my phantom 4 just flew away

JWH · Nov 9, 2016

The Android app used to lock up on mine all the time. I would lose the FPV, but the remote control always worked. That is why I switched to the Ipad. I wonder if the OP had flown the drone out of sight at the time the Ipad shut down? If so, losing the FPV would have been an impossible situation. As others have noted, was the home point location and RTH altitude set? I learned this early on because I often fly in heavily wooded areas.

Helihover · Nov 9, 2016

Were you in beginner mode?

AnchorageAk · Nov 9, 2016

Work with these people, they can help you. Don't give up. Again, DON'T GIVE UP. I lost one twice. One was my fault, and the other was a rth issue. DJI send me a new drone because I could prove it wasn't me. Got it back both times. Post a reward sign in the area. Try to find some one near by, but work with these guys. Give them the info and they can show you a map of where it might be.

captainmilehigh · Nov 9, 2016

Agree AnchorageAk, too soon to give up yet. @David Johnson, work with msinger's requests in post # 2 and # 6 and get the info to him. Msinger is a master at everything Phantom, and will help you if you ask.......along with many others on this forum. We are PhantomPilots, and we're here to help. Don't give up finding your lost bird.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

bkushner · Nov 10, 2016

Meta4 said:
It would be very surprising if there is no flight record.
Open the DJI Go app and click the paper plane icon in the upper right of the screen to go to your flight records.
Are there flight records there?
Is there one for the most recent flight?
If you click on it, you should be able to replay the flight.
If you can do this, the flight data is there somewhere in your iPad.
If you can get the flight data, there's a good chance that someone will be able to work out what happened.

Would this log be there if using the Litchi app?

Meta4 · Nov 10, 2016

bkushner said:
Would this log be there if using the Litchi app?

If using Litchi, there will be no flight record in the Go app but Litchi does create its own flight record.

Raymax · Nov 10, 2016

I too had a recent P4 flyaway. After receiving intermittant lost video signals, I engaged RTH, P4 came back, flew right over the HP at about 100 ft, and kept right on going, never to be found. Could not gain control in manual mode even though the drone in plain sight! Lost flight record while on the phone following DJI techs uploading advice. They won't even give me a discount on replacing just the aircraft? Anyone have a similar experience...suggestions?

Raymax · Nov 10, 2016

David Johnson said:
after saving my money for the last 5 mts I was able to buy a Phantom 4 Dji drone from best buy ,I was flying the drone on Sunday November 6 around 12 in the afternoon on a clear sunny day here in California for some reason the pic went out on my ipad and the drone went out of the flight pattern and just flew away I immediately pushed the return to home button on the receiver however the drone did not come back I tried for hours looking for the drone but could not find it !

I contacted Dji support to see if they could help and they said to look for the flight patterns in the ipad to see where the last location was and search in that area.

I went to my account on the DJI app (USING MY EMAIL ADDRESS [email protected] pass word ''xxxxxx'') and it did not show any flight patterns or any other data , I tried to explain this to the support team and they seem to give me the run around then told me there is nothing they could do for me !
any suggestions ??

I too had a recent P4 flyaway. After receiving intermittant lost video signals, I engaged RTH, P4 came back, flew right over the HP at about 100 ft, and kept right on going, never to be found. Could not gain control in manual mode even though the drone in plain sight! Lost flight record while on the phone following DJI techs uploading advice. They won't even give me a discount on replacing just the aircraft? Anyone have a similar experience...suggestions?

msinger · Nov 10, 2016

Raymax said:
Lost flight record while on the phone following DJI techs uploading advice.

How exactly did you lose the flight record?

Raymax · Nov 10, 2016

msinger said:
How exactly did you lose the flight record?

When trying to upload the record, the data appeared on my screen but I received an upload failure or failed to sync message (cant remember which). The tech told me to retry, and when I did, the data fields were filled with "n/a" rather than the data that was displayed initially.

msinger · Nov 10, 2016

Did you connect to your mobile device directly to look for the TXT file?

