Hi everyone,
Until a few weeks ago, I was the lucky owner of a brand new DJI Mavic Air. But some days ago, I had the bad luck to live a FLY AWAY with my drone and was unable to find it back... which is a shame because I benefit from the DJI Care Refresh insurance.
I immediately contacted the DJI customer support to explain my issue and the technical failures of the drone. Below, you will find my first exchange of mails between DJI and myself. Of course, their first reply is that the incident was caused by an improper flight environment which is completely not correct (you will see my justification in the mails hereunder).
So I would like to have the opinion of professionals that are not working for DJI because I think that they are not completely honest and transparent with me.
On this Dropbox link, you will be able to find the logs of the 3 last flights of the drone (log 2 should be the last flight) : DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons
Some of you could give me their opinion based on the comments of DJI and the flight logs ?
Thanks a lot for you help and your good advices !
If you need any other information, do not hesitate to ask.
Kind regards,
Alexandre
Mail exchange with DJI :
1. My first mail :
"Hi, I bought a DJI Mavic Air from Media Markt Belgium: ordered on 03/03/2018 and received on 26/03/2018. On 30/03/2018 I subscribed to the DJI care refresh insurance via the official website DJI (Agreement No.: xxx). From this date, I started to use my drone and I did not notice any anomaly. I took my DJI Mavic Air with me for a trek on the island of La Gomera (Spain). During the 3rd flight on the island (13/04/2018), a major technical incident occurred. Indeed, after takeoff, several anomalies occurred and I decided to return the drone by pressing the button "Return to home". The drone did not react to this command and left in the opposite direction. Despite my various attempts to regain control of the drone, I did not succeed. According to my observations, the drone crashed on an inaccessible cliff. However, he reported a GPS position several kilometers from his take-off point, where I went the next day without being able to find him. I extracted the logs files of the last 3 flights of my drone, which you will be able to download to examine them in details at the following link: DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons I would like, as part of my insurance DJI care refresh, to obtain the replacement of my drone. I am well aware of the fact that I have not been able to recover the accident drone despite my efforts, but considering the nature of the technical failure and the place where it occurred I consider myself to be in the conditions of replacing my drone. Yours sincerely."
2. DJI answer :
"Dear Alexandre,
We are very sorry to hear about the unfortunate experience you have had with your DJI product. We will provide you with the best support possible.
Please follow the tutorial to sync your flight records to the DJI server. You can find the tutorial: HERE
The cloud icon at the end of the flight record indicates the flight record has been successfully uploaded. Once the sync is completed, please provide the following information to us so we can submit your report for data analysis:
- First and Last Name:
- Shipping Address:
- Phone number:
- Model of your aircraft:
- Serial Number of the remote controller:
- Email address associated with your DJI Account you used for your last flight:
- Date and time of the incident：
- Description what you did to try and regain control:
- Video Cached (Applicable if you are recording during the accident, please refer to the attachment and export it from your mobile device and upload to Google drive/Dropbox.)
- Proof of Purchase:
Note:
1. If you fail to sync your flight records to the server, please refer to the attachment and send us the flight records txt files on your mobile device. If it’s Mavic, please send us the RC log as well if the product is Mavic.
2. Flight records are important in judging the accident is pilot error or manufacturing error. If for some reasons, if you fail to provide enough information per requested, the warranty claim of the RTHF issue might be denied.
3. Flight records analysis would be accepted by DJI data analysis team only when the aircraft is within warranty period.
4. Once we confirmed that you have synced your flight records successfully, it will take 2 or 3 business days for us to finish the data analysis.
Thank you for choosing DJI.
Best Regards,
DJI Support"
3. My answer
"Hi,
I just uploaded the flight records to the DJI servers. Hereunder, you will find the requested information:
- First and Last Name: xx
- Shipping Address: xx
- Phone number: xx
- Date and time of the incident: Date 13/04/2018, Time 5.09 pm
- Description what you did to try and regain control: After takeoff, several anomalies occurred and I decided to return the drone by pressing the button "Return to home". The drone did not react to this command and left in the opposite direction. Despite my various attempts to regain control of the drone, I did not succeed. According to my observations, the drone crashed on an inaccessible cliff. However, he reported a GPS position several kilometers from his take-off point, where I went the next day without being able to find him.
- Proof of Purchase: See attachment.
On Dropbox, you will find the logs from the RC : DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons
Important reminder, I subscribed to the DJI Care Refresh for my drone (Agreement No.: xx).
