My crashing drone please help

dozadog · Jul 8, 2017

My drone keeps crashing regularly. The drone will fly for a while then rotate clockwise and crash land. Its driving me mad and I don't trust it anymore. It is a DJI Phantom 1 FC40. I made sure I calibrated and waited for GPS flash before launch but it crashes even in ATTI mode it makes no difference. It also crashes in different locations so it can't be interference.

You may be able to see on the video one of the green leds beneath the ESC flashes before it spins and ditches. Could this be a clue to what is happening.

I would be most grateful for anything you can suggest as I love flying it but a few more crashes and it could be destroyed. Thanks people.

J Dot · Jul 8, 2017

Looks to me like a possible bad motor bearing, or esc?

Don't fly anymore,
Instead, PIN the craft down ( using books on landing gear, or some other heavy items ) I use dive weights, 4lbs each leg .

Then REV her up props on, where she is full power but cannot lift off, let her run for a few minutes, turn her off,and test the heat at each motor with a temp gun, or your fingers, they should be only warm, not hot, if one motor is way hotter than the others, this is a great sign of a bad bearing, ultimately causing friction, and overloading esc, causing a shutdown. If you run it and all motors are cool to warm , I'd replace the esc in question, or replace all 4 up to you!

J Dot

dozadog · Jul 9, 2017

Thanks for the advice. I pinned it down and it seemed to run ok, no overheating of motors.

Can anyone explain why the green led beneath the ESC would flash before it crashes?

Also, like in the video it always rotates clockwise when crashing, would this indicate it is the failure of a counter-clockwise motor or ESC.

I'm thinking of maybe swapping two ESCs to be sure thats what it is first.

J Dot · Jul 9, 2017

Yes, sounds like a esc, is messing up,
I had one that would shut down, internediately, throwing the prop off, and ultimately crashing! Was ticking me off, every pin down test passed, I'd go out, and boom prop off with crash! I finally swapped all 4 for the newer 2.1versions, the startup beeps changed, but my props stay on!
And all is still good 2 years later! The esc's are cheap, I'd replace them all ( since soldering is required ) then THROW AWAY the one in question, keep other 3 as spare parts, you may need them after a crash, or? But up to you?

I'm really pleased you took the time to do some tests! Really cool!

I believe the p1 needs 2 green, and 2 red esc's, if I remember correctly!
Mine is a p2, so I could upgrade to 2.1, from 2.0. Motors are still 2212's, instead of the new 2312!
May upgrade them some day? But she flies great!

J Dot

Ps: now the clockwise motion ( I know people will argue here

) if she is spinning CLOCKWISE when she crashes, than a CLOCKWISE esc is bad!
I know this don't make sense
But
Clockwise props create counterclockwise motion in the craft
Where counterclockwise props create CLOCKWISE motion in the craft
( or opposite motion of the way the prop spins )
( picture yourself holding a rod connected to a spinning prop ( CW prop ) now I stop the prop and you start spinning around instead, which way you gonna spin? ) right COUNTERCLOCKWISE!

So if a clockwise motor stops, then the counterclockwise motors will overpower the remaining clockwise motor creating a CLOCKWISE motion in the craft!

Believe it or Not!