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Inspire 2 - Malfunction

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Jan 7, 2021
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Hi Everybody


I have a I2 X7 drone that sadly malfunctioned during a commercial flight. This is the first issue I have ever experienced from what has otherwise been a reliable tool.

Here is a detailed recollection of the crash:

I arrived at the flight location and checked the area for surrounding obstacles, which in this case were buildings, lampposts and trees to ensure that I could stay at a sufficient flight height thus avoiding potential obstructions.

We wanted to find a safe take off and landing space so we decided to opt for a side road as this area was away from pedestrians and vehicles.

Before the flight I went through my normal preparation routine and flight check:

  • Safe weather conditions for flying (according to the UAV forecast app). No rain or problematic wind speeds.
  • I checked the I2 remote controller, Crystal Sky, TB50’s (B pair set). They were all at sufficient power levels.
  • I installed the batteries in the I2 and checked for any loose connections. Thereafter I initiated the lowering of the landing gear.
  • I checked all four quick release mounts for any cracks or loose screws.
  • Then checked all four propellers, two cw and two ccw, securing they were free from cracks or damage.
  • I installed all four propellers on the quick release mounts and double checked the springs and checked for any unusual fit/wiggle.
  • I installed the X7 camera with a 16 mm lens and a Polapro 3stop ND filter.
  • I turned on the drone and checked that I had sufficient satellite connection and checked for any warnings in the DJI Go app.


I launched the drone from the side road for optimal safety and walked over to the main road while my spotter and I maintained the drone in LOS.
I continued on the flight path where the drone seemingly behaved as usual. At 01:42 the drone did what seemed to be an unusual yaw movement. The movement was similar to crashes I have experienced while flying FPV drones (8 years of racing and crashing experience!) where one of the propellers has exploded mid flight or where the prop nut has come loose. This results in one of the motors not having lift and a yawing plummet of the drone starts.

So, the drone plummeted, hit a tree on the way down and crashed on the pavement. Luckily my spotter had ensured that the area was clear of pedestrians and motorists as this could have been an enormous safety risk! The drone had crashed partly on the right landing gear and on the X7 camera resulting in a cracked right arm, damaged CCW and CW motor, right auxiliary arm damage, left landing gear damage, cracked 16mm lens, bent X7 gimbal roll motor and potential internal damage. The propellers were all damaged and one was completely dislodged from the drone lying a few meters from the drone. Sadly I do not have any flight record as the CINESSD and on board microSD files are corrupted. The only record I have are the logs where the same yaw movement I experienced in flight is visible.

I’m honestly pretty shocked and worried as I now read that several other pilots have experienced the same issue with the I2 (Inspire 2 crash for unknown reason, Quick Release Prop flies off - Inspire Destroyed, Lost a propeller and crashed . The drone and camera will be sent to DJI for investigation ASAP. I’ll keep you guys updated and hopefully DJI will find a solution for this case.
IMG_8742.jpg
 
Hi Everybody


I have a I2 X7 drone that sadly malfunctioned during a commercial flight. This is the first issue I have ever experienced from what has otherwise been a reliable tool.

Here is a detailed recollection of the crash:

I arrived at the flight location and checked the area for surrounding obstacles, which in this case were buildings, lampposts and trees to ensure that I could stay at a sufficient flight height thus avoiding potential obstructions.

We wanted to find a safe take off and landing space so we decided to opt for a side road as this area was away from pedestrians and vehicles.

Before the flight I went through my normal preparation routine and flight check:

  • Safe weather conditions for flying (according to the UAV forecast app). No rain or problematic wind speeds.
  • I checked the I2 remote controller, Crystal Sky, TB50’s (B pair set). They were all at sufficient power levels.
  • I installed the batteries in the I2 and checked for any loose connections. Thereafter I initiated the lowering of the landing gear.
  • I checked all four quick release mounts for any cracks or loose screws.
  • Then checked all four propellers, two cw and two ccw, securing they were free from cracks or damage.
  • I installed all four propellers on the quick release mounts and double checked the springs and checked for any unusual fit/wiggle.
  • I installed the X7 camera with a 16 mm lens and a Polapro 3stop ND filter.
  • I turned on the drone and checked that I had sufficient satellite connection and checked for any warnings in the DJI Go app.


