Battery smoking in flight catching fire

Assuming it is a DJI battery (and the OP has said nothing to suggest otherwise) then it's hard to absolve DJI from owning the crash. Batteries are supposed to have circuitry to PREVENT this sort of thing. At worst, the AC should have shut down and crashed without the smoke and excitement. To suggest that it is an environmental issue is just garbage. Again, the internal monitoring can tell if it's overheating due to the weather, etc and give the operator time to land it.

Sure would be nice to get to that internal SD card but there is an excellent chance it has been toasted beyond recovery. Even a Healthy Drones analysis would be interesting.

So, it seems that DJI called it 'heat stroke' on the basis of the pictures? They don't have the AC?
 
I had immediately contacted DJI and they asked me to ship it to them. They provided the shipping labels. Everything went back, they said they could repair for $661. I expected it would be covered. 2 months later I got my damaged drone back (not repaired) and they kept all the burnt parts saying it was a hazard to ship back. As I see it, they kept the parts that could prove a hazard and warranty issue.
 
Edit:

Actually I'm wrong on this and admit it. I thought one of the images was of a smoking battery on the ground. I just realized I was wrong and it was a lipo battery inside part of the battery bay. Sorry to all!
Edit:

Actually I'm wrong on this and admit it. I thought one of the images was of a smoking battery on the ground. I just realized I was wrong and it was a lipo battery inside part of the battery bay. Sorry to all!
Edit:

Actually I'm wrong on this and admit it. I thought one of the images was of a smoking battery on the ground. I just realized I was wrong and it was a lipo battery inside part of the battery bay. Sorry to all!
Huh, what? One of us isn't taking enough meds (only one cup of expresso so far for me). The issue appears to be smoke from the battery and subsequent damage from the moderately rapid unscheduled exothermic reaction. I don't see where the motor itself is implicated. I would, however, expect there to be enough hydrocarbon stuff in the motor - primarily the insulation over the windings - to create smoke although likely fairly briefly.

In flight there would likely be smoke pouring out everywhere - the vents, the space between the motor, the new hole punched in the case......
Edit:

Actually I'm wrong on this and admit it. I thought one of the images was of a smoking battery on the ground. I just realized I was wrong and it was a lipo battery inside part of the battery bay. Sorry to all!
when it crashed the battery separated and that's a pic on the ground of it smoking. Battery compartment on drone melted off.
Everything was sent to DJI and they sent back the drone and camera. All charred remnants were kept by DJI stating too hazardous to ship.
 
While flying phantom 3 pro at 200' for approximately 6 minutes smoke was observed trailing drone. Attempted to land on residential street as smoke increased. At 83' drone quit and dropped from the air trailing smoke. DJI states no errors noted, must have over heated in hot weather. I sent flight log, photo and weather report. Another tech responded that i must have got water on battery. Clear, dry and temp in 70's. I have photos of burned battery and drone. Battery still smoking when pic was taken. DJI stating battery and damage not under warranty. Anyone else experience battery smoking in flight?

I'm very new to my P3P but I have to say that I'm almost scared to fly it. Ok it flies great within the (always in sight) range I have set and even though I have added a Trackimo this doesn't reassure me that I won't find my P3P in a crumpled heap having landed on a highway and been run over because the software, hardware or firmware let me down. The business about overheating batteries worries me even more. In the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first year of service, at least four aircraft suffered from electrical system problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries. Although teething problems are common within the first year of a new aircraft design's life, after a number of incidents including an electrical fire aboard an All Nippon Airways 787, and a similar fire found by maintenance workers on a landed Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a review into the design and manufacture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, following five incidents in five days involving the aircraft, mostly involved with problems with the batteries and electrical systems. This was followed with a full grounding of the entire Boeing 787 fleet, the first such grounding since that of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in 1979. The constant denial by DJI of technical anomalies resulting in fly-aways and uncommanded crashes is a cause for concern. The success of any (new) product is governed by the level of post-sales service, the capacity of the manufacturer to say "yes we got this wrong" and the willingness to say "we'll put things right". If DJI is really serious about dominating the advanced UAV market then it must consider sacrificing some of its profits to establish a rapport with pilots who have invested heavily in a product in which they displayed confidence.

Doing the right thing, in my experience, makes one feel good and adds value to the company image.
 
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....There is nothing inside of the motor that would produce smoke.

Btw, what's even worse is any fools that may have believed it. :rolleyes: :D
smoke.jpg
 
I'm not sure if that reply was for me or a comment in general but there are situations where the warranty wouldn't apply. I'm not taking DJI's side in this and think they should replace the cell and repair the drone but if the battery was physically damaged or wet (even a little) there is nothing to prevent this type of combustion. The internal circuitry will only prevent something connected to the battery (Charger, or drone) from sending too much current or drawing too much current to cause this event. It cannot protect the cells themselves from combustion if they are damaged or wet. Having said that, I still think this quad should be repaired / replaced under warranty.
Being wet may void the battery warranty but it won't make it catch fire. The cells are sealed, if the electrolyte isn't leaking out of the cell pouches no water is going to find its way inside.
 
