Drone Wouldn't Descend

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

I haven't downloaded the logs yet, but I had some unexpected behavior this morning. I was flying at the same beach I've flown at before without any issues. We have a new pier that was rebuilt after two hurricanes damaged it and I wanted shots before it's open to the public.

I made it through two batteries fine but the third gave me pause. It acted like a sensor issue. I was about 20' off the ground and pushed the stick forward. It also started to climb but I didn't touch the left stick. Then some young kids were enthralled and wanted to see it go high. I shot up to about 250'. That's when I got worried. It wouldn't come back down. It wasn't behaving erratically, it was just ignoring me.

I was over the sand, not water, but I wouldn't expect it to have affected the sensors and confuse it at that altitude. I could use the right stick but not the left. Not sure if I tried turning or just descending. I had to initiate a RTH to get it back. I tried it again and the only other way was to go to sport mode leading me to again think it was the sensors.

Is it possible it was jacked up even at that height? Only thing that seems plausible but I wasn't expecting it since, as I said, I've never had issues at the same location.

 

[Mike107]

I haven't downloaded the logs yet, but I had some unexpected behavior this morning. I was flying at the same beach I've flown at before without any issues. We have a new pier that was rebuilt after two hurricanes damaged it and I wanted shots before it's open to the public.

I made it through two batteries fine but the third gave me pause. It acted like a sensor issue. I was about 20' off the ground and pushed the stick forward. It also started to climb but I didn't touch the left stick. Then some young kids were enthralled and wanted to see it go high. I shot up to about 250'. That's when I got worried. It wouldn't come back down. It wasn't behaving erratically, it was just ignoring me.

I was over the sand, not water, but I wouldn't expect it to have affected the sensors and confuse it at that altitude. I could use the right stick but not the left. Not sure if I tried turning or just descending. I had to initiate a RTH to get it back. I tried it again and the only other way was to go to sport mode leading me to again think it was the sensors.

Is it possible it was jacked up even at that height? Only thing that seems plausible but I wasn't expecting it since, as I said, I've never had issues at the same location.

Are you running Fly App 1.6.8? What is the firmware?

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Aircraft Firmware: 02.04.2130
RC Firmware: 01.01.0064
Fly: 1.5.10

Using the Smart Controller fwiw.

 

[Yaros]

Please post the logs using Phantomhelp Log Viewer

 

[Mike107]

Aircraft Firmware: 02.04.2130
RC Firmware: 01.01.0064
Fly: 1.5.10

Using the Smart Controller fwiw.

Thanks--

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Well, I can't seem to find the raw logs (no FlightRecord folder) but in AirData, the sensor report is all green. Makes me scratch my head even more.

Unfortunately, it's raining like crazy so I can't see how it's doing around the house.

 

[FLDave]

Does that mean your .txt flight log was automatically synced to AirData. AirData shows lot more than sensor data. There is the main page with flight data including max distance, max altitude and battery formation. You can also generate a moving flight tracking record and details of all problems. So, what is all the information you have available on AirData?

 

[Meta4]

Well, I can't seem to find the raw logs (no FlightRecord folder) but in AirData, the sensor report is all green. Makes me scratch my head even more.

Then post a link to your Airdata report (make sure you tick the share box).
There's much more in the flight data than what you'll see in AIrdata's short summary pages.

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Well, that's easy.

AirData

 

[Meta4]

Well, that's easy.

AirData

The usual cause of slow descending is the VPS sensor giving false data that makes the drone think that it's just a few feet above ground.

In your incident,the cause is something else.

The problem showing at 12:25.1 when you held the left stick down but the descent rate was <1 ft/sec.
The VPS height was showing NA (beyond range), which should not prevent normal descent.

You can see the barometric height and the VPS height here:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

It happens again at 12:54.3 and a few more times until you were able to get the drone down.
The VPS height stays at NA until 14:47.6, when you switched to SPort Mode and it starts to read normally and the descent rate returns to normal.

Before switching to Sport Mode, the flight mode shows as Gentle GPS which usually indicates that you were using one of the quickshot modes.
Switching to Sport Mode cancelled that and disabled APAS.

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Interesting. I never used the quickshot modes. I was toggling between cine/normal. Appreciate the analysis. I need to learn how to digest this data.

I hope to go out again in the morning. I'll report back if it gives me similar issues. Thanks again.

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

Well, I guess I'll chalk it up to a fluke. No issues today.

 

[Mike107]

Well, I can't seem to find the raw logs (no FlightRecord folder) but in AirData, the sensor report is all green. Makes me scratch my head even more.

Unfortunately, it's raining like crazy so I can't see how it's doing around the

 

[Tiger64]

Is the bottom sensor clean?

 

[Meta4]

Is the bottom sensor clean?

