Thank you so much for posting this video, great job presenting the facts! I have had 200 + flights so far on my Mini 4 Pro with the intelligent plus batteries with no issues except for one of the batteries early on. After 20 some cycles I started getting a warning on the controller screen of "battery temperature low", even though ambient temperature was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It happened again with the next couple of flights, so I let it hover in front of me a foot off the ground for a while. Suddenly, it totally shut off and fell into the grass. Got a new battery and have had no more issues. I've got three intelligent plus batteries that I rotate, and all have well over 70 cycles on them. I put a little number sticker on them so if one ever starts to do something weird, it's easy to identify. So sorry for your situation; out of the tens of thousands of batteries that DJI sells, you would think they would stand behind the random one that fails and causes a drone to crash. And, I think that's exactly what you have got...a random failure. DJI just needs to admit it, and make things right. Ok, have a great evening... going to check out some of your other videos. Looks like you've been to some awesome locations! 👍
@@mikeburdette1494 hey thanks Mike! Wow battery temperature low, I’ve never seen that before and to be honest I would expect to see the opposite? How strange. Happy you noticed early and were able to swap it out to avoid a major problem. The numbering of the batteries is something a few others have suggested and I’ve done that - kinda feels like a bummer having to do that now but I guess that is the world we fly in now. Thanks for stopping by 🎄
What an adventure. Just think of the amazing story this drone gave you to report to us and make our day interesting.Thank you for sharing it with us.We are all sad with you it sucks to lose a drone every time it happens.
The first one is the hardest to swallow. Unfortunately drones crash. Sounds like a bad or loose battery. We've even had them go down in front of a field of racecars. It sucks when it happens. Especially when there is nothing left to send back.
First thing is when I go to real software and fly my drone I fly locations that is very hard to get if my drone were to get lost specially if you go to El Tunco or el Pital Guang of The volcanes
What I like to do is get a phone down there or a phone line like I do with Claro and set my GPS to my location where I’m at so if anything happens, it returns to home. One two is if the battery malfunction the first time you should’ve never used it the second time I would’ve sent it back into DJI
@@bayareaview8301 yeah after flying several DJI drones over 10 years and never once having something like that happen and then flying the same route 5 days in a row ... I did not think the battery would fail. Its not like it gives you a notification that the battery failed. Very disappointing overall
The drone world needs more Ashley's 💯% Unfortunately sudden failures like that have been a thing for a long time and not just with that drone model or battery. It's very rare but over the last 4 years I've read several comments from reliable people who have encountered the situation once or twice in their careers. DJ I's battery technology is way ahead of everybody else and they're really pushing the limits with design, manufacturing, software, etc. Somehow they have to keep it affordable for consumers at the same time. I've had my own disappointing interactions with DJI customer service but overall I think I've come to accept that they are by far the best performing and most reliable drones that we can get. I think that a random failure, one in a 10,000 times might just be something that goes with the territory. For those (in the US) who really want to hate DJI the good news is that some in the US government are working very hard to ban DJI and all Chinese drones. The bad news is that for things like the Mini, the Air and the Mavic there is no equivalent option. There are some options for the enterprise drones but unfortunately the options are less capable and far more expensive. If the slimy US politicians and slimy Skydio have their way, 95% of us in the US drone industry are about to be totally screwed.
@@jerseyshoredroneservices225 sad, but true. I have drone pilot friends around the world and have heard stories of all different type of failures. First for me 😭 To be honest, the customer service was the worst part of it all. The amount of times they would state lies. Example. They said the drone was under control and responding, when asked for evidence of controls given and responded to they walked it back. This happened with every single thing over and over 😑
It's sad for American customers. Not only Americans will suffer also people from Europe because of this stupid Trade War. Poor People will pay the Bill.
Weird. I once did a range test on a 2 day old Mini 3, went about 5km. On it's way back, when almost directly overhead (at 28% battery left) it said it was going into ATTI mode. Two seconds later it said "battery critically low landing" and the screen just froze. Turns out it kept flying for another 400 meters before crashing but I only realized that 4 days later when watching the 10 seconds of pre crash footage (whatever that feature is called). Never found the drone. The flight data was able to support my story and DJI sent me a new drone within days. Prior to that I wrecked an Air 3. 100% my fault and that's what I told DJI. For 120$ they sent me a new one. Since then I've been singing the praises of DJI to anyone who will listen. I'm sorry to hear you are having a very contrary experience to mine. I understand your ethical stance of not being able to buy another DJI product (I've done similar with other business') but that comes at a personal cost since they make the best darn drones. ( I drive to the other end of town just to not patronize one particular motorcycle dealership lol)
Same thing happened to me but a standard battery. Mine was an Avata 2 and it just came up with battery disconnect. I scrambled through the woodland but no luck so I ordered a new one. In total I've flown over 750 flights, well over 1000 miles, using a Mini 2, Air 2s and the Avata 2, not to mention non GPS model helicopters and never had a problem before. My disconnect was only 43 seconds into the flight. I thought I must have not inserted the battery fully. I didn't realise it could be an issue, albeit a rare one. You obviously know what you are doing so I hope you keep it up.
Sorry to hear about your Avata 2, it is wild to me how many people here in the comments have had the same thing happen and DJI does not take responsibility for their defect products. Same, after 10 years of flying I was in shock that this actually happened.
DANG! It sounds like bad cell(s) in the battery. IMO, they should have replaced Your drone with a quickness. It stinks that You couldn't recover it since it's the best way to find out what may have been the issue with that battery and or possible other issues. Thanks to You sharing Your experience, I'm reminded to to check my cells health before each flight as part of my pre flight check.
