A few questions from new owner

[pilsburypie]

Hi all, advice from the more experienced is very welcome.

I've had my phantom for just over a week but I've been away so have only had 3 days flying in which I've been up about 6 times. 1 minor prang with no damage on landing but I'm becoming more confident to go further afield. I have a phantom 2, zen muse 3D gimbal and fpv monitor.

1. When I fly a distance away 50m + I sometimes get a bit disorientated and obviously can't see the stickers or lights. Often I can use the fpv to look for objects but on occasion in wide open spaces with trees in the distance in all directions I've found myself having to run towards the phantom before I can ascertain whether I'm moving towards or away from me. How can I avoid this? Is iosd the answer?

2. I've only flown in GPS mode. Think this will be the case for some time! In the open tons of satellites are found and green flashing happens in about 30 seconds. Today I brought the phantom back to land on the first battery warning and noticed the indicator lights were solid red. I landed with no probs and see that this indicates error. What error? Not charged the battery yet or gone out on another flight.

3. I have some interesting woods near me. They are quite open but have a fair canopy covering. I've not tried to see if I'd get gps in this setting. Has anyone tried this? How will the phantom react?

4. How still is the phantom meant to be in GPS mode when all sticks are neutral? If I go up about 5m and just hover, the phantom can move in a 2-3m radius and also a 1-2m altitude. I have regularly done the compass movement dance. I've only ever flown in mildly windy conditions and never had the chance of a still day. I'm thinking of updating to 3.06 tonight but am nervous if the 3D gimbal issues mentioned about the X1 control not responding or only working at extremities.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[freefall101]

Hello, glad to see your getting plenty of flying time with the Phantom 2. I'm also a new owner and have an FPV setup like yourself. I only have time to answer one of your questions, which is your last one about how still should it be in GPS mode. From my own experience with proper compass setup before each flight (which isn't necessary but I do it anyway) and with 10 satellites picked up, I think your variation sounds fine and the same as what I'm getting in a mild wind - and by that I mean a wind of say 10mph. I live on the coast so this most days have at least a 10mph breeze. I read somewhere that it is normal for the Phantom 2 to move within a 6ft radius from side to side and a few feet up or down when correctly set up in GPS mode. This is no big deal most of the time, and I am surprised it is even this accurate considering it's size.

 

[pilsburypie]

Cheers Freefall101 - How do you know 10 satellites are picked up? Is this via iosd? All I know is mine is blinking green before I take off.

I too think the wind has been around 10mph when I have flown. I bet this isn't bad for a costal region, but I'm looking forward to a still day being miles away from the sea. Saying that I'd love to do some beach shots. Glad to hear my Phantom's deviation isn't out of the ordinary. I'm about to do the update to see if it helps - not that it's a huge problem.

 

[freefall101]

I wouldn't worry about the small deviation, it's really not an issue and I pretty sure what you're seeing is within normal limits, my occasionally deviates more than this (though not very often). It's not going to be still when you factor in everything like the wind, variation in each motor, GPS variations, etc. I wouldn't worry about this at all and just enjoy it. If it is a real issue then I'd calibrate with your PC using the DJI software you can download. I've never done any of this despite everyone saying to do updates, etc. I've never updated the firmware (at least not yet and won't rule this out for the future), never done any calibrations with my PC, never hooked the P2 up to my PC. It's running perfectly (famous last words) with my only current issue being a whining/beeping noise I can hear in the videos which I upload to my PC from my GoPro. Apparently for me it sounds like an intereference issue from the gimbal charging my GoPro, and it's a lot more irritating than you might think as I have to edit every single video now.

Also, I would still use your Phantom 2 in a slight breeze, it is able to cope with it no problem. I haven't had a still day yet since owning it and this has never delayed me in using it. I would say once you get to around 20mph then don't fly it. And if you are concerned about the wind then fly it lower where it is a bit less exposed to being blown around.

To answer your first question in your original post about becoming disoriented, the same happens to me. FPV with a mini iOSD does make it easier if you really aren't sure and if you don't want to follow it. The mini iOSD displays the number of satellites you're connected to, earlier on it told me I had locked onto 11 satellites for example. It can also tell you the battery remaining in %, the height you are, etc. It's really useful and makes my setup what it is. Considering I paid £49 for it, I think it's a good buy and would recommend it. I'm pretty sure if you looked hard enough you could source one for slightly cheaper though DJI try to standardise their prices across different resellers, especially the authorised resellers. Just buy it if you have the funds available for it, you won't be disappointed.

 

[pilsburypie]

I too have the interference buzz/humm. It gets drowned out though when the props get moving. Doesn't hugely fuss me at the moment because I find the sound of the props irritating in my videos so either set to music or have a separate sound recorder on the ground to record ambient noise which also includes some prop noise but nothing like the constant drone from the gopro. Other posts seem to suggest the ribbon cable is to blame for the interference noise - not sure the cure is easy.

