Gimbal Nonresponsive to input ~ Moves Randomly

[Jumpyman]

Hi!
My first post in this forum and my first Mavic since my Phantom 3 and Spark. I acquired this Mavic 2 Pro w/smart controller from Fbook Mplace. Everything seems fine, drone flys, hovers, stable, etc. BUT the Camera/Gimbal is non responsive to control input from the transmitter and, while in flight, moves seemingly randomly up and down on occasion. Start up seems normal ~ pivots left/right, up/down then just seems to go "limp". At first I get an "IMU error" (I haven't done a calibration yet) and then, not always but sometimes I get the "Gimbal Overload" message asking if I've removed the cover. Otherwise, I get "GPS/Vision Enabled" and ready to fly message. The drone looks to be in pretty good shape re scratches, dents, etc. except for one decent size "dent" in the back, right lower corner of the upper cover just below the battery. I learned from my Phantom that it's not always a good idea to upgrade the firmware (this drone is sporting version 1.00.0770) so I'm not touching that until I learn a bit more if there are known issues.

What steps should I begin with in diagnosing the issue and/or in your experience with anyone that's sent their Mavic 2's for repair, who do you suggest? DJI says the first thing they'll do is upgrade the Firmware and, in my experience, that's where the issues started with my Phantom. Thanks in advance for your help and I look forward to hopefully getting this issue resolved for less than the price of another used Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom

 

[Starz]

This is the one you acquired for 300.00?
Updating firmware will not accomplish anything.
With what you are describing, the camera will need to be replaced.
If there is some form of IMU issue, that information may be visible in the app in the sensor section. If that aircraft has been crashed, (dent in the back) it may have some internal damage. Check the sensor status prior to trying to decide what action to take.
Picture of dent?

 

[Jumpyman]

This is the one you acquired for 300.00?
Updating firmware will not accomplish anything.
With what you are describing, the camera will need to be replaced.
If there is some form of IMU issue, that information may be visible in the app in the sensor section. If that aircraft has been crashed, (dent in the back) it may have some internal damage. Check the sensor status prior to trying to decide what action to take.
Picture of dent?

Hey Starz! Yes. . actually got it for $260. Smart Controller, 4 batteries (1 only has 44 charges on it), case, etc. The "camera" functions great. . .super clear picture, etc. Also, motors, etc. are all very smooth, flys great, very stable, no issues that I can see other than the glitchy gimbal. I'd hope that the camera is separate from the gimbal? I'll check the IMU Issue but I have a feeling that once it's calibrated it'll go away. . and it's intermittent. . and goes away after a minute or less. Sensor states show no issues from what I can see and my limited knowlege. Pictures attached. I have a video of the startup, gimbal motion, etc. but can't seem to post it. . are videos allowed? Thanks Starz

 

[Starz]

The dent in the back makes me think that rear arm was folded back from some form of impact. My thought would be that it doesn’t fold to transport position like the left one would. You should be able to feel some difference between the two.
The IMU definitely needs to be calibrated. Calibration of the gimbal will not change anything at this point.
Your props should be re-installed in the nearest trash can.

 

[Cafguy]

Use the Following steps if this dont work you need a new gimbal.

• Install Python: Download and install the latest version of Python from the official website. Make sure to check the box to add Python to your PATH during installation.
• 
  
• Install pyserial: Use pip to install the pyserial library: pip install pyserial.
  
  
• 
  
• Install DJI SDK and Firmware Tools: Download the DJI SDK and the dji-firmware-tools repository from GitHub.
  
  
• 
  
• Extract the tools: Extract the contents of the dji-firmware-tools archive, for example, to `C:\DJI\`.
  
  
• 
  
• Find the correct COM port: Connect the Mavic 2 Pro to your computer via USB. Open Device Manager, find the port associated with your drone (it will likely be something like COM4), and note it down.

2. Calibrate the Gimbal:

• Close DJI Assistant 2:
  Ensure that DJI Assistant 2 is closed, as it can interfere with the calibration process.
• 
  
• Navigate to the tools folder:
  Open a command prompt as administrator and navigate to the directory where you extracted the dji-firmware-tools folder.
  
  
• 
  
• Run the calibration commands:
  Execute the following commands, replacing COM4 with your drone's COM port and WM240 with your drone's model code (e.g., WM241 for Mavic Air 2).

• py comm_og_service_tool.py --port COM4 -vv WM240 GimbalCalib JointCoarse
• 
  
• py comm_og_service_tool.py --port COM4 -vv WM240 GimbalCalib LinearHall

3. Calibrate IMU and Compass:

• Calibrate IMU:
  .

In the DJI GO 4 app (or DJI Fly app), navigate to the flight controller settings, then advanced settings, then sensors, and finally IMU. Follow the on-screen instructions to calibrate the IMU.

• 
  
• Calibrate Compass:
  .

If you are experiencing compass issues, you may also need to calibrate the compass. This is typically done in the app by selecting the compass calibration option.

Important Considerations:

• Drone Position:
  Ensure the drone is placed on a level surface during calibration and follow the instructions in the DJI app carefully.
• 
  
• Environment:
  Avoid calibrating indoors, and ensure there are no metal objects or strong magnetic fields nearby during the process.
  
  
• 
  
• Restart:
  In some cases, it may be necessary to restart the drone and reconnect the USB cable before running the calibration scripts.
  
  
• 
  
• Error Messages:
  Be aware that some error messages (like "Gimbal calibration error 40011") may appear after calibration, but the gimbal should still be leveled

 

[Jumpyman]

The dent in the back makes me think that rear arm was folded back from some form of impact. My thought would be that it doesn’t fold to transport position like the left one would. You should be able to feel some difference between the two.
The IMU definitely needs to be calibrated. Calibration of the gimbal will not change anything at this point.
Your props should be re-installed in the nearest trash can.

Hey Starz ~
I was wondering the same thing. . not quite sure how that could have even come in contact with anything with the arm out. That being said, like I said before, everything seems to operate very smoothly. . arms out, in, motors sound great, transmitter screen very clear, bright, no glitches. . even the "gimbal start up" is smooth. . I wish I could post a video. . .no difference whatsoever in the arm movements. .very smooth, "locks" in place nicely, etc. I've done absolutely nothing with the drone besides charge and check all 4 batteries and remove/reinstall the soon-to-be-in-the-trash props Any suggestion on replacement props? I'll attempt to calibrate the IMU to confirm that error can be eliminated and then get to work on the real issue. . that Gimbal. . any thoughts on the firmware version? You Mavic guys have the same issue with Firmware Updates that we did with the Phantoms? Frying the board, new glitches, video drop outs, etc.? I'm now of the opinion that if there's no good reason to update the firmware, best to just leave it alone. . am I wrong? Thanks for your help!