Hello all,
Rookie mistakes, and I crashed. Poor mini is alive but won't obey stick commands - instead of taking off in a hover, it just charges forward and crashes. Emailed DJI support and followed their email instructions. Have received the post return label and email instructions to return the drone, battery and controller.
I remember reading in this forum that if wanting a replacement rather than repair, I should only return the drone? I have also read that when service centre have received the drone and assessed, they will then either quote a repair cost or suggest replacement, implying that I need to send the RC anyway for assessment.
I have written to DJI Support asking for clarification but no response. Can someone here please advise?

Adelie

Hi Adelie, I am sorry to hear about the crash. If there is no issue with the controller, you don't need to send it back, just the damaged drone and parts.

Is the drone damaged?
What stick mode is the controller in?
Have you tried calibrating the control sticks?
Have you got copies of the logs, ,txt & dat, from the phone? They are found via the following paths, computer\phone-names\phone\DJI\dji.go.v5\FlightRecord (for the .txt's)
&
computer\phone-names\phone\DJI\dji.go.v5\FlightRecord\MCDatFlightRecords ( for the .DAT's)

If you upload a copy of the txt log to https://www.phantomhelp.com/logviewer/upload/ you can see a 'replay' of the flight including any stick commands that you entered.

If you suspect this is a malfunction why are you using care fefresh, which will cost you an ''excess ''?
Why not use warranty?.

Sean-newbie Posted at 8-5 02:04
Is the drone damaged?
What stick mode is the controller in?
Have you tried calibrating the control sticks?

Yes it was damaged - cover came off and is cracked, gimbal lens scratched, battery cover couldnt close.
I haven't tried calibrating the control sticks though. The crash didnt occur because of malfunction, it was purely my errors.

DJI Susan Posted at 8-4 23:53
Hi Adelie, I am sorry to hear about the crash. If there is no issue with the controller, you don't need to send it back, just the damaged drone and parts.

Thank you Susan for clarifying.

DJI Susan Posted at 8-4 23:53
Hi Adelie, I am sorry to hear about the crash. If there is no issue with the controller, you don't need to send it back, just the damaged drone and parts.

Hi Susan,
DJI Technical Support has responded to me as follows:

"Upon checking again, the activation date of your drone is 11 July, 2020, and the accident date is 25 July, 2020. So the drone is still within the replacement period and we recommend you send back everything in the box. Could you please kindly send everything in the box back to DJI?
The further solutions are based on the analysis result. If this accident was caused by the manufacturing issue, DJI will replace the whole set of device for you. If it is the user fault, then this will be a paid service."

This is very confusing, I think mainly because of language style...for example "it is the user fault then this will be a paid service". What does "paid service" mean? Is it the replacement fee under the Refresh Agreement?

But more importantly, I find it quite concerning to be asked to return everything, when  many people on this forum have said that the only thing to be returned is the drone unit, ie no controller, no battery, no accessories. I bought the flymore combo. Surely they are not asking me to return the entire contents of the combo?

Adelie Posted at 8-5 21:04
Hi Susan,
DJI Technical Support has responded to me as follows:

I am sorry for any confusion caused. If the accident was caused by the pilot, and you would love to use the DJI Care Refresh directly, then you don't need to apply for data analysis and send the whole package back. Just the drone, battery, and propellers are all good.

The case that our support mentioned is that when there is a doubt about the accident and would love to apply for data analysis, in this case, since your drone is within the replacement period (this is not referring to the DJI Care Refresh), so they suggest you send the whole package back, including the fly more combo. Then we will provide the offer based on the data analysis result.

In conclusion, since you mentioned that the accident was caused by the pilot, you can claim the DJI Care Refresh replacement directly, you can just send the drone, battery (except for severe damage that is unsafe to ship), and propellers.

Hope this provides you with the info.