Update on Ocean Flyaway Incident - Case Denied. What are your thoughts?

Hey everyone,

I previously shared my flyaway incident here when my drone unexpectedly took off and crashed into the ocean. Earlier today, I got a call from support, and they offered me a 15% discount code as a goodwill gesture. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t believe this was my fault.

They’re attributing the crash to two main reasons:

  1. Out-of-warranty issue (old batteries) – Okay, I get that…
  2. Weak environmental GPS – But my drone had a strong GPS lock?

I disagree with their findings. The drone gained full GPS strength, set a home point, and then briefly lost connection before the flyaway. I’ve flown in this location hundreds of times without any GPS issues. To me, this seems like a flaw in the drone or software rather than user error.

I’m open to any thoughts or advice, but I wanted to share the details from their report. I’ll be responding to them later today after my flight.

Support’s Findings:

  • The drone took off with weak or no GPS signal.
  • At 1:00 min, it gained enough signal to switch to GPS positioning and set a home point but continued flying with a weak signal.
  • At 1:16 min, it was flying in SPORT mode and drifting due to weak GPS when it reported an external impact (crashed into water).
  • The report also blames environmental interference, old batteries, and the limitations of vision sensors over reflective surfaces like water.
  • Since my drone is out of warranty, they ruled it as a non-manufacturer issue, making it my responsibility.

Date of incident: March 6, 2025
Drone activation date: April 17, 2021
Battery activation date: April 17, 2021

Just wanted to put this out there—let me know what you all think!

Edit: Removed serial number and location.

Playing devil’s advocate here, I’ve seen this kind of situation across various forums over the years. Ultimately, if the logs indicate you were doing something against the rules or intentionally disabling sensors (like in Sport mode), you might be out of luck.

It’s tough to argue against the logs. If you weren’t monitoring the GPS signal closely, it likely could have dropped out, as the logs suggest. They show precisely when the signal weakens, its strength, and how many satellites were connected. If you acknowledged a signal loss and regained it briefly, that should have ended your flight right there, especially if the area is known for poor GPS connectivity at times. Just because you’ve flown there before doesn’t guarantee it’ll be fine every time. A signal drop in an area that usually supports a strong connection is a significant red flag. If the logs show inconsistencies with your assertion of having a solid 20+ satellite connection, it’ll be your word against theirs, and logs will likely take precedence.

Flying in Sport mode means you took on full responsibility without the benefit of obstacle sensors. This is even more critical when flying over water, where downward vision sensors can be unreliable, even in Normal mode. DJI drones manage altitude using the barometer; proximity to water can lead to pressure drops, causing the drone to think it’s too high and reduce altitude without sensors to correct it. The throttle up command before the impact raises concerns as it suggests you anticipated the crash but were unable to avoid it due to flying in Sport mode.

Considering your battery is about four years old, I often find battery issues are a common cause of crashes. I personally wouldn’t fly with a battery that old unless it had a low cycle count and was meticulously cared for. Most users, unfortunately, don’t understand lithium battery care, and an ‘abused’ battery is a disaster waiting to happen, especially under high-stress conditions like Sport mode flying. It’s hard to determine if this was a factor, but if those batteries were older and not treated well, it could certainly contribute to issues. Some DJI drones allow you to monitor voltage for each battery cell during flight, which is crucial for safety—if any cell drops below around 3.3V, it’s time to bring it back.

DJI defines a battery cycle as 75% charge accumulation (whether in one go or several short charges) and generally recommends replacing batteries around 200 cycles. If your drone had a lot of use over four years, it likely exceeded that count, yet DJI didn’t specify the cycle count in their response.

Given the GPS issues reflected in the logs, along with the fact that flying an older battery goes against DJI’s guidelines, I would recommend accepting the situation and taking their 15% discount. Without knowing the specific drone model, if it dates back to 2021, anything you purchase now would be a significant upgrade. If you regularly fly in risky conditions (like Sport mode over water), consider getting DJI Refresh for the next one. The logs and your own acknowledgment suggest GPS issues were present, and the safest course of action would have been to end the flight at the first sign of instability. I understand that many people don’t follow all best practices flawlessly, but risk is involved when those guidelines aren’t followed, and DJI won’t hesitate to point that out.

I’m sorry this happened; it’s understandably disappointing. However, based on the logs, I believe your case may be weak, but there’s no harm in trying. A 15% discount on a new drone is still a decent offer, especially considering the age and warranty status of your current one.

