Cautionary tale for DJI replacement service.

[WilliamDaugherty]

I share this situation for your information only. I'm not looking for advice. Take it as you will. No need for pointless commentary.

After less than two weeks of use, my new Air 3S purchased at the NYC DJI store began to produce corrupt still images. After going through DJI's troubleshooting steps, they agreed this was a warranty issue and suggested I send it to Texas for evaluation. I suggested there must be a better way since the drone was new. They said it could be replaced under their 30-day replacement policy and that I would receive a new-in-the-box replacement. Shortly after I shipped it, I got an email saying "we are sorry but due to parts unavailability, your repair may take 60-90 days, or longer." Over the last week I've gone back and forth with them over this case, stating that I would have returned it to the DJI store if I had known I would get this run-around. Two days ago they said they would now facilitate a new drone via Canada and gave me a new support case number. Unfortunately, the service portal says the case does not exist. They are now just repeating the same messages back to me: "We are sorry for the inconvenience. We will notify you when your replacement ships."

This is my busiest time of year due to the foliage here in Northern New England, so this hits hard.

 

[msinger]

FYI:

Service Request Delay Notice

Service Request Delay Notice

support.dji.com

 

[mavic3usa]

Lately when you buy from the DJI store in NYC, they promise direct service to their customers specifically because DJI corporate falls flat in this area. They probably have a repair service available to them but in your case, it sounds like a replacement would have been made available. There's a good reason they offer this because DJI can't help or cannot be relied upon. But now, in addition to your delays, you'll run the risk of your inbound drone from Canada possibly having a nasty encounter with the customs branch of the border patrol who feel like they are guarding our country under attack by the enemy thru the mail.

 

[Paulomatic]

I bought an Air3s in late June only to discover I would not be able to buy Care Refresh, and now we are aware that DJI cannot even fulfill basic warranty obligations.
I sense a class-action lawsuit revving up. DJI could not have handled this situation any worse than they have.

 

[msinger]

I sense a class-action lawsuit revving up

Who are you planning to sue? DJI for not being able to help, or the government for stopping DJI from helping you? Maybe you should go for both to double your chances of success.

 

[Paulomatic]

I'm not planning on suing anyone, but DJI should be planning on getting sued by several thousand customers who got less than they paid for. (The warranty that DJI cannot deliver.)
Like I said, DJI could not have handled this bad situation any worse than they did.

 

[msinger]

DJI could not have handled this bad situation any worse than they did

How would you handle it differently?

 

[anotherlab]

I bought an Air3s in late June only to discover I would not be able to buy Care Refresh, and now we are aware that DJI cannot even fulfill basic warranty obligations.
I sense a class-action lawsuit revving up. DJI could not have handled this situation any worse than they have.

Who would you sue?

Sales of new Care Refresh policies were halted because US Customs held up the refurbished drones that DJI supplies as replacements. The hold is related to concerns over compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, an act that DJI claims they are not violating.

It makes more sense for DJI to stop offering an extended warranty program that they are blocked from fulfilling until they can resolve the issue.

 

[Paulomatic]

How would you handle it differently?

I would stop the lies and apologize for previous poor communication with customers.
The Big Lie? DJI has never, ever admitted that customs seizures are the heart of the problem. They have never told the truth about the situation, we have pieced it together on our own. They are still talking about "parts shortages" that do not exist.
The other huge problem has been DJI's secretiveness about the whole process of withdrawing from the U.S. market. When I enquired with DJI about the sudden inability to buy Care Refresh on my newly purchased Air3s I was told, "We announced it on our website a week ago." Apparently that was the only place they announced it.
This forum reveals the huge amount of confusion about the situation even among a very knowledgeable group.

 

[msinger]

I would stop the lies and apologize for previous poor communication with customers.
The Big Lie? DJI has never, ever admitted that customs seizures are the heart of the problem. They have never told the truth about the situation, we have pieced it together on our own.

If you've only been relying on this forum for information, I can understand why things might seem confusing or why it might feel like DJI hasn't communicated clearly enough. It's just important to remember that DJI doesn't use this forum as an official channel to share information.

