mavic Pro just fell out of sky from around 15- 20 feet . happened the second time.

[Bravo79]

was on my Maui trip . Had a nice ocean facing condo. Setup everything . triple checked the props to make sure everything was in place and secure (because previously, my drone had fallen from the sky due to propeller falling off). Battery was full.

Started the app and connected to drone.

Initiated precision take off and landed and moved the drone a little forward, maybe around 15 feet from take off point and the next thing I know, the drone came crashing down.
luckily it fell on sand and before the waves came and took it the sea, was able to recover it. One of the propeller had flow off and was able to find it some distance away.

This is the second time this has happened. The first time it happened, I had it under warranty and DJI replaced it with no cost to me. When they sent the replacement drone, I purchased DJI Care. So this time around, i have DJI care. But totally disappointed with DJI that this has happened the second time.

The drone doesn't seemed to have been fully damaged, but there is sand inside it. I am sending it to DJI and hopefully they will cover it under DJI care, but this seems to be BS that the drones are just falling from the sky without fail safe mechanism

here is link to video. Mavic Crash - Streamable .

I am attaching the .DAT file. Hopefully someone can help analyze what went wrong?

 

[ac0j]

It looks like a prop flew off in flight. since this has happened before to you, You might want to make sure you are installing the props correctly.
@sar104 may be able to see what happened.

 

[Bravo79]

It looks like a prop flew off in flight. since this has happened before to you, You might want to make sure you are installing the props correctly.
@sar104 may be able to see what happened.

Since this happened to me before, I triple checked the prop installation after that every time I flew.

 

[RayOZ]

That is very strange. I've done over 100 flights and it has never happened to me. Are the tabs on the props or motor housing that's supposed to hold them together damaged prior?

 

[Cyberpower678]

Let’s see. This has happened twice already. You claim you’ve checked and rechecked prop installation. Where did you buy your props from? Amazon, EBay, or DJI, or some other location? Please link to the item if possible.

 

[Bravo79]

That is very strange. I've done over 100 flights and it has never happened to me. Are the tabs on the props or motor housing that's supposed to hold them together damaged prior?

After my first crash , i got a replacement drone from DJI. I flew this drone a few times before this accident. So I am pretty sure the props and the motor housing was not damaged.

 

[ac0j]

Maybe a damaged motor side mount, or prop. Have you ever "bumped" this into anything in a previous flight?

 

[Bravo79]

Let’s see. This has happened twice already. You claim you’ve checked and rechecked prop installation. Where did you buy your props from? Amazon, EBay, or DJI, or some other location? Please link to the item if possible.

I got the original one from Costco. That crashed ( due to prop falling off) ,but it was in warranty. I totally expected that DJI would charge me for repair but to my surprise, they send me a refurbished one (had a new Serial Number). They also sent some new props with the replacement. I have been using those props during flying.

 

[Bravo79]

Maybe a damaged motor side mount, or prop. Have you ever "bumped" this into anything in a previous flight?

No, that did not ever happen. Flew it around 3 to 4 times in open environment

 

[Broken Arrow]

Sorry if this sounds obvious, you do know that two of the props lock counterclockwise and the others are clockwise? This could explain the failure if you are checking them right before takeoff.

 

[DynoTech]

I know on the Spark that props can be cracked on the lower tangs that lock in. It’s hard to see until you remove the prop.

 

[Cyberpower678]

I got the original one from Costco. That crashed ( due to prop falling off) ,but it was in warranty. I totally expected that DJI would charge me for repair but to my surprise, they send me a refurbished one (had a new Serial Number). They also sent some new props with the replacement. I have been using those props during flying.

Then I would chalk it up to bad luck on your part.

 

[Bravo79]

Sorry if this sounds obvious, you do know that two of the props lock counterclockwise and the others are clockwise? This could explain the failure if you are checking them right before takeoff.

yes, I know the locking mechanism and had checked the props were secure in the motor at least couple of times before take-off

 

[Canuk]

I guess that I have a little good luck . I have 237 flights on my one mavic Pro and have not even had one prop with any damage . I retired one set of props from getting loose hinge pins but that’s it . I use sport mode on every flight and no cracked locking mounts yet .

 

[Aaron24]

Since this happened to me before, I triple checked the prop installation after that every time I flew.

Was it the same prop that came off a second time or a different one?

 

[Joebie]

Looked at the video and it seems like something happened on the left side of the craft and it was rather violent.

 

[Jackcutrone]

Looked at the video and it seems like something happened on the left side of the craft and it was rather violent.

I looked too and kept stopping and starting the video but couldn’t see anything on the left side of the frame. At about 0:24, on the right the only thing I see is that the image of the cloud elongates and blurs as it starts to fall.

Bravo9. It just seems weird to me that on two separate aircraft you had what I guess is an uncommon problem of the prop detaching in mid flight. I do not doubt that you checked the prop as you say. It would seem that whatever physical act you did to check didn’t reveal whatever problem caused the prop to separate. Aaron24 asked if it was the same prop as in the first instance. Since these are two different aircraft it couldn’t literally be the same prop but was it on the equivalent arm eg right front? If it was me I would be considering the possibility that my handling of the a/c was causing it eg it was hitting something as I put it into case or I was putting some stress on the particular motor/prop as I was folding the arms. At least something to consider.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Looked at the video and it seems like something happened on the left side of the craft and it was rather violent.

Looked to me that it simply rolled due to no lift on the side where the prop came off and it then tumbled to the ground. Nothing violent looking other than the tumbling. He is extremely lucky no one was below, unsuspectingly and that he was not over the water and that someone was there to get it immediately before that salt water rolled in over it. I suppose if you are going to have an in flight failure then this is the perfect point in the flight to have it.

 

[Bravo79]

Was it the same prop that came off a second time or a different one?

I believe it was a different prop that came off, but it is irrelevant in this case..
this was a refurbed/new drone that was sent to me after my previous crash. They also send a new set of props.

 

[Bravo79]

I looked too and kept stopping and starting the video but couldn’t see anything on the left side of the frame. At about 0:24, on the right the only thing I see is that the image of the cloud elongates and blurs as it starts to fall.

Bravo9. It just seems weird to me that on two separate aircraft you had what I guess is an uncommon problem of the prop detaching in mid flight. I do not doubt that you checked the prop as you say. It would seem that whatever physical act you did to check didn’t reveal whatever problem caused the prop to separate. Aaron24 asked if it was the same prop as in the first instance. Since these are two different aircraft it couldn’t literally be the same prop but was it on the equivalent arm eg right front? If it was me I would be considering the possibility that my handling of the a/c was causing it eg it was hitting something as I put it into case or I was putting some stress on the particular motor/prop as I was folding the arms. At least something to consider.

i am not sure which prop fell out, but it was on the left side, i think left front.
The previous one that crashed was the left rear prop that popped out.

BUT because of my previous experience, every time i flew after the incident, i made **** sure that the props were secure in place.

I still believe that the drone design is faulty in that, it should not be allowed to fly unless the props are absolutely secure in place.