Hello, I had a very unfortunate thing happen to my Inspire and I believe it was due to a failure with the Inspire. To give everyone some background I am NOT new at flying quadcopters or the Inspire.

  
  

I was flying in Maui, Hawaii. I took off in GPS mode (had a home lock), was flying for 4:01 and 219.4 M from home when I suddenly lost all communication with the Inspire. It was not a typical signal loss where the picture breaks up, this was a complete loss all of a sudden. At the time of loss the Inspire said it had 7:50 left of flight time. I waited for the Inspire to return home, but that never happened. I searched and searched for hours, but was not able to recover my Inspire. It is my belief that there was a failure with the Inspire and that it just dropped from the sky. I am extremely upset because I am out thousands of dollars for something that I don’t feel was my fault.

  
  

Has anyone else  experienced something like this? I’ve emailed DJI, but they have not responded.

  

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-27 11:16
My first thoughts would be that a battery pack over-estimating its remaining power and then shutting ...

Paul, how can I pull the logs from the app?

I found the flight log. Here it is..

DJIFlightRecord_2016-01-14_[13-55-45].zip (308.43 KB, Down times: 72)

2016-1-27 Upload

Click on the file name to download attach

You can upload the flight logs from the controller, in the flight logs page, there is a star on the left at each log. Highlight the last flight as a favorite and then sync you records and when you start a ticket with DJI, they will evaluate those logs to find out what happened. It's not the 100% full data that's pulled from the aircraft, but it will still give a lot of information.
Call DJI support at 818-235-0789. If you call now, the hold time is only a few minutes.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-27 13:13
You can upload the flight logs from the controller, in the flight logs page, there is a star on the  ...

Thank you, Ken. Do you have instructions on how to do this? The logs I uploaded above are downloaded from my Apple iPhone using iTunes.

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-27 12:17
I take it that you pulled this from your iOS device via filesharing on iTunes... Right?

If you us ...

Paul, yes, I am sick about it. My girlfriend was even in tears.

ioshua Posted at 2016-1-28 03:17
Thank you, Ken. Do you have instructions on how to do this? The logs I uploaded above are download ...

from the home page when you start the app, the top left icon (paper airplane) will take you to the flight logs. Tap the star and it will turn gold. Then sync your records (cloud icon on the top right). When you call in give them you DJI account info and they will submit that and the tech will pull your flight log from your account and put the data into into their software.
So sorry for your loss on the Inspire, I know how it feels.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-27 11:24
from the home page when you start the app, the top left icon (paper airplane) will take you to the  ...

Is there any way to copy or download these Flight Records to a windows desktop computer?  I used to be able to do so by copying or moving from my iPad using iTunes.  That no longer works since the last DJI GO update.

I hope you find it. I also hope the flight logs can help resolve the root of the problem. I know it was a bit far but were did you have an eye of sight on it or maybe someone like a spotter that had any sight of it while it was flying? Just wondering if they saw it go down. I wonder if its a malfunction or obstruction such as interference or even a bird.

       I really hope you find a resolution of this and hopefully find your aircraft. I would suggest in the future you invest in a Trackimo.  It is a low cost tracking device that I purchased after I had a near loss of my aircraft one time. It is about $135 for one year is activation is included it mounts cleanly and has a long battery life.
     I am truly sorry for the loss of your aircraft though. But for those reading this please make the investment.

Cheers -Donnie

Heart bleeds for you brother.... were you on vacation or live in Maui?

Here's a map on Healthy Drones web page.  You can see more details by loading your Flight Record onto their page.
Map

Movin on Posted at 2016-1-28 03:42
Is there any way to copy or download these Flight Records to a windows desktop computer?  I used t ...

If you still have an aircraft, you can get the DAT files and export them into Healthy Drones and that will give you probably more information then you need.

Use the DJI Pilot app to enter "Flight Data Mode".  

1. Click the top right corner of the main screen to enter the settings menu.
2. Choose the blue highlight icon to enter the MC Settings menu.

3. Select Advanced Settings.
4. Select "Enter flight data mode".

There will be a prompt that tells you to connect the Phantom 3 via USB cable and you will be in flight data mode.
A drive will show up on your computer that contains a log file for the most recent times you have turned on your

  

  

Only upload the last flight with the issue to Dropbox.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-27 13:50
If you still have an aircraft, you can get the DAT files and export them into Healthy Drones and th ...

Thanx Ken. I loaded his Flight Record and posted above.  Sure hope he can find it in the surf.

     When you took off was your battery at 100% or right near that? Because I noticed that your flight time and battery seem not to jive.
    I'm not looking to place blame ,I really feel bad for you , just trying to figure out what happened.