It's good practice to survey the area around where you're flying and note the highest obstacle that you could possibly encounter. If you lose video signal but you can still see the data from the drone, the first thing you want to do is climb above that obstacle height. The next thing you want to do is turn the drone towards you and fly straight ahead. That way when video comes back you'll be able to see where you're going. Flying sideways and backwards will almost guarantee running into something. Of course if the drone suffers a sudden power failure there's nothing you can do 😥 I always mark my batteries when I get them. Just a number, by now I think I'm up to 9, and the date.
agreed, that is why I flew the same exact pattern 5 days in a row. Sad times when a battery fails. I've labeled my new batteries, but I did not think to add the date. Thank you for that, I will be adding the purchase date on mine as well
This is why very important we need a back up evidence - SCREEN RECORDING. I keep doing this, on every flight..even just do some aircraft setting such as recenter gimbal,calibration and so on..
Even when I lose connection with my DJI it automatically goes into RTH. I don’t have to do anything and it comes home. Your drone lost power in flight and fell out of the sky. Other wise it would have RTH when signal was lost.
@@otero2235 exactly - I’ve lost connection many times for different reasons and am always able to fly under GPS until connection is re-established or RTH I HAD to provide DJI the procedure because they did not know or understand 😑😑
I had a mini 3 drop out the sky in a river with a DJI + battery. I was out of refresh's so. 4 1/2 minutes in the river before I could get it out. Mini 3 fked up but still flies. Battery + battery still dead as a hammer and won't charge.
I bought the mini 3 pro on launch day the signal on the drone absolutely rubbish. I sold it and bought the 4 it’s much better all ways round . Are you sure it’s the battery and not signal loss ?
Wow. Very disturbing. Did you have the care refresh insurance on it and they failed to honor it or is it the warranty on the drone or batteries they're refusing to honor?
Hi Ashely, I had a similar experience with DJI… bought my Mini 4 pro and my crash happened within 3 days well before their auto-coverage or my return policy with Amazon. I elected to send the new drone back to DJI so they can have a look at it. Perhaps to solve this problem for all. Instead, they told me it was caused by magnetic interference (nothing around there) and that it is not covered and therefore I should use my Care refresh plus pay $65 USD. Tons of emails back-and-forth followed. There is a price we all pay as DJI gets more customers… Unfortunately, there are not many other consumer grade drone companies out there better than DJI… and that is what they are banking on! thanks for sharing.
unfortunately you are correct.... there are far too many comments like yours and my experience where DJI sells a faulty product, they try to gaslight customers and lie in writing... pretty awful to be honest.
Did DJI offer to send you the mini 4 pro as a replacement? I've heard there's lots of problems now with the mini 3 Pro w the contr 11:33 oller and drone:(. But wow u never even got a replacement mini 3 ugh. Wow. Do dumb. Sorry to hear about your experience!
Bummer, I have been considering buying a DJI Mini Pro 4 as a first time drone purchase. This will affect my decision on what to buy, What are my options?
I'm thinking so as well. Never did I imagine that I MUST mark my batteries from DJI :( The battery I was using was an intelligent plus battery from DJI
@@stevedawson3863 that’s what I’ve read the most in Reddit and specifically for the intelligent plus batteries. I charge my batteries until they are full and allow them to naturally deplete to preserve the life of the batteries. Then will top them up to full charge before flying
@HifromAshley Store at 60 percent then when ready to fly charge to full charge. I have been doing this for 10 years with no problems 😊. Good luck and good flying!!
@@HifromAshley I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and if you charge the batteries and don't fly, you can set how many days you want each battery to self discharge to a safe storage state. It isn't good to store batteries fully charged or leave them fully discharged for very long, it will definitely shorten there life. I have been flying drones for 10 years , I still have my DJI f450 I built years ago.
I had problem with DJI mini 4 pro, no command responded thrice, but obstacles avoidance sensor functioning, I had to wait till the battery to exhaust and fall free in my hand fortunately each time drone was just only 8 feet altitude after take off that too because as I tried to grab it rose with obstacle avoidance sensor ultimately out of my hand reach. Waited till battery exhausted.
@@jeffhudson1744 truly astounding how many times they lie in writing (and make up DJI procedure) when the video evidence and flight logs show otherwise - I’ve had to send them the DJI mini 3 pro procedure several times 😑
257 days? Obviously, you are on the "Express Support" plan. 😅 - I have had similar experiences, and ended up becoming friendly with several supervisors in support. Glad you have worked out most of your issues.
Others have already stated this, but yeah... Screen recording of the controller (if the DJI controller with the built in screen does that) I have the Fimi X8 mini V2 and I have been thrilled with its performance. No, its not really comparable to the DJI, less range, 80% as good a camera, no obstacle avoidance, but it is pretty solid. My friend has the DJI mini4 now, and I cant count the number of times Ive gotten in a nice flight while he is trying to get a connection to get permission to fly in an open area. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.
hate that we live in a world where pilots must screen record the controller bc DJI refuses to take responsibility for their faulty products Sad sad. Best of luck to you as well, happy flying
After seeing the comment from GrandpaFPV, I have a suggestion... If you're not interested in buying another DJI drone maybe spend $10 on an FPV simulator and start learning to fly that way. When you're ready to fly an FPV drone you can buy it from a wide selection that are not DJI, or build your own.
