My Inspire 1 crashed today and is totaled. Had it nearly over a month with no issues at all. The Inspire took off fine and went strait up about 150 feet. Then all of a sudden I got "Weak Signal" on the tablet and the Inspire came down like a rock and smashed into pieces. I had no control over it what so ever. I purchased Square Trade coverage from B&H photo when I bought it so I called them about the incident. They told me the Inspire was still under warranty and to contact DJI. So I did and I was instructed to send it in, which I did just a few hours ago. I hope I don't get any issues from DJI about it and hope to get it or a replacement back soon. Has anyone else here experienced a crash issue like this? Here are a few pics of the Inspire. http://sheepheadfilms.com/dji001.jpg http://sheepheadfilms.com/dji002.jpg

PaulKerry Posted at 2015-10-28 12:39
That's gut-wrenching !

Have you, by any chance, just installed the latest firmware?

No FW upgrade at all. There wasn't a thing for it to hit while it was up. Rotors were on right, did everything right. Like I said, "Weak Signal" popped up on the tablet and it came down real fast. Sounded like it was at full power when it came down. It hit hard!

You must of hit something breaking a propeller. Where were you flying?

mountmotor Posted at 2015-10-28 13:53
You must of hit something breaking a propeller. Where were you flying?

The propellers broke when it crashed into the ground.

If it sounded like it was running at fun power as it was coming down it was trying to stay in the air but couldn't because of lack of lift. Maybe a bad motor, esc, prop, prop mount,  etc

Did anybody read his post? He said "Weak Signal".

My guess, since it went straight up, it might have something to do with the way your antenna were pointing on your TX. Which way were they pointing?

remltr Posted at 2015-10-28 18:51
Did anybody read his post? He said "Weak Signal".

My guess, since it went straight up, it might hav ...

Yes but "weak signal" will not cause a crash like this. You can have "no signal" and it will not crash like this. It will RTH.

HFI Posted at 2015-10-28 14:01
If it sounded like it was running at fun power as it was coming down it was trying to stay in the ai ...

I would agree.

remltr Posted at 2015-10-28 21:51
Did anybody read his post? He said "Weak Signal".

My guess, since it went straight up, it might hav ...

Don't see how antenna position or "weak signal" is going cause the Inspire to fall from the sky. Weak Signal happens to me all time and it either holds position (if in GPS mode) or RTH. Free fall has never been an option.

My apologies, I stand humbly corrected.

remltr Posted at 2015-10-29 09:51
Did anybody read his post? He said "Weak Signal".

My guess, since it went straight up, it might hav ...

Yes I did and I also read sheepheadfilms second post

remltr Posted at 2015-10-28 18:51
Did anybody read his post? He said "Weak Signal".

My guess, since it went straight up, it might hav ...

They were set properly at 10 & 2 o'clock as I have always set them.

I have had many hours of flight time with my Inspire and have never had an issue at all. It has always worked flawlessly. I just find it really strange that this accident happened the way it did. Like I said, it went up and as I was watching my monitor "Weak Signal" came up and the next thing I know I hear the Inspire what sounded like it was at full power and crashed into the ground. It impacted extremely hard like it intentionally rammed itself into the ground at full power rather than just falling. All this happened in what felt like a matter of seconds. I was in a very wide open area and absolutely nothing was in the way of the Inspires flight path for 100's of yards. I live in a very rural area of Northern Arizona near the Four Corners and if any of you have ever been to this area, you know how vast and open this place is.

I am so sorry for accident. hope that DJI or your insurance will replace your inspire 1 soon.

This is where a microphone on the camera, like a go pro, could provide valuable clues.

I think we can dispel with the notions of a failed motor or prop by asking the OP if the aircraft came down straight or tumbled/spun down.  To my knowledge only hexes and octos can make it to the ground with loss of prop/motor.  Quads losing a prop/motor with tumble/spin and have a date with dirt.

Best of luck with Dji their customer service has got to be the worst ever!!

I've been dealing with them since late June and was told yesterday I was SOL. This after spending months getting passed around depts.

I had a critical battery failure, dropped from 72% to 6% in a matter of seconds and unfortunately I was over the ocean when this happened.

Sent Dji flight data and video, about a month later they came back and said they wanted to help but did tell me the results of the data. Obviously, with dji wanting to help, it was nothing I did wrong. I was offered a refurbished Inspire and accepted but had already bought a new one. Asked to put the $ on store credit to by the phantom 3 and got a no. They said send us your P.O.P. for the new bird and we'll send you some accessories for it.

