Beta Testers requested to fix Compass Issue

[nhoover]

Here in California at +37, -122 I initially (first 20 flights in December/Jan) had perfect flying with my P2V. Starting Jan 25, I've had strong J-Hook and some TBE. Every once and a while (like 1 in 30 or 40 flights) it clears up after flying a while and it's straight and true, but that's super rare and always lapse back on the next flight. It is a constant pain and if I had to use this for work I would give up. I would love to help out but only have a P2V/Flytrex. I am on V2 firmware, calibrate my compass often, have tried full IMU calibration with a long cable in the middle of a field far from any metal. Nothing helps. It is SO annoying. My P2V+ is coming soon and with that gimbal I hope to do a lot more shooting but I need to be able to fly straight!

THANKS DJI for posting here. Very much appreciated.

 

[Dynamic]

are we addressing the compass error issue and not connecting to satellites as well ????

 

[onfourblades]

I received my mark II today and installing it later today.

 

[cruiser607]

same here.

I've flashed the new software on the iosd and will take it for a first testflight during my lunchbreak.

@terry how do we upload the logs?

 

[onfourblades]

Update:
MarkII Installation success!
Please Inform on Testing Procedures and Log Data Upload Procedures .
Beta Testers:Everyone have their Mark II installed and ready to Fly?
PM me for install assistance

 

[GMANNZ]

no further for 2 weeks ?? ..... anything happening here still .....

 

[SeanAxiom]

I made a post before seeing your post.

This is my situation:

have a Phantom 2 with Zenmuse H3-2D plus a Tx for FPV. Regardless of flying mode (GPS, ATT), Phantom takes off with no problem but then it starts “drifting” to the “Left”, and then accelerates the move to the left until I pull it back to the right. It then keeps fighting to go to the left, sometimes circling on the air on its own in a circle with radius of about 3 to 4 meters! I have seen this problem with other guys as well; I had this issue with my Phantom V1.1 as well. So, this is my stat and actions taken with no success:

1- Props are balanced
2- Compass is calibrated: basic calibration, advance calibration, and for sure compass dance!
3- Flown in pretty good conditions, no wind at all, the problem still there
4- RC sticks are calibrated via RC Software
5- I live in Vancouver Canada and apparently the only Phantom pilot here

I cannot think of anything else, the only thing I haven’t done is the “Magnetic Field Declination” stuff which I left as the last resort of action. Does changing the "basic gain" got anything to do with this?

 

[cruiser607]

OK, I've just collected TBEs and JHooks on a first tesflight in pretty windy Auckland.

I'm ready to upload. Terry?

 

[cruiser607]

I cannot think of anything else, the only thing I haven’t done is the “Magnetic Field Declination” stuff which I left as the last resort of action. Does changing the "basic gain" got anything to do with this?

Where are you flying your phantom (location)?

EDIT: sorry - you stated Vancouver. Your magnetic declination is 16 degrees, So yes ... this is your problem. :/

 

[GMANNZ]

OK, I've just collected TBEs and JHooks on a first tesflight in pretty windy Auckland.

I'm ready to upload. Terry?

Kiwis on the money with the data look forward to seeing the DJI responses ....

 

[terry.one]

Hi, dear testers,
We will contact you via email independently. You can share the progress with other members here. Thank you.

 

[ianwood]

We will need some structured tests to make this consistent. I will let Terry confirm what we need to do but I will suggest we follow some well defined steps as closely as possible. I propose the following:

1. Make sure you are on firmware 3.00 (I bet Terry will require this) and have flown on this firmware for at least a couple of flights without any other issues.
2. Perform IMU advanced calibration on level surface. Do not touch Phantom during calibration. Take a screenshot of the IMU and compass screen.
3. Identify a flying location that is ideally an open field with no major rock formations nearby (visible or otherwise). No beaches, parking lots, etc.
4. At flying location, perform compass calibration. No metal or non-flight electronics (including the RC) within 10 feet.
5. Set up Phantom and use your phone (there's an app for that) or a real compass to identify its heading. Write down the heading. Use this heading for forward/backward tests. Note if the heading is magnetic or true.
6. Start up and take off establishing a hover. Do not apply any inputs after take off. If you get TBE right away, let it happen until you feel you need to recover it. Write down that you had to recover it. Bring it back to starting point and heading.
7. Fly forward 20-30ft at a reasonable pace and then release. Allow Phantom to hook, drift and/or TBE. Try to let it come to a stop on its own. Intervene if you have to or TBE gets bigger not smaller. If you have to intervene, make a note of it.
8. Fly backward the same distance and allow the Phantom to settle on it's own only intervening if necessary as above.
9. Fly the Phantom as you would normally for 4 minutes.
10. Repeat steps 7 and 8, write down differences in hooking, drift and/or TBE.
11. Fly the Phantom as you would normally for another 4 minutes.
12. Repeat steps 7 and 8, write down differences in hooking, drift and/or TBE.
13. Make sure Phantom is aligned with original take off heading and then switch to course lock.
14. Fly forward in course lock. Release and then fly back in course lock. Write down estimated degrees between Phantom forward direction and the course the Phantom flew in.
15. Land, shut down and then download the data from the Mark II OSD.
16. Upload OSD data and notes here.

