Totaled my phantom 3 in a crash this morning

20 seconds into my flight this morning my phantom crashed to the ground. Not straight to the ground but at an angle. From reading the forums I think I can access my flight data. How do I do that and what am I looking for to see if it's my fault ( and I understand it probably is) or if it's a glitch of some kind.
i took my p3 up last night after calobration (I CALIIBRATE EVERY TIME) and the unit would not respond to the remote controller. i am about a half of a mile from Lake Texoma, and the drone just started drifting further and further and no matter what I did, it wouldnt respond. I even restarted the controller, tried GO HOME and tried manually driving the drone. It just kept drifting. I was not out of controller reach, it was connected... It just was NOT responding to commands... and I watched as time seemed to stand still as the battery started dieing and the drone began RAPID DECENT mode, while OVER THE LAKE... finally it lost video feed, as it landed in the lake somewhere (in the middle).... WILL DJI REPLACE?
 
I called DJI service Friday. They wouldn't commit to anything until they reviewed the flight data. The only commitment I got was that repairs will take 6 weeks or more
 
View attachment 21584

This shot shoes the missing clear plastic piece as well as the camera lens upside down
Let's go back to the anti-drop kit. It is shipped with only 2 pins installed. It makes sense that all four should be installed before flight because it acts as a damper system. Mine came with 4 extra pins, so I installed two more and have two extra. It seems to work perfectly. It looks to me like if all 4 pins are not installed, you could lose the little white damper/bushing.
 
Let's go back to the anti-drop kit. It is shipped with only 2 pins installed. It makes sense that all four should be installed before flight because it acts as a damper system. Mine came with 4 extra pins, so I installed two more and have two extra. It seems to work perfectly. It looks to me like if all 4 pins are not installed, you could lose the little white damper/bushing.

Anti-Drop Kit

The anti-drop kit helps keep the gimbal and camera connected to the aircraft. Two pins have been mounted prior to shipping. If new or additional pins are required, see the diagram below. Press Part ① through the hole of the vibration absorber and into the center hole of Part ② , then lock them together as shown ③ . Mounting the anti-drop kit pins diagonally from each other is recommended.



This is the first thing a new owner ask's about ( Myself Included ) Two pins are used. Installing all 4 will induce vibration into the gimbal.
 
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I saw that, but as a US Army Blackhawk Crewchief, and also as a professional pilot, it doesn't make sense. I've never seen an intentional open hole left on anything that flies. I have all four installed on mine and have never had any issued with induced vibration--even in 20-mph gusty winds.
 
I saw that, but as a US Army Blackhawk Crewchief, and also as a professional pilot, it doesn't make sense. I've never seen an intentional open hole left on anything that flies. I have all four installed on mine and have never had any issued with induced vibration--even in 20-mph gusty winds.

It's my understanding that the anti drop pins won't prevent a separation in a hard crash in all cases. I installed two loosely fitted zip ties thru the two open holes in the hopes that will prevent total separation in a violent crash in the hopes of saving the ribbon cable.
 
The white dampers hold the camera on in flight.
The anti-drop pins are only there as insurance to prevent separation in a hard landing or crash.
In a bad crash, separation may occur but at least the camera will be somewhere near the Phantom.
The ribbon cable won't be protected by beefing up in the anti-drop department.
Four anti-drop pins are definitely not needed.
 
I saw that, but as a US Army Blackhawk Crewchief, and also as a professional pilot, it doesn't make sense. I've never seen an intentional open hole left on anything that flies. I have all four installed on mine and have never had any issued with induced vibration--even in 20-mph gusty winds.

Well you got me beat... I was a Red Shirt Crewman on the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701).
You know what happens to the guy's that wear Red Shirts right?
Glad it's working out for you.
After that all I flew was a Piper Cub in Civil Air Patrol.
But My Dad had a four seat Skylark..:)
 
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