No Take-off Event, Need Help Figuring it Out!

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Today I went to launch my P3S at a location I flew a few days ago without any problems. Using Litchi, I tried to start the motors using the auto-takeoff button, but it didn't work and a message popped up too quickly for me to read it. I tried again numerous times using the auto-takeoff button and then the manual method (sticks down and in to centre) but it still did not work. At one point the motors did start but they were spinning in a low idle (no rev, rev) and I couldn't take off. I shut down Litchi and launched GO to see if there were any warnings but there were none and I had the green light for take-off. I then shut the AC, the controller and the app down and restarted and was able to launch using Litchi with auto-takeoff. I flew two batteries and everything was fine. I needed to use Litchi to do a 360º pano.

When I got home I looked at my flight records in Airdata and both flights I took were there (usually if I start the motors it registers as a flight even if I don't take off), but nothing for the motors started and no take-off event. When checking my device logs from Litchi I only have the two successful flights that showed up in Airdata. I tried to connect my P3S to my computer via the USB port on the gimbal but it only shows the camera SD card and no DAT files. Is there some way of getting the DAT files off of the AC so I can try to figure out what caused the no-takeoff event? Also, is there a way to review on the device (my iPhone) the error message I missed while connected to the AC so that I can see what it was and maybe troubleshoot the problem?

Thanks for any help.

Chris
 
I tried to connect my P3S to my computer via the USB port on the gimbal but it only shows the camera SD card and no DAT files. Is there some way of getting the DAT files off of the AC so I can try to figure out what caused the no-takeoff event?
The .dat files are not on the SD card. See this link...........

Retrieve DAT Files
 
The .dat files are not on the SD card. See this link...........

Retrieve DAT Files
Thanks for the quick reply. Tried that already and only the camera SD mounts. Tried it in both Mac OS and Win10 with the same result. Maybe I’m doing steps wrong.

Here’s what I did:
-Linked controller, AC, and GO as if I was going to fly and made sure they were all communicating with each other
-put GO in data mode and waited for prompt to connect cable (original USB cable supplied with AC)
-camera card mounted but not internal AC SD card with dat files. Same thing happened in both Mac and Windows

I think I followed all the steps correctly.

Chris
 
Also, is there a way to review on the device (my iPhone) the error message I missed while connected to the AC so that I can see what it was and maybe troubleshoot the problem?
Upload your log to the link below as opposed to Airdata. You can download another CSV file with more information than you get from Airdata. If you need others to look, place a link back here to the upload.

Phantom Help Flight Data
 
Upload your log to the link below as opposed to Airdata. You can download another CSV file with more information than you get from Airdata. If you need others to look, place a link back here to the upload.

Phantom Help Flight Data

I did download the flight logs from Litchi to my computer but there is no record of the no-fly event, just the 2 successful flights after and all the ones before. I don't think any log event was recorded for the no-fly event that is why I was trying to retrieve the dat files off the AC.

Regardless, here is the log for the flight immediately following the no-fly event. The flight was a short flight to take a low-angle pano. It was windy with strong gusts so I kept the AC low and ocassionally went up over the tree line.

Chris
 
Last edited:
@Fly Dawg,
Hard to see he posted his "log" in his post above. These forum changes are hard to get used to. :rolleyes:

Rod
 
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Thanks for the quick reply. Tried that already and only the camera SD mounts. Tried it in both Mac OS and Win10 with the same result. Maybe I’m doing steps wrong.

Here’s what I did:
-Linked controller, AC, and GO as if I was going to fly and made sure they were all communicating with each other
-put GO in data mode and waited for prompt to connect cable (original USB cable supplied with AC)
-camera card mounted but not internal AC SD card with dat files. Same thing happened in both Mac and Windows

I think I followed all the steps correctly.

Chris

Sounds you’re using the wrong USB port. It’s on the front of the P3S, not on the camera assembly
 
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Sounds you’re using the wrong USB port. It’s on the front of the P3S, not on the camera assembly
BudWalker, you are right! I forgot about the port on the front. I had done this once before and just forgot about it. I was using the port on the gimbal assembly that is used to access the camera SD card. Thanks for pointing me in right direction. I’ll connect again and see if I can find a DAT file to try to figure out what was going on.

Chris
 
Finally got the DAT files downloaded - took a long time. Here is a link to the folder on DropBox that contains the 3 DAT files from yesterday.

