Just a heads up, my first DJI Mavic Air never worked (was never able to connect my phone (or any other phones/tablets android and apple) to the controller. Spent 6 hours trouble shooting it (including 2 hours with DJI support). Recomendation was to send in a brand new unit for repair. Returned to the e-store for a full refund (took 2-3 days to get refund, instead of weeks with DJI messing with a brand new unit).

Finally got a new one from Best Buy, same bs. Brand new lot they received this week. We first tried with my friend's phone (he flies a mavic air all the time with his phone). Could not get it to work. Tried my phone, my wife's phone, and then a ipad. Nothing works (same as everyone else, tried the 2 ports, etc, etc, etc, spare cable blablabla). How my friend's phone works with his dji mavic air but not mine blows my mind!

This thing is a POS. If yours work, consider yourself lucky. I'm returning my second one and i'm done with this garbage. Too bad, because i flew the original phantom and then the phantom 2. Had a S1000 for awhile at work and a Ronin. All of those worked excellent, had a lot of fun back then.

Of course DJI support is absolutely useless. Good thing for big stores (and big e-stores) easy return policies!

If this sounds like a rant... it kinda is. I wasted countless hours with this. It's extremely frustrating and a big let down. Kinda feels like 'im not good enough to have one that works' kinda thing. Time to hit the range to destress!

Hi. We are sorry to hear about that unfortunate event. I just want to clarify, have you tried to link the RC to your AC first before you connect your devices? May I also know what devices are you trying to use with the drone?

Samsung Galaxy S8, Huawei Honor 6x, IPHONE 8 and X, latest iPad.

None wrok on previous drone or new one. The iPhone X belongs to a friend who owns a mavic air, so it's absurd it works with his drone but netheir of the one we purchased.

Some really bad QC in your factory. The Best Buy employee that owns one uses the same phone as me, Galaxy S8 too.

Anyways I have returned the second one and I'll be spending my money elsewhere. It feels like a punishment. Pay $1000 to deal with hours of frustration.

I should add this:

Went to Best Buy, they refused to take the item back because its open, unless i pay a 15% restock fee. I told them the item does not function as intended. Their drone guy came, tried to make it work, could not (he owns a mavic air!). They suggested i exchange for a different one (any kind) and they can reimburse the difference, no restocking fee. I could even exchange for a brand new drone and return the brand new one for no restocking fee (since its brand new).

I grabbed the new Parrot ANAFI 4K ($100 cheaper), took 5 mins to get it flying, shooting 4k and doing all kind of built in maneuvers.

SHAME on DJI for putting out garbage like this. Literally driving customers to the competitors...

Ronanb87 Posted at 2018-7-27 18:50
I should add this:

Went to Best Buy, they refused to take the item back because its open, unless i pay a 15% restock fee. I told them the item does not function as intended. Their drone guy came, tried to make it work, could not (he owns a mavic air!). They suggested i exchange for a different one (any kind) and they can reimburse the difference, no restocking fee. I could even exchange for a brand new drone and return the brand new one for no restocking fee (since its brand new).

Did you forget to activate your drone? There is no drone logo under your avatar.

"Connect to the controllers’ WIFI and launch DJI Go 4. Then click next once the controller has connected to the Mavic Air."

Can't activate it when i can't connect to it in any way. It's the first thing my friend that owns one tried to do. Doesn't work (i think the Best Buy drone guy also tried).

Thanks for trying though! Doesn't matter now since its returned and i'm using the new Parrot (which took 5 mins to work).

Ronanb87 Posted at 2018-7-27 19:27
"Connect to the controllers’ WIFI and launch DJI Go 4. Then click next once the controller has connected to the Mavic Air."

Can't activate it when i can't connect to it in any way. It's the first thing my friend that owns one tried to do. Doesn't work (i think the Best Buy drone guy also tried).

Sound strange. Did you try to connect your phone to the drone direct without controller?

Of course. Actually tried numerous phones and a tablet. The kicker is both my friend and the Best Buy drone guy used their own phone, which they use for their own mavic air's... still did not work.

It's like adding salt to a injury...

Looks like you've had some bad luck, not one but two lemons....

