Anyone had this problem?

Jase · Oct 7, 2015

I'm starting to suspect that either the wire ribbon that connects the gimbal to the quad or to the VPS unit of my Phantom 3 Pro is faulty. It started while flying and I kept getting the status bar saying "signal lost"... and while I never lost control of the P3 I had no video. Now it pretty much does it each time I take off. After doing a whole bunch of testing, checking, reloading GO on my tab, trying another phone, and reinstalling the aircraft firmware I started to notice something. If I start it up the video is good, while on the ground I can move my hand in front of the camera and no problems with the moving video but if I pick the P3 up and turn it the video gets blocky and freezes and says "signal lost". I have disconnected the ribbons and reconnected them and it still isn't right. My last test I had the P3 on the ground with the video working perfectly but if I gently move the base of the gimbal just under the vibration dampeners it loses signal again. I cant quite figure out what is loose and what is causing it, has anyone had a similar thing that might help me solve this problem?

Thanks Jase

Farmer · Oct 7, 2015

Jase said:
I'm starting to suspect that either the wire ribbon that connects the gimbal to the quad or to the VPS unit of my Phantom 3 Pro is faulty. It started while flying and I kept getting the status bar saying "signal lost"... and while I never lost control of the P3 I had no video. Now it pretty much does it each time I take off. After doing a whole bunch of testing, checking, reloading GO on my tab, trying another phone, and reinstalling the aircraft firmware I started to notice something. If I start it up the video is good, while on the ground I can move my hand in front of the camera and no problems with the moving video but if I pick the P3 up and turn it the video gets blocky and freezes and says "signal lost". I have disconnected the ribbons and reconnected them and it still isn't right. My last test I had the P3 on the ground with the video working perfectly but if I gently move the base of the gimbal just under the vibration dampeners it loses signal again. I cant quite figure out what is loose and what is causing it, has anyone had a similar thing that might help me solve this problem?

Thanks Jase

Nooooooooooooooooo! I hope not ! because I have been experiencing the same thing.
I put it down to that firmware upgrade 1.4, thats when my problms started.

Mako79 · Oct 7, 2015

You guys checking the channels???
I'm on the same firmware using android but on ch 29 (32 ch hack).

Farmer · Oct 7, 2015

Mako79 said:
You guys checking the channels???
I'm on the same firmware using android but on ch 29 (32 ch hack).

Do tell! what hack? (interested)
I have been checking my channels though - I moved all my wifi to lower area of stangard spectrum and have the ch19 nominated and steady as
a rock.

Too windy today to take off and test following latest update.

Mako79 · Oct 7, 2015

Farmer said:
Do tell! what hack? (interested)
I have been checking my channels though - I moved all my wifi to lower area of stangard spectrum and have the ch19 nominated and steady as
a rock.

Too windy today to take off and test following latest update.

Credit goes to the RC group guys..
More channels hack | DJI Phantom Forum

If you get stuck, here are some pointers.
Try repeatedly. It may not appear first time.
Its easier on android than IOS.
Change your smartdevice/phones country to enable the 'custom' button. My Android phone is selected as AUS and works.
And remember to reset phone on each attempt.

Jase · Oct 8, 2015

Farmer said:
Nooooooooooooooooo! I hope not ! because I have been experiencing the same thing.
I put it down to that firmware upgrade 1.4, thats when my problms started.

Well I recently also upgraded to 1.4 but as I had the P3 on the ground all working and only if I tap on the machine or otherwise when I pinned the P3 on the ground with one hand to keep it very steady and moved the top plate of the gimbal it loses signal. It just seemed like it can be nothing but a loose wire etc. Maybe 1.4 has a bug that when the gyros or accelerometers are changing values it affects the video feed???

How do I downgrade and I will test it out?

Jase · Oct 8, 2015

Farmer which FW did you upgrade from when installing 1.4? Just want to see if there are any common denominators.

Another thing I have happening sometimes is the map flashes, at a full screen size, for a split second and seems to be linked to being at the point the signal gets weak. It also happens sometimes while taking pictures, it takes a picture and the map at full screen size blinks in the backround.

Farmer · Oct 8, 2015

Jase said:
Farmer which FW did you upgrade from when installing 1.4? Just want to see if there are any common denominators.

Another thing I have happening sometimes is the map flashes, at a full screen size, for a split second and seems to be linked to being at the point the signal gets weak. It also happens sometimes while taking pictures, it takes a picture and the map at full screen size blinks in the backround.

Hi Jase, v1.3.20_en.
I am using Ipad mini (my first ever apple product.)
Apple had an upgrade to v9.00 as well which I initiated before finding out there was a conflict with the go app.

None of the symptoms you mention in this post are familiar to me or my problems.

I can loose connection when RC is right by P3P and /or when its hovering above or hundreds of metres away.
The screen freezes sometimes too.
Tried my Android (note 2 - but it has later generation firmware) and it played up too.

Farmer · Oct 8, 2015

Jase said:
Well I recently also upgraded to 1.4 but as I had the P3 on the ground all working and only if I tap on the machine or otherwise when I pinned the P3 on the ground with one hand to keep it very steady and moved the top plate of the gimbal it loses signal. It just seemed like it can be nothing but a loose wire etc. Maybe 1.4 has a bug that when the gyros or accelerometers are changing values it affects the video feed???

How do I downgrade and I will test it out?

I was unable to downgrade - got a msg saying something like FW is older or the same or someting like that - read somewhere you need a bin file of something.....
sorry over my head! Thats why I pulled out my P2.

Jase · Oct 8, 2015

I contacted DJI. You can downgrade to ver 1.3.2 but not to 1.2.6. Just downgrade to 1.3.2 the same way you would have upgraded to 1.3.2. I downgraded and went for a flight all seemed good so I went out to an industrial area with a lot of frequency noise and all was good. Then I went to do a clients job and the problem came back. I went back to the industrial area and problem happened there now as well. So basically its not an area problem but rather intermittent problem. When I move the VPS/gimbal lead it seems to get better and worse so I think there night be a break there somewhere. Grrrr