On Dec 2nd I took my P3P out for a quick flight to get a couple of pictures. Only planning on a few minute flight and less than 30ft away. The flight was quicker that I though. 10 seconds on the ground and 3 seconds in the air, straight up and the power shut off and the bird fell to the asphalt parking lot.

Gimble is toast. Legs are bent and the housing has some issues.

Contacted my retailer for the bird and opened a DJI support ticket because the battery was purchased directly from DJI but I still have not heard back from DJI 12 days later.

I was able to power up the bird with a different battery and download all the flight logs. I have also saved the logs from the iPhone 6.

A little background. On Nov 29th upgraded the DJI Go App to the latest version, upgraded firmware on the receiver and phantom to the latest and made sure all four batteries where cycled through the phantom and fully charged. Also did cold IMU, compass and gimbal calibrations

Took 4 flights on Nov 30th without issues Three flights on one battery. The forth flight was a 5 minute flight on a different battery. This second battery was the one I used on Dec 2nd.

So a fully charged battery with a  single 5 minute flight and then two days later a 3 second flight with a crash and busted bird.

The failed battery was purchased dirrectly from DJI and only had 5 charges on it.

Any recommendations on how to navigate the the RMA maze since they don't seem to be interested in responding to my help request?

Didnt you get an email from them with a link to their "freshdesk" as they call it? If not, call them and talk to a human. The email route could take quite some time.  I had a faulty battery so i called them,got an RMA that day. A couple days later it was on it way to Cali. About a week later a new battery was on its way to me.

Yes I received the email for the open ticket. Here is the status as of a few minutes ago:

Being Processed since 10 days 18 hours

I do most of my correspondence via email and online between all my other duties. I don't have much free time to sit on the phone.

I had pretty much the same problem.  About 20 seconds into the flight, lost all power and the bird fell from the sky.  My gimbal is also toast and am also waiting to hear back after submitting a support ticket.

Sincerely apologize for that ! Could you please give me your ticket number ?  I'll get you a reply as soon as possible !

Ticket #229002

Current Status:

Being Processed since 11 days 11 hours

okhotair Posted at 2015-12-15 22:15
Ticket #229002

Current Status:

Sorry to keep you waiting for so long . You'll get a reply soon . Or you can contact US support on line .

WOW!!!!........ It is now 12days and 13hrs  and still no response from freshdesk.

Being Processed since 12 days 13 hours

How do I contact US support online as I do not have time to sit on the phone.

Finally broke down and had to call (had to sneak away from my desk). 20 minutes in the que and I now have an RMA number. Funny that they also gave me a new ticket number #233684.

JD2092 Posted at 2015-12-15 06:12
I had pretty much the same problem.  About 20 seconds into the flight, lost all power and the bird f ...

Hi ,
Sorry about that ! Please give me your ticket number .

okhotair Posted at 2015-12-17 00:22
WOW!!!!........ It is now 12days and 13hrs  and still no response from freshdesk.

Being Processed s ...

Please send your aircraft back and request for the data analysis .

While I have a support ticket number and a RMA number I still have not relieved a shipping label. Any idea when I should receive one?

Did you take off with a partially charged battery?

I do not know if it is relevant or not as I am a rookie.  But I got my NEW P3P and updated the firmware on everything.  The other day I got it out for the the first time(been raining for over a week).  After draining the first battery learning to fly.  I brought it in for battery swap.  At the same time a co-worker started to ask me questions.  I switched batteries and put it in simulator mode to show him.  Simulator started up and bird took off and then came straight back to the ground.  I got a warning that it was a non- DJI battery.   The battery level was flashing red in the app at 98%.  But battery said full power.  After that the simulator would not let the me take off again.  Changed batteries and everything was fine.  Looked a round a bit and found a post on updating.  I had charged the second battery but had never put it in the P3.  I had to wait until I got home and switched out my sd card to the one that had the firmware and then inserted and started with the battery that was giving concern.  Cycled through the system and I guess updated the battery.  I have not had an issue with it sense.

Hello okhotair,

I am exactly in the same case :
http://forum.dji.com/thread-37369-1-1.html

okhotair Posted at 2015-12-19 03:40
While I have a support ticket number and a RMA number I still have not relieved a shipping label. An ...

Please give me your RMA number . I'll escalate your issue .

gurm70 Posted at 2015-12-19 05:32
I do not know if it is relevant or not as I am a rookie.  But I got my NEW P3P and updated the firmw ...

