Follow Me Mode Voids your Phantom Warranty?!!! Wow, just Wow

[RGB_lights]

Had a fly-away crash with my Phantom 4. I sent it to DJI for evaluation of the logs and warranty repair.

Backstory: Entering follow-me mode, my drone immediately took off sideways away from its current point and flew away until striking a tree well away from the open area I was flying. The logs clearly show good GPS lock on both the drone and my controller position. DJI didn't give me a good explanation (any?) of why it would fly sideways like that, but said "The repair department decision for a non warranty repair is final. It was found that your aircraft is not subject to DJI warranty services when using Follow me/Way-points automatically voids the warranty." What??!? Boy that won't be on the advertisements, and it certainly isn't in any of those great Phantom Reviews touting this great feature. Full DJI reply is at the end of this post. I'd welcome DJI contacting me to make this right. I'm done... to frustrated with lack of answers, long delays, no replies. Loved the Phantom, but this will be the last DJI product I ever buy with this response.


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Logs:
HealthyDrones.com - Innovative flight data analysis that matters

Check out blue dot, straight flyaway line and the orientation of the drone (stayed in that direction the whole flight).

From: DJI support.us <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: chat
To: [xxxx]



Dear [xxxx],

Thank you for contacting DJI NORTH AMERICA, according to RMA [xxx] the repair department has completed it's evaluation of your aircraft and has determined that this is a non warranty repair. Your craft (including additional parts). The craft has been checked for both cosmetic damage and major physical/electrical issues. The invoice will reflect all issues with the product, however after the evaluation of your aircraft this repair does not meet the criteria for a warranted repair please review the DJI warranty details below.

DJI WARRANTY
DJI - After-sales Service Policies

The repair department decision for a non warranty repair is final. It was found that your aircraft is not subject to DJI warranty services when using Follow me/Way-points automatically voids the warranty.

Please reply to this email with the screen shot of your proof of payment for the invoice below or the best return address to send the aircraft back in it's current state un-repaired. Please note this matter is time sensitive .




Best Regards,
DJI NORTH AMERICA

For quicker assistance please feel free to utilize our Live Chat option by following the link provided: DJI Support - Here for You

 

[flpholt]

wow dji just wants to lose customers

 

[captainmilehigh]

Wow, that's wild. Hopefully this info will be passed around the forum quickly to keep others from finding out the hard way. Sorry for your loss RGB. Maybe Hani (hunch) at UAV Drones can fix it for ya. Worth a shot.


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[Mako79]

Just remember FAP FAP FAP.
Maybe this is different on the P4's, but on the P3A/P, there is a FAP switch. Throw it into P for position lock!

 

[flpholt]

Wow, that's wild. Hopefully this info will be passed around the forum quickly to keep others from finding out the hard way. Sorry for your loss RGB. Maybe Hani (hunch) at UAV Drones can fix it for ya. Worth a shot.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

hard to believe something that is built into system and dji boost about it voids warranty that is just the stupidest thing I ever heard its like if you have a convertible and you put the top down voids warranty

 

[flpholt]

this one thread should make everyone wake up and see what is really going on here this is just stupid still cant beleave it

 

[captainmilehigh]

Yeah, and the craziest part about all this is that I've NEVER seen anything anywhere about "follow me" voiding any warranties. ??


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[flpholt]

Yeah, and the craziest part about all this is that I've NEVER seen anything anywhere about "follow me" voiding any warranties. ??


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everyone should know this it is wrong in so many ways

 

[captainmilehigh]

There's a thread running near this one claiming that Litchi voids warranty too. Haven't read through it for the facts.........but it's there. [emoji31]


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[flpholt]

every phantom pilot needs to see this dji could not warranty anything if they chose soon as you go and use any of the features they built in

 

[WetDog]

I have a feeling that this is just one of those little DJI "issues". Some support peon making something up or, more likely, something got lost in translation from a Chinese tech. DJI does not seem to employ too many bilingual people. Most of the time their translation efforts seem to be right out of Google Translate.

I would go over to the DJI forums and see if Ken or one of the other reps can straighten this out before going all Sturm Und Drang. Or write back and see if somebody else can corroborate this.

Maybe you were holding it wrong? (Oh, wait, that was Apple.)

 

[captainmilehigh]

I'd like to hear what TJ or msinger think about this.


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[flpholt]

I'd like to hear what TJ or msinger think about this.


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me to where is tj

 

[captainmilehigh]

WetDog might be right......it may be just a translation or procedure mistake by DJI.


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[flpholt]

the letter is pretty straight forward about it

 

[RGB_lights]

Definitely not a translation issue. I was talking to a US support person. I asked for clarification and a supervisor. When they really couldn't explain, this is the email I got when I requested an email be sent after we were done. I expect that is also why I got the words in bold that stated "The repair department decision for a non warranty repair is final." The bold is is their reply, not my edit.

 

[WetDog]

Oh, it's not over until the fat lady sings but DJI is certainly not getting style points for this. Interesting about the US support person - still could be a translation issue since the directive undoubtedly came from HQ.

Like I said, you might try the DJI forum. The reps there occasionally manage to bust through the DJI wall and get things done. I'd hate to have their job though...

 

[flpholt]

Oh, it's not over until the fat lady sings but DJI is certainly not getting style points for this. Interesting about the US support person - still could be a translation issue since the directive undoubtedly came from HQ.

Like I said, you might try the DJI forum. The reps there occasionally manage to bust through the DJI wall and get things done. I'd hate to have their job though...

wall is growing

 

[NotARubicon]

Count me in for helping to make this tidbit of information go viral if DJI does not make this right..

 

[NotARubicon]

Does anyone have the warranty documentation? Surely it's spelled out there?