Hi all,

My Mavic Mini had an 'unprovoked' drop from around 15 feet after hovering for less than a second and crashed into the sea.EDIT: this happened at 10min42s!! It hit the water at 10m45. Everything after that is just me trying to get the drone back and land on the shore.
After a simple fligt along the coast I stopped the drone that was in line of sight at a distance of around 158ft/48m.
I do not know what I was doing at that exact moment (probably adjusting something for the next part of the flight, I don't remember) but then I saw water on the screen of the phone connected to the controller.
I pushed 'up' and saw the drone comming out of the water and water dripping out of it. I flew back to the shore and tried to dry it but we were far from hotel so no real professional tools like hairdryer :-)
Weather conditions were perfect, almost no wind as you can see on the calm see in the attached photo.
I also uploaded the logfile: Link on Phantomhelp to log file and viewer
I am, as we all are, very carefull with the drone, and did not expect this behavior. Just dropped out of the air with no warning or anything that provoked it.
You can even see the seagull, so he/she didnt attack it :-)

Any help in finding the cause would be very appreciated.

The drone starts, but the camera/gimbal is defect, flying goes, but cannot shut down with button, nor will it start always again after a flight, so probably now a very expensive unusable toy. And a lot of spareparts :-)
Any idea on/experience with DJI policy when I submit a complaint with the last video, photo and logile and send the drone?

Log file link on Phantomhelp

Thanks in advance, and fly safe....

Regards, Marcel

this is  bad luck for your drone  !!    Did you have any further feedback from DJI on how to repair it

its clear that at 60 cm height your left joystick remained  pushed downwards.... I am sorry but this is a clear pilot error ....Good that you posted the log file ....

S.J Posted at 10-3 06:30
its clear that at 60 cm height your left joystick remained  pushed downwards.... I am sorry but this is a clear pilot error ....Good that you posted the log file ....

?? When do I push 'down'??
Please show me the exact moment and I will try to understand.
This would however still not explain  the unprovoked drop from 15 feet into the sea.

Thanks in advance.
Regards, Marcel.

Great photo, I'm sorry about your drone.

MarcelMG Posted at 10-3 06:34
?? When do I push 'down'??
Please show me the exact moment and I will try to understand.
This would however still not explain  the unprovoked drop from 15 feet into the sea.

Hi,

MM is not very good at keeping height at low altitudes with rapid stick inputs.Flying at about 7 meters with full fwd stick, speed about 8 m/s.
Stick input to zero, MM from pitch down angles to up angles to reduce speed.At the same time VPS height did measure yes/no height.....
This is a imo a "common" problem for the MM ; low above water with VPS yes/no....MM get confused and is dropping height!

Congrats on your quick reaction, good that you had an eye of your MM. If this would happen far away and just looking at the screen....

PS the moment you started with 100% fwd stick MM at a baro height of 6.4. During this max fwd speed the baro height went up to 8.4, after that it stared to correct this height, back to 6.4 meter. So it was already descending a little, from 100% to zero stick its 'normal' that MM rises thus need to correct down.This did not help to keep it at flying height
See the blue height line (upper chart), where the line is red coloured = down/up without RC down/up input.

My advice is to see DJI support/help.  It looks also a little as a Uncontrolled Descend.

cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 10-3 06:51
Hi,

Yes, S.J is correct.

Oops, aplogies,
I forgot to mention the exact moment of the crash:

The crash was at 10min42.2 sec.
That is when the drone dropped.
It hit the water at 10m45.1

Everything after that is just me panicking and getting the drone back to the shore.

I edited the original post to mention the moment of the drop and crash!

Regards, Marcel

MarcelMG Posted at 10-3 06:54
Oops, aplogies,
I forgot to mention the exact moment of the crash:

Dear Marcel,

From my perspective, after analyzing your log file, can be concluded that you had the controls neutral from 642.5 seconds until 646.3 seconds (when you reacted very well with throttle).
I do not see any evidence that you made a pilot error. In fact, you lost altitude and adjusted to full throttle form 646.3 second until 652.6 second.
For some reason it is apparent to me that you lost lift due to a collision of something with the MM or any type of current.
Have a very good flights!

Cients Posted at 10-3 09:58
Dear Marcel,

From my perspective, after analyzing your log file, can be concluded that you had the controls neutral from 642.5 seconds until 646.3 seconds (when you reacted very well with throttle).

Thanks guys for analyzing the log file and support my opinion that it was (as far as we can see based on the logfile) not 'pilot error' like moving the drone down myself.
There were no obstacles near, there was almost no wind, just a breeze, and the seagull was far away.

I think I will report this first to the company I bought it from and also consult DJI.

Anyone here had any experiences with DJI in case of these 'uncontrolled descents'?

Regards, Marcel

Just for future reference, try to "pickle" the drone as soon as possible after a dip in salt/sea water. in this case, that means putting it into a bath of fresh water until you can get it where it can be dried. Agitate and replace the water as often as possible. It's the salt in the water that kills them.

GaryDoug Posted at 10-3 19:05
Just for future reference, try to "pickle" the drone as soon as possible after a dip in salt/sea water. in this case, that means putting it into a bath of fresh water until you can get it where it can be dried. Agitate and replace the water as often as possible. It's the salt in the water that kills them.

Yes, i know, but we were hiking and far away from our hotel.
A few minutes after the dip in the water the camera/gimbal were already not functioning. And still don't.

I sent my story + link to this topic to DJI support and wait for their reply.

Sorry about your drone.  I hope things work out well for you.  Stories like this always make me a little edgy whilst flying around the water....

The Mini often shows a little altitude instability.
Yours showed more than a little.


