DrJoe said:*** I will be editing this post based on new information/comments***
DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus is a fantastic, cutting edge product, but has had some serious concerns. It is advertised as an RTF (ready to fly) unit for "everybody". It is not. It requires reading the manual, watching videos, researching various topics online, and practice, but most of all, it requires switching the shipped software settings to another mode before flight (NAZA mode) in order to counter the loss of GPS signal during flight.
In a nutshell, if your Phantom drops below 5-6 satellites during flight, GPS mode is cancelled. It will not hover in one position, but drift with the wind. Worse, the RTH (return to home) function DJI touts as a "failsafe" will not work.
Many Phantoms seem to operate perfectly fine without the following steps, but more than a few "fly away". The following list isn't a requirement, but if you want to limit your long term risk of a "fly away", please invest the time and effort:
When you get your Phantom, do the following:
1. Read the manual.
2. Watch the videos
3. Read this board
4. Charge your batteries
5. Open your phantom (plenty of YouTube video on this) and seal the exposed electrical connections with GE Silicone II (non-acetic acid formula). This eliminates poor quality control during assembly or just plain shaking a connection loose during flight. Not definitively needed, but a worthwhile thing to do if your comfortable with it.
6. Install the drivers and DJI Assistant software into your computer. Connect your Phantom. Test transmitter function, switch to NAZA mode, enable IOC, set height and distance limits, perform an IMU calibration, check compass variables are within normal limits.
7. Check winds aloft (if the winds exceed 30 mph at the altitude you are flying, your Phantom may not be able to fight them and will "fly away".
8. Calibrate the compass (and repeat prior to flight any time you change geographic area significantly).
9. Inspect the prop tips and hubs carefully for cracks/damage. If you hit a big bug (cicada), or have bumped the props, they could fail during flight. Your Phantom will not be controllable and the NAZA flight controller will respond by trying to correct the imbalance in unpredictable ways.
10. Do not take off until your DJI FPV smartphone app is connected, the camera is functioning, and the app indicates at least 6 satellites and you are sure your home point is "locked". The RF (radio frequency) shielding of the Phantom has been observed (in a lab/small sample size) to be poor and can interfere with weak GPS signals. If the Phantom falls below 5-6 satellites during flight, it will drift with the wind, and the RTH (return to home) function will not work. Switch to ATTI mode using the S1 switch immediately.
11. Following take off, hover at 10 feet or so until the Phantom is stable and you confirm basic flight commands are functioning. Then ascend above the highest local obstacle (trees, houses, buildings, etc).
12. Avoid rapid descents, as this is known to cause VRS (vortex ring state). This results in the Phantom fluttering to the ground at high speed, despite full throttle. It is easily avoided by moving in any lateral direction during descent (right stick input). Be aware this may occur in hover as well, and that DJI prop guards are known to increase the likelihood of VRS.
13. Learn how to use the various IOC modes and flight modes in a big, open field with soft grass. In the event of any erratic behavior of the Phantom, switch to ATTI mode and land immediately.
If you take the time to learn these 13 steps, you will eliminate a vast majority of fly away concerns. You still need to be concerned with motor failure, ESC (electronic speed controller) failure, and RF interference. They have not yet invented a flying machine that is simple and idiot proof. Chinese labor and manufacturing is cheap for a reason, as Quality control and worker skill is questionable. The P2V+ is fragile. A bump or hard landing could effect the NAZA flight controller, its sensors, or especially the gimbal/camera. If you are new to this, buy a $400 Phantom FC40, which takes a beating before you bang up a $1369 P2V+ that does not (at this time) have a good replacement part or repair availability. You could always sell that FC40 and recoup at least half of your investment.
Other safety measures:
Repeat Advanced IMU calibration after any "hard" landings or bumps. Perform a compass calibration after IMU calibration.
Purchase a "Getterback" water retrieval device and mount to landing skid.
Purchase a GPS tracking device to mount on your Phantom (many topics on this board about different ones).
Purchase the third party FPV Boost app.
Upgrade your antennas with FPVLR.com stage 2 kit to have a lower chance of connection loss. (requires some modification and skill).
S1 and S2 switches are easy to inadvertently bump, be careful. Periodically check their function in DJI Assistant software as some have reported bad switches after some use.
Write your name and number on the Phantom in case its lost and found by a kind heart.
Emergency Check List:
VRS: apply right stick input immediately
If anything seems out of the ordinary: switch to ATTI mode immediately. Land immediately. Figure it out before you fly again.
