So - DJI's new greed driven policy regarding after market batteries has left me the owner of 2 $140 novelty paperweights in the shape of a Phantom 3 Battery.
Both of the batteries are brand new and have the exact specifications of the DJI OEM batteries - but one of the recent Phantom 3 firmware updates has introduced a check to make sure that the batteries you are using were purchased from DJI.
I think they crossed the line though by disabling the aircraft if it is using non-DJI batteries. It's completely reasonable for them to pop up a message advising the user that they are not using "official" batteries and that they do so at their own risk. It's unreasonable for them to refuse to let me accept that risk and fly anyways. All they have to do is add the battery info to the flight logs and they are covered as far as any liability or warranty issues are concerned. They have tried (poorly and unsuccessfully) to claim that this firmware change is about safety when it is so obviously about greed.
The biggest problem I have with the way they have introduced this change is that it was okay one day and not the next. If this restriction were in place from the day I bought my Phantom, I could have lived with it and I never would have bought aftermarket batteries - but it wasn't. And there was nothing documented in the manuals saying that it could only be used with authentic DJI batteries. I purchased the batteries, they worked very well for one or two flights - and then DJI prohibited them. Their whimsical, greedy policy change had instantly rendered $290 of my property completely useless. They introduced this policy without any thought or care as to how it would affect existing customers - and when they were made aware of how it affects their customers - they still didn't care! There were a number of ways they could have done this better which would have shown at least some degree of care for existing customers. They could have a) started the new policy with every new Phantom sold but grandfathered all of the existing Phantoms in so that if you already purchased your Phantom and already purchased batteries, they would continue to work for the next 2 years. They could have mounted an exchange program where they would let you exchange your aftermarket batteries (with receipt) for DJI credit in the same amount to which you could apply to OEM batteries or other accessories.
What they've done is the equivalent of breaking into my house, seeing $290 on the kitchen table and burning it - for no real reason - and not even offering an apology.
I understand that most of you reading this probably swear by OEM batteries and aren't affected by this decision - so ignore the actual circumstances and just look at how they've handled this from a customer service perspective - because the next time they do this - it may very well be about something that you care about. So forget that this was about batteries and look at the basic facts:
- 1. DJI thought up a way to generate more money
- 2. Implementing their idea would destroy the $ of some existing customers
- 3. Someone identified a way to do it without costing existing customers $.
- 4. DJI didn't give a **** about existing customers.
If it wasn't obvious before, it should be now. This company is greedy and corrupt and doesn't give a rats *** about existing customers.
Next month, some executive at DJI might decide that with the purchase of your drone, you are only entitled to fly for up to 40 minutes per day and implement that decision via firmware. At the same time, they will begin selling extended flight packs or subscriptions which will allow you to fly 60+ minutes per day.
As ludicrous as that sounds, I hesitated to type it out - because if someone at DJI reads it - I guaranteed it will be discussed in next months sales meeting as a very real possibility....
I know that nothing I do or say is going to change any of their policies - and I own too much in the way of accessories to easily switch to Yuneec or someone else - but I think more and more about it every day - and I certainly steer my friends away from DJI with my stories about how they treat their customers.
It's a shame that customer service wasn't more of a priority for them. I would love to call some media attention to these practices - perhaps that would be possible via their affiliation with Apple. Yeah - I thin an email to Apple about DJI's customer relation policies might be the exact right place to start....!!!
Happy flying everyone!
Both of the batteries are brand new and have the exact specifications of the DJI OEM batteries - but one of the recent Phantom 3 firmware updates has introduced a check to make sure that the batteries you are using were purchased from DJI.
I think they crossed the line though by disabling the aircraft if it is using non-DJI batteries. It's completely reasonable for them to pop up a message advising the user that they are not using "official" batteries and that they do so at their own risk. It's unreasonable for them to refuse to let me accept that risk and fly anyways. All they have to do is add the battery info to the flight logs and they are covered as far as any liability or warranty issues are concerned. They have tried (poorly and unsuccessfully) to claim that this firmware change is about safety when it is so obviously about greed.
The biggest problem I have with the way they have introduced this change is that it was okay one day and not the next. If this restriction were in place from the day I bought my Phantom, I could have lived with it and I never would have bought aftermarket batteries - but it wasn't. And there was nothing documented in the manuals saying that it could only be used with authentic DJI batteries. I purchased the batteries, they worked very well for one or two flights - and then DJI prohibited them. Their whimsical, greedy policy change had instantly rendered $290 of my property completely useless. They introduced this policy without any thought or care as to how it would affect existing customers - and when they were made aware of how it affects their customers - they still didn't care! There were a number of ways they could have done this better which would have shown at least some degree of care for existing customers. They could have a) started the new policy with every new Phantom sold but grandfathered all of the existing Phantoms in so that if you already purchased your Phantom and already purchased batteries, they would continue to work for the next 2 years. They could have mounted an exchange program where they would let you exchange your aftermarket batteries (with receipt) for DJI credit in the same amount to which you could apply to OEM batteries or other accessories.
What they've done is the equivalent of breaking into my house, seeing $290 on the kitchen table and burning it - for no real reason - and not even offering an apology.
I understand that most of you reading this probably swear by OEM batteries and aren't affected by this decision - so ignore the actual circumstances and just look at how they've handled this from a customer service perspective - because the next time they do this - it may very well be about something that you care about. So forget that this was about batteries and look at the basic facts:
- 1. DJI thought up a way to generate more money
- 2. Implementing their idea would destroy the $ of some existing customers
- 3. Someone identified a way to do it without costing existing customers $.
- 4. DJI didn't give a **** about existing customers.
If it wasn't obvious before, it should be now. This company is greedy and corrupt and doesn't give a rats *** about existing customers.
Next month, some executive at DJI might decide that with the purchase of your drone, you are only entitled to fly for up to 40 minutes per day and implement that decision via firmware. At the same time, they will begin selling extended flight packs or subscriptions which will allow you to fly 60+ minutes per day.
As ludicrous as that sounds, I hesitated to type it out - because if someone at DJI reads it - I guaranteed it will be discussed in next months sales meeting as a very real possibility....
I know that nothing I do or say is going to change any of their policies - and I own too much in the way of accessories to easily switch to Yuneec or someone else - but I think more and more about it every day - and I certainly steer my friends away from DJI with my stories about how they treat their customers.
It's a shame that customer service wasn't more of a priority for them. I would love to call some media attention to these practices - perhaps that would be possible via their affiliation with Apple. Yeah - I thin an email to Apple about DJI's customer relation policies might be the exact right place to start....!!!
Happy flying everyone!