Crashed P4 - data/pictures inside - what to do next?

[Meta4]

The reason I ask is cause I use mine for fishing but uaually stay at about 10m

If you were down close to the water, it might be advisable but up 10 metres and more it would make no difference.
Most of my flying is over the sea at 15 - 30 metres and I leave the VPS on but it gives me no trouble.

 

[Phill2]

If you were down close to the water, it might be advisable but up 10 metres and more it would make no difference.
Most of my flying is over the sea at 15 - 30 metres and I leave the VPS on but it gives me no trouble.

Thanks
I seem to remember reading somewhere it doesn't work above 3m?

 

[msinger]

I seem to remember reading somewhere it doesn't work above 3m?

Per the P4 manual:

 

[Phill2]

Per the P4 manual:

View attachment 88134

I grew up in the pre metric age and was thinking 10 feet (3m)

 

[DOYAM]

DJI is still reviewing the data. Clearly if they find malfunction, it will be a 100% coupon code. If they find pilot error, what do they do typically?

 

[sar104]

DJI is still reviewing the data. Clearly if they find malfunction, it will be a 100% coupon code. If they find pilot error, what do they do typically?

I'm a bit late taking a look at this, but I have a couple of observations:

Firstly, the data show no sign of impact with the water. All the sensors are consistent with forward, slightly descending flight, right up to the end of the record.

Secondly, the late discontinuity in the VPS altitude 2 seconds before the end of the record is unphysical and does not represent impact - the other sensors continue to report undisturbed flight.

That suggests two possibilities: (1) it was flown into the water and the impact disabled/ejected the battery within 0.1 seconds and prevented any data of the impact being transmitted or (2) the battery failed/disconnected in mid-flight and it just fell into the water. The latter is consistent with the description of the event, but probably so is the former given the speed of the aircraft.

 

[ltfdrebbin]

DOYAM- I hope you get your drone replaced. A wet drone is a sick feeling.
I'm not saying what happened to you was pilot error. I really don't care. That's between you and DJI.

As a word of caution to others that fly over water, in sport mode, and at very low altitude, I'll share my experience. I flew my drone into the water. The altitude said 29.5 feet, and I held the stick down until the screen went black. I was using RTH at the time, so the speed was about 21. I thought I had 29 feet of altitude, but (I now know), I didn't.
So save yourselves some money, and stay higher than that.

 

[GFields]

@DOYAM,

Sorry for your loss. However, I must warn you not to expect from DJI anything different than you are hearing here. The flight data is all they will go by. Regardless of relentless explanation of what you did and saw. Trust me. My statement is based on the experience dealing with DJI from two crashes. In my mind, I was right and there were no pilot errors, yet the flight log showed them that both were “my fault.” The main difference I suppose is that I was using a 3rd party app which apparently disables the obstacle avoidance system. Although I am certain that the OVS was enabled in the DJI GO app, DJI says the flight records show that OVS was disabled. With that said, the guys that have shared with you are really just preparing you for what you will most likely hear from DJI, so don’t expect too much. On the other hand, I hope they send you a brand new one to replace it. If you pulled it from the water, they will repair (which in most cases is cheaper than replacement). If you were not able to retrieve it, they may over 15% discount on a replacement (again based on experience). Good luck!

 

[bsartist]

Here is the video flight log showing controls. I had line of sight. The VPS is more accurate on the log than in this video, it shows I was 29ft when it went down which is clearly not true:

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Apologize if this is a naive question. What did you use to get this video flight log? I looked up "DJI Screen Recorder" as per the watermark but couldn't find anything like this. Is it something only available for the P4? I have a P3S. Thanks.

 

[ShadowCrabb]

Technology and denial just don't go together I once blamed a tree branch but that didn't fly (pun intended).

 

[andre renaud]

I flow my P4 intro water,in sport mode ...Never fly so near the lake with this angle.Pilot mistake!

 

[ShadowCrabb]

Seriously, don't expand upon your story when you talk with DJI. They will look at fact versus opinion, as you mentioned. Your problem is they have the facts in flight records where as you have your opinion of what you feel you saw. Reading back over all the posts, your story has been added to and/or changed. When I received my Phantom 4 I also received a battery that was DOA. I'll spare all the drama and simply say, it took nearly 3 weeks to convince the DJI repair shop that they owed me a new battery. That was after they had received mine by return mail. Hopefully you have new found respect for the "Sport Mode" and DJI sees fit to be fair with your situation.

