Crashed, but why?

[mikeGR]

Hi all,

Unfortunately I crashed my MP a few days ago and would like to find out what exactly happened; if any of you out there are happy to help, please read on.

While attempting the last flight of the day, thinking I can get 2-3 nice shots of a Swiss village I was visiting, I started with my battery at 77%. It was night (6pm) and the temperature was near 0C, which is still ok as per Mavic specs. I warmed up the battery and powered the drone up, let the motors run for maybe a minute and then decided to take-off. I only flew 40m away and up at 30m height, then hovered to click a few pics, all was looking good and was about to head back and land (flight time so far: 48 seconds). Then I get the following warning:

"Motor Current Error. Check your props and fly with caution".

I panicked as I have never had this error message again; I thought that the battery is not feeding the motors with enough power, so I was expecting the Mavic to start losing altitude. At this point the confusion starts, as I am not sure what I did. My plan was to bring it down as quickly as possible to avoid a potential crash due to motors stopping. Unfortunately I got tricked and I thought I was descending in open space while in fact I crash-landed in the side of the roof of a Swiss chalet. And then the drone just flipped over and crashed completely on the ground.

When I approached the crash site, I saw the back left arm broken at its root and the battery detached but powered-on. Also, later at home I found out that despite I am getting full video stream at my iPhone when linked, the gimball does not work at all (nor does it initialize), though it's not broken (possibly stopped working due to the impact?).

I have an active DJI Care Refresh subscription and I will send the drone to them, though I'd like to know what you people think the reason for the crash was. Specifically, was there a change in motor performance when I got the error, that would explain the drone descending on its own? Or was it all just me taking the drone down to the roof? I think that knowing this, would make the difference between submitting a warranty claim and a Care Refresh one.

Not sure how to upload flight data here, would be glad to do so if someone can send me the instructions.

Thanks!

 

[Callum]

Motor current errors seem to be quite common with the platinum.

No disrespect but I think you already know what caused your crash, the moment of panic caused you to decrease altitude before checking your surroundings.

Hopefully someone else will post how to upload logs if that gives you peace of mind.

Glad you have refresh and hopefully will be back in the air soon.

 

[Hollow Dog]

Have you updated recently?
Warning: Motor current error. Check your propellers and fly with care
#13

 

[2nckayakers]

I have had that error before too when I was doing prolonged flight in sport mode. It happens sometimes. Not sure why you got it, maybe it was a little windy? Maybe it was just the cold air? Although when I got it, the outside temp was around 39C so I didn't have the same conditions as you did.

But as Callum already stated, the crash was user error. In that moment of panic you just were not paying attention to your flying. It has happened to the best of us at one point or another. Some of us have just come out un scathed and others have gone down in flames.

 

[mikeGR]

I had read that thread but none of it applies to my case, no wind, no sport mode, no tear in the props and no prior incidents or crashes.

It might have been the cold weather but it seems a bit random as 20mins before the crash I flew again at a nearby location where it was equally cold and there were no incidents.

It would be great if DJI issued a booklet with all error messages listed in it together with possible consequences for the drone so that we can be better prepared when we get them.

Also, would you send back the battery as well or just the drone if you were me? I’m a bit reluctant to fly my future refurb on this battery as I don’t know whether the error I got had something to do with the battery or whether the crash impacted the battery in any way.



PS. Yes I was running the latest firmwire.

 

[FlyPro-UK]

Any chance you had picked up some dust in one of the motors?

This could cause a temporary over current but would not necessarily stop the motor.

 

[mikeGR]

Any chance you had picked up some dust in one of the motors?

This could cause a temporary over current but would not necessarily stop the motor.

Nope, no dust either.