If you visit DJI's official website, you'll find many articles that explain the situation in more detail. Here are some of them:

9/25/2024

New Independent Audit Confirms Robust Privacy Controls Available To DJI Drone Operators

Independent audit by FTI Consulting confirms robust privacy controls and best practices in DJI's Mavic 3T drone, RC Pro controller, and Pilot 2 software.

viewpoints.dji.com

10/2/2024

US Department of the Interior Says Anti-DJI Regulation Hurt Its Operations

In 2020, DJI was placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, more colloquially known as the “economic blacklist.” Now, four years later, the Department of the Interior reports negative effects of that decision.

www.dji.com

12/19/2024

U.S. Congress Finalizes FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Without Countering CCP Drones Act - Here’s What to Watch for in 2025

Congress finalized and passed the NDAA, and we are pleased to share that neither the CCCPD Act nor any similar proposed legislation were included.

viewpoints.dji.com

12/28/2024

Drone maker DJI hits back at US bill to ban products,citing commitment to data security

Chinese drone maker DJI has blasted a bill that would ban sales of its products inthe US as “baseless allegations and xenophobic fear”, as it reiterated its commitment to user data security.

www.dji.com

6/13/2025

Six Months to the NDAA Deadline: Time Is Ticking for a DJI Audit

We commend the administration’s recent EOs, but there is still a key pressing issue that remains unresolved for DJI and the drone community: the upcoming NDAA deadline.

viewpoints.dji.com

6/18/2025

Your Data, Your Control: A Look At DJI’s Latest Data Security & Privacy Updates

DJI shares two important updates: the launch of FlightHub 2 On-Premises and the release of the 2025 edition of our Drone Security White Paper.

viewpoints.dji.com

7/3/2025

Navigating U.S. Customs: Demonstrating DJI’s Commitment to Ethical Production & Labor Practices

A customs-related misunderstanding is currently affecting DJI's ability to import select drones into the United States.

viewpoints.dji.com

7/16/2025

Don’t Ground Innovation: The Real-World Cost of Banning DJI in the U.S.

Explore the map below to hear directly from public safety officials, farmers, and industry leaders across the U.S. who use DJI drones every day.

viewpoints.dji.com

9/30/2025

DJI Statement on U.S. Court Ruling Regarding Department of Defense Designation - DJI

On September 26, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia released a decision regarding the Department of Defense’s (DoD) designation of DJI as a “Chinese Military Company.” While the Court disappointingly permitted DoD’s designation of DJI to stand, the Court in so doing made...

www.dji.com

 

[jaja6009]

OP, I had a similar situation with a replacement drone.
Previously I dealt with Cerritos when sending back damaged or malfunctioning drones. When I had a problem with an Avata 2 it had changed to Texas.

A confusing point was that the DJI. com service portal had no information on my pending case.
After about 1 month out of nowhere I recieved a tracking number from DJI in Canada and within a week a new Avata 2 was at my door.

The process was nothing like my previous interactions with DJI, but with all of the Customs problems ongoing there was a solution happening behind the scenes.

I wish you the best getting your replacement, and hopefully your case will end similar to mine.

 

[WilliamDaugherty]

OP, I had a similar situation with a replacement drone.
Previously I dealt with Cerritos when sending back damaged or malfunctioning drones. When I had a problem with an Avata 2 it had changed to Texas.

A confusing point was that the DJI. com service portal had no information on my pending case.
After about 1 month out of nowhere I recieved a tracking number from DJI in Canada and within a week a new Avata 2 was at my door.

The process was nothing like my previous interactions with DJI, but with all of the Customs problems ongoing there was a solution happening behind the scenes.

I wish you the best getting your replacement, and hopefully your case will end similar to mine.

Thank you for your kind wishes. My original case shows as "awaiting shipping" but the new "Canadian" case still shows as non-existent. Having refused my request for a refund, DJI support has now also refused to return the drone to me so I can't pursue recourse with the Camrise folks directly in NYC (DJI store). This leaves me with few options that are not extreme.

To be clear: DJI told me they would ship my replacement "...as soon as we receive your defective drone." I was aware of the repair delays but hearing this set me at ease. Unfortunately they lied. Should I have known they were lying? Perhaps, but they've always been straight with me before.

 

[moldorf]

I would imagine there are thousands of pilots with a 2 year Care Refresh policy in effect that if they need file a claim they will find the policy is pretty ineffective

Is this DJI's fault? Not reall,y although I suppose they could have suspended the selling of Care Refresh coverage when Stefanik's bill was winding it's way thru Congress. Maybe they should offer partial refunds. That would be a nightmare for them but it might be possible. They won't though

It's not just the customs barrier, although with Trump threatening a 100% tariff on China, there's really no compelling reason for DJI to comply with any USA warranties they have issued. Especially with the reality that imports of DJI drones could be completely banned before the end of the year

it's a sad state of affairs for drone enthusiasts, but the sadness has all been Made in America

 

[WilliamDaugherty]

I would imagine there are thousands of pilots with a 2 year Care Refresh policy in effect that if they need file a claim they will find the policy is pretty ineffective

Is this DJI's fault? Not reall,y although I suppose they could have suspended the selling of Care Refresh coverage when Stefanik's bill was winding it's way thru Congress. Maybe they should offer partial refunds. That would be a nightmare for them but it might be possible. They won't though

It's not just the customs barrier, although with Trump threatening a 100% tariff on China, there's really no compelling reason for DJI to comply with any USA warranties they have issued. Especially with the reality that imports of DJI drones could be completely banned before the end of the year

it's a sad state of affairs for drone enthusiasts, but the sadness has all been Made in America

I understand DJI is in a terrible position. I just don't understand why they had to lie to me about getting a replacement immediately. If they hadn't said that to me directly, I would never have sent them the drone. I would have returned it to the DJI store for replacement or refund. Yes, the idea that they would replace a faulty new unit immediately does beggar belief, but like many delusions, I wanted to believe...and they said it explicitly, so there's that.

