Phantom 3 dropped like a stone

[Gazp1961]

Hi all....new to the forum so would like to say a big hello and ask for some advice please....
Was flying my p3s a couple of days ago when following a 10 minute fight it just fell out of the air during the landing phase of the RTH.... It looked from the ground as if one of the props had stop spinning but luckily the other 3 kept going so that reduces the impact... My theory is that the prop came into contact with the prop guard as the was a chunk out of one of the guards.....but I can't be sure.
My question is does the p3s have any on board diagnostics that would register a fault if there was one....like a DTC...??
Because I can't be sure I'm nervous to fly again until the cause is proven...
Any help would be much appreciated...

 

[RodPad]

Welcome to the forum!

From you mobile device, upload your flight log to: DJI Flight Log Viewer

Then copy paste the results back here.

Rod

 

[RodPad]

With the Log, this reduce the guessing!

Until then, do you got a brand or link to your prop guards?
What marks are on the props?

Rod

 

[Gazp1961]

Thanks for the response Rod, please see attached flight log.... There appears to be a compass error message just before it hits the ground, i guess this could have been due to the rapid spinning, although it did take an odd route when returning home....the aircraft didn't come back on a direct coarse....
Thanks for any help you can offer, it's very much appreciated...
Gaz

 

[Gazp1961]

Thanks for the response Rod, please see attached flight log.... There appears to be a compass error message just before it hits the ground, i guess this could have been due to the rapid spinning, although it did take an odd route when returning home....the aircraft didn't come back on a direct coarse....
Thanks for any help you can offer, it's very much appreciated...
Gaz

 

[sar104]

Thanks for the response Rod, please see attached flight log.... There appears to be a compass error message just before it hits the ground, i guess this could have been due to the rapid spinning, although it did take an odd route when returning home....the aircraft didn't come back on a direct coarse....
Thanks for any help you can offer, it's very much appreciated...
Gaz

No attached log.

 

[RodPad]

No file shown yet, you can edit and delete your own posts, if you want to add it to a prior post.

Here is mine from yesterday, I keep running into trees, not sure if I caused it or not yet.

DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

Every once in while mine will be in Atti mode, this time it just kept going to the South, I let off the controls, but it kept going, no time to think it was facing me. Stupidly to close anyways, this the third time but first for a collision.

On the P3A, the gimbal wheel is right next to the P,A,F. slide switch, I have big hands, just don't know yet, wasn't fun day, Mondays.

99% of the time, I'm doing missions, ever-time this atti pops up I'm using Litchi, but not a mission.

Rod

 

[Gazp1961]

Thanks for the response Rod, I'm new to this game and got to admit I'm struggling a little ...lol

Please see attached ....hope this helps...tried to download the CSV version with more info, but for some reason the system wouldn't have it...

PS Apologies for raising the other thread, but this one didn't show in the first instance so I raised another - I'll delete the other thread if that's preferred...

 

[Meta4]

Hi all....new to the forum so would like to say a big hello and ask for some advice please....
Was flying my p3s a couple of days ago when following a 10 minute fight it just fell out of the air during the landing phase of the RTH.... It looked from the ground as if one of the props had stop spinning but luckily the other 3 kept going so that reduces the impact... My theory is that the prop came into contact with the prop guard as the was a chunk out of one of the guards.....but I can't be sure.
My question is does the p3s have any on board diagnostics that would register a fault if there was one....like a DTC...??
Because I can't be sure I'm nervous to fly again until the cause is proven...
Any help would be much appreciated...

Your flight data looks like this: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
It shows something starting to happen at around 10:42 when the Phantom is 228 feet up and descending.
By 10:45.9 the effect is greater and the pitch, roll and yaw data is showing that the Phantom is wobbling as it comes down and the speed of descent increases to 8 metres/sec just before it crashes.

When you turn the props can you see anywhere that the props and prop guards are touching?

 

[Gazp1961]

One of the prop guards has a chunk missing out of it and one of the props has a nick, but that could have happened in the collision.
Had it running earlier today and noticed that one of the motors is making more noise than the other three, but seems to be running normally... wonder if that could be the issue...
I also noticed that the aircraft didn't RTH in a straight line....is that normal???
..

 

[RodPad]

Thanks for the response Rod, I'm new to this game and got to admit I'm struggling a little ...lol

Please see attached ....hope this helps...tried to download the CSV version with more info, but for some reason the system wouldn't have it...

PS Apologies for raising the other thread, but this one didn't show in the first instance so I raised another - I'll delete the other thread if that's preferred...

No problem, when we try to help and the OP has more than one thread running, they start give different information (details) on each thread.

Rod

 

[RodPad]

As I asked before "do you got a brand or link to your prop guards?"
The reason, maybe some others have had a problem with those make / model of guards.

The guard being so shattered must have been hitting the ground, the props should have been a lot worse then a few nicks.

Since the problem started on the descent, maybe it was a prop contact to the guard that did cause it to fall, I think @Meta4 would have stated if he saw a motor problem, not sure if its in that log.