Be aware, your Mavic 2 battery has an issue with heat, it will swell and self-eject, mine did, I replaced it out-of-pocket since my care package had expired. If its above 90 °F ( 33°C) I add a tie-ban and above 98°F I fly an Autel EVO. Always label your batteries and 'log' each batteries history, if you are flying Part 107 it will be/is part of the process. I still have not figured out the 'Fly Away' with the 'Care Refresh', Neo, Avata 2, Air 3S, Mini 4 Pro are all new purchases to replace existing equipment (DJI Ban crap) but when you check the status of the DJI Care Refresh they are saying the 'Fly away' drone replacement is not valid? There appears to be two ways to report, the Express way does not work for Fly Away, you have to do the Flyaway Registration process, send controller logs and wait for a phone call, if the data shows the drone just stopped transmitting and the RSSI data was valid I guess they will send a new drone. I believe there is a third party website you can send the data to get decoded so you can read it, you did send your data, right?. My Mavic Pro Platinum, Mini 2 and Mavic 2 Zoom have been dependable as daily drivers for work, hope the new stuff is as dependable.
I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and its been a good drone but now my transmitter battery is getting very weak, do you know if that battery can be replaced? I also have the Air 3s and so far I like it as well, but I hate to just let the Mavic 2 just waist a way. Please let me know if you have an answer.
@@MrNorthstar50 I purchased a DJI Smart Controller for the Mavic 2 and Mini 2, I don't have the time to play the phone game 6 or 8 times a day. I did find a new battery for my DJI Mavic Pro Platinum RC, installing it was a nightmare. I checked and the DJI RC1A/B 623758-1S2P is on Amazon for around $18~$55 or Ebay $55. For the Mavic 2 ruclips.net/video/_2l2DXUV3IQ/видео.htmlsi=nWDhYJOH1JPXxWXy
Thanks for all that, this video was not about my Mavic 2 Pro or the batteries for that drone. This was only regarding the Mini 3 Pro. I def have labeled my new batteries ... which feels like a let down of confidence that a pilot needs to do that bc they might be faulty from @dji Yeah the 2 different ways to report is just useless. They fight you on both pathways ...
Interesting, I thought my crash was my fault, but now I'm wondering. Luckly, even though it was on a small cliff I was able to retrieve it with a fishing net. That was kind of more fun than flying it. Lol.......
@@HifromAshley I posted a YT video on it, had it circling in the open, but changed it before a canyon and it was following for a while, then went back to circling, who knows, but finding your video kind of makes me feel more like I had it right.
You can view the complete flight record by uploading it to Airdata UAV. The batteries have those flimsy plastic clips that can be broken by squeezing too hard. So, it is possible that the battery just disconnected in flight.
@@HifromAshley OK. Do you inspect the battery connectors and blow the dust out before every flight? Before I retired, I was a trained as a mishap investigator, so I am just asking questions for informational purposes, so my intent is educational. I fly both the Mini 3 and the Mini 4 Pro.
@@HifromAshley Things happen. What about the connectors on the drone side? I have dealt with DJI before. My Mavic 3 was a piece of crap(i.e. horizon tilt and low altitude disconnects), so I sent it back under DJI care after about 1 year and got a refresh. I also had the motherboard burn out on an RC Pro and had one the gyros start to go bad on Mavic 2 Pro. In the Mavic 2 Pro’s defense, it had 268 flights at the time. The Smart Controller would also lose the video signal of the Mavic 2 Pro occasionally, and I would wind up flying blind. The RC Pro was fixed, the Mavic 2 Pro was retired.
@@HifromAshley If you recover the flight record from the first crash, it will have the battery internal serial number buried in it. You can check that against the batteries you still have.
Obvious question: Latest firmware updates done before the flight? Also, I've recently learned that each battery needs to also have it's firmware updated via being installed in the drone.
Also - I own 2 Mini 3 Pro's (one is unused and is a backup in case something happens to my primary one). There are no viable drone options so DJI is really the only brand. I'm seriously considering the new Mavic 3S but then you get into the issues of weight and registering the drone.
@@HifromAshley Listening to your experience makes me uneasy that this could happen although the only difference for me is I don 't use the higher capacity batteries opting for the standard ones - I've had a few sketchy moments recently where my drone seems to just want to descend into water when shooting over rivers and streams. I also use the standard controller instead of the nicer integrated screen controller. A shame there are no viable options that are worth looking at. DJI has a monopoly and there are no U.S. manufacturers at all that I'm aware of that can compete.
@@cliffetzelphoto as someone who flies over the ocean ... often I feel your fears! DJI really does have a monopoly on the drone market -- it is a true shame that they refuse to take responsibility for their faulty products
@@HifromAshley Agreed. Prime example - I have 5 batteries and 4 out of the 5 have completely broken retention tabs! The majority of my batteries have no more than 15 charges on them. So I've had to kludge a way to wedge them into the battery compartment in order to use them (Using white electricians tape on each side provides sufficient added width to allow the battery to fit snug. The problem is DJI acknowledges this flaw in their expensive batteries but refuses to replace them. They are a monopoly and know it so they can do whatever they want. Too bad there are no viable alternatives that are U.S. made IMO as I'd kick DJI to the curb in a heartbeat.
