Lost signal, no camera control

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 3, 2015

I am having an issue with video loss and no camera control (P3A using iPad 2 Air w/latest Pilot app and the 1.2.9 firmware on unit) When the unit boots up and does the camera thing, the camera will point straight forward like it should and then after about 30 seconds, the camera just drops to the down position and stays there with no signal. Would lose signal every once in awhile a week ago and first thought it was with SD Card as when it was swapped out, all was fine. Now that I am up north (MN) at the cottage on the lake, my video yesterday would flicker different colors then lose signal, come in closer then it would work and now, no matter what I do, I have no signal. I have 16 satellites consistently and I have tried 4 different SD cards with no success. I own a second controller and I bound that to the unit and still nothing. I had previously tested it to make sure all worked with the other controller and it did work flawlessly so I know that is good. I have all other telemetry and can fly using the Google Maps but that's it, I cannot film anything. I have lost signal completely now and nothing is getting it back. Sad, I was hoping to film up here at the lake and get the fireworks tomorrow night and I've only been able to fly about a total of 20 minutes. Hoping to find something this afternoon or I will travel back to Iowa and give DJI support a call Monday. Anybody have any ideas for me would be great. I'll keep an eye on the forum and try what anybody says that I haven't tried yet. Thanks in advance to anyone who contributes to the relief of my problem.

bobmyers · Jul 3, 2015

My suggestions would be to recalibrate the IMU, the gimbal and the compass before you try anything else. Remove and reinstall the app-- Turn everything off and reboot the controller, P3 and app and see if the camera is still acting the same and see if the connections are there.

Beyond that, it could be a loose connection or wire in the gimbal and camera connections. Check all the wiring to the camera and gimbal -- the metal ends of the ribbon cables have a tendency to come out. I had to put one of mine back in.

Good luck -- hope you can find the culprit with all those gold video opportunities this weekend.

GAP308 · Jul 4, 2015

I was having similar problems.. LINK to the video of my problem. I did the IMU re-calibration but i think it was something else that was causing my problem. I hope this helps you too. Go to MODE in the pilot app and click on the HD icon and switch Image Transmission Setting to "Auto" if it is on "Custom"

Steve101 · Jul 4, 2015

GAP308 said:
I was having similar problems.. LINK to the video of my problem. I did the IMU re-calibration but i think it was something else that was causing my problem. I hope this helps you too. Go to MODE in the pilot app and click on the HD icon and switch Image Transmission Setting to "Auto" if it is on "Custom"

GAP308. Did you fix it?

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 4, 2015

I'm going to look at those items I didn't yesterday and hopefully something will show itself. If it does or does not, I will post those results ASAP. I did forget to mention that upon initial inspection after looking through these posts, I too did find the cracks around the motor mount screws on the rear motors. I was disappointed by that finding as well. I like the Phantoms but these things popping up are starting to disappoint me that maybe the new Solo isn't looking too bad. I know the GoPro would add to the purchase price but if you suddenly have an elimination of problems, the price is not so bad then, Thanks for the suggestions.

Steve101 · Jul 4, 2015

Have you upgraded to version 1.20 of the app? I think this is the problem.

POTENTIAL APP ISSUES:
1.20 of the app seems to bring out more gimbal overloaded issues and make the NO SIGNAL come up... rendering the video link almost unusable. This is on Android and IOS.

POTENTIAL DRONE FIRMWARE ISSUES:
If you upgrade the firmware of the drone above 1.1.9, it causes instability in many peoples drones (thankfully I haven't upgraded this yet). My drone is pretty stable on 1.1.9.

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MITIGATE THE NO SIGNAL ERRORS AND DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN DOWNLOAD A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE APP FOR ANDROID OR IOS?

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 4, 2015

Steve101 said:
Have you upgraded to version 1.20 of the app? I think this is the problem.

POTENTIAL APP ISSUES:
1.20 of the app seems to bring out more gimbal overloaded issues and make the NO SIGNAL come up... rendering the video link almost unusable. This is on Android and IOS.

POTENTIAL DRONE FIRMWARE ISSUES:
If you upgrade the firmware of the drone above 1.1.9, it causes instability in many peoples drones (thankfully I haven't upgraded this yet). My drone is pretty stable on 1.1.9.

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MITIGATE THE NO SIGNAL ERRORS AND DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN DOWNLOAD A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE APP FOR ANDROID OR IOS?

Ok, I did check that and I am still at version 1.1.2. I'm still attempting to run some other checks of thing that have been posted and I will keep informed as to their success or failure.
Thank you for your suggestions, all of you.

