Dealing with DJI

[FlipFlap]

Hello
Here is my story - I flew drones for quiet some time - Over 500 fligths with P3P and P4.
Recently I was flying my P4 using Litchi App. I checked P4 for any abnormalities- Scratches, Cracks or mechanical defects. Checking props for mechanical damages and if they are locked properly. Check security of the installed battery. I turned on aircraft, controler - Calibrated and waited for LED green Light. Everything seems to be normal. After initial check up, I started engines and recording camera. Took off and hoovered at 2feet. At that point P4 moved rapidly backwards and up - hitting trees behind me. I was trying to get controll of the aircraft pushing sticks forward to avoid trees. Unvortunately I was not able to do it. P4 flew into branches at that moment I was afraid it will fall into the water below. I was able to regaing control pushing aircraft awaly from trees and up. At that moment I brought P4 down for save landing. From that moment on my camera - gimble is trying to reset to horizontal position by swinging up and down.

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I gave DJI all information and data with video and pictures. I've saved everything into my DropBox account and send them links. Unfortunately since I was using Litchi they approached this as non warranty issue. Their response was following:

Thank you for contacting DJI Technical Support.

Based on the advised from our Service team, since you used Litchi - a 3rd party application, there is no way we can pull up flight record and it is non-warranty. You have an option to send the unit in for repair, it this is not a fly away case and you retrieved your drone. This is for us to diagnose and repair the unit.

Please let us know. We will be waiting for your response.

Best Regards,

Jenny

DJI NA TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Tel Support: +1(818)235 0789 / Mon-Fri 7:00AM-5:00PM(PST)

Online Support: DJI Support - Here for You

I was under impression I can use Litchi without voiding warranty. I very open to any suggestions.
Thank You

 

[flpholt]

this is the second time I heard dji not warranty cause of third party app

 

[msinger]

Based on the advised from our Service team, since you used Litchi - a 3rd party application, there is no way we can pull up flight record

This doesn't make much sense since the Phantom stores its own flight log on its internal memory card. You could send them that DAT file or they could review it when you send in your Phantom.

I was under impression I can use Litchi without voiding warranty

The DJI Warranty does not mention anything about using 3rd party software. I would imagine they might not want to cover something if you were using an automated flight mode within Litchi. That does not seem to be the case here though.

 

[neven]

Tell those [EXPLETIVE REMOVED] that their stupid out of control drone made you jump in the lake/ocean with your tablet and it is dead now so you can't provide that log but can send them .dat from Phantom itself.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[neven]

This doesn't make much sense since the Phantom stores its own flight log on its internal memory card. You could send them that DAT file or they could review it when you send in your Phantom.


The DJI Warranty does not mention anything about using 3rd party software. I would imagine they might not want to cover something if you were using an automated flight mode within Litchi. That does not seem to be the case here though.

I haven't read that warranty terms before and I can't believe they made such document. You can't make different warranty period for every single part in device! OK, battery can be on period/usage terms but rest should be considered as a single unit with fixed period of warranty. I don't think warranty terms like this are even legal in EU.

 

[With The Birds]

Seems reasonable to me. Send the drone to them so they can do their analysis on the .dat file.

They havent said your warranty is void because you have flown with litchi for the subject flight. They have saud the litchi log file does not allow them to determine the cause of the incident.

 

[FlipFlap]

Thanks a lot. I've send them package today. Will post outcome of their evaluation.

 

[The Brit]

I have a ?
Did you Force Kill the DJI app before flying with Litchi ?
I have read that on some Devices running Litchi you can't even have the DJI app Installed without problems .But Dji works fine with Litchi installed .
I have only had my P4 ( my first ever drone ) a week but I have done a lot of reading .
I am probably completely wrong by the way

 

[FlipFlap]

I always make sure DJI is forced killed before lunching Litchi. I use Litchi for pano shots and circling around one point. This drone (P4) - since the beginning was a suspect to me. I had both P3P and P4 hovering together and P4 was less stable and showed more jumping around than older model. I wasn't alone when this happened.

 

[r62ewa]

Another instance of a Phantom 4 going 'rogue' and taking off on its own, seems to be quite a few in the last few days.

 

[tcope]

They havent said your warranty is void because you have flown with litchi for the subject flight. They have saud the litchi log file does not allow them to determine the cause of the incident.

I don't think it's clear what they are saying. I'd also keep in mind, what _that_ person wrote may not be what anyone else at the repair center thinks. Why are then even mentioning the use of Litchi at this time? It really makes little sense (really none, but I'm being nice) to mention that Litchi does not record flight records the same as Go. The only reason why the difference would have been mentioned is to state that DJI may not repair the Phantom under warranty due to the lack of these flight records. Still pointless to mention at this stage but it does confirm that at least this one person is stating something may not be covered under warranty because Litchi was being used and it does not create the same flight logs. Obviously the DJI is at odds with its own view on this matter. Nothing new though.