Happened to my Air 2S this November...took off with 100% battery and in less than 4 minutes into the flight ...drone auto landed into the water 💧 😌 same thing with dji customer service...my battery was 2 years old so they blamed me for not buying new batteries every 12 months
@@HifromAshley well now im gonna buy some new ones for my Mavic 3 if this would have happened to that drone id be devastated (mentally and financially)😅
I've observed close hand how a fully charged flight battery fails. But this was on a Spark. The battery was defective (and old) so this was my fault and I own it. But this is how it fails. You get the Low Battery warning stating that the drone will land. About one second later the drone shuts down and falls out of the sky as you experienced. There was NO time for me to bring the drone down safely and it was only flying about 8 feet off the ground, and about 20 feet in front of me. I believe what you say is true, the battery failed catastrophically in flight. It might be useful to have a look at the charge cycle history of the battery that failed, to see how many cycles it had on it.
such an awful experience, so sorry that also happened to you. The mini 3 pro was my secondary drone, each battery had less that 20 cycles over 10 months
The only thing I can think of is if the battery was updated. Always check if your cells are balanced before and just after you take off. During flight from time to time it's good to check also. I've had issues with my mini 3 pro. One back motor was stuck just after 1 week. Next was fogging in the lens and final issue was 5.8 GHz channel is damaged. But I still fly it 2.4ghz. if I get a disconnection like you, I just switch off the remote and hope it comes back. Never leave the remote ON. You may be disconnected in live feed but actually it's still linked to the remote and any stick movements could move it around without you being aware. It happened to both my mini 3 and mavic 2 pro. After owning 14 drones I no longer fly over people, and properties. You just never know what can happen. Its a pity, a drone is just a tool in my line of work . Things just happen, buy another one and continue flying
Sadly in this case the Aircraft disconnected first. Turning the controller on and then off did nothing, since there was no longer an aircraft for it to connect to. The batteries were not recently updated but all software was up to date. Same, I never fly over people or property where if something were to happen it would cause harm in any way shape or form, just not worth the shot IMO -- plus with the zoom capabilities it is now much easier to get 'those' shots without putting people or places at risk
if you return the drone DJI can make an exact reconstruction of the incident together with your statement. if that corresponds to reality DJI is a good company in terms of service. that you put this on RUclips is up to you but I don't think that will help you. It is known that you have to handle these batteries carefully to avoid malfunctions. if the drone behaves differently I would have it checked first anyway.
Hello. In my opinion DJI has a problem accepting third party batteries. Batteries are accepted in mini 3 pro and mini 3 but blocked in mini 4 pro. The design of the electronic part is completely omitted. Actually we know what its basic functions are. Why DJI defends itself from other manufacturers. The price of Li-ion cells is low and the box with DJI sticker is twice as expensive :( compared to the free world. What is the importance of battery discharge software update? These are very simple software codes. What is the importance of this battery part for the drone? Is it needed. Old drones like SPARK also have such electronics and do not have frequent updates.
@@IanRosie1 customers should not have to shoulder the cost of companies selling failing products. You might be okay with that and that’s fair, but I prefer to financially support companies who back their products and have a good word.
Mrs Lady,,, you where in the mountains??? If that is the case,,, Temperature is the batteries worse enemy!!!!! A little homework before you put that bird in the air is all you need Beautiful.....
Just came across your channel, I've subbed, very pretty young lady (Nice to see a woman) doing drone 'stuff' on RUclips, keep up the great work! Clive in the UK
@@KevinDoherty please share companies that offer international drone insurance and the ones that approve claims when pilots are unable to retrieve the drone to provide documentation for the insurance claims 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for posting this video, great job presenting the facts! I have had 200 + flights so far on my Mini 4 Pro with the intelligent plus batteries with no issues except for one of the batteries early on. After 20 some cycles I started getting a warning on the controller screen of "battery temperature low", even though ambient temperature was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It happened again with the next couple of flights, so I let it hover in front of me a foot off the ground for a while. Suddenly, it totally shut off and fell into the grass. Got a new battery and have had no more issues. I've got three intelligent plus batteries that I rotate, and all have well over 70 cycles on them. I put a little number sticker on them so if one ever starts to do something weird, it's easy to identify. So sorry for your situation; out of the tens of thousands of batteries that DJI sells, you would think they would stand behind the random one that fails and causes a drone to crash. And, I think that's exactly what you have got...a random failure. DJI just needs to admit it, and make things right. Ok, have a great evening... going to check out some of your other videos. Looks like you've been to some awesome locations! 👍
@@mikeburdette1494 hey thanks Mike! Wow battery temperature low, I’ve never seen that before and to be honest I would expect to see the opposite? How strange. Happy you noticed early and were able to swap it out to avoid a major problem. The numbering of the batteries is something a few others have suggested and I’ve done that - kinda feels like a bummer having to do that now but I guess that is the world we fly in now. Thanks for stopping by 🎄
What an adventure. Just think of the amazing story this drone gave you to report to us and make our day interesting.Thank you for sharing it with us.We are all sad with you it sucks to lose a drone every time it happens.
@@para9111 haha isn’t that the truth! It sure is an exciting story. Hopefully the next doesn’t have this issue 😅😅
@Thanks again for sharing we appreciate you.
@ appreciate you 🥳
The first one is the hardest to swallow. Unfortunately drones crash. Sounds like a bad or loose battery. We've even had them go down in front of a field of racecars. It sucks when it happens. Especially when there is nothing left to send back.
Ps. Subbed, hoping you continue flying even if you are mad at dji.
@@grampafpv it is very frustrating that is for sure! Thank you, I will for sure continue flying.
First thing is when I go to real software and fly my drone I fly locations that is very hard to get if my drone were to get lost specially if you go to El Tunco or el Pital Guang of The volcanes
What I like to do is get a phone down there or a phone line like I do with Claro and set my GPS to my location where I’m at so if anything happens, it returns to home. One two is if the battery malfunction the first time you should’ve never used it the second time I would’ve sent it back into DJI
@@bayareaview8301 yeah after flying several DJI drones over 10 years and never once having something like that happen and then flying the same route 5 days in a row ... I did not think the battery would fail. Its not like it gives you a notification that the battery failed. Very disappointing overall
The drone world needs more Ashley's 💯%
Unfortunately sudden failures like that have been a thing for a long time and not just with that drone model or battery. It's very rare but over the last 4 years I've read several comments from reliable people who have encountered the situation once or twice in their careers.
