Phantom 4 won't hold altitude?

[Evan Bashirian]

i have had my Phantom 4 for about a month now. This is my 2nd Phantom 4, so I have experience with the behavior of both. This post is in regard to my 2nd P4 drone.

The problem that I am struggling with:

When the drone is in P mode and airborne, I make a change altitude (10ft or more). Then, with my hands off the controls, the drone will hold at that new altitude for a moment, and then start drifting in the direction of the altitude change. So, say I climbed from 5ft to 50ft, take my hands off the controls. After a momentary pause, it will start drifting upward. I haven't let it continue in this activity beyond seeing it go up about 5 feet, but I feel like it would have continued climbing.
I have also seen the same behavior when descending. I have come straight down from a much higher altitude to about 10-12 feet above ground. Then, taking my hands off the controls, the drone hovers for a moment and then begins descending. It continues to slowly descend until it makes a not so graceful landing.
The obstacle avoidance features are all active during this time. Firmware is all up to date and current, and was connected to 13 GPS satellites.

Any thoughts on how to stop this inability to hold altitude. I have just started using a Headplay FPV Goggles, so while using the goggles, I am concerned that it will drift into something at a time when I do not have direct view of the P4. This tendency to change altitude independently was happening before I connected and used the FPV.

 

[Multicoptertec]

Does it behave the same if controllers are swapped? If not, perhaps a sticks calibration should be done.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[apex1]

Mine is doing the same thing since the last firmware upgrade. For me, it is not a fatal flaw so I am just hoping the next firmware upgrade fixes it. Before the latest upgrade, my P4 would however 3 feet off the ground indefinitely, or at least until the battery was exhausted.

 

[Evan Bashirian]

I use the default control configuration with vertical direction and speed being assigned to the up and down of the left control stick.

Based on what I find, I may also do the calibration procedure. In fact, I may do that regardless.

As far as the firmware goes, it did a new update when I first connected everything and powered it up just out of the box. Given the number of p4's out there, if there was a problem with the firmware causing a problem like mine, we would have seen a new firmware update already. I tend to lean in the direction of remote stick calibration. I will do that, and see what happens.

 

[WingsThree]

I use the default control configuration with vertical direction and speed being assigned to the up and down of the left control stick.

Based on what I find, I may also do the calibration procedure. In fact, I may do that regardless.

As far as the firmware goes, it did a new update when I first connected everything and powered it up just out of the box. Given the number of p4's out there, if there was a problem with the firmware causing a problem like mine, we would have seen a new firmware update already. I tend to lean in the direction of remote stick calibration. I will do that, and see what happens.

Mine started doing the same thing...flying in GPS mode...altitude tends to drift up and down...any updates to your observed behavior?

 

[Evan Bashirian]

Mine started doing the same thing...flying in GPS mode...altitude tends to drift up and down...any updates to your observed behavior?

WingsThree: I haven't had a chance to try the calibration procedure yet. I have been out in Denver for medical reasons for the past few weeks, and expect to be back home in the next couple of weeks. At that time I will again spend some time on the P4 erratic altitude behavior. I will report back to this thread what I end up finding.

Thanks!