Cheers Donnie

Donnie Posted at 2016-1-28 05:56
When you took off was your battery at 100% or right near that? Because I noticed that your flig ...

No he didn't have full battery (Used 50% in 4 minutes) but that shouldn't matter. He didn't get any errors.

Another thing, when you lost signal (video went blank?) you probably still had RC control and a RTH is not going to happen unless you lose RC.
Did you still have the map view? If I fly and lose video I just use the map and follow the line back home. And if I got some other kind of error that gave me no clue of where I was than I would hit the RTH button.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-27 16:20
No he didn't have full battery (Used 50% in 4 minutes) but that shouldn't matter. He didn't get an ...

     That would be a big RED flag for me if I used 50% of my battery in only 4 Minutes.  He must have had a huge amount of wind or Some extra load.  The way he made it sound was he lost everything,  Including display which has happened to me but I just pushed the RTH button and she came right Home.  I know I dont  know the whole story and was not there, I am just trying to understand so I dont suffer the same unfortunate fate.  I hope this can be  figured out.

Cheers _Donnie

Donnie Posted at 2016-1-28 06:52
That would be a big RED flag for me if I used 50% of my battery in only 4 Minutes.  He must h ...

I meant that his flight did not start with 100% battery because there's no way the Inspire would use 50% in 4 minutes.
And yes, I'd like to know what all was lost on the tablet. Did it shut down, only lost video and still had all the other data on  the screen, entire screen went black.

Just for the future, if you ever lose video, you can still easily head home from the map view, or hit the RTH button. You will most always lose video before RC signal. And if you lose RC signal then it will go into RTH mode automatically.

@ ioshua - I hate to hear this and hope everything works out for you.
The other afternoon I went from 65% to 2% within no time. I knew this was going to happen. If you DO not charge your batteries before flight or the same day, you will have a problem. Never fly on a battery even at 98% if left unattended for a few days. I hope DJI can fix this issue before someone gets hurt. It will be more than just a problem of crashing and losing your inspire 1. It can be deadly or injuires to others.

As I've mentioned before, that the battery is the heart of the DJI inspire 1. There has to be a simple fix to this problem or there is a major flaw that would cost millions to correct? No one should feel scared to death to take flight, thinking in the back of their head, is this going to be the day I crash becuase my battery is not functioning a 100%. I'm not beating up on DJI, and I love the inspire 1. But this needs urgent attention!

We cover all Phantoms and Inspires, as well as Blade, Walkera, Yuneec, and 3DR. https://neary-aerial.com

Neary Aerial Posted at 2016-1-27 21:23
We cover all Phantoms and Inspires, as well as Blade, Walkera, Yuneec, and 3DR. https://neary-aerial ...

Neary - if you have a total crash do you replace the inspire 1 or do you repair all damage? Also how long have you been in business and do you have clients from the DJI forum that have used your services?

Everyone, thank you for the information.

The incident was on a remote part of the island Maui in Hawaii. I was only able to search for the Inspire for several hours and then I had to move on. So it is gone.

The battery was not 100% charged at the time of takeoff. I did a short 6:00 flight a few miles away on the battery. The battery was at 70% after that flight.

@DJI-Ken, When I lost the video the screen went black and it showed no connection. The Inspire was not on the map. There was nothing.

Movin on, thanks for loading the log on the website. Very nice resource!

Gootch Posted at 2016-1-27 15:31
Heart bleeds for you brother.... were you on vacation or live in Maui?

Thanks my friend. I was on vacation in Maui. So beautiful!

Things like this give me such anxiety when flying the Inspire. I have on several occasions done exactly what ioshua did. Fly for a moment, land... power off. Move and refly on the same battery that SHOULD have the voltage stated. It is like going to Vegas... and as a checklist kind of guy, this issue produces much risk.

Yesterday I created a support ticked with DJI. Hopefully they can identify what happened.

You weren't using 3rd party software to fly by any chance were you ?
Like everyone else that uses AutoPilot I got a Measage on my phone the other day advising not to fly using their or any other 3rd party software until a glitch in the firmware from DJI is fixed on the next release.......or this exact thing would happen.
I fly a long way from Phone reception at times, so I carry one of those buzzer/Sound locators and an array of super bright LEDs in case I cant find the aircraft in the dayligh and have to look at night....much easier to see a flashing LED....
Havent had to use it on an Inspire yet, but have back in the days when drones where "Build Your Own"....... cheap and easy...run it all off a seperate 9v battery.
Also put some of that reflective tape on the bird......a good bright torch will make it stand out in tree's etc at quiet a distance.

Harb Posted at 2016-1-28 19:49
You weren't using 3rd party software to fly by any chance were you ?
Like everyone else that uses A ...

