Phantom 3 Pro Gimbal Issues

[jcarlilesiu]

hi all. Need some help and possibly referrals for repair.

I don't have that much flight time on my 3 Pro. Updated all firmware to latest versions months ago with no issues. Fired up the drone yesterday and had issues.

Everything is powering up normally. Gimbal calibrated, makes the standard D--DD noise once. Drone grabs GPS positioning with lights flashing green. RC says connected, shots all as "normal" etc. Including the gimbal.

I have no image on RC. Just says DJI where the image usually is.

Upon further review, I couldn't get the drone connected to my computer using the port on the side of the gimbal using a Mac. Then noticed that the light on the front is completely off. Nothing lights up at startup. Can't connect to SD card.

Hooked up the gimbal to a PC, and finally the gimbal light obtains solid green and did the steady D------D------D indicative of connection to the computer. The image also showed up on the RC.

Disconnected the computer, did a couple restarts, everything looks good with image. Get out to the site I want to shoot, start up drone, same thing no light no connection for camera.

The gimbal isn't powering up whatever is necessary to transmit the image and access the SD card. Everything else is normal.

Anybody know a solution or have a repair referral?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Nobody else has had this issue. Thats not good.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

So, doing some research, it appears that this is a known issue resulting from a bad FW update?

Interesting. The drone worked fine, has minimal flight time, never so much as a bump, and after updating firmware suddenly my main board is fried? Really?

See this is the problem with companies that release as many updates as DJI does. Every time I power the drone up, it tells me that a new firmware update is required. Not only is it a hassle, but clearly engineering is rushing these updates out on drones that are working perfectly fine, and in this case fried my mint condition drone.

Absolutely astounding incompetence.

DJI, if you're reading this, i want my drone fixed. This is pretty much class action lawsuit material.

 

[quaddamage]

Yeah, the drones are the only devices I do not update.
Not only each update has a small chance of damaging the drone, but updates do not provide any benefits to users. Most updates are just strengthening security mechanisms against the user, making the drone harder to fix when there's an issue. And provide more spying and nagging features.

When I update my phone, it strengthens security as well - but against remote attacker, not against me!
Updates there don't include a new features where the drone locks down if app cannot connect to the Internet for too long. Or where the drone starts broadcasting information about the flight without user even being informed. Or where the drone locks down until users create accounts on chinese servers and do a quiz. Or again, locks down when there is another update, and refuses to fly until your spyware is in newest versions.

Anyway, you probably have an issue with Ambarella chip - this is the chip which controls SD-card and diode on the gimbal. Sometimes such issue is caused by SD-card - try starting the drone without it, or using different one.

And if you want comprehensive diagnosis, go here:

Fix no video feed / black screen / no image transmission / no FPV on Ph3 Pro

Here you will find the diagram for diagnosing and fixing the most popular issue with Phantom 3 Professional. The solution will also work fine for Ph3 Advanced (though some branches are unreachable on this platform). Latest version is hosted here...

phantompilots.com

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Thanks for your reply.

I ordered a new board yesterday. It should be in next week.

 

[Kreat78]

So, doing some research, it appears that this is a known issue resulting from a bad FW update?

Interesting. The drone worked fine, has minimal flight time, never so much as a bump, and after updating firmware suddenly my main board is fried? Really?

See this is the problem with companies that release as many updates as DJI does. Every time I power the drone up, it tells me that a new firmware update is required. Not only is it a hassle, but clearly engineering is rushing these updates out on drones that are working perfectly fine, and in this case fried my mint condition drone.

Absolutely astounding incompetence.

DJI, if you're reading this, i want my drone fixed. This is pretty much class action lawsuit material.

yup, I agree. I ran into the same issue. I actually sent my drone in for assessments and was sent an email and Bill for $600. Long story short, their customer service straight sucked, finally got my drone back 4 months later, and of course I wouldn’t pay the bill without speaking to a specialist which I never got the chance to. I had to tell them I was speaking with my lawyer just to get the drone back. Attached is a list of items needing to be replaced (even though it has never been crashed).

 

[JoBe]

yup, I agree. I ran into the same issue. I actually sent my drone in for assessments and was sent an email and Bill for $600. Long story short, their customer service straight sucked, finally got my drone back 4 months later, and of course I wouldn’t pay the bill without speaking to a specialist which I never got the chance to. I had to tell them I was speaking with my lawyer just to get the drone back. Attached is a list of items needing to be replaced (even though it has never been crashed).

yikes good thing u did not pay cause this list looks like 2 many parts not needing a change!