I launched the drone from the side road for optimal safety and walked over to the main road while my spotter and I maintained the drone in LOS.
I continued on the flight path where the drone seemingly behaved as usual. At 01:42 the drone did what seemed to be an unusual yaw movement. The movement was similar to crashes I have experienced while flying FPV drones (8 years of racing and crashing experience!) where one of the propellers has exploded mid flight or where the prop nut has come loose. This results in one of the motors not having lift and a yawing plummet of the drone starts.

So, the drone plummeted, hit a tree on the way down and crashed on the pavement. Luckily my spotter had ensured that the area was clear of pedestrians and motorists as this could have been an enormous safety risk! The drone had crashed partly on the right landing gear and on the X7 camera resulting in a cracked right arm, damaged CCW and CW motor, right auxiliary arm damage, left landing gear damage, cracked 16mm lens, bent X7 gimbal roll motor and potential internal damage. The propellers were all damaged and one was completely dislodged from the drone lying a few meters from the drone. Sadly I do not have any flight record as the CINESSD and on board microSD files are corrupted. The only record I have are the logs where the same yaw movement I experienced in flight is visible.

I’m honestly pretty shocked and worried as I now read that several other pilots have experienced the same issue with the I2 (Inspire 2 crash for unknown reason, Quick Release Prop flies off - Inspire Destroyed, Lost a propeller and crashed . The drone and camera will be sent to DJI for investigation ASAP. I’ll keep you guys updated and hopefully DJI will find a solution for this case.
View attachment 30991
That looks like a complete write-off. Very sorry to hear about your missfortune and loss.
The I2 is a very reliable machine and malfunctions like these are fortunately very rare but when they happen they usually have a catastrofic consequences, like most aitcraft crashes. Thanks god noone was injured or worse in this case.
Many would probably disagree with me but I have made a few modifications to my drone which I believe have made it safer than it was out of the box.
One, I've secured all four motors/landing gears to the arms by metal brackets making the connection 100% reliable (a few options available here). I've done this long time ago after a few reports of a motor bracket disconnecting from arm due to glue bond failure mid flight, causing crash.
Two, I've replaced the flimsy (in my opinion) quick release prop mounts with HeliEngadin Koptermax folding CF props. (T-motor props is another option here). No fidling with quick release mounts anymore, no loose rattling props anymore..
I am not suggesting that any of the above measures would have prevented this crash which needs to be obviously thoroughly investigated but perhaps something to consider for extra peace of mind in the future..
All the best getting this repaired/replaced and sorry about your crash!!
 
Last edited:
That's terrible news, and it sounds like you did everything right before takeoff. Hope it gets fixed under warranty. Out of interest, how many satellites were locked before takeoff? Did that change during flight?

@daneagrace are you able to provide links to the options your have fitted to the I2?

Thanks
 
That looks like a complete write-off. Very sorry to hear about your missfortune and loss.
The I2 is a very reliable machine and malfunctions like these are fortunately very rare but when they happen they usually have a catastrofic consequences, like most aitcraft crashes. Thanks god noone was injured or worse in this case.
Many would probably disagree with me but I have made a few modifications to my drone which I believe have made it safer than it was out of the box.
One, I've secured all four motors/landing gears to the arms by metal brackets making the connection 100% reliable (a few options available here). I've done this long time ago after a few reports of a motor bracket disconnecting from arm due to glue bond failure mid flight, causing crash.
Two, I've replaced the flimsy (in my opinion) quick release prop mounts with HeliEngadin Koptermax folding CF props. (T-motor props is another option here). No fidling with quick release mounts anymore, no loose rattling props anymore..
I am not suggesting that any of the above measures would have prevented this crash which needs to be obviously thoroughly investigated but perhaps something to consider for extra peace of mind in the future..
All the best getting this repaired/replaced and sorry about your crash!!
I too have taken those same precautions after a similar incident with my Inspire 2.
 
Did you notice anything abnormal with the propellers at all? How do you carry your drone?
 
Hi Everybody


I have a I2 X7 drone that sadly malfunctioned during a commercial flight. This is the first issue I have ever experienced from what has otherwise been a reliable tool.