HI Harb,
No I was only using the DJI GO app.

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-28 19:49
Yeah... I'm a "checklist kind of guy", too.

It also concerns me that more than a year after the re ...

Amen... Good thoughts by all.

Sounds like another case of flying without a fully charged battery.

Also I wonder how many inspire owners never calibrate IMU or compass? I sure many people think ready to fly means they don't need to read owners manual

R&L Aerial  Posted at 2016-1-29 09:11
Sounds like another case of flying without a fully charged battery.

No offense, After you take off and fly for a moment..... You are flying without a fully charged battery.

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-29 16:39
I don't think we ever actually take off on a fully charged battery... ever !!!

By the time that we ...

Understood Paul, everyone needs a good soapbox now and then.
My problem is that i can't be lead by the nose or thru nice hypnotism and say oh... thats just how they work, and smile and move on. I am an engineer by education, had a career in IT and am a pilot later in life. But when things don't work... they just don't work.
Can you imagine a car manufacturer telling you you can only start your car with a full tank of gas, otherwise the gauge might not work....huh? Can you imagine how you would feel being late for that important meeting because you ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere??
I have flown, and driven many radio controlled vehicles in my day that had LiPo technology and this is the ONLY time I have heard this kind of spin, whether its the FCC 1510 spec issues with the V2 (T600 or T601), Firmware downgrades, or CSC on the flight controls. I hear consumers just say "OK, no worries" to some crap being said from the manufacturer. At some point the only leverage I have is to sell and buy something else. What I would expect if it were my company is the issues to be resolved and taken care of. But as I have learned all my life, the only way to fix something is to admit it is broken first.
Paul, you may have back your soapbox.

This is what happened  to my friend in Singapore. It happened after the last upgrade. He was about 1km when his iPad screen went blank n just before it went blank the battery was showing 70% n next you know no contact with aircraft n even after switching off the TX the aircraft did not return home

rajbhag@singnet Posted at 2016-1-30 10:22
This is what happened  to my friend in Singapore. It happened after the last upgrade. He was about 1 ...

I have to be honest, my Inspire has stayed in the case this week since these "events" are happening... Im sure they have happened before, just my paranoia peaking probably. I guess its time to invest in a tracker. Maybe the jokes on us, this is just an expensive version of "where's Waldo".......

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-29 16:39
I don't think we ever actually take off on a fully charged battery... ever !!!

By the time that we ...

Not a Rant.....  The truth!  Very well said.  I unfortunately see the same thing happening all the time.
And you did very well to protect the names of the money grubbers (don't know if that is a real term)

I didnt read all posts in this thread.


But I analyzed the log:


You lost the signal because you flew about 50m out of LOS from your position behind a massive rock. It sure triggered RTH and crashed in the area I marked on your picture. You will 99% find it there in 55-65m alt over YOUR STARTING POINT. It will have likely crashed in the trees just right of the marked crash area.

Only in case that you manually set RTH alt ABOVE 65m before this happened it will be on the rock at the alt you set instead but with 75m you would already have made it back without crash.

PS: While it was not advised that you started with a 70% battery the log shows signal loss at 50% which means it was not a battery failure (though this still could have happened later anyway we will never find out)

I am sorry for you but unfortunately this was a beginners error - you flew behind the rock lost the signal and didnt have RTH set high enough before to get it back over the rock.  Probably bad luck I think 75m RTH would have made it back secure.  

I was about to purchase an Inspire ver 2.0 for mapping and after reading these stories will investigate further and make a decision.. Great honest discussion, will follow this carefully,,

Machoman Posted at 2016-1-31 02:09
I didnt read all posts in this thread.

Sorry for any DJI aircraft loss, but the KML from HealthyDrones agrees with your analysis:

ioshua Posted at 2016-1-28 07:26
Everyone, thank you for the information.

The incident was on a remote part of the island Maui in H ...

Two things (2)
1} I am very sorry for your loss, IMO the root cause is the fact you did not have a fully charged battery. I do not trust the LED's or the DJI App to give me accurate information on the battery if it has not been fully charged... period!!

There has been many of us that have seen this first hand in a test, no matter what DJI manual says, after all of the firmware updates etc. Please CHARGE the BATTERY BEFORE FLIGHT

2} Line of sight, You must not have any obstacles in your way during flight. If you are high and you can see your aircraft this is the best scenario. Never let you aircraft go behind something especially if you are low to the ground (this can block your radio signal).

All the best Rich

PaulKerry Posted at 2016-1-29 17:51
Yeah... True engineers seem to have a different mindset to most. Writing software is a form of eng ...

Rich