Mavic pro all over the place

[alopeznj]

All of a sudden my pro platinum will not hover in place. shifts hard left and right. I calibrated Compass and IMU . It was dark. any ideas ?
Can I reset something ?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Did you have a good GPS lock ?
A bit vague if you were outside or inside.
If inside and it's dark (night) nad surface was a poor scheme for VPS, I assume with your experience here you'd know the VPS may not be functioning.

You would have got notifications about being in GPS / Position / or Atti modes, before and after take off.
Did you notice anything in that top left menu bar ?

 

[alopeznj]

Not sure OZ. I locked on 11 Sats . I was flying (hovering) in my backyard. Small yard and had no problems in the past. Now it goes crazy. I'll take it to the big field tomorrow and see how it behaves. It may be I live in a area with a lot of interference. But... I did hoover before in my back yard with no issues.
Now it tried to kill me. I'll report back. Let me know it I should reset anything
Tomorrow weather should be good..
.
Ill reset Compass and IMU. Lets see how it behaves. Also replaced two blades that has small imperfections.
So... I will Calibrate Compass
Calibrate IMU.
Does it matter if I calibrate IMU indoor or outdoor ?
Thanks Oz.

Also .. Yes It was Night Fly ! Only my yard spotlight.

 

[alopeznj]

Not sure OZ. I locked on 11 Sats . I was flying (hovering) in my backyard. Small yard and had no problems in the past. Now it goes crazy. I'll take it to the big field tomorrow and see how it behaves. It may be I live in a area with a lot of interference. But... I did hoover before in my back yard with no issues.
Now it tried to kill me. I'll report back. Let me know it I should reset anything
Tomorrow weather should be good..
.
Ill reset Compass and IMU. Lets see how it behaves. Also replaced two blades that has small imperfections.
So... I will Calibrate Compass
Calibrate IMU.
Does it matter if I calibrate IMU indoor or outdoor ?
Thanks Oz.

Also .. Yes It was Night Fly ! Only my yard spotlight.

 

[alopeznj]

I think I answered my own question . Don't fly in the dark. Ill test in the field tomorrow.
Night fly would be nice but I think that is another animal. I still don't think the Mav Pro should have not have been so out of control.
My Mav Mini can fly easy at same light level.

Thanks Oz. I do some testing tomorrow.

 

[lookout]

I actually have hovered in the dark and it held just fine. GPS mode of course. But when there was a break between the ground being dark as the sun went down and bright still in the sky, it seemed to be confused jumping up and down a foot or two at a time.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I think I answered my own question . Don't fly in the dark. Ill test in the field tomorrow.
Night fly would be nice but I think that is another animal. I still don't think the Mav Pro should have not have been so out of control.
My Mav Mini can fly easy at same light level.

Thanks Oz. I do some testing tomorrow.

If the drone is in GPS mode, it SHOULD be rock solid as it would be in daytime, only if something happened to the GPS connection would it then revert to VPS, and if that failed (too dark / not enough light on a pattern they can pick up) then it will go to atti and drift.
Shouldn't try and kill you though ?

GPS isn't really bothered too much by other interference, like your controller / drone signal can be.
GPS usually locks on as long as you have good open sky outside.

See how daylight testing goes, should be back to normal, and if you fly again at night, just make sure you do get that really strong GPS mode before taking off.

I've only flown once at night, middle of nowhere (camping) took the M1P up 20m to film campfire and camp activity sitting around it.
Was really perfect as it had great satellite connection as you'd normally get outside.

 

[alopeznj]

OK Oz.
Here are details...

Flew in my backyard in the dark. Had some light like back yard flood lights. Settings are set to beginner mode. Started engines (both sticks down). Took off to hover (left stick up). At this point I expected a HOVER. .
Instead it behaved like ATTI mode (11 sats locked) . Started to roll out of control. Crash landing but no damage other than front blades (replaced them). Today ,, Took the Mavic Pro out to the large field today and NO problem. Flew in 16mph Wind And held hoover with no problem..
So,... I don't know what I did but I think Pilot Error.

Question... Froward sensors ... Do they rely on light ? Also... If forward sensor detects collision isnt the darn thing supposed to STOP instead of just beeping and warning me ?
I know its in the manuall somewhre but I rather check with the experienced.

 

[lookout]

OK Oz.
Here are details...

Flew in my backyard in the dark. Had some light like back yard flood lights. Settings are set to beginner mode. Started engines (both sticks down). Took off to hover (left stick up). At this point I expected a HOVER. .
Instead it behaved like ATTI mode (11 sats locked) . Started to roll out of control. Crash landing but no damage other than front blades (replaced them). Took the Mavic Pro out to the large field today and NO problem. Flew in 16mph Wind And held hoover with no problem..
So,... I dont know what I did but I think Pilot Error.

Question... Froward sensors ... Do they rely on light ?

Forward sensors do require light but only aid in avoiding objects.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Flew in my backyard in the dark. Had some light like back yard flood lights. Settings are set to beginner mode. Started engines (both sticks down). Took off to hover (left stick up). At this point I expected a HOVER. .
Instead it behaved like ATTI mode (11 sats locked) .

So you definitely had GPS mode ok before you took off ?
11 sats should be well enough for a great GPS lock, but often we get a much higher # too, and it depends where they are in the sky as to if you get a more accurate position.
If it says GPS flight mode in green on your screen, then you should hover very well.

