Hi there,

Here is my flight log
https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/9W8WWD25UVN9V2MVGSBN/#

My mini 2, was flying fine and suddenly lost altitude of 17-19ft and fell into the ocean.
I verified from the flight log, I hadn't reduced the altitude.

I have bought DJI Care for 2 years (paid 79 EUR)

Is this considered my fault?
Was it a bug or some kind of other problem?

Will DJI replace my unit for free? Or should I pay 229EUR for a fly-away replacement as part of DJI Care I had paid for?
Please help, any reply is highly appreciated.

Hi,

Had a look at your log, sorry for your loss.
Flying low above water at low height is risky! More risky if drone is not close to your own eyes! ( distance out 200 meters...)
At the end in Sport mode you pulled down for short moment (flying low already!), MINI2 descended ofcourse rapidly as your were in Sport mode. Height just before your input 4.1 meters VPS height.

Pulling up...too late to stop the decsend.!

In sport mode with 100% forward stick, it takes some time to react on UP input.
So, IMO a pilot error.

It is 'normal'  to ascend/descend some height flying in sport mode with rapid input moves.Normally you do not see that flying far out in the sky at some safe flying height.Your pitch down at last records 39 - 40 degrees down!  Mini flying at its limits, that is why pulling up takes more time than you had.

PS flying in RC mode 3

cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 1-10 12:41
Hi,

Had a look at your log, sorry for your loss.

Hey JJB,

Thank you for the quick response and all the details. If it was really my error, I take full responsibility of course. Could it be because I was in mode 3, so even while turning direction, there could be a residual input for altitude?

Few last requests
1) can you point out where in your screenshot it shows that my inputs sent control to reduce altitude?
2) Do you think my 2 year plan for DJI Care Refresh will get me a replacement for 229EUR (or is that even out of the picture now?)

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen. In his case, he went straight for the Care Express coverage. Paid $49 USD and got a new drone in about a week no questions asked.

blue_canyon21 Posted at 1-10 15:05
A friend of mine had a similar thing happen. In his case, he went straight for the Care Express coverage. Paid $49 USD and got a new drone in about a week no questions asked.

I feel better reading that. Can you give more details? I'm confused about all the options available under DJI Care Refresh.

Can you really get the main drone component for $49?
I though it would cost $229

Any links or details are highly appreciated.

djiuser_88tFCAmdTA69 Posted at 1-10 15:20
I feel better reading that. Can you give more details? I'm confused about all the options available under DJI Care Refresh.

Can you really get the main drone component for $49?

Sorry, it's $49 if you have the drone to send back. If not, it is $225.

blue_canyon21 Posted at 1-10 15:30
Sorry, it's $49 if you have the drone to send back. If not, it is $225.

Thank you, that gives us motivation to go back and find the drone.
Water while it was not super shallow, was not deep either (about 5-7ft I suspect).
But so far I don't have the actual drone with me.

djiuser_88tFCAmdTA69 Posted at 1-10 15:39
Thank you, that gives us motivation to go back and find the drone.
Water while it was not super shallow, was not deep either (about 5-7ft I suspect).
But so far I don't have the actual drone with me.

Good luck. If you do find it, Express has 2 options.

• Premium - You make the request and DJI sends out your new drone that day. You pay $300 up front and when they get the old drone, they refund you $250. New drone in about 3 days.
• Basic - You pay $49 and send your old drone back. When they get it, they turn around and send a new one back. New drone in about 6 days.
  

https://repair.dji.com/express/refresh-express?lang=en

Buy a new drone to search for the old drone.  : ) Oh, and retitle the thread - Mini 2 Driven ferociously into shark infested waters by crazed pilot flying in sport mode!  : )

djiuser_88tFCAmdTA69 Posted at 1-10 15:39
Thank you, that gives us motivation to go back and find the drone.
Water while it was not super shallow, was not deep either (about 5-7ft I suspect).
But so far I don't have the actual drone with me.

Here's the location where it hit the water:  14.57124  -60.84223
It was flying east so if there isn't a significant current it should be somewhere a little east of there.

Just work a standard search grid.  

