Sent Spark in for repair and they won't fix it under warranty, continue to not answer our questions and address what really happened.  DJI is not being accurate in what happened.  How can this be escalated so we can have an actual conversation and resolution?

Steven, sorry that you feel disappointed about the repair process. Please tell me your case number for further assistance. Can you tell me your question toward your case? We are willing to help.

It appears to have two case numbers now.  The case number we've used is  CAS-1440486-N2C5R4, somehow another one exists CAS-1693162-K1Z2L9.  This should all be in the case but what happened is I flew it off a cliff and after doing some flying it disconnected for no reason.  It started to fly back, flew 10'+ past the original point and remained 20'+ off the ground, hitting a tree and falling.  At no time did it reconnect to allow me to control it.  Also, the flight recording stopped so there flight data stops when it disconnects.  The disconnect and failure to reconnect we view as failures of the drone.  Also, returning past the original point at an elevation of 20'+ and never stopping is another failure.  Support has never addressed those issues.  They say it was flown in is a forested area in low light conditions.  The truth is the trees were behind us and while the photos that were in the flight data show a sunset, we have a video from the beginning of the flight showing no issues with "low light".  

Beyond that, we had to upload the flight  data six times since the engineers kept saying we didn't upload it so it wasn't covered.  After they magically were able to find it, the answers from support never were accurate and they never answered our questions.  Their interpretation of the flight conditions were wrong and they've never ask questions to understand what happened.  The latest post of "A member of management has recently discussed your concerns via phone and e-mail and has clearly explained as to why your repairs were deemed non warranty" is a  lie.  Nobody from managed has ever talked to us or told us why we are wrong.  

Thanks for your assistance

Steven Schankweiler Posted at 2018-4-22 08:17
Thanks for your assistance

Thank you for the case number, CAS-1693162-K1Z2L9 is the complaint case number that was escalated by our support team, our supervisor has tried to contact you but failed, and voicemail and email have been sent to you that warranty service cannot be provided after double analysis.
For your two questions, firstly, the drone was disconnected from the APP because the signal was blocked since you flew in heavily forested area. When RTH was triggered and the drone flew back around the home point, you connected the drone with your mobile device instead of RC, the failure of re-connection is related to the relative location between your mobile phone and the aircraft, this cannot indicate the drone has malfunction.
For the second question, the GPS accuracy is of the order of meters, there may be the deviation when the drone landed in home point, therefore, we recommend customer to fly in open area.

According to our management department, the warranty cannot be provided since the craft showed no signs of a manufacturing defect or malfunction, thanks for your understanding.

I left my phone number with the case and was never contacted by phone so that did NOT happen.  I did not get a voice mail from Mgmt.

There was NOTHING between us and the drone.  It was flying off a cliff.  A pure line of site.  I said in all of the phone calls and previously in this chat that the trees were BEHIND us.   It was a perfectly clear line of site.  That is a malfunction as is the fact it didn't reconnect since it flew 20' over our head and kept going.  Why is it believed that there were trees between us and the craft?  We've said many times that it was flown off a cliff, even noting it was 100's of feet to the ground, thus impossible for trees to be in the line of site.

The drone wasn't coming down, it was continuing to go so how far past the home location is within warranty?  

Steven Schankweiler Posted at 2018-4-23 01:59
I left my phone number with the case and was never contacted by phone so that did NOT happen.  I did not get a voice mail from Mgmt.

There was NOTHING between us and the drone.  It was flying off a cliff.  A pure line of site.  I said in all of the phone calls and previously in this chat that the trees were BEHIND us.   It was a perfectly clear line of site.  That is a malfunction as is the fact it didn't reconnect since it flew 20' over our head and kept going.  Why is it believed that there were trees between us and the craft?  We've said many times that it was flown off a cliff, even noting it was 100's of feet to the ground, thus impossible for trees to be in the line of site.

Hi Steven, thanks for your input, we have contacted the data analysis team to double analyzed the log to figure out the points you mentioned, I will come back to you soon once I get any update, thanks for your patience.

Hi Steven, thanks for your patience, we have double confirmed with the data analysis team, the flight log in the aircraft has been overlapped, and we can only analyze the flight records in the APP.
At t=04:24, relative height=11m, unit record cut off. Therefore, the accident reason cannot be located, but according to your illustration and the location in the map, the home point is too close to the trees, it is normal if the landing position is within 5 meters deviation from the home point, sorry that the warranty service cannot be provided. Thanks fo ryour understanding.

