Frank's Story

[TheLightSpeedz]

I think it was a pure mistake on my part. I put the prop on and spun it but obviously it was not on properly. On my return flight, so to speak, I had to push that particular prop down firmly for it to catch on the threads and spin in tight. This second time I put it on in first instance it just spun on top of the threads it could have done that the first time around and just assumed it was on. My head was probably on something else at the time.

I will keep saying it. Sooooooooo glad it spun off at take off and not 10 mins later.

The satellites are jumping around because you had your hand on top of the bird.

Also are you facing the camera at the ground on the second part of the calibration?


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[KyleMaxxUAV]

I think, well lets say I am hoping, that the shake is due to the heli fighting against the wind. Sometimes when the sun is bright and the props get between the sun and the camera you do get a strobing effect. The camera is trying to go forward and the wind is trying its best to push my off to the right. You can always tell when the heli is struggling because on or both of the arms appear in to the camera view when the heli tips forward to 'dig' into the air to pull itself forward or just get back into position. I have tended to fly in gusty winds.

All the stuff I am doing at the moment is purely a teaching myself exercise. Trying to make the mistakes early on whilst I am still learning.

I have redone the IMU and Gible calibration.

Thanks for the tip about the compass calibration. I just thought it did not matter which way you turned it. Will do it anti-clock wise from now on.

My next test will be to see if the camera shakes whilst its just hovering with no wind.

Franks Tip.

Take off and play with the exposure/white balance before you move off. When you are happy with the picture leave the right adjustment wheel alone. My mistake was in one of the videos I flew to the hill and in the camera view through the RC it looked very dark. So like a twit I adjusted it. On playback it turns out the setting were fine till I adjusted them mid flight. Another lesson learned.

To see what I mean skip to 50 seconds and the changes appear at around 1 min.

Still seems like a lot of vibration, do you have FPV mode activated in the app ? Are all of the vibrations dampeners secure (the little silicone things that connect your gimbal to the AC frame )?


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[Frankc]

Still seems like a lot of vibration, do you have FPV mode activated in the app ? Are all of the vibrations dampeners secure (the little silicone things that connect your gimbal to the AC frame )?
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The gimbal buffers/dampeners are secure. The rubbery plastic is not damaged. They look ok, but then again I dont really know what I am looking at/for so its hard to tell. Just hoping its obvious if its wrong. The Gimbal comes up to 90* straight ahead when I switch it on.

As for the FPV Mode I think its on. Not entirely sure. Cannot see that mode making any difference in straight flight, only perhaps when I am turning/banking.

What it may be are the props themselves. I keep them clean but not tried to balance them. Anyone got any prop balancing tips or advice?

 

[Frankc]

Just spent an hour researching this vibration problem or Jello effect as our friends in the US of A would say. I am convinced its the props out of balance. In fact id lay money on it. Just watched brand new props being taken out of the packet and they were well out of balance. For the sake of a fiver it must be worth checking.

So the balancing rods are on order As I said £5. Will let you know how I get on when they arrive.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Keep us posted , if it doesn't clear up get it replaced ASAP. Personally if mine looked like that out of the box I would be swapping it.


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[KyleMaxxUAV]

That was straight out of the box, all settings on auto. When I got my pro.
Just for a comparison.


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[Frankc]

I am hoping to do a waypoint flight tomorrow. Record it. So when my props are balanced I will be able to do a before/after comparison by flying exactly the same route. The balancing rod is on order and was being made for me today, with a bit of luck.

Nice video by the way. I will see if I can dig out my first video to compare the shakes.

 

[John Locke]

I am hoping to do a waypoint flight tomorrow. Record it. So when my props are balanced I will be able to do a before/after comparison by flying exactly the same route. The balancing rod is on order and was being made for me today, with a bit of luck.

Nice video by the way. I will see if I can dig out my first video to compare the shakes.

If you have spare props, replace them all and compare. It's odd that new DJI props would be out of balance enough to cause jello. All of the new props I've balanced were so close that it's really not worth the effort, but I do it anyway just to make sure things are optimal. I hope you also bought the Dubro balance jig, it works well with the balance rod you're buying.

 

[4wd]

Props are almost always out of balance, when you get the rod you can do a reasonable job with it on a heavy glass or even tin of beans or whatever.
Checking both ways will smooth out any minor imperfections in levelness.
In my first P3 flight I immediately spotted the tell-tale jello when any more aggressive movement was initiated - once sorted I almost never see it, and I bet running them out of balance is a good way to start cracks too.

