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Did What I Said I Wouldn't Do = Crash

ChuckHas

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Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
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Age
63
Ordered my Mavic 10/28 and watched the threads impatiently like everyone else. Swore when I got my Mavic (Peeper I) I would practice, practice, practice in the open desert until I was reasonably competent.

So I finally get my Fly More package from DJI just a week before I was wanting to take it to Jamaica to document a Pickleball tournament. BTW, I got pre-approval from the resort to fly/film above the tournament.

I practiced 3 batteries worth every day. Basic flight controls and a little bit with Litchi. My big problem was remembering to freaking focus!

So off to Jamaica. Mavic and batteries in carry on, no problem at all.

Day before filming went to the courts to set up the shots and preset waypoints for Litchi flight plans. The tennis pro was amazed and looked over my shoulder the entire time. What I was trying to do was pretty boring stuff so it was uncomfortable and I cut the planning short.

Next day I had a fly way shot programmed. It was going to be beautiful. Started with semi-close up of play on the court, then straight back and higher letting the resort and then the beaches/ocean unfold. So I kick off the flight plan...

Peeper I gets into position, starts filming, and backing off... OMG there's a light pole and it's not high enough quick enough! Abort! Ugh, not quick enough. Backs into the pole and then straight down to a sidewalk. The gimbal is a mess but all else looks ok. Back in the room determine not repairable by me. BTW, the flight path was purposely away from highly trafficked areas so the crash was away from everyone. But it could have been worse. I was stupid & lucky.

Back home initiate repair request. When packing it for shipping I noticed much more damage including the base metal plate bent near the SD card slot cause access issues to the card slot.

I must say the repair experience 100% better than the initial order experience. Very fast and kept me informed every step of the way. I should have Peeper II in a day or two.

Hopefully I've learned my lesson. And, of course, the video of the crash was out of focus...
 
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Best $99 I ever spent. They sent me option to pay $79 for a replacement bird or $700 to repair it not using DJI Refresh. I was concerned they might not like I was using Litchi but they didn't mention it.
 
Best $99 I ever spent. They sent me option to pay $79 for a replacement bird or $700 to repair it not using DJI Refresh. I was concerned they might not like I was using Litchi but they didn't mention it.

Good. I think I will also get it when my Mavic arrives next week.
 
Ordered my Mavic 10/28 and watched the threads impatiently like everyone else. Swore when I got my Mavic (Peeper I) I would practice, practice, practice in the open desert until I was reasonably competent.

So I finally get my Fly More package from DJI just a week before I was wanting to take it to Jamaica to document a Pickleball tournament. BTW, I got pre-approval from the resort to fly/film above the tournament.

I practiced 3 batteries worth every day. Basic flight controls and a little bit with Litchi. My big problem was remembering to freaking focus!

So off to Jamaica. Mavic and batteries in carry on, no problem at all.

Day before filming went to the courts to set up the shots and preset waypoints for Litchi flight plans. The tennis pro was amazed and looked over my shoulder the entire time. What I was trying to do was pretty boring stuff so it was uncomfortable and I cut the planning short.

Next day I had a fly way shot programmed. It was going to be beautiful. Started with semi-close up of play on the court, then straight back and higher letting the resort and then the beaches/ocean unfold. So I kick off the flight plan...

Peeper I gets into position, starts filming, and backing off... OMG there's a light pole and it's not high enough quick enough! Abort! Ugh, not quick enough. Backs into the pole and then straight down to a sidewalk. The gimbal is a mess but all else looks ok. Back in the room determine not repairable by me. BTW, the flight path was purposely away from highly trafficked areas so the crash was away from everyone. But it could have been worse. I was stupid & lucky.

Back home initiate repair request. When packing it for shipping I noticed much more damage including the base metal plate bent near the SD card slot cause access issues to the card slot.

I must say the repair experience 100% better than the initial order experience. Very fast and kept me informed every step of the way. I should have Peeper II in a day or two.

Hopefully I've learned my lesson. And, of course, the video of the crash was out of focus...
Great story but I do feel for you.
 
Don't. I learned valuable lessons and it didn't cost me too much. Though was a shame I didn't get to film the tournament.
Ok then! :p
Was not just the loss of the Mavic but also the fact that you were not able to get the footage not that it maters that much as it probably would have all been out of focus anyway :D
 
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Best $99 I ever spent. They sent me option to pay $79 for a replacement bird or $700 to repair it not using DJI Refresh. I was concerned they might not like I was using Litchi but they didn't mention it.
Jamaican me feel good...

Don't. I learned valuable lessons and it didn't cost me too much. Though was a shame I didn't get to film the tournament.
Jamaican me feel sad...
 
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Good. I think I will also get it when my Mavic arrives next week.

You can get the insurance after you receive the Mavic? I'm in Canada and have 1 on order through Apple and didn't have the option of refresh. Being my first, I think insurance is a necessity. lol
 
You can get the insurance after you receive the Mavic? I'm in Canada and have 1 on order through Apple and didn't have the option of refresh. Being my first, I think insurance is a necessity. lol
DJI Care is provided by DJI directly. When you register the drone via the app you then have 48hrs to purchase Care Refresh.
 
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So did you use the Litchi app right from the start, and didn't bother with the DJI app at all... just wondering as there is no point having 2 apps on you phone when only 1 will do... Can you do all the 1st time setup stuff from Litchi..
 
I was hoping for several weeks of practice but only got one. I practiced only with the DJI GO app at first and played with Litchi for only about a day and a half. If it didn't film video SO much better than manually flying it with the DJI GO app I wouldn't have tried Litchi with so little practice.

I just got my new bird today so I'm still a rank amateur and as such someone else can answer better than I about whether Litchi can completely replace DJI GO. I don't think so and plan to continue to use both.


Sent from my iPad using MavicPilots
 
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