The VPS and forward obstacle avoidance does require light.
How much ?
Not sure, but I'd imagine they would need a bit more than a human being able to walk around with ease of vision, like a dusk kind of light.
Also, the VPS needs not only light, but a good ground pattern.
I've only taken off a few times without GPS lock, usually in a hurry, but it usually locks in while doing usual flight setting up camera settings etc for me.
The few times I recall taking off in daylight with Position mode working, it hovered quite fine for the next 20 seconds or so for the sat lock / GPS mode.

I see the night problem is on your property, maybe closer to your home, than the ok daylight flight in a field.
This could indicate your GPS lock isn't strong, maybe a green GPS mode status is a little variable in strength and ability to hover 'on dime' like most outside flight.

 

[alopeznj]

So you definitely had GPS mode ok before you took off ?
11 sats should be well enough for a great GPS lock, but often we get a much higher # too, and it depends where they are in the sky as to if you get a more accurate position.
If it says GPS flight mode in green on your screen, then you should hover very well.

The VPS and forward obstacle avoidance does require light.
How much ?
Not sure, but I'd imagine they would need a bit more than a human being able to walk around with ease of vision, like a dusk kind of light.
Also, the VPS needs not only light, but a good ground pattern.
I've only taken off a few times without GPS lock, usually in a hurry, but it usually locks in while doing usual flight setting up camera settings etc for me.
The few times I recall taking off in daylight with Position mode working, it hovered quite fine for the next 20 seconds or so for the sat lock / GPS mode.

I see the night problem is on your property, maybe closer to your home, than the ok daylight flight in a field.
This could indicate your GPS lock isn't strong, maybe a green GPS mode status is a little variable in strength and ability to hover 'on dime' like most outside flight.

Makes sense OZ. Took it to the filed again today (wind + - 13 mph) No Issues 16 GPS Lock average .. No more Night fly for me. But... I thought even at night with 11 Sats it would hover in place and not drift wildly.
Thanks for your help.

Still looking for an answer on forward obstacle detection. If it detects an obstacle its supposed to "hover" or fly around corect ? Im guilty of not reading the Manual ( word for word) so beat me up

 

[lookout]

Makes sense OZ. Took it to the filed again today (wind + - 13 mph) No Issues 16 GPS Lock average .. No more Night fly for me. But... I thought even at night with 11 Sats it would hover in place and not drift wildly.
Thanks for your help.

Still looking for an answer on forward obstacle detection. If it detects an obstacle its supposed to "hover" or fly around corect ? Im guilty of not reading the Manual ( word for word) so beat me up

While manual, it just stops when it gets too close to something if you're not in sport mode. If your drone is giving you moral support by being in follow me mode, it tries to avoid the obstactles trying to keep up with you.

 

[alopeznj]

Thank you Lookout !

You know.. Mav Mini has a bad rap. But I am enjoying the Mini a lot. Solid drone. Just can't handle wind at all! so anything above 10mph , I'll stick to the pro.
Thanks all for your help. Let me see how I can upload video of the Pro trying to kill me. You will enjoy. It's on my iPhone.
Of course I'm exaggerating on trying to kill . It did break two bladed.

 

[Meta4]

No more Night fly for me. But... I thought even at night with 11 Sats it would hover in place and not drift wildly.

Your drone should have no problem hovering in the dark with good GPS.
The cause of the issue was something else but the recorded flight data is required to see what was actually happening - otherwise it's just people guessing.

 

[alopeznj]

Copy that. i'll get the logs. But let me post the video Bottom line is I think I hit the stick too hard in a very tight space.
Video upload comming.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Still looking for an answer on forward obstacle detection. If it detects an obstacle its supposed to "hover" or fly around corect ?

As lookout said in manual flight it just stops and awaits your commands to avoid obstacle.
Follow Me mode, it really has a snowballs chance in heck to get around something and keep up with you, as it does the same thing as it does in RTH mode . . .
RTH auto or manually activated it will try and go around the obstacle, but not sideways, it just goes up ~ 5m after it senses the obstacle gone, then proceeds at that new height towards home.
Remember the sun appears as an obstacle to the forward sensors too.

There might just be enough difference in 11 sats vs 16 sats, so don't give up on flying, maybe just try another location where you can lock on to 16 or so.

 

[alopeznj]

Thanks Oz. Makes sense. Learn more everyday here.

 

[alopeznj]

So you definitely had GPS mode ok before you took off ?
11 sats should be well enough for a great GPS lock, but often we get a much higher # too, and it depends where they are in the sky as to if you get a more accurate position.
If it says GPS flight mode in green on your screen, then you should hover very well.

The VPS and forward obstacle avoidance does require light.
How much ?
Not sure, but I'd imagine they would need a bit more than a human being able to walk around with ease of vision, like a dusk kind of light.
Also, the VPS needs not only light, but a good ground pattern.
I've only taken off a few times without GPS lock, usually in a hurry, but it usually locks in while doing usual flight setting up camera settings etc for me.
The few times I recall taking off in daylight with Position mode working, it hovered quite fine for the next 20 seconds or so for the sat lock / GPS mode.

I see the night problem is on your property, maybe closer to your home, than the ok daylight flight in a field.
This could indicate your GPS lock isn't strong, maybe a green GPS mode status is a little variable in strength and ability to hover 'on dime' like most outside flight.

I think I am guilty of flying in tight quarters. Fence, Hallway and the sensors went nuts. Too many obstetrical. I wont fly around my BBQ anymore.
Yes had 11 Sats and was getting obstical warnings. so i'm the idiot. I think the Mav Pro does not like tight spaces like the mini