shows 45 percent charge.

Question is why it took off and why the compass errors.  It has always been responsive even on flights home at 25 percent when further than 250 feet away.  There is no way the wind was blowing like it was flying.  The fog and trees where not even moving.  

If you're going to stick with the zero wind story, then your best bet will be sending your Phantom into DJI to be assessed. Maybe they'll be able to see more than is available in the flight log you posted above.