Fimi (awful) experience feedback

[olivierH78]

hi all,

Just to share with you my personal experience with Fimi products and support. In July I ordered a Fimi Mini3 drone and get it 2 weeks later. At first everything was fine, performances (flight, video) were quite good given the tag price. Since day1 I noticed some issues during the gimbal initialization process when powering on the drone. After one or two reboot It went fine. But things started to getting worse and after 4/5 flights and no damage on the drone the gimbal didn’t stabilize anymore resulting in very shacky/ususable videos. I tried many reboots without success and gimbal calibration failed continuously. I googled and found videos on YouTube of users having the exact same issue on previous fimi’s models.

I‘ve contacted fimi’s to get support from them and it was the beginning of descent into hell… they asked for videos and pictures which I sent. They then asked for Blackbox that should be fetched by plugging the drone to a computer through a usb cable… but it doesn’t work. I’ve tried on 3 different computers (windows, mac) with 4 different usb cables… Without blackbox fimi said I have to send it back to them and have to pay for the shipping. Given the fact that the drone is dysfunctional and the data requested cannot be retrieved by the drone I asked for a refund… It’s been almost now and after many mails exchanged still no progress. To make it even worse they just reset my support request sending me their generic email requesting for images/blackbox. They’re driving me crazy!

By the way I posted a review on Fimi’s website to share my feedback (positive on the drone performances and negative on its robustness) and I was censored… not very fair if posting a review that doesn’t put 5 stars is not allowed...

Is anyone else experiencing similar issues? Does anyone successfully get access to the blackbox file?

 

[Skydreamer]

they are liars,old x8 se got remote id,they said new x8pro was applied for remote id but year later there is still nothing,now the newest x8tele drone is out and is already remote id approved in usa…that means they lied and never applied x8pro for remote id in usa,they sold TX10A remote control for 200$ and it doesnt work,app needs video transsmision update,fimi promised to fix that problem7-8 months ago,still nothing,they advertised x8pro,now x8tele and mini 3se as 4G ready,they said we will be able to buy optional module and use it where there is a lot of signal interference…a year later they still dont have module ready for sale,i was told they dont make them at all….fimi support is not helpfull and it looks to me their whole mission is to make quick buck

 

[olivierH78]

can't agree more!

 

[Skydreamer]

also i dont think they have capability to produce/make different drone models at the same time,right now x8pro and x8tele are “sold out” but you can purchase mini 3 and now new mini 3se,once they switch production back to x8tele all other drones will be set as “sold out” and so on….fimi should really fire people that are in charge of this s***show….i was actually waiting for” fimi x8 enterprise “ ,their most expensive drone ,to come out,whatever the cost i was ready to buy it….not anymore,no more fimi products for me

 

[Brutalwarpig]

hi all,

Just to share with you my personal experience with Fimi products and support. In July I ordered a Fimi Mini3 drone and get it 2 weeks later. At first everything was fine, performances (flight, video) were quite good given the tag price. Since day1 I noticed some issues during the gimbal initialization process when powering on the drone. After one or two reboot It went fine. But things started to getting worse and after 4/5 flights and no damage on the drone the gimbal didn’t stabilize anymore resulting in very shacky/ususable videos. I tried many reboots without success and gimbal calibration failed continuously. I googled and found videos on YouTube of users having the exact same issue on previous fimi’s models.

I‘ve contacted fimi’s to get support from them and it was the beginning of descent into hell… they asked for videos and pictures which I sent. They then asked for Blackbox that should be fetched by plugging the drone to a computer through a usb cable… but it doesn’t work. I’ve tried on 3 different computers (windows, mac) with 4 different usb cables… Without blackbox fimi said I have to send it back to them and have to pay for the shipping. Given the fact that the drone is dysfunctional and the data requested cannot be retrieved by the drone I asked for a refund… It’s been almost now and after many mails exchanged still no progress. To make it even worse they just reset my support request sending me their generic email requesting for images/blackbox. They’re driving me crazy!

By the way I posted a review on Fimi’s website to share my feedback (positive on the drone performances and negative on its robustness) and I was censored… not very fair if posting a review that doesn’t put 5 stars is not allowed...

Is anyone else experiencing similar issues? Does anyone successfully get access to the blackbox file?

I'm sorry to have to tell you this but that's how FIMI is. They make it all but impossible to make a warranty claim. They will blame rough handling by the shipping carrier and eventually just stop replying to your emails. I posted the email for one of their engineers on this website somewhere. Also using an app to translate the emails I sent to simple Chinese before I sent the email resulted in quicker responses by someone other than "Amy".
There's another member on this website (BMWdroner) who had an absolute nightmare experience with FIMI support. If I were to ever buy another FIMI product it would only be with an American Express card through Amazon. That way you have 30 days of fairly robust protection if you get a bad drone. Personally, I'll never waste money on FIMI anything again.

 

[Brutalwarpig]

they are liars,old x8 se got remote id,they said new x8pro was applied for remote id but year later there is still nothing,now the newest x8tele drone is out and is already remote id approved in usa…that means they lied and never applied x8pro for remote id in usa,they sold TX10A remote control for 200$ and it doesnt work,app needs video transsmision update,fimi promised to fix that problem7-8 months ago,still nothing,they advertised x8pro,now x8tele and mini 3se as 4G ready,they said we will be able to buy optional module and use it where there is a lot of signal interference…a year later they still dont have module ready for sale,i was told they dont make them at all….fimi support is not helpfull and it looks to me their whole mission is to make quick buck

Yup, if you happen to get a good unit, FIMI is okay. The problem is the odds of getting a good unit are maybe 50/50. Fimi doesn’t honor their warranty. They intentionally make it expensive, cumbersome and confusing to even attempt to get service. I would abandon my UAV hobby entirely if FIMI were the only choice. I will NEVER NEVER NEVER give FIMI my business and I strongly caution anyone to not fall for their lies. Absolute garbage!

