Panning/turning Mavic for slow smooth video capture - mid way stutter/pause

Grumpybeard · May 24, 2018

So I sent mine back early Feb - 2 months later after chasing with several calls and emails I finally got the Mavic back. According to the service centre they could find no issue, and provided a short movie on the returned drone SD card of them flying around inside a warehouse to demonstrate no issue - hardly the same test conditions in which I was experiencing the issue - outside and slow pan.

I've only flown the Mavic twice since it was returned (boud a P4P in meantime which has been great), and I believe I've only seen the issue once. I will probably get more opportunity to test now that summer is here and I want to take the Mavic hiking in the mountains with me.

JJN · May 24, 2018

Thanks for the update - really helps the bigger picture. I have a few suspicions to investigate and will update this thread or link to a new one if I get anywhere

Obviously if the issue can't be reproduced by the service centre they can't fix it, but indoors most likely would have been in ATTI mode,which might be another clue. (and from your spelling of centre, can I assume you are not in the USA - I'm in the UK)

Grumpybeard · May 24, 2018

Into next week things will have calmed down (been extremely busy with MSc), so will have time for more testing. Yep the centre made no effort to repeat the conditions, and good point regards ATTI mode. Will share findings here next week, but I dont think I can hope for any valid and worthwhile support from DJI to be honest, given their track record with my case.

JJN · May 31, 2018

Grumpybeard said:
Into next week things will have calmed down (been extremely busy with MSc), so will have time for more testing. Yep the centre made no effort to repeat the conditions, and good point regards ATTI mode. Will share findings here next week, but I dont think I can hope for any valid and worthwhile support from DJI to be honest, given their track record with my case.

I've been working on this and have produced the following video. I finally worked out how to access flight logs and put them into Excel to make a graph. Gimbal heading keeps showing a string of zeros and then back to it’s correct setting. If the string of zeros is long enough the drone stops yawing. Do other people see zeros returned by the Gimbal heading?
https://vimeo.com/272665893

Grumpybeard · Jun 9, 2018

Hey JJN, just about to head out with the MP and will do some slow pan testing. Nice video by the way, like the quantifiable analysis, will get back to you with some initial findings and if problem exists perhaps we can correlate. Cheers.

JJN · Jun 9, 2018

Grumpybeard said:
Hey JJN, just about to head out with the MP and will do some slow pan testing. Nice video by the way, like the quantifiable analysis, will get back to you with some initial findings and if problem exists perhaps we can correlate. Cheers.

Thanks - I'll be interested in your results. Perhpas we can share some flight data.

Gentb · Jun 9, 2018

I'm new to posting on the forums, but big time reader of them. This seems to be the exact issue I have. I have a visible tremor that occurs to the gimbal while rotating, which causes the exact semi pause/skip on video while recording. Is this also occurring with yours? I've tried different sd cards, atti mode, filters, shutter speed, different firmware versions, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution. I keep hoping someone will figure it out.

JJN · Jun 9, 2018

Gentb said:
I'm new to posting on the forums, but big time reader of them. This seems to be the exact issue I have. I have a visible tremor that occurs to the gimbal while rotating, which causes the exact semi pause/skip on video while recording. Is this also occurring with yours? I've tried different sd cards, atti mode, filters, shutter speed, different firmware versions, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have a solution. I keep hoping someone will figure it out.

In my case it's nothing to do with the video. You can actually see the drone pause in the air.

Goldchucker · Jun 9, 2018

Your camera likes that tall white mountain. Seems like it stops to pause there for a longer look.

Gentb · Jun 11, 2018

Today I stumbled upon a video concerning adjusting Gain setting on Mavic Pro when using Platinum prop blades. I had never thought of this, and incredibly, after adjusting some settings, the shuddering is gone. All along I thought it was the gimbal, but it may have been the aircraft itself. I only adjusted Yaw gain down to 91. No other changes noted on performance. Would there be anything I should be aware of with this change?
I'm thrilled to not have to send it in to DJI.
I'm not sure on the policy of posting other people's videos, but here it is.

Lostjonny · Aug 2, 2018

Hi Guys, im new here... saying hello from UK.....
I also have this stutter issue, im still trying to resolve it :/

Smecky · Aug 2, 2018

Hi my friend. If you have you tube go and watch 51 drones new video this will get you started the right way mate.
Happy droning.

Grumpybeard · Aug 2, 2018

Smecky said:
Hi my friend. If you have you tube go and watch 51 drones new video this will get you started the right way mate.
Happy droning.

Your reply is nothing but click baity - nothing whatsoever to do with the stutter issue known to some of us.

Grumpybeard · Aug 2, 2018

@Lostjonny - does flicking it over into tripod mode resolve, or still give "stutters" when panning?

Lostjonny · Aug 2, 2018

Grumpybeard said:
Your reply is nothing but click baity - nothing whatsoever to do with the stutter issue known to some of us.

Thanks for that fellas, I might just go watch the vids anyway, being a drone junky

Lostjonny · Aug 2, 2018

Grumpybeard said:
@Lostjonny - does flicking it over into tripod mode resolve, or still give "stutters" when panning?

Hmm Not ried that Grumpy, but I will, everything is recharging atm, so will check and let you know tomorrow

Smecky · Aug 2, 2018

It’s a firmware issue. Try and go back to a previous firmware. That will fix it.
What firmware are you on at the minute.

FAO. Grumpy head.
The guy on YouTube is very good with the mavic and it’s no clic bait pal. Go and watch him yourself you might lean something.
Tripod mode will do **** all

Grumpybeard · Aug 2, 2018

Got a source for "it's a firmware issue....previous firmware....That will fix it"?

I believe that indeed it's a firmware issue but proof would be good - and I dont believe I can roll back to any previous version, as the stutter issue was happening out-of-box with drone as new (so no previous versions on DJI assistant for example).

Suggesting Tripod mode was indeed that - a suggestion, to be tried

Mossiback · Aug 2, 2018

I think it is a software issue. Have you tried using a different device or a different Go 4 version? If DJI flew it with your controller and did not experience the same problem then the only difference would be Go 4 and the device they were running it on (I don't think the location would cause this). Did DJI ask what version of Go 4 you were using or what you were using it on? DJI seems reluctant to admit that Go 4 is problematic but given all the problems a simple update causes some people, that is where my intuition leads me. Go 4 has an "Enable Synchronized Gimbal Pan Follow" setting that is supposed to dampen the gimbal yaw and you can try turning it on or off and see if that makes any difference. The fact that Go 4 has the ability to adjust the camera yaw also allows it to screw up the camera yaw.

Sorry for the rant but, Go 4, GRRRR

! I sympathize with DJI software developers and understand the difficulties of cramming so many features into a program that is supposed to work on so many different devices, but I would think they could test Go 4 on at least the top 50 devices. Heck, even the top 25 would be good.

Mossiback · Aug 2, 2018

You could try Litchi. If the problem goes away then it is Go 4. If the problem is still there then it may be firmware or hardware and you can uninstall Litchi and get a refund (see Litchi for details on refund period).