If you want to view the .dat file that is on the Phantom, down load it soon, the files are large and they will soon be overwritten with newer flights.

Since those a snap on guards, could that one of been loose?

"aircraft didn't RTH in a straight line....is that normal???"
Yes, Not Normal.

"compass error message just before it hits the ground"
Yes, spinning to fast will make the compass dizzy.

Rod

 

[Gazp1961]

The prop guards were ordered from eBay....item no 122485214528.
The brand is shown as "Cskwin2015"....
Regarding the noisey motor...think I'll replace it anyhow as it is making a strange knocking sound, it's not loud but is still a worry. Is it wise to replace just one motor or shoulder all 4 be replaced, there seems to be conflicting opinion's???

 

[RodPad]

Hum, can't find the guards on ebay, I found the seller "Cskwin2015"
To be sure, the motor noise is now after the crash?

I don't know one or all, my opinion I think just the one would be fine.

Search Results for Query: replace all motors | DJI Phantom Drone Forum

If you start a new thread on your motor question, make your post simple.

The Subject like "Should replace one motor or all"

The body like "Had a crash with my P3S one motor now has a _______ noise, should replace all or not?"
and what-every you want to add that you think is important.

Then add...
Here is what happened: Standard - Phantom 3 dropped like a stone

Rod

 

[Gazp1961]

This is the link on eBay 4Pcs Quick Release Propeller Prop Guard Bumper Protector For DJI Phantom 1 2 3 | eBay . The sellers I'd is cxigfsful-2 (please don't ask what it stands for ....lol)....

 

[Steve7777]

This is the link on eBay 4Pcs Quick Release Propeller Prop Guard Bumper Protector For DJI Phantom 1 2 3 | eBay . The sellers I'd is cxigfsful-2 (please don't ask what it stands for ....lol)....

There are a lot of these Chinese suppliers with warehouses based in the UK and elsewhere now - and they often use a lot of different Ebay seller IDs for the one company too.

However, I've bought from several of them and my experience has only been positive and the products were quite OK. Quick delivery, no risk of import taxes and VAT into the EU and the quality is the same as as if you'd bought from China/Hong Kong/Singapore/Taiwan etc, whatever you may think of the latter.

Shipping time more locally is quicker, of course - and I guess that everything originally transits customs via container shipping en masse.

 

[RodPad]

@Steve7777
Thanks for your input.

Rod

 

[RodPad]

Ok, my turn for some help..

If @Meta4, @BudWalker or anybody else can take a look at my flight from May 28th and see if its me, the remote or other that is making my P3A switch into Atti mode.

I recall this happening to me three times.

Flying with Litchi, just flying not a mission, etc.
I haven't been using DJI-Go much, been mostly doing missions.

First time it happened.
May 28th 2017
DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
Pretty open area, kind of windy, enough that when switched to Atti it got my attention, also remember it said O-Atti, after that I turned of VOS.

Second time, I don't remember where.

Third time.
Mondays Flight.
DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
I defiantly got distracted and got to close to an Oak tree in my yard. I let off the controls and just kept going.
Now I wonder was it me?
Did I bump it into Atti?
I didn't let off the controls?
My satellite count dropped because I was close to that tree?
Next morning I looked at the remote and it was in P mode.
My wife said it looked just like when you put in Atti to check the wind speed, and was that the same thing that happened in May?

Some basics stuff on post #7
Standard - Phantom 3 dropped like a stone

Minor damage I think, hooked camera back up that night had a live feed, hopefully have time this weekend to fix and fly.

Thanks,

Rod

 

[Meta4]

If @Meta4, @BudWalker or anybody else can take a look at my flight from May 28th and see if its me, the remote or other that is making my P3A switch into Atti mode.

First time it happened.
May 28th 2017
DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com
Pretty open area, kind of windy, enough that when switched to Atti it got my attention, also remember it said O-Atti, after that I turned of VOS.

There are some odd things with your flight data.
The atti indications are directly related to the numbers of GPS sats dropping.
This could be due to having the skyview blocked by tree cover if you were flying low and close to tall trees.
But the first two flight records have strange altitude information that doesn't match the terrain you are flying in.
I don't know what to make of this - I don't see how you could fly at -80 ft there unless you launched from a tower.
Your 3rd flight record has the Phantom flickering in and out of atti mode for just a fraction of a second at a time at high altitudes where trees are not a factor.

 

[Gazp1961]

There are a lot of these Chinese suppliers with warehouses based in the UK and elsewhere now - and they often use a lot of different Ebay seller IDs for the one company too.

However, I've bought from several of them and my experience has only been positive and the products were quite OK. Quick delivery, no risk of import taxes and VAT into the EU and the quality is the same as as if you'd bought from China/Hong Kong/Singapore/Taiwan etc, whatever you may think of the latter.

Shipping time more locally is quicker, of course - and I guess that everything originally transits customs via container shipping en masse.

Thanks for the input Steve, much apriciated....one of the motors sounded a little louder that the other 3 so I've ordered a replacement....

Rod
Haven't had time to pull the data from the aircraft, as soon as I get round to it I'll upload onto the site....