DJ I's battery technology is way ahead of everybody else and they're really pushing the limits with design, manufacturing, software, etc. Somehow they have to keep it affordable for consumers at the same time.
I've had my own disappointing interactions with DJI customer service but overall I think I've come to accept that they are by far the best performing and most reliable drones that we can get. I think that a random failure, one in a 10,000 times might just be something that goes with the territory.
For those (in the US) who really want to hate DJI the good news is that some in the US government are working very hard to ban DJI and all Chinese drones.
The bad news is that for things like the Mini, the Air and the Mavic there is no equivalent option.
There are some options for the enterprise drones but unfortunately the options are less capable and far more expensive.
If the slimy US politicians and slimy Skydio have their way, 95% of us in the US drone industry are about to be totally screwed.
@@jerseyshoredroneservices225 sad, but true. I have drone pilot friends around the world and have heard stories of all different type of failures. First for me 😭
To be honest, the customer service was the worst part of it all. The amount of times they would state lies. Example. They said the drone was under control and responding, when asked for evidence of controls given and responded to they walked it back. This happened with every single thing over and over 😑
It's sad for American customers. Not only Americans will suffer also people from Europe because of this stupid Trade War. Poor People will pay the Bill.
@@jaap0e agreed 100%
HolyStone takes care of there customers
Holy Stone has great customer service, I agree; however, their drones, IMO, are beyond sub-par.
ohnice, I've never heard of them before
Weird. I once did a range test on a 2 day old Mini 3, went about 5km. On it's way back, when almost directly overhead (at 28% battery left) it said it was going into ATTI mode. Two seconds later it said "battery critically low landing" and the screen just froze. Turns out it kept flying for another 400 meters before crashing but I only realized that 4 days later when watching the 10 seconds of pre crash footage (whatever that feature is called). Never found the drone.
The flight data was able to support my story and DJI sent me a new drone within days. Prior to that I wrecked an Air 3. 100% my fault and that's what I told DJI. For 120$ they sent me a new one. Since then I've been singing the praises of DJI to anyone who will listen. I'm sorry to hear you are having a very contrary experience to mine. I understand your ethical stance of not being able to buy another DJI product (I've done similar with other business') but that comes at a personal cost since they make the best darn drones. ( I drive to the other end of town just to not patronize one particular motorcycle dealership lol)
Same thing happened to me but a standard battery. Mine was an Avata 2 and it just came up with battery disconnect. I scrambled through the woodland but no luck so I ordered a new one. In total I've flown over 750 flights, well over 1000 miles, using a Mini 2, Air 2s and the Avata 2, not to mention non GPS model helicopters and never had a problem before. My disconnect was only 43 seconds into the flight. I thought I must have not inserted the battery fully. I didn't realise it could be an issue, albeit a rare one. You obviously know what you are doing so I hope you keep it up.
Sorry to hear about your Avata 2, it is wild to me how many people here in the comments have had the same thing happen and DJI does not take responsibility for their defect products. Same, after 10 years of flying I was in shock that this actually happened.
DANG! It sounds like bad cell(s) in the battery. IMO, they should have replaced Your drone with a quickness. It stinks that You couldn't recover it since it's the best way to find out what may have been the issue with that battery and or possible other issues. Thanks to You sharing Your experience, I'm reminded to to check my cells health before each flight as part of my pre flight check.
Agreed, I guess the days of doing the right thing and taking responsibility for selling faulty products are gone.
It's good practice to survey the area around where you're flying and note the highest obstacle that you could possibly encounter.
If you lose video signal but you can still see the data from the drone, the first thing you want to do is climb above that obstacle height.
The next thing you want to do is turn the drone towards you and fly straight ahead. That way when video comes back you'll be able to see where you're going. Flying sideways and backwards will almost guarantee running into something.
Of course if the drone suffers a sudden power failure there's nothing you can do 😥
I always mark my batteries when I get them. Just a number, by now I think I'm up to 9, and the date.
agreed, that is why I flew the same exact pattern 5 days in a row. Sad times when a battery fails. I've labeled my new batteries, but I did not think to add the date. Thank you for that, I will be adding the purchase date on mine as well
This is why very important we need a back up evidence - SCREEN RECORDING. I keep doing this, on every flight..even just do some aircraft setting such as recenter gimbal,calibration and so on..
agreed but also quite disappointing that pilots need to do this bc DJI refuses to take responsibility for their faulty products
Even when I lose connection with my DJI it automatically goes into RTH. I don’t have to do anything and it comes home. Your drone lost power in flight and fell out of the sky. Other wise it would have RTH when signal was lost.
@@otero2235 exactly - I’ve lost connection many times for different reasons and am always able to fly under GPS until connection is re-established or RTH
I HAD to provide DJI the procedure because they did not know or understand 😑😑
Great video. I never had that happen with air 2 or air3. Just subscribed thank you!
I hope it never happens to you, fingers crossed
I had a mini 3 drop out the sky in a river with a DJI + battery. I was out of refresh's so. 4 1/2 minutes in the river before I could get it out. Mini 3 fked up but still flies. Battery + battery still dead as a hammer and won't charge.