Yepp, from 2 very different sellers.

Best Buy drone guy told me they got 3 mavic air back in the past month (its not a big Best Buy). All 3 for similar issue, doesn't work/fly.

No idea if its a large batch issue, or firmware issue.

Highly unlikely 2 units suffered the same exact failure for the same person. This is not a common problem. New users doing things incorrectly and blaming something else is a very common problem.

Not quite understand why DJI need the troublesome active process for new drone. It can’t help protect the drone stolen and can’t stop people flying in NFZ.

Jeff7577 Posted at 2018-7-28 01:18
Highly unlikely 2 units suffered the same exact failure for the same person. This is not a common problem. New users doing things incorrectly and blaming something else is a very common problem.

You should read the thread before posting.

I'm far from a new user, most likely I have been flying drones before most users here purchased their first one. Including three DJI drones.

When I can't make it work (I followed through guidelines exactly and watched numerous videos), two people that owns the same drone can't make it work, and when all the 'try this' posted on this forum and what DJI support suggests to do (I spent two hours on the phone with them) fails. Yes, this includes the USB debugging 'trick' for Android phones (regardless tried two iPhones and a iPad too).

There's something wrong here. Pretty sure it's not me. I'm at two drones that fail, and the local Best Buy has 3 for the same issue (afaik from what BB manager told me).

Spent 40 mins flying my new beebop today. Zero issues. As stated, took 5 mins to get it flying.

Garbage? Love my Mavic air. Did a lot of flights this holiday! No problems at all.

DirkGerrit Posted at 2018-7-28 10:28
Garbage? Love my Mavic air. Did a lot of flights this holiday! No problems at all.

Yepp garbage. Digging I to this forum, there's lots of people with the similar issue. YouTube full of them.

Fault on me for not researching more.

Ronanb87 Posted at 2018-7-28 08:46
You should read the thread before posting.

I'm far from a new user, most likely I have been flying drones before most users here purchased their first one. Including three DJI drones.

Is the Anafi you bought better than the Beebop you've just flown, or is that a typo ?

Aardvark Posted at 2018-7-28 11:05
Is the Anafi you bought better than the Beebop you've just flown, or is that a typo ?

Typo, parrot anafi not beebop anafi.

Thanks!

Jeff7577 Posted at 2018-7-28 01:18
Highly unlikely 2 units suffered the same exact failure for the same person. This is not a common problem. New users doing things incorrectly and blaming something else is a very common problem.

Guessing you missed or ignored parts about his friend who flies Mavic air tried with his phone and OP's MA would not connect.  And Best Buy's drone guy tried his phone and he to flies a Mavic Air, and OP's MA would not connect.  Those are not two new users.

GDL Posted at 2018-7-28 01:57
Not quite understand why DJI need the troublesome active process for new drone. It can’t help protect the drone stolen and can’t stop people flying in NFZ.

So their government can track people?
U.S. government said no to DJI drones due to security concerns.  Read somewhere that previously DJI's software was ''phoning'' home with to much detailed info.

As for actually protecing drones, a user set LoginID & Password would do that.

HedgeTrimmer Posted at 2018-7-28 15:10
Guessing you missed or ignored parts about his friend who flies Mavic air tried with his phone and OP's MA would not connect.  And Best Buy's drone guy tried his phone and he to flies a Mavic Air, and OP's MA would not connect.  Those are not two new users.

No, I saw that. Do you really believe two units had the exact same failure? An extremely uncommon one at that. The “drone guy” at my local B.B. didn’t even own a drone.

It reminds me of a case here recently where a gentleman sent his Mavic in multiple times because he couldn’t get the lights to work. Of course at the time he thought he tried everything and knew what he was doing until I pointed out he did not go down far enough in one of the menus to see the toggle. Oops. That was after 3+ pages of people here trying to troubleshoot.

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

Jeff7577 Posted at 2018-7-28 15:19
No, I saw that. Do you really believe two units had the exact same failure? An extremely uncommon one at that. The “drone guy” at my local B.B. didn’t even own a drone.

