First flight after switching to NAZA mode didn't go well

[rrmccabe]

I am new and have heard altitude is your friend many times. I thinks this is true when you get in s bad situation like trees or you lost site because of the sun. But when you think you have a bird with a mind of its own I still can't help but think getting that thing to the ground is best. If its gonna fly away I would rather it "try " at 6 feet than 100 feet. Now environment including people around you come into play of course.

Once again I am new.. and have no idea what I am talking about. Just would have did the same thing as the original poster in this situation.

 

[Double-D]

I am new and have heard altitude is your friend many times. I thinks this is true when you get in s bad situation like trees or you lost site because of the sun. But when you think you have a bird with a mind of its own I still can't help but think getting that thing to the ground is best. If its gonna fly away I would rather it "try " at 6 feet than 100 feet. Now environment including people around you come into play of course.

Once again I am new.. and have no idea what I am talking about. Just would have did the same thing as the original poster in this situation.

Agreed.
While the quote is true. I remember as an early flyer I just didn't have the confidence to fly high and was quite happy flying it close.
The quote for beginners and the first few flights should be 'wide open space is your friend'.

 

[BlackTracer]

Another test I did to check the home lock was fly a few feet out and switch to home lock and see if I could pull back on the right stick and have it come towards me as opposed to flying away if home lock was not on. This tests the location of the home position.

This test is invalid the way you are carrying it out. Home lock isn't possible unless u r > 10m away from the home point location. So to do this test be sure to fly away from the home position > 10m then switch to HL. Then pull back on the stick to test the home point.

Sasquatch, don't give up on naza mode. You will figure it out. Be sure to set your switches with authority. Moving them gently into position doesn't always work. Don't believe me? Go into the assistant and watch the switch positions. Very slowly move a switch from center to up. The up position will not always engage!! This is not likely your issue but just wanted to point it out this subtle nuance of our craft.

 

[Gatordent]

From the video I would suggest that you were experiencing the toilet bowl effect. I always perform a compass calibration regardless of the distance to my previous flight. There may be magnetic field differences that the compass can pick up and may cause erratic flight. I wonder if the large metallic building nearby had any effect???

 

[MRSpyder2U]

Sasquatch -
Have you done the foil upgrade? The reason I ask, when you started the video, could it have dropped enough sats that it could no longer remain on-station?

 

[plasmo]

Agree with others, your flight definitely looks like the Toilet Bowl Effect.

It looks exactly what I experienced a little while back.
Here's my vid:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01rZ3oIHgyQ[/youtube]

I figured my TBE was due to taking off from a metal manhole. Luckily no damage was done during the emergency crash landing, and the TBE went away after I did a Full IMU recalibration.

I would keep NAZA if I were you... you have more control if TBE happens by either switching to Home Lock or ATTI or RTH modes. I'm sure I would have crashed hard if I only used GPS Phantom mode, and not sure if I would have turned off the controller for RTH in the state of panic I was in.

 

[Sasquatch]

Sorry everyone for the late responses and update on this situation...

Re the greyed out cal button. mine does this at times. I find restarting the software, occasionally numerous times, and/or repositioning my bird fixes it.

Thanks DD and you were right, restarting the software cleared up this problem. Got this sorted last weekend.

when you think you have a bird with a mind of its own I still can't help but think getting that thing to the ground is best. If its gonna fly away I would rather it "try " at 6 feet than 100 feet.

I agree and this was my thinking when she started acting funny.

Sasquatch, don't give up on naza mode. You will figure it out. Be sure to set your switches with authority.

Thanks for the tip and I'm pretty heavy on the switches anyway.

Have you done the foil upgrade? The reason I ask, when you started the video, could it have dropped enough sats that it could no longer remain on-station?

No, I haven't done the foil mod. I really haven't had a need and since I always get a good amount of sats.

Agree with others, your flight definitely looks like the Toilet Bowl Effect.

It looks exactly what I experienced a little while back.
Here's my vid:

Thanks and your TBE was sure a lot scarier than mine! You were up much higher and a distance away. Same condition though it seems for sure. Glad we both managed to avoid being flushed right down the drain!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Well today was the first day I had to do a flight and try to recalibrate everything since last weekend. I took her out to a field and did a manual compass calibration (actually did the 2 step dance this time). I don't think it worked however and even though I did it twice. Can someone confirm the LED pattern after successful compass cali? I flipped the S1 switch 6 times, got the solid yellow lights. Did the horizontal circle, got a series of fast flashing green LEDs, then did the vertical circle. After that, the LED's went to alternate flashing between yellow and red. According to the DJI documentation, it says it failed and try again.

