Mavic 2 Pro falls out the sky ?

[DanMan32]

Thanks Dan,
I’m kind of a newbie at this Mavic....had the old Gen1 Phantom for years, and just got this Mavic Pro Platinum.....can you explain in layman’s term what you mean above? I’m sorry man.....I’m trying to learn this thing! LOL
TThanks again Dan!!
Harry

Well, this thread focuses on the M2's where there's a high incident of battery swelling foe batteries produced July and August of 2018 (a year ago). Since you don't have an M2, the issue doesn't apply to you other than normal care and feeding of LiPo batteries.

Since at least when the Phantom 3 was released (I still own a P3A bought late 2016), the default days to discharge was 10 days. On the M2 you couldn't even change that setting until now. It seems fishy that all of a sudden after 4 years of 10 days being the default across all their quad products, DJI changes the default days to 5 and enables being able to change the setting on an M2 instead of addressing the real problem of a faulty manufacturing that didn't surface until a year later and warmer weather.
MA's seem to also have a correlation to a certain manufacturer being prone to swelling.

If I didn't address your concern, let me know more specifically what you have a question about.

 

[DanMan32]

Aircraft falling from the sky is a common topic on this forum. Focus on the data file, assuming you were controlling with DJI Go 4 or Litchi. MaxHam included a link to a Flight Log Viewer that will convert the binary file to text. I use it religiously.

When my aircraft lost power and impacted the ground from 100', the log file provided the answer. Voltages for each of the battery cells are included for the entire flight. Plotting these values showed that one cell was not tracking the others, and the voltage dropped rapidly until the aircraft died (electrically) and then died (physically).

One other value being tracked in the data file is the deviation of voltage for all cells. Normally this value is well below 1v, but in the battery that died this value was well ABOVE 1v. It would be very nice if DJI popped a Critical Error when deviation gets large, so you know to land NOW before the aircraft succumbs to gravity.

There have been a few discussions about "battery conditioning" on the forum, and we could use more of them. Every few months (three to six months have been mentioned) drain your batteries (some say 20%, others say 5%) and then charge them to 100%. But don't store them at 100% (some say 60%, others say 80%). I did this to my other two original batteries (almost 2 years old, with about 50 charges each) and that appears to have "conditioned" the cells to discharge more evenly during flight.

There is a battery icon on the top line in DJI Go 4. Click it and the battery settings will be displayed, showing voltages for each of your cells. They should all be close to the same value. Yeah, you need to do that while you are paying attention to everything else while flying (!).

All of this is in addition to the excellent care-and-feeding notes that many have listed about heat and cold and storage.

But you need to look at your log file (converted to text), or post it on the forum so others can review. Instructions for retrieving your log file are included in the link posted by MaxHam. It covers IOS and Android, and DJI Go 4 and Litchi. The file may not reveal your problem, but it will show what are NOT problems.

I agree, if there's a significant cell deviation, the Go app should bring up a warning. I thought it once did.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I agree, if there's a significant cell deviation, the Go app should bring up a warning. I thought it once did.

Significant cell deviations, other than defects, are usually the result of a battery in storage mode, which does not keep them balanced, like charging them fully does, and cell deviations are exacerbated by load, so by the time it happens, the battery has already shut off, or is landing in place, because a single cell dropped below 3.0V under load while cold, while ascending straight up or just flying fast. A 1V variance is huge! Even 0.2V is very significant. Even a .05V variance is cause for concern, because the cells are not properly balanced when this occurs.

 

[DanMan32]

Still a warning at 0.2v deviation would give you a little time to react. Better than nothing.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Still a warning at 0.2v deviation would give you a little time to react. Better than nothing.

Agreed. Even when one cell drops below 3.0V, the M2 aircraft now only commences a forced landing descent, and battery shutoff does not happen until somewhere below 2.5V on the lowest cell. That's far better than shutting off the battery, in midair, when the lowest voltage drops below 3.0V, which is what the P3P did! Almost killed me! Fell like a rock from 200 feet, landing 10 feet away from me!

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

What a bummer!
There is not much you can do in regards to DJI. They want you to send them the drone to assess a possible claim.
Not really sure in which case they do it but sometimes people get a rebate when purchasing a new drone.
Without having DJI Care and being beyond warranty consider it a total loss.

In order to (possibly) find out what happened there are two ways:
You can upload the flight record (.txt file) and share the link right right here in this thread:
DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Warning messages Go4 was recording would show up here besides a lot of other parameters.

Then there is a.dat file in the 'black box', which is a non-removable micro sd card inside the drone.
There are specialists here that can analyze this very well.