It reminds me of a case here recently where a gentleman sent his Mavic in multiple times because he couldn’t get the lights to work. Of course at the time he thought he tried everything and knew what he was doing until I pointed out he did not go down far enough in one of the menus to see the toggle. Oops. That was after 3+ pages of people here trying to troubleshoot.

Actually I can believe two units had exact same failure.

Bought a Professional (aka $$$$) camera.  First one bad and returned.  Sent a replacement.  Bad like first one.  Returned it for another.  Didn't even open factory sealed box.  Dumped it at big loss (aka $$$) to a person who new why and willing to take risk.

Bought new self-propelled string trimmer.  Wheels internals failed within two weeks.  Sent entirely new Wheels for replacing.  Those failed within three weeks.  Sent entirely new third set, and those failed in about 1-1/2 weeks.  Returned whole thing.  Found out latter company had redesigned wheel internals, and whole bunch had been sent out and were failing.

If you truly believed it was a faulty product, and Best Buy offered to exchange it no problems, why didn’t you just exchange it? Jeeze.
Sounds more like you think all Mavic Airs are bad and you rather buy another cheaper drone, like you did.
I own a Phantom 4, also got my Mavic Air last month, took me 5
Minutes or less to get it up in the air. Simple, flies like a dream. Actually, took longer because I had to charge the half dead battery but that’s expected.
If you like a product, say, because your friend had one and it is everything you wanted, then the product is good. You got a bad batch? Sh*t happens, exchange it. That’s what warranties and return policies are for. Created a thread and ranting? Childish.

Ronanb87 Posted at 2018-7-27 18:50
I should add this:

Went to Best Buy, they refused to take the item back because its open, unless i pay a 15% restock fee. I told them the item does not function as intended. Their drone guy came, tried to make it work, could not (he owns a mavic air!). They suggested i exchange for a different one (any kind) and they can reimburse the difference, no restocking fee. I could even exchange for a brand new drone and return the brand new one for no restocking fee (since its brand new).

Just be careful not to fly your ANAFI into a tree while you're pointing your gimbal up at the sky

It has no obstacle avoidance whatsoever!

Streetmagus Posted at 2018-7-29 12:50
If you truly believed it was a faulty product, and Best Buy offered to exchange it no problems, why didn’t you just exchange it? Jeeze.
Sounds more like you think all Mavic Airs are bad and you rather buy another cheaper drone, like you did.
I own a Phantom 4, also got my Mavic Air last month, took me 5

Because i had 2 faulty units from 2 different resellers. Why would i punish myself with a third???

I have owned a Phantom 1 and 2 when they came out and a S1000. Hardly 'cheap' drones. I easily have a few hundred hours of flying drones. Actually started around 5ish years ago.

The Anafi lacks avoidance sensors... but my other drones never had them, and i never had a problem. Unlike DJI, the Parrot actually has proper warranty/customer support. I can actually return it for a full refund if it fails to meet my expectations. So far... works great.

HedgeTrimmer Posted at 2018-7-28 15:10
Guessing you missed or ignored parts about his friend who flies Mavic air tried with his phone and OP's MA would not connect.  And Best Buy's drone guy tried his phone and he to flies a Mavic Air, and OP's MA would not connect.  Those are not two new users.

Correct! I can actually here my friend fly his Mavic Air as i'm typing this (he lives next to the water in the house next to mine).

Even went to the extreme of having him open the second Mavic Air box. Using the same phone that works with his/etc. Did not work.

Sure it could be bad luck... seems a lot of people have bad luck with the latest DJI products.

Ronanb87 Posted at 2018-7-27 18:50
I should add this:

Went to Best Buy, they refused to take the item back because its open, unless i pay a 15% restock fee. I told them the item does not function as intended. Their drone guy came, tried to make it work, could not (he owns a mavic air!). They suggested i exchange for a different one (any kind) and they can reimburse the difference, no restocking fee. I could even exchange for a brand new drone and return the brand new one for no restocking fee (since its brand new).

For the money the air is the best drone around- The Parrot is no where near the air.

JERRY K Posted at 2018-7-30 10:15
For the money the air is the best drone around- The Parrot is no where near the air.

Sure, if it works lol!

Could say that about any product. It’s working for thousands of people, including your friend.