Crashed and went into sea water - Help please

[ve3lbq]

No that is totally wrong, there is no ground based GPS. Here is how GPS works:

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of about 30 satellites orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 20,000 km. ... Once it has information on how far away at least three satellites are, your GPS receiver can pinpoint your location using a process called trilateration.

Welcome to our world of illusion governed by Wikipedia, Hollywood and other known agencies. We all programmed to believe them and never think and never challenge anything. If you try it may surprise you.

 

[Simmo]

Welcome to our world of illusion governed by Wikipedia, Hollywood and other known agencies. We all programmed to believe them and never think and never challenge anything. If you try it may surprise you.

You need to back up your statement with proof that there are GPS Ground stations. As the other poster has given proof of what GPS is.... Otherwise you are simply wrong.
Some light reading for you...
What Is Assisted GPS?

 

[ve3lbq]

Simmo: I think your article about assisted GPS supports my statement saying that trough cellular network it can "Get location information even when GPS can't get a signal". But in any case I am only sharing my own experience and my own conclusion that may help others to protect their equipment. I maybe wrong though. I wonder if any one has any experience operating GPS units being very far from any land or in the middle of the ocean.

 

[Simmo]

You are wrong buddy, and the GPS network has most certainly a wordwide coverage, whether out bush or out to sea. And its all done via satellites. That being said, you could be in an area, of say high tree's, buildings or natural structures, that could limit the reception of satellite data. I dont believe that the Mavic AC have an A-GPS chip, the device that you are using at the RC might??
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/GPS24golden.gif

 

[MiguelB]

Personally I would never trust it again and send it back for replacement.
Please let us know what DJI say about your logs.

A replacement would be a refurbished one, right? They are analysing the logs, will let you know they answer...

 

[MiguelB]

Had a similar situation. Was flying off of my home boat dock, which is in an airport traffic area. I went through the airport traffic exception process by going to the GEOAPP and putting my controller number in.
I was able to takeoff from the dock shortly after takeoff it said max alt reached (about 10 feet) new home point set LANDING. I put in full up throttle the drone continued to decend into the water.
Sent the drone to DJI they decided it was pilot error even though the flight records show full up throttle. They said that I had inadequite GPS coverage ever though the map shows exactly where the drone was at all times. Don’t understand how that works.
In my opinion this is a DJI data base clitch if GPS coverage is so critacle for a safe flight, why do they let you take off? Also why can’t the pilot control the drone? This is a real liability issue for DJI and the pilot. What if the drone had come down and hit something or even worse someone. Same idea as, it will not let you take off in restricted airspace unless you get an excepton. After much back and forth with DJI they replaced the drone and battery for $585.

Thanks for sharing it @Gypsyflyboy! Here's not close to airport, but it's close to the national park. In the end, were talking to them only by email? I sent it to DJI Support, and they will analyze the logs. Not sure if I should send the drone to wherever they want to wait for them to say the same stuff!
They just take sooo long to reply back and I'll be moving from here in a bit more than a month...

Frustrating...

 

[RayOZ]

Welcome to our world of illusion governed by Wikipedia, Hollywood and other known agencies. We all programmed to believe them and never think and never challenge anything. If you try it may surprise you.

And the Earth is flat. Which is why there are no satellites that orbits around the Earth.

 

[RayOZ]

Pretty brave flying over water with a new drone. Would've been better to practice on open space, on dry land first. But what is done is done. Sorry for your loss.
If it was a defective drone, DJI would've replaced it for free under warranty. If it's pilot error, it's going to be expansive to repair since you don't have DJI Care Refresh. Usually, you send to the service centre in the country where you registered the drone. Some people says it's in the country where you purchased. Not sure anymore.
You might be better off buying a new/refurbished one.

 

[Kilrah]

You simply failed to wait for the aircraft to get a proper GPS signal before taking off, then didn't know how to/failed to fly it in ATTI mode.
No way DJI will give you anything.

 

[Pietros]

Simmo: I think your article about assisted GPS supports my statement saying that trough cellular network it can "Get location information even when GPS can't get a signal". But in any case I am only sharing my own experience and my own conclusion that may help others to protect their equipment. I maybe wrong though. I wonder if any one has any experience operating GPS units being very far from any land or in the middle of the ocean.

Hi, I'm ex navy and GPS certainly works far from land in the middle of the ocean. As noted above it uses a satellite network.