OP, send it in and wait to see what they say.

Also, "calibration"? What calibration did you do at the time? If you are in the same general area I'd recommend against always doing a compass calibration. This opens the door for an incorrect calibration.

 

[With The Birds]

I don't think it's clear what they are saying. I'd also keep in mind, what _that_ person wrote may not be what anyone else at the repair center thinks. Why are then even mentioning the use of Litchi at this time? It really makes little sense (really none, but I'm being nice) to mention that Litchi does not record flight records the same as Go. The only reason why the difference would have been mentioned is to state that DJI may not repair the Phantom under warranty due to the lack of these flight records. Still pointless to mention at this stage but it does confirm that at least this one person is stating something may not be covered under warranty because Litchi was being used and it does not create the same flight logs. Obviously the DJI is at odds with its own view on this matter. Nothing new though.

OP, send it in and wait to see what they say.

Also, "calibration"? What calibration did you do at the time? If you are in the same general area I'd recommend against always doing a compass calibration. This opens the door for an incorrect calibration.

i think its very clear what they are saying... They cant determine cause and warranty position based on third party app log file. They wrote it in the email. We have seen many instances of DJI taking this position in this forum

I suspect we will find if the .dat from the AC demonstrates it is a DJI hardware/software issue there will be no problems

 

[neven]

i think its very clear what they are saying... They cant determine cause and warranty position based on third party app log file. They wrote it in the email. We have seen many instances of DJI taking this position in this forum

I suspect we will find if the .dat from the AC demonstrates it is a DJI hardware/software issue there will be no problems

Unfortunately "we" can't parse P4 .dat yet

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Salmon Jack]

I'm on my 4th P4 since May; 2 of them have had altitude reporting problems. P4#1 flew fine for the first 70 flights and then started throwing a "2No.ESC" error on the 2nd flight of the day. I sent it in to DJI. In the meantime, since I'm trying to start a business, I bought a backup. This P4#2 had a bad accelerometer and barometer and reported negative altitudes in its first two flights. I returned it to Amazon and bought another. P4#3 has been flying fine through its first 12 flights. Meanwhile, DJI sent back P4#1 but it had a different serial number, thus becoming P4#4. It arrived yesterday, 8/23, and reported the wrong altitude on landing and wouldn't hold still during flight in no wind and released sticks. It also wants me to provide a name for my Inspire. Despite a factory reset, firmware upload, calibrating the IMU, controller and compass it continued reporting erroneous altitudes and climbing and descending without stick input. My case is now 19 days old and I await DJI's next reply.

 

[flpholt]

I'm on my 4th P4 since May; 2 of them have had altitude reporting problems. P4#1 flew fine for the first 70 flights and then started throwing a "2No.ESC" error on the 2nd flight of the day. I sent it in to DJI. In the meantime, since I'm trying to start a business, I bought a backup. This P4#2 had a bad accelerometer and barometer and reported negative altitudes in its first two flights. I returned it to Amazon and bought another. P4#3 has been flying fine through its first 12 flights. Meanwhile, DJI sent back P4#1 but it had a different serial number, thus becoming P4#4. It arrived yesterday, 8/23, and reported the wrong altitude on landing and wouldn't hold still during flight in no wind and released sticks. It also wants me to provide a name for my Inspire. Despite a factory reset, firmware upload, calibrating the IMU, controller and compass it continued reporting erroneous altitudes and climbing and descending without stick input. My case is now 19 days old and I await DJI's next reply.

time to jump ship come over to autel

 

[Salmon Jack]

In the midst of all that I tried an Autel. I sent it back to Amazon too, as despite their documentation, there's no way to retrieve log files. That's imperative for a business.

 

[flpholt]

In the midst of all that I tried an Autel. I sent it back to Amazon too, as despite their documentation, there's no way to retrieve log files. That's imperative for a business.

they are working on a fix for that issue

 

[FlipFlap]

Jumping and not holding altitude was exactly what I experienced. I was not accustomed that behavior with P3P

 

[With The Birds]

Unfortunately "we" can't parse P4 .dat yet

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using PhantomPilots mobile app

That may be true, seems to be the current position from recent postings here.

By "we" i was reffering to those of us who are interested in the outcome here and assuming that it will be DJI who performs the .dat analysis.

 

[Salmon Jack]

Jumping and not holding altitude was exactly what I experienced. I was not accustomed that behavior with P3P

I called DJI. It's not normal to receive a different aircraft. I didn't know, but they sent a new P4, thus the different serial number. So, this 4th one is defective with the negative altitude reporting and wandering. I've been promised another return shipping label and likely a new case number.

Meanwhile, P4#1 (long gone) is the one registered with the FAA and my insurance company.

PITA.