Cross hairs on the screen?

[Danr-62]

What is the point of cross hairs on the screen in Dji go if the drone doesn't necessarily fly in the direction the cross hairs suggest that should be its "straight" line of flight.

I see it in some videos and even in my own drones that the cross hair doesn't always accurately depict the aircraft's direction of travel.

This video for example by created by Pablo Chacon, (video chosen at random, first one I happen to come across in my search for and example)

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He flies his drone along the waters edge over the grassy bank following that line, the cross hair on the screen is located inland of that line. It is over the walkway at the top of the levee to the right of line of flight, or even over the water on the inside of the levee as he's flying along the outside of it.

Am I wrong, the cross hair should be over the grassy bank directly in front of the drone in its line of travel?

Is my interpretation of what I see in my drones and in those videos on the WWW incorrect? if not, does it suggest a problem and is correctable?

Thanks.

Dan

 

[lolo780]

You can pan the camera to center. A gimbal and compass calibration can help, but it would be nice if DJI added a P4P style yaw trim for the camera.

 

[Danr-62]

You can pan the camera to center. A gimbal and compass calibration can help, but it would be nice if DJI added a P4P style yaw trim for the camera.

First I'd like to thank you for the reply, Thank you.

Ok must be a setting I missed? how do you pan the camera to center? are you taking in flight or?

While waiting for flight weather I did another calibration and I've got Accelerometer and Gyromscope values down to 0.00 to 0.001 and for both of em sitting still, flat and level.

ACC0, ACC1 and GRYO0 and GYRO1 are dead even readings now varying between 0.00 and 0.01 but no higher.

Numbers before that where a little higher but not bad.

Made sure they where "cold" before starting the process, straight into calibration from there.

I calibrate the gimbal directly following IMU on the same flat and perfectly level surface.

And I will calibrate the compass standing in the middle of an open field again, just to be sure.

Dan

 

[lolo780]

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Drag your finger left and right on the screen and the camera will pan. I use 4k HQ mode to 'calibrate' the center point due to the zoomed in view. (M2P)

 

[Kilrah]

I think he's talking of a Mavic 1 since he has posted in that section, in this case no pan unless you have goggles.

 

[Danr-62]

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Drag your finger left and right on the screen and the camera will pan. I use 4k HQ mode to 'calibrate' the center point due to the zoomed in view. (M2P)

Oh I should mention I have a Mavic pro and a Phantom 4. I don't have a Mavic 2...yet! I very recently bought the two I have now.

You can see in the video I linked to, his appears to self correct when he makes a slight heading change, it doesn't appear to me he used camera pan to do it.

I see the same in my mavic for example, fly a ways in a straight line the cross hair will be off, a slight heading change yaw/rudder causing the drone to rotate slightly will correct the issue in part or completely. That may last for several heading changes slight or 180deg come back the other way, or it might end up with the cross hairs being off a little again.

Its noticeable, the cross hairs don't necessarily have to be displayed on the screen to "see" it. Flying straight forward while looking straight down highlights the issue as well.

Reason for my post, is it a known problem? perhaps I expect too much? everyone lives with it or is it correctable?
An Android only problem or something I should send in for warranty repair etc?

Gotta say 100 plus views and only one reply so far, until then I was beginning to think I was the only one having the problem! or everyone just thinks it ain't happening, I'm nuts!

I've noticed it in mine, my P4 is really bad at times, mavic not so much and also videos posted to the WWW by others.
It is difficult to go back and find them again for examples, I've watched many over the last few weeks.
It is hard to find video that was "screen recorded", that used the cross hairs (makes condition easier to see), flying over the correct type of terrain and in a straight line for far enough to see it.

 

[lolo780]

My mistake, I was looking at Pablo's M2P video and assumed we were talking about the 2.

If the center point is consistantly off to one side you can mechanically straight it where the gimbal joins the vibration board.

On one of my P4Ps I moved the yaw attachment point to center things.

