Crashed - RMA progress thread

[IcyLiquid]

Hi,

I crashed my Mavic 18 days ago. I'm in the process of doing an RMA with DJI and will update this post with my experience as it happens. Hope its of some use to someone!

The craft was only about 5 feet off the ground when it crashed, and it was 100% due to pilot error. I was flying too close to an abandoned building and clipped it.

There wasn't any visible exterior damage other than the 4 absolutely shredded props (pictured), but I was getting cold so I decided to just go home.

I took it home and tried to start it back up, but got a "gimbal motor error". The gimbal didn't do its usual start up routine of spinning around and re-centering. Just sat there. After about 30 seconds I got a notification that the gimbal was restarting, but this did nothing. I restarted the Mavic a few times but it didn't help.

A little googling lead me to this post which, although it didn't solve my problem, got me thinking (and looking) at the physical situation of my gimbal. I got a flashlight and looked closer (pictured, pictured) at the gimbal mount and noticed a mark, like stressed plastic, where something seemed to have snapped off.

 

[IcyLiquid]

RMA

Luckily, I bought DJI Refresh. Not sure how this would have gone if I didn't have that.

I started an RMA with DJI by opening a web chat with their support team via the DJI website. They asked for my DJI account email, name, address, product type and serial number. Shortly after the end of the chat, they sent me several emails, one of which was a UPS shipping label already prepared. It also contained instructions and some sheets to print and fill out.

IMPORTANT 1: Make sure you upload your flight records using the DJI app before you send the drone in. Click the ☰ at the top right, select Flight Record, and click the Cloud Sync icon at the top right.

IMPORTANT 2: Include your case number (its included on almost all the emails they send you, starts with "CAS-") inside the package in an impossible-to-miss way, and also write it prominently on the outside as well. They warn you that if you don't do this, it could slow down your RMA.

IMPORTANT 3: DJI asks that you DO include your controller with the shipment so that they can test your drone after it has been repaired. The also ask that you NOT ship any batteries or other unaffected accessories such as cases, ND filters, etc.

I printed the shipping label and information sheet, filled them out, and shipped them from a UPS store. Fair warning: they use the absolute slowest shipping method and it took about a week to get from Montreal to California. Oh well. They give you a tracking code which makes the waiting easier

 

[IcyLiquid]

Repair

Once your package shows as "delivered" by UPS, you need to give DJI a few business days to process the return. You can use their "RepairTrace" tool to see when they receive your item. They'll also email you, so this is really just to drive yourself insane.

Mine took more than 2 days, so I opened another web chat with DJI and asked them if they had received it. They told me they had received it, but that it hadn't been reflected on the RepairTrace tool yet. They also revealed that the repair turnaround time was approximately 2 - 3 weeks. Ouch!

So now we wait.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Not to dispute you but I sent in my MP for a warranty repair and did not upload anything. They honoured the warranty and the bird is (allegedly) on its way back.

 

[IcyLiquid]

Not to dispute you but I sent in my MP for a warranty repair and did not upload anything. They honoured the warranty and the bird is (allegedly) on its way back.

I don't know what would have happened if I didn't do that, perhaps nothing. I just know that they explicitly requested flight records be uploaded and it was one of like 10 things in their instruction sheet. Easy to miss so I mentioned it here for others to see.

YMMV either way.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I don't know what would have happened if I didn't do that, perhaps nothing. I just know that they explicitly requested flight records be uploaded and it was one of like 10 things in their instruction sheet. Easy to miss. YMMV.

I didn't miss it. It was pointless for the issue I had (camera image softness on one side).

 

[Former Member]

Ive never had to upload any flight records. Many drones sent in for Refresh and non warranty work.

 

[Top Hat]

RMA

Luckily, I bought DJI Refresh. Not sure how this would have gone if I didn't have that.

I started an RMA with DJI by opening a web chat with their support team via the DJI website. They asked for my DJI account email, name, address, product type and serial number. Shortly after the end of the chat, they sent me several emails, one of which was a UPS shipping label already prepared. It also contained instructions and some sheets to print and fill out.

IMPORTANT 1: Make sure you upload your flight records using the DJI app before you send the drone in. Click the ☰ at the top right, select Flight Record, and click the Cloud Sync icon at the top right.

IMPORTANT 2: Include your case number (its included on almost all the emails they send you, starts with "CAS-") inside the package in an impossible-to-miss way, and also write it prominently on the outside as well. They warn you that if you don't do this, it could slow down your RMA.

IMPORTANT 3: DJI asks that you DI include your controller with the shipment so that they can test your drone after it has been repaired. The also ask that you NOT ship any batteries or other unaffected accessories such as cases, ND filters, etc.

I printed the shipping label and information sheet, filled them out, and shipped them from a UPS store. Fair warning: they use the absolute slowest shipping method and it took about a week to get from Montreal to California. Oh well. They give you a tracking code which makes the waiting easier

IMPORTANT 3: What is DI means?

 

[Former Member]

IMPORTANT 3: What is DI means?

I think they meant to say DO in capitals to avoid any misunderstandings, but they spelled it wrong..

 

[Top Hat]

I think they meant to say DO in capitals to avoid any misunderstandings, but they spelled it wrong..

Check!

 

[IcyLiquid]

Damage Assessment

DJI finally marked my RMA as Received, and shortly thereafter (1 day) they completed the Damage Assessment. They ended up sending me 2 quotes, one for paying out of pocket (which came to $351 USD) and one for using my DJI Care Refresh (which came to $79 USD). This was a little confusing since the text of the first emailed quote stated that since I "didn't have insurance" the repair would not be covered.

I went ahead and contacted them via web chat to clear this up, which they did. I paid the $79 USD via Paypal and then asked the agent about turnaround time. She gave me the 2 weeks answer.

 

[IcyLiquid]

Shipping

My case is now marked "To be replaced". Here's something cool though...

When I was in chat with DJI, I asked about increasing the shipment speed. The agent said this was possible if I was willing to pay for a better class of shipping, which I agreed to do. She said she would request this, but that she could not promise it would work. So we'll see.

 

[IcyLiquid]

My case has now transitioned to "Replaced" and "Preparing for shipment". Very impressed with the replacement turnaround time.

 

[Former Member]

My case has now transitioned to "Replaced" and "Preparing for shipment". Very impressed with the replacement turnaround time.

View attachment 11365

Was this a refresh? Almost a month?

 

[IcyLiquid]

Yeah, a refresh. Most of the time was taken by shipping it to them. But once they had it, it took 5 days to get assessed and replaced. They told me that it could take up to 2 weeks just from payment to replacement due to drone shortage. So 3 days is nice.

 

[Former Member]

Yeah, a refresh. Most of the time was taken by shipping it to them. But once they had it, it took 5 days to get assessed and replaced. They told me that it could take up to 2 weeks just from payment to replacement due to drone shortage. So 3 days is nice.

Can you keep us up to date as to when you get it back in the mail?

 

[IcyLiquid]

Can you keep us up to date as to when you get it back in the mail?

For sure.