Very often though both options do not lead to a solid conclusion.
If you lost a prop or hit some wire or some bird was pecking on your drone or your battery was not inserted properly but you were still able to take off and it popped out (all Go4 versions but the latest 4.3.25 allowed this):
There will be no evidence.

Really appreaceate all the help. I've submitted a claim to DJI in hopes of them seeing this was mechanical issue and not pilot. Flying since the Phantom fc40 days,I would say I'm beyond seasoned a flyer. But looking at the flight record / watching the parameters it was as if I was reliving exactly what happen that day

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

I as well am fearing this, but just a thought for a handy solution, although JAW’s strap above would be the best. I used a couple of those wide rubber bands they use to tie a bunch of asparagus together at your local grocery. Would be a healthy solution at least View attachment 83809

definitely something I would do besides getting state farm insurance.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

I removed the 1/4x20 camera mount screw and fashioned a mount for my Marco Polo.

3.89US $ 23% OFF|360 Degree Panoramic Sports Camera VR Top Mount Bracket Holder Connector Tripod Adapter for DJI MAVIC 2 PRO /ZOOM Quadcopter|Drone Accessories Kits| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

View attachment 83793

WoW. that's great. I would defiantly try that.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

Sorry I don't have the expertise to assist, but I've seen some impressive analytics from the super smart and experienced guys on this board. See if you can get the flight data to them. Good luck and sorry about the loss of your drone.

Thank you much

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

that’s awful sorry to hear that,i to have the same experience with the same drones

Thank you. I am Hopeful DJI will address this situation as not the pilot fault.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

Aircraft falling from the sky is a common topic on this forum. Focus on the data file, assuming you were controlling with DJI Go 4 or Litchi. MaxHam included a link to a Flight Log Viewer that will convert the binary file to text. I use it religiously.

When my aircraft lost power and impacted the ground from 100', the log file provided the answer. Voltages for each of the battery cells are included for the entire flight. Plotting these values showed that one cell was not tracking the others, and the voltage dropped rapidly until the aircraft died (electrically) and then died (physically).

One other value being tracked in the data file is the deviation of voltage for all cells. Normally this value is well below 1v, but in the battery that died this value was well ABOVE 1v. It would be very nice if DJI popped a Critical Error when deviation gets large, so you know to land NOW before the aircraft succumbs to gravity.

There have been a few discussions about "battery conditioning" on the forum, and we could use more of them. Every few months (three to six months have been mentioned) drain your batteries (some say 20%, others say 5%) and then charge them to 100%. But don't store them at 100% (some say 60%, others say 80%). I did this to my other two original batteries (almost 2 years old, with about 50 charges each) and that appears to have "conditioned" the cells to discharge more evenly during flight.

There is a battery icon on the top line in DJI Go 4. Click it and the battery settings will be displayed, showing voltages for each of your cells. They should all be close to the same value. Yeah, you need to do that while you are paying attention to everything else while flying (!).

All of this is in addition to the excellent care-and-feeding notes that many have listed about heat and cold and storage.

But you need to look at your log file (converted to text), or post it on the forum so others can review. Instructions for retrieving your log file are included in the link posted by MaxHam. It covers IOS and Android, and DJI Go 4 and Litchi. The file may not reveal your problem, but it will show what are NOT problems.

Yes, everything that you mentioned Ive done and have been doing for almost 10 years now. Before and during flights I check my battery voltage and such . All were excellent throughout flight. With the bird coming back to me she had about 62% of battery life left and only 450 feet away before she fell in the river. Looking at the flight log, reliving that experience everything was "green light". Not a single problem.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

If you've had it a year, you may have a battery production prone to swelling. If it did swell, it could have unlatched and power connection lost.
Check your other batteries that you may have obtained at the same time you bought the M2.

I didn't notice my original batteries were swelling until my third battery during a flight session would not latch easily. I then checked my second one I just flew and it had swelling too. The third battery had a weaker than normal left latch.

You know something, My 3 batteries are swelling. I didn't think about it till now, I contacted DJI via chat, the technician told me that if it is swelling to discharge them fully and fully recharge them back and see if that works. I honestly didn't think that would work but he is a dji inhouse technician and I'm following his advice on what to do. I'm thinking this is one of those batteries that I do have a screenshot of that convocation. Strange.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

What a bummer!
There is not much you can do in regards to DJI. They want you to send them the drone to assess a possible claim.
Not really sure in which case they do it but sometimes people get a rebate when purchasing a new drone.
Without having DJI Care and being beyond warranty consider it a total loss.

