Old Man Learning

[ChrisMohrSr]

Hi,

I am an oldie, but newbee. I am an 84 year old retired photographer and I live in Homeland, California. I wont go into my long and varied history. Suffice it to say that tomorrow I receive my Phantom and I would like any and all advice on what to do with it.

I have several quads and one hexacopter and anyone really interested in my trials and tribulations can go to http://www.multirotorforums.com/showthr ... to=newpost. There you will find a really warm human interest story.

I have watched all the DJI tutorials on the Phantom several times so I am somewhat familiar with the machine. I need little personal tips from you guys who have been through the learning process.

Thanks for any advice you may have to give.


ChrisMohrSr

 

[discv]

Hi, and from another oldie,but UK based,- welcome.
The phantom has been my first experience of RC- and I flew out of the box!!

Looking back at my various mistakes, I would say there are 2 important starting points:

*Read the manuals again and again. Some important information is buried by the Chinenglish translation.
*Double check everything before each flight. I had a tendency to assume that a check every now and then would suffice. This coupled with being over confident about my memory caused me a few panic attacks

And I hope your phantom gives you the fun that I have had. Good luck

 

[Skylane765]

I live by you San Diego and a oldie also. I have my Phantom down pat now. First thing I did was install a switch for the battery. Also bought a headlight and installed a Garmin GTU10. The Phantom is the first RC for me also.

 

[Buk]

Although my knees ache from doing it, perform the compass calibration dance before each flight session.

Invest in one of those cheapo voltage alarms, even with failing hearing they're very audible.

 

[jumanoc]

Hope my pre- flight check list help you, Welcome and great flights:

I wrote in february a long pre-flight checklist (i was a quad newbie so it was very helpful then).
Now I want to share my own reduced pre-flight check list for those who want to follow it (reduced to 10 points for hurry newbies) As a result, I've not lost nothing, neither have had a "fly away" or similar loose control :

1) Check the battery is charged. (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...&_nkw=buzzer+voltage+alarm&_sacat=0&_from=R40)
2) Check around for obstacles, water or inteference sources around your flight site (Cell, Microwave or power towers)
3) Check props (specially if had bumped or crashed) may be broken.
4) Check tightened nuts, screws and holders for VTX, Camera, Gimbal, etc.
5) Check no wires around or loosening conections
6) Check your TX sticks are in correct position (GPS up, Trhottle down, etc) and if beeping with sticks down, replace batteries
7) Check the battery door is right closed and secured. Also the Phantom orientation at take off, so you stay behind it.
8) Wait for Just GREEN blink leds (GPS mode)
9) Take off and check for strange noises from motors, check Yaw, Up, Left, Right and Gimbal pitch controls are working before go far.
10) Keep an eye on your bird even when curious people come to distract you with compliments and "esoteric" questions.

There are lot of additional related check points, but those are enough pre-flight for me. I'll write also the "post flight" check list... also required

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

Although my knees ache from doing it, perform the compass calibration dance before each flight session.

Invest in one of those cheapo voltage alarms, even with failing hearing they're very audible.

O.K. you have completely aroused my curiosity. How could performing the compass calibration make you knees ache?

 

[Buk]

Although my knees ache from doing it, perform the compass calibration dance before each flight session.

Invest in one of those cheapo voltage alarms, even with failing hearing they're very audible.

O.K. you have completely aroused my curiosity. How could performing the compass calibration make you knees ache?

This is an old man discussion, right? Walking, or is it spinning, in a circle doing the calibration dance provides my knees with an opportunity to remind of the meaning of arthritis.

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

Save your knees the pain by not turning yourself. All you have to do is turn the machinethe 360 degrees.

 

[Buk]

Save your knees the pain by not turning yourself. All you have to do is turn the machinethe 360 degrees.

and deprive my neighbors of my "Dancing With the Stars" routine...?
:shock:

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

Well, I hope they appreciate your sacrifice. We old folk have to take our fifteen minutes of fame where we can get it.

