Is care refresh worth the piece of mind?

[Starz]

Dji has had a few fall out of the sky issues and were mostly battery latch(phantom series)failures that could have been designed differently. The product you have is not in that group. Being your first aircraft, and you are not alone, just take your time, do all the reading you can and find a large open area to get some practice time in and you’ll be fine. My view of the care package available from DJI is how they paid for their new multimillion dollar building. I don’t mind at all paying them for well built drones but I’m not chipping in on the overpriced(my opinion)insurance program.
Be safe and enjoy the new fun that pretty much flys by itself.

 

[InAz]

I've seen many stories like this one. I think that's why it seems more people are using DJI Care Refresh instead these days. State Farm might only be a better deal if you never have to use the coverage

Used to have state farm for everything. Moved up north & they increased my rayes & cancelled.

 

[Glenh]

I crashed my mini 2 into an apartment block - due to low satellite coverage, My bad.
Sent it in to the DJI workshop for quote/repairs. The quote was $ (Australian) 270 but they offered me a refurbished replacement at the same price. A fair deal.

Lessons learned: Learn to fly safely! And, injuring someone might cost you way more than $270

 

[Zaney1]

I got Refresh because the M4P is so much lighter than my Air 2 that it makes me nervous when it gets up into the wind. I never used Refresh in all my years of flying MA2 but I figure it’s one of those, “better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it” things.

 

[JimSteadman]

With buying a M4P, I was wondering what your thoughts were on getting Care Refresh. I guess it's a personal preference but just would like input.
For the most part, I'll be flying in rural areas where I live. There's no obstructions but, the mini 4 pro could fail after a year.

Get it. I have used it twice.
DJI responded very quickly and I was back in the air in no time with virtually no cost in comparison with the cost of replacing a drone or trying to fix a damaged one myself.

 

[Rob Dog]

With buying a M4P, I was wondering what your thoughts were on getting Care Refresh. I guess it's a personal preference but just would like input.
For the most part, I'll be flying in rural areas where I live. There's no obstructions but, the mini 4 pro could fail after a year.

Yes. DJI treats you very well if you have refresh. I am on Mini #6, Mavic 2 Pro #2 and Mini 3 Pro #2. Most of my issues were defects in either hardware or software. One of the Mini's is at the bottom of a lake. DJI had me send the telemetry and they saw that the software had an issue and sent me a new drone.

 

[Crash Pro]

Personally, I’ve killed 6 drones. But I tend to push the limits and do some pretty risky (stupid) stuff with my drones in order to get some spectacular footage. Having said that, I’ve lost 2 drones due to bird attacks, so it’s not ALL my fault. So I buy the DJI Care Refresh because I’m likely to need it at some point.

 

[InAz]

Personally, I’ve killed 6 drones. But I tend to push the limits and do some pretty risky (stupid) stuff with my drones in order to get some spectacular footage. Having said that, I’ve lost 2 drones due to bird attacks, so it’s not ALL my fault. So I buy the DJI Care Refresh because I’m likely to need it at some point.

Thanks.
Yeah, I have Horned Owls, Ravens, hawks & eagles where i live. I heard they get territorial & could attack a drone.

 

[Capt KO]

I bought Refresh for both my Mavics but never needed. Was worth it for the reduced anxiety and believe it made me a better small drone pilot. Think I'll pass next time though, flew Phantoms previously without insurance and had my fair share of mishaps, became quite proficient at repairs if ever needed again. Good tools are your friend..and youtube.

 

[JeremyB]

I bought it for my Mini 2 SE and the Mini 4 Pro and I rarely buy extended coverage for anything. I figure it should help if I fly it into a tree and need something fixed and that happened a few times when I had the ARDrones

 

[dan.utinske]

With buying a M4P, I was wondering what your thoughts were on getting Care Refresh. I guess it's a personal preference but just would like input.
For the most part, I'll be flying in rural areas where I live. There's no obstructions but, the mini 4 pro could fail after a year.

IMHO absolutely a great investment. Seems that when you have the replacement option you tend to be a bit less timid when flying your drone.

 

[slozukimc]

IMHO absolutely a great investment. Seems that when you have the replacement option you tend to be a bit less timid when flying your drone.

This right here. I have several drones and never had insurance on any of them. I crash I pay was always the theory. I always fly very cautiously and am always nervous. Now I have an Avata with Care Refresh. I fly that sucker like I stole it, under stuff, over stuff, through holes in bushes, etc. without any worries at all because if I mess up and it breaks it is covered.