In order to (possibly) find out what happened there are two ways:
You can upload the flight record (.txt file) and share the link right right here in this thread:
DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help
Warning messages Go4 was recording would show up here besides a lot of other parameters.

Then there is a.dat file in the 'black box', which is a non-removable micro sd card inside the drone.
There are specialists here that can analyze this very well.

Very often though both options do not lead to a solid conclusion.
If you lost a prop or hit some wire or some bird was pecking on your drone or your battery was not inserted properly but you were still able to take off and it popped out (all Go4 versions but the latest 4.3.25 allowed this):
There will be no evidence.

This is the flight log.

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

 

[deleted member 877]

You know something, My 3 batteries are swelling. I didn't think about it till now, I contacted DJI via chat, the technician told me that if it is swelling to discharge them fully and fully recharge them back and see if that works. I honestly didn't think that would work but he is a dji inhouse technician and I'm following his advice on what to do. I'm thinking this is one of those batteries that I do have a screenshot of that convocation. Strange.

Did the DJI guy say that the swelling would be reversed by doing what he suggested? I have never heard of that being possible.

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

Did the DJI guy say that the swelling would be reversed by doing what he suggested? I have never heard of that being possible.

Yes, I took a photo of the conversation. When I contacted them a few weeks ago about the swelling situation they didn't want to help me with a replacement. I explained to the guy I have been a DJI loyal customer for almost 10 years because I had just gotten passed the warranty date. He told me there is nothing he can do at this point. Pretty much telling me to go to **** /that it didn't matter how long I've been spending thousands on their products almost a decade now. Then he told me to try that and see if it works ??‍.. I did and that may have been the reason ??‍. I did that to all 3 batteries that are swellen ?

 

[deleted member 877]

Yes, I took a photo of the conversation. When I contacted them a few weeks ago about the swelling situation they didn't want to help me with a replacement. I explained to the guy I have been a DJI loyal customer for almost 10 years because I had just gotten passed the warranty date. He told me there is nothing he can do at this point. Pretty much telling me to go to **** /that it didn't matter how long I've been spending thousands on their products almost a decade now. Then he told me to try that and see if it works ??‍.. I did and that may have been the reason ??‍. I did that to all 3 batteries that are swellen ?

So, are the batteries still swollen?

 

[Invincible Storm Films]

So, are the batteries still swollen?

The other 2 out of the 3 appears to be slightly, but I don't use them. I don't know about the one that's in the craft because that's unretrievable. I'm thinking with the heat it might have gotten big in flight ??‍ but that's what was said to me and that's what I did.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Yes, I took a photo of the conversation. When I contacted them a few weeks ago about the swelling situation they didn't want to help me with a replacement. I explained to the guy I have been a DJI loyal customer for almost 10 years because I had just gotten passed the warranty date. He told me there is nothing he can do at this point. Pretty much telling me to go to hell /that it didn't matter how long I've been spending thousands on their products almost a decade now. Then he told me to try that and see if it works ??‍.. I did and that may have been the reason ??‍. I did that to all 3 batteries that are swellen ?

If the battery is outside of the 6 month warranty, DJI can't help you, no matter how loyal a customer you are, no matter how much they would like to help you. There is no wiggle room. It's cut and dried, as we have all learned. I sincerely doubt discharging and recharging a swollen battery will reverse the swelling. Any swelling will expand during use, as the gas causing the swelling expands from the heat build up. Best to only use swollen batteries only for nonflight use, like warming up, locating GPS satellites, calibrating the compass, reformatting the microSD card, and using the flight simulator.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Did the DJI guy say that the swelling would be reversed by doing what he suggested? I have never heard of that being possible.

Welcome back. Hoping we can now play nicely together.

 

[MaxHam]

Yes, I took a photo of the conversation. When I contacted them a few weeks ago about the swelling situation they didn't want to help me with a replacement. I explained to the guy I have been a DJI loyal customer for almost 10 years because I had just gotten passed the warranty date. He told me there is nothing he can do at this point. Pretty much telling me to go to hell /that it didn't matter how long I've been spending thousands on their products almost a decade now. Then he told me to try that and see if it works ??‍.. I did and that may have been the reason ??‍. I did that to all 3 batteries that are swellen ?

I would dispose swollen batteries. I did so a couple of months ago - a total of five, manufactured Aug/Sept 2018.
Only one batterie with production date 2019 is still ok.

I wouldn't trust these customer service guys. They often have insufficient knowledge.
DJI says itself in the manual: Don't charge, don't use.