DrJoe said:Rebelvis said:Thanks 17RW, for a thoughtful and intelligent reply. I guess I'm tiring of some folks presenting as fact their opinion on these things based on anecdotal evidence and/or personal bias. My guess is the verdict is out and likely to remain so.
My post was meant as recommendations to reduce "fly aways" and other issues based on my experience. In reading the boards over the past few months, I notice a lot of pilots with VRS accidents had prop guards on. My prop guards came very late, so **IN MY EXPERIENCE**, the Phantom responded differently, then I had a VRS incident. Didn't have on before, didn't have one since removing them. I suppose most of the info on this board consists of opinion, as many of us don't have access to 50 Phantoms to empirically test with different variables and parameters.
If you like prop guards, that is fine. They seem like a good idea for safety. All I would like to express is that you should be prepared for a VRS incident and know how to handle it. Agreed?
Rebelvis said:further discussion:
In my own case, I put them on not because I think I'll bump into something in flight, but because after touch down many quads tend to be "light on their feet" until shutdown and can be pushed over by even small winds thereby dinging the props.
gunslinger said:Rebelvis said:further discussion:
In my own case, I put them on not because I think I'll bump into something in flight, but because after touch down many quads tend to be "light on their feet" until shutdown and can be pushed over by even small winds thereby dinging the props.
I totally agree regarding how easy it is to break a prop while landing due to tip overs... Which is exactly why I always hand land... Get a good grip high up on one leg and shut the motors down...![]()
-slinger
I'll try and clear this up for you:abacus01 said:So the gimbal camera doesn't affect the controller in phantom mode...what do you mean NAZA flight controller..i thought it was one in the same..thats question one....
NAZA mode lets you use IOC (left switch S2). You are speaking about Home Lock flying in IOC mode, which needs NAZA mode enabled in the Assistant software to work. And no, Phantom Mode limits you to flying IOC off and GPS mode all the time. ATTI mode can fly IOC off or on (Home Lock/Course Lock). The big difference in ATTI flying is the Phantom "drifts". It doesn't use the GPS to hold its postion, it will drift with the wind. It also flys faster, is more responsive and can allow smoother video if used correctly.abacus01 said:is there a home lock in phantom mode..i thought there was....reason i'd like to use NAZA is the orientation function that always lets the right stick pushed up made your drone go away and back come back to you...i find this the biggest problem in phantom mode...is phantom mode the same as ATTI?.
abacus01 said:I have not upgraded the software at all because i don't like the slow descent feature they added...and i don't fly near airports...so far so good...but i'd like to try out NAZA...but if Naza gets confused about home lock ect...is it safe for someone with 10 flights under their belt to switch to this..and please if anyone can or feels like they could answer i'd appreciate it..i know some of this stuff is in the manual...thanks
ToddSmi said:Nice list Joe - your advice seems sound to me.
Regarding the topic of prop guards, what do you guys think of this video? It's not conclusive what role the prop guards played in the crash, but in my view it seems hard to rule them out as being a contributing factor. FYI...the latter half of the video appears to be a slowed down version of the key events.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7vUncsN ... r_embedded
ToThePoint said:I though i had one yesterday, but it wasn't.
Did i pulled down on the left stick ? I guess so and there was a lot of wind. When it crashed and landed on its head in a field the was no damage and i could get it. When i was going to collect it it came to my mind that i maybe didn't put the S1 back into GPS mode. And after checking S1 on the transmitter it was indeed still on atti. How could i be so stupid not to member that simple action ?
JP
Rebelvis said:Thanks 17RW, for a thoughtful and intelligent reply. I guess I'm tiring of some folks presenting as fact their opinion on these things based on anecdotal evidence and/or personal bias. My guess is the verdict is out and likely to remain so.
CarlJ said:Rebelvis said:Thanks 17RW, for a thoughtful and intelligent reply. I guess I'm tiring of some folks presenting as fact their opinion on these things based on anecdotal evidence and/or personal bias. My guess is the verdict is out and likely to remain so.
I put them on, I take them off all the time, and have no more or less issue with VRS either way. Since opinion is fact now, the people that "claim" prop guards are causing VRS are too hot on the **** stick, fact! :lol:
And Rebelvis you could argue til the cows come home, but I don't think some of them would know empirical data if they tripped over it. You can tell by the way they continued to argue...
Thx for posting though, it's nice to know there is some sanity in the world.
N017RW said:Nothing wrong with arguing.
It's the basis of debate.
ar·gue
[ahr-gyoo]
verb (used without object), ar·gued, ar·gu·ing.
1.- to present reasons for or against a thing: He argued in favor of prop guards.
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