Oh man should i use the battery intelegend once i receive my dji mini3 ??? You guys scare me dont one any thing drops out sky😢😢😢😢
RIP, so sorry that happened to you
its not a great feeling, that is for sure. The confidence to fly with these batteries has been shattered
I bought the mini 3 pro on launch day the signal on the drone absolutely rubbish. I sold it and bought the 4 it’s much better all ways round . Are you sure it’s the battery and not signal loss ?
yes I'm sure. There was no signal loss
Wow. Very disturbing. Did you have the care refresh insurance on it and they failed to honor it or is it the warranty on the drone or batteries they're refusing to honor?
sad days for sure, I was told this falls under Fly Away Cases which they failed to honor
Good to know. Was about to buy a mini 4 pro but if they won't take responsibility, I won't deal with them.
massive let down dealing with them -
Hi Ashely, I had a similar experience with DJI… bought my Mini 4 pro and my crash happened within 3 days well before their auto-coverage or my return policy with Amazon. I elected to send the new drone back to DJI so they can have a look at it. Perhaps to solve this problem for all. Instead, they told me it was caused by magnetic interference (nothing around there) and that it is not covered and therefore I should use my Care refresh plus pay $65 USD. Tons of emails back-and-forth followed. There is a price we all pay as DJI gets more customers…
Unfortunately, there are not many other consumer grade drone companies out there better than DJI… and that is what they are banking on!
thanks for sharing.
unfortunately you are correct.... there are far too many comments like yours and my experience where DJI sells a faulty product, they try to gaslight customers and lie in writing... pretty awful to be honest.
Did DJI offer to send you the mini 4 pro as a replacement? I've heard there's lots of problems now with the mini 3 Pro w the contr 11:33 oller and drone:(. But wow u never even got a replacement mini 3 ugh. Wow. Do dumb.
Sorry to hear about your experience!
@@DB6904. no they did not 😅
I fly M3P with RC1 and RCN1 and see no problems. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
@@HifromAshleywell that's stupid. At some point they're going to run out of mini 3 replacements lol.
@@DB6904. lol they prolly already have and thats why they wont take responsibility
@@Piotr-4ask thats so great for you! Happy Holidays
Bummer, I have been considering buying a DJI Mini Pro 4 as a first time drone purchase. This will affect my decision on what to buy, What are my options?
Buy the air 3s I love mine!!
sadly not many options out there, best of luck bud
I think you have used the same faulty battery the second time. Was the Intelligent Plus battery an original DJI one?
I'm thinking so as well. Never did I imagine that I MUST mark my batteries from DJI :( The battery I was using was an intelligent plus battery from DJI
Sounds like one of cells in the battery is bad. What percentage of charge do you store your batteries at??
@@stevedawson3863 that’s what I’ve read the most in Reddit and specifically for the intelligent plus batteries. I charge my batteries until they are full and allow them to naturally deplete to preserve the life of the batteries. Then will top them up to full charge before flying
@HifromAshley Store at 60 percent then when ready to fly charge to full charge. I have been doing this for 10 years with no problems 😊. Good luck and good flying!!
@ thanks Steve, happy skies to you
@@HifromAshley I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and if you charge the batteries and don't fly, you can set how many days you want each battery to self discharge to a safe storage state. It isn't good to store batteries fully charged or leave them fully discharged for very long, it will definitely shorten there life. I have been flying drones for 10 years , I still have my DJI f450 I built years ago.
I had problem with DJI mini 4 pro, no command responded thrice, but obstacles avoidance sensor functioning, I had to wait till the battery to exhaust and fall free in my hand fortunately each time drone was just only 8 feet altitude after take off that too because as I tried to grab it rose with obstacle avoidance sensor ultimately out of my hand reach. Waited till battery exhausted.
What a yucky feeling, how are you supposed to fly the drone with any level of confidence? As well as safety ... ugh
Good luck on your case. They will never admit wrong doing. Had same thing happen and best I got discount on new same model.
@@jeffhudson1744 truly astounding how many times they lie in writing (and make up DJI procedure) when the video evidence and flight logs show otherwise - I’ve had to send them the DJI mini 3 pro procedure several times 😑
257 days? Obviously, you are on the "Express Support" plan. 😅 - I have had similar experiences, and ended up becoming friendly with several supervisors in support. Glad you have worked out most of your issues.
hahah yes the super express support plan lol
Others have already stated this, but yeah... Screen recording of the controller (if the DJI controller with the built in screen does that)
I have the Fimi X8 mini V2 and I have been thrilled with its performance. No, its not really comparable to the DJI, less range, 80% as good a camera, no obstacle avoidance, but it is pretty solid.
My friend has the DJI mini4 now, and I cant count the number of times Ive gotten in a nice flight while he is trying to get a connection to get permission to fly in an open area.
Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.
hate that we live in a world where pilots must screen record the controller bc DJI refuses to take responsibility for their faulty products Sad sad. Best of luck to you as well, happy flying
I’m sorry about your mini-3 😢. Those shots are from El Salvador, correct? It’s beautiful.
thank you, yesssss Santa Ana in El Salvador! Highly recommend, El Salvador is one of the best countries in all of central america
After seeing the comment from GrandpaFPV, I have a suggestion...
If you're not interested in buying another DJI drone maybe spend $10 on an FPV simulator and start learning to fly that way.
When you're ready to fly an FPV drone you can buy it from a wide selection that are not DJI, or build your own.
I've thought about that a few times. It just a little difficult for me bc I'm in a new country every month ... one day
Be aware, your Mavic 2 battery has an issue with heat, it will swell and self-eject, mine did, I replaced it out-of-pocket since my care package had expired. If its above 90 °F ( 33°C) I add a tie-ban and above 98°F I fly an Autel EVO.
Always label your batteries and 'log' each batteries history, if you are flying Part 107 it will be/is part of the process. I still have not figured out the 'Fly Away' with the 'Care Refresh', Neo, Avata 2, Air 3S, Mini 4 Pro are all new purchases to replace existing equipment (DJI Ban crap) but when you check the status of the DJI Care Refresh they are saying the 'Fly away' drone replacement is not valid? There appears to be two ways to report, the Express way does not work for Fly Away, you have to do the Flyaway Registration process, send controller logs and wait for a phone call, if the data shows the drone just stopped transmitting and the RSSI data was valid I guess they will send a new drone. I believe there is a third party website you can send the data to get decoded so you can read it, you did send your data, right?.
