Is this normal? Calibrating

[Phantom-Chris]

I just got my first quadcopter (DJI Phantom 2) and I am very excited. I installed the H3-3D Gimbal as instructed in the online tutorial but I am wondering if something is wrong. Is this normal? Please have a look at the short video clip (9 seconds). I am not sure if the gimbal is supposed to touch the ground.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v25VgXLD3I[/youtube]


Thanks for any help in advance!

 

[EMCSQUAR]

Would love to see your video, but you have it listed as private

 

[Phantom-Chris]

Ah ****! Now viewable

 

[beeline]

I've been told you should always have the camera attached when powering up the gimbal/phantom. Without that weight I would expect unusual gimbal behavior.

 

[MrKlay]

Yes, you should always power it up with a camera on. Otherwise it can't balance properly.

 

[DDMSteve]

Yes, you should always power it up with a camera on. Otherwise it can't balance properly.

More than that, it will burn itself out. DJI specifically states you need to be using a Hero3/3+ Silver or Black edition ONLY. You need to install the battery pack of the GoPro, and that no external lenses/filters/caps can be used.

 

[OI Photography]

Chris, in addition to the excellent point above (must have the camera mounted any time you power it on), you might need a longer version of the Phantom's landing gear. Does the P2 you bought have a hole in the bottom of the shell where the top motor on the gimbal pokes inside the body a little bit?

 

[Phantom-Chris]

Thanks for all your replies. From now on I will always keep the GoPro attached before powering up. Anyway, the scenario is the same. When the gopro is attached it does the same. Nobody else has this problem? How comes the standard landing gear that is meant to be for GoPro is not compatible with the GoPro?

 

[Fletcher]

Also, try putting the copter on two stacks of books so that the gimbal has full range of motion. You don't want it to bump stuff as it dances. Mechanical binding can stress and damage the stepper motors.

 

[cokeaddict]

Chris,
1st post so go easy on me.
I got my phantom 2 4 weeks ago. It came set up by the shop as i payed them extra to set it all up and check everything worked before they posted to me. My order was the following...
Phantom 2
FPV (black pearl) 5.8 complete.
H3-3D gimbal.
on arrival i fitted my gopro3+ and turned the whole thing on only to find the gimble was faulty and it was doing exactly what your video shows (i had the camera on the gimbal) The only difference to your video was that mine would make this increadably loud hum from the gimbal. So after a few days trying to work out the cause they sent me a new gimbal. So here i was 1 week later and still havent had time to fly it. Finally after fitting the replacement gimbal i took it for a quick flight to make sure all works well.
I was very happy with the out come until i got home and uploaded the video to my gopro studio only to find that i have this ear piercing buzz in my sound on the video uploads.
cut a long story short, the shop told me they are having major problems with the latest update software. Aparently the shop owners phantom 2 is now making the same noise. I have sent DJI an email but have had no reply to date, 2 weeks now. Support is non existant.
Very dissapointing that something so expensive can be so dissapointing.
I am waiting 1 more week and requesting a refund, I believe the waiting game for a fix is a time factor so they have a good reason not to refund or replace a faulty unit.