my zen keeps dying

[Mosher42]

boots up and levels fine at power up and will fly around fine for a few mins. then i bring it back in for a mo and it goes limp. and wont reset. have to reboot phantom to get it back.

any ideas?


im using a v2 zen and the upgrade board.

 

[MrMediaGuy]

Are you landing in the grass? Unless you land on a hard surface or hand catch (preferable), the blades of grass touching the gimbal will put it into hibernation mode in just a couple of seconds. Then you will have to power-cycle at that point to get it back.

 

[Mosher42]

Either bud! Landed on a football field so firm but short grass and it did it. Hand catch and it does it.

 

[The Editor]

boots up and levels fine at power up and will fly around fine for a few mins. then i bring it back in for a mo and it goes limp. and wont reset. have to reboot phantom to get it back.

any ideas?


im using a v2 zen and the upgrade board.

When was the last time you did an advanced calibration and a compass dance? - Try doing both and see if that solves the problem.

The Zenmuse seems VERY sensitive to compass errors and it will shut down.

 

[Mosher42]

Advanced Cali after the install of upgrade board and zen. Bout a week ago. And compass dance before use as travelled.

 

[Mosher42]

Compass mod at 1500. Which is within tolerance no?

 

[deluge2]

Well that weird! Why would the Zen be VERY sensitive to compass errors? In fact how would the Zen even 'know' that there were, or were not any compass errors at all? The Zen has its own controller board mounted and its own sensors for camera vs airframe orientation. Any thoughts on why such an interaction would occur?

Steve

boots up and levels fine at power up and will fly around fine for a few mins. then i bring it back in for a mo and it goes limp. and wont reset. have to reboot phantom to get it back.

any ideas?


im using a v2 zen and the upgrade board.

When was the last time you did an advanced calibration and a compass dance? - Try doing both and see if that solves the problem.

The Zenmuse seems VERY sensitive to compass errors and it will shut down.

 

[The Editor]

Well that weird! Why would the Zen be VERY sensitive to compass errors? In fact how would the Zen even 'know' that there were, or were not any compass errors at all? The Zen has its own controller board mounted and its own sensors for camera vs airframe orientation. Any thoughts on why such an interaction would occur?

Steve

It does, and I'm a bit baffled by it as well. But don't forget the Zen 'talks' to the Naza. I tried the other day (while I was messing around with changing dampers) powering up the Zen completely mechanically but not electronically disconnected from the Phantom.
Now if it were completely independent (like theTarot) you would expect it to just level using it's own gyro etc. and move as I moved it by hand. However, what I found was that it 'fought' against my movements of it and responded to the movements of the phantom (which was sitting on the table next to it and connected umbilically by the 8 core wire. This suggests (and makes sense) that the Zen is getting it's gyro data from the Naza.

It's all a bit of a closed loop feedback scenario with all sensors playing a part.

 

[deluge2]

Yes, I've read elsewhere that a Zen connection to a DJI FC is required. And as you note, it's not just be a proprietary 'do you have DJI Flight Controller' check. For the gimbal to work, it has to know the camera's position in space about the axes it's controlling (pitch and roll for the H3-2D). It then adjusts rotation about these axes to maintain the correct attitude relative to the gimbal frame to maintain a fixed aimpoint (setting aside pan which it doesn't control) despite motion along pitch and roll axes of the craft to which it is attached. I agree that your observations of gimbal response to Phantom movement, when the two are not mecanically connected (but are electronically connected) indicates that information from the Naza IMU is being used.

But I don't think it quite accurate to state that "the Zen is getting it's gyro data from the Naza." Specifically, your observation makes clear that one input is the position of the Phantom as sensed by the Naza IMU. However there must be another input reporting motion along the two axes of interest that is provided by sensors on the camera frame of the gimbal itself. Further since the GCU (Gimbal Control Unit) is either a separate box or an equivalent component engineered into the Phantom upgrade board, I think the GCU receives the two inputs. The Zen sends 'Camera IMU' data along the ribbon cable to the GCU and the NAZA IMU data are sent along the CANbus to the GCU. Then, based upon the combined inputs from the Camera IMU and the Naza IMU, the GCU determines the torque that needs to be sent to the two Zen motors. Or something like that...

Steve

Well that weird! Why would the Zen be VERY sensitive to compass errors? In fact how would the Zen even 'know' that there were, or were not any compass errors at all? The Zen has its own controller board mounted and its own sensors for camera vs airframe orientation. Any thoughts on why such an interaction would occur?

Steve

It does, and I'm a bit baffled by it as well. But don't forget the Zen 'talks' to the Naza. I tried the other day (while I was messing around with changing dampers) powering up the Zen completely mechanically but not electronically disconnected from the Phantom.
Now if it were completely independent (like theTarot) you would expect it to just level using it's own gyro etc. and move as I moved it by hand. However, what I found was that it 'fought' against my movements of it and responded to the movements of the phantom (which was sitting on the table next to it and connected umbilically by the 8 core wire. This suggests (and makes sense) that the Zen is getting it's gyro data from the Naza.

It's all a bit of a closed loop feedback scenario with all sensors playing a part.

 

[Fidjital]

I am having the same issue, will try to re-callibrate and report back asap. Thanks

 

[Fidjital]

Ran through the boards (found out DO NOT have your GoPro's WiFi's on lol), I was running it on for the first few flights (Zenmuse limped, but NO fly away. really lucked out), I also had a lense hood on the GoPro (which set it off balanced apperently, and to make matter's worse, I waws taking off on a soccer field. Basically the TOP 3 of what NOT to do when attempting to take off.

So, I re-callibrated it as instructed (with zenmuse attached and tilt upgrade)

Put it on a hard surface (concrete ground/flat rock), naked GoPro 3+ attached, and WiFi is OFF.

Went flying all day yesterday with no hibernation issues (yet), and tilt control works fine.

After a few tests I'm convinced the Wifi On/ Soccer Field take-off/ and lens hood on the GoPro (during take off) combonation was the cause of my Zenmuse's Hibertation modes on/off flights. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[OI Photography]

Get an industrial mat or other semi-rigid rubber or silicone pad (like the ones used in factories and restaurant kitchens), 2ft x 2ft or so. Instant surface for grass field launches