My Mavic Pro Platinum, Mini 2 and Mavic 2 Zoom have been dependable as daily drivers for work, hope the new stuff is as dependable.
I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and its been a good drone but now my transmitter battery is getting very weak, do you know if that battery can be replaced? I also have the Air 3s and so far I like it as well, but I hate to just let the Mavic 2 just waist a way. Please let me know if you have an answer.
@@MrNorthstar50 I purchased a DJI Smart Controller for the Mavic 2 and Mini 2, I don't have the time to play the phone game 6 or 8 times a day. I did find a new battery for my DJI Mavic Pro Platinum RC, installing it was a nightmare. I checked and the DJI RC1A/B 623758-1S2P is on Amazon for around $18~$55 or Ebay $55. For the Mavic 2 ruclips.net/video/_2l2DXUV3IQ/видео.htmlsi=nWDhYJOH1JPXxWXy
Thanks for all that, this video was not about my Mavic 2 Pro or the batteries for that drone. This was only regarding the Mini 3 Pro. I def have labeled my new batteries ... which feels like a let down of confidence that a pilot needs to do that bc they might be faulty from @dji Yeah the 2 different ways to report is just useless. They fight you on both pathways ...
Interesting, I thought my crash was my fault, but now I'm wondering. Luckly, even though it was on a small cliff I was able to retrieve it with a fishing net. That was kind of more fun than flying it. Lol.......
@@jakebrakebill did you have any warning or anything ? These drones falling out of the sky is not ideal
@@HifromAshley I posted a YT video on it, had it circling in the open, but changed it before a canyon and it was following for a while, then went back to circling, who knows, but finding your video kind of makes me feel more like I had it right.
@@jakebrakebill so strange for it to behave that way?!?
in my opinion your drone got very confused because your so pretty!!!...that can happen you know
ahahahaha thank you for that !!
you will never, I mean never get dji to admit anything of a problem. I have been there and done that with them.
You can view the complete flight record by uploading it to Airdata UAV. The batteries have those flimsy plastic clips that can be broken by squeezing too hard. So, it is possible that the battery just disconnected in flight.
Yeah, no. The battery definitely did not disconnect
@@HifromAshley OK. Do you inspect the battery connectors and blow the dust out before every flight? Before I retired, I was a trained as a mishap investigator, so I am just asking questions for informational purposes, so my intent is educational. I fly both the Mini 3 and the Mini 4 Pro.
@@jeffpattison6321 yeah, why wouldn't one inspect their batteries after it drops out of the sky?
@@HifromAshley Things happen. What about the connectors on the drone side?
I have dealt with DJI before. My Mavic 3 was a piece of crap(i.e. horizon tilt and low altitude disconnects), so I sent it back under DJI care after about 1 year and got a refresh. I also had the motherboard burn out on an RC Pro and had one the gyros start to go bad on Mavic 2 Pro. In the Mavic 2 Pro’s defense, it had 268 flights at the time. The Smart Controller would also lose the video signal of the Mavic 2 Pro occasionally, and I would wind up flying blind. The RC Pro was fixed, the Mavic 2 Pro was retired.
@@HifromAshley If you recover the flight record from the first crash, it will have the battery internal serial number buried in it. You can check that against the batteries you still have.
Obvious question: Latest firmware updates done before the flight? Also, I've recently learned that each battery needs to also have it's firmware updated via being installed in the drone.
@@cliffetzelphoto yes the week of this - everything was updated
Also - I own 2 Mini 3 Pro's (one is unused and is a backup in case something happens to my primary one). There are no viable drone options so DJI is really the only brand. I'm seriously considering the new Mavic 3S but then you get into the issues of weight and registering the drone.
@@HifromAshley Listening to your experience makes me uneasy that this could happen although the only difference for me is I don 't use the higher capacity batteries opting for the standard ones - I've had a few sketchy moments recently where my drone seems to just want to descend into water when shooting over rivers and streams. I also use the standard controller instead of the nicer integrated screen controller. A shame there are no viable options that are worth looking at. DJI has a monopoly and there are no U.S. manufacturers at all that I'm aware of that can compete.
@@cliffetzelphoto as someone who flies over the ocean ... often I feel your fears! DJI really does have a monopoly on the drone market -- it is a true shame that they refuse to take responsibility for their faulty products
@@HifromAshley Agreed. Prime example - I have 5 batteries and 4 out of the 5 have completely broken retention tabs! The majority of my batteries have no more than 15 charges on them. So I've had to kludge a way to wedge them into the battery compartment in order to use them (Using white electricians tape on each side provides sufficient added width to allow the battery to fit snug. The problem is DJI acknowledges this flaw in their expensive batteries but refuses to replace them. They are a monopoly and know it so they can do whatever they want. Too bad there are no viable alternatives that are U.S. made IMO as I'd kick DJI to the curb in a heartbeat.
no rhyme or reason. bad things happen to good drones.
@@Jojo-bm4tb isn’t that the truth!
Happened to my Air 2S this November...took off with 100% battery and in less than 4 minutes into the flight ...drone auto landed into the water 💧 😌 same thing with dji customer service...my battery was 2 years old so they blamed me for not buying new batteries every 12 months
sorry to hear about your Air S2 :( oh wow ... who buys new batteries every 12 months?! that is outrageous
@@HifromAshley well now im gonna buy some new ones for my Mavic 3 if this would have happened to that drone id be devastated (mentally and financially)😅
@ completely agree with you! That would be very sad
I've observed close hand how a fully charged flight battery fails. But this was on a Spark. The battery was defective (and old) so this was my fault and I own it.
