A few weeks back Rodan139 took a tremendous tumble from the sky. According to the flight log, Rodan139 fell out of the sky from 190 feet. It was going 40.3 MPH when it hit sweet, round, Mother Earth.
Rodan139 was a hurting unit when I got to it. A couple arms were broken off, the camera was barely hanging on, and most of the body was considerably damaged.
To be brutally honest, it sucked. However, Rodan139 is just a machine. So I picked up his pieces and threw them in the Sir Pixalotmobile and Jason and I drove to Luther to have a tasty lunch.
Let me tell you, nothing mends the cracks in an emotional broken heart while at the same time clogs up the plumbing of a physical heart like a tasty, tasty tenderloin*.
After lunch I went home and did some research on the level of fiscal pain this accident was going to cause me. I knew it wasn’t going to be cheap, but the worst case scenario was that I was going to have to push off the purchase of the Sony RX0 that I have been coveting for a few months now (but that is another dilemma for another time).
I contacted DJI Repair and they sent me a UPS Label to send Rodan139 into them. I boxed it up and sent it off and waited. What happened next surprised me.
They covered the whole thing. All the parts. All the labor. All the shipping. Covered. And what was covered wasn’t cheap.
Here is a list of everything they covered and what it would have cost:
Item List
Gimbal Axis Arm Module (Pro)
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 160.00
Total Price: 160.00
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Upper Cover Module
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 11.00
Total Price: 11.00
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Middle Frame Module
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 13.00
Total Price: 13.00
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Core Board Module
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 320.00
Total Price: 320.00
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Vibration Absorbing Board (Upper)
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 2.00
Total Price: 2.00
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Rear Arm Module (Left)
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 21.00
Total Price: 21.00
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Front Arm Module (Left)
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 24.00
Total Price: 24.00
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Front Arm Module (Right)
Quantity: 1
Net Price : 24.00
Total Price: 24.00
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Repair Service Fee
Quantity: 2
Net Price : 65.00
Total Price: 130.00
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Tax
0.00
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Shipping Cost
0.00
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Total Amount
705.00
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Discount
705.00
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Total Payment (USD$)
0.00
You read that right. It could have cost me $705.00, but it cost me nada. Zilch. The big goose egg. Hmmmm…. I wonder what also costs about $705? That is a discussion for another time though.
What is not a discussion for another time is how amazing DJI’s Customer Service is. I was very impressed and I was glad that I decided to go with DJI when I decided to take a stab at aerial photography.
Yesterday at approximately 4:05 PM I was reunited with Rodan139. Now that I am complete again, I feel I can share a couple of pictures taken from that last fateful flight that ended in carnage of twisted wire and broken plastic.
Yesterday it was a little windy, so I took Rodan139 out for another very shorty maiden voyage.
The last picture I took in my backyard as I wanted to test a night photography setting.
I definitely was the most nervous I have ever been on one of these little flights. In particular, there was a moment when I was out at the Harrier Marsh when Rodan139 was surrounded by a flock of birds. Visions of a bird smashing it to it and it tumbling to the ground danced in my head. I quickly rose above the birds, but I was shocked out how close they came to it. A mental note was made for future trips out to Harrier.
The weather on Saturday and Sunday does look promising. Although Saturday, Baby Got Rack might be doing a little research project. Oh… I’ve said too much.
*At this time, there will not be a review of the tenderloin. While I have very good perspective on what is actual tragedy and what is just “well that sucks”, I still wasn’t in the proper state of mind to properly assess the tenderloin.