Neo cracked itself up.

[spacewizard]

Well damn. I had it hovering in the air maybe 30-40 feet up, in a parking lot. It was evening, not dark yet, and the lot was well lit with lamp posts. Satellite coverage was hit and miss. Not great. Suddenly it just started sailing away. I tried to bring it down (I was using a remote) but before I could, it crashed into a lamppost. Scuffed up the whole thing and cracked the front propeller guard.

I've never used DJI care before, this is what it's for right? Are they likely to repair it? Is it likely to cost a lot/take a long time?

 

[Chrislaf]

Sorry to hear about your incident. I have never used Care Refresh but have heard that the turn-around time is very reasonable. You will likely get a new or refurbished one that looks brand new.

Chris

 

[ryguy80]

Have heard similar stories with DJI Care Refresh and the quick turnaround times. Incidents like these are what it was meant for. DJI will just sent you out a new unit and they will just scrap the old one.

 

[spacewizard]

....scrap the old one? SCRAP it? So I just sent my poor little neo off to its doom? I was hoping it would at least be refurbished and given a new life sold at a discount! I had even given it a name!

Well, too late now. I sent it off today. Wishing my little guy well, and hoping to see the next one soon.

Glad I got the care plan!

 

[ryguy80]

I’m sure some of the units that aren’t a total loss are refurbished and resold.

 

[NeoNeo]

Did you have the latest updated firmware loaded? I though DJI might have corrected the low light go crazy on its own issue. If someone is willing to do. Upload the latest firmware update. Stick a length of black tape covering the downward IR sensors. Go outside in a wide open well lighted area with softer surface. Take off in N mode and see what happens. Hopefully just no stabilization. More like ATTI mode. Full control without stabilization aids.

 

[MS Coast]

Did you have the latest updated firmware loaded? I though DJI might have corrected the low light go crazy on its own issue. If someone is willing to do. Upload the latest firmware update. Stick a length of black tape covering the downward IR sensors. Go outside in a wide open well lighted area with softer surface. Take off in N mode and see what happens. Hopefully just no stabilization. More like ATTI mode. Full control without stabilization aids.

This doesn't sound like a "go crazy on its own" fault with the drone. From the OP's description, he didn't have a good GPS satellite lock. The drone was in ATTI mode and drifted into the lamp post before he was able to react on the controls.

 

[NeoNeo]

If OP had full control but just crashed. Then ATTI mode. ATTI mode is just no GPS and /or visual sensor active to stabilize the drone. But if no real control. Neo Crash Mode.

One reason why I wish the Neo would have a simple toggle in the Menu option to engage ATTI mode to allow for safe low light flying. Few attempts at indoors flying have ended up going into no input control crash mode when flying into a deep shadow.

Manual mode using the FPV RC3 has the option of engagement of "ATTI mode". Just prevents angle of attack going past a certain degree no matter what you max rates are set. Almost like angle mode, but with "rate" v. angle stick input. It might be a feature DJI could add to hopefully at least S mode. A S mode option without any stabilization.

 

[spacewizard]

It did have the latest firmware. And yeah it seems very likely it lost GPS and that's when it started moving. It seemed to be moving pretty fast, obviously fast enough to really bang it up when it hit the lamp post. :\

 

[spacewizard]

It sure felt random and weird, like, it was hovering there, and suddenly it started moving pretty fast.

 

[NeoNeo]

It sure felt random and weird, like, it was hovering there, and suddenly it started moving pretty fast.

Thanks for the info. It is the beginning of winter indoors season. Thinking the Neo will be shelved until next Spring. Unless we have winters like the past couple. Non-DJI 1s brushless motor ~75gm micro quad will get used instead of letting the dust building up on the case.

 

[spacewizard]

Thanks for the info. It is the beginning of winter indoors season. Thinking the Neo will be shelved until next Spring. Unless we have winters like the past couple. Non-DJI 1s brushless motor ~75gm micro quad will get used instead of letting the dust building up on the case.

I've been having fun flying my Neo around indoors, for what it's worth. Just to get myself used to controlling a drone, get better skills (I still could use some improvement). Hasn't gotten significantly banged up indoors! Though there was the one time it bumped into a door corner and knocked the gimbal out of whack, but it got better when I pushed it in place...)

Though of course the little guy you're talking about would be much better for indoors than the neo.

 

[spacewizard]

Well, I got my new neo back from DJI! I took it outside for its first little run. Did a dronie in my driveway. The wind was bad. It tried so hard to stay in place but had a hard time of it! In the end I reached out my hand so it could land on my palm, it tried to land, and was immediately blown over onto the concrete.

Scuffed the hell out of it just like the other one, damn it! (see attachment). I guess I'm just doomed to have a scuffed up Neo.

But at least it's not cracked or anything.

 

[Chrislaf]

Well, I got my new neo back from DJI! I took it outside for its first little run. Did a dronie in my driveway. The wind was bad. It tried so hard to stay in place but had a hard time of it! In the end I reached out my hand so it could land on my palm, it tried to land, and was immediately blown over onto the concrete.

Scuffed the hell out of it just like the other one, damn it! (see attachment). I guess I'm just doomed to have a scuffed up Neo.

But at least it's not cracked or anything.

Sorry about your NEO but glad it's only cosmetic. I was flying mine today over a beaver pond and got some wind warnings but didn't have any problems landing it.

Chris

 

[NeoNeo]

Sorry about your NEO but glad it's only cosmetic. I was flying mine today over a beaver pond and got some wind warnings but didn't have any problems landing it.

Chris

In winds where I have had issues flying similar sized quads the Neo for a lightweight in N or S mode has good handling characteristics. Still working on not scaring myself flying in manual mode under those conditions. DJI stabilization is pretty impressive.

To the OP. If you can and dare to. Carefully grab and just flip it upside down. Motors are then suppose to auto shut off. Personally haven't tried.

 

[NEO 317]

I guess I'm just doomed to have a scuffed up Neo.

Join the club.

My NEO has scuff marks as well because it's fun flying around my home.

Sorry about your NEO but glad it's only cosmetic.

Now it has character and a back story to the scruffy life of the NEO.

 

[NeoNeo]

Regarding the scuff marks. I use 91% Isopropyl alcohol to clean my quads. Just apply to a piece of paper towel. Not soaking wet. Just damp. Paper towel is actually abrasive. Might be all you need to reduce the scuffs marks to just barely visible. A more aggressive approach is using the 91% on very fine polish pads. Don't remember the manufacture. Pads are years old. Maybe 3M. Usually available at automotive shops and some hobby stores. Amazon stocks a similar looking pad. "Micro mesh sanding pads", search term. If using I would start with the finest grit. You can always go coarser if too fine. Finest grit on the pad owned is 12,000.