Mike

 

[KB4MTO]

I didn't buy it for my MM, but I did buy it for my M2P. About a month before it expired, I was flying in a Florida Summer and the winds went from 2-5 mph to over 20 mph is less than 3 minutes. I put the drone in sport mode and was working the drone back. I was on the last leg and I had to fly over a big oak tree and then drop right after to fly under another oak tree. I made it over the 1st and was under the 2nd and the wind blew a branch that broke and slapped the drone right out of the air. It fell 20 feet to the cement road. It broke 3 of the arms, cracked the outer shell, and cracked one of the bell housings. $99 and 2 weeks later I had a new M2P. I renewed it and I'll get it for my M4P when it arrives.

 

[mavic3usa]

I didn't buy it for my MM, but I did buy it for my M2P. About a month before it expired, I was flying in a Florida Summer and the winds went from 2-5 mph to over 20 mph is less than 3 minutes. I put the drone in sport mode and was working the drone back. I was on the last leg and I had to fly over a big oak tree and then drop right after to fly under another oak tree. I made it over the 1st and was under the 2nd and the wind blew a branch that broke and slapped the drone right out of the air. It fell 20 feet to the cement road. It broke 3 of the arms, cracked the outer shell, and cracked one of the bell housings. $99 and 2 weeks later I had a new M2P. I renewed it and I'll get it for my M4P when it arrives.

Good deal. I also try to see if I can buy the 2-year plan which, for the M4P, is much cheaper than 1-year plus another year renewal.

 

[pinballwiz86]

For a newb? Worth it. For an expert? Not worth it.

 

[KB4MTO]

Good deal. I also try to see if I can buy the 2-year plan which, for the M4P, is much cheaper than 1-year plus another year renewal.

I didn't realize they had a 2-year. I purchased the 2 year for my M4P.

 

[mavic3usa]

For a newb? Worth it. For an expert? Not worth it.

Experts may enjoy the extra year of manufacturers warranty given to Care Refresh buyers who end their service program without making a claim.

 

[Droning on and on...]

For a newb? Worth it. For an expert? Not worth it.

Overly simplistic.

Depends on the risk you want to take with your drone. Failures and accidents do occur to experienced, well-seasoned pilots too.

I've been flying drones going back to the release of the Phantom 4, and purchased care refresh for it, and every DJI drone I've purchased since. I've used it on more than half of them.

It's because for me, interesting missions usually involve much more risk than flying around at 200ft filming landscapes. Not slagging on that use, I do too some times. But most of my flying involves much higher crash risk, like flying around in a forest, or following a creek @ 5-10ft above it, for a few examples.

 

[slozukimc]

Overly simplistic.

Depends on the risk you want to take with your drone. Failures and accidents do occur to experienced, well-seasoned pilots too.

I've been flying drones going back to the release of the Phantom 4, and purchased care refresh for it, and every DJI drone I've purchased since. I've used it on more than half of them.

It's because for me, interesting missions usually involve much more risk than flying around at 200ft filming landscapes. Not slagging on that use, I do too some times. But most of my flying involves much higher crash risk, like flying around in a forest, or following a creek @ 5-10ft above it, for a few examples.

Agreed. The more experience I get the more chances I tend to take.

Mike

 

[KB4MTO]

Overly simplistic.

Depends on the risk you want to take with your drone. Failures and accidents do occur to experienced, well-seasoned pilots too.

I've been flying drones going back to the release of the Phantom 4, and purchased care refresh for it, and every DJI drone I've purchased since. I've used it on more than half of them.

It's because for me, interesting missions usually involve much more risk than flying around at 200ft filming landscapes. Not slagging on that use, I do too some times. But most of my flying involves much higher crash risk, like flying around in a forest, or following a creek @ 5-10ft above it, for a few examples.

In addition to taking more risks, which I also do for the same reasons you said, things can change while flying that you cannot control. After flying my M2P for years, I was flying in a hit summer day. During the flight, sustained winds went from ~5 mph winds to about 15 with higher guests. RTH wouldn't engage so I was manually bringing it home. I had a nice pace through the winds and I was about 100' from home and I fly over a tree. Then I had to dip under another tree to land. I slowed my pace and started dropping below the tree and a huge gust of wind came up. It blew a tree branch right into my drone, knocking it out of the air with a 20' drop into the concrete. I thought I was home free. I thought I had enough clearance as I had flown this landed hundreds of times, but not in that weather.