Always forgetting to remove the **** gimbal lock

[wombat]

welcome to the site BeachDuc, hope that I have read your post correctly, it would not be a good idea to have the lens bubble dangling free especially when filming,

I much prefer the ribbon sticky taped to the gimbal clamp because it can be seen without turning the Mavic upside down.

One suggestion if I may, download the manual and read it a few times

Hope you get your mavic soon.

 

[BeachDuc]

I'm not suggesting you fly with anything dangling. What i was trying to say is that most people seem to take off the lens cover and IF you do that you are forced to take the lock off if it is attached to the lens cover

 

[wombat]

I'm not suggesting you fly with anything dangling. What i was trying to say is that most people seem to take off the lens cover and IF you do that you are forced to take the lock off if it is attached to the lens cover

Looks like I misunderstood your post, The lens bubble is a separate item to the gimbal clamp and the clamp needs to be removed before starting the mavic or it could cause damage

 

[Insideout]

I also taped a strip of red ribbon on the gimbal lock. It's impossible to miss, and so simple.

 

[hp7950]

I lost it in day one .so no problem for me
Ha ha ha

 

[wombat]

I also taped a strip of red ribbon on the gimbal lock. It's impossible to miss, and so simple.

That is a tip I got from Peter Homer, he puts lots of vids on you tube with tips, have a look here Peter Homer

 

[wombat]

I lost it in day one .so no problem for me
Ha ha ha

you need one of these Dynamic 3D Solutions

 

[trriley5]

Rob

This ! I use the same method

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I don't know what it is about me, but I seem to forget to remove the **** gimbal lock more times than not. Does anyone have any tips to help me remember? A "remove before flight" flag or perhaps just actually going over my preflight checklist? What do you use to help you remember?

I personally don't like "flags" but if that's what it takes for you. The flag can be a simple orange or red string - doesn't have to be the mini-aviation style.

Better is to ritualize your field behaviour and do things in a consistent manner each time.

For that print out your checklist and bring it to the field and use it.

 

[trriley5]

I personally don't like "flags" but if that's what it takes for you. The flag can be a simple orange or red string - doesn't have to be the mini-aviation style.

Better is to ritualize your field behaviour and do things in a consistent manner each time.

For that print out your checklist and bring it to the field and use it.

This is what I use...

 

[AlanTheBeast]

I don't like the notion of pre-printed checklists by someone else.
I write my own, plagiarize liberally from others checklists and adapt, revise and improve them over time.
This also means that as new "features" come on, I can adjust the checklist if necessary and print out again. (I've never actually printed it out - I do it from memory - sometimes correctly!).

 

[MavicMoira]

This is what I use...View attachment 10734View attachment 10735

I was trying to download your checklists but the 2nd one just doesn't open

 

[trriley5]

I don't like the notion of pre-printed checklists by someone else.
I write my own, plagiarize liberally from others checklists and adapt, revise and improve them over time.
This also means that as new "features" come on, I can adjust the checklist if necessary and print out again. (I've never actually printed it out - I do it from memory - sometimes correctly!).

It cover the basics and works for me. It's always nice to have something available for safety reasons if necessary. That along with the sectional map of your flying area goes a long way when being questioned by the authorities.

 

[wombat]

This ! I use the same method

So do I but it would be a strange old world if every human thought the same way, there are always different ways to do things, it is just a matter of which one prefers.

 

[wombat]

It cover the basics and works for me. It's always nice to have something available for safety reasons if necessary. That along with the sectional map of your flying area goes a long way when being questioned by the authorities.

trriley5, where online can I get a copy of your original check lists ?

 

[Wingo]

My solution at no cost

 

[Big Fil]

I use a label printed off a Dymo label printer. Just print it to be roughly twice the distance you want it to be then fold it back on itself. Nothing fancy it just does the job.

 

[topilot]

As I found out today, it is really easy to forget to remove the gimbal clamp. Doing the preflight inspection hasn't been a problem because it is definitely on my checklist. I left the clamp on momentarily today when I was doing some local settings in my home as others have stated that it can be a problem. I got a warning on my iPhone display saying it was overheating and to remove the gimbal clamp. I immediately shut it down and checked everything. I don't see that it damaged anything, but I figure that if you launch it in the air it would perhaps take long enough to get it back home to remove the clamp that it might damage the gimbal by overheating. I decided to put a reminder sticker on my Mavic housing to never do this again, even inside my home when doing firmware updates and changing settings. Sure glad the DJI gives us a little warning message and must figure that flyers probably will forget to remove the clamp at least a few times without damage.

 

[dwallersv]

Rob

Nice, Rob! Thanks for the pointer. I used the have this problem, but with some fierce determination, cured myself of it.

While the red ribbon is a great idea, IMHO that 3 minute video was about 2:50 longer than it needed to be

Finally, if I made one of those, I'd have to put "Remove before flight" on it for authenticity, which would them require me to stencil "NO STEP" on several locations on the Mavic. Too much work

 

[dwallersv]

...error and possible gimbal motor overheating, leads to failed gimbal if done too many times.

Do you have any actual evidence of this (i.e. personal experience, actual incidence with others, etc.)

I ask because this makes no sense to me, I have never seen any warnings from DJI about this, nor have I ever heard of anyone having their gimbal motors damaged by leaving the lock on.

The Mavic detects that the gimbal is not free. I'd be shocked if, detecting that status, it still energized the gimbal and tried to stabilize the camera while in operation. I'm nearly 99% sure it doesn't -- I've pinged DJI support about this after reading this thread.

It would be monumentally stupid to do anything but completely disable the gimbal when it is detected as obstructed. So the only time those motors are energized and not allowed to move is very briefly during startup calibration, and as soon as it detects there is a problem, it stops.

I think it is perfectly safe to fly with the gimbal lock on, and will verify with DJI.