Hi ,
Please confirm the aircraft firmware and RC firmware are up to date . If the battery version is not corresponded with aircraft firmware version , the communication problem might appear .

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-21 06:00
Please give me your RMA number . I'll escalate your issue .

1216201539863233684

okhotair Posted at 2015-12-21 22:07
1216201539863233684

Hi ,Sir
I've reported your case , please kindly wait for the reply .

Very interesting that today DJI releases a new version of firmware for the P3. It says it implememnts new battery control for cold weather flying. It is not very well publisized.

http://forum.dji.com/thread-37628-1-1.html

Here it is three weeks after my P3P crashed from the battery shutting down (after the v1.5 firmware upgrade) and I STILL have not received my shipping label for a return to the factory so they can tell me if they "might" cover it under warranty.
This is no way to run a company for a $1000+ piece of equipment.

Not a very happy customer and I am looking at other  brands that may have better support in place.

This is just crazy.

On Dec 3rd I reported an issue with my Drone via FreshDesk. Ticket #299002 was created. Didn't hear anything for many days.

Dec 14th I open this thread asking how to proceed since I was getting no response from Freshdesk.

Later that evening DJI-Patrick responds saying someone will contact me soon and asks for the ticket number. I post the number #299002

Dec 15th DJI-Patrick  apologizes and again says someone will contact me soon.

Dec 16th - I get tired of waiting and sneak some time away from my job. I call the DJI number and talk to Erick. He asks a for my ticket number and few simple questions and then issues me a new ticket number and will email me a RMA. New ticket number #233684
A few minutes later I receive an email with the RMA and Erick tells me a FedEx label will be generated and sent to me shortly. RMA # is 1216201539863233684

Dec 16th - DJI-Patrick apologizes again and asks for the ticket number (I had already posted it)

Dec 17th DJI-Patrick says to send my aircraft back and request for the data analysis

Dec 18th - I post in this thread and in the 299002 ticket on Freshdesk asking when I should be getting a shipping label

Dec 18th - I receive an email asking the the same questions that Erick asked me on the 14th. I am to reply with the info so they can issue an RMA.
WHAT???? I already have one. I ignore the email request for the same info.

Dec 21st - DJI-Patrick asks for the RMA. I post it and he responds that he has reported my case , please kindly wait for the reply


So what do I use? The RMA Erick issued? The old ticket number? New ticket number? Request a new RMA and send in the Navigation System Analysis sheet before sending in the A/C?

okhotair Posted at 2015-12-23 01:54
This is just crazy.

On Dec 3rd I reported an issue with my Drone via FreshDesk. Ticket #299002 was  ...

The original RMA you provided would be ok . If you are not contacted till now , please keep this up to date .

Finally received the shipping label just before Christmas. Unit was shipped out the next week. Took a week to make it across country and then waited at the repair center for a couple of days.

Now waiting in the que to find out what the diagnostics have to say about it. For some reason I have a gut feeling they will not tell me.

okhotair Posted at 2016-1-11 10:03
Finally received the shipping label just before Christmas. Unit was shipped out the next week. Took  ...

You will get your unit back repaired.   If it had 1.5 on it and you did not issue a CSC command to shut down it was most likely the bug that is in 1.5 concerning battery readings.  1.5 has an issue where the power displayed in the GOApp is correct but the firmware on the mainboard reads voltage as it is reported in real time incorrectly.   Example is battery cell has an accurate reading of 3.6 but firmware on mainboard sees reading as 3.0 and shuts down bird.

This was fixed in 1.6.   NO ONE and I mean NO ONE should be running on 1.5, it is the kiss of death.  DJI really should put a big fat sticky on the their website and these forums a warning about 1.5 to stem the tide.

Sent the bird in and ASKED for an explanation of what happened BEFORE any repairs where made. Not a word.

After 2 weeks from the time they received the unit I have the bird back in hand. No charge but absolutely nothing as to what happened.

New camera/gimble. New legs, New top housing New battery case that the ECU attaches to. And V1.6 firmware. Old motors and bottom housing. They even returned my battery that I wanted tested.

While I an happy that it only cost me 2 months of downtime I would have really like to have an explanation as to what happened.

Oh well I guess something is better than nothing. Bad part is now I do not trust the bird for commercial use. And yes i do have a 333 exemption and a pilots license. Sure wish I could go back to v1.4