Alpine Mavic Crash - I thought I would never have to ask

[awood35]

So I've read multiple stories concerning DJI Crashes...now I'm here asking for advice as DJI support is currently offline till tomorrow.

I wanted to capture a Sunset tonight, so I went up on my roof (top deck overlook) and awaited DJIGo4 to tell me I was Good to Fly! I initiated AUTO Launch and the Mavic proceeded to acceend (4') but then I noticed that it started drifting away like never before.

It started hauling, COMPASS ERROR warning messaged appeared. I tried to slow it down or stop it - NOTHING WORKED.
I tried to bring it back or slow it down so that it would not hit someone else's house. The best I could do was crash it into a tree.

It tumbled down about 50' and crashed.

Gimbal error/overload message (attempt to reboot)
A small piece is cracked on the rear LEFT leg.

Advice?

**EDIT - Log removed and Drone sent to DJI in Texas...awaiting outcome**

 

[Point Zero]

Holy smoke that doesn't look good! Hope you get it sorted with DJI, they are pretty good when they know its a genuine error. Whats more worrying is just losing control of your AC and not being able to get control back. It will be interesting to see what the pro data analysis dudes on here can make of it?

 

[Meta4]

I went up on my roof (top deck overlook) and awaited DJIGo4 to tell me I was Good to Fly! I initiated AUTO Launch and the Mavic proceeded to acceend (4') but then I noticed that it started drifting away like never before.

It looks like you launched from on top of some steel.
The most common explanation is launching from reinforced concrete surfaces but if it was a wood deck, perhaps there was a bolt etc just underneath the Mavic.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Did you have GPS lock before you initiated launch??

 

[Meta4]

Did you have GPS lock before you initiated launch??

His data shows he did, but that is irrelevant anyway.

 

[awood35]

It looks like you launched from on top of some steel.
The most common explanation is launching from reinforced concrete surfaces but if it was a wood deck, perhaps there was a bolt etc just underneath the Mavic.

Possibly there was a bolt/screw underneath the deck.
The deck is wood itself.

And yes, I fully had GPS lock prior to launching; I've always been one to wait. I owned a Spark before the Mavic...have been using DJI drone since Dec 2017.

 

[Meta4]

And yes, I fully had GPS lock prior to launching; I've always been one to wait. I owned a Spark before the Mavic...have been using DJI drone since Dec 2017.

You'll see members often post that whenever anyone has any problem.
It's almost always irrelevant and unlikely to cause any issue in most situations.

One other issue I noted in your flight data that was unrelated to the incident but could have caused trouble if the flight went longer.
You launched with a partially discharged battery.
The % indication gives a false reading unless the battery is fully charged.
Partially discharged batteries cannot deliver full voltage for long and have been the cause of many fall-from-the-sky incidents.

 

[awood35]

Understood. Normally I just fly around the house and return home.

My biggest take away from the flight logs are that the drone started drifting right after takeoff BUT I didn't move the sticks till 6 seconds into the flight.

I'm 5 months into the purchase so I'm hoping...that this will be resolved (with ease) from DJI**???**

 

[sar104]

It certainly has the characteristics of magnetic interference at the launch site - specifically in the disagreement between actual and computed position based on velocity:



The mobile device DAT file would be needed to confirm that diagnosis.

Mobile device DAT file: How to retrieve a V3.DAT from the tablet

 

[awood35]

Great news!
Covered under Warrenty, these are what was found broken...currently DJI has it as with QC / Flight Test as the repairs were compleated already. Thanks for all the help guys!