Blinking Controller Signal (what does it actually means?) and video transmission

[Fazz]

today i was flying my mavic, then suddenly my remote controller signal began to blink... so i just back off, and landed it, it was around 50 altitude and 20m distance, then turned it on again and no blinking lights

I went back home and read my manual it says (page 44. at 8. Remote Controller Signal(also appears at 9.):
"The icon will blink when an interference is recognized during flight. When there are no additional warnings in DJI go 4, it means that the interference will not affect operation and overall flight experience."

so for non technical guys, what does it means? I interpreted it like: if that doesn't affect operation then why warn me about it? i'll better not fly when it blinks?

Also, today my video transmission was around 4meg/s or something like that, when other day it was 10meg/s, what affect that? so sometimes when i turn i got big pixelated blocks (like 15% of the screen)

Also, my hovering system doesn't work in dark places? i tried to calibrate my aircraft, but the options to calibrate only appears when I turn off aircraft, controller, and close the app

Thanks appreciated

 

[Gary cato]

The blinking is a warning but not one that will affect flight unless there are other warnings it is their to say fly with caution but does not mean you need to stop flying just to be aware.

Your hovering at night will be unstable as the downward VPS will not be working in low light conditions and nor will your OA all low light flights or night flights will have your Mavic moving around a little more than usual especially at lower heights where VPS would normally keep you solid, Get a little altitude then it is not so noticable.

 

[Fazz]

The blinking is a warning but not one that will affect flight unless there are other warnings it is their to say fly with caution but does not mean you need to stop flying just to be aware.

Your hovering at night will be unstable as the downward VPS will not be working in low light conditions and nor will your OA all low light flights or night flights will have your Mavic moving around a little more than usual especially at lower heights where VPS would normally keep you solid, Get a little altitude then it is not so noticable.

like what other warnings? how much caution should i give? (2nd day flying it using all full batteries, was doing back/forth on different views (flying point at me, at my left and right)

i thought vps (it is downward vision system?) works with ultra sonic sensors (page 23) and doesn't need light

 

[Kilrah]

Downward vision system unsurprisingly works with vision (and also ultrasonic for part of the height measurement, but horizontal positioning comes from visible light cameras).

You only need to worry if you get video / RC signal weak warnings. But if you get video / RC signal weak warnings at unusual distances AND the icon blinks, then it helps you know it could be due to external interference.

 

[Gary cato]

like what other warnings? how much caution should i give? (2nd day flying it using all full batteries, was doing back/forth on different views (flying point at me, at my left and right)

i thought vps (it is downward vision system?) works with ultra sonic sensors (page 23) and doesn't need light

Ok first how much caution, well if you have no other signals or warnings then just keep an eye on signal to RC, The blinking can happen on video feed or RC and is just saying there is interference in the area you are flying. The warning will be in a bar on your phone screen at the top and will flash up in red telling you there is now strong interference in play and at this point then you should be thinking more critically of what is going on.

Generally the blinking is not a warning more advise that something in the vicinity (albeit very weak) is being picked up. At this point it is purely advisory and no need at all to stop flying. (mine was on the other day after 100m yet i still went out 1500m with no adverse flight problems.

VPS is affected in low light conditions it is easy to see and i am sure the tech gurus will give you more detail an easy test to see this is hover in the day and later at night go hover in the same place you will see the Mavic moving around a little.

Again nothing to be concerned with unless you are trying to fly in a very limited space.

 

[Fazz]

Ok first how much caution, well if you have no other signals or warnings then just keep an eye on signal to RC, The blinking can happen on video feed or RC and is just saying there is interference in the area you are flying. The warning will be in a bar on your phone screen at the top and will flash up in red telling you there is now strong interference in play and at this point then you should be thinking more critically of what is going on.

Generally the blinking is not a warning more advise that something in the vicinity (albeit very weak) is being picked up. At this point it is purely advisory and no need at all to stop flying. (mine was on the other day after 100m yet i still went out 1500m with no adverse flight problems.

VPS is affected in low light conditions it is easy to see and i am sure the tech gurus will give you more detail an easy test to see this is hover in the day and later at night go hover in the same place you will see the Mavic moving around a little.

Again nothing to be concerned with unless you are trying to fly in a very limited space.

Downward vision system unsurprisingly works with vision (and also ultrasonic for part of the height measurement, but horizontal positioning comes from visible light cameras).

You only need to worry if you get video / RC signal weak warnings. But if you get video / RC signal weak warnings at unusual distances AND the icon blinks, then it helps you know it could be due to external interference.

thanks, both of you for replying, i'll just fly normally and check the RC bar only then

and, how about the video transmission rate? sometimes it was 4meg and then 10meg, the camera was giving me blocky images

 

[Gary cato]

thanks, both of you for replying, i'll just fly normally and check the RC bar only then

and, how about the video transmission rate? sometimes it was 4meg and then 10meg, the camera was giving me blocky images

That i cant help you with i am afraid i don't have that kind of lag i hear the new 800 is giving some people problems but i am not on that either.