Regarding the lazy yaw in flight, that's just a cheap consumer drone problem [emoji23]

 

[Bob in Savannah]

My mistake, I was looking at Pablo's M2P video and assumed we were talking about the 2.

If the center point is consistantly off to one side you can mechanically straight it where the gimbal joins the vibration board.

On one of my P4Ps I moved the yaw attachment point to center things.

Regarding the lazy yaw in flight, that's just a cheap consumer drone problem [emoji23]

Wow. This seems like a "professional" adjustment. Is it something a layman can do? Pics might help.... Thanks so much.

 

[Danr-62]

Don't get wrong its not every drone I've seen in flight, some of them yes but estimate numbers? I couldn't say.
The fact I see the condition in flight while I see others drones do fly straight suggest mine have issues. like everyone else I just want mine to fly straight and looking straight ahead doing it.

My mistake, I was looking at Pablo's M2P video and assumed we were talking about the 2.

If the center point is consistantly off to one side you can mechanically straight it where the gimbal joins the vibration board.

On one of my P4Ps I moved the yaw attachment point to center things.

Regarding the lazy yaw in flight, that's just a cheap consumer drone problem

 

[Mavkeb]

Could also be down to needing a controller stick calibration. Camera looking straight ahead but flying slightly left or right? Does it yaw slightly when hovering?

 

[Danr-62]

Yea I was afraid of that little bit, your last comment!

I do want to make it clear that this it is not "wind" driven issue I see.

For example I fly a on north south line, I fly out going north then turn around and fly directly back south, the wind out of the west.

Camera view I'm looking left flying north, I'm looking equally left when flying south.

The camera center or what should be centered, well it is a measurable issue.

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I am holding that rule locked to the measurement to where the camera would be, when in its true centered position.
I have really bad upload speeds so had to cut the video down in size to the min, took most the day to upload what is there. In the complete version you'd see me setting the rule to its centered value.
It is centered once the drone is powered on, better than it was before sent in for repairs.

I was returned and I just got it back from Dji, the repair was for the "gimbal Yaw-axis motor".

While I do see improvement I still question it.

My mavic by contrast, it's gimbal the camera mounted on it? well it snaps back to its centered position instantly doing those same actions with it each time when I stop moving it around. Haven't taken measurements of it yet.

 

[Danr-62]

Could also be down to needing a controller stick calibration. Camera looking straight ahead but flying slightly left or right? Does it yaw slightly when hovering?

At first it did fly sideways, its body visually flying with a yawed condtion. I downgraded then reinstalled the latest firmware. Re calabrating everything that took the yaw condition out, landing legs visually in line with each other front and rear when flying straight ahead as they should be.

The RC, I did that and even did it again just to make sure it was good. And zero on the sticks when "centered" as they should be.

Rotating, no it does not rotate when hovering. It holds its position very well even in pretty stiff wind buffeting it around a little bit it holds.
While I don't fly in those conditions, I did not and would not go above the trees, I did take it outside to see if it would hold and do so even in the wind hitting it from constantly changing directions.

When I first got my Mavic I thought it was doing it, I checked the flight records to find it was me. I was giving it just a little right aileron while pushing the stick forward.
Conscious effort on my part with the smaller sticks on its remote elimanated that problem.

Same effect moving to the Phantom when flying it, flight records checked to verify I was and am only applying forward elevator when going "forward" only.

 

[Danr-62]

I just took them both out for a quick flight, wind died down just enough to allow me to get above the tree tops with them.

I guess maybe I'm being a little too critical of em, jury still out but for now things looked pretty good.

The Phantom more than anything had me a bit worried but this time out it actually did better than the mavic in ability to go where the cross hair points em.

This time it was equal and yawing into the wind a little bit rather than off one way, wind from left or right side.

That I can and do accept as well as fully expect that condition, it has to yaw into a cross wind slightly to hold a given heading at an angle to it.

I do thank you guys for your input.

Dan