Can't Take Off - Stuck with IMU Initializing Error

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Has anyone had a problem where your P3 won't take off and reports that the IMU is still initializing? The status indicator in the App says everything is fine and ready to fly as GPS, but as soon as I try to start the motors I get an error that the IMU is initializing. I also checked the status screen and it said the IMU was normal and tried recalibrating the IMU and compass.

So far nothing will make the IMU initializing error go away and it will not take off with the error. It flew perfectly fine just 30 min before. Then I swapped batteries and now it won't take off.
 
my first p3p had that issue and would not show any values in the imu settings when i went to calibrate. i returned it and my new one is fine.
 
I somehow fixed it in the weirdest way. This is a P3 that has flown hundreds of flights and never had a single problem. I upgraded all of the firmware and DJI GO app to the latest, recalibrated the IMU, etc. and the error was still there. There was a large metal sewage drain with a metal manhole cover not far from where I was trying to take off. I always avoid getting near anything like that because it causes compass errors. Well I decided maybe making the compass get an error would fix the IMU problem and so I sat the P3 directly on top of the metal manhole cover and it actually worked. It gave me a compass error but let me take off manually and in mid air the IMU problem went away. I landed, recalibrated the compass and all was fine.

Definitely not for the faint of heart or anywhere near people or other valuable objects but it did work.
 
I have the exact same problem. Worked fine at last flight. It will not start now. As I do the CSC maneuver the screen flashes the imu warning. Trying to figure away around this.
 
Get the AirCraft (A/C) as cold as possible, and then recalibrate the IMU. The colder you can get to refrigerator temps, and the sooner you can get the process started after removing from the cold area....the sooner the A/C(IMU) will be ready for starting up for flight. Mine happens now almost instantly. I do a compass calibration and the flight begins.

Btw, back to IMU calibrations. When you power on the A/C the a heater begins immediately raising the temp of the IMU. This is why you want to begin the calibration as soon as you can get in on a level surface and select start calibration in the IMU sensor section.
 
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Thanks! Worked like a charm. I really appreciate this forum.
 
Thanks guys, you all a great help, I'm in Zimbabwe Africa and recently recieved a p3p, I'm really chuffed, I have flown a couple of times so far, I am very nervous as I keep wondering what I would do if I crash cause we dont have a spares backup in this place, anyway, I will fly safe in the meantime, thanks for your feed back.
 
It flew perfectly fine just 30 min before. Then I swapped batteries and now it won't take off.
Is this the clue - you swapped batteries? Maybe the second battery has a firmware issue preventing the IMU from calibrating?
Re charge the old barney and try again with it?
 
Has anyone had a problem where your P3 won't take off and reports that the IMU is still initializing? The status indicator in the App says everything is fine and ready to fly as GPS, but as soon as I try to start the motors I get an error that the IMU is initializing. I also checked the status screen and it said the IMU was normal and tried recalibrating the IMU and compass.

So far nothing will make the IMU initializing error go away and it will not take off with the error. It flew perfectly fine just 30 min before. Then I swapped batteries and now it won't take off.
 
I've had that problem off and on over the years including today with no rhyme or reason. Very frustrating. If it doesn't clear up in an hour, I end up going home.
 
I had that problem a few years ago on my P3S. I had to take the top cover off and use the handle of a screw driver to hit the IMU hard a couple of times to get it unstuck. Has worked ever since. There are Utube videos that show how to do it.

Chris
 
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Stuck IMU? Try giving the drone a good slap on the top.
Well, I Heimliched the drone, but it's still locked up in that calibration mode... Any shop recomendations?
I had that problem a few years ago on my P3S. I had to take the top cover off and use the handle of a screw driver to hit the IMU hard a couple of times to get it unstuck. Has worked ever since. There are Utube videos that show how to do it.

Chris
Ok, well,,, How do you know when it's unstuck besides assembling it and trying it out? Is there something inside you can hear rattle?
 
Well, I Heimliched the drone, but it's still locked up in that calibration mode... Any shop recomendations?

Ok, well,,, How do you know when it's unstuck besides assembling it and trying it out? Is there something inside you can hear rattle?
I kept my lid off and ran the IMU calibration before I snapped everything back together again and it completed.

There is nothing inside that rattles

Chris
 
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I kept my lid off and ran the IMU calibration before I snapped everything back together again and it completed.

There is nothing inside that rattles

Chris
Got it. Thank you. For future reference, is there a repair company that's recommendable?
 
I used this video to help me with my repair. The hardest part for me was unsnapping the top shell without breaking any of the tabs. Those tabs were a pain.

Good luck.

Chris
 
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