Selling all MY Dji and returning p4 for xmas

[offroadpyro]

So over this crap.Get your drone working.Then in few days only 300 feet away loss signal.yea one tenth of what they claim.Ok...Downgrade firmware upgrade firmware until you get 3,000 feet distance..Then go to use it again and same ****..p3 standard..ok..got a p4'..upgraded to p4 hoping it works better..7th flight it disappeared sent flight record..Now they want some hidden file I can't get without hooking it up to computer..Doing stuff I not did before..They don't tell you for warranty you need to be a computer geek or hire one...I am doing searches almost every day have no time for reprogramming every other day..Looking at any other company to buy from..I will unwrap my phantom 4 not open it and sending right back...This would be 6th Dji I have bought for my company...4 p3s..And this would be my second p4..And they give me runaround!!!!..idiots ..The dog gone in ct asked me to recommend a drone with flir camera..They have $4,000.00 to spend..Was pointing them towards drone nerds and Dji..After they see my dilemma they are looking elsewhere and they should..

 

[With The Birds]

This is unfortunate. You aren’t going to find anything in the price range that has less issues- you will still need to fiddle and work througj problems, that’s where the community here can help (DJI support could be better).

If you want to stick it up DJI post on the official forum. Seemingly they don’t read posts here.

 

[Mark The Droner]

Some day, this all will be plug and play. In the mean time, this is a hobby for hobbyists.

 

[ServiceCall]

I am sorry to hear your dilemma. 6 bad ones? All defective? I can understand 1 bad. 2 yes, it happened to me. 3 possibly. 4,5,6? Now I wonder

 

[Fly Dawg]

This sounds like a frustrated person to me. I feel the pain, however its hard to have sympathy for someone who simply rambles to vent...IMO. That is to say without explanations that make sense as to the frustration. Many people have issues with firmware, hardware, and so forth, no matter what the product is. Some more so than others. What many fail to realize is that these sUAV's are technical marvels, if you will, and for the most part, yes they are user friendly and easy to fly, but if you don't pay attention and fully realize what you are getting in to, you will be over your head and lost, so to speak.

 

[ryantrax]

I think you must be the exception to the rule. I've also had 6 DJI drones Phantom 1, Phantom 3A, Inspire 1 Pro, Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 Pro and Spark (I still have 4 of them). I have had zero issues except the occasional firmware update hang. Is it a common issue you have typically had? There may be a common cause.

 

[Helihover]

There may be a common cause.

Bingo!

 

[RunawayDrone]

User error?

 

[Brojon]

I think you must be the exception to the rule. I've also had 6 DJI drones Phantom 1, Phantom 3A, Inspire 1 Pro, Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 Pro and Spark (I still have 4 of them). I have had zero issues except the occasional firmware update hang. Is it a common issue you have typically had? There may be a common cause.

Ummm it's easy to blame the individual when you have had no issues - but it ignores factors like how much you fly and where compared to his.
Then we see posts at least once a week it seems where drones just fly away or crash for no apparent reason. I've had two of those with my Mavic.
I think I read the OP's post where he described his frustration.
In a nutshell the drone just disappeared, no further contact it just stopped sending data.
The normal flight logs were sent to Dji and they admitted that the data just stopped for no apparent reason.
Then they wanted the OP to dig around in his iPad or whatever for some file even I never heard of.
Then they offer the traditional 30% off a refurb.
I can see where that would be the last straw. I also don't understand why there seem to be so many Dji apologists here - we know they aren't perfect so why the investment in defending them?

 

[chazzm]

So over this crap.Get your drone working.Then in few days only 300 feet away loss signal.yea one tenth of what they claim.Ok...Downgrade firmware upgrade firmware until you get 3,000 feet distance..Then go to use it again and same ****..p3 standard..ok..got a p4'..upgraded to p4 hoping it works better..7th flight it disappeared sent flight record..Now they want some hidden file I can't get without hooking it up to computer..Doing stuff I not did before..They don't tell you for warranty you need to be a computer geek or hire one...I am doing searches almost every day have no time for reprogramming every other day..Looking at any other company to buy from..I will unwrap my phantom 4 not open it and sending right back...This would be 6th Dji I have bought for my company...4 p3s..And this would be my second p4..And they give me runaround!!!!..idiots ..The dog gone in ct asked me to recommend a drone with flir camera..They have $4,000.00 to spend..Was pointing them towards drone nerds and Dji..After they see my dilemma they are looking elsewhere and they should..