Could you confirm me that the flight records were correctly uploaded and that you have all the information needed to handle my request?
Kind regards."
4. DJI answer
"Dear Customer,
Thanks for your patience.
For your claimed case CAS-1719134-L7D5D2, we have already finished the analysis, and the result is as follows:
1. The aircraft worked in OPTI mode after took off due to the weak GPS signal;
2. T=00:41, H=28.8 m, the aircraft switched to Atti mode;
3. T=01:14, H=-69 m, the aircraft crashed with obstacles and rolled over, then the flight record ended;
4. In Attitude mode, the aircraft could not hover in place, brake and avoid obstacle automatically.
According to the analysis, the incident was caused by improper flight environment. Please fly with caution.
We truly appreciate your support for DJI. If you could not recover the product and consider to purchase another aircraft, we can try to especially apply for a 15% off discount for Mavic Air（Arctic White）without charger and remote. If you would like to take the offer, please offer us the following info:
Shipping address:
Contact name:
Phone number:
Should you have more questions, please feel free to let me know.
Best Regards,
Lydia
DJI Tech Support
5. My last answer
"Good morning,
I received your last mail including your analysis of the accident of my drone DJI Mavic Air.
I have examined these analyses in detail. Please find below 3 points which prove that the accident of my drone is due to technical failures:
https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-air-fly-away-what-gives.39521/
https://mavicpilots.com/threads/another-flyaway.37822/
Mavic Air flyaway!
Given all these elements, it seems clear to me that the crash of my drone is linked to a major technical failure. For this reason, I would like to benefit from DJI product warranty.
Thank you in advance for the attention you will give to my request."
Until a few weeks ago, I was the lucky owner of a brand new DJI Mavic Air. But some days ago, I had the bad luck to live a FLY AWAY with my drone and was unable to find it back... which is a shame because I benefit from the DJI Care Refresh insurance.
I immediately contacted the DJI customer support to explain my issue and the technical failures of the drone. Below, you will find my first exchange of mails between DJI and myself. Of course, their first reply is that the incident was caused by an improper flight environment which is completely not correct (you will see my justification in the mails hereunder).
So I would like to have the opinion of professionals that are not working for DJI because I think that they are not completely honest and transparent with me.
On this Dropbox link, you will be able to find the logs of the 3 last flights of the drone (log 2 should be the last flight) : DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons
Some of you could give me their opinion based on the comments of DJI and the flight logs ?
Thanks a lot for you help and your good advices !
If you need any other information, do not hesitate to ask.
Kind regards,
Alexandre
Mail exchange with DJI :
1. My first mail :
"Hi, I bought a DJI Mavic Air from Media Markt Belgium: ordered on 03/03/2018 and received on 26/03/2018. On 30/03/2018 I subscribed to the DJI care refresh insurance via the official website DJI (Agreement No.: xxx). From this date, I started to use my drone and I did not notice any anomaly. I took my DJI Mavic Air with me for a trek on the island of La Gomera (Spain). During the 3rd flight on the island (13/04/2018), a major technical incident occurred. Indeed, after takeoff, several anomalies occurred and I decided to return the drone by pressing the button "Return to home". The drone did not react to this command and left in the opposite direction. Despite my various attempts to regain control of the drone, I did not succeed. According to my observations, the drone crashed on an inaccessible cliff. However, he reported a GPS position several kilometers from his take-off point, where I went the next day without being able to find him. I extracted the logs files of the last 3 flights of my drone, which you will be able to download to examine them in details at the following link: DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons I would like, as part of my insurance DJI care refresh, to obtain the replacement of my drone. I am well aware of the fact that I have not been able to recover the accident drone despite my efforts, but considering the nature of the technical failure and the place where it occurred I consider myself to be in the conditions of replacing my drone. Yours sincerely."
2. DJI answer :
"Dear Alexandre,
We are very sorry to hear about the unfortunate experience you have had with your DJI product. We will provide you with the best support possible.
Please follow the tutorial to sync your flight records to the DJI server. You can find the tutorial: HERE
The cloud icon at the end of the flight record indicates the flight record has been successfully uploaded. Once the sync is completed, please provide the following information to us so we can submit your report for data analysis:
- First and Last Name:
- Shipping Address:
- Phone number:
- Model of your aircraft:
- Serial Number of the remote controller:
- Email address associated with your DJI Account you used for your last flight:
- Date and time of the incident：
- Description what you did to try and regain control:
- Video Cached (Applicable if you are recording during the accident, please refer to the attachment and export it from your mobile device and upload to Google drive/Dropbox.)