So, after spending nearly 8k (2 Inspires & phantom 2 vision+) they send me 2 TB48 batteries, extra props and a uv lense. Roughly $500 for my troubles....BS!!!

One of these news agencies need to do an expose dji and how not to run a CS Dept. I guess that's how they became a billion dollar company is by screwing over their customers!

As I said, good luck. Most likely they will find fault on you. Or just say no without an explanation.

JackAsses!

The aircraft remarkably looks pretty good for 150' drop, you didn't even break your booms. I think that indicates it was providing some lift.. But the props are damaged which also indicates motors were on. Did you do a compass calibration? Did it had gps? 100% battery?

naildrivingman@ Posted at 2015-10-30 04:53
I think we can dispel with the notions of a failed motor or prop by asking the OP if the aircraft ca ...

No tumble. Strait down.

jrondo Posted at 2015-10-30 09:49
Best of luck with Dji their customer service has got to be the worst ever!!

I've been dealing with  ...

Well the insurance company assured me that if DJI wasn't going to take care of it, they would take care of me.

Capt_M Posted at 2015-10-30 16:58
The aircraft remarkably looks pretty good for 150' drop, you didn't even break your booms. I think t ...

Did calibration, had GPS and fully charged battery.
Everything was working fine until the "Weak Signal" popped up on the monitor.
Next thing we know, we look up and caught about the last 20-30 feet of the Inspire coming down full speed.
The Inspire was not spinning out of control when we saw it.
It literally looked and sounded like it intentionally crashed itself into the ground.
I saw all the props spinning as well.
The Inspire crashed just a few feet from where it took off.
Like I said, it went strait up and strait back down.

Here's a couple more close up pics of some of the damage.

As you can see from these photos as well as the first photos I posted, the Inspire came strait down-flat "Not at an Angle" and blew out all 4 feet, crushed the battery, wasted the camera and completely busted the plastic that brings the legs up and down.
The Inspire did bounce and roll after the initial impact. That is what took the props out.

Where you using manual control to get up?

What were the torque settings on your prop hubs?

Capt_M Posted at 2015-11-2 20:54
Where you using manual control to get up?

Yes I was manually taking off.

daniel.frederik Posted at 2015-11-3 01:20
What were the torque settings on your prop hubs?

I've never messed with the prop hubs nor do I own an inch pound torque wrench to check them.

my guess would be the quick release props released quickly in the wrong place at the wrong time...  i will never use those

sheepheadfilms Posted at 2015-11-2 07:22
Well the insurance company assured me that if DJI wasn't going to take care of it, they would take ...

That's great your insurance will cover! My insurance considered it an aircraft and would not cover.

Mowog2 Posted at 2015-11-5 17:26
Coming straight down under power. Sounds like it got into a ring Vortex state. A bit of forward or s ...

Yep! We forgot about that! Then you would have full power up but craft going down..
What was needed is sideways input from controls..

Well I got an email the other day from DJI stating my RMA was closed and that was it. Nothing saying if it was delivered....fixed...replaced...denied....nothing. I sent numerous e-mails inquiring about it and all my emails bounced back to me. Just a few minutes ago FedEx paid me a visit and low and behold......a brand new Inspire1 with new props and a new camera. Nothing else in the package. I was hoping for a new battery because mine was severely damaged in the wreck. I'll wait a few days and see if a new battery comes in. If not, I'll be contacting them. I sure wish they would have told me what the cause of the wreck was from. I'm still baffled about it.

Same thing happened to me today.
I took off, went straight up, then it just stopped and fell down.
in the last second it restarted and gave full power. That did not stop it from crashing...

sheepheadfilms Posted at 2015-11-14 00:09
Well I got an email the other day from DJI stating my RMA was closed and that was it. Nothing saying ...

It's good you'll be back in the air, with a new bird, so leave the trouble behind and enjoy your flying

jrondo Posted at 2015-10-30 18:49
Best of luck with Dji their customer service has got to be the worst ever!!

I've been dealing with  ...

It seems your bet with DJI reactions regarding this crash was not a lucky one, they wen the opposite way and offered a new bird
Off topic, feels good to know another DMB fan on this forum

Good to hear your Inspire was replaced.

mani Posted at 2015-12-7 09:39
It seems your bet with DJI reactions regarding this crash was not a lucky one, they wen the opposi ...

Great news for fellow dmb fan!
I haven't  given up getting my inspire  replaced.

jrondo Posted at 2015-12-18 23:42
Great news for fellow dmb fan!
I haven't  given up getting my inspire  replaced.

I thought you did get your inspire replaced, It have have taken a month (longer than you wanted) but you got $500 in batteries as a courtesy.