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Props are almost always out of balance, when you get the rod you can do a reasonable job with it on a heavy glass or even tin of beans or whatever.
Checking both ways will smooth out any minor imperfections in levelness.
In my first P3 flight I immediately spotted the tell-tale jello when any more aggressive movement was initiated - once sorted I almost never see it, and I bet running them out of balance is a good way to start cracks too.

I'm with john here,
Sure they may be slightly out of balance but if you got props from DJI that are causing vibrations like that, SEND EM BACK! Lol just my 2¢.
Frank is having vibrations rather than "jello" which leads me to believe it's something else.


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[Frankc]

Open to suggestions. If anyone can suggest what might be wrong. Everything else looks fine. The gimbal itself is not loose and does not appear to vibrate. I know about the grubscrew underneath.

So suggestions please?

 

[KyleMaxxUAV]

Return it and swap it for a new one if you can, otherwise send it to DJI for repair along with a few videos demonstrating the vibrations.


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[Frankc]

Lets just see if we can cure those vibrations first.

 

[Noble 1]

Can only get better?

I got home. Cleaned up the props etc. Had a cuppa. Re-charged batteries. This was not going to beat me.

Got it assembled again only this time I notice that the prop that flew off would not screw back on again. It was a silver one so it had to go clockwise. I found I had to push down firmly as I turned the prop. It caught the threads and fitted. I don't think this was from the accident though it could have caused it. spinning it around and not actually fitting.

So I took off and decided to do what I tried to do this morning. Fly up to the hill. Locate the footpath that runs along the top. Fly along side it for a while and return. I did it no problem.

My head is getting into the auto function of flying the way the camera is pointing. It sounds obvious and easy but its not. Esp on the return trip where in theory anyway everything is the other way around. All in all a good flight.

Nice work getting back in the saddle. Did you know some pilots abandon their passion for flying after a crash? Some are terrified to leave the ground.

Great little saga!! I loved the part 'hopped around like a man with a large wasp in his trousers'


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[NimpoCub]

I know about the grubscrew underneath.

I don't. Whats'a grubscrew??
I don't have my P3A yet, but won't be long now)

 

[Frankc]

I don't. Whats'a grubscrew??
I don't have my P3A yet, but won't be long now)

Its a tiny little screw about the size of a peanut or smaller. The centre is dipped where the allen key fits to tighten/loosen. They call them grub screw as they are the size of a grub.
Will see if I can find a photo for you.

 

[Frankc]

Nice work getting back in the saddle. Did you know some pilots abandon their passion for flying after a crash? Some are terrified to leave the ground.

Great little saga!! I loved the part 'hopped around like a man with a large wasp in his trousers'


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Thank you. More afraid of wasting a lot of money than flying again. Did not think anyone else would be interested in following my litte 'saga'. Life is full of surprises, as the man once said when he came home early one day.

 

[Frankc]

I have gone and done it again. Arrrrhhhhh makes me so............... Went out to fly today. Bright sunshine, not too much wind. So I got to the spot. Unpacked the kit. Switched on the tablet. Put on the props. Started everything up except the prop motors. Pressed button to record.. Both controls back to start up.................. Message battery too cold. So I removed it. Stuck it in my pocket. Went for a quick walk. Came back. Battery out of pocket into drone.. Started up lovely. So I thought Id fly some waypoints for the first time.

Took off gained height. Flew to point one. Marked it. Turned right flew to the foot of the hills. Marked it as two. Increased height to clear the top of the hills. Flew to the hills. Tried to mark it but got a message along the lines of "Waypoints cannot be marked at distance 1640 feet from the home point" So that was the end of the waypoint flying.

Decided as it was such a nice day I would fly along the ridge, well just above it. Turned the drone around slowly to catch the wonderful view. Flew back along the ridge. Turned it around slowly. Then flew home. Descending as I did. Really chuffed. Decent footage on a decent day. Fabulous!

Got home battery on charge, it was down to one cell. SD card in computer.................. I had not pressed record again after I had removed the battery to warm it! Sugar! (or words to that effect)

 

[lotusteve]

Its a tiny little screw about the size of a peanut or smaller. The centre is dipped where the allen key fits to tighten/loosen. They call them grub screw as they are the size of a grub.
Will see if I can find a photo for you.

where is the grub screw on the advanced.

 

[Frankc]

where is the grub screw on the advanced.

Easier to show than explain. Enjoy