 

[SeanAxiom]

I cannot think of anything else, the only thing I haven’t done is the “Magnetic Field Declination” stuff which I left as the last resort of action. Does changing the "basic gain" got anything to do with this?

Where are you flying your phantom (location)?

EDIT: sorry - you stated Vancouver. Your magnetic declination is 16 degrees, So yes ... this is your problem. :/

Thanks Cruiser607, I'm gonna give it a try tomorrow, I'm not sure about which direction to turn the compass, left or right. I'll give both a try

 

[BigBadFun]

OK, I've just collected TBEs and JHooks on a first tesflight in pretty windy Auckland. I'm ready to upload. Terry?

A lot of Kiwi flyers following your progress bro - keep up the good work!

I had a dream last night I was sitting at the computer and reading Phantom 3.1 release notes which included:

- Fixed drift and TBE issue some users were experiencing in areas of high magnetic declination
- Added options to start up melody (1) Annoying (default) (2) Stealth (off)

Ha ha... unfortunately I was so excited I wet the bed - then started crying when I realised I was dreaming... :lol:

 

[BenDronePilot]

When I returned my P2V to dronefly for the drifting sideways issue (among other strange anomolies) they claimed it was flying straight and had the same flight characteristics as a new they compared it to. Got it back and the same thing, no matter how carefully or what way I calibrate the compass I would have a drift to the right followed by a hooking motion even further right when releasing throttle. This behavior would self correct by the time I was more than half way through the battery but would be back again after a power cycle or battery change.

P.S. Dronefly is located in California I am in Queens NYC

 

[ianwood]

When I returned my P2V to dronefly for the drifting sideways issue (among other strange anomolies) they claimed it was flying straight and had the same flight characteristics as a new they compared it to. Got it back and the same thing, no matter how carefully or what way I calibrate the compass I would have a drift to the right followed by a hooking motion even further right when releasing throttle. This behavior would self correct by the time I was more than half way through the battery but would be back again after a power cycle or battery change.

P.S. Dronefly is located in California I am in Queens NYC

What you're experiencing is exactly what we're all seeing. Dronefly is right in saying your Phantom is just like a new one because they both have the same defect in their firmware. There's nothing they can do to fix it. Only DJI can address it.

 

[cruiser607]

I've just upload the first results. Let's see!

 

[landonkk]

When I returned my P2V to dronefly for the drifting sideways issue (among other strange anomolies) they claimed it was flying straight and had the same flight characteristics as a new they compared it to. Got it back and the same thing, no matter how carefully or what way I calibrate the compass I would have a drift to the right followed by a hooking motion even further right when releasing throttle. This behavior would self correct by the time I was more than half way through the battery but would be back again after a power cycle or battery change.

P.S. Dronefly is located in California I am in Queens NYC

Dronefly could probably really help our cause as they are located in Thousand Oaks and without a doubt show the effects of this j hook problem on the Phantoms they test... but in my experience with them, Dronefly kinda stinks in the area of being helpful.

 

[ianwood]

Dronefly could probably really help our cause as they are located in Thousand Oaks and without a doubt show the effects of this j hook problem on the Phantoms they test... but in my experience with them, Dronefly kinda stinks in the area of being helpful.

As they seem to be exclusively DJI, I think they're taking their cues from the mothership. Makes sense for them to let DJI investigate and acknowledge it only when told it is safe to do so. In the meantime, they'll keep sending back returns for this which is such a waste of everyone's time and resources.

In other news, I ripped out all my perfectly soldered wiring for the mini OSD and installed the Mark II OSD. It's in a very nicely machined metal box but ironically, this is the one and only time when you'd prefer it to be plastic! It weighs about 3x the mini OSD. No data capture until later this week.

 

[SeanAxiom]

I cannot think of anything else, the only thing I haven’t done is the “Magnetic Field Declination” stuff which I left as the last resort of action. Does changing the "basic gain" got anything to do with this?

Where are you flying your phantom (location)?

EDIT: sorry - you stated Vancouver. Your magnetic declination is 16 degrees, So yes ... this is your problem. :/

Thanks Cruiser607, I'm gonna give it a try tomorrow, I'm not sure about which direction to turn the compass, left or right. I'll give both a try

We did it this afternoon, turned the compass for about 17' CW, it worked like a charm! P2 now hovers very steady with a small or zero drifting, moves forward and backward on a pretty straight line. Will do some fine tuning tomorrow.