 

[Turn11]

I think in full atti mode the AC drifted and you panicked slightly

I don't know how to read the charts yet but as a newbie, why didn't the AC respond to his stick inputs when it defaulted to the ATTI mode? Or were they in the wrong direction making a bad situation worse?
I just bought a H501S to learn how to respond to ATTI mode so I have yet to experience the fun ATTI brings.

 

[Turn11]

middle of the ocean

Yes

 

[Simmo]

I don't know how to read the charts yet but as a newbie, why didn't the AC respond to his stick inputs when it defaulted to the ATTI mode? Or were they in the wrong direction making a bad situation worse?
I just bought a H501S to learn how to respond to ATTI mode so I have yet to experience the fun ATTI brings.

The very erratic stick movements, even though full stick, were not of any signifcance to change the direction of the craft. It simply kept drifting. The whole 'flight' was only around 30 seconds. The actual panic time/crash was over in around 2 seconds.

 

[MiguelB]

Hi guys, just a heads up. This was DJI answer after sending them the flight logs, let me know your thoughts:

Dear Bruno,

Thank you for your patience.

Here's the result of data analysis:

Flight record:21/03/2018 12:43:17
APP account: ################
1. The aircraft worked under Optical mode after taking off;
2. T=00:35, H=2.2 m, the aircraft switched to Atti mode due to the weak GPS signal; there was no home point recorded;
3. T=00:40, H=2.3 m, the aircraft crashed in A mode.
4. In Attitude mode, the aircraft could not hover in place, brake and avoid obstacle automatically. Please fly with caution.

Conclusion: Crashed in A mode, no warranty

Thank you for understanding.

 

[Marko9219]

Hi guys, just a heads up. This was DJI answer after sending them the flight logs, let me know your thoughts:

Dear Bruno,

Thank you for your patience.

Here's the result of data analysis:

Flight record:21/03/2018 12:43:17
APP account: ################
1. The aircraft worked under Optical mode after taking off;
2. T=00:35, H=2.2 m, the aircraft switched to Atti mode due to the weak GPS signal; there was no home point recorded;
3. T=00:40, H=2.3 m, the aircraft crashed in A mode.
4. In Attitude mode, the aircraft could not hover in place, brake and avoid obstacle automatically. Please fly with caution.

Conclusion: Crashed in A mode, no warranty

Thank you for understanding.

Well, there ya go. Nothing surprising or controversial

 

[colinfowler]

Ditto to my reply in your duplicate thread.

 

[Wipster]

Hi guys,

Well, I crashed my Mavic Pro about 10 days ago and wanted some help now to know what action should I take.

I was flying from a boat on a place closed by high rocky walls here in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. The drone took off and suddenly it lost the GPS connection going into OPTI mode and after a few seconds to ATTI mode.
The drone then stared to hover and going backwards (I had no control of it) until hit the rocky walls and falling into the sea water.
I jumped into the water and was able to rescue after 30 seconds submerged, took of the battery and came back to the boat. Straight away I saw that the upper shell was broken in the front (close to the sensor) and the gimbal was cracked.

Later that day, I washed the Mavic with fresh water and put in a pot of rice and left it there for over a week.
Three days ago, I tried turning it on and it works! I got the connection with the RC, GPS signal and it says "Ready to Go". The camera won't connect and the app doesn't work too, it says: aircraft disconnected.
I wont try flying it as I am afraid of dropping and causing more problems or hitting someone/building.

During those difficult days of waiting, I was in contact with the store where I bought it (in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) and a DJI service center placed in Bangkok.
The store where I bought is asking me to send the aircraft and they will analyze and report to DJI, the service center doesn't really answer me now, they said in the beginning that I need to send the aircraft and they will have a look as well.

I've been reading a lot here in the forum about similar cases, and would like to hear your thoughts.
I know salty water is a killing to electronics and if the drone ever flies again, it wont be for longer. I also know that DJI does not cover any water damage, plus I don't have Care Refresh.

What should I do?

1 - send it to the store where I bought and let them report to DJI? (DJI support said I can only claim warranty from the country where I bought it) - I am living in Thailand and the store is in Malaysia.

2 - send it to the DJI Service Center in Bangkok and wait for what they have to say.

3 - Try to sell the drone or the parts and get a new one without the control (I have everything from the Fly More Combo)

I really don't know what should I do as wouldn't like to spend more money in something I don't really know it's gonna be fixed or I'll have to spend even more money to fix.

I also made a video from the day I turned it on, showing how the gimbal turns up and down, will upload soon. UPDATE: Here is the video of the drone, when I first turned it on: DJI Mavic Pro - crashed - Streamable

I appreciate all the help here.

Thanks,

Bruno.

Hope you had Ins send it back.