Anyone else have this issue? (Smart controller no video feed from drone)

[rehkram]

I should mention this is GO 4.3.28. I have been unable to update to a later version. MAC Catalina wasn’t playing very well with DJI assistant 2 for a while. Time to retry.

I had the same problem installing Dji Assistant 2 for Mavic on macOS Catalina. I deleted it and tried again recently. It now downloads with the patched version of that android WiFi network library (or whatever it is) that used to fail during install on Catalina.

It now prompts you to give it permissions to some unknown dude on installation. Horrible! (where is the <puke> emoticon!). But it does now work, sort of. The Assistant app is a piece of junk, IMNSHO (a s/w developer's perspective). Needs a total rewrite.

 

[cyeung]

I have this issue as well, although it seems like it is possible to avoid by using the following steps:

1. Power up Smart Controller.
2. Wait for the controller to show the home screen.
3. Power up the aircraft.
4. Proceed with opening DJI Go4.

 

[tlap]

Here is some of the comments I collected on this from around the web. When I get my replacement drone I will try not update the firmware.

I can't vouch for any of these...yet.

1. Go to Settings - Apps - DJI GO 4 - Storage - Clear Data. Before doing that do not forget to sync all flights in DJI GO 4 to do not loose anything.

2. Swipe down to find "recent" apps, click that, and then force quit the DJI GO 4 app by swiping up. Click back into the camera view and it should work. This has worked for me every time I have encountered the problem. Seems to be a memory issue.

3. Swipe down and turn the wifi off on the SC it doesn’t seem to happen nearly as often, but when I turn the wifi back on it starts being more consistent with the grey video at startup again.

4. Relinking you could do from quick settings - swipe from top of screen and click option Linking. After that click button on drone which is under cover opposite SD card cover.

5. For me it was working so far without issue with latest version. Only thing I have done differently is that I have linked aircraft via Aircraft management and added my AC with name to SRC.

6. Hi DH the resetting the data in the Go4 app seems to be working up to now, i have had a SD card in the SC for 4 battery changes and not had a glitch yet , time will tell, cheers and thanks for the advice

7. From DJI: Upon checking the thread you posted here, most users reported the drone shows grey screen after switching on but it recovered after several reboots. Did you still have the same problem? If yes, we recommend to reset the camera settings and then reset the factory data in Setting to see if the issue persists.

8. I had same problem. Go into camera settings and reset the camera and it works fine now.

9. My Mavic 2 pro, and smart controller started this issues with the latest firmware update. The only way I can get the grey screen to go away, and have the video work, is to remove the SD card from the drone. Then, everything works fine. Flew a couple of times, and thought it was an anomaly.. I then put the sd card back into the drone, and boom, instant grey screen. Then power everything off, take the card out power everything back on, and it works. Seems, at least for me is that after the latest update I can't use an SD card in the drone..

 

[RonRob61]

So the same has happened to me. Its not very often but it has happened and happened again to me yesterday. I was flying off of an area called Mogion Rim. Basically launch and fly 20 feet ahead of you and its a 1500 ft drop off. Just before going over the edge I got the greyscale frozen screen and the red bar stating Controller had disconnected. Fortunately the smart controller still functioned normally, just frozen video and I was within 20 feet of the ZOOM. As a long time RC pilot I had always been told and followed the rule to start my controller before bowering the AC and it makes total safety sense. BUt i had read on the forum that one guys solution to the frozen greyscale screen was to fire up the AC first so Ive been doing that. So that doesnt work! Another suggested that removing the SD card from the Smart controller momentarily clears it up so Ill try that next time. In any case maybe DJI could take the time to find a solution to a known issue for a product that cost $700.00 connected to a drone that goes for over $1300.00.

 

[RCdancer]

I’ve had this happen 50% of the time in the last six weeks since I bought the smart controller. What I found is if I pop out the SD card in the controller and push it back in again it instantly is fixed. Did not have to reboot. Just takes about five seconds to re-read the card and start up properly. And easy quickfix. A bit of a hiccup but it happens 50% of the time.

I'll have to try that. I use the SC switching back and forth between an M2Z and M2ED. Rebooting solves the problem, but this would be a much faster fix. thanks,

 

[tlap]

Yes, I did read that and forgot to add the SD card solution to my list. Hopefully, DJI will fix all this in an update. As I wrote earlier, this is an issue that a lot of SC owners are suffering with the new firmware update. I received a new M2P recently and did not administer the firmware updates to the SC or the drone. So far, everything is working fine.