But this is how it fails. You get the Low Battery warning stating that the drone will land. About one second later the drone shuts down and falls out of the sky as you experienced. There was NO time for me to bring the drone down safely and it was only flying about 8 feet off the ground, and about 20 feet in front of me.
I believe what you say is true, the battery failed catastrophically in flight. It might be useful to have a look at the charge cycle history of the battery that failed, to see how many cycles it had on it.
such an awful experience, so sorry that also happened to you. The mini 3 pro was my secondary drone, each battery had less that 20 cycles over 10 months
The only thing I can think of is if the battery was updated. Always check if your cells are balanced before and just after you take off. During flight from time to time it's good to check also. I've had issues with my mini 3 pro. One back motor was stuck just after 1 week. Next was fogging in the lens and final issue was 5.8 GHz channel is damaged. But I still fly it 2.4ghz. if I get a disconnection like you, I just switch off the remote and hope it comes back. Never leave the remote ON. You may be disconnected in live feed but actually it's still linked to the remote and any stick movements could move it around without you being aware. It happened to both my mini 3 and mavic 2 pro.
After owning 14 drones I no longer fly over people, and properties. You just never know what can happen.
Its a pity, a drone is just a tool in my line of work . Things just happen, buy another one and continue flying
Sadly in this case the Aircraft disconnected first. Turning the controller on and then off did nothing, since there was no longer an aircraft for it to connect to. The batteries were not recently updated but all software was up to date. Same, I never fly over people or property where if something were to happen it would cause harm in any way shape or form, just not worth the shot IMO -- plus with the zoom capabilities it is now much easier to get 'those' shots without putting people or places at risk
Should i be worried i just received 2 intelligence batteries this week and mini 3 regular in the mail this months 😢😢😢😢😢😢
hahah I mean ... I would be sure to do a few test flights. Hope nothing bad happens
Drone tip :always ensure the battery connections are clean - if not you can get low bat warning & mag warning. I've lost a drone due to that issue. 👍🏻
Agreed, sadly in this case the battery was connected and there were no warnings :( RIP
I’m not usually one to be the first to defend government policy but… couldn’t the drone have been found if you had an RID module on it?
@@krush1202 it’s not about finding it, I know where it is 😂 it’s not safe to retrieve it
@ I see… certainly makes sense
@@krush1202 unfortunately ...
if you return the drone DJI can make an exact reconstruction of the incident together with your statement. if that corresponds to reality DJI is a good company in terms of service. that you put this on RUclips is up to you but I don't think that will help you. It is known that you have to handle these batteries carefully to avoid malfunctions. if the drone behaves differently I would have it checked first anyway.
@@jaap0e your comment tells me you either did not watch the entire video or you did and simply did not comprehend anything that was said. Good luck 👍🏼
Hello. In my opinion DJI has a problem accepting third party batteries. Batteries are accepted in mini 3 pro and mini 3 but blocked in mini 4 pro. The design of the electronic part is completely omitted. Actually we know what its basic functions are. Why DJI defends itself from other manufacturers. The price of Li-ion cells is low and the box with DJI sticker is twice as expensive :( compared to the free world. What is the importance of battery discharge software update? These are very simple software codes. What is the importance of this battery part for the drone? Is it needed. Old drones like SPARK also have such electronics and do not have frequent updates.
All of my batteries are from DJI, I would never and have never used 3rd party items :(
@@HifromAshley Sad. DJI is not the only battery manufacturer. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Wow. Sorry to hear this.
its a real bummer
60% off is pretty good considering you may have caused its loss by putting the bad battery back in. I'd take it.
@@IanRosie1 customers should not have to shoulder the cost of companies selling failing products. You might be okay with that and that’s fair, but I prefer to financially support companies who back their products and have a good word.
@@HifromAshley The failing product was the battery, not the drone. She didn't lose the drone initially.
look at the FIMI 3
Looking for a new Drone and was thinking of DJI, but this is nice to know. I will look elsewhere.
You don't want to look elsewhere,,, let's be real,,, who in there right mind sends 365 emails in 1 year?????? Use your head,, not your ears.....
Mrs Lady,,, you where in the mountains??? If that is the case,,, Temperature is the batteries worse enemy!!!!! A little homework before you put that bird in the air is all you need Beautiful.....
Ypu said you been flying it everyday for a week after loosing connection???? That was your warning!!!!!
@@KNIGHT-FLIGHT as stated several times, temperature wasn’t an issue and no I wasn’t in “the mountains” bless
Ohshit i just git 2 intelegend battery this week/my mini 3 on its way this month from china 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
best of luck
well that sucks
@@RigiLiquid945 it sure does 🥺
Just came across your channel, I've subbed, very pretty young lady (Nice to see a woman) doing drone 'stuff' on RUclips, keep up the great work! Clive in the UK
hey thanks Clive! Appreciate that
Look @ rhe FIMI 3
never heard of it, will check it out, thank you
Dji customer service sucks
truly disappointing
256 days of emails...cost of a cup of coffee a day for drone insurance. Full coverage. Be efficient
@@KevinDoherty please share companies that offer international drone insurance and the ones that approve claims when pilots are unable to retrieve the drone to provide documentation for the insurance claims 🙏🏼
still waiting for those companies
@@HifromAshley oh international? yeah, youll need two policies. Youre beat
@ yeah. I don’t live in the US. I travel full time. In a new country every single month … so find me that policy please and thank you 😂