Video feed freezes

kenjancef · Jun 13, 2022

Having a weird video freeze issue with my Air2 on an iPhone 8 Plus, with all apps and firmware updated. It's been happening quite a few times over the past month or so, even before the app was updated. It actually happened again about 2 hours ago. Here's what happened:

Flew out over water at about 250 feet to catch a sunset. I was in the air about 8-10 minutes and the video feed just freezes. All other info in the DJI Fly app still works (thank God!) so I just use the distance reading to get me back home. The even weirder thing is that when I land, I turn off my Air 2, replace the battery, and turn it back on. I would think that restarting the Air 2 would unfreeze the video, but it doesn't. I have to use the arrow in the upper left corner to back out of the Fly screen, into the main screen, then back into the Fly screen, and the video feed is restored. Using this other battery, I flew for about 10-12 minutes with no issue. I have no clue what's going on...

Anyone?

FLDave · Jun 13, 2022

what controller?
Was the controller connected to the iPhone with an OTG cable?
Was the video properly recorded to the Air 2S SD card?
Does the .txt log file on the iPhone give you any information?
How many bars connection to the drone during flight?

kenjancef · Jun 13, 2022

FLDave said:
what controller?
Was the controller connected to the iPhone with an OTG cable?
Was the video properly recorded to the Air 2S SD card?
Does the .txt log file on the iPhone give you any information?
How many bars connection to the drone during flight?

Sorry... the regular controller.

Connected with the original cable that came with the controller.

It's an Air 2, not Air 2S, and I was just flying at the time, I wasn't taking pictures or video. But all pictures before and after the freeze were fine.

Didn't look at the .txt file... forgot I can do that, since I've never had issues with this drone in the 2 years I've had it.

Full bars for connection... I was about 800 feet away, and had wide open LOS.

FLDave · Jun 13, 2022

Sorry, missed the Air 2 rather than s.
.txt file should show connection strength.
Just my logical reasoning with full connection bars and no videos or photos taken would lead me to think app issue (does the air 2 use DJI go 4 or Fly?) or hardware (iPhone). I have no experience with iPhone. I use Go4 with Spark and Fly with Air 2s both with Android device.
I would think that re-starting the app, not the Air 2, would re-set the app. Since re-starting the Air 2 did not fix the problem it would seem indicate the problem in the app. Also, since you were able to control the Air 2 for return flight it means you had a good connection from controller to Air 2s. So back to the app.
Or maybe a camera issue with the drone, but no likely unless it had been crashed.

kenjancef · Jun 13, 2022

FLDave said:
Sorry, missed the Air 2 rather than s.
.txt file should show connection strength.
Just my logical reasoning with full connection bars and no videos or photos taken would lead me to think app issue (does the air 2 use DJI go 4 or Fly?) or hardware (iPhone). I have no experience with iPhone. I use Go4 with Spark and Fly with Air 2s both with Android device.
I would think that re-stating the app, not the Air 2, would re-set the app.

Good thoughts there, and no worries about the Air 2/2S thing...

The Air 2 uses DJI Fly. I actually noticed that there was ANOTHER firmware update to the Air 2, version 01.01.0820, so reluctantly I updated. I also deleted and reinstalled the Fly app. Won't be able to test until at least tomorrow, it's night time here. But I do agree... I'm thinking it's the app. We'll see...

FLDave · Jun 13, 2022

Without flying you can check video feed with the Air 2 just sitting on a desk or, without motors running pick it and "hand fly" movements.
Hopefully you find someone else who actually had a similar problem.
I found this with a Google search.

New DJI Fly 1.4.2 Video feed freeze bug.

forum.dji.com

Dave Maine · Jun 14, 2022

Generally frozen video is a result of the radio down signal from the drone to controller being weak. Distance, trees, interference, and antenna positioning are all likely candidates. Watching the signal strength display on the controller gives you an actual measurement for signal strength, so you can see if this is the problem.

kenjancef · Jun 15, 2022

Dave Maine said:
Generally frozen video is a result of the radio down signal from the drone to controller being weak. Distance, trees, interference, and antenna positioning are all likely candidates. Watching the signal strength display on the controller gives you an actual measurement for signal strength, so you can see if this is the problem.

When I was flying I was on a shoreline with nothing in front of me, a clear and open line of sight, and I didn't see any signal loss in the Fly app. All of the info in the app worked fine, it was just the video froze.