DJI Support help ~ Crash in ATTI mode

[FlightoftheEducator]

Hi, newb who now knows not to take off without GPS lock. I sent my spark out for a quick pic of the river by my house. It started up and said fly with caution, so I was just going to send it out and bring it right back. When I started bringing it back, it went 30 mph and backwards straight into a tree, crashed down, and into the water.

I managed to recover it, and popped it in a bowl with rice. The next day it flew, but it was wonky, so I sent it in to DJI.

So here's my problem.

DJI asked for $495 to "Fix" it, but didn't say what was wrong with it. They said it was pilot error because it didn't have GPS lock. I told them that I stopped moving the stick because it was going so fast, and that if it wasn't in sport mode, it shouldn't have been able to go that fast. Especially, if I had let go of the stick.

I'm new and I'm not sure about all this and what to do and say. They keep responding with canned comments and aren't explaining anything. It seems like they didn't even open it up to see what's wrong. THey want me to provide proof that I didn't control it into a tree. How am I supposed to prove that? I sent them my flight log, but I don't know what all that means. It seems ridiculous to ask for full purchase price and not even tell me why.

Any tips on how to battle this or am I screwed? We've been going back and forth for almost 3 weeks now and nothing is happening, and I go to Peru next Friday

 

[Sparkbart]

Sorry but based on your description, I’m with DJI. You flew in ATTI mode and weren’t able to control it. In ATTI mode it will drift and not hold position. When you let go of the stick it doesn’t stop in place like in GPS mode. It WILL drift. Momentum will carry it.

And speed is relative. You as a noob, I’m sure it seemed very fast, but to someone like me who also flys FPV drones, even in Sport mode the Spark isn’t very fast...

Just take it as a lesson learned.... sorry...

 

[dirceu86]

Hi, sorry to hear about your bad experience. I'm also a noob piloting drones. I just bought my first one (a Spark) this week. Yesterday I was in a hurry to fly with it, so I took off from my apartment window (4th floor), of course it was in ATTI Mode because I was piloting inside my apartment. As I went outside the window I wasn't able to control it. As an instinct I just went higher and it was drifting. By a miracle I could manage it in the air for a few seconds, but without any control, then it got GPS signal and stabilized in the air. So I brought it back.

Today I was reading more and watching videos about the Spark and what Sparkbart said it's true, when in ATTI mode the drone can't hold position. So, sorry about your complain on DJI, but they're right. And I could be in the same place as you now, but I got luck.

 

[FlightoftheEducator]

Sorry but based on your description, I’m with DJI. You flew in ATTI mode and weren’t able to control it. In ATTI mode it will drift and not hold position. When you let go of the stick it doesn’t stop in place like in GPS mode. It WILL drift. Momentum will carry it.

And speed is relative. You as a noob, I’m sure it seemed very fast, but to someone like me who also flys FPV drones, even in Sport mode the Spark isn’t very fast...

Just take it as a lesson learned.... sorry...

At what speed is a "drift" though. According to the flight log, it was going 30 mph. That seems way fast for a "drift"

 

[Sparkbart]

When you "let off a stick" its going to keep going in the direction it was heading. Maybe "drift" is not a good term. Think of it like when you are in your car and you are traveling 60 mph and you let off the gas, you are going to "coast", Thats what the Spark in ATTI mode is going to do. Its going to "coast". It will slow down eventually, I can't say how soon or how much distance as I don't do much flying of my Spark in ATTI mode.

But when I've flown it in Sport Mode and I let off the throttle it will go another 5' to 10' feet before it stops. Its really hard for me to judge as I don't typically let my drones "drift" or "coast" as I'm used to flying FPV drones where you are constantly providing inputs.

Unfortunately, by your own admission you are a noob who flew in ATTI mode. And being new you may have panicked, pushed the stick in the wrong direction and into the tree. DJI would have been able to see all this from the data. They didn't see anything that indicated a malfunction of the drone thats why the high estimate.

At what speed is a "drift" though. According to the flight log, it was going 30 mph. That seems way fast for a "drift"

 

[FlightoftheEducator]

When you "let off a stick" its going to keep going in the direction it was heading. Maybe "drift" is not a good term. Think of it like when you are in your car and you are traveling 60 mph and you let off the gas, you are going to "coast", Thats what the Spark in ATTI mode is going to do. Its going to "coast". It will slow down eventually, I can't say how soon or how much distance as I don't do much flying of my Spark in ATTI mode.

But when I've flown it in Sport Mode and I let off the throttle it will go another 5' to 10' feet before it stops. Its really hard for me to judge as I don't typically let my drones "drift" or "coast" as I'm used to flying FPV drones where you are constantly providing inputs.

Unfortunately, by your own admission you are a noob who flew in ATTI mode. And being new you may have panicked, pushed the stick in the wrong direction and into the tree. DJI would have been able to see all this from the data. They didn't see anything that indicated a malfunction of the drone thats why the high estimate.

THank you, that was very clear. I understand why it crashed, but I dont understand why if it still flew when I sent in, that they just want to pay a full replacement?

 

[notime]

How does one get satalite lock, when the number of satalites recieved come and go.

Did you get dji refresh?

 

[optionbLur]

Guys! when the spark is in ATTI mode and drifts, Do the sensors supposed to still work?

 

[Spark4Me]

THank you, that was very clear. I understand why it crashed, but I dont understand why if it still flew when I sent in, that they just want to pay a full replacement?

I suggest just buying a new one…I’ve seen them at $399, and even less. Look at BestBuy and Target.com.