"Disconnected" on iPhone 6 Plus During Flight

[badlosedotorg]

I want to preface that I'm a very new drone pilot. I just got my Phantom3 Pro last week and have had 4 serious flights.

My first flight was in IL and it was flawless - flew great (besides my lack of knowing the controls) and returned to home just wonderfully.

I brought it with me to CO and tried two flights in the Rocky Mountains. The first one was up very high - around 11,000 feet elevation. I took off from a parking area and I didn't get out but 200 feet and it said "Disconnected" on my screen. My heart dropped. I tried sending a RTH command and nothing. Luckily, I could still manually control it and see it so I landed it myself. Talk about a scare.

We drove down to lower elevation - about 7,000 feet and the same thing - I have video on my phone, GPS is good, ready to fly. I take off fine, then I fly off and it shows disconnected again. I went ahead and flew it manually for some video this time (luckily I hit record before I took off). I had full control of gimbal, all controls, just flying "blind."

I'm certain I'm on the latest firmware as I updated as soon as it shipped - Monday last week.

Any ideas? Was the elevation throwing me off or do I have some other issue?

 

[Apparition]

Did you use the button on the controller for RTH? Or the one in the app?

What cable are you using to connect your iPhone?

 

[badlosedotorg]

I tried to use the one on the app. I'm so used to using it I'm not familiar with the button and how it works. Now I know, lesson learned.

I'm using an Apple brand Lightning cable.

 

[Apparition]

I tried to use the one on the app. I'm so used to using it I'm not familiar with the button and how it works. Now I know, lesson learned.

I'm using an Apple brand Lightning cable.

Good, I couldn't figure out how you'd have control but the RTH button not work.

You may want to try another cable. I'm using the 12" cambond cable from Amazon. Maybe there's something happening through the length of the Apple cable or the weight of it puts pressure on the connections? Do you have the excess cable wrapped around the antennas? Just throwing out ideas.

 

[fin032]

I am having the same problem as you with Iphone 6+ with apple lightning cable with wifi and blue tooth off. Video drops out a lot and also disconnects. I found putting the phone in to airplain mode really helped.

 

[gfo315]

That's a weird thing. I guess we're discussing something we don't really know. But my guess would be on the antennas position - where were they pointing?
In every video, I've seen people pointing them right to the front of the controller.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fin032]

Mines have been around 45 degrees up and slightly out. Mines dose the same thing even if the bird is only a few away. I wonder if its something to do with the standard Iphone cable. I will have to find a better one here in the UK. Have you tried it with the standard cable?

 

[danjordrone]

I dont use a 6+ i use a ipad air2 no issues at all
i got an anker short lead of amazon here in tbe uk its just the job

 

[fin032]

Have you got a link for it on Amazon UK? I can see the 3ft cables but nothing for Anker 1ft.

 

[danjordrone]

I got it from anker direct mate

 

[danjordrone]

this HTML class. Value is https://www.amazon.c

 

[danjordrone]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KGXJ8UO/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

 

[danjordrone]

Maybe using longer cable or maybe some cables between controller and tablet or iphone or any phone is picking up RF and causing probs for us.My thoughts but i find shorter anker lead cuts it back lots with perhaps better shielding against RF

 

[Buckaye]

I have been using the iPhone 6 plus and have not had this issue at all - the worst thing that happened to me is that (being in Florida) my iPhone went into the over-temp warning (which essentially leaves you flying blind). I never lost contact with the Phantom Manually though. My suggestion is for you to really practice using the controller (and not the app) as a means of flying the bird because if you master that - you won't be so shaken when you lose connection to the iPhone. I view the iPhone as kind of a nice to have interface not a must have because I learned on a Phantom 2 without FPV or telemetry or anything.

It is weird to me, though, that you keep losing connection....

 

[badlosedotorg]

Thank you all for your relies and suggestions. I'm on vacation in Colorado so can't try a new cable but I will try Airplane Mode. My antennas are always pointed straight out.

 

[Apparition]

Thank you all for your relies and suggestions. I'm on vacation in Colorado so can't try a new cable but I will try Airplane Mode. My antennas are always pointed straight out.

They should be up, parallel to the legs on the phantom.

 

[PishPosh]

Yeah try pointing your antennas up and not out. Let us know if this fixes it..

 

[flyingdream]

This is either a case of Gremlinitis or a fixable problem. I've been having disconnects nearly every flight on a P3A (using an iphone 6+, IOS8.3, updated Pilot App) for over 2 weeks using a super handy 1' Anker cable. I read on this site a user who had luck switching from a short aftermarket cable to a standard Apple Lightning-USB cable. After switching from the Anker to an Apple cable (plus twist tie to keep it tidy), now 4 flights later I've had zero disconnects, in this case using the OEM cable DID help a bunch. Have been in Airplane mode, BT off, Antennas angled out slightly on all flights.

 

[fin032]

Never wanted to hear this. I am changing from standard iPhone cable to a Anker cable to see if it helps.

 

[Sammynels]

I had the same issue before I switched to an authentic apple lightning cable. No worries