Gimbal issues even after sending drone back to DJI

[Essence]

I sent my MP back to DJI for horizon tilt issues, they replaced the gimbal arm under warranty, ran some tests and said its working fine now.

This is the first time i am flying it after getting my drone back from DJI.
I was moving it around to make sure that the issues i had before weren't there anymore after the repairs. And there they were! check out how the horizon tilt went from level to crazy side ways but just moving the drone around.

Speechless. Yes the first repair was covered under warranty, but I had to pay to have it shipped back to them, not mentioning the hassle of running to the post office.

Now my guess is that they would have me shipped it back to them AGAIN and I guess I have to pay for the shipping AGAIN, that is gonna be about 140SGD = 100USD in total for something that is not my fault in any way. How's that fair to customers?

Where is the quality from DJI????

 

[Former Member]

Quick question... is that you thats yawing it around like that or is it the gimbal? The gimbal takes time to adjust to drone movements, so yawing (snapping it) takes the gimbal a while to catch up. Can you try another video with slower, more gradual yaw movements and see what happens.

 

[Essence]

Quick question... is that you thats yawing it around like that or is it the gimbal? The gimbal takes time to adjust to drone movements, so yawing (snapping it) takes the gimbal a while to catch up. Can you try another video with slower, more gradual yaw movements and see what happens.

At which part are you referring to?

 

[Former Member]

:06, :16, :23:, 27

Where do your problems occur?

 

[Essence]

:06, :16, :23:, 27

Where do your problems occur?

Occurs at 0:13

 

[Essence]

Quick question... is that you thats yawing it around like that or is it the gimbal? The gimbal takes time to adjust to drone movements, so yawing (snapping it) takes the gimbal a while to catch up. Can you try another video with slower, more gradual yaw movements and see what happens.

But it should catch up eventually, but the horizon tilt stays sides way even after it 'catches' up or 'settles down'

I sent it in the first time because when i go full throttle in sports mode, just by releasing the throttle (it brakes itself), the horizon tilt goes sides ways as well, i didnt not roll or yaw the drone in that instance.

 

[Former Member]

At :13 the camera jerks right and then left. Did you yaw when it did that?

Best thing to do is do a slow forward flight, gradual turns. See if it does it when straight and level or just when yawing.

 

[Essence]

At :13 the camera jerks right and then left. Did you yaw when it did that?

Best thing to do is do a slow forward flight, gradual turns. See if it does it when straight and level or just when yawing.

At 0:13, I yawed the drone rightwards and next thing the horizon when side ways, right after i yawed it back leftwards.

I get where you are coming from with the gimbal lagging behind a sudden turn/jerk/snap. But it should never self-adjust the horizon tilt or in any sense tilt the horizon side ways after any roll or yaw. It should always have the camera tilted back to flat horizon, that's what gimbals are supposed to do.

That is why when the MP is turned on in your hands, when you use your hands to roll the drone left to right, the camera lens turns accordingly to ensure the horizon is flat / straight.

 

[Former Member]

Your horizon looks like it started out level, then after yawing it wasnt, then leveled it self out again before the end of the video.

 

[Essence]

Your horizon looks like it started out level, then after yawing it wasnt, then leveled it self out again before the end of the video.

Yes it was, good spot there, but issue now is that it shouldn't even be behaving this way.

I mean I have a DJI Osmo and regardless how i turn and snap my arm movements, the horizon stays level.

Don't see where the gimbal on the MP should react otherwise.

Words can't describe my frustrations right now, I know of guys here who PMed me saying they are gonna live with the horizon tilt issues cause they do don't wanna go without their drones even for a day. Here I am sending it back only to receive it back 2 weeks later the same it was before.

 

[Former Member]

Record a flight in P mode. Fly straight and level for 500 feet not exceeding 10mph. Gently do a coordinated turn to the left using yaw and roll together. Let the bird level out. Fly another 500 feet then do a coordinated turn to the right. All that should take no more than 4 minutes. Try it in daylight so the horizon is clearly visible. That video will tell alot about your problem and I would like to see what it does.

 

[Skrems]

Not happy at all with gimbal longevity....30 days in and it's broken...

 

[Essence]

Not happy at all with gimbal longevity....30 days in and it's broken...

Was your broken due to any crash or it just broke down on its own?

 

[Essence]

Record a flight in P mode. Fly straight and level for 500 feet not exceeding 10mph. Gently do a coordinated turn to the left using yaw and roll together. Let the bird level out. Fly another 500 feet then do a coordinated turn to the right. All that should take no more than 4 minutes. Try it in daylight so the horizon is clearly visible. That video will tell alot about your problem and I would like to see what it does.

Will do that, but I gotta wait till the weekends, the sky is usually dark when i get home from work.

 

[ivor4000]

Will do that, but I gotta wait till the weekends, the sky is usually dark when i get home from work.

Hi Essence, I've had the mavic for 10 days now and I can see an annoying difference in gimbal movement with your footage compared to mine. That's just my opinion. I usually have a good eye for detail.

 

[Essence]

Hi Essence, I've had the mavic for 10 days now and I can see an annoying difference in gimbal movement with your footage compared to mine. That's just my opinion. I usually have a good eye for detail.

Yes, i have strong reasons to believe my gimbal is messed up.

Check out this guy's footage on sports mode, moving way faster than i was, his image are still smooth and stable.

 

[Former Member]

I think if people want a drone capable of 3d flying instead of quality cinematography, they should either buy a racing drone or 3d helicopter. Mavic gimbals are not made to be whipped around like that. Just a matter of time before a gimbal ribbon gets torn or gimbal motor overloads and fails.Or worse still, he plants his mavic firmly into the ground or a tree. he was a little out of control and almost flew into himself at the end. Not graceful or smooth at all, and not what most of us Mavic pilots are all about.

 

[Essence]

I think if people want a drone capable of 3d flying instead of quality cinematography, they should either buy a racing drone or 3d helicopter. Mavic gimbals are not made to be whipped around like that. Just a matter of time before a gimbal ribbon gets torn or gimbal motor overloads and fails.Or worse still, he plants his mavic firmly into the ground or a tree. he was a little out of control and almost flew into himself at the end. Not graceful or smooth at all..

But the sport mode is made available at a flick of switch, and DJI left it there so that users can enjoy the drone at a fast and speedy pace. So if it can damage the drone/gimbal in anyway, i guess DJI would not have allowed the drone to be flown at such a pace.

I understand that if you want a smooth panning, you need to fly the drone slow and smooth or best in tripod mode.

But i am not asking for a smooth shot in sports mode, i am asking for my horizon not to tilt crazily to the side and stays that way until it happily decides to go back to a flat horizon after a full 10 seconds later.

Not to mention the fact that they are releasing the FPV goggles for drone pilots to have a FPV when flying the drone in sports mode. (they have an introductory video made where 2 boys were flying the drone at a super fast pace with the goggles on)

 

[Skrems]

Was your broken due to any crash or it just broke down on its own?

I haven't crashed it so it broke on its own.

 

[sdharris]

I don't think you should expect to see any camera tilting unless you are in sports mode, and even then it should be minimal. I have my old P3 Pro and in two years have never once seen camera tilt.

On the other hand my Mavic has gone in for repair due to horizon tilt and obstructed errors when starting. DJI did want me to pay for shipping but I emailed them a second time saying it should all be done under warranty and they sent me UPS shipping labels.Perhaps it varies depending on country.