I’ve been using my drone carefully for the past 8 months and got comfortable with active track in open areas. Today I tried something I see many people on this forum doing: I had it follow me on a private road with tree cover. When I turned my body, the drone crashed straight into the branches. One arm broke, it bounced off the ground, and now I can hear loose parts shaking inside.
Does anyone know if I can get replacement parts and learn to fix it myself?
Only trust your own hands when it comes to drones.
Chen said:
Only trust your own hands when it comes to drones.
I don’t know about that. My hands are behind some pretty bad mistakes too.
Chen said:
Only trust your own hands when it comes to drones.
I don’t know about that. My hands are behind some pretty bad mistakes too.
Feels like you can’t trust anything or anyone these days.
Chen said:
Only trust your own hands when it comes to drones.
I don’t know about that. My hands are behind some pretty bad mistakes too.
I know what you mean. Once, I landed my FPV drone right in the only puddle on my street. That was the end of it.
Chen said:
Only trust your own hands when it comes to drones.
I trust my hands; they’re pretty reliable when it counts.
Do you live in an area where the trees are bare because it’s winter? Even the best DJI drones struggle with obstacle avoidance on trees without leaves.
Shai said:
Do you live in an area where the trees are bare because it’s winter? Even the best DJI drones struggle with obstacle avoidance on trees without leaves.
I hadn’t thought about that. I already try to be careful, but this makes me even more cautious. I live in a rural area with open spaces, so I always set my return altitude higher than the treetops. I’ve heard people wreck their drones during RTH because they didn’t plan for obstacles.
@Luca
Even the radar-based obstacle avoidance on agricultural drones can miss small tree limbs.
@Luca
Mine got destroyed by active tracking into a telephone wire. The damage made it look like it fell from the sky.
Shai said:
Do you live in an area where the trees are bare because it’s winter? Even the best DJI drones struggle with obstacle avoidance on trees without leaves.
Yes, there are no leaves.
@Anik
That explains a lot.
I wouldn’t even risk it with how expensive drones are.
If you spent that much on a drone, I’d contact DJI. Repairs might not cost as much as you think.
Rafe said:
If you spent that much on a drone, I’d contact DJI. Repairs might not cost as much as you think.
It was $2200 on Amazon, but I’ve got a 2-year protection plan. Fingers crossed.
@Anik
I’d use that plan for a replacement. It’s worth it.
@Anik
For future drones, I don’t think anything beats DJI. Unless you’re looking for a change, they’re solid.
Obstacle avoidance struggles with power lines, chain-link fences, and bare tree branches.
I feel for you. I bet that crash was heartbreaking. Personally, I avoid risky moves with my Mavic 3 Pro because it’s too big of an investment. For fun tricks, I use my Mini 4 Pro. Even at $1200, it’s better than risking a $3500 drone. This is why I always recommend getting the DJI Refresh Care plan—it’s just smart planning.
@Luca
I like your strategy. I was considering pairing a Mavic 3 Pro with an Avata 2 for fun. What do you think?
