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Gimbal Error Code 40003 - Gimbal motor overload or code 40002 - Gimbal jammed.... Cause and how I fixed mine.

Talkenrain

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Greetings, this is my first real contribution to this forum. Hopefully it's helpful to others as I could find little info for my particular problem. I'm new to the MA2 but not new to drones. I've been flying them on and off for a while and have gotten reasonable good at it. So when I received the MA2 I thought it's pretty much like my previous DJI drones. I started taking it everywhere and using it just about every day. I'd typically launch from my landing pad unless it's a last minute thought, i'd say 70% of the time. the other 30% I'd search for a clean patch of pavement just to stay clear of dust in the drone (although it's never been an issue in the past). I'd typically use a ND8 or 16 filter for daylight shots and go without a filter when the light level is not so bright (habits from previous drones with and without camera settings controls). Here is where my problems began with the MA2. If you've ever changed a filter on the MA2, you know the mount is different. it's a short twist to remove and install filters inside 4 guides holes of the camera housing. The first time I removed the factory ring to install a filter is when I discovered the ring actually has no protective glass, it just more or less is a beauty ring to make the camera look complete (so I thought). Because I usually fly with a filter, i didn't think much of the ring, threw it in my bag. Whenever I needed a filter I'd put one on but when I didn't, i wouldn't bother to install the empty ring...

This evening I decided to video the local TV towers just before dusk. I did my usual (removed my daylight ND filter and because I was in a hurry to beat the sun going down, I took off without my landing pad). Well, I noticed right away the gimbal was intermittently responsive then I got the error code 40003 gimbal motor overload and the 40002 gimbal stuck error code but then the message quickly went away. A little concerned i went forward with my flight but quickly noticed the gimbal not being smooth and would ether get stuck or jumpy... I landed the drone, turned it off and checked for free movement of the gimbal. it seemed ok so I powered it up and flew my mission without problems until I was making my final loop and it gave a stuck gimbal message again. I landed and this time tried calibrating the gimbal. it failed and I started to see visions of being without the drone for the remainder of our short summers. I got on line and started searching this code pertaining to the MA2. I found very little about these codes but the more I read the more I was sure I had not done any of the things others had done to get these messages (so I thought)...

My wife starts telling me, maybe you hit something or some how got things out of alignment. Then she says maybe you flew through a dust cloud or something. Well, She was kind of right but I think more of a flaw in the camera design. Apparently those holes in the camera head that a filters attaches to go all the way through to the vertical gimbal mechanism so flying (in my case taking off without a landing pad) without the beauty ring installed allowed enough dust, dirt or sand to get inside the housing and prevent the gimbal from free vertical movement.I don't see any other openings in the gimbal that could allow anything into the camera head but i just dont understand why the holes go all the way through the gimbal hardware. I tried blowing it out but that didn't work but with a can of compressed air seemed to do the trick. Its now works again 100% again, calibrates and I'm back to smooth movements without issues. The amount of dust that came out was so small it was undetectable but it apparently does not take much to completely disable the gimbal.

The moral to this story; NEVER LEAVE THE CAMERA HEAD OF A MA2 WITHOUT A FILTER OR THE BEAUTY RING INSTALLED !!!

I'm serious, there has been only a few times I've not used a landing pad and I usually make sure the area is clean of rocks or loose particles. it's never been to a beach and really has been treated the same as my other drones that have not had this kind of issue...
 
I've had several drones with the yuneec being my fav but I can't get parts for it now. Have had several others but never a DJI. Its only 3 weeks old and always takes off and lands on my driveway. I'll try the canned air and maybe that will work. I don't think the mini mav has a filter attachment. Thanks for the tip.
 
I've had several drones with the yuneec being my fav but I can't get parts for it now. Have had several others but never a DJI. Its only 3 weeks old and always takes off and lands on my driveway. I'll try the canned air and maybe that will work. I don't think the mini mav has a filter attachment. Thanks for the tip.
The mini filters clip over the top of the camera so totally different. The mini has no holes in the front.
 
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I've had several drones with the yuneec being my fav but I can't get parts for it now. Have had several others but never a DJI. Its only 3 weeks old and always takes off and lands on my driveway. I'll try the canned air and maybe that will work. I don't think the mini mav has a filter attachment. Thanks for the tip.
Good luck . I had to blast air into mine several times to get it working 100% smooth again.
 
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thanks for sharing, it was a long read.

FYI I've had gimbal overload, jumpy / shaking video and overall gimbal failure. I've not taken out the filter placeholder in 97% of the flights I have, ie I've only flown with the filter in 2 flights, and the rest of them with the placeholder in place in at least 40 flights by now.

My gimbal just fails / shows overload readings with it being very loose and not binding at all in any axis or direction.

Also, I'm pretty sure MOST of the people who have had this failure (and I'm trying to keep track as I'm very dissatisfied that DJI still does not make a good gimbal after all these years, and I actually suffered from a bad series of Mavic Pro 1 gimbal failure, hence the reason for "upgrading") does not fly without that decorative piece.

Maybe, it is still related as you say, as the holes / gaps are not airtight and through time and wind dust COULD get in and do damage. But I'm not 100% sure as I've not dismantled the gimbal enough to see through the insides.
 
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Blasted air in mine yesterday and it did good on the first battery but when I went back up got the 40003 and gimbal stuck but they were both working good. Also does the filter come with the drone or are they an add on?
 
Blasted air in mine yesterday and it did good on the first battery but when I went back up got the 40003 and gimbal stuck but they were both working good. Also does the filter come with the drone or are they an add on?
Not sure i follow. Does it work good or is it still stuck?

The filters come with the Fly more combo. Which I have.
 
RE: dirt/dust.
It really doesn't take much in the wrong place to affect the vertical movement of the gimbal (seems to be very very small gears). If you have the camera recording with a high frame rate while taking off from the ground, for just a few frames you'll see an amazing amount of dirt and dust kicked up (just after starting the blades) even when you're in a what appears to be a clean area (like a driveway). Now part of my pre-flight is to always make sure I have the beauty ring in place or a filter mounted and always use a launch pad or take off (and/or landings) or alternately use my hand. It's just so much cleaner. I've not had this issue again since I made these simple changes.

Just my 2¢
 
Blasted air in mine yesterday and it did good on the first battery but when I went back up got the 40003 and gimbal stuck but they were both working good. Also does the filter come with the drone or are they an add on?
I had to blast mine a number of times from all angles to get it back to 100%. Be patient. it could be as small as a few grains of sand causing the issue.
 
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I had to blast mine a number of times from all angles to get it back to 100%. Be patient. it could be as small as a few grains of sand causing the issue.

You could maybe even blast it again with air and keep it on the ground and move the gimble around some then blast again... do it a few times until it works itself free. Save some time maybe.

Hope you get it fixed....
 
Hey. I am having the same problem. Gaves me error code 40003 and 40004. When i turn it on the gimbal does its thing and moves with no problem but it doesn't respond to the controller. I flew it close to a beach so there were some sand. Any thoughts?
 
Hey. I am having the same problem. Gaves me error code 40003 and 40004. When i turn it on the gimbal does its thing and moves with no problem but it doesn't respond to the controller. I flew it close to a beach so there were some sand. Any thoughts?
Hi I have a Mavic Air and am also havig issues with gimble over heating warnings. This only seems to happen when rotating it downward for a closer view using the finger control. I returned it to home base cleaned it with canned air and back up in the air only to have the warning come back on again. I have since returned it homr for a thorough cleaning hoping the next flight will be better. If this continues should i send it back - I have extended care. Thanks
 
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