VPS is the most common cause of issues like this, but in this case VPS was working normally.

 

[Mike107]

The usual cause of slow descending is the VPS sensor giving false data that makes the drone think that it's just a few feet above ground.

In your incident,the cause is something else.

The problem showing at 12:25.1 when you held the left stick down but the descent rate was <1 ft/sec.
The VPS height was showing NA (beyond range), which should not prevent normal descent.

You can see the barometric height and the VPS height here:

DJI Flight Log Viewer | Phantom Help

Upload and view flight logs from your DJI drones

www.phantomhelp.com

It happens again at 12:54.3 and a few more times until you were able to get the drone down.
The VPS height stays at NA until 14:47.6, when you switched to SPort Mode and it starts to read normally and the descent rate returns to normal.

Before switching to Sport Mode, the flight mode shows as Gentle GPS which usually indicates that you were using one of the quickshot modes.
Switching to Sport Mode cancelled that and disabled APAS.

I have had issues with the DJI RC controller going into Spotlight spontaneously, usually preceded by stuttering display and often followed by frozen display. Activation of Spotlight limits control responses and that is the first indicator it has happened usually. This is another condition in which switching modes using the physical should cancel the unintended one. I may inadvertently have done this once, but I will try it next occasion of lock up.

Thanks for all the input. You never know who else you are helping and how!
Mike

 

[Yaros]

the flight mode shows as Gentle GPS which usually indicates that you were using one of the quickshot modes.

Gentle GPS also indicates that APAS is active.

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

@Tiger64 the sensor looks spotless.

Thanks, @Yaros.

@Mike107 I think I learned a valuable lesson. If the controls are acting wonky, switch modes to see if it clears up.

As I sit here reading your comments and thinking about things, I misled a bit yesterday. In hindsight, while I didn't have the same issue with the controls, I did notice something about the camera controls that was also a new thing. The controller stopped taking video. When I hit the button to record, it would actually toggle the mode. I shot a great piece of footage only to realize all I'd done was change the mode to slo-mo and followed someone without recording. I think I toggled to camera and back to get it working again.

So definitely some odd things going on considering I haven't updated the firmware or anything. I'm going to try to get it out for some testing before I try to do another actual shoot again.

 

[Mike107]

@Tiger64 the sensor looks spotless.

Thanks, @Yaros.

@Mike107 I think I learned a valuable lesson. If the controls are acting wonky, switch modes to see if it clears up.

As I sit here reading your comments and thinking about things, I misled a bit yesterday. In hindsight, while I didn't have the same issue with the controls, I did notice something about the camera controls that was also a new thing. The controller stopped taking video. When I hit the button to record, it would actually toggle the mode. I shot a great piece of footage only to realize all I'd done was change the mode to slo-mo and followed someone without recording. I think I toggled to camera and back to get it working again.

So definitely some odd things going on considering I haven't updated the firmware or anything. I'm going to try to get it out for some testing before I try to do another actual shoot again

I flashed my RC Controller with the A2 this morning and have a whole new experience--not good.
The first flight at 10 am had a single several second and self-limiting lag in screen update--couldn't tell if controls were interrupted or not. Video stopped at some time and I didn't notice when. Maps was back.

On my noon flight...
1. Maps function again was present (tested for one location, only), but Locating function on the home screen was faulty and wouldn't update to current location. Location on home screen worked fine when maps did not.
2. Video stopped recording on its own.
3. I experienced sever lag to controls at less than 1000' distance with good signal strengths. The command set started with a zoom command using programmed button/wheel command, followed by some flight controls to see if the Mini 3 Pro was still under my command. Eventually the commands-which must have been buffered somewhere, executed in quick succession without my ability to interrupt them. I next tried to orient the bird and started with bad problem #4 for the 4th...
4. As I was reorienting the Mini 3 Pro to bring it in after a malfunction, the Mini 3 Pro went into RTH mode without warning, any change in screen display, or any audible alert. I let it come as it was heading the correct direction at an appropriate altitude, and I wanted the aircraft down.
5. Some minutes after landing I started receiving updates about low battery, return to home, and the screen (--out of sync and much later than the voice alerts) started showing RTH icons and gave the option to abort. The aircraft was in my hand about then and I wasn't sure if it was going to take off so it could land!

What a tease this sUAS is. The first flight was almost free of enough stress to have reminded me why I bought the M3P--not the second one.

Mike

 

[Gadgetdude]

I probably know the problem. Look at the sensors on bottom of drone. See if the rubber rings have come loose on the sensors. Also check out my posts on this issue. I just received mine back from DJI and they replaced the unit. Unfortunately I was 1 month out of warranty and had to pay $100 for DJI to fix their fault.

The rings come loose and make the drone think there is obstacle below it.