Here is a detailed recollection of the crash:

I arrived at the flight location and checked the area for surrounding obstacles, which in this case were buildings, lampposts and trees to ensure that I could stay at a sufficient flight height thus avoiding potential obstructions.

We wanted to find a safe take off and landing space so we decided to opt for a side road as this area was away from pedestrians and vehicles.

Before the flight I went through my normal preparation routine and flight check:

  • Safe weather conditions for flying (according to the UAV forecast app). No rain or problematic wind speeds.
  • I checked the I2 remote controller, Crystal Sky, TB50’s (B pair set). They were all at sufficient power levels.
  • I installed the batteries in the I2 and checked for any loose connections. Thereafter I initiated the lowering of the landing gear.
  • I checked all four quick release mounts for any cracks or loose screws.
  • Then checked all four propellers, two cw and two ccw, securing they were free from cracks or damage.
  • I installed all four propellers on the quick release mounts and double checked the springs and checked for any unusual fit/wiggle.
  • I installed the X7 camera with a 16 mm lens and a Polapro 3stop ND filter.
  • I turned on the drone and checked that I had sufficient satellite connection and checked for any warnings in the DJI Go app.


I launched the drone from the side road for optimal safety and walked over to the main road while my spotter and I maintained the drone in LOS.
I continued on the flight path where the drone seemingly behaved as usual. At 01:42 the drone did what seemed to be an unusual yaw movement. The movement was similar to crashes I have experienced while flying FPV drones (8 years of racing and crashing experience!) where one of the propellers has exploded mid flight or where the prop nut has come loose. This results in one of the motors not having lift and a yawing plummet of the drone starts.

So, the drone plummeted, hit a tree on the way down and crashed on the pavement. Luckily my spotter had ensured that the area was clear of pedestrians and motorists as this could have been an enormous safety risk! The drone had crashed partly on the right landing gear and on the X7 camera resulting in a cracked right arm, damaged CCW and CW motor, right auxiliary arm damage, left landing gear damage, cracked 16mm lens, bent X7 gimbal roll motor and potential internal damage. The propellers were all damaged and one was completely dislodged from the drone lying a few meters from the drone. Sadly I do not have any flight record as the CINESSD and on board microSD files are corrupted. The only record I have are the logs where the same yaw movement I experienced in flight is visible.

I’m honestly pretty shocked and worried as I now read that several other pilots have experienced the same issue with the I2 (Inspire 2 crash for unknown reason, Quick Release Prop flies off - Inspire Destroyed, Lost a propeller and crashed . The drone and camera will be sent to DJI for investigation ASAP. I’ll keep you guys updated and hopefully DJI will find a solution for this case.
View attachment 30991
Do you use AirData? It will give you all the flight information/records.
 
Is that the motor safety kit by Atellani?
Yes I have it installed on my Inspire 2 for safety reasons.
Do you have AirData? It gives you all the flight information and records.
I also replaced the stock props with Tmotor CF foldable winglet propellers because I didn’t like the way the stock props felt once they were installed. They are mounted on with Allen head screws therefore eliminating the need to install the stock props every time I want to go fly.
 
Ouch, you have my sympathies, not that that helps physically in any way. :( Please let us know what happened when (if) DJI has an answer. I don't have the 2, only the 1, and I have not encountered this issue, but now I will be paying more attention.
 
Sorry for your loss, I was never happy with the quick release props and replaced them with fixed T-Motor carbon fibre props. They have been fantastic. Less anxiety when flying and better control.
 

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Hi again,

So wanted to give everybody an update on the case of my malfunctioning prop/quick release experience with the DJI Inspire 2 drone.

After DJI have carried out a "data analysis" of the drone, they have come to the below conclusion:

"Incident date: May 11th, 2021, FLY810

1. The aircraft worked under GPS mode, and responded well to the pilot's command;

2. Flight Time T=276 , Relative Height H=10.8 m, Distance to Home Point D=111.8 m, the pilot moved pitch stick forward, roll stick leftward, yaw stick rightward and throttle stick downward, the aircraft flew to the left front direction and descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles;

3. The incident coordinate: **., trees nearby. The aircraft cannot sense or avoid obstacles that are not within the detection range, please fly with caution.

Conclusion: The incident was caused by non-manufacturing factors. Therefore, it is concluded to no warranty."


