Battery catches fire

[Wiggaz]

I had my mavic pro with a battery in it and an extra battery in my backpack which was strapped down on back of my motorcycle. My backpack caught fire which in turn melted straps causing backpack to fall under seat by back wheel and got lodged between wheel and frame causing back tire to lock up and send me skidding down highway. I came to a stop and dropped bike and ran away thinking my bike was on fire. After looking I noticed it was the backpack. I removed burning pack from bike and put it out with water. After myself and fire department inspected it was determined that the extra battery was what caught fire. My question is how do I go about this with DJI? I luckily was not injured.

 

[Wiggaz]

I had my mavic pro with a battery in it and an extra battery in my backpack which was strapped down on back of my motorcycle. My backpack caught fire which in turn melted straps causing backpack to fall under seat by back wheel and got lodged between wheel and frame causing back tire to lock up and send me skidding down highway. I came to a stop and dropped bike and ran away thinking my bike was on fire. After looking I noticed it was the backpack. I removed burning pack from bike and put it out with water. After myself and fire department inspected it was determined that the extra battery was what caught fire. My question is how do I go about this with DJI? I luckily was not injured.

Drone was burned along with other belongings

 

[rhl_9]

file a ticket through chat. don't call... chat is faster IMO

 

[microlinux]

If it's under warranty, open a support case.

 

[Kilrah]

Was the battery loose in the bag with something that could have exercised force on or punctured it? Way too many people throw them in with stuff randomly instead of properly protecting them in individual compartments.

 

[BerndM]

Those batteries are pretty solidly encased and even the contacts are recessed to the point where it would be virtually impossible for anything thin enough to get across the 2 terminals that would result in a short circuit.
I wonder IF it was indeed a defective battery, could DJI also be liable for any damages done to your backpack and motorcycle?
Worth looking into i supposed. Never hurts to try.
Glad you weren't hurt.

 

[Capra Vecinului]

Do tell us more how the extra battery was stored in your backpack. I only use dedicated LiPo bags; not as much as to contain a possible fire, but to be sure the battery pins do not get shorted by other metallic objects in my backpack.

 

[hoggdoc]

Those batteries are pretty solidly encased and even the contacts are recessed to the point where it would be virtually impossible for anything thin enough to get across the 2 terminals that would result in a short circuit.
I wonder IF it was indeed a defective battery, could DJI also be liable for any damages done to your backpack and motorcycle?
Worth looking into i supposed. Never hurts to try.
Glad you weren't hurt.

Sure they could be liable, but good luck suing a Chinese company....

 

[Flycaster]

Do tell us more how the extra battery was stored in your backpack. I only use dedicated LiPo bags; not as much as to contain a possible fire, but to be sure the battery pins do not get shorted by other metallic objects in my backpack.

And I also have the little silicone contact protectors for the batteries and the AC itself.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N9FASEL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Former Member]

Yes you were very lucky you werent going faster. It could have been a disaster.

Take some pictures and let us see the damage. The damage to the bike might be covered by your comprehensive coverage, if you have any. The drone and backpack damage might be covered by your homeowners or renters insurance.

As 2 others have mentioned, you can file a ticket with DJI, and send both the drone, and extra battery back to DJI, and see what they say. They might give you a new drone and extra battery, but dont count on a new backpack.

 

[Kilrah]

Those batteries are pretty solidly encased

The bottom is actually unprotected, the sticker is straight on the cell. Mechanical agression there can damage/rupture the cell.

 

[Ping^Spike]

Mate, I don't know what country you're in or the laws there, but if this happened to me, my first call would be to my bike insurance company.

Let them chase DJI in court for the damages.

 

[Former Member]

Mate, I don't know what country you're in or the laws there, but if this happened to me, my first call would be to my bike insurance company.

Let them chase DJI in court for the damages.

Not sure about the bike insurance rules in the UK, but in the USA, unless the part is permanently affixed and/or covered as a custom part of the motorcycle, bike insurance wont cover it. The Ops Mavic and battery were in a backpack.

 

[Wiggaz]

If it's under warranty, open a support case.

I would assume it's under warranty. I bought it from best buy about 2 months ago. Thanks for replying.

 

[Wiggaz]

Was the battery loose in the bag with something that could have exercised force on or punctured it? Way too many people throw them in with stuff randomly instead of properly protecting them in individual compartments.

Yes battery was loose in bag. Temperature in Michigan was 94 degrees that day.

 

[Wiggaz]

Do tell us more how the extra battery was stored in your backpack. I only use dedicated LiPo bags; not as much as to contain a possible fire, but to be sure the battery pins do not get shorted by other metallic objects in my backpack.

Battery was not in protective case. Didnt have room for a case on motorcycle

 

[Wiggaz]

Yes you were very lucky you werent going faster. It could have been a disaster.

Take some pictures and let us see the damage. The damage to the bike might be covered by your comprehensive coverage, if you have any. The drone and backpack damage might be covered by your homeowners or renters insurance.

As 2 others have mentioned, you can file a ticket with DJI, and send both the drone, and extra battery back to DJI, and see what they say. They might give you a new drone and extra battery, but dont count on a new backpack.

I will upload pictures of drone but I released the battery to fire department cause I did not want to carry that on way home on bike in case it was still hot inside. In the moment I wasn't thinking of dji policies just getting home safe

 

[Kilrah]

Yes battery was loose in bag.

I've been very careful about that since I carried 2 Inspire 1 batteries loose in a bag one day and when taking them out I found one had its accessible cells significantly dented in many places by the hard plastic corner of the other poking at it due to things moving around. That's totally capable of causing a fire, and isn't DJI's fault.
Now careful to put them in a pocket where they can't move, and preferably separated from each other and anything sharp. There's a reason there are so many cases with separate compartments in foam for each battery.

 

[SYC12]

Battery was not in protective case. Didnt have room for a case on motorcycle

Sorry for your incidence. Follow the claim or not is your call. But you really don't need a big case for MP and batteries protection. Throw these three things into any backpack will do all the tricks.

 

[gow7]

Sorry for your incidence. Follow the claim or not is your call. But you really don't need a big case for MP and batteries protection. Throw these three things into any backpack will do all the tricks.
View attachment 22239

Yup, exactly my combo, I'm very happy with it, I'd recommend.