Just got my Phantom 2 (non vision with Zen)

jondrew · Jan 29, 2014

Just got my Phantom 2 from B&H and 3H-2D Zen (sent my Phantom 2 Vision back this morning). Well guess what? Different transmitter (and I don't mean just the frequency). This one has an external USB Mini port on the bottom (photo included for proof) and it also has the switches labeled. What a novel idea! Does this mean its a newer or older version?

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t65 ... af184d.jpg

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t65 ... 1e61c9.jpg

ladykate · Jan 29, 2014

MIne is that way. Didn't know they came any other way. Got a P1 last year and it was labeled. Didn't have a port, though.

jondrew · Jan 29, 2014

Didn't take a picture of my P2V controller before I sent it back. I know the switches weren't labeled because I had to keep referring to manuals to remember what position to put it in.

Anyway, what to do next?

Just charged my first battery set and did a bench power up (i.e. holding the landing gear, spinning the props). This one seems much quieter so far, but that is probably because the Vision Camera makes its own set of noise.

I think I'll fly it for a while before attaching the gimbal and camera. No point in trashing almost half my investment while I get my flying legs. Besides, now I have to learn the GoPro (which I doubt is too much different than my GoPro 2).

I also plan on doing some flying before doing any firmware updates. I noted someone in another post mentioning that he thought his Phantom started doing a "drunken hover" after doing firmware updates compared to when it was out of the box. I thought I noticed the same thing after updating my P2V, but wrote it off to lack of piloting skill.

ladykate · Jan 29, 2014

I put the zenmuse on right away but didn't fly it with the camera the first time. Wanted to be sure I was configuring it right. I immediately put the camera on and flew it again (two flights right away). It seems to be fairly solid (the Zenmuse will lock over occasionally and I have to recycle the power but it comes back up right away).

I just upgraded everything (again - there was a new release just recently). The only thing I've noticed is that the aircraft will veer into a circle when in GPS and I input yaw to turn it all the way around. This seems most apparent when the aircraft is low and with wind blowing. Once around the circle, the GPS will take over and take it back to the starting point. I suspect it is just the wind making it happen. Other than that (which I think might be normal) then the whole platform is stable. Just flew it out over the Missouri river tonight and took some dusk pictures. Worked a charm.