I shall look out for the iosd at a decent price. First stop is a second battery. 17 minutes is not really long enough after a drive out and set up. Probably going to have to shell out £100 for the DJI one as the nuke seems to be a dead loss on the shipping side of things

 

[freefall101]

I too have the interference buzz/humm. It gets drowned out though when the props get moving. Doesn't hugely fuss me at the moment because I find the sound of the props irritating in my videos so either set to music or have a separate sound recorder on the ground to record ambient noise which also includes some prop noise but nothing like the constant drone from the gopro. Other posts seem to suggest the ribbon cable is to blame for the interference noise - not sure the cure is easy.

I shall look out for the iosd at a decent price. First stop is a second battery. 17 minutes is not really long enough after a drive out and set up. Probably going to have to shell out £100 for the DJI one as the nuke seems to be a dead loss on the shipping side of things

I bought my second one for £91 from firstpersonview.co.uk which seems to be the cheapest place to buy one in the UK at he moment

 

[witold]

Read the manual. It tells you what all the lights mean and it tells you the exact margin of error for hovering in GPS mode. I don't remember exact margin of error, but it is in the manual.

If you find yourself losing orientation when the Phantom is far away, don't worry. If you're high in the air, just let off the sticks and Phantom will stop where it is. If you're low to the ground for some reason, just go up above treeline and then stop.

Once you are stopped, relax. Move your right joystick forward to go forward. If you don't see the Phantom going anywhere, it means that it's going in a straight line towards or away from you. So... use the left joystick and turn 90-ish degrees. Stop. And move the right joystick forward and you will find yourself either going left or going right, which basically regains your orientation.

I hope my description makes sense. There is no reason to rely on lights or stickers or any of that stuff.

 

[freefall101]

Read the manual. It tells you what all the lights mean and it tells you the exact margin of error for hovering in GPS mode. I don't remember exact margin of error, but it is in the manual.

If you find yourself losing orientation when the Phantom is far away, don't worry. If you're high in the air, just let off the sticks and Phantom will stop where it is. If you're low to the ground for some reason, just go up above treeline and then stop.

Once you are stopped, relax. Move your right joystick forward to go forward. If you don't see the Phantom going anywhere, it means that it's going in a straight line towards or away from you. So... use the left joystick and turn 90-ish degrees. Stop. And move the right joystick forward and you will find yourself either going left or going right, which basically regains your orientation.

I hope my description makes sense. There is no reason to rely on lights or stickers or any of that stuff.

Good advice.... The mini iOSD also makes things easier but until then follow this.

 

[Haze]

Hi all, advice from the more experienced is very welcome.

I've had my phantom for just over a week but I've been away so have only had 3 days flying in which I've been up about 6 times. 1 minor prang with no damage on landing but I'm becoming more confident to go further afield. I have a phantom 2, zen muse 3D gimbal and fpv monitor.

1. When I fly a distance away 50m + I sometimes get a bit disorientated and obviously can't see the stickers or lights. Often I can use the fpv to look for objects but on occasion in wide open spaces with trees in the distance in all directions I've found myself having to run towards the phantom before I can ascertain whether I'm moving towards or away from me. How can I avoid this? Is iosd the answer?

2. I've only flown in GPS mode. Think this will be the case for some time! In the open tons of satellites are found and green flashing happens in about 30 seconds. Today I brought the phantom back to land on the first battery warning and noticed the indicator lights were solid red. I landed with no probs and see that this indicates error. What error? Not charged the battery yet or gone out on another flight.

3. I have some interesting woods near me. They are quite open but have a fair canopy covering. I've not tried to see if I'd get gps in this setting. Has anyone tried this? How will the phantom react?

4. How still is the phantom meant to be in GPS mode when all sticks are neutral? If I go up about 5m and just hover, the phantom can move in a 2-3m radius and also a 1-2m altitude. I have regularly done the compass movement dance. I've only ever flown in mildly windy conditions and never had the chance of a still day. I'm thinking of updating to 3.06 tonight but am nervous if the 3D gimbal issues mentioned about the X1 control not responding or only working at extremities.

Thoughts appreciated.

i 100% recommend you get yourself an FPV system with Gimbal, I have used the isod Mini, and now the Lightbridge system. I love the lightbridge. Without FPV system you are basically flying a toy around. With Fpv it makes everything better, easier to fly, and just better enjoyment. With flying its like your in the seat flying and i dont even look at it flying in air anymore till im just about landing to catch it. I find looking at it in air is almost scary compared to FPV. and FPV if you crash you have better chance of knowing at least where u are ( dont crash lol) With FPV you dont get disoriented ( i dont) with the range i know my neighborhood or at least i look on maps at areas i go to fly in so i know my general baring. and just the video feed u see gives u your barings.

im still waiting on updates that i hear are really stable, i am on 2.x(newest 2.0 version i forget number now) its stable, has faster flight speed and lowering speed, and no airport gps barriers ( not that i would fly in them) i just dont have the upgrade. Although i just ordered a new p2 w/hd3d and lightbridge for a backup system and its on 3.06 so ill see what its like soon.