GAP308 · Jul 4, 2015

I am running 1.2.6. Yes I believe it did fix the issue.. Let me take it out for a spin real quick and I will confirm

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 4, 2015

GAP308 said:
I am running 1.2.6. Yes I believe it did fix the issue.. Let me take it out for a spin real quick and I will confirm

Where did you get 1.2.6? I can only find 1.2.0.

GAP308 · Jul 4, 2015

I have a P3P

HERE is the download for 1.2.6

Yes the problem is now fixed for me. I just took a 10 min flight for a distance of 23,823' Video was fine the whole time. Problem with the gimbal a couple of times but overall its something I can work with!

WBailey1041 · Jul 4, 2015

I just solved this issue on mine. My problem was the connectors labeled in the attached pictures. I had to really really push hard on them. I was having the exact same symptoms as you. Be sure the white lines are NEARLY flush with the connectors.

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 4, 2015

GAP308 said:
I am running 1.2.6. Yes I believe it did fix the issue.. Let me take it out for a spin real quick and I will confirm

Ok I follow you now. You weren't talking about the app, you were meaning the firmware. Yes I'm at 1.2.8 as I have the advanced and you have the pro. You messed me up when you said 1.20 of the app. I think you meant to say up above that you had 1.2.0 of the firmware and not the app. Anyway, I think I need to take a look at my gimbal as referenced in the above picture. Can't do that up here, all my small tools I are back in the office, so I will wait until I get back and maybe look at it Sunday night after we get back and the truck unloaded and the dogs settled down from missing us. I will let all know as soon as I check the ribbon cable on the gimbal referenced above and if that is the fix. Thanks all.

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 5, 2015

GAP308 said:
I was having similar problems.. LINK to the video of my problem. I did the IMU re-calibration but i think it was something else that was causing my problem. I hope this helps you too. Go to MODE in the pilot app and click on the HD icon and switch Image Transmission Setting to "Auto" if it is on "Custom"

Mine was already in the "Auto" setting, so what I did do was try it in a "Set" channel, then went back to "Auto". Still nothing.

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 5, 2015

WBailey1041 said:
I just solved this issue on mine. My problem was the connectors labeled in the attached pictures. I had to really really push hard on them. I was having the exact same symptoms as you. Be sure the white lines are NEARLY flush with the connectors. View attachment 23887

This looks like the thing to check for me. I am real familiar with those ribbon cables. I work on laptops as well as desktop systems. My first time taking apart a Phantom, I worked with them and already had wished they used a lock on them like the "flip over" type locks they use in the laptops. It would keep them held good as these drones to setup a higher frequency resonance which tend to loosen things up over time. Referencing back to Nikola Tesla and his frequency resonance, you can break anything with the right frequency! I am on my way back to Iowa and I'm going to take a look at that right away. Thanks

Kevin Tjebkes · Jul 9, 2015

Well it turns out there was nothing that could be done on my end so I am sending it in. The US Support was really good. I did appreciate their help. So I am sending it in for the video issues as well as the cracking around the rear motor mount screws. Be gone for 6 weeks. Thanks all for the help. Hey, we tried. Thanks again

Mostafa Amin · Aug 5, 2015

Kevin, have you got any answer from the customer support concerning your issue as i have the same thing and I don't know what to do!!

Thanks,

Mostafa

Kevin Tjebkes · Aug 5, 2015

Mostafa Amin said:
Kevin, have you got any answer from the customer support concerning your issue as i have the same thing and I don't know what to do!!

Thanks,

Mostafa

Hi Mostafa,
I had to finally call in to have them help me as I had run out of things to check and test. I was also having the issues with the screw holes being cracked by the rear motors. I sent it in and have heard nothing from them at all except that they had received it. I believe that they are being hit so hard with all of these items that they are just working on everything as fast as they dare and I hope not rushed as that only makes for more issues to arise from going too fast. The sad thing on my end is that I looked forward so much to "play" with it this summer and, alas, my summer has gone fast with no new toy to play with. On a more serious note is that I was using this out on my friends farms to locate many things, such as tile lines and things like that. Sad, very sad.
I will leave a post on here as soon as I hear something from them. Thanks for asking.

Mostafa Amin · Aug 7, 2015

Thanks Kevin for you reply and i wish to get your toy soon! Just please ask if it's software issue or hardware, i keeps on searching for solutions but without any success.

Kevin Tjebkes · Aug 25, 2015

I will if I ever hear from them, but it's not looking too good. They tell me I may not even have mine back before the snow flies here. I only had about 3 hours on it and had to send it in. I think I have learned my lessen