Hi there.  I am a new DJI Mini 4 Pro owner who lives in Ontario, Canada.  I purchased the drone at my local Best Buy on 14 Nov 2023.  As this was my first drone and I had no previous experience flying, I called upon some newly made friends to help me out with the setup and first flight of this new drone.  Both have considerable DJI drone flying experience dating back to 2013, and both are members of the Drone Pilots Association of Canada.  One is on the DPAC Committee.  Once the initial online configuring and pairing process was completed, we proceeded to a suitable location to perform the first flight.
Long story short, there were communication problems between the drone and the controller, immediately upon takeoff.  The problem (a weak signal) never resolved despite a reinstall of all the previous steps required to initiate the drone and make it ready for flight.


A phone call to DJI using the 818 number for support resulted in them emailing me a shipping label with instructions to ship the controller to the Mississauga Ontario service centre.  A followup email was recieved several days later explaining they were unable to determine the cause of the signal loss and requested the aircraft be shipped to them also.  Upon receiving the shipping lable for the aircraft, it was sent to them.  At this point, the drone had flown about five times.


Today December 12 2023, I received an email from DJI Support where they stated:  Quote: "Aircraft Core Board Module was malfunctioned, which caused signal of image" UnQuote. They went on to state that the service is not covered by warranty based on their result of data analysis.

They suggested I use my DJI Care Refresh account to pay for a replacement or repair.  I'm sorry, did I miss something?  This is clearly a manufacturer's defect as the drone was experiencing the problem right out of the box on it's very first and subsequent flights. I am seeking a full replacement with a new drone and controller.

So my plan is to call DJI tomorrow and discuss their "data analysis" and ask them to provide the rationale as to why they feel the drone communication problem wasn't a manufacturing defect from the onset.  

If anyone has additional suggestions in dealing with this matter, please provide input.  It will be appreciated very much.

Cheers, Dave

Hello, there. We found your case number with your Forum account. For your request and concerns, we will forward to our related teams. We apologize for the inconvenience caused.

. This picture shows the altitude and distance the drone is from the controller.  This shot was on the last attempt to correct the signal communication problem the M4P was experiencing.

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-12 18:28
[view_image]. This picture shows the altitude and distance the drone is from the controller.  This shot was on the last attempt to correct the signal communication problem the M4P was experiencing.

Thank you for your reply. We have forwarded your case to our service center. We will get back to you if there are any updates.

Before you sent the controller for repair did you
a) copy the .txt flight logs and .DAT flight logs from the controller to computer etc. ? Or
b) sync the flight logs with DJI ?

If a) then upload the .txt flight logs, one at a time, from the computer to https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/ and post each URL here. Also, if you have them, upload the .DAT flight logs to a file hosting website, make their pages public and post their URLs here.
If b) instal the fly app on a phone, boot the app, log into the app and then sync the app with DJI. That will down load the sync'ed .txt flight logs to the phone, copy them to computer and upload them etc. to the above Phantomhelp website blah blah blah. There will be no DATs available from the sync.

The DATs may not be readable, I have not yet seen one from a mini 4 pro posted, or have forgotten it if I have seen one, but if nothing else it will be interesting to see if they are readable.
The 'same' DATs from a Mini 3Pro are readable - which gives me hope.

DATs contain more technical information than the .txt flight logs and some people can read understand them.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 12-13 05:58
Before you sent the controller for repair did you
a) copy the .txt flight logs and .DAT flight logs from the controller to computer etc. ? Or
b) sync the flight logs with DJI ?

No I didn't copy or sync the files.  I'm new at this game and at 69, not the most computer savvy individual. Additionally, this is a manufacturing defect as the problem began the moment the aircraft took its first flight right out of the box.  To assist me with the setup proceedure and first flight, I employed a gentleman who holds an advanced RPAS certificate and is also a committee member of the Drone Pilots Association of Canada (DPAC) who has been flying DJI drones since 2013.  He flew the aircraft and experienced the issue immediately upon takeoff.  I am also a member of DPAC, but a newly joined member.

What is being denied by DJI is that this is a manufacture's defect problem.  The drone was a new purchase, setup by very competent and experienced individuals, and flown by these same competent people.  The drone flew approximately five times and never experienced any damage or crash prior to shipping back to DJI for system analysis. DJI needs to admit that the problem existed in the box prior to me purchasing the drone.

