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What would you do?

emailman

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Location
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I finally had a weather chance to try out my new Mini that my kids bought for me today. On Christmas day, I opened their present and found that the Mini (from Costco) was previously opened. So today I tried to get the care package and there was a serial number error. After I did my first flight I called DJI and they told me that the drone was already registered. So someone opened it and I do not know why they returned it,
Here is my problem. Do I keep this one or take it back to Costco and get a replacement? Time is not an issue because the weather in Michigan sucks...Thanks for your thoughts and opinions
 
I finally had a weather chance to try out my new Mini that my kids bought for me today. On Christmas day, I opened their present and found that the Mini (from Costco) was previously opened. So today I tried to get the care package and there was a serial number error. After I did my first flight I called DJI and they told me that the drone was already registered. So someone opened it and I do not know why they returned it,
Here is my problem. Do I keep this one or take it back to Costco and get a replacement? Time is not an issue because the weather in Michigan sucks...Thanks for your thoughts and opinions
Return it if you want care refresh program...and this time do it within 48 hours so you don't have to do a video. Just by chance did your kids open your package first to check all was well and perhaps sign you up already for care refresh as part of the Present?
 
Return it if you want care refresh program...and this time do it within 48 hours so you don't have to do a video. Just by chance did your kids open your package first to check all was well and perhaps sign you up already for care refresh as part of the Present?
The DJI rep would not tell me the email that it was registered to, but they checked and it was not my son's email. I asked them and they did not open it and I told him that he should NEVER accept an opened big ticket item. Thanks!!
 
If your kids bought it as new and providing you did not accidentally register it yourself then I too would be inclined to take it back. It might be worth looking in your phone for the flight logs. Depending on the app version? they may or may not be entirely readable by suitable software but the DAT files have a name which indicates how many times ( in the 1 to 100 range ) the drone has been switched on. If the DATS are unavailable the txt logs contain a reference to the applicable DAT file number. If you can access the logs and either open the last one yourself or post it here someone may be able to tell you the switch-on count. Incidentally the activation date is contained in one of the logs and I think in the txt log. I am on my phone at the moment and can not check which log contains it.


EDIT the activation date is in column JA or column number 261 of the csv produced by CsvView, the column's title is DETAILS.activeTimestamp

The DAT file counter in the txt log is in column HB, 210, HOME.dataRecorderFileIndex
 
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I would take it back and see if you can get at least the Mini 2.
 
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Reactions: dozzn and A.O.
no brainer - it needs to go back ... you have NO idea whats happened to it ..maybe someone took it out turned it on swapped new batteries for their old ones and took them back so ..you just dont know ...
 
I agree with most, box it up and take it back and trade it out for a "new" one. If Costco whines just explain that its been opened and registered already and that you cannot because of that.
 
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Reactions: THE CYBORG
Take it back to Costco as soon as you can. Their return policies are pretty good and this shouldn't be a problem.

When I bought my Phantom, I bought it from a local BestBuy. The first time I flew it, the gimbal wasn't working correctly. I boxed it back and BestBuy exchanged it for another, no issues.
 
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Reactions: Thomas B
I agree, take it back. If it had CR or you could add it then maybe I would keep it but at this point you're in an as-is state and I'm sure your kids paid full price for new, not reduced price for refurbished or open box. You don't even know how long it has been activated so you could lose quite a bit of the warranty period. Then if a warranty claim is needed, you might battle DJI about what's in logs for flights you never made.
 
Thanks for all the thoughts. I was at Costco for something else and questioned a manager and she told me that it would be no problem to swap it out. They are currently stocking it so it should be a quick replacement as soon as I get the box and glass bubble charger. Once again, thanks for th advice.

PS - it was a lot of fun to fly finally, but I will not use it anymore until it gets replaced. Also, I want to fly in dryer and warmer weather.
 
I finally had a weather chance to try out my new Mini that my kids bought for me today. On Christmas day, I opened their present and found that the Mini (from Costco) was previously opened. So today I tried to get the care package and there was a serial number error. After I did my first flight I called DJI and they told me that the drone was already registered. So someone opened it and I do not know why they returned it,
Here is my problem. Do I keep this one or take it back to Costco and get a replacement? Time is not an issue because the weather in Michigan sucks...Thanks for your thoughts and opinions
 
Hello
I live in Michigan and know how you feel be patient we only have a couple cold month as long the weather is Dry, No Precipitation,
Learn your Restricted Flying Areas !! we have just as many good fly areas as anyone else.
 
Return it.
At least you didn't get the drone my brother got for Christmas from Cosco (because Cosco has really good stuff)
A Propel Flex 2.0! I tried to suggest that perhaps he should take a look at some of the you tube videos on that drone and return it...but..alas.. The Propel Flex did manage to get off the ground and as we all know..if it goes up..it must come down. .......fade to black
 
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