Took my P3 on a holiday. Preparations for the flight were:
Charged batteries to 100% 2 days before flight
Upgraded firmware and RC to 1.5.0030
Upgraded DJi Go to v2.4.2 (76) (running on Note 5)

First 3 flights were OK. On the 4th flight, took off from a lake shore and flew over water in a straight line away from me. After 29s, signal was lost and efforts to regain signal was unsuccessful. Press the return to home button and gave up waiting after 45 mins.

On checking the logs, the signal was lost 29s into the flight at a distance of 238m and height 89m. Though it was line of sight, I could not spot the P3. The video log on the phone showed the flight progressing normally, and climbing steadily, after which the video cut-off suddenly.

After 50 plus flights, it was my first series of flights after upgrading firmware, DJI Go app, and new Note 5 phone. Not sure if it was the phone, DJI app, Firmware or combination. I did notice on my second flight that there was a weak signal warning a minute or so in the flight, and I had turned the plane around and returned. Unfortunately, on the 4th flight, the loss of signal was too sudden and control was lost.


Just thought I would post this as a warning to fellow pilots to be careful after upgrading. In the meantime, I will write to DJi to see if there is anythin they can do.

charged batteries two days before the flights.  Were all four flights including the doomed flight on the same day? Did you fly with one battery then move to another location a couple hours later with battery less than 100% say 60% and try to fly with that because it still had some charge?

The way you describe what happened seems like a sudden drop in battery voltage.  If it was a prop falling off you would have had video,  If it would have lost signal and still had power it would have came back to you.  It has been reported a lot that taking flight with a battery that has less than full charge has caused sudden drop in voltage and crashes.  

Lost mine the same way, too.  5 minutes into the first flight after updating firmware on P3P, on controller, on batteries (3) and on DJI GO app.  Completely ruined my week.

Sir Edward K Posted at 2015-12-10 22:55
charged batteries two days before the flights.  Were all four flights including the doomed flight on ...

First 3 flights were at different locations, same battery. 3rd flight was 14min, D:3265m (total), H120m. The 4th flight was immediately after the 3rd flight and from the same takeoff point.  Changed batteries and waited for “home point updated” and took off. That was the last I saw of it.


I do agree that symptoms point to a battery failure. From the DJI App, battery strength was 96% and did not change for the 29s.

Sorry for your loss Have you uploaded the flight log to healtydrones?  Maybe there is some more information in there to see what happened.

Curious for flight log and source of fly away. Makes me want to acro mode

Also sorry for your loss. I agree flight logs would help.


Dave

Hi , Taneks
Sorry about that ! Please contact the email for data analysis : support.jp@dji.com
Thank you !

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-11 15:11
Hi , Taneks
Sorry about that ! Please contact the email for data analysis :
Thank you !

Thanks to everyone for your messages. After these many flights, there is almost some kind of bond with the P3. I try to bring it along whenever I have chance to travel. Right now, I am carrying the backpack with the remote and couple of spare batteries for the remainder of my trip. My only consolation is that no one got hurt, at least no one that I am aware of.

Patrick, Have sent  DJI support an email as requested. Thanks.

Will try to extract the data for analysis in healthydrones once I return and have the correct USB cable to do so.

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-11 17:05
Thanks to everyone for your messages. After these many flights, there is almost some kind of bond  ...

Hi ,
You don't have to extract the data by Healthydrones .
Upload **ALL the flight log(.DAT files) in the aircraft to dropbox and send us the link:**
a. Connect your aircraft(USB port at the tail) to a PC using the included USB cable. Turn on the Remote Controller and the aircraft, then open the DJI GO app.
b. Click “Mode” icon to view the “Advanced Settings”.
c. Click “MC Enter Read Flight Data Mode”.
d. After a few seconds, the DJI Flight Log disk will be detected by the PC and you will be able to access the data.

Upload flight records via the DJI GO app:
a. Enter the flight record page by clicking the icon at top left.
b. Click the star-shaped icon associated with the relevant flight logs to save them to the app. Then click the cloud-shaped icon at the top right side of the screen to upload them.
c. Provide DJI with the **login email account on the app.** This will allow us to access your flight logs via our server.

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-11 05:16
Hi ,
You don't have to extract the data by Healthydrones .
Upload **ALL the flight log(.DAT files ...

I was under the impression he did not have the aircraft anymore as it was lost over water and the only logs he would have would be the ones stored in the Go App up until the loss of signal.  The ones store in the P3 are probably at the bottom of the lake.

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-11 19:16
Hi ,
You don't have to extract the data by Healthydrones .
Upload **ALL the flight log(.DAT files ...

Have provided whatever details I could to dji support. The DAT files, however, are with the lost aircraft.
Copy of Video from app here.

Shore of Lake Toya

That sucks, I've only flown my P3 once because I'm to damn afraid it will fly away on me and be gone for good.  Waiting to understand what to do or not do to prevent this from happening to me.  Sorry for your loss.

How do you get the video log from your phone/tablet?

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-12 06:47
Have provided whatever details I could to dji support. The DAT files, however, are with the lost ai ...

Hi , Taneks
Please upload the flight record as I told you in the last reply .

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-12 16:05
Hi , Taneks
Please upload the flight record as I told you in the last reply .

Hi Patrick,

Are you referring to the .DAT files? I believe those are from the aircraft, and the aircraft is lost.

As for the DJI App, I can only synchronise to the cloud, which I have already done so. I am travelling now and do not have a correct cable to obtain the logs from the DJI directory. Unless you are referring to another log from DJi app?

snowride419 Posted at 2015-12-12 10:34
How do you get the video log from your phone/tablet?

From the Dji App, select video,  share and email to yourself.

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-12 15:13
Hi Patrick,

Are you referring to the .DAT files? I believe those are from the aircraft, and the a ...

No , you can only get the .DAT file from the drone . Please synchronize the flight record to the cloud and offer the online support your account . My collegue Jack told me you've contacted him before . Please offer the online support your Login Email account . Thank you !

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-12 16:39
No , you can only get the .DAT file from the drone . Please synchronize the flight record to the c ...

Hi Patrick,

Its already done....thks

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-12 16:07
Hi Patrick,

Its already done....thks

You are welcome !  Please don't worry and we'll give you the result in several days .

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-12 16:14
You are welcome !  Please don't worry and we'll give you the result in several days .

DJI support had requested for additional information which I submitted upon my return from my trip on 22nd Dec. Within 6 days,  on the 28th Dec (over Christmas), DJI Support then reverted  with the results of the data analysis and offered to replace the missing drone.

In my opinion, the manner in which my case was settled is more than fair.   I would like to publicly acknowledge DJi Support for their professionalism and assistance. Needless to say, they have gained another loyal supporter.

Am looking forward to flying again soon.

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-28 02:46
DJI support had requested for additional information which I submitted upon my return from my trip ...

Good onyer for acknowledging that.
Nice to see a good result from an unhappy circumstance

taneks@gmail.co Posted at 2015-12-28 00:46
DJI support had requested for additional information which I submitted upon my return from my trip ...

Nice to hear that ! Thank you for your support !

same day after
good new?

Glad to hear you got this taken care of!! People often don't take the time to post the good interactions, but almost always will let you know about the bad ones.  Nice to see a good one!!

ryan209 Posted at 2016-2-5 00:13
Glad to hear you got this taken care of!! People often don't take the time to post the good interact ...

100% agree with that statement.