 

[Landshark99]

You could say they are lying or they are afraid of never working out the issues with US Customs by putting the blame on them. This administration takes no responsibility for any of these actions, so all of thes companies are very careful on what the say is the reason for these issues.

I find it hard to blame DJI when there were little issues with their customer service and product availability before the US government got involved

 

[WilliamDaugherty]

You could say they are lying or they are afraid of never working out the issues with US Customs by putting the blame on them. This administration takes no responsibility for any of these actions, so all of thes companies are very careful on what the say is the reason for these issues.

I find it hard to blame DJI when there were little issues with their customer service and product availability before the US government got involved

I am no fan of the US government's behaviors towards DJI and the subsequent impact it has had on the market. I too had perfect customer service interactions with DJI for eight years and many warranty or Care Refresh cases. Not once in all that time did they ever directly lie to me...until now. I can't blame our government for that. Correlation is not causality.

 

[moldorf]

I understand DJI is in a terrible position. I just don't understand why they had to lie to me about getting a replacement immediately. If they hadn't said that to me directly, I would never have sent them the drone. I would have returned it to the DJI store for replacement or refund. Yes, the idea that they would replace a faulty new unit immediately does beggar belief, but like many delusions, I wanted to believe...and they said it explicitly, so there's that.

well, I'm wondering if what you perceive as a lie is DJI trapped in the limbo of Trump tariffs and a soft ban of DJI products in the USA

you say that they told you it could be "replaced under their 30-day replacement policy". So that looks like them acknowledging you filed a valid claim within that 30 day window. But was there any guarantee from DJI you'd get your new drone within that 30 day window? The subsequent email saying "we are sorry but due to parts unavailability, your repair may take 60-90 days, or longer." doesn't necessarily mean they lied

seems like they are saying, 'yes, your 30 day replacement policy' entitles you to a replacement drone', but it doesn't specify when the drone will arrive. The "later" in that follow up email gives DJI a lot of wiggle room

now maybe, DJI should have just said "we're sorry, but restrictions and customs blockages prevent us from honoring warranties and Care Refresh". In other words DJI owners are basically on their own

 

[WilliamDaugherty]

well, I'm wondering if what you perceive as a lie is DJI trapped in the limbo of Trump tariffs and a soft ban of DJI products in the USA

you say that they told you it could be "replaced under their 30-day replacement policy". So that looks like them acknowledging you filed a valid claim within that 30 day window. But was there any guarantee from DJI you'd get your new drone within that 30 day window? The subsequent email saying "we are sorry but due to parts unavailability, your repair may take 60-90 days, or longer." doesn't necessarily mean they lied

seems like they are saying, 'yes, your 30 day replacement policy' entitles you to a replacement drone', but it doesn't specify when the drone will arrive. The "later" in that follow up email gives DJI a lot of wiggle room

now maybe, DJI should have just said "we're sorry, but restrictions and customs blockages prevent us from honoring warranties and Care Refresh". In other words DJI owners are basically on their own

Not sure how to spell it out more clearly: they said they would send my replacement as soon as they received my defective unit. That is unambiguous. The day after I shipped it I received the form email stating the 60-90 day timeframe for "repair service". The rep also made it clear that Warranty, Care Refresh, and 30-day replacement were all three different services, and that the latter service was different such that they could make such a promise.

Yesterday they told me the case was expedited and I would hear from the Tier 2 team shortly, whatever that means. They have stopped responding to my questions about the phantom "Canadian case" they claimed had been created on my behalf.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I bought an Air3s in late June only to discover I would not be able to buy Care Refresh, and now we are aware that DJI cannot even fulfill basic warranty obligations.
I sense a class-action lawsuit revving up. DJI could not have handled this situation any worse than they have.

FYI: Activation of any DJI drone waives your right to pursue a class action claim against them. Read the fine print.

 

[BaldyBoyBilly]

FYI: Activation of any DJI drone waives your right to pursue a class action claim against them. Read the fine print.

Nearly every company, venue, resort park, etc has liability protection in their terms. And yet many people injured by these same entities (not just physical injuries) litigate and win settlements against them. Are you suggesting DJI has a magical shield?