My experience with DJI's repair of my Alpine White Mavic Pro

[daisy-girl]

Mar 11: I email DJI support that my Alpine White Mavic Pro ate the 16GB Micro SD Card

Mar 11: DJI assigns Request # to my email

Mar 14: DJI emails me a pre-paid shipping label for UPS Ground to Texas

Mar 19: I leave the package at a UPS pickup point

Mar 27: DJI receives the item and assigns a Case #

Mar 29: DJI emails me that the cost of the Core Board is $288, 2h labor is $130=$418 — all covered by the one year warranty

Mar 30: DJI notifies me the repair is complete, testing done, will ship within 2 days

Mar 30: DJI notifies me the AC has been shipped, gives me the UPS Ground tracking #

Apr 04: Well-packed package received, includes the damaged 16GB card

Apr 07: I link the RC to the AC, redo all my settings and remove the transparent plastic that DJI has covered the lens with, fly the AC, note that it flys as beautifully as it did before it ate the card

Source of image: DJI website

 

[Wcordes]

Nice to hear good new.

 

[joejaxvic123]

How did the card get eaten?

 

[daisy-girl]

How did the card get eaten?

When I attempted to remove it by pressing inward, instead of springing outward it disappeared inside the AC.

 

[mavicn00b]

Check the SN on the drone, its probably another unit entirely.

 

[Cimriver]

Mar 11: I email DJI support that my Alpine White Mavic Pro ate the 16GB Micro SD Card

Mar 11: DJI assigns Request # to my email

Mar 14: DJI emails me a pre-paid shipping label for UPS Ground to Texas

Mar 19: I leave the package at a UPS pickup point

Mar 27: DJI receives the item and assigns a Case #

Mar 29: DJI emails me that the cost of the Core Board is $288, 2h labor is $130=$418 — all covered by the one year warranty

Mar 30: DJI notifies me the repair is complete, testing done, will ship within 2 days

Mar 30: DJI notifies me the AC has been shipped, gives me the UPS Ground tracking #

Apr 04: Well-packed package received, includes the damaged 16GB card

Apr 07: I link the RC to the AC, redo all my settings and remove the transparent plastic that DJI has covered the lens with, fly the AC, note that it flys as beautifully as it did before it ate the card

Source of image: DJI website

So now imagine that same problem (SD Card), but have it happen one month beyond the expiration of DJIRefresh. $400 dollars for a broken SDCard slot? Happened to me. Not such a great experience. In all fairness for those who are not aware, the SD Card slot is built into the lower main board on the aircraft.

 

[daisy-girl]

Check the SN on the drone, its probably another unit entirely.

I checked, and it's not.

The reason I needed to to re-link the RC and redo all the settings is that the repair involves changing the "Core Board."

(I highlighted in yellow a sentence on the repair sheet that I wanted the same unit back, and DJI Support said they would honor it.)

 

[mavicn00b]

Perhaps they don't have any spare white units in this case given how rare they are relatively?

Most people usually just get a refurb instead

 

[daisy-girl]

Perhaps they don't have any spare white units in this case given how rare they are relatively?

Most people usually just get a refurb instead

My email to DJI Support: "If I send it in, will I get the same aircraft back?"

DJI Support's email reply: "Once you send the aircraft for repair, per DJI repair policy you will receive the same product that you provide since we are not allowed to interchange the product purchased by our customers."

Me: On DJI's repair document that I filled in (including the serial number) and included with the aircraft, I highlighted in yellow a sentence that I was sending the aircraft for repair under warranty and I wanted the same aircraft back. I do not wish to use my DJI Care/Refresh or Express Replacement.

 

[daisy-girl]

Check the SN on the drone, its probably another unit entirely.

UPDATE: 2018 0413@1150
The RC has the same serial # as when they received,

The AC has a different serial # than when DJI received IT, but there is no R in the 10th position to signify Refurbished,

Here is what DJI Support says:

"We understand that you are concerned that you received a different serial number/drone after the repair. Please note that as per our standard repair process and procedure, depending on the damage assessed by our technicians, the unit's components and parts for repair may be repaired/replaced. Thus, any parts replaced may come with different serial numbers.

"As for your inquiry if the unit is new or refurbished we truly apologize as we at the technical support department cannot determine, however what we do know is that the unit that you received has been tested and assessed to ensure that it is flight worthy and that everything is working well.

"Thank you for understanding.

"You will receive an email survey two days after this email if not responded.
"
If you happen to be away and won’t be able to answer this email timely, please disregard the survey and reply to us directly."

I'm wondering whether replacing the Core Board is similar to replacing the motherboard on a PC, which I think means the PC gets a new serial # -- the reason I'm suspecting it's the same AC as I sent them is that it still has the yellow sticker above the Aircraft Status Indicator on the rear of the aircraft.

The reason I doubt it's new is that it does not have all the other stickers that come on a new AC.

 

[daisy-girl]

UPDATE: 2018 0413@1150 The reason I doubt it's new is that it does not have all the other stickers that come on a new AC.

And the reason I know it's not the same AC is the former's tilt was so smooth you thought you were at the movies.

Both hubby and I are very sorry we lost that beauty.

We're going to ask DJI if it qualifies for the free 7-day exchange policy.

Edit 2018 0414: especially now that we've noted the lag on the iPad screen with yawing is even worse than when tilting

 

[Escapade55]

Perhaps they don't have any spare white units in this case given how rare they are relatively?

Most people usually just get a refurb instead

 

[Escapade55]

Aline white parts not readily avIlable especially in the uk and dji don’t care I needed a new battery after 4 flights no offer to replace they said put a normal Mavic battery on it. APPALLING NEVER AGAIN FOR ME DJI

 

[Youser]

So now imagine that same problem (SD Card), but have it happen one month beyond the expiration of DJIRefresh. $400 dollars for a broken SDCard slot? Happened to me. Not such a great experience. In all fairness for those who are not aware, the SD Card slot is built into the lower main board on the aircraft.

Did you fix it yourself?

 

[BillC_Utah]

I had a similar experience with my white MP , dropped it on the gimble/camera and was replaced under DJI refresh. Great service but did get back a different S/N craft.
I had heard that a refurbished AC has a 'R' after the S/N , my replacement came with out an 'R' - it flies just as good as the 1st one.
Next after a few more weeks had a battery go bad and the replacement , under warranty , will arrive next Thursday July 12th.
Things happen,
BC

 

[Cimriver]

Did you fix it yourself?

Yes I did!