After reading the posts in the help section I'm a bit concerned about purchasing a P3.  Obviously the help section is going to only represent one side of the story but it makes me wonder what percentage of production units are failing ... 1, 5, 10, 20, etc.

I'm reading about them flying off, falling out of the sky for no good reason, slow to no response from customer support, etc.  I certainly am not ready to spend $1,300 of hard earned money on a P3 and have it fall out of the sky somewhere I cannot retrieve it, get lost, stolen, destroyed while not under warranty, etc.  

Does anybody have any idea what the parts per million defect percentage is for these devices?  If not, am I very unlikely, unlikely, likely, or very likely to have the device have a major issue?

No idea on percentages but its likely very low..

Of them, most IMO will be down to user error.. The rest, its a pot luck if you get one with a fault already..

sploodge Posted at 2015-10-7 10:19
No idea on percentages but its likely very low..

Of them, most IMO will be down to user error.. The ...

Simple answer, since you are asking people to guess as we really don't know: %0.1

even some people dont know weather machine fault or their own fault... i guess quite difficult question... it quite stable machine, if you totally understand and do what you should do and dont what you should not do.. thats it, i guess.. and most importanr thing is what you want to do by this expensive birds... worth or not....

I'm one of those of the "unluky side" of the moon...
I think it's a really nice machine to fly it,stable and easy to use,and furthermore has a good man machine interface...
BUT...if you has some problem,not only related to a crash wich IMO(the crash percentage is related to a machine failure and the few one's are due to inexperience or bad use),but whatsoever malfunction related to this item,a flawn machine for example,if you expect assistance.....ehhhhh forgot it...
Mine it's 2 month away in assistance.....no feedback from DJI.
Good luck

Let me tell you about my p3p. Since I am in Africa the cost to get one is just about double so the monetary value that can be lost is significantly higher. I use mine mostly over the ocean where it is carrying my bait into the ocean because at one stage i was a bigger fishing fan than a flying fan. that has changed ha ha. the p3p is a robust, tough and reliable machine. it is very stable even in moderate wind. it is very easy to take off and fly, but my advice is get to know the machine before you take off and fly. there is a lot that you need to find out about the craft before you decide to seriously fly.

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 19:09
Let me tell you about my p3p. Since I am in Africa the cost to get one is just about double so the m ...

Off course it's robust ,stable ,easy to fly and more and more...but the problem is when you have some problem with it,not only related to crash due to inexperience......when you have a flawn machine,or some issue...then begin the real problem...with after sales...and assistance...
A fly away is not related to the amount of flying hours you logged for examample....at least not always...
By the way carring bait in the ocean it's not the proper way to use it...not designed for fishing...

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 11:09
Let me tell you about my p3p. Since I am in Africa the cost to get one is just about double so the m ...

How did you drop the bait into the ocean?

flying-camera Posted at 2015-10-7 20:09
How did you drop the bait into the ocean?

see the pictures

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 20:25
see the pictures

am still trying to get the pictures posted here

let me try again

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 14:28
let me try again

@draadkar go into edit your post and see if the line above your post says "use"  click that if it does and press save and that should post your picture.

starfighters Posted at 2015-10-7 19:47
Off course it's robust ,stable ,easy to fly and more and more...but the problem is when you have so ...

hehehe it is called a flying platform

Sir Edward K Posted at 2015-10-7 20:32
@draadkar go into edit your post and see if the line above your post says "use"  click that if it  ...

Thanks Sir Edward. I can now see them

There are numerous threads here on this subject.
Two things. Hardware malfunctions causing crash and Pilot error causing crash.
Humility is not a very popular virtue so not everyone will admit that it is pilot error.
And of course the thousands of users here, who are not having any problem will not post about it. (I am one of them, until now)
So, it is obvious that you will hear and see a lot of post about problems here, that is why forum exist, in order to help each other.
I would estimate that a great silent majority of users do NOT have any problem with the phantom. But that is a guestimate.

Bat

capbat Posted at 2015-10-7 21:06
There are numerous threads here on this subject.
Two things. Hardware malfunctions causing crash an ...

I am inclined, from the past months experience with my drone, to say that 99% of all the problems are caused by the pilots themselves. now it is time for me to

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 13:28
let me try again

Cool setup, thanks for the pictures.  But I'm confused.  How do you open the clip to release the bait?

flying-camera Posted at 2015-10-7 21:41
Cool setup, thanks for the pictures.  But I'm confused.  How do you open the clip to release the b ...

the clip is tied through the two levers that you usually press with your fingers. the fishing line that pass through these two levers act like fingers when force is applied. when my line is at the 350 meter mark i just pull on it and then the clip opens

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 15:27
the clip is tied through the two levers that you usually press with your fingers. the fishing line ...

So you have 350 meters of fishing line connecting you to the clip on the quadcopter?  And you just pull on it to drop the bait?

To the OP - the P3 appears to be - by far - the most reliable camera/gimbal/quad ever made or sold.
That does not mean there are never problems. It's an aircraft and much depends on the pilot and a lot of other factors.

If you use it conservatively and educate yourself you are very likely to have a good experience.
Parts per million or MTBF does not apply - because it's not just sitting on a desk!

If there was a standard it might be more like "incidents per 100 hours of flying in the hands of a good pilot in reasonable conditions".