I’m sorry your so frustrated, but there’s always a but right!? I’m really surprised these quads are not that terribly complicated and again p3 is a good bird, and for a company you say? I’d have seriously gone P4P personally with the Flir installed or most definitely inspire 2! There aren’t many companies better (product wise) than DJI and the ones who are will cost SERIOUS bank! And really after being in quads for 3-4 decades 4 grand is entry price for an flir drone if DJI sells these people one for 4 grand it’s them getting the deal IMO! BUT listen if you need some help please check your ego at the door and just ask seriously man up and there’s ALOT of people here who can really help you out for free! And not to be a smart *** but if your planning on send it back I’ll take that bird from you as I’ve had nothing but good experience with everything from the inspire 2, Mavic Pro, P4,And P4P (2) I’m not a computer nerd, I do have a background in industrial maintenance (45) years! It not that hard! SO how much you want for the birds! LoL but if you want to keepem I’ll help you out just ask friend!

 

[ryantrax]

Ummm it's easy to blame the individual when you have had no issues - but it ignores factors like how much you fly and where compared to his.
Then we see posts at least once a week it seems where drones just fly away or crash for no apparent reason. I've had two of those with my Mavic.
I think I read the OP's post where he described his frustration.
In a nutshell the drone just disappeared, no further contact it just stopped sending data.
The normal flight logs were sent to Dji and they admitted that the data just stopped for no apparent reason.
Then they wanted the OP to dig around in his iPad or whatever for some file even I never heard of.
Then they offer the traditional 30% off a refurb.
I can see where that would be the last straw. I also don't understand why there seem to be so many Dji apologists here - we know they aren't perfect so why the investment in defending them?

Ummm... I never blamed any individual. I simply stated there may be a common cause (location, hardware etc.)

 

[Dronefriend]

Are you flying with the antennas pointing straight out from the RC, as I have seen a whole lot of people do?

If this is the case, you now know why you get bad reception.

Other possible issues may be device with wifi near RC or living in a congested area. Six faulty drones might seem unlikely.

 

[FlashBuddy]

This sounds like a frustrated person to me. I feel the pain, however its hard to have sympathy for someone who simply rambles to vent...IMO. That is to say without explanations that make sense as to the frustration. Many people have issues with firmware, hardware, and so forth, no matter what the product is. Some more so than others. What many fail to realize is that these sUAV's are technical marvels, if you will, and for the most part, yes they are user friendly and easy to fly, but if you don't pay attention and fully realize what you are getting in to, you will be over your head and lost, so to speak.

I have no sympathy for to OP, rather empathy

I may have to buy the Inspire to fix my recent dilemma, the OP should suck it up, take a chill pill and get the drone repaired. Then fly out to Colorado so we can fly together - though wait until my drone is back from Dronefly.

I’m sorry your so frustrated, but there’s always a but right!? I’m really surprised these quads are not that terribly complicated and again p3 is a good bird, and for a company you say? I’d have seriously gone P4P personally with the Flir installed or most definitely inspire 2! There aren’t many companies better (product wise) than DJI and the ones who are will cost SERIOUS bank! And really after being in quads for 3-4 decades 4 grand is entry price for an flir drone if DJI sells these people one for 4 grand it’s them getting the deal IMO! BUT listen if you need some help please check your ego at the door and just ask seriously man up and there’s ALOT of people here who can really help you out for free! And not to be a smart *** but if your planning on send it back I’ll take that bird from you as I’ve had nothing but good experience with everything from the inspire 2, Mavic Pro, P4,And P4P (2) I’m not a computer nerd, I do have a background in industrial maintenance (45) years! It not that hard! SO how much you want for the birds! LoL but if you want to keepem I’ll help you out just ask friend!

 

[Brojon]

Ummm... I never blamed any individual. I simply stated there may be a common cause (location, hardware etc.)

Point taken - I wasn't intending to point a finger but in fact I did. My apologies.

 

[Meta4]

Then we see posts at least once a week it seems where drones just fly away or crash for no apparent reason. I've had two of those with my Mavic.

We frequently see posts where people claim that their drone just flew away or crashed for no apparent reason.
But investigating the flight data usually shows exactly what happened and it doesn't support the initial claim.
Phantoms have proved to be very reliable and predictable.
Unfortunately the users aren't always as reliable.

I think I read the OP's post where he described his frustration.
In a nutshell the drone just disappeared, no further contact it just stopped sending data.
The normal flight logs were sent to Dji and they admitted that the data just stopped for no apparent reason.
Then they wanted the OP to dig around in his iPad or whatever for some file even I never heard of.
Then they offer the traditional 30% off a refurb.
I can see where that would be the last straw.

The post you refer to is here: Dji warranty is a hoax
DJI asked for the same flight data they always do but he was quite confused about getting anything from his iPad.
Eventually he did supply the flight data which was unable to pinpoint the cause for the incident.
I explained this to him here: All Dji owners must read this
He declined offers to get an independent assessment of the flight data.

I also don't understand why there seem to be so many Dji apologists here - we know they aren't perfect so why the investment in defending them?