 

[martcerv]

Well, I hope they appreciate your sacrifice. We old folk have to take our fifteen minutes of fame where we can get it.

If it takes 15 minutes to do the compass dance do you need to change batteries half way round. :lol:

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

No, depending on the condition of the ionosphere my electric personality sometimes makes batteries unnecessary.

 

[PTCX]

No, depending on the condition of the ionosphere my electric personality sometimes makes batteries unnecessary.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I like that.

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

O.K. guys, I got my Phantom yesterday and today I got it together. I balanced my props as best I could and was surprised to find that some of them were already balanced.

I am now at the point of attempting to calibrate the compass. When I power on on my TX and then power on the Phantom I get a flashing yellow light. Now, I am attempting to do this in my living room and almost certainly do not have any access to any satellites. My attempts at compass calibration produce no results whatsoever. I just get a brilliant flashing yellow light.

Now, as I understand the light signals this means the Phantom is ready for calibration, but the compass will not calibrate. Nor will it flash red to show a failed calibration. I am assuming the lack of response is due to the fact that I am not outside with access to the satellites.

I will welcome any input to this account of my misadventures with my Phantom compass because my electric personality sure ain't working today.

 

[PTCX]

First of all,take it outside where there will be no interference from metal things,as there almost certainly would be inside.
When you power up the Phantom it will flash yellow lights for up to 2 minutes,that's the warm up indicator.
Did you switch the Atti GPS switch from GPS to Atti and back six to ten times to enter the compass calibration mode?
From GPS to Atti and back to GPS is one time,do it six to ten times.
When you have done that you should get a solid yellow light,then do the DJI dance.

 

[martcerv]

Compass calibration is solid yellow, 4 flashes of yellow is Warmup. Constant fast flashes in yellow is connection lost/failsafe and single or double longer flash yellow is ATTI mode single means sticks centered. The flashes are quite confusing when you first use it but they become quite familiar after a few flights.

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

One major point of my confusion is this:

All I get is a flashing yellow light which, as I understand it, means loss of TX signal. BUT, at the same time I can fire up the motors which would indicate that there is no loss of TX signal.

I shall take it outside later today and try again. In the meantime, should I install the Assistant Software and Driver? :?:

 

[halfpipe]

The switch on the right top of the Transmitter should be pushed all the way up into GPS mode otherwise you will get flashing yellow.
Of course this is after the imu (little computer inside the phantom) has warmed up.
Are you really in your 80s?

Don't mess with the softwae/firmware just yet.
Most likely Your Phantom arrived all ready to fly and you only need to calibrate the compass for it to fly.

the switch I mentioned above is also used to initiate the compass calibration. Turn the Transmitter to the on position and then grab the afore mentioned GPS/ATI switch between thumb and finger and flick it up and down 8 times leaving it in the pushed all the way up position in the end. The light should be steady yellow now.
Grab the phantom and hold it out in front of you (outside the house of course) and slowly turn in a 360 degree circle at which point the light will turn green. Still holding it out in front of you, turn the phantom 90 degrees down so the light is pointed straight up at the sky and again turn 360 degrees and you should at that point get confirmation via the light that all is well. Reboot the phantom by unplugging the battery then turning the Transmitter off (in that order always)

In a field draw out a square patch 8' on a side with tin cans or bottles and 20' away, another similar patch. Practice lifting off from one patch and flying over to the other patch and landing. Do that a dozen times then move the patches further apart and repeat

 

[ChrisMohrSr]

I have installed the Driver and Assistant Software and successfully calibrated the IMU. I will be taking my bird outside in a few hours and try to calibrate the compass. If that is successful I will try to fly my Phantom for the first time.

Yes, I was 84 last April 23rd. That is, my body was 84. Actually I am a 21 year old mind and spirit trapped in that 84 year old body. Now, that's really hell on earth. :evil:

 

[halfpipe]

I added some to my comment above re compass and first flights
I'll be 65 before Christmas - now I feel like a young pup