This helps explain the difference we are having.  The overlay is incorrect.  The flight was over the water not over the trees.  There is video showing it taking off going the other direction.  Basically the flight went 180 degrees the other direction.

Steven Schankweiler Posted at 2018-4-28 02:23
This helps explain the difference we are having.  The overlay is incorrect.  The flight was over the water not over the trees.  There is video showing it taking off going the other direction.  Basically the flight went 180 degrees the other direction.

The analysis is based on the flight records in the APP. Could you upload some pictures or screenshots that the flight was above the water?

I'm uploading three pictures from the flight with the failure.  They were screen shots as the drone flew away.   You can see the trees behind us and even at 11 meters above takeoff elevation, which is in the flight data, that wouldn't have enough to clear those trees, so it had to go over the water.  

This is the 2nd image

This is the 3rd image

thanks

Steven Schankweiler Posted at 2018-4-30 18:24
This is the 3rd image

thanks

Steven, it seems that the pictures are not matched with your description as I do not find any pictures flying above the water. Attached the screenshot when the flight records interrupted, at that time, the relative height was 11m and the drone was not flying above the water.

Also, I've checked the case illustration, it indicates the previous elevation you mentioned was about 15ft which is in normal.
I understand your feeling, but the points you mentioned will not affect the analysis result. Hope for your understanding.

Flying in the direction of the water is what my pictures show and what your latest picture shows.  My picture shows the elevation and that no trees were in the way since they were way below the flight of the drone.
  My pictures show the flight went higher than we were.  This all means that it was a 100% clear line of site to the drone, that there was no interference to justify the drone disconnecting and never reconnecting.  That is why it was a failure of the drone that caused the problem.  Does that make sense?   

thanks

Not a good place for flying. You should feel lucky that drone didn't fly away.

Steven Schankweiler Posted at 2018-5-1 03:41
Flying in the direction of the water is what my pictures show and what your latest picture shows.  My picture shows the elevation and that no trees were in the way since they were way below the flight of the drone.
  My pictures show the flight went higher than we were.  This all means that it was a 100% clear line of site to the drone, that there was no interference to justify the drone disconnecting and never reconnecting.  That is why it was a failure of the drone that caused the problem.  Does that make sense?   

The altitude in the flight record is the relative altitude. What you mentioned is not available to verify from the flight records. Sorry about this. Non-warranty is the final decision. If you do not want to repair, please let us know, we'll arrange return unpaired, thanks!

DJI Susan Posted at 2018-5-1 20:01
The altitude in the flight record is the relative altitude. What you mentioned is not available to verify from the flight records. Sorry about this. Non-warranty is the final decision. If you do not want to repair, please let us know, we'll arrange return unpaired, thanks!

Steven,
If I read between the lines, DJI can’t confirm the pictures where taken at the location the incident occurred.   Perhaps if you could get similar pictures with gps lat and long recorded perhaps they will reconsider that was the actual location.   Or if they are open minded, lat and long of the takeoff point which they have, but is not displayed in their screen shot.  If it is where you say, using 3D google maps, it will be proof that the drone is way above trees below as they already stated they have relative altitude from takeoff point.

From DJI corrected image of recorded flight path, it is apparent that the drone is well above the tree line if takeoff is what appears in their screenshot.   Plot lat and long of takeoff an plot as shown below.

See example of your failure point below
DJI, you could do the same.
Hope this helps
Regards

Better res..

I don't know where we go from here.  DJI refuses to admit the drone disconnected for no reason, would not reconnect and went somewhere undocumented even though that is clearly what all of the photos and flight data display.  Combine that with the DJI dishonesty throughout, it's appalling to call this support.  We'll need a little time to cool down and decide to pay for the repair or not.  Hopefully, unless DJI is willing to change to recognize the facts of the drone failures, you'll allow us 48 hours.

Also, per your statement that we're "lucky to get it back"...your companies mission statement per your own website,  https://www.dji.com/company,  contains the following:

"Our platforms empower them to capture images that were once out of reach. Our flying and camera stabilization systems redefine camera placement and motion. Amazing photos and video, treasured personal memories, and high-end professional imagery are captured every day, in every corner of the world using DJI products."

A drone that randomly disconnects and flies to unpredictable locations is 100% against your own mission statement.  That is in the flight data.  There were no trees in the way, which has been proven.  


Your comments and support do not follow your own companies mission statement.