SOLVED - Intermittent Clicking Noise In-Flight

[Amarand]

Problem? Intermittent clicking sound in-flight, normally not in hover. Started after collision mentioned below.

Was unit in a crash? Collision with my house. Broken props (all replaced). Landed without a crash.

What have you tried so far? Swapping between batteries. Full aircraft external inspection.

What device are you using? iPhone 11 Pro Max w/ Mavic Air RC

What firmware are you running ( aircraft, remote controller)? Latest.

What Go app version are you using? Latest.

Any modification? Stock unit with plastic clip-on landing gear. Removed gear, same clicking.

Did you change anything or install any apps? Nothing.

Do you have a video or pictures of the problem? No, because you can't really hear the clicking in a recording above the prop noise.


Flight logs for today's flight: DJI Flight Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com

Clicking happens usually when I am moving forward and up. I spent today's flight reproducing the issue again and again. Hopefully something shows in the logs.

So...what happened.

A few days ago, I took off in my backyard. I realized it was bright out, and I didn't have my sunglasses on, so I went just in the door (breaking VLOS), put on my sunglasses (took a few seconds) and the AC decided to fly backwards into the house. Destroyed the tips of the props. I landed the A/C, did a full inspection, replaced all the props.

After that, I took off again, and I did a low-altitude test flight. No issues.

Next day, the clicking sound I mention above started.

I can't tell if the clicking sound is a prop ticking against the case. (No indication that this is happening, but there's already a spot on the case from when the incident occurred previously.)

Other folks have mentioned a gimbal clicking issue, but I don't think it's that. Moving the gimbal doesn't cause the clicking.

I've considered it's possible that the inside fan might have issues, but then it would click all the time, not just when banking, right?

Anyway...A/C is well out of warranty, and I'm wondering if there's anything I should do to test things out? Anything weird in the logs?

I do have slightly puffy batteries, but they do snap into the A/C okay.

Thanks!

 

[Amarand]

I did not do the best inspection I could. I found out that the collision caused the back-left arm to become dislocated. The clicking was the front-left and back-left props clicking together. Nice.

SO...probably not something I can fix myself? I'm guessing this is going to be a contact DJI and get a quote for repair? Or is that a local repair thing? I'm in Columbus, Ohio.

 

[DanMan32]

Try DJI Drone Service. They offer free estimates and give forum members discounts.

What caused the MA to fly backwards and crash in the first place?

 

[Amarand]

What caused the MA to fly backwards and crash in the first place?

I suspect it was wonky GPS (clouds) and lower than usual light, confusing the ground sensors. Coupled with the angle and height I left it at...transom windows maybe? Also my negligence in stepping away from it for 5 seconds. ?

I have backyard surveillance footage but the collision occurred a few feet higher than the camera’s viewpoint.

I did semi-calmly land the aircraft in a soft pile of half-sprouted bird food, with half-props all around, so there’s that! ??‍

 

[Cymruflyer]

I did not do the best inspection I could. I found out that the collision caused the back-left arm to become dislocated. The clicking was the front-left and back-left props clicking together. Nice.

SO...probably not something I can fix myself? I'm guessing this is going to be a contact DJI and get a quote for repair? Or is that a local repair thing? I'm in Columbus, Ohio.

There is a local guy here who is a dealer and does repairs, he is in Avon Ohio, his name is Dana. PM me for contact details. He has done a number of repairs for Columbus owners.

 

[DanMan32]

I suspect it was wonky GPS (clouds) and lower than usual light, confusing the ground sensors. Coupled with the angle and height I left it at...transom windows maybe? Also my negligence in stepping away from it for 5 seconds. [emoji81]

I have backyard surveillance footage but the collision occurred a few feet higher than the camera’s viewpoint.

I did semi-calmly land the aircraft in a soft pile of half-sprouted bird food, with half-props all around, so there’s that! [emoji2371]

I'm sure it was just hovering if you just left it alone, so I don't know about "angle"
Loss of GPS alone wouldn't do it other than cause atti and drift in the wind but just some clouds wouldn't have you lose GPS either. At low altitudes loss of GPS would revert to VPS, but if light was low, then VPS wouldn't be available.

Unless you meant you didn't have it airborne (takeoff) but motors idling? If it slipped off a surface, that could do it. Then it would consider itself airborne.

 

[Amarand]

I'm sure it was just hovering if you just left it alone, so I don't know about "angle"
Loss of GPS alone wouldn't do it other than cause atti and drift in the wind but just some clouds wouldn't have you lose GPS either. At low altitudes loss of GPS would revert to VPS, but if light was low, then VPS wouldn't be available.

Unless you meant you didn't have it airborne (takeoff) but motors idling? If it slipped off a surface, that could do it. Then it would consider itself airborne.

It was hovering at about 15’ AGL. I usually let it sit there while it acquires GPS, which is fine if I’m watching it. I should probably search for the flight data and see what happened. But I know that whatever happened, I wasn’t watching It, so it was totally my fault. [emoji81]

 

[Cymruflyer]

Ooohhh never take off until you have acquired all your GPS signals, that is the wrong thing to do. You need to turn it on and leave it sitting on the ground until it has acquired all the GPS signals, then take off and hover. But never take off first then sit and wait. Unless you mean you let it sit there on the ground first, which is, of course, the correct thing to do.

 

[Amarand]

Ooohhh never take off until you have acquired all your GPS signals, that is the wrong thing to do. You need to turn it on and leave it sitting on the ground until it has acquired all the GPS signals, then take off and hover. But never take off first then sit and wait. Unless you mean you let it sit there on the ground first, which is, of course, the correct thing to do.

It’s bad to take off without GPS even if you know you’ll get better GPS faster by hanging out at 16’?

 

[DanMan32]

It's not a good idea. I wouldn't even idle without GPS lock. Besides GPS, it's doing many other pre-flight calibrations, including compass which may get out of whack if you don't wait for the green "Ready To Fly".