Got home, plugged her in and checked basic IMU calibration; said it wasn't needed. I however did an advanced cali anyway.

Took her out to the field after this to test. Winds were gusting at about 25 mph so I'm not sure if that was a factor. Took her up about 15-20 feet and let hover for several minutes and she seemed to be drifting at times. I could see the motors trying to compensate but, they didn't do a very good job. At one point she drifted about 15 feet to the left and shortly after she descended from about 20 feet down to about 4 before I had to throttle up. It didn't seem like the last time where she was actually moving with force on her own. I didn't take anymore chances and brought her down after two very short tests.

So, can anyone confirm the LED pattern I got and also suggest anything else? This bird was rock solid hovering when I was in Phantom mode and now she's not. If it's a compass problem, then why all of a sudden is this happening? I think I've done all the proper procedures to fix.

Thanks so much as always

 

[plasmo]

 

[Sasquatch]

Thanks Plasmo....this is what I thought and as per the manual and your photo:



Well then, why didn't my manual compass cali work? I did it twice, in a large field right in the middle of the grass. If I can't get this sorted out then I'll have no choice but to go back to Phantom mode. :?

 

[BlackTracer]

Thanks Plasmo....this is what I thought and as per the manual and your photo:



Well then, why didn't my manual compass cali work? I did it twice, in a large field right in the middle of the grass. If I can't get this sorted out then I'll have no choice but to go back to Phantom mode. :?

FWIW this is how I do it, I am going to show every step in painful detail but not because I don't think you're doing it right. I am in NAZA mode:
1. I place phantom on the ground facing away from me. Earth compass orientation does't matter. I power on controller, extender, phantom.
2. After phantom is done with the startup sequence, I flip S1 until I get solid yellow.
3. I put the controller down on the ground, walk over to the phantom and pick it up by the back two arms near the LEDs, palms on top, and hold it at slightly bent arms length.
4. Watching the steady yellow LEDs, I slowly rotate counterclockwise, until I see the steady yellow change to steady green. I find that I have to rotate more than 360 degrees for the change. I slow way down when I get around 360 and stop when it changes.
5. I then regrasp the same two arms with the nose facing down, skids towards me, palms more on the bottom of the arms.
6. I do the same slow counterclockwise rotation, until I see the LEDs change to whatever non-compass-cal state they happen to be in. This second rotation is very close to 360 degrees.
7. Done. I set it down and go about my flight.

I know this is old news but just thought I would print it out anyways.

 

[Sasquatch]

Thank you once again, BlackTracer and for explaining your method so precisely.

I was a little surprised that I did do the manual calibration almost exactly how you outlined. Phantom was on the ground, pointed away from me. I even rotated the bird counterclockwise and slowly. The first time I did my compass calibration and right after purchase; it was done in my house (on the second floor of my house) not knowing any better. I also didn't do the 'two step dance' and simply rotated the bird with my hands on its axis'. This seemed to work just fine while I was flying in Phantom mode.

I'm stumped at the moment and unless someone can offer me some new advice that I haven't tried, I'm quite fearful of flying my bird now. I was never all that secure before but since I had this TBE last weekend, I'm truly scared.

 

[rgsinsc]

This is the only thread I found on NASA mode under the P2V+ and I have some questions.

I am a relatively new ( and conservative) flyer with maybe 5-6 (successful) flights.

It seems to me that NASA mode, with "home lock" in particular could very useful, yet it seems to be discouraged until one is an expert flyer.........if one is an expert flyer I see no need for NASA mode?

Also as I was going through the S/W to make the switch, I stopped because a warning came up indicating that the Phantom's light patterns would all switch to NASA mode and I have no idea what they are or where to find them.

My question is when the craft has GPS lock will either mode display the slow green blinking lights regardless of the position of s2 in home or course lock?

If not, where does one find the new light displays.......I am a new enough and conservative enough a flyer that I need to insure the Phantom has GPS lock regardless of the position of S2 given S1 is in the upper most (GPS) position.

Any insights appreciated.

 

[BlackTracer]

The first time I did my compass calibration and right after purchase; it was done in my house (on the second floor of my house) not knowing any better. I also didn't do the 'two step dance' and simply rotated the bird with my hands on its axis'. This seemed to work just fine while I was flying in Phantom mode.