 

[JoBe]

Nobody else has had this issue. Thats not good.

prob no quick replies cause this is such a common problem with huge numbers of posts already about the problem & also us here warning about it and 2 always use a fan when updating fw.

 

[JoBe]

Thanks for your reply.

I ordered a new board yesterday. It should be in next week.

if u mean a gimbal board they go bad so much that its a good chance if u bought a used one on ebay or something it will also be bad.
one guy here really took advantage of another member who didnt know better by paying so little $$ for 3 or 4 good boards. he said good deals are out there. i say be very careful.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

if u mean a gimbal board they go bad so much that its a good chance if u bought a used one on ebay or something it will also be bad.
one guy here really took advantage of another member who didnt know better by paying so little $$ for 3 or 4 good boards. he said good deals are out there. i say be very careful.

Just wanted to provide an update.

The board came in and booted up just fine. Everything back to normal, except the sd card wouldn't lock into place. I figured out how the internal locking mechanism works and with the board apart I can get it to lock in. Just don't remove it!

Anyway, YMMV, but I got a board that worked off ebay.

 

[Johnny gosney]

Hhhm I'm new to the forum ery interesting reading about a problem I'm. Having.good chance while the final on my well new to me phantom 3 pro was guivering have a ruff timekeep it's normal stance after the initial dance that the gimbal does when we start the phantoms. I was sort of helping it very lightly then as I was trying to get it links up I mean the app controller an drone I calibrated the gimbal an the imu an I got a video picture live feed.motors wouldn't arm tho so I went home charged every thing to find the gimbal dead no picture ideo an app was telling meudate firm ware.

 

[home.drone]

Nobody else has had this issue. Thats not good.

I have similar issue. So I have no light on the status led, drone flys fine gymbal dances when switched on, calibrates and shows up location on my iPhone with 3D map but not any footage from the cam no sd card option to press and no controls of the gymbal at all from the controller. Have tested all voltage outputs and all is receiving the proper voltages. When I try to update firmware it doesn’t beep at all except for the first when it turns on. The lights flash underneath but no d Dds. If anyone has some direction which leads to back up and running I will be happy to Conpensate.

 

[quaddamage]

I made a write up on the cause, and then everyone continues to ask for the cause...

Copy-paste from a post above:

---
Anyway, you probably have an issue with Ambarella chip - this is the chip which controls SD-card and diode on the gimbal. Sometimes such issue is caused by SD-card - try starting the drone without it, or using different one.

And if you want comprehensive diagnosis, go here:

Fix no video feed / black screen / no image transmission / no FPV on Ph3 Pro

Here you will find the diagram for diagnosing and fixing the most popular issue with Phantom 3 Professional. The solution will also work fine for Ph3 Advanced (though some branches are unreachable on this platform). Latest version is hosted here...

phantompilots.com

---

How to check what the chip is doing - connect to its serial interface, you should see an error message there.
How to fix the issue if it turns out to be NAND de-programming - Ambarella FW can be reflashed using `ambausb`.

 

[home.drone]

I made a write up on the cause, and then everyone continues to ask for the cause...

Copy-paste from a post above:

---
Anyway, you probably have an issue with Ambarella chip - this is the chip which controls SD-card and diode on the gimbal. Sometimes such issue is caused by SD-card - try starting the drone without it, or using different one.

And if you want comprehensive diagnosis, go here:

Fix no video feed / black screen / no image transmission / no FPV on Ph3 Pro

Here you will find the diagram for diagnosing and fixing the most popular issue with Phantom 3 Professional. The solution will also work fine for Ph3 Advanced (though some branches are unreachable on this platform). Latest version is hosted here...

phantompilots.com

---

How to check what the chip is doing - connect to its serial interface, you should see an error message there.
How to fix the issue if it turns out to be NAND de-programming - Ambarella FW can be reflashed using `ambausb`.

And how would one connect to its serial interface??

 

[quaddamage]

And how would one connect to its serial interface??

In the same general way you would use to connect to debug serial interface of DaVinci. Just instead of DaVinci pads, use Ambarella pads.

On connecting to DaVinci:

Fixing flash programming in DM365 chip within GL300 remote controller

Here you will find not only instructions to blindly follow, but an explanation of what you're really doing. Fixing is also preceded by diagnosis - this is how all repairs should look like. So, here is the link to my DM365 chip reflashing tutorial, with specific tasks performed on GL300 RC...

phantompilots.com