Raymax · Nov 10, 2016

AnchorageAk said:
Work with these people, they can help you. Don't give up. Again, DON'T GIVE UP. I lost one twice. One was my fault, and the other was a rth issue. DJI send me a new drone because I could prove it wasn't me. Got it back both times. Post a reward sign in the area. Try to find some one near by, but work with these guys. Give them the info and they can show you a map of where it might be.

I have tried everything I know to work with DJI. First they sent me back an analysis claiming pilot error. After pointing out to them that they had no record of the flight in question, and they were analyzing a flight that never occurred, they simply responded with "nothing they could do without the record" that their software zeroed out! I am not asking for a free replacement, just a discount on just the missing drone. They have offered a me a price of $1099 for just the aircraft! I can buy a complete new P4 for that on ebay! Really disappointed in DJI!

AnchorageAk · Nov 10, 2016

Raymax said:
I have tried everything I know to work with DJI. First they sent me back an analysis claiming pilot error. After pointing out to them that they had no record of the flight in question, and they were analyzing a flight that never occurred, they simply responded with "nothing they could do without the record" that their software zeroed out! I am not asking for a free replacement, just a discount on just the missing drone. They have offered a me a price of $1099 for just the aircraft! I can buy a complete new P4 for that on ebay! Really disappointed in DJI!

No one in their right mind would take that as an offer. Look what is being sold on this board. The one with 4 batteries is about to get me in trouble if some one doesn't buy it. That's why I bump it up. On that if you sold the batteries for $75, and the controller for $135. equals $435 from $1000= $565. You have a battery and controller. I would buy 2 or 3 batteries from you. Maybe the controller.

Jussaguy · Nov 10, 2016

Hey guys. Sorry you lost it. Sounds like some Twilight Zone stuff with a coupe of the mysterious fly aways and no text file, especially the one where you could see it fly by you without being able to get control. Don't even understand that one. I was just on Balboa Island trying to shoot the marina and a bunch of seagulls started chasing the bird. I had to turn it into sport mode and run out pace them. The local folk got quite a kick out of it.

Feeling very blessed that I have never had a crash of any significance or a fly away. I probably just set myself up for one now. :-X

msinger · Nov 10, 2016

Jussaguy said:
Sounds like some Twilight Zone stuff with a coupe of the mysterious fly aways and no text file

Or do they just not know how to find the TXT files? I cannot decide.

Meta4 · Nov 10, 2016

Raymax said:
When trying to upload the record, the data appeared on my screen but I received an upload failure or failed to sync message (cant remember which). The tech told me to retry, and when I did, the data fields were filled with "n/a" rather than the data that was displayed initially.

I can't tell if there is a problem with the flight record or if you have a problem finding it.
Just to be clear, is there still a flight record on your phone or tablet?
Have you tried using the flight record viewer at Phantomhelp.com?
Go to https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/Upload/
... and follow the instructions there.

Jussaguy · Nov 10, 2016

msinger said:
Or do they just not know how to find the TXT files? I cannot decide.

Lol. I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt because I'm feeling generous today.

msinger · Nov 10, 2016

It's tough to help when neither one will answer direct questions

Jussaguy · Nov 10, 2016

msinger said:
It's tough to help when neither one will answer direct questions

You certainly do try Mike and we appreciate you! I'm always amazed at your generosity. It's a wonderful thing.

AnchorageAk · Nov 10, 2016

Raymax. Sounds what happen to me. Hit RTH, it comes to rth point , hesitates a few seconds, and fly's off. I was videoing at the time, using my Kindle. So I reviewed the video, and we followed the path. It was dark out, and we saw the lights on it. I fly it in remote areas. Send the requested info to DJI, and they replaced the drone. Was it raining when it happened to you? I have a nice video on it about 5 feet over a transmission line that feeds Anchorage, and Fairbanks. It would have been lights out for the drone, and a few thousand others. It landed on the other side of them.