Looking for the facts isn't the same thing as being a DJI apologist
In the old days before the DJI Go app, you could lose a Phantom and not understand why.
It was common to explain to people that it just flew away and most would believe you because they knew no better.
But with recorded flight data, nowdays we get to find what actually happened and we know that Phantoms very rarely (if ever) just fly away.

 

[Brojon]

Not to argue but just to point out - both Phantoms and Mavics fly with the same SDK.
In the case of my Mavic you could see there were "missing" sequence numbers in the flight logs - they simply didn't exist.
Synchronized with DJI, rooted around with Assistant - they simply weren't there.
So I guess I'll never know why it got a wild hair and just took off. This last one I was no more than three feet away in my driveway with 11 satellites.
I was hovering about 3 feet off the ground and it just took off at a climbing NE vector. Down stick did nothing. Hit a branch pretty quick and crashed - broke the rear leg.
So it was easy and cheap fix but I sure would like to know why it went loopy. My cat does that sometimes too
So I do believe there are reasons other than operator error.

 

[Meta4]

So I guess I'll never know why it got a wild hair and just took off. This last one I was no more than three feet away in my driveway with 11 satellites.
I was hovering about 3 feet off the ground and it just took off at a climbing NE vector. Down stick did nothing. Hit a branch pretty quick and crashed - broke the rear leg.

Without seeing the data, it's hard to comment but your description of the incident and you mentioning the driveway would make me wonder if you messed up the compass by launching from a reinforced concrete surface?
Here's an example and explanation of what that can do: Looking for Trouble ??

 

[Russ43Phantom]

I would agree. Drones aren’t for everyone. Those with some computer skills to maintain software/firmware currency will be more successful drone owners. Those who take the time to read FAA material or scan Youtube for ways to crash your drone so that you avoid them will succeed. Those who approach challenges with more method than madness will be more successful. So ... drones aren’t for everyone.

 

[Brojon]

Without seeing the data, it's hard to comment but your description of the incident and you mentioning the driveway would make me wonder if you messed up the compass by launching from a reinforced concrete surface?
Here's an example and explanation of what that can do: Looking for Trouble ??

It seems there's a neverending list of things folks point at and say are reasons for the machines misbehaving - compass being one of them.
Compass is only used for heading but in fact I had no compass errors at all. No warnings no nothing. I take off from that spot all the time with no other examples of misbehaving. In fact I had been flying the drone for several minutes. The fact that is being overlooked is that the drone took off on it's own from a hover and moved upward in altitude with no input from me. I could understand maybe going off in a wrong direction - but also climbing? That's the barometer controlling that.
Now - I'm a software engineer and have been involved with computers and systems since the first Altair computers came out as a kit (still have it in the garage as a a matter of fact). Software systems are complicated and there are many ways for inputs and outputs to combine in ways the coder might not or could not anticipate. I'm amazed that these things work as well as they do. It was pointed out by renown computer scientist Gerald Weinberg that there are only a handful of chess grandmasters in the world and then establishes that the average piece of software has a problem space much larger than a chess game with even 7 levels of lookahead - the performance level of a human chess grandmaster. Even he states that it's no wonder that software has bugs given that few if any coders perform at the level of a chess GM.
There are five problem spaces at work in flying a DJI drone: environment, remote, battery, drone and controlling device. In the drone there is at minimum the bottom sensors - which is comprised of two vision cameras and two ultrasonic transducers - four ESC's, two GPS units, the IMU, RF systems to transmit and receive data, the flight controller and a main camera.
All of which is controlled, choreographed, and digested by software with an enormous number of permutations and combinations. In addition to the human inputs - encoded by software and then communicated by the controller and tablet/phone controller by radio telemetry - there are the myriad environmental inputs from vision and ultrasonic sensors, GPS, magnetometers, and barometers. The software has to anticipate all inputs combinations and permutations in both static and dynamic states. That's a tall order and one of the reasons the system has redundancy in critical systems.
You'd have to willing to believe in perfect parts assembled perfectly into a perfect drone controlled by software written by programmers we know can't exist to think that operator error is the only thing at play.

 

[Meta4]

It seems there's a neverending list of things folks point at and say are reasons for the machines misbehaving - compass being one of them.
Compass is only used for heading but in fact I had no compass errors at all. No warnings no nothing. I take off from that spot all the time with no other examples of misbehaving. In fact I had been flying the drone for several minutes. The fact that is being overlooked is that the drone took off on it's own from a hover and moved upward in altitude with no input from me. I could understand maybe going off in a wrong direction - but also climbing?

I would still say that Phantoms don't just fly off on their own for no reason.
But sometimes, their owners aren't sure what is happening with their drones.
The flight data would probably explain the mystery of your flight.
You could choose to believe that drones misbehave and want to fly away ... or you could look into what really happened and find the cause and learn from that.
Start a new thread and post the flight data and a few people here would be happy to look at it for you.