Loss of control after 1st takeoff of the day.

[Thomas B]

Well, I got a response from DJI, and as promised, I said I'd share. (I wrote them a lengthy response...)



What do you suppose the 'repair' is they are offering that I pay for?

Maybe ask them... might reopen warranty issues.

 

[Beamer]

Ya, they have the dat and txt. I mentioned the imus in my response. I will be more concise in my next response if it comes to that.

Thx @sar104

 

[sirron1957]

To be clear, the drone was going forwards, away, and clear of anything within 50 ft, while I had the stick at full travel in reverse trying to get it to return... It returned, very slow, but wasn't at all following my inputs as it usually would.

Was it windy and maybe the drone was being blown away from you??

 

[Meta4]

Was it windy and maybe the drone was being blown away from you??

Post #18 and others following show there was a problem with the hardware.

 

[Joe Boudreault]

To be clear, the drone was going forwards, away, and clear of anything within 50 ft, while I had the stick at full travel in reverse trying to get it to return... It returned, very slow, but wasn't at all following my inputs as it usually would.

Here's a good point to remember: most drones fly forward when the right control stick is moved forward. The 'front' of the drone is the end with the camera. IF at any time during the flight you rotate the drone (left stick L-R), the drone will still fly in the direction the camera faces, but now it will appear to be responding opposite to the right direction control stick. Or it will fly at right angles to you. Yes, the right control stick will move the drone left and right no matter what, but 'left and right' are relative to camera direction. Learn to know which way the drone is facing (I constantly look at video on controller screen)... The fastest return (aside from RTH) is to rotate the drone with left control stick to make it face you, then go forward on the right stick. That will bring it back. Practicing in an open field is the best way to learn, as someone else pointed out.

 

[Beamer]

To update everyone, this is still ongoing.

DJI Customer Service is the worst experience ever. Multiple cases have been created, a new one nearly every time I respond to an email. Takes days for them to get back.

I'm pretty pissed and don't want to get too into it. I will be avoiding this company and their products in the future, and I recommend that everyone else do the same.

Seriously worst ever...it's been months...there is no continuity and get garbage answers.

 

[sar104]

To update everyone, this is still ongoing.

DJI Customer Service is the worst experience ever. Multiple cases have been created, a new one nearly every time I respond to an email. Takes days for them to get back.

I'm pretty pissed and don't want to get too into it. I will be avoiding this company and their products in the future, and I recommend that everyone else do the same.

Seriously worst ever...it's been months...there is no continuity and get garbage answers.

That's unfortunate - the data are pretty unambiguous in pointing to a hardware issue. You need to escalate this to a higher support level. You could also try posting on the DJI forum - you are unlikely to get an informed analysis but some of the staff there seem able to push support cases.

 

[GadgetGuy]

To update everyone, this is still ongoing.

DJI Customer Service is the worst experience ever. Multiple cases have been created, a new one nearly every time I respond to an email. Takes days for them to get back.

I'm pretty pissed and don't want to get too into it. I will be avoiding this company and their products in the future, and I recommend that everyone else do the same.

Seriously worst ever...it's been months...there is no continuity and get garbage answers.

No need to create multiple cases. That just adds to the confusion. Follow up for escalation of the original case file. Get managers involved. Get time commitments for deadlines for future action, and follow up if they are not met. Be the squeaky wheel. Good luck. Eventually, you will get it resolved, but it may take a while. Just be patient, and get a back up bird in the mean time. You can buy a new bare M2 aircraft for $550 from MidCityHobby on eBay and a new OEM M2Z gimbal and camera assembly from AliExpress for $250. That, and the necessary screws will get you back in the air immediately.

 

[Joe Boudreault]

I'm hoping this is pilot error, but maybe it is faulty hardware/software?

I have been intensely surprised and crudely awakened to the realities of drone piloting on more than one occasion now when my Mavic 2 Pro attempted to fly off (twice now), shortly after the first takeoff of the day. Rebooting the drone stopped the issue at the time.

The first time, the drone barely returned, having little control with the joysticks maxed out. If I released the sticks (to zero positions) it continued to attempt to rise and fly forward.

The second time was nearly the same, but with even less control and I ended up doing a slow ditch, barely controlled, crash into the sand.

I never tried to let the drone continue it's flight and then RTH, so I'm not sure if that would have even helped (just an afterthought).

Is it possible that the controller was in a non-zero position (slightly pressed) at boot to cause this?

I doubt it, but maybe compass calibration could cause this?

Should I send it in to have it looked at? It happened maybe 1 in 10 flights, but now I fear it happening every time I boot up at a new location.

If anyone has ideas to consider which might be the culprits, please let me know. Obviously I'd like to avoid this in the future.

Perhaps my experience of flying my Mavic Air might be of help... I don't know. When I first take off, i wait for the drone to hover and fix its position. Very important to also check co-ordinates in different locations and make sure drone is calibrated (especially the compass). I rarely let it fly out of sight unless I have stable video feedback. A good question is: what smartphone are you using n your controller? If it's not an iPhone, that may explain it. Anything but an iPhone will give you these problems. I know this from experience. Calibrate... calibrate...calibrate, and let the aircraft get a satellite fix.

 

[The Editor]

Anything but an iPhone will give you these problems.

That's absolute rubbish.
I've been flying multiple DJI platforms on Android since 2015 and never had any issues.
Indeed, DJI's own tablet is based on Android architecture.

 

[sar104]

That's absolute rubbish.
I've been flying multiple DJI platforms on Android since 2015 and never had any issues.
Indeed, DJI's own tablet is based on Android architecture.

It's definitely an over-generalization but I can say, from having dissected hundreds of flight logs, that at least some Android mobile devices are far more prone to disconnect problems than iOS devices, which very rarely suffer from that issue.

 

[The Editor]

It's definitely an over-generalization but I can say, from having dissected hundreds of flight logs, that at least some Android mobile devices are far more prone to disconnect problems than iOS devices, which very rarely suffer from that issue.

Agreed, however to say anything but an iPhone will give these problems is grossly misleading. And incorrect.

 

[sar104]

Agreed, however to say anything but an iPhone will give these problems is grossly misleading. And incorrect.

Yes. It would be accurate to say that most app disconnect problems occur on Android devices, but that does not mean that most Android devices have those problems.