Dave

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 07:10
No I didn't copy or sync the files.  I'm new at this game and at 69, not the most computer savvy individual. Additionally, this is a manufacturing defect as the problem began the moment the aircraft took its first flight right out of the box.  To assist me with the setup proceedure and first flight, I employed a gentleman who holds an advanced RPAS certificate and is also a committee member of the Drone Pilots Association of Canada (DPAC) who has been flying DJI drones since 2013.  He flew the aircraft and experienced the issue immediately upon takeoff.  I am also a member of DPAC, but a newly joined member.

What is being denied by DJI is that this is a manufacture's defect problem.  The drone was a new purchase, setup by very competent and experienced individuals, and flown by these same competent people.  The drone flew approximately five times and never experienced any damage or crash prior to shipping back to DJI for system analysis. DJI needs to admit that the problem existed in the box prior to me purchasing the drone.

I understand what you are saying and am not disputing you story but the reason I asked about the logs is they they might offer 'hard evidence' that supports your story and, more to the point, that that evidence is derived from the logs created by DJI's own software.
To be honest I am a bit surprised that the "gentleman" did not suggest 'saving' the logs in some way.

Your first mistake was not returning it to BB for refund or exchange. Sounds like you were within the return period and BB extended that return period for Xmas.

Thanks for pointing out that I made a mistake.  Really?
Actually I did return the entire product to Best Buy on November 17, 2023 for replacement, but they didn’t have one in stock at the store.  As a result, they requested I order another one on my credit card, and when it came in, I would be able to return to them the defective drone and they would reimburse the second purchase. In hindsight, I should have done that despite the circumstances that prevented me from doing so.

I was soon to fly out of country and needed to keep my credit card balance free, so ordering a second drone and having $1620.00 added to my credit was not an available option.  Prior to November 17, there were several phone calls to DJI using their 818 number (resulting in $60.00 in personal phone call charges) wherein they stated a shipping label would be generated and emailed to me, in order to send in the controller in for system analysis.

The controller, was shipped upon reciept of the shipping label on 23 Nov 2023 via UPS, nine days after initial drone purchase November 14 2023.  I left the country on November 28 2023 and if you check the email traffic DJI sent to me, you will see that I repeatedly advised DJI that I was out of country and returning to Canada December 10, 2023.  

An apology from Technical Assistant, Mr. John Paul was received, regarding the number of bot generated emails I was getting from DJI while out of country.  Upon my return a request from DJI to ship the aircraft in to facilitate the system analysis was received and the aircraft was shipped out on December 11, 2023.

And here we are.

Well, I would like to extend a big thank you to DJI Support for coming through for me and offering to repair/replace my M4P under warranty.  I received an email message outlaying their desire to make the warranty repair or replacement and a phone call confirming their desire to make the necessary repair/replacement and also, they have offered a free gift as well.  In am very pleased with the aforementioned outcome and anxiously await the return of my Mini 4 Pro!
Dave

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 12:27
Well, I would like to extend a big thank you to DJI Support for coming through for me and offering to repair/replace my M4P under warranty.  I received an email message outlaying their desire to make the warranty repair or replacement and a phone call confirming their desire to make the necessary repair/replacement and also, they have offered a free gift as well.  In am very pleased with the aforementioned outcome and anxiously await the return of my Mini 4 Pro!
Dave

Does someone still have your controller?

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 12:27
Well, I would like to extend a big thank you to DJI Support for coming through for me and offering to repair/replace my M4P under warranty.  I received an email message outlaying their desire to make the warranty repair or replacement and a phone call confirming their desire to make the necessary repair/replacement and also, they have offered a free gift as well.  In am very pleased with the aforementioned outcome and anxiously await the return of my Mini 4 Pro!
Dave

Way to go Pop... Even at 69, you still have it...

Well done!  

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 12-13 13:57
Does someone still have your controller?

DJI Service Centre in Mississauga Ontario has had my controller since November 23, 2023 and my aircraft went to the same place December 11, 2023.  I have just received a DJI repair notice that the aircraft has been repaired and will ship out UPS in the next three days.  Yeah!

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 17:15
DJI Service Centre in Mississauga Ontario has had my controller since November 23, 2023 and my aircraft went to the same place December 11, 2023.  I have just received a DJI repair notice that the aircraft has been repaired and will ship out UPS in the next three days.  Yeah!

