Drone just shut off mid-air… landed straight into a tree

So this just happened… was flying normally, everything seemed fine, then out of nowhere, the propellers stopped mid-flight. No warning, nothing. It just dropped and ended up in a tree. Not sure what caused it, but I’m hoping it’s not a major hardware issue. Anyone had this happen before?

Sounds like a hardware failure. Definitely reach out to DJI before trying to fix anything yourself. They’ll probably ask for your flight logs, and if they see it wasn’t user error, they’ll either replace it or repair it for cheap.

@Max
Would Care Refresh cover something like this? What if I didn’t buy it—would I have to pay out of pocket?

Niall said:
@Max
Would Care Refresh cover something like this? What if I didn’t buy it—would I have to pay out of pocket?

If it’s a hardware defect and you’re still under the 1-year warranty, DJI should fix it for free.

‘Landed’ might not be the right word here… :grimacing:

Always fly with a fully charged battery.

Cam said:
Always fly with a fully charged battery.

I was at about 60% when it shut off.

Briar said:

Cam said:
Always fly with a fully charged battery.

I was at about 60% when it shut off.

Had you fully charged it before flying? If a battery sits partially charged for a while and then you fly, the remaining charge isn’t always reliable. Unlike a car’s fuel tank, battery voltage can drop suddenly, which might cause a shutdown.

@Cam
Had the same thing happen last week with my Mavic Air 2. Battery was around 70%, but as soon as I started flying, I kept getting low battery warnings. Only time I ever flew without a full charge.

Oof, that hurts to see. I have an Air 3 but I’m holding out for the Mini 4.

Same thing happened to my Air 3S. DJI replaced it without any issues.

Were you flying in Sport mode?

Did you accidentally move the right stick all the way down and left while mirroring with the left stick?

Sounds like an emergency motor shutdown from a stick input.

This is exactly what Care Refresh is for. You’d have a replacement in a week.

Rex said:
This is exactly what Care Refresh is for. You’d have a replacement in a week.

Not necessarily. If he’s within the first year, he can get a replacement under warranty.

You can buy replacement arms online. Easy fix.

Gentry said:
You can buy replacement arms online. Easy fix.

Just ordered a new arm off eBay. Should be here in about three weeks.

Briar said:

Gentry said:
You can buy replacement arms online. Easy fix.

Just ordered a new arm off eBay. Should be here in about three weeks.

Might be worth sending it to DJI instead. They fixed my arm and camera gimbal for $89, including shipping. Their customer service is solid.

Is DJI Care Refresh actually worth it?