As you guys can see on my above post they state the exact same this as i have experienced firsthand and on the flight log.

I have replied them with the following:


"You write "the aircraft flew to the left front direction and descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles"

When there is a prop/quick release malfunction, then the drone descends while spinning. As you can see on the log I do not perform a yaw manoeuvre on the remote controller that would result in such a fast spin.

Then you write in the data analysis that there are "trees nearby", and this is also the same as I have stated in the original case:

"I continued on the flight path where the drone seemingly behaved as usual. At 01:42 the drone did what seemed to be an unusual yaw movement" & "the drone plummeted, hit a tree on the way down and crashed on the pavement".

So as above your data analysis states the same as I have experienced in the flight malfunction. As seen in the log the drone first "descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles". What is important here is the "then", because the drone should not me expected to malfunction whilst flying.

Just because the drone hit a tree after the drone was "plummeting" then is doesn't mean that you can run from your responsibility. Another factor is that the drone can not hit the tree, because the trees on this street are not very tall, which you can also verify if you check on google earth. As you state in your data analysis the flight altitude "Relative Height H=10.8 m", which is over the maximum hight of the trees on the relative street."

I will keep you updated on this case, and hopefully DJI will find a resolution to this malfunction soon.

 
  • Like
Reactions: hhung516
Good luck with your case.

There's a bunch of stuff that's new to me in this thread (I'm new to I2s) so I've listed links below for fellow n00bs.

AirData: Drone Data Management and Flight Analysis | Airdata UAV

Atellani Propeller Safety kit: https://atellani.com/collections/ultimadrone

KopterMax Folding Carbon Props: Inspire 2 folding CF propellers — KopterMax

T-Motor Carbon Winglet Props: T-Motor Folding Props - Winglet Style - Custom for Inspire 2

 
Hi again,

So wanted to give everybody an update on the case of my malfunctioning prop/quick release experience with the DJI Inspire 2 drone.

After DJI have carried out a "data analysis" of the drone, they have come to the below conclusion:

"Incident date: May 11th, 2021, FLY810

1. The aircraft worked under GPS mode, and responded well to the pilot's command;

2. Flight Time T=276 , Relative Height H=10.8 m, Distance to Home Point D=111.8 m, the pilot moved pitch stick forward, roll stick leftward, yaw stick rightward and throttle stick downward, the aircraft flew to the left front direction and descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles;

3. The incident coordinate: **., trees nearby. The aircraft cannot sense or avoid obstacles that are not within the detection range, please fly with caution.

Conclusion: The incident was caused by non-manufacturing factors. Therefore, it is concluded to no warranty."


As you guys can see on my above post they state the exact same this as i have experienced firsthand and on the flight log.

I have replied them with the following:


"You write "the aircraft flew to the left front direction and descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles"

When there is a prop/quick release malfunction, then the drone descends while spinning. As you can see on the log I do not perform a yaw manoeuvre on the remote controller that would result in such a fast spin.

Then you write in the data analysis that there are "trees nearby", and this is also the same as I have stated in the original case:

"I continued on the flight path where the drone seemingly behaved as usual. At 01:42 the drone did what seemed to be an unusual yaw movement" & "the drone plummeted, hit a tree on the way down and crashed on the pavement".

So as above your data analysis states the same as I have experienced in the flight malfunction. As seen in the log the drone first "descended while spinning clockwise, then it crashed with obstacles". What is important here is the "then", because the drone should not me expected to malfunction whilst flying.

Just because the drone hit a tree after the drone was "plummeting" then is doesn't mean that you can run from your responsibility. Another factor is that the drone can not hit the tree, because the trees on this street are not very tall, which you can also verify if you check on google earth. As you state in your data analysis the flight altitude "Relative Height H=10.8 m", which is over the maximum hight of the trees on the relative street."

I will keep you updated on this case, and hopefully DJI will find a resolution to this malfunction soon.
Good luck getting this sorted with least amount of pain endured. So far though it looks like it is going to be a battle with DJI. Will be watching with interest how this case concludes...
 
Sorry for your loss, I was never happy with the quick release props and replaced them with fixed T-Motor carbon fibre props. They have been fantastic. Less anxiety when flying and better control.
Do you have url for this product looks like a good design
 

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