- Proof of Purchase:
Note:
1. If you fail to sync your flight records to the server, please refer to the attachment and send us the flight records txt files on your mobile device. If it’s Mavic, please send us the RC log as well if the product is Mavic.
2. Flight records are important in judging the accident is pilot error or manufacturing error. If for some reasons, if you fail to provide enough information per requested, the warranty claim of the RTHF issue might be denied.
3. Flight records analysis would be accepted by DJI data analysis team only when the aircraft is within warranty period.
4. Once we confirmed that you have synced your flight records successfully, it will take 2 or 3 business days for us to finish the data analysis.
Thank you for choosing DJI.
Best Regards,
DJI Support"
3. My answer
"Hi,
I just uploaded the flight records to the DJI servers. Hereunder, you will find the requested information:
- First and Last Name: xx
- Shipping Address: xx
- Phone number: xx
- Date and time of the incident: Date 13/04/2018, Time 5.09 pm
- Description what you did to try and regain control: After takeoff, several anomalies occurred and I decided to return the drone by pressing the button "Return to home". The drone did not react to this command and left in the opposite direction. Despite my various attempts to regain control of the drone, I did not succeed. According to my observations, the drone crashed on an inaccessible cliff. However, he reported a GPS position several kilometers from his take-off point, where I went the next day without being able to find him.
- Proof of Purchase: See attachment.
On Dropbox, you will find the logs from the RC : DJI Mavic Air logs - Symons
Important reminder, I subscribed to the DJI Care Refresh for my drone (Agreement No.: xx).
Could you confirm me that the flight records were correctly uploaded and that you have all the information needed to handle my request?
Kind regards."
4. DJI answer
"Dear Customer,
Thanks for your patience.
For your claimed case CAS-1719134-L7D5D2, we have already finished the analysis, and the result is as follows:
1. The aircraft worked in OPTI mode after took off due to the weak GPS signal;
2. T=00:41, H=28.8 m, the aircraft switched to Atti mode;
3. T=01:14, H=-69 m, the aircraft crashed with obstacles and rolled over, then the flight record ended;
4. In Attitude mode, the aircraft could not hover in place, brake and avoid obstacle automatically.
According to the analysis, the incident was caused by improper flight environment. Please fly with caution.
We truly appreciate your support for DJI. If you could not recover the product and consider to purchase another aircraft, we can try to especially apply for a 15% off discount for Mavic Air（Arctic White）without charger and remote. If you would like to take the offer, please offer us the following info:
Shipping address:
Contact name:
Phone number:
Should you have more questions, please feel free to let me know.
Best Regards,
Lydia
DJI Tech Support
5. My last answer
"Good morning,
I received your last mail including your analysis of the accident of my drone DJI Mavic Air.
I have examined these analyses in detail. Please find below 3 points which prove that the accident of my drone is due to technical failures:
- You indicate that at T = 00:41 the drone switched from OPTI mode to ATTI mode. According to the technical information, switching to ATTI mode occurs when the lighting conditions are bad. This was absolutely not the case as the flight took place at 5.09 pm so there was no reason to switch from OPTI mode to ATTI mode.
- Your analysis indicates that at the time of the crash of my drone, the measured altitude was -69m which demonstrates that the drone was in a situation of major technical failure.
- Your analysis does not explain at all why the drone, from a certain moment in this flight, no longer reacts to the commands and has gone in the opposite direction. This situation seems to be comparable with many cases of "Fly away" DJI Mavic Air that can be found on various forums:
https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-air-fly-away-what-gives.39521/
https://mavicpilots.com/threads/another-flyaway.37822/
Mavic Air flyaway!
Given all these elements, it seems clear to me that the crash of my drone is linked to a major technical failure. For this reason, I would like to benefit from DJI product warranty.
Thank you in advance for the attention you will give to my request."
![2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_01.png](https://mavicpilots.com/data/attachments/37/37175-f1ad0863d420e68bcd321bbb0aa0339e.jpg "2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_01.png")
![2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_02.png](https://mavicpilots.com/data/attachments/37/37176-0972d2e040ed70d33c9624bf053f26d1.jpg "2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_02.png")
![2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_03.png](https://mavicpilots.com/data/attachments/37/37177-9ae6aa9597540e92d8c11a1472f45d6c.jpg "2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_03.png")
![2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_04.png](https://mavicpilots.com/data/attachments/37/37178-d40006e8d1d4061e532cca71a0860ed0.jpg "2018-04-13_[17-09-01]_04.png")
