Warning: .05 Mavic firmware removes ability to Abort autolanding

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

The latest Mavic firmware (.05) has removed the ability to abort the autolanding procedure. I don't know if this was intentional or a mistake, but I have rolled back my firmware as I NEED the ability to abort autolanding. There is a known problem with water causing the Mavic to believe it is closer to the surface than it is. If you are over water and it believes you are near the surface and you go full stick down, it might start autolanding. If you can't abort (as with firmware .05) say goodbye to your Mavic.

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

Andrew F said:
The latest Mavic firmware (.05) has removed the ability to abort the autolanding procedure. I don't know if this was intentional or a mistake, but I have rolled back my firmware as I NEED the ability to abort autolanding. There is a known problem with water causing the Mavic to believe it is closer to the surface than it is. If you are over water and it believes you are near the surface and you go full stick down, it might start autolanding. If you can't abort (as with firmware .05) say goodbye to your Mavic.

I just downgraded and I'm happy to say the .04 firmware still allows you to abort the autolanding procedure with a simple stick up.

Kilrah · Mar 18, 2017

Or you just disable the downward sensors over water as recommended anyway.

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

Kilrah said:
Or you just disable the downward sensors over water as recommended anyway.

That won't help if you want to be able to abort autolanding. And I actually like the downward sensors over water and they have worked well for me. That's a poor solution to a bad choice by DJI to remove a key ability. Can you think of why you wouldn't want to be able to abort autolanding? I sure can't.

SteelFlyer · Mar 18, 2017

Does the pause key not work? I have never tested this but would think that should stop auto landing.

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

SteelFlyer said:
Does the pause key not work? I have never tested this but would think that should stop auto landing.

The pause key does not abort autolanding.

SteelFlyer · Mar 18, 2017

Andrew F said:
The pause key does not abort autolanding.

Thanks. I learned something.

Kilrah · Mar 18, 2017

That needs a bit more investigation with the different settings, e.g. the "ground smoothness test" since notmally there was no autoland with that off.

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

Kilrah said:
That needs a bit more investigation with the different settings, e.g. the "ground smoothness test" since notmally there was no autoland with that off.

Well. I've downgraded to .04 so someone else will have to do that testing. But everyone needs to know how to abort autoland if it comes on in a precarious situation.

armoredsaint · Mar 18, 2017

Andrew F said:
The pause key does not abort autolanding.

i've always been curious about the pause button, i pushed it a few times and nothing happened?

SteelFlyer · Mar 18, 2017

I pretty much always land myself (other than the occasional RTH test) so I haven't had to deal with autoland. I just checked the manual and it doesn't say much. My first reaction would've been full throttle stick up since that seems to be consistent with disabling other modes. I'm stunned the new version has broken this. DJI clearly needs to test things better before issuing upgrades.

SteelFlyer · Mar 18, 2017

armoredsaint said:
i've always been curious about the pause button, i pushed it a few times and nothing happened?

The pause key DOES abort RTH or any of the Intelligent Flight Modes.

armoredsaint · Mar 18, 2017

SteelFlyer said:
The pause key DOES abort RTH or any of the Intelligent Flight Modes.

shouldn't it be a STOP button instead of a pause?

Mavicsailor · Mar 18, 2017

If downgrading back to .04, does the iOS app need to be downgraded also? If so, what the best way to accomplish this? I assume something in iTunes.

I'm having a problem with the realtime video stuttering with .05, even with a perfect HD signal. HD is in auto. It freezes for a second, then proceeds. Never did this with .04 when looking back through the cached videos. Others have reported this also.

I really wish they would take the time to test this more throughly!

SteelFlyer · Mar 18, 2017

armoredsaint said:
shouldn't it be a STOP button instead of a pause?

Great point LOL! I have never tried it, but perhaps if you push it again it restarts.....

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

SteelFlyer said:
I pretty much always land myself (other than the occasional RTH test) so I haven't had to deal with autoland. I just checked the manual and it doesn't say much. My first reaction would've been full throttle stick up since that seems to be consistent with disabling other modes. I'm stunned the new version has broken this. DJI clearly needs to test things better before issuing upgrades.

Well, the point is that autolanding is kicking in when it shouldn't. How are you landing manually? What are you turning off?

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

SteelFlyer said:
Great point LOL! I have never tried it, but perhaps if you push it again it restarts.....

The Pause button is used for alternative modes, waypoints, etc.

Logger · Mar 18, 2017

I can readily abort auto land with the .05 Mavic firmware.

Toggling the mode switch in either direction does the trick. P to Sport or Sport to P. Simple.

If you are on the latest firmware and Go4 build , I expect this should work. Try it before going through the hassle of unnecessarily downgrading.

Have all the VPS features turned on. Let the autoland commence from 0.5m and anytime thereafter, until the props stop after landing, toggle the Mode switch on the side of the RC without touching anything else. It should calmly fly back up to 0.5m and hover.

You can see a log of this process working here, so it is not anecdotal Landing

I would appreciate if someone else running current firmware and GO4 would confirm that this works for you too.

Andrew F · Mar 18, 2017

Logger said:
I can readily abort auto land with the .05 Mavic firmware.

Toggling the mode switch in either direction does the trick. P to Sport or Sport to P. Simple.

If you are on the latest firmware and Go4 build , I expect this should work. Try it before going through the hassle of unnecessarily downgrading.

Have all the VPS features turned on. Let the autoland commence from 0.5m and anytime thereafter, until the props stop after landing, toggle the Mode switch on the side of the RC without touching anything else. It should calmly fly back up to 0.5m and hover.

You can see a log of this process working here, so it is not anecdotal Landing

I would appreciate if someone else running current firmware and GO4 would confirm that this works for you too.

OK. I no one else does it, I'll upgrade and test on my IPad. I can't imagine the programming logic that would delineate between apps for the RC communications but I'm happy to hear it's working for you. It still should abort on full stick up.

Logger · Mar 18, 2017

I agree that programming logic would indeed be weird. Especially as mine will also readily abort autoland when flying RC only with no mobile device attached.
A possibility would the newer firmware needing to see a particular Go4 build prior to enabling a modified routine within the firmware.