Gimbal and Camera control lost midflight

[pallab]

Hi,

I have a DJI Mavic Pro. Recently I have started facing an issue with the gimbal and the camera. While flying I am losing the control of the gimbal and camera control. This is an intermittent issue. Using the dial I cannot control the gimbal. Also the details of the camera aperture, shutter speed, ISO and other related details are changing to N/A. However the video feed is still visible. Video recording is getting stopped. Not able to restart the video recording or able to take snaps.

To reset this I need to bring down the aircraft and restart it. This is happening approximately 3 out of times.

Can you please suggest what can be possible reason?

The drone is less 8 months old.

Regards.

 

[Paul2660]

Just some thoughts,

Clear the video cache, if it's not set to auto clear/over write.
Re-format the card in the drone
Reset the camera from the djigo4 app
Re-calibrate gimbal and IMU on drone
Re-fresh firmware on drone via DJI assistant (this just re-writes the existing firmware does not update it)
Try a different card

What device are you using for connection, Android, iOS? iPhone, iPad etc. You might try a different device if you have one, as my iPhone 6+ had issues with both my Spark and Mavic.

Also I have had a occasion to get a situation where the video disconnected but I still had control over the drone (I could see that from the readout on the Mavic controller, love this feature BTW). Once when I closed the app, while flying to increase brightness on iPad display, and once for no reason I could think of. Both times drone was still within control of the controller as I was still in GPS mode. By rebooting my iPad, which takes about 20 to 30 seconds, I was able to re launch Dji4go and everything worked fine.

Rebooting the app while flying may seem extreme, but as long as the controller has connection with the drone I believe you will be fine. If you are beyond VLOS the risk is more extreme as you then have to fly home with the read out from the controller, but you are given distance readouts and can always hit the RTH option on the controller.

Paul Caldwell

 

[pallab]

Just some thoughts,

Clear the video cache, if it's not set to auto clear/over write.
Re-format the card in the drone
Reset the camera from the djigo4 app
Re-calibrate gimbal and IMU on drone
Re-fresh firmware on drone via DJI assistant (this just re-writes the existing firmware does not update it)
Try a different card

What device are you using for connection, Android, iOS? iPhone, iPad etc. You might try a different device if you have one, as my iPhone 6+ had issues with both my Spark and Mavic.

Also I have had a occasion to get a situation where the video disconnected but I still had control over the drone (I could see that from the readout on the Mavic controller, love this feature BTW). Once when I closed the app, while flying to increase brightness on iPad display, and once for no reason I could think of. Both times drone was still within control of the controller as I was still in GPS mode. By rebooting my iPad, which takes about 20 to 30 seconds, I was able to re launch Dji4go and everything worked fine.

Rebooting the app while flying may seem extreme, but as long as the controller has connection with the drone I believe you will be fine. If you are beyond VLOS the risk is more extreme as you then have to fly home with the read out from the controller, but you are given distance readouts and can always hit the RTH option on the controller.

Paul Caldwell

Thanks paul. I have formatted the card, recalibrated gimbal and IMU, it did not help. I will try rest of the suggestions and let you the results.

I am using iphone 7 plus.

 

[Paul2660]

One other thought is to make sure the phone is in airplane mode and all other apps closed. IPhone never really closes an app unless you force it closed. I still forget at times to put my device into airplane mode and many times I am in areas with Cell service. iPad won’t get a call but will be checking for emails and on the cell service.

When I used my iPhone 6+ and forgot to go to airplane mode several times I got an incoming call and that created hovac.

Paul Caldwell

 

[Marko5584]

Could it be due to mobile data on your phone?
I had this problem with my phone when I ran a Litchi waypoint mission with the mobile data on: With the mobile data left on, the camera started undulating up and down for the second half of the flight. I ran the precisely same course a day later with the mobile data off and there was no issue. I tried it again a day or two later with the mobile data on again and the camera started moving up and down when it should have remained fixed on a point of interest.

Marko

 

[pallab]

Some updates :

• I was using iPhone 7. I have tried with Android phone (Nexus 6P), but facing same issue.
• Downgraded the firmware of the Aircraft as well as of the controller, still faced the same issue.
• Putting the phone in airplane mode and closing all the apps also did not solve the problem.

Called DJI support and they have suggested to downgraded the firmware of the Aircraft as well as of the controller and test it again. Done that, and took it out for testing. It as on tapfly mode. The gimbal freaked. As a result i have lost the control. the flight and crashed in a rock. it is not flying any more. The controller is not even connecting.

Sent it to DJI Support for check, waiting for assessment.

 

[pallab]

DJI support sucks...

The drone was little water damage, but it was turning on. DJI said, as it is water damaged they will not repair it.

At the same time they are trying to sell me a new one with negligible discount. In shop i get a better deal on this. Come on grow up DJI.

I am one more disappointed DJI customer due it it’s support.