Tilted Horizon and sending Mavic to get repaired

[Srcrain]

Has anyone sent their Mavic back for the tilted horizon issue? What was your experience? Do you think it is a hardware or software issue? Software could be fixed with firmware, but if it really is a hardware issue that needs replacing.

 

[Cyberpower678]

Just adjust your gimbal roll.

 

[Srcrain]

Horizon is off in both directions depending on which way I fly

 

[Egika]

Without wind that should not happen. Did you do a gimbal calibration?

 

[Cyberpower678]

Are you running .600?

 

[Srcrain]

Did imu and gimbal calibration. I updated to.700. Dji support said to send it in for repair. I am worried about turnaround time though

 

[Cyberpower678]

Did imu and gimbal calibration. I updated to.700. Dji support said to send it in for repair. I am worried about turnaround time though

And it still does it, even if you adjust the gimbal roll?

 

[Srcrain]

And it still does it, even if you adjust the gimbal roll?

Yes. It is very frustrating. Adjusting roll to one side makes it worse on the other side when I fly that way.

 

[MavicNewb]

Did this happen before you updated to 700?

 

[Srcrain]

Yes. Before and after. I didn't notice it until people started talking about it. But checking my old videos it has been happening since I got the mavic in January

 

[SeanOzz]

Yes. Before and after. I didn't notice it until people started talking about it. But checking my old videos it has been happening since I got the mavic in January

Yes. The ole "drunken horizon"
I've had multiple mavics with it but the first one I owned seemed as if I was out to sea and the gimbal would just roll side to side all the time.

I got a whole YouTube channel going over not only the issue but my whole process sending it back. The nightmare of customer support and finally getting it sent back.

My current one does it sometimes but not like my original.

 

[SeanOzz]

 

[Srcrain]

Your videos are partly why I noticed it and also why I am so scared of sending it in. I am just not confident sending it in is going to fix the problem, and then I will be without my mavic for weeks or even months.

 

[SeanOzz]

Your videos are partly why I noticed it and also why I am so scared of sending it in. I am just not confident sending it in is going to fix the problem, and then I will be without my mavic for weeks or even months.

Is yours all crazy side to side constantly? To the point you get sea sick watching them back? If so I'd take the chance and get it back in.

My current side to side is much less but seems to be something that changes depending on what firmware I am using.

I'm working on a video now showing it with different firmwares installed compared Tommy original one that was really jacked.

 

[Srcrain]

Mine isn't horrible but definitely noticeable when yawing or rolling. It almost looks like a less dramatic fixed wing mode, but fixed wing is shut off. Below is a typical screenshot. When I yaw right the horizon will tilt the other way. It sometimes slowly corrects, but not always all the way.

 

[kona]

There's multiple, distinct, tilted horizon issues. One my 1st Mavic had, that it's been in repair for for over a month, is an abnormally strong tilt as well as delayed adjustment back to horizontal during and after rolling (flying sideways). Note that any Mavic will have this tilt, but some have dramatically more of it than others. Look up my old thread for a direct comparison. Another possibly related issue my 1st Mavic had was extreme tilt when rotating the drone (yaw). A third issue both my 1st and 2nd Mavic have random tilt adjustments during flights, where it suddenly just snaps into a new angle. Another, fourth issue, which only my 2nd Mavic had, is an apparently static (i.e., constant across multiple flights, but slowly changing with time) angle offset. It sounds like that's the one you have.

Either way, I would advise you against sending it in for repair. If you're still within the 30 day return policy and bought from a reputable seller (i.e., not from DJI's own online store) I would simply return it. Sending it in for repair will be a painfully slow experience, and you have no way of knowing in advance if what you get back is working better, if it is a refurbished Mavic from somebody else with its own quirks, etc.

If you're beyond the 30 day return window, I'd just try to live with it. Unless there's a critical mass of folks here contacting the better business bureau about DJI's fraudulent repair and Care Refresh false advertisement, their behavior won't change and you don't want to send your drone to them.

 

[SeanOzz]

There's multiple, distinct, tilted horizon issues. One my 1st Mavic had, that it's been in repair for for over a month, is an abnormally strong tilt as well as delayed adjustment back to horizontal during and after rolling (flying sideways). Note that any Mavic will have this tilt, but some have dramatically more of it than others. Look up my old thread for a direct comparison. Another possibly related issue my 1st Mavic had was extreme tilt when rotating the drone (yaw). A third issue both my 1st and 2nd Mavic have random tilt adjustments during flights, where it suddenly just snaps into a new angle. Another, fourth issue, which only my 2nd Mavic had, is an apparently static (i.e., constant across multiple flights, but slowly changing with time) angle offset. It sounds like that's the one you have.

Either way, I would advise you against sending it in for repair. If you're still within the 30 day return policy and bought from a reputable seller (i.e., not from DJI's own online store) I would simply return it. Sending it in for repair will be a painfully slow experience, and you have no way of knowing in advance if what you get back is working better, if it is a refurbished Mavic from somebody else with its own quirks, etc.

If you're beyond the 30 day return window, I'd just try to live with it. Unless there's a critical mass of folks here contacting the better business bureau about DJI's fraudulent repair and Care Refresh false advertisement, their behavior won't change and you don't want to send your drone to them.

I sent mine back as an exchange and I honestly believe the only reason my first screwed up experience was corrected st all is because I made a video showing how screwed up it was.

Now I'm trying to live with the minor things that occasionally rear their ugly head. I just can't even imagine having to deal with the return or repair team again. If the guy who reached out to fix the first situation was readily available I might. However I actually tried reaching him for a couple weeks when I got it in with no luck.

 

[Srcrain]

All these responses are very helpful. Do we all agree that it is probably a hardware issue that can't and won't be fixed with firmware updates?

 

[kona]

Yes, I know (because I have compared three Mavics) that there is a significant hardware variation between drones. If yours is within the "normal" spectrum, I don't know without a video. In my video I compare a normal to a defective Mavic for the sideways flying horizon tilt flaw.

All these responses are very helpful. Do we all agree that it is probably a hardware issue that can't and won't be fixed with firmware updates?

 

[SeanOzz]

All these responses are very helpful. Do we all agree that it is probably a hardware issue that can't and won't be fixed with firmware updates?

No. I don't think that's the case for all of the ones with the issues.

My original (I'm on my third) was 100% a crap gimbal. My current (third) has fluctuated depending on the firmware.

I've yet to update to 700 to see if that improves it. My third also comes and goes. Some flights it's perfect and others it's way all over the place. I originally thought it was just the gimbal for sure but after seeing drastic differences in results with installing different firmware i don't think a blanket statement works anymore.

One thing from gimbal to camera I've noticed is it seems all are different with different results. (Which makes this suck a pain)