Lol. I did the exact same thing with my P2V that I had in March. I returned it to amazon as the plus was announced and I was within my 30days.

It came in phantom mode of course and also in CE mode and with 1.08. I did my compass cal inside the house rotating the phantom. I even did the nose rotation around the wrong axis! It flew fine though. I switched it to NAZA for about 5 flights before returning it but always did the compass cal "wrong". I got the right lights so I think it works fine doing it the bogus way I was doing it. I even did my plus the same way at least twice. And it flew fine like that also. Maybe you should try it the non dance way?

 

[tedw123]

Went to fly tonight and it was m first time since switching over to NAZA mode.

Everything was checked before takeoff. S1 and S2 switches up, had 10 - 12 satellites. antennae at 90 degrees. Everything the same as always and like when I was flying in Phantom mode.

Shortly after lift off and while doing maneuvers at about 20 feet up and about 100 feet away, she started to drift all over the place when hovering. Then she started moving on her own with no input from me with the sticks! The controls were working but a couple of times I had to fight her to make her go the direction I wanted. It was really scary! In my haste to get her back on the ground I had a minor crash with her landing a little hard and blades tipping into the grass. That was the first time I've ever had that happen and always land on the ground. I think if she had been very high up or far away from me, I would have lost her tonight.

Does anyone have any ideas on what might have gone wrong or what may have happened? Should I switch back to Phantom mode...can I do that?

Sounds to me like you didn't have lock yet. The flashing sequence is different and if you have one flashing red mixed in the green, to early to take off. Pretty much guarantee as it happened to me before.

 

[BlackTracer]

Sounds to me like you didn't have lock yet. The flashing sequence is different and if you have one flashing red mixed in the green, to early to take off. Pretty much guarantee as it happened to me before.

He had lock with 12 sats. Everyone wishes they had that kinda lock always. You can get home position with one red. Happens to me sometimes. I get the second set of greens with 6 sats. Thats normal and ok to take off if that's all you get.

 

[Double-D]

This is the only thread I found on NASA mode under the P2V+ and I have some questions.

I am a relatively new ( and conservative) flyer with maybe 5-6 (successful) flights.

It seems to me that NASA mode, with "home lock" in particular could very useful, yet it seems to be discouraged until one is an expert flyer.........if one is an expert flyer I see no need for NASA mode?

Also as I was going through the S/W to make the switch, I stopped because a warning came up indicating that the Phantom's light patterns would all switch to NASA mode and I have no idea what they are or where to find them.

My question is when the craft has GPS lock will either mode display the slow green blinking lights regardless of the position of s2 in home or course lock?

If not, where does one find the new light displays.......I am a new enough and conservative enough a flyer that I need to insure the Phantom has GPS lock regardless of the position of S2 given S1 is in the upper most (GPS) position.

Any insights appreciated.

A simple Google search for Naza manual will find it.
The light sequences are indeed different for start up, gps lock and s1 and s2 switches. If you start off in gps mode you will still get slow green flashes with 6+ satellites.
You're doing the smart thing by looking into the manual for Naza mode. Don't want another dumb as blaming a fly away.
Good luck

 

[Tails_Up]

I have made the mistake of taking off in a small clearing with trees all around. I had six sats on the ground, but as soon as I lifted off, I lost one and it flipped to ATTI mode. Instead of that braking action you have while under GPS (you let off the stick and it stops and hovers), it now drifts until corrected. It was bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball as I tried to correct left/right/left/right.

No, this story does not have a happy ending.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Uh oh... :|

 

[Sasquatch]

Well, I've had no luck in recalibrating the compass on my PV2+ in Naza mode, I really don't know why. Every time I've tried to recalibrate it, the LED's are indicating there are errors. So, I've switched back to phantom mode and will test soon.

My compass values aren't abnormal and when I attempt to do a basic calibration, it tells me it's not necessary (both Naza and Phantom modes).

Thanks for those who've tried to help me, I really appreciate the help and maybe once I test again in Phantom mode I will have something more relevant to report. I would have preferred to have my bird in NAZA mode and after my initial training flights, but I just don't feel confident anymore with the way it's flying in Naza.

 

[chriske]

The compass was off, just switch to atti mode land -> recalibrate compass and take off again, dont be scared i had the exact same problem once.