The last time you touched the throttle was at 9:48.2 wnen you brought the drone down a little.
You left it hovering at 21 ft and started flying forward at 9:58.1.
At 10:27.6 it started to gain height as you flew, rising to 27.6 ft at 10:30.6 and then started to lose height.
You went hands off at 10:38.4 with the drone at 18 ft and losing height.
At 10:46.3 (-5.2 ft) you pushed the left stick forward.
The Mini was slow to climb and lost more height before starting to climb at 10:47.1.

Hello there MarcelMG. I am sorry to read and to know know what happened to your DJI Mavic Mini and for the trouble this has caused. Since this unfortunate event happened I would recommend you to contact our DJI support team at https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav for further assistance.  We have a team that will do there best to check what happened to the said drone and will give out the best resolution for this issue. Again, I am sorry for the trouble and thank you for your understanding.

DJI Stephen Posted at 10-4 23:02
Hello there MarcelMG. I am sorry to read and to know know what happened to your DJI Mavic Mini and for the trouble this has caused. Since this unfortunate event happened I would recommend you to contact our DJI support team at https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav for further assistance.  We have a team that will do there best to check what happened to the said drone and will give out the best resolution for this issue. Again, I am sorry for the trouble and thank you for your understanding.

Hi Stephen,

I submitted a request yesterday:

[DJI] Request Received [Europe][Netherlands][Mavic Mini]Uncontrolled descent Mavic Mini drone and crash in the sea

Dear Marcelmg,
Thank you for contacting DJI.
Your request (3086XXX) has been received.

I will await the reply. If necessary I will also ask the seller (a shop with excellent customer service and support) to assist me and contact DJI.

Thanks for your help!

Regards, Marcel.

MarcelMG Posted at 10-5 02:16
Hi Stephen,

I submitted a request yesterday:

Hi there Marcel. It is great to know that you are able to get in touch with our DJI Support Team. Rest assured that we will do our best to assist you with regards to this matter. Please keep us posted on the said issue for further assistance. Thank you.

Hi for all who are interested, i received a reply from DJI:

The unfortunate incident that occurred to your aircraft has been confirmed as a warranty case according to our data analysis. We strongly advise that you send back the aircraft for diagnostic and repair service if needed. If you want to send it back, please email me.

So, I will send my drone to DJI. I assume (salt/sea)water damage will be hard to repair.

I will update when I have received the repaired/replaced drone.

Thanks all of you for your support too!

MarcelMG Posted at 10-27 08:52
Hi for all who are interested, i received a reply from DJI:

The unfortunate incident that occurred to your aircraft has been confirmed as a warranty case according to our data analysis. We strongly advise that you send back the aircraft for diagnostic and repair service if needed. If you want to send it back, please email me.

Hi Marcel,

Great news for you and all the MM users!

Happy landings with your replacement MM.

cheers
JJB

DJI replaced the defective unit with a new one. Very good service from DJI.
I sold that one and now am the proud owner of a Mini2!

Don't fly close to water and try to hover. The sensors cannot maintain position due to the water surface and the drone can descend trying to stabilise itself. From around 5 metres you are ok. Anything under that you have to be wary. Happens to all DJI drones too. Just something to be wary of.

I had this happen. I was hovering my mini about 6ft 2m above water. I pushed fwd on the control stick to move the drone fwd in sport mode and it dove into the river.  I pulled up and the drone flew to about 60ft but was shaking badly.  Then dropped out of the sky before I could get to shore and was swept away.  DJI said it was my fault for being too close to the water.  I never pushed down on the altitude stick.  DJI offered 15% off a new drone.  lame.

itsdavesdrone Posted at 11-16 15:14
Don't fly close to water and try to hover. The sensors cannot maintain position due to the water surface and the drone can descend trying to stabilise itself. From around 5 metres you are ok. Anything under that you have to be wary. Happens to all DJI drones too. Just something to be wary of.

Hiya,

I fly many times low above water, never had any problem.
But always LOS and gentle on the forward stick, and never in sport mode.

MM has a tendency to lower height if from hover full 100% fwd stick is applied. (or 100% to zero)
It also depens on the water surface....low flying or hovering above streaming water or wind waves on the water makes it hard to control height for MM and MA2.

But indeed ; best thing to do is simply not fly that low!
cheers
JJB

djiuser_tvb1cNNOXKud Posted at 11-16 18:04
I had this happen. I was hovering my mini about 6ft 2m above water. I pushed fwd on the control stick to move the drone fwd in sport mode and it dove into the river.  I pulled up and the drone flew to about 60ft but was shaking badly.  Then dropped out of the sky before I could get to shore and was swept away.  DJI said it was my fault for being too close to the water.  I never pushed down on the altitude stick.  DJI offered 15% off a new drone.  lame.

Hiya,

if you like upload your flightlog for this flight.

use > https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/

if your do so, mayby start a new thread.

cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 11-17 00:03
Hiya,

I fly many times low above water, never had any problem.

I've had my mini try to lower itself into the water while I was adjusting exposure settings. It's just something to be wary of. If you hover close to the water be prepared to stick up if it starts lowering itself. Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen to anyone else. Countless posts on this stuff on here...

itsdavesdrone Posted at 11-17 11:57
I've had my mini try to lower itself into the water while I was adjusting exposure settings. It's just something to be wary of. If you hover close to the water be prepared to stick up if it starts lowering itself. Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen to anyone else. Countless posts on this stuff on here...

so true    i only fly low abobve water with my drone visual   and ready to pull up!!

JJB* Posted at 11-17 12:07
so true    i only fly low abobve water with my drone visual   and ready to pull up!!

If I consciously fly very close to the water below 50 cm or so, then a) with taped sensors b) only in view c) with a nervous finger on the left stick