 

[hrosee]

As far as the movement there are adjustments in the Phantom assistant. In the Phantom assistant look under basic and you will find a "gains" tab. You can adjust these upwards to get it to hold better. They all go up to 300 each. One you have the numbers entered hit the enter key to write them to the Phantom. just up up a little at a time. If you go up too high all it will do is wag and little and the motor will change pitch up and down. Just lower it a little. I took my yaw up to 250% and now I can hold the left stick over and she will stay in place as she turns. I raised the pitch and gain to 165 and it holds solid now. Don't be afraid to play with these. Nothing crazy will happen other than what I said and you just back it off.

The next thing iis are you in Phantom or Naza mode? It comes out of the box in Phantom mode. These really aren't modes even though they call them that. Going to Naza mode just opens up the rest of the advanced settings. These allow you to turn IOC on. Watch the Youtube videos on Course Lock and Home Lock. All this is on the left switch which out of the box does nothing. My point is if you are flying in FPV these modes will help you out. Like I said just watch the videos to see what they do. Home Lock is great because no matter where you are you just pull the right stick back and she will make a bee line right back to you. Just make sure you are up high enough because it just comes straight back.Do note that when you are in Naza mode and turn the Phantom on at exactly 30 seconds you will see the flashing green lights. This is NOT the GPS setting your homepoint. It is the course lock setting the direction the front of the Phantom is facing. The second set of flashing greens is the Homepoint being set. Just don't take off until you get the second set.

As far as FPV I am having the same problem as you unless I know the area well. One it gets out of site it is hard to tell which way you are going. If I get real confused I just use the home lock to bring it closer. Course lock it great also because it doesn't make a bit of difference which way the thing is flying. The sticks always make it go the same way. It is important that you understand how to reset the course lock to a new direction when flying. All this is hard to explain in text so watch as many videos as you can. Without youtube I would have be lost.

Hope all this helps.

 

[evonbart2]

Hi all, advice from the more experienced is very welcome.

I've had my phantom for just over a week but I've been away so have only had 3 days flying in which I've been up about 6 times. 1 minor prang with no damage on landing but I'm becoming more confident to go further afield. I have a phantom 2, zen muse 3D gimbal and fpv monitor.

1. When I fly a distance away 50m + I sometimes get a bit disorientated and obviously can't see the stickers or lights. Often I can use the fpv to look for objects but on occasion in wide open spaces with trees in the distance in all directions I've found myself having to run towards the phantom before I can ascertain whether I'm moving towards or away from me. How can I avoid this? Is iosd the answer?


2. I've only flown in GPS mode. Think this will be the case for some time! In the open tons of satellites are found and green flashing happens in about 30 seconds. Today I brought the phantom back to land on the first battery warning and noticed the indicator lights were solid red. I landed with no probs and see that this indicates error. What error? Not charged the battery yet or gone out on another flight.

3. I have some interesting woods near me. They are quite open but have a fair canopy covering. I've not tried to see if I'd get gps in this setting. Has anyone tried this? How will the phantom react?

4. How still is the phantom meant to be in GPS mode when all sticks are neutral? If I go up about 5m and just hover, the phantom can move in a 2-3m radius and also a 1-2m altitude. I have regularly done the compass movement dance. I've only ever flown in mildly windy conditions and never had the chance of a still day. I'm thinking of updating to 3.06 tonight but am nervous if the 3D gimbal issues mentioned about the X1 control not responding or only working at extremities.

Thoughts appreciated.

1. First learn what the switches are at the top of the RC. There is an excellent IOC explanation here. http://youtu.be/YyMIwvmcnDE
With that said. Use the left switch and turn it onto Home Lock. Left switch - 3rd position down and then pull back on the right stick. Your Phantom will return to you no matter what direction it's facing.

2. There's no reason to switch out of GPS mode for most uses. Being a showoff only gets your Phantom turned into a pile of rubble. Get some good flying XP under your belt, then work in manual mode if you feel confident. GPS mode is a great feature especially when any wind is around because it will assist you in keeping the Phantom where you want it, while you learn how to fly it.

3. As a rule your Phantom and the RC need a clear line of sight to work properly. Try getting the Phantom behind one single tree and see how she reacts. Your FPV will probably get wonky and fizzle out and in some cases your RC might go into failsafe mode and try to return to home. 2.4 & 5.8 ghz are usually best with nothing blocking their signal 5.8 ghz has longer range, but is more likely to lose signal with things in the way. Your P2 has a 2.4 Ghz RC and 5.8ghz FPV, so FPV will blot out first in a situation where tree or other objects block them.

4. My P2 and P2V+ are pretty rock steady in GPS mode. Your firmware upgrade might solve an issue know as TBE or toilet bowl effect. This scares the crap out of you when your Phantom starts making wide circles without you touching the sticks. If that's not the problem, hovering your Phantom close to the ground makes it susceptible to turbulence from the rotor wash that bounces off the ground and other objects. I have owned 5 Phantoms from the Vision, 3 P2s and a Vision +. Every single one has had this slight slide when the 4 powerful fans blow gusts of wind around. Best to let it settle itself before landing and slowly approach the ground. You can get good at feather light touchdowns if you practice. Even with that issue of it being bounced around by winds.

Hope it helps.

 

[pilsburypie]

All of you have made some excellent points - thanks very much