Hi there. Thank you for reaching out, and we're sorry to read about the accident. Please note that warranty service can be applied depending on the result of the Data Analysis and the warranty status. If it was a non-pilot error, DJI will provide you with a free replacement drone. If the drone can not be retrieved, we suggest that you submit a Flyaway Report and if the drone was found, you may submit an Online Repair Application. And as suggested by your Co-Pilots, you may also opt to use the DJI Care Express Service. We hope that this can help you decide on your next steps. Should you have further concerns, please reach back here at DJI Forum. Keep safe!

djiuser_88tFCAmdTA69 Posted at 1-10 12:58
Hey JJB,

Thank you for the quick response and all the details. If it was really my error, I take full responsibility of course. Could it be because I was in mode 3, so even while turning direction, there could be a residual input for altitude?

Hi

Mode 1,2, 3 does not leave any residual input ( a what ??) ....   zero stick = zero command to the drone.
But ofcourse, it takes distance and time to stop a motion.

Fly full speed forward, release all sticks to zero ; drone will brake and stops some distance further.
All the same for other stick inputs.

1) in my chart you see the RC up / down input in %. The smallest red marked square is the answer.
check this and see the V-z  (vertical speed down in m/s) as well.

2) i have rally no idea how DJI is going to reply on a Care Refresh request.

cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 1-11 00:09
Hi

Mode 1,2, 3 does not leave any residual input ( a what ??) ....   zero stick = zero command to the drone.

Sorry JJB maybe I am misreading the Phantomhelp csv but the stick input I see in the csv between 11:58.3 and 11:59.1 is reverse, "RC.elevator", 964 -> 364 and  maximum up "RC.throttle", 1684.
In fact maximum up appears to be applied from 11:56.3 until the end of the log at 12:00.8.
Going by "OSD.height" the drone initial seems to drop 0.3ft but then climbs from 6.9ft to 9.5ft. at 11:58.5 to 11:58.7 and then starts to descend quite quickly.
Am I being daft?

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-11 01:12
Sorry JJB maybe I am misreading the Phantomhelp csv but the stick input I see in the csv between 11:58.3 and 11:59.1 is reverse, "RC.elevator", 964 -> 364 and  maximum up "RC.throttle", 1684.
In fact maximum up appears to be applied from 11:56.3 until the end of the log at 12:00.8.
Going by "OSD.height" the drone initial seems to drop 0.3ft but then climbs from 6.9ft to 9.5ft. at 11:58.5 to 11:58.7 and then starts to descend quite quickly.

Checked the CSV, normally don`t do anymore as i am a FRAP user ( all automated )

User used mode3, but in the CSV log the columns are not adjusted to mode 3.

So  RC.elevator =  RC.throttle

Height and RC inputs in the chart (last records of this flight)

cheers
JJB

Ahh thanks, is the stick mode  "RC.mode"?

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-11 05:06
Ahh thanks, is the stick mode  "RC.mode"?

Hi Sean
"RC.mode" in phantom help .csv refers to the flight mode eg. Sport, Tripod etc. not the stick control mode.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 1-11 05:06
Ahh thanks, is the stick mode  "RC.mode"?

nope, RC mode is not in the log.

Just check the 4 columns (RC.elevator, RC.throttle, RC.throttle and RC.aileron) and see wich column you need to check for the specific RC input.

An easy check is the manual takeoff, as normally users use only 1 input (UP) for this takeoff.

cheers
JJB

JJB* Posted at 1-11 06:37
nope, RC mode is not in the log.

Just check the 4 columns (RC.elevator, RC.throttle, RC.throttle and RC.aileron) and see wich column you need to check for the specific RC input.

These types of dissections are what makes FRAP so magical!  : )  

JJB* Posted at 1-11 06:37
nope, RC mode is not in the log.

Just check the 4 columns (RC.elevator, RC.throttle, RC.throttle and RC.aileron) and see wich column you need to check for the specific RC input.

Cheers JJB.

Pleomax Posted at 1-11 06:09
Hi Sean
"RC.mode" in phantom help .csv refers to the flight mode eg. Sport, Tripod etc. not the stick control mode.

Cheers Pleomax