These are tools - not really assets or investments. You'll probably be most satisfied if you think of it in terms of cost per hour of operation. If this didn't exist, what would you pay for the capability of flying a video and still camera - per hour?
Take a low figure of $1 per minute - $60 per hour. So if you get 20+ hours your machine will have paid for itself.

The chances of getting 20+ hours are very high!

flying-camera Posted at 2015-10-7 23:02
So you have 350 meters of fishing line connecting you to the clip on the quadcopter?  And you just ...

Yap. i have a little more line because one cannot fish if you don't have any line to play with the fish hahaha. you know the clip is connected to the craft by a short piece of fishing line. then the line on my rod is clamped by the the jaws of the clip. when i hold my rod's line back then it pulls on the clip and the craft resists and then the clip opens and my hook, line and sinker fall down in the ocean. the craft returns to wait for the fish

draadkar Posted at 2015-10-7 16:42
Yap. i have a little more line because one cannot fish if you don't have any line to play with the  ...

That is some creative fishing!

droneflyers.com Posted at 2015-10-7 23:25
To the OP - the P3 appears to be - by far - the most reliable camera/gimbal/quad ever made or sold.
...

I completely agree. my craft has already paid for itself 10 times if i consider the cost of renting a boat to fish. There is just no way to get my fishing line 350 meters into the ocean from the beach unless am in a boat, or the drone takes it in for me. the 4k video is a bonus

both of my p3p have problems. the first one i had to return. now the second one they want me to send in for service. but i have heard it may take them 3 months to return it. and their customer service IS A DISGRACE. AFTER PROBLEMS WITH MY 1ST P3A IT TOOK 5 MONTHS BEFORE DJI ANSWERED THEIR PHONES. I WOULD NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THESE PEOPLE. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HISTORY

I HAD PROBLEMS WITH 3 OUT OF 3 NEW PHANTOMS. 1 P3A AND 2P3PS

luniticvic Posted at 2015-10-7 23:45
both of my p3p have problems. the first one i had to return. now the second one they want me to send ...

This would make some sense if the P3A would have been in existence for 5 months.

And, yes, we see your posts everywhere on these boards.

It's one thing to post your honest experience. Quite another to insert the same ALL CAPS stuff into every conversation.

Please take up your problems with DJI.

For someone who would not buy anything from them, I have to wonder why you bought so many more? Your other threads reference the P3S. Now it's the Pro?

I feel for you - but you need to take up the problem with DJI or your dealer.

My P3A has not failed 100%.

boxerman Posted at 2015-10-8 16:06
My P3A has not failed 100%.

What percent has it failed?

parkgt Posted at 2015-10-8 19:12
What percent has it failed?

That's correct.

boxerman Posted at 2015-10-8 22:06
My P3A has not failed 100%.

My P3A has not failed, 100%.
I have inserted a coma, maybe it looks better

I am really happy with my phantom. Old Motors no problems at all after more than 30 flights and 10 000 meters in the sky. It is my first UAV and I am self learning pilot. Next one is Inspire 1 in my follow up list

todor Posted at 2015-10-9 13:26
I am really happy with my phantom. Old Motors no problems at all after more than 30 flights and 10 0 ...

If history is any guide we will all be very happy until ours drops into the sea or a lake. Then we will be unhappy for a short while.
Then we will buy another and be happy again!

They say you can't buy happiness - but maybe you can lease it with a DJI Phantom?

It's such a scientific poll that I'm having troubles evening responding.

I love the fishing rig!! Thanks for the input, it seems more people are having positive experiences than bad.

luniticvic Posted at 2015-10-8 11:47
I HAD PROBLEMS WITH 3 OUT OF 3 NEW PHANTOMS. 1 P3A AND 2P3PS

when troubleshooting as I do for a living and 3 separate parts fail I look for a common item between all 3? Sometime the problem has a temp of 98.6° F or 37° C

For the sake of argument let's presume somebody at DJI knows that figure (and they surely must).  I honestly believe that would be a closely held secret known only to a limited number of people.  Whatever the number might be it could affect stock price, the marketplace perception and a whole range of things we are probably unaware of.

There is a wide chasm of difference between perception and actual fact.  The vast majority of the bad things you hear are a statistical outlier because you are not getting a true representative sampling of the entire population of Phantom owners.

Exactly. People who have no problems with their aircraft do not bother to come on here and say 'Hey, my Phantom is operating perfectly well.' You only get the people who have a problem then do not know how to solve it, and that includes those who have had a bad experience and want to have a rant to make themselves feel better.

And that applies to community or user forums for all manner of high tech gadgets.

Don't know about that.  Seems like a lot of people who have no problems posted in this thread.  In fact,  seems more with no problems than with problems.  Posted.  In this thread.  So,  chances are,  if you have a Phantom,  you are reading stuff and posting stuff on this site a lot.  That said,  there are a lot of posts about problems,  and they are mostly consistent problems of signal loss and range issues.  Too many to believe pilot error.  A handful of problems in a variety of areas you can maybe expect from a product that has a large user base.  But most seem to have the same range/signal loss problems I have.  And DJI has acknowledged there is a problem.  So,  congrats to those who have no problem.  Wish I was one of you.