Major Obstacle Sensor Fail along with RTH Fail New Drone

[bkushner]

I'm getting constant obstacle avoidance sensor readings no matter what I point to or how high I fly. Making it almost unusable for me and what I shoot. Also coupled with a MAJOR RETURN TO HOME FAIL from 300 feet away. Video shows it all.

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[wco81]

Have you contacted DJI?

Probably demand an exchange or return.

 

[davery87]

Couple of comments to help make sure you haven't done something that I and others have mistakenly done in the past with new drones:
1) Ensure all the little protective film pieces are removed from over your obstacle detection sensor windows. I know it sounds like nothing that you could miss, but sometimes they are very thin & hard to see unless you are specifically doing the "Remove Before Flight" examination of your aircraft.
2) Go into the Settings menu to the SAFETY Tab and turn OFF the Radar Map display option - Obstacle Detection still works, it just should not show the random Obstacle Detected red arcs on your viewing screen.
3) Go into setup and run through ALL of the Sensor calibration processes. May not solve a thing but sometimes it does.

If that doesn't solve your issue, I would definitely contact DJI and start a return/replacement process like @wco81 suggests above.

Hopefully you get the new bird working correctly.

 

[bkushner]

Couple of comments to help make sure you haven't done something that I and others have mistakenly done in the past with new drones:
1) Ensure all the little protective film pieces are removed from over your obstacle detection sensor windows. I know it sounds like nothing that you could miss, but sometimes they are very thin & hard to see unless you are specifically doing the "Remove Before Flight" examination of your aircraft.
2) Go into the Settings menu to the SAFETY Tab and turn OFF the Radar Map display option - Obstacle Detection still works, it just should not show the random Obstacle Detected red arcs on your viewing screen.
3) Go into setup and run through ALL of the Sensor calibration processes. May not solve a thing but sometimes it does.

If that doesn't solve your issue, I would definitely contact DJI and start a return/replacement process like @wco81 suggests above.

Hopefully you get the new bird working correctly.

Ironically I noticed this was the first DJI drone that didn't have stickers all over the place. Other then a sticker on the gimbal cover saying PUSH HERE there were no other stickers on this drone. Now, if others had stickers I'd be suspect as to why I received a brand new drone without them that happens to be failing. I've done all calibrations. Will contact DJI but I suppose I will now be without a drone while this plays out.

 

[bkushner]

Have you contacted DJI?

Probably demand an exchange or return.

Yes waiting to hear back.

 

[davidarmenb]

You’re correct in that the Air 3S didn’t come with many stickers at all, as shown in unboxing videos. So this is very concerning indeed! I’d think it may be the LiDAR too but you were getting sideways “obstacles” too so it may be something with the full OA system???

 

[davidarmenb]

Another member posted that his 3S had a very soft corner on the 24mm camera, which appears to be a lens alignment issue. I really hope defective Air 3S’s don’t become a common thing as more people get their hands on it.

 

[bkushner]

Well, I’ve heard back from DJ I support and in true form they’ve told me to flash the firmware. This is all they have to offer.

 

[Starz]

Standard answer.
I’ll cross my fingers for you.

 

[bkushner]

Standard answer.
I’ll cross my fingers for you.

Thanks, and yes, I pretty much knew I was on my own from the beginning here so wanna do some more testing the day and if need be return it and get another one, but in past experience, the other one might be due in the same thing this one’s doing that’s how it goes when you buy early.

 

[bkushner]

Have you contacted DJI?

Probably demand an exchange or return.

Yes they told me to reflash the drone and calibrate the sensors in DJI Assistant 2 which you can't do with Air 3S so this is normal DJI Support nonsense.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Shot in the dark... Could the color of that ship be fooling the lidar, which i believe uses a red laser?

Do you get these same false OA detections pointed at other, non-red objects?

 

[bkushner]

Well I flew today in the bright sun I didn't have the issue. It seems this issue happens when the drone fly's into a shady area or the time around sunset before the sensors turn off from darkness. Hopefully this can be tweaked so it's not so sensitive.

 

[bkushner]

Shot in the dark... Could the color of that ship be fooling the lidar, which i believe uses a red laser?

Do you get these same false OA detections pointed at other, non-red objects?

I was getting it at 300 feet pointing at the empty sky.

 

[davidarmenb]

The only time I’ve had a situation where the OA thought there was an obstacle when I was up in the open sky was when the strong sunlight hit the sensors and the flares caused issues. This was on the Air 3. Also, it doesn’t appear the sun is directly in front in your shot so it’s probably not the same issue as I encountered.

 

[shawn67]

The only time I’ve had a situation where the OA thought there was an obstacle when I was up in the open sky was when the strong sunlight hit the sensors and the flares caused issues. This was on the Air 3. Also, it doesn’t appear the sun is directly in front in your shot so it’s probably not the same issue as I encountered.

I was wondering about lens flare too. In that video it kind seems to happen when the sunset is around the 45-90 degrees from the pair of sensors.

 

[bkushner]

DJI Support messaging me on Twitter, telling me this issue has been fixed and to download the latest firmware. However, the latest 10-14-2024 firmware is the only firmware I've used. I upgrade to it right out of the box., One of the hardest parts of dealing with an issue with DJI is dealing with Support. It's more painful then the issue.

 

[GadgetGuy]

DJI Support messaging me on Twitter, telling me this issue has been fixed and to download the latest firmware. However, the latest 10-14-2024 firmware is the only firmware I've used. I upgrade to it right out of the box., One of the hardest parts of dealing with an issue with DJI is dealing with Support. It's more painful then the issue.

Is there perhaps a newer update that hasn't been published yet? Maybe confirm with DJI on Twitter exactly which update version they are saying has fixed this issue.

 

[bkushner]

Is there perhaps a newer update that hasn't been published yet? Maybe confirm with DJI on Twitter exactly which update version they are saying has fixed this issue.

That’s what I did. Waiting to hear back. However I doubt they are right.

 

[bkushner]

That’s what I did. Waiting to hear back. However I doubt they are right.

Now they tweeted that I should return drone for service. They went from telling me the situation was fixed to send in your drone. As I said dealing with them is BRUTAL.