Make sure you are using the bottom USB port not the side one with the connector that comes with Mavic and to use the bottom one make sure nothing is plugged in to the side port and fly in Airplane mode too.

 

[Fazz]

That i cant help you with i am afraid i don't have that kind of lag i hear the new 800 is giving some people problems but i am not on that either.

Make sure you are using the bottom USB port not the side one with the connector that comes with Mavic and to use the bottom one make sure nothing is plugged in to the side port and fly in Airplane mode too.

airplane mode at the bottoms usb? when i use that i don't receive video feedback, both on ipad and android.... it is an defect or im doing something wrong, again

 

[Gary cato]

make sure nothing is plugged into the side port when using the bottom USB

 

[Kilrah]

and, how about the video transmission rate? sometimes it was 4meg and then 10meg, the camera was giving me blocky images

It changes constantly to adapt to the transmission quality. If transmission is bad it will lower the rate since a lower rate gets through better. Could be linked to the same external interference.

 

[Fazz]

make sure nothing is plugged into the side port when using the bottom USB

tried it, gave high transmission

It changes constantly to adapt to the transmission quality. If transmission is bad it will lower the rate since a lower rate gets through better. Could be linked to the same external interference.

ok i get it now, its not controller to cellphone problem, i checked the options and it says regular, hd, smooth, i dont think i'll do 4khd video, smooth is ok for everyday uses i think?

Also... how do i check the calibration without having to start/restart controller/aircraft/app ??

 

[mcizeron]

Hi.
Yesterday my RC signal (with full bars showing) started blinking and red. I was flying over a city at 120m. What does this mean?
Interference detected but signal ok?
Go home or say goodbye to your Mavic?
What makes this interferences? Mobile antenas?

 

[PM160Mavic]

It means there is interference detected. Nothing more. You will still be able to control your bird. Just be careful and move to a different location.

 

[Kilrah]

Um, read the explanations given just above?

 

[mcizeron]

Um, read the explanations given just above?

Yes. But none of the above mencioned the signal turning RED and blinking.

 

[mcizeron]

It means there is interference detected. Nothing more. You will still be able to control your bird. Just be careful and move to a different location.

What do you mean with "just be careful"?
It is that point that I havent understood yet. I should or I must move away from that location?

 

[Gary cato]

when we say be careful it means just that as long as you have bars showing on the RC signal u are ok to fly but caution is needed IE recognise that inteference is detected (on Android this is worse as the RC blinking happens far more than when i fly on IOS, I use both)

You can as said try to move away from the area or just keep a watch on signal status and if u see sudden bars drop out real fast bring it home closer.

The red means the inteference is stronger but as long as you have bars showing and the green bar across the top saying GPS then you should be ok.

you have to work out your Mavic in situations like this we can only advise on our experiences but each Mavic is different. Sometimes u have to edge up to the limits to see how this affects you and your area these are things we can not account for in answering you.

So yes you can fly or move or land or just keep going and see what happens (in a safe place of course).

@Kilrah is far more knowledgeable than me on the technical aspects but you do not really need that here we both advise the same it is an advisory for inteference. Just make sure you have bars on the RC icon.

 

[Boog0822]

Mine blinks every flight on Android. I fly and don't even think twice about it.

 

[PM160Mavic]

when we say be careful it means just that as long as you have bars showing on the RC signal u are ok to fly but caution is needed IE recognise that inteference is detected (on Android this is worse as the RC blinking happens far more than when i fly on IOS, I use both)

You can as said try to move away from the area or just keep a watch on signal status and if u see sudden bars drop out real fast bring it home closer.

The red means the inteference is stronger but as long as you have bars showing and the green bar across the top saying GPS then you should be ok.

you have to work out your Mavic in situations like this we can only advise on our experiences but each Mavic is different. Sometimes u have to edge up to the limits to see how this affects you and your area these are things we can not account for in answering you.

So yes you can fly or move or land or just keep going and see what happens (in a safe place of course).

@Kilrah is far more knowledgeable than me on the technical aspects but you do not really need that here we both advise the same it is an advisory for inteference. Just make sure you have bars on the RC icon.

Excellent explanation. Sorry I didn't dive deeper into it. Just because it blinks red doesn't mean you have weak signal or have lost it. It is just alerting your it senses interference around your area. It will only stop blinking I believe when you land and retake off.

 

[mcizeron]

Ok. Thanks!