How do i read the flight data to find a crash ?

[shutterup]

Just purchased a p4p off ebay.

It had a skin on it and i was told it it was perfect.

I felt there was a crack under the skin and removed it.

Turns out there around a 1.5 inch crack on the bottom sheel next a leg, the rest of teh drone looks pefect.

its had around 30 flights total and 14 chargers, I fly a mavic and have owned almost every phantom so i am always very careful with pre flight checkes and glad i saw this .

I can replace the bottom shell but i was wondering, ive logged into DJI assistant to view the logs , i want to see how bad the crash was before deciding of i keep it or not but ive donloaded the data and having never viewed it before, ive no idea what im looking for to itenfiy a crash.

Please help

Thanks

 

[Fly Dawg]

I am assuming you mean the .Dat file from the aircraft itself. To view that you will need Datcon or Csv View, along with Excel to view the Csv file. You will have to know which .Dat file was relavent to the crash. There are several stored on the AC. If you need assistance with the log, upload your file to a sharable location and post a link back here. Someone will help you out. Here is the link for the viewer.

CsvView/DatCon

 

[Meta4]

i want to see how bad the crash was before deciding of i keep it or not but ive donloaded the data and having never viewed it before, ive no idea what im looking for to itenfiy a crash.

the internal data will only have the last 4 or so flights.
If the crash was further back, you need to look at the .txt files in the app (under the previous owner's account)
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet and it will give an easy to read report

 

[shutterup]

Thanks both, it has 33 flight logs on the craft.

The seller says hes the second owner and didnt crash it, its going to be impossible to know what flight was the one that it occused then i assume ?

 

[shutterup]

what do you think of the damage?

 

[Fly Dawg]

If the crack does not extend to a screw mount, I wouldn't replace the entire shell just for that. Just seal the crack with plastic epoxy. But keep an eye on it as a pre-flight check, just to make sure it doesn't extend further.

 

[shutterup]

its about 2-3mm away

 

[Fly Dawg]

If it is that close, I would pull the shell apart and check the interior. If it is still the same there as well, do the epoxy both inside and out.

 

[shutterup]

ok thamk you, based on what you can see and the few flights its had, would bad would you suggest the crash was?

 

[Fly Dawg]

If there is no other physical damage other than that crack, I would say that if there were any sort of crash, it was very minor. I suspect though that this could be one of the dreaded stress cracks. Many P3's ( Not certain about P4's) have exhibited these, although be it, normally around the motor mounts, but other areas have been noted as well.

 

[shutterup]

Thank you

I had a 50ft high flight to check it out before the epoxy arrives, the P4P drifts quite badly to the point it cant keep the camera focused where i placed it.

but , while thats down to the crack, I found out the FW is LUDICRUSLY old, i assume that would have also been an issue too, when updated , it offered me DJI care refresh, should i accept?

 

[Fly Dawg]

First, If it's drifting, did you try an IMU calibration? And just for the sake of saying it. I am still running 2 year old firmware and still fly's beautifully. I have had no reason to update.

 

[shutterup]

I did IMU and Compass before take off.

I assume then , if its not the FW itll be the crack casuing vibration ,

What aboiut the fact its offered refresh ? if i accept and pay ,will i have an issue? the serial number clears the check in the store.

 

[Fly Dawg]

Can't really answer your question on refresh. Since you did an IMU cal. Have you checked the props for balance? That is a source of vibration as well, if one or more are unbalanced.

 

[captainmilehigh]

First, If it's drifting, did you try an IMU calibration? And just for the sake of saying it. I am still running 2 year old firmware and still fly's beautifully. I have had no reason to update.

My P3S had the drifting blues the other day, and IMU and compass calibrations fixed the ‘yaw error’ message in my flight data record. All is well now.

And I too have not updated firmware or GoApp versions in years. Both my birds are on the same firmware and app versions and have no issues, and fly great.......with none of that Geofencing garbage.

‘If it ain’t broke.......”

 

[shutterup]

will check the props next thanks

I understand woth everyones saying, but the crack is near an arm, so thats got to be casuing a vibration issue? and maybe drift?

 

[Fly Dawg]

Also, a badly unbalanced prop could have caused the crack, wouldn't you think that as a possibility?

 

[shutterup]

i would indeed yes but ive only got home to check then now

 

[shutterup]

So i check the props, one was pretty poorly unbalenced.

Sealed the crack

Updated the Firmwear

Reset all

Re calebrated

and it flys like an absolute DREAM