Hi Folks,

There has been a fair bit of confusion regarding third party apps and warranty that i have noticed on forums etc
The usual line you hear is "DJI wont cover warranty if you use 3rd party apps" - talking about using litchi usually ... I for one didnt believe this was the case, sure i understand if the software has caused a crash then fine, thats bad luck i guess, but if its a faulty drone (ie, dead battery, faulty parts etc) then it will be covered.

I am very interested in the waypoint missions and some of the functions Litchi and other apps use (GS Pro isnt available yet for android). I will soon want to use 3d mapping apps too, I have Care Refresh but i'm pretty confident with my flying techniques anyway ...
So, rather than listen to the usual stab in the dark answers i thought i'd email the DJI Care team to find out (from the horses mouth) ...

My original email is something like the following:

if i use a 3rd party app to fly waypoint missions etc, more specifically the Litchi app, and my Mavic crashed into a tree breaking a number of items. Can i send it in for repair and still qualify for one of my DJI Care Refresh uses?

I would class this as accidental and would hope that its still covered ?

While i'm here can you also tell me if DJI Care covers accidental damage while carrying the Mavic ... ie if i drop the mavic bag and it damages the Camera/Gimbal or any damage caused while not flying the mavic.

Much appreciated,

Dan.

Today, a good 5 days later ... i receive a reply. The emails mention that its forbidden to copy and paste them publicly, so i'll sum it up ...

The online FAQ for DJI Care Refresh mention at point 11 - under exclusions ..

"11) Damage resulting from the use of third party accessories, batteries or software." -So no ! DJI care Refresh will not cover accidents ... when using ANY 3rd party software, even though it covers accidents ! http://www.dji.com/service/djicare-refresh/info#s4

She went on to anser my other question, which was:

"While i'm here can you also tell me if DJI Care covers accidental damage while carrying the Mavic ... ie if i drop the mavic bag and it damages the Camera/Gimbal or any damage caused while not flying the mavic."

The reply suprised me as the answer was Yes ... If i drop the mavic, when not flying it, and it damages the camera etc, I AM covered ...

So ... I guess i wont be crashing my mavic whilst flying ...

I think you should have asked if flying while using third party apps and Mavic has a malfunction is it covered by warranty.

1) Damage resulting from the use of third party accessories, batteries or software.

If you damage your aircraft while using third party apps is not the same as Damaged RESULTING FROM THE USE OF third party apps. They are two completely different things.
And there is no mention in there small print that if you have an accident while using third party app that you won't be covered by care refresh.

hallmark007 Posted at 2017-1-10 07:58
1) Damage resulting from the use of third party accessories, batteries or software.

If you damage your aircraft while using third party apps is not the same as Damaged RESULTING FROM THE USE OF third party apps. They are two completely different things.

I wouldnt take the chance ...

If i have an accident, it will have happened from me dropping my mavic, cos i'm clumsy ... nothing to do with the last flight i had with litchi ...

Danny-B- Posted at 2017-1-10 17:10
I wouldnt take the chance ...

If i have an accident, it will have happened from me dropping my mavic, cos i'm clumsy ... nothing to do with the last flight i had with litchi ...

See what you mean nudge nudge wink wink. Lol

Danny-B- Posted at 2017-1-10 17:10
I wouldnt take the chance ...

If i have an accident, it will have happened from me dropping my mavic, cos i'm clumsy ... nothing to do with the last flight i had with litchi ...

Hello Danny, after receive your drone, our engineers will evaluate it first and they will analyse the flight data. They will know if the damage is caused by third party app or being dropped.

Touche

DJI Mindy Posted at 2017-1-10 19:15
Hello Danny, after receive your drone, our engineers will evaluate it first and they will analyse the flight data. They will know if the damage is caused by third party app or being dropped.

Well then begs the question if the crash is not caused by the app but by accident of the pilot is this covered by care refresh.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2017-1-10 19:15
Hello Danny, after receive your drone, our engineers will evaluate it first and they will analyse the flight data. They will know if the damage is caused by third party app or being dropped.

Naa ... the mavic was fine when it hit the tree .. it wasnt untill a week later that i dropped it.


Regardless, I cant understand why DJI Care refresh would cover accidental damage from non flight, but dont cover damage occurred when using 3rd party applications ... especially when the SDK they use is built by DJI  ....

DJI make it easy for developers to create applications, but then actively discourage people from using them, it doesn't make sense.
I understand you cant cover mishaps with someone else's coding under warranty, but DJI Care Refresh is different.

• Scenario 1 - DJI Go 4 app .. circling a subject with manual or autonomous control, hit a tree and smash the gimbal etc - Covered under Care Refresh, Pay £79 and get a new Mavic
• Scenario 2 - No app ... Circling a subject with manual control, hit a tree and smash the gimbal etc - Covered under care refresh, pay £79 and get a new Mavic
• Scenario 3 - Litchi App ... Tough luck, but i ... No tough luck, no cover  ... unless it fell from the sky with a battery error of something ..
• Scenario 4 - Trip taking the Mavic from car and I fall flat on my face crushing the mavic in the bag, ... - Covered under care refresh, pay £79 and get a new Mavic
  

Unfair and unreasonable ? I think so...

I think it's reasonable enough - dji are saying the care refresh works for the fault of themselves or their customer, but aren't prepared to cover the code written by third parties. If some script kiddy knocked up a version of litchi or autopilot or whatever and pilots used it but it was buggy as hell,  them why should dji cover that. Perfectly reasonable!

Peterg4 Posted at 2017-1-11 14:53
I think it's reasonable enough - dji are saying the care refresh works for the fault of themselves or their customer, but aren't prepared to cover the code written by third parties. If some script kiddy knocked up a version of litchi or autopilot or whatever and pilots used it but it was buggy as hell,  them why should dji cover that. Perfectly reasonable!

In the articles of what is covered and not covered, it clearly says damage RESULTING from using a third party app, so if you crash as a result of pilot error, when using a third party app,  then that crash is not as a result of the third party app, but rather pilot error which is definitely covered by care refresh.

Really people should read the conditions of purchasing dji care refresh.

Peterg4 Posted at 2017-1-11 14:53
I think it's reasonable enough - dji are saying the care refresh works for the fault of themselves or their customer, but aren't prepared to cover the code written by third parties. If some script kiddy knocked up a version of litchi or autopilot or whatever and pilots used it but it was buggy as hell,  them why should dji cover that. Perfectly reasonable!

I'm not talking about the app causing the crash, i'm talking about pilot error ...

DJI dont cover a fault from themselves with the DJI Care Refresh, thats a warranty claim, Care refresh is covering pilot error and accidents.

Thanks gents - I'm cheered by the explanations

When flying a Litchi mission it will continue, also when you don't have connection to your remote. I think this is an essential difference with the examples used above. This is great functionality however creates different risks of which I understand DJI doesn't want cover.