DAT Files

I used csvView on the Mac to view the files especially FLY320.DAT which I think is the file that has the startup problems. The other two files FLY321 and 322 also have the same errors although those flights were fine.

Seems like there is something going on with the left front motor but I don't have the expertise to read these data files. Is there anything going on that I need to be aware of? I don't want to be launching my P3S if there are problems with a motor.

Thanks for any help.

Chris
 
Seems like there is something going on with the left front motor
Unfortunately the P3s does not report the motor data, only the PWM from the ESC if I am not mistaken. so this may or may not be an issue @BudWalker might be able to give you a more detailed answer in that respect.
 
Unfortunately the P3s does not report the motor data, only the PWM from the ESC if I am not mistaken. so this may or may not be an issue @BudWalker might be able to give you a more detailed answer in that respect.
Thank you for your reply and taking the time to look at the DAT files.

Chris
 
Never seen this before. The motors wouldn't start because the "compass is stuck". What ever that means. This from the eventLog stream when Litchi tried to start the motors.
-78.282 : 6555 [Ctrl<6>] REQ_APP_WM610 ENGINE_START ctrl_engine_start
-78.262 : 6556 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.242 : 6557 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.222 : 6558 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.202 : 6559 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.182 : 6560 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.162 : 6561 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.142 : 6562 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.122 : 6563 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.102 : 6564 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.082 : 6565 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-78.082 : 6565 CTRL reset all by auto takeoff start fail
-78.082 : 6565 try auto takeoff, but start motor fail!
-78.062 : 6566 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!

and again
-68.062 : 7066 [Ctrl<6>] REQ_APP_WM610 ENGINE_START ctrl_engine_start
-68.042 : 7067 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-68.022 : 7068 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-68.002 : 7069 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.982 : 7070 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.962 : 7071 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.942 : 7072 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.922 : 7073 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.902 : 7074 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.882 : 7075 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.862 : 7076 [M.Start]ACT.Takeoff FAIL, compass is stuck!
-67.862 : 7076 CTRL reset all by auto takeoff start fail
-67.862 : 7076 try auto takeoff, but start motor fail!

And, when you tried to start manually at -53 secs and -48 secs
-53.762 : 7781 [M.Start]REQ_RC_NORMAL FAIL, compass is stuck!
-48.302 : 8054 [M.Start]REQ_RC_NORMAL FAIL, compass is stuck!

Still thinking about what exactly does "compass stuck" mean

@Fly Dawg
 
@BudWalker
Did you get all that from FLY320.DAT? I used csvView but I couldn’t see near this much data.

Thanks for taking a look. Not sure right now if I have a problem and should be flying my P3S. The two flights immediately after I finally got the motors started were uneventful.

Would the ‘compass stuck’ have been the error that quickly flashed across my screen but didn’t get to read?
 
Would the ‘compass stuck’ have been the error that quickly flashed across my screen but didn’t get to read?
I doubt it. I only looked at 320 and 322 .Those are not in the FLY322 file.
 
I doubt it. I only looked at 320 and 322 .Those are not in the FLY322 file.
The error appeared when I finally got the motors started but they were not spinning at the normal speed - more like a slow idle and I still could not take off.
 
Did you get all that from FLY320.DAT? I used csvView but I couldn’t see near this much data.
Do a re-extraction of the dat file with DatCon. De-select the CSV and Select the event log. It will create a seperate .txt file that you can open with notepad, word or whatever you prefer to use. That's the quick and dirty way.
DATcon.PNG
 
Do a re-extraction of the dat file with DatCon. De-select the CSV and Select the event log. It will create a seperate .txt file that you can open with notepad, word or whatever you prefer to use. That's the quick and dirty way.View attachment 104219
Thanks, I’ll try that after supper. I did initially use DatCon but tried to open the resulting file in Phantom Help viewer which didn’t work
 
@Fly Dawg

That worked, thanks. Opened it in TextEdit on my Mac. I have learned a lot from this.

Not sure what to make of the 'Compass Stuck' error and am a bit worried about my next flight. Too windy here today to even consider flying. I often fly over water or swampy areas so likely won't be doing that until I get this error figured out.

Chris
 
for stuck compass, I turn the drone up side down and hit the bottom with a screw driver few firm hit. If problem still exist, follow this video for repair
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