 

[GFields]

Did you try uninstalling and reinstalling the app?

 

[Brutalwarpig]

also i dont think they have capability to produce/make different drone models at the same time,right now x8pro and x8tele are “sold out” but you can purchase mini 3 and now new mini 3se,once they switch production back to x8tele all other drones will be set as “sold out” and so on….fimi should really fire people that are in charge of this s***show….i was actually waiting for” fimi x8 enterprise “ ,their most expensive drone ,to come out,whatever the cost i was ready to buy it….not anymore,no more fimi products for me

I bet they have abandoned both the X8 Pro and TX10A. 6 months ago X8 Pro was being sold with a $100 to $150 discount. The TX10A, which used to be $299 could be found on some Chinese and Indian websites for as low as $169. Now the main FIMI retail sites and resellers don't have any X8 Pro drones for sale and not many TX10A. I believe that FIMI botched the X8 Pro so badly that if they do bring it back it will be slightly different cosmetically and under a different model name. Apparently FIMI doesn't understand that it's easy to lose customers and nearly impossible to get them back. I certainly won't ever buy a FIMI product again.

 

[300Hoov]

I have the FIMI and have a few problems with the range and picture, also doesn’t calibrate often….but luckily so far I haven’t had any big problems. I also have a Potensic and a DJI and I’m quite happy with both of those.

 

[jupiter95]

Has anyone who bought Fimi mini 3 from AliExpress (shipped from EU, like France) successfully proceed with warranty claim?

Is drone repair the only option?

I am having the issue well described in this post -

https://www.reddit.com/r/drones/comments/1fgueas/fimi_mini_3_drone_quality_issue

"When folding the shoulders, they make a cracking sound and did not hold the position." - I have the very same issue

 

[300Hoov]

My kids purchased me Potensic for Father’s Day. Then I bought a Femi and even though they both have a VERY similar platform the Potensic is built better and even flies a bit better too. I also picked up a DJI Phantom and it’s great.
My biggest issue with my FIMI Is the transmission of video when it gets more than 200 yards away- my screen will lock up briefly but the controls are still responsive. I like the drones that plug directly into the phone. Jmo

 

[Brutalwarpig]

I'm in the US and I have asked the same question on several forums. I have the X8 Pro with TX10A built in screen remote. My drone and RC have had multiple problems. When I contacted FIMI and requested a warranty repair I discovered that the only option was to ship drone and remote back to China. Most manufacturers have a shipper and process in place to make returning products for repair as convenient as possible for the customer. FIMI seems to make the process as confusing and expensive as possible. Because the RC has lithium batteries permanently installed the package must be shipped as HAZMAT. The 2 kilogram hazmat package to China shipping cost was almost $100 US dollars! To make matters worse, you can't insure the package for more than $40 or you will be charged customs and tariff charges which will add more expense but you won't know for months until the Chinese customs authorities send you a bill. FIMI won't receive the package until you pay the tariff and fees. Now that FIMI has your drone, it is entirely their in discretion how they proceed. I have only found 2 people who've gone through this process. Both individuals said their drones were defective and were never able to fly at all. Yet in one case FIMI said the damage was the customer's fault and that they must have dropped their drone (broken gimbal). The other person said that FIMI said damage was caused and to file a claim with the shipping carriers. In both cases FIMI offered to repair the units but only after the customer paid a repair fee of $80 for one person and $120 for the other. The guy with the broken gimbal had made the purchase with an American Express card and received a refund from American Express who back charged FIMI. The other person paid $79 shipping to China, $16 return shipping and a $80 repair fee. In the end, that customer ended up paying almost $600 for a FIMI Mini 2! Personally, I will absolutely NEVER purchase anything made by FIMI or Xiaomi ever again. Good luck with your claim. From comments I've received, the claims process is a little easier for FIMI customers in Europe.

 

[jupiter95]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. That sounds like an incredibly frustrating and expensive process, and I appreciate you taking the time to provide all those details.

Based on what you’ve described, I think I’m going to try to repair my drone myself or possibly take it to an independent drone repair shop, and see if I can source spare parts directly from FIMI. It seems like a more practical approach compared to navigating the complex warranty process and shipping back to China, especially considering the high costs and potential issues involved.

So, has anyone here tried getting spare parts directly from FIMI? I’d love to hear if that process is any more straightforward.

@Brutalwarpig
Thanks again for your insights,

 

[300Hoov]

Like stated earlier I would not buy another FIMI. DJI and Potensic are the 2 I’d stick with. I had a Holy Stone as well and it was junk. The controller felt very cheap and it had unstable flight. I had to fight with it to hover or even stay relatively still at any height. Out of the four I have owed only the two I mentioned are any good IMO. I’ve been flying for about a year, so I don’t have a ton of experience like some of these guys do on here, but I don’t think you need to be some veteran to make a accurate evaluation of the product.
Good luck.