Good result, its shame that you had to come here 1st for the staff to have to kick their butts, regardless, well done

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 12:27
Well, I would like to extend a big thank you to DJI Support for coming through for me and offering to repair/replace my M4P under warranty.  I received an email message outlaying their desire to make the warranty repair or replacement and a phone call confirming their desire to make the necessary repair/replacement and also, they have offered a free gift as well.  In am very pleased with the aforementioned outcome and anxiously await the return of my Mini 4 Pro!
Dave

Hi, it seems that you have already received the updates about your case.
We also note that your drone has shipped. Please test the drone after you receive it.
Should you have any questions, please let us know.

DJI Wanda Posted at 12-14 03:00
Hi, it seems that you have already received the updates about your case.
We also note that your drone has shipped. Please test the drone after you receive it.
Should you have any questions, please let us know.

Thank you.  I will certainly test it out as soon as I can.  Cheers.
Dave

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-14 03:53
Thank you.  I will certainly test it out as soon as I can.  Cheers.
Dave

Please keep us updated.
Thank you in advance.

Okay everyone, you would think that this matter has been resolved.... BUT NO IT'S STILL ONGOING!!

I received an email shipping notification from DJI regarding the shipment back to me of my drone and controller, and guess what.  The address they are shipping to is not mine!  Can you believe it.  So I contacted DJI support, and they informed me that the address the drone was shipped to is the one they have on file.  That's real funny because I checked my emails and the address they have for my DJI Care Refresh is correct.  I kindly asked them to amend their records to correct the address error and I sure hope that was done.

The DJI Support Rep was given the shipment tracking number, and the warranty repair/replacement case number and he stated they would contact UPS in the USA to have the address corrected on the shipment.

I also contacted UPS in Canada and was informed that as the package had not arrived in Canada yet, there was nothing they could do for me at this time.  

So cross your fingers and toes for me, that the package does arrive at my place and not arriving at someone elses' as a mystery Christmas gift.

WOW, you just can't make this stuff up even if you tried!

Dave

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-13 08:34
Thanks for pointing out that I made a mistake.  Really?
Actually I did return the entire product to Best Buy on November 17, 2023 for replacement, but they didn’t have one in stock at the store.  As a result, they requested I order another one on my credit card, and when it came in, I would be able to return to them the defective drone and they would reimburse the second purchase. In hindsight, I should have done that despite the circumstances that prevented me from doing so.

Your welcome! Should have just got the refund.

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-15 13:00
Okay everyone, you would think that this matter has been resolved.... BUT NO IT'S STILL ONGOING!!

I received an email shipping notification from DJI regarding the shipment back to me of my drone and controller, and guess what.  The address they are shipping to is not mine!  Can you believe it.  So I contacted DJI support, and they informed me that the address the drone was shipped to is the one they have on file.  That's real funny because I checked my emails and the address they have for my DJI Care Refresh is correct.  I kindly asked them to amend their records to correct the address error and I sure hope that was done.

Hi, there. I'm sorry to read and to know about the issue you've encountered with your ongoing case. Upon checking on my end, the concern was already been coordinated with our corresponding team, and currently, we are looking forward to any new updates. Please rest assured that you will be notified once there's a new update. Furthermore, we'll keep an eye on this concern. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Okay, for those curious minds out there who have been following along, here is an update to the situation:

My hometown UPS driver must be one of the smartest folks around.  He inspected the package which arrived at their distribution site in my home town, and was able to figure out where the package needed to be delivered, despite the errors on the shipping label. Interestingly, the shipping label only had my first name on it.  Ship to DAVE.  Who sends out a label like that anyway?

Yesterday evening, he knocked on my door and gave me the package.  Kudo's to him!  So today after I fully charged the controller and all three batteries, ( I have the fly-more kit), I went flying with my expert friends in tow and I'm happy to report, the replacement aircraft performed flawlessly.   No more loss signal or signal interference noted.

Now all I have to do is practice, practice, practice so that I can operate the aircraft safely and competently.

Cheers.

Dave

djiuser_Bqez5RPSjsAP Posted at 12-16 11:36
Okay, for those curious minds out there who have been following along, here is an update to the situation:

My hometown UPS driver must be one of the smartest folks around.  He inspected the package which arrived at their distribution site in my home town, and was able to figure out where the package needed to be delivered, despite the errors on the shipping label. Interestingly, the shipping label only had my first name on it.  Ship to DAVE.  Who sends out a label like that anyway?

Hello there, Dave. Thank you so much for providing the update. If you require any additional support, please do not hesitate to contact us. We're happy to help. Thank you for your support.