Phantom 1 Consistently Falls Sideways at Launch

[Qeuein]

Good afternoon, all!

This is an interesting one. Ever since we fixed some issues our Gimbal had, we have not been able to successfully launch the drone. After an initial incident with a broken motor and the installation of a replacement, we thought everything would be solved, however this continues to happen.

We have triple checked prop placement and connections as well as running every calibration and configuration imaginable, yet this continues to happen. In our latest flight attempt, the drone drove itself far enough into the ground to burn out another motor.

Does anyone have thoughts on how this could be happening?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5gbvMLVqaU[/youtube]

 

[OI Photography]

What steps did you take when correcting the gimbal issues? Did it include updating firmware on the Phantom?

Not necessarily related to your issue, but I would find a better launch location if I were you, at least over where there's more green than dirt...you can clearly see there how much dust and how many pebbles those blades will kick up, looks like one even hit the Phantom hard enough to pop the battery door open. Just think about what that's doing to your gimbal motors (and main motors!) as well as the lens on your poor camera.

 

[CarlJ]

I hesitate to really say anything because we have so little information, and I have no experience changing the motors or what problems could ensue.

Have you gotten the Phantom in the air at all? If so what was the flight like? Have you checked your compass values, is there anyway you used a magnetic screwdriver on or near the compass during repairs? At this point I've got nothing but questions and as you can tell they're not even good ones.

I think the more information that you can provide about the nature of the repairs and what you've done will give you the best chance of getting help.

 

[syotr]

Good afternoon, all!

This is an interesting one. Ever since we fixed some issues our Gimbal had, we have not been able to successfully launch the drone. After an initial incident with a broken motor and the installation of a replacement, we thought everything would be solved, however this continues to happen.

We have triple checked prop placement and connections as well as running every calibration and configuration imaginable, yet this continues to happen. In our latest flight attempt, the drone drove itself far enough into the ground to burn out another motor.

Does anyone have thoughts on how this could be happening?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5gbvMLVqaU[/youtube]

Two possibilities:
Make sure your top half of the shell is installed correctly and not rotated 90 degrees.
Make sure your motor is turning in the right direction.
Either of these conditions will cause the problem you are having. (Don't ask how I know.)

 

[Flipinnc30]

I'll have to check mine the next time I fly it But I think you said you replaced the motor. Looks like from the video the front two propeller blades turn the opposite direction from each other verses the back two propeller blades look like they are going the same direction. Like I said I'm not sure how they are supposed to turn. Just a thought.

 

[CarlJ]

I'll have to check mine the next time I fly it But I think you said you replaced the motor. Looks like from the video the front two propeller blades turn the opposite direction from each other verses the back two propeller blades look like they are going the same direction. Like I said I'm not sure how they are supposed to turn. Just a thought.

I was thinking the same, but even if we knew the correct rotation, I'd think it impossible to tell on video. I guess we're all thinking the issue is related to the repairs.

 

[Damon]

Reminds me of another thread that I read. Is the RC in mode 1 instead of mode 2? Thus the right stick would be "throttle" and left stick would be flight direction. Looks like a direction command. Hook the RC up to RC assistant to verify mode button checked. While your there it would be a good time to calibrate the controller.

Then hook up the P1 to assistant and do a calibration and complete IMU advanced calibration.

Just spit balling on this one. Like Carl said the video can not really be used to confirm the direction the blades are actually turning, because of the frames per second issues.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Was the replaced motor a DJI OEM motor?

 

[Qeuein]

Was the replaced motor a DJI OEM motor?

It was, or at least B&H said it was a DJI motor.

 

[Qeuein]

I'll have to check mine the next time I fly it But I think you said you replaced the motor. Looks like from the video the front two propeller blades turn the opposite direction from each other verses the back two propeller blades look like they are going the same direction. Like I said I'm not sure how they are supposed to turn. Just a thought.

Do you know what the correct motor directions would be? We're trying to figure out a good way to test this. All the motors are connected to the ESC's identically, so I'm not sure how they would be running in the wrong direction, though.

 

[syotr]

I'll have to check mine the next time I fly it But I think you said you replaced the motor. Looks like from the video the front two propeller blades turn the opposite direction from each other verses the back two propeller blades look like they are going the same direction. Like I said I'm not sure how they are supposed to turn. Just a thought.

Do you know what the correct motor directions would be? We're trying to figure out a good way to test this. All the motors are connected to the ESC's identically, so I'm not sure how they would be running in the wrong direction, though.

There is a motor test function in the NAZA assitant software. It briefly spins each motor so you can confirm the direction.
The motors are wired differently for clockwise vs counterclockwise direction. There were three wires going from each motor to the ESC's, yellow, red and black. Switching any two pairs of wires reverses the motor rotaion. Two motors should be connected in the order of yellow, red, black and the other two motors connected in the order of red, yellow then black. if you connected the motor wires in the same order as the two adjacent motors, then that is your problem.

 

[OI Photography]

Do you know what the correct motor directions would be? We're trying to figure out a good way to test this. All the motors are connected to the ESC's identically, so I'm not sure how they would be running in the wrong direction, though.

The proper direction of rotation for each motor is stamped on the top of the Phantom's arms right next to the motors.

 

[Flipinnc30]

Ok I just launched mine to see what direction the propellers go in. Both the black tip ones go clockwise and both the silver tip ones go counter clockwise. Not sure if yours have the little directions arrows on each arm. I actually just noticed those for the first time. The way I could tell which way mine were going is after I started mine up before throttling it to go up I used the tip of my finger and touched the center part of the propeller like the sliver / black round part and I could easily tell which direction they went in because the tip of my finger would move that direction. Hope this helps, Let me know.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

The black topped props should turn clockwise, the silver topped props should turn counter-clockwise. When watching your video, while hard to tell, it appears the right rear silver prop is turning clockwise like the black ones. That would most certainly cause this. I would inspect your wiring to see if there is something crossed/mis-wired.

 

[Qeuein]

A quick update:

We just checked the direction and when I replaced the motor, I failed to note that the positive and negative wiring is reversed depending on whether you're looking at the black or silver capped motors. We haven't tried launching again (we clearly did a lot of damage to that round of props), but I suspect it will work now. What a silly, expensive mistake.

 

[LuvMyTJ]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out.

 

[Qeuein]

There is a motor test function in the NAZA assitant software. It briefly spins each motor so you can confirm the direction.
The motors are wired differently for clockwise vs counterclockwise direction. There were three wires going from each motor to the ESC's, yellow, red and black. Switching any two pairs of wires reverses the motor rotaion. Two motors should be connected in the order of yellow, red, black and the other two motors connected in the order of red, yellow then black. if you connected the motor wires in the same order as the two adjacent motors, then that is your problem.

This was the problem EXACTLY. Even with the less-than perfect props, it went up right away. Thank you all so much.

 

[Flipinnc30]

OUTSTANDING !!!! HAPPY FLYING