 

[langcpht]

What I found is if I pop out the SD card in the controller and push it back in again it instantly is fixed. Did not have to reboot. Just takes about five seconds to re-read the card and start up properly.

I'd like to add to the problem list. I encountered this issue yesterday. I just very recently bought a Smart Controller and experienced this problem mid-flight. However, I don't have an SD card in the controller, so, for what it's worth this fix clearly doesn't work for everybody. It affected me without an SD card at all.

Having said that, I did reformat the SD card in the aircraft, reset the camera within the DJI Go app and cleared the app's storage and cache. I haven't flown yet, but the video feed came back after that. Hopefully one of those 3 things clears it up more than just temporarily.

 

[Matt M PA]

Wow...I realize that folks tend to come on a forum to get helot correct a concern...but this sure seems to be a problem. Unfortunately, my experience with DJI Customer Support has been, well, lacking with with my Ronin. I've had to reason to contact them with my Mini, thanks to the folks on this forum.

All that being said, I'm watching these threads as I am considering upgrading to a Mavin 2 Pro with potentially, the SC. Reading these threads is making me think twice..

 

[rtr32]

In general I like the SC with MP2. Screen is super bright and using SC is a turn on and go solution. It does have it's bugs however....the camera screen going blank is one of the worst. Force quiting the DJI go4 app tends to fix this for a long while but it can come back.

 

[Matt M PA]

In general I like the SC with MP2. Screen is super bright and using SC is a turn on and go solution. It does have it's bugs however....the camera screen going blank is one of the worst. Force quiting the DJI go4 app tends to fix this for a long while but it can come back.

Does this occur during flight...or just when starting up?

 

[langcpht]

Does this occur during flight...or just when starting up?

I have experienced the no camera on boot. During flight the app froze once after taking a photo. The screen showed the last photo taken and stayed that way until I could land. I didn't think to restart the app mid-flight. I still had full manual stick control, though. This is why visual line of sight is important.

 

[tlap]

Oops. Based on the first several comments on this thread, I updated both the phone and the SC to the latest versions. Rebooting both devices and did get a camera view. Going to the market now, later on I've give it a test flight to see if there are any problems.

 

[rtr32]

Does this occur during flight...or just when starting up?

Only on start up. Never during flight.

 

[shamelin73]

I just received my Mavic 2 Pro and SC combo and I get this from time to time on startup. After I start the SC then the AC I have not seen this again.

edit typo

 

[Rupuze]

Sorry, a different question ... I have never seen on my SC ... what is the scale to the left of the gimbal pitch ... where it says 24 mm?

24mm could be your focal length (?)

 

[W2csa]

I have this issue as well, although it seems like it is possible to avoid by using the following steps:

1. Power up Smart Controller.
2. Wait for the controller to show the home screen.
3. Power up the aircraft.
4. Proceed with opening DJI Go4.

Same issue this also seems to work for me

 

[Matt M PA]

I have this issue as well, although it seems like it is possible to avoid by using the following steps:

1. Power up Smart Controller.
2. Wait for the controller to show the home screen.
3. Power up the aircraft.
4. Proceed with opening DJI Go4.

That all makes more than reasonable sense. My only question would be #s 3 & 4. Past RC experience would dictate that these should be reversed...but if that's the functional procedure...who am I to argue?

 

[W2csa]

That all makes more than reasonable sense. My only question would be #s 3 & 4. Past RC experience would dictate that these should be reversed...but if that's the functional procedure...who am I to argue?

I just tried this scenario again this morning with positive success. I think #3 means powering up the SC and then wait for the DJI screen to boot up. #4 would be engage the AC through the AP.

 

[cyeung]

That all makes more than reasonable sense. My only question would be #s 3 & 4. Past RC experience would dictate that these should be reversed...but if that's the functional procedure...who am I to argue?

You're right, it would be better flow to open DJI Go4 right after the home screen shows up before powering up the aircraft.

 

[langcpht]

I'm assuming that none of you are using the "Fly Immediately" or "QuickFly" setting? I've had that turned on from the start but have only recently turned it back off (default) thinking it might be part of the problem.