Whatever the reason be for smoking, DJI should help replace the bird. There are many factors that can contribute to battery failure and poor user should not be responsible for the cause unless it's proved the other way by certain proof. My two cents.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
 
Whatever the reason be for smoking, DJI should help replace the bird. There are many factors that can contribute to battery failure and poor user should not be responsible for the cause unless it's proved the other way by certain proof. My two cents.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots
Agree 100%..... Imagine the potential impact to reputation and sales trying to get screwy on the warranty issue in this case. Dji should be bending over backwards to help.
 
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I'm very new to my P3P but I have to say that I'm almost scared to fly it. Ok it flies great within the (always in sight) range I have set and even though I have added a Trackimo this doesn't reassure me that I won't find my P3P in a crumpled heap having landed on a highway and been run over because the software, hardware or firmware let me down. The business about overheating batteries worries me even more. In the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first year of service, at least four aircraft suffered from electrical system problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries. Although teething problems are common within the first year of a new aircraft design's life, after a number of incidents including an electrical fire aboard an All Nippon Airways 787, and a similar fire found by maintenance workers on a landed Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a review into the design and manufacture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, following five incidents in five days involving the aircraft, mostly involved with problems with the batteries and electrical systems. This was followed with a full grounding of the entire Boeing 787 fleet, the first such grounding since that of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in 1979. The constant denial by DJI of technical anomalies resulting in fly-aways and uncommanded crashes is a cause for concern. The success of any (new) product is governed by the level of post-sales service, the capacity of the manufacturer to say "yes we got this wrong" and the willingness to say "we'll put things right". If DJI is really serious about dominating the advanced UAV market then it must consider sacrificing some of its profits to establish a rapport with pilots who have invested heavily in a product in which they displayed confidence.

Doing the right thing, in my experience, makes one feel good and adds value to the company image.

Dude, this hobby is probably not for you.
 
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I had immediately contacted DJI and they asked me to ship it to them. They provided the shipping labels. Everything went back, they said they could repair for $661. I expected it would be covered. 2 months later I got my damaged drone back (not repaired) and they kept all the burnt parts saying it was a hazard to ship back. As I see it, they kept the parts that could prove a hazard and warranty issue.
That is seriously bad form on DJI's part. The battery I can understand (if you shipped it). The rest of the burnt parts are hardly dangerous. If they don't give you ALL of the parts back (again, sans battery, they have a point there and I'm surprised they even suggested you ship it to them - if indeed you did) I would hassle them to replace the entire bird. DJI does have a history of either giving in or giving you a much better discount if you hassle them. PITA, but that's them.
 
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I'm very new to my P3P but I have to say that I'm almost scared to fly it. Ok it flies great within the (always in sight) range I have set and even though I have added a Trackimo this doesn't reassure me that I won't find my P3P in a crumpled heap having landed on a highway and been run over because the software, hardware or firmware let me down. The business about overheating batteries worries me even more. In the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first year of service, at least four aircraft suffered from electrical system problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries. Although teething problems are common within the first year of a new aircraft design's life, after a number of incidents including an electrical fire aboard an All Nippon Airways 787, and a similar fire found by maintenance workers on a landed Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a review into the design and manufacture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, following five incidents in five days involving the aircraft, mostly involved with problems with the batteries and electrical systems. This was followed with a full grounding of the entire Boeing 787 fleet, the first such grounding since that of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in 1979. The constant denial by DJI of technical anomalies resulting in fly-aways and uncommanded crashes is a cause for concern. The success of any (new) product is governed by the level of post-sales service, the capacity of the manufacturer to say "yes we got this wrong" and the willingness to say "we'll put things right". If DJI is really serious about dominating the advanced UAV market then it must consider sacrificing some of its profits to establish a rapport with pilots who have invested heavily in a product in which they displayed confidence.

Doing the right thing, in my experience, makes one feel good and adds value to the company image.
While I don't necessarily disagree with you (DJI really should come clean on problems and do a better job at customer service) there is a bit of a difference between a $1000 plastic toy and a multimillion dollar commercial aircraft.

If Boeing made the Phantom, well, none of us would likely be in the financial situation to afford it. But it would fly well, be nicely documented. And be six years late off the line..... TANSTAFL).

Oh, and please don't tell the FAA about the batteries. We'd never fly again. They would have to be shipped from China in a specially made ship and then transported to your house in a giant, reinforced truck with a police escort.
 

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