EDIT: I also noticed from the GPS coordinates that you were flying close to both an airport and a military base. Strong radar signals can interfere with drones and cause them to crash unexpectedly. While it’s not definitive, it’s another possible issue, and radar may not always be active. Flying in Hawaii adds heat and battery care to potential problems, especially with older batteries.

@Blaise
Sadly… well articulated.

@Blaise
Thank you for this detailed response. I always value an outside perspective, especially in complex situations like this. I empathize with the customer service reps in the middle of this, and I don’t want to make a fuss without reason.

About the GPS signal, I struggled to secure a good lock in the first minute of the flight, which has been typical for me (15 seconds to a minute). When the drone lost satellite signal, it was momentary; I saw the “no satellite” notification flash and then recover. The signal was stable for the last 12 seconds of flight, but the drone began moving sideways as though in attitude mode before crashing.

Regarding the barometer/Sport mode discussion, I was about 15-40 feet above the water when the crash occurred. Do you think the water affected stability at that height?

Thank you for the battery insights as well. I own five batteries (now four) for the drone and rotate them regularly. I don’t think any exceeded 200 cycles. If the battery was the culprit, wouldn’t the drone have indicated a power loss or warning?

The throttle up command occurred just before impact (the drone detected what it interprets as a crash) about two seconds prior as it dropped. It was a last-ditch attempt to regain control once I realized what was happening.

In any case, I’ll reach out to DJI again for clarification on my experience. Maybe I’ll gain something, or I might just waste some time. I’m not thrilled about getting another Air 2S, but a 15% discount is better than nothing! Let’s see what happens.

@Reese
Happy to assist, even if it wasn’t the response you were hoping for.

From your description of the GPS behavior, best practice would have been to end the flight after seeing a total signal loss, even if brief. This could indicate something affecting the GPS in that area, especially near an airport and military base. If you lost and regained the signal mid-flight, your priority should have been getting safely back. I know everyone has different risk tolerances, but to stay as safe as possible, that would have been the best choice. One could argue that taking off without a solid GPS lock on the ground suggests an unreliable GPS, and older drones certainly require longer to achieve a good lock amidst various environmental factors.

In Madeira, there’s a popular hiking trail near radar domes for defense systems. Many people have lost their drones near those locations due to radar interference.

It’s tough to determine if 15-40 feet over water could have created pressure drop issues. At that altitude, it’s not too high for potential issues, and ocean swells could affect your height over time.

Battery cycles matter, but care is crucial too.

Heat is a significant enemy to drone batteries, especially in warmer locations like yours. Even if you’ve managed well, lithium batteries degrade over time, and your drone is always a voltage drop away from crashing, stressing the importance of newer, well-maintained batteries. Deviating from best practices or DJI’s recommendations carries inherent risks, which they could invoke during disputes.

According to DJI logs, the “Throttle Up” command registered before the impact, indicating it occurred prior to the crash. The phrasing could be misleading as the bullet points were listed differently, but this looks bad on paper, suggesting that you might have anticipated the crash and weren’t able to avoid it.

You have nothing to lose by following up with DJI. A 15% discount on the same drone isn’t ideal, but perhaps you can consider an Air 3S with DJI Refresh! Newer Occusync 4 drones boast better GPS and improved signal strength, which may significantly enhance your flying experience in preferred areas.

Overall, DJI’s willingness to entertain these claims is impressive. In general, it’s rare for any product with a high instance of user error and negligence leading to total loss for the manufacturer to engage with customers beyond standard warranties. Most companies would have entirely washed their hands of such incidents, citing user error. Losing a drone after four years is commendable—many don’t last nearly that long!

@Blaise
Your response is very thorough and insightful. I’ve had my share of crashes, having even lost one of my drones in a tree. I always acknowledge when it’s 100% my fault for ignoring all the warnings, both at takeoff and in-flight. We’re flying aircraft here, so we must operate responsibly and remain vigilant about any anomalies or alerts during flight. Fly safe and cheers.

This is an interesting discussion.

I’ve been considering a used Mini 3 Pro deal with two included batteries ($500),

but if “Batteries are considered old/outdated after a year”

does that imply the two batteries in this deal might be worthless?

@Kieran
Seems like it… better budget for their $100+ batteries every year or every 200 cycles! That’s quite steep.

Reese said:
@Kieran
Seems like it… better budget for their $100+ batteries every year or every 200 cycles! That’s quite steep.

I have seven M4P batteries… Fortunately, I just purchased four this month and had the other three for a little over a year. This discussion makes me consider labeling and retiring the old ones every two years.