 

[Reppac]

I was flying last Thursday following a boat (over water). Got the video I wanted and put it in Sport mode to return home as I was 2000 ft away. I was coming down to get about 5 feet off the water (less wind and my height to catch it - I was on a boat) and then all of sudden it crashed in the water. See attached data from the flight log.

What is the next step to determine if there was a malfunction? See attached JPEG for the exerpt from the flight log. I circled where it landed in the water and highlighted the first 0ft height line.

View attachment 88052

Hi I'm a newby and don't pretend to know much at all yet was reading this with interest trying not too fall into the same trap I'm still studying the user manual I download and on page 22 there is a vps performance warning when flying over water would poor vps and poor gps of switched it to a mode I wouldn't think the barometer would be very accurate at this height

 

[beads555]

I was flying last Thursday following a boat (over water). Got the video I wanted and put it in Sport mode to return home as I was 2000 ft away. I was coming down to get about 5 feet off the water (less wind and my height to catch it - I was on a boat) and then all of sudden it crashed in the water. See attached data from the flight log.

What is the next step to determine if there was a malfunction? See attached JPEG for the exerpt from the flight log. I circled where it landed in the water and highlighted the first 0ft height line.

View attachment 88052

Next step, go shop buy new drone

 

[Snappyboy1]

Hi Don't give up on DJI yet. I flew my P3P into a canal after hitting some branches and DJI repaired/replaced it FOC and within 2 weeks. I am very new (March this year) to drone flying and have spent hours reading other peoples misfortunes and like to think I've learnt the lessons and grown wiser. I certainly don't take chances. A lot of pilots are breaking all the rules and advice offered and then wonder why things go wrong. For sure it's a bitter pill to swallow, to have to admit that you were wrong. Pilot error!

 

[DOYAM]

Sorry, I didn't see all these replies. Thanks for all the input. For the screen recording, I used a free app to record my screen and the DJI GO app of the flight log. I was not able to recover the drone. I should have an answer from DJI Monday. They have not been the easiest to deal with. The first call, the guy open my case, second call they didn't submit it to the correct department.

 

[ShadowCrabb]

Ask for a DJI administrator's e-mail. Communicate concisely all pertinent info. You should then be directed in the right direction, bypassing some of the on-line, no- help lines.

 

[RickT]

ha ha ha ha, Yeah right, If I could not get DJI to cover my stress cracks due to poor designs not pilot error, I'll be amaze if they cover your pilot errors

 

[idrone71]

I was flying last Thursday following a boat (over water). Got the video I wanted and put it in Sport mode to return home as I was 2000 ft away. I was coming down to get about 5 feet off the water (less wind and my height to catch it - I was on a boat) and then all of sudden it crashed in the water. See attached data from the flight log.

What is the next step to determine if there was a malfunction? See attached JPEG for the exerpt from the flight log. I circled where it landed in the water and highlighted the first 0ft height line.

View attachment 88052

Hi, I had exactly the same thing happen. I was filming over a river, about 8ft above. it was around 10ft from me and just decided to land in the water. The flight log showed both control sticks moving identically down at the same time. This didn't happen. The video would therefore have shown it flying back to me and descending. It just dropped! I sent it off with all my contents, expecting a replacement. PILOT ERROR came back via email. They wanted £1500 to fix. I can buy a new one for that!! Anyway, they sent it back with all of the screws out, minus my camera lens'. They don't reply to anymore emails. They are con artists!!! ANYWAY!!! Dry it out!! Mine now works fine....100%. Don't put the crash battery back in. Good luck!!

 

[glenp]

I have contacted them. Just curious, what is your justification for claiming pilot error? The IMU height has to be ignored here clearly. It hit the water at speed and kept speed amd signal so the last blip of downward stick is a reaction because I straightened my arms putting the controller at my waist after I saw it crash.

I believe you.
There is a strong tendency to blame the pilot.
There is a lot of software being forced into the Phantom series, recently, and these flying computers are doing a lot at the same time, including three dimensions of travel, gps acquisition, wind corrections, plus stick input which must be instantly translated without error.
The latter is what I think happened to you, bird mishandled its instructions.
Further, I have not yet encountered any electronic device in my entire life that did not fail, seemingly on its own.
Its a flying computer, how could it fail?