Hi there, have seen some threads about Phantom 2 (among others) not starting, yet my problem is different. Everything works just fine, all is up to date and passes every test. Calibrations are successful (IMU, RC, Compass), GPS is ok, the start up runs like a charm, GPS lock is fast, it blinks slow green ... I switch on the engines, let them run for a couple of seconds then go full throttle and the engines spin faster, sound is good, but the drone will rise at most one or two inches from the ground, stay balanced, move slowly, typically forward, like a feet in 10 seconds ... then I switch the engines off because I do not see any chance to take off. It is like there was an overweight cargo attached ... but I put the drone on a scale and it is ok. When I check the RC calibration the forward-backward movement on the left is marked T, so I assume it is what I know a Configuration 2 in the Phantom 3 or 4. I bought it recently, seller has never had the issue ... if it was one engine I am sure it would not hang above the ground but tilt over to one side ... so I am at a loss, can not figure out what the problem might be. Does anyone have a clue or can someone point me into some kind of troubleshooting direction? Guess next would be to open the Copter and check some voltages ... but I have no documentation ...
Phantom 2 with Zenmuse and GoPro does not take off.
- Thread starter walterbenedikter
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Did you complete the stick calibration? Don’t have your model but later ones need the camera roller (up down) done as well to finish or doesn’t work. I stay with left stick as throttle on mine. P4 RC Usually beeps like crazy if out of adjustment but not always.
Thanks for the reply ! It was one the first thoughts, that maybe the throttle stops at far less than 100% and the drone cannot fly without full throttle for take off ... but the stick calibration is done and ok ... first I did it offline (with no PC connection) and it beeped successfully in the end, then I downloaded the Phantom 2 app and verified that T is the left stick front to back and the range is set right. From the point of view of what the app can see and how the drone behaves everything seems to be working perfectly fine ... guess I need some specifications and verify the voltage at the engine connectors, right ? But where can I get that info ?
Just seems to not have enough power ...
Just seems to not have enough power ...
Hi, and thanks for the hint ! Have tried with height set to 20, 120 and 500 ... have tried with vertical gain set to up to 240% ... have tried indoors so he would not pick up a restricted area by mistake (although in restricted area A the motors would not start). Feel like it should throw him up in the air and hope he stays there (jokin').
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I can sure relate to this. I had a similar sounding problem only my drone wouldn't even lift an inch at full throttle even though the motors were screamin'. Just couldn't figure what could be wrong after many days of studying and trying different settings. Took some photos and even a video and sent it to a friend for his expert opinion. He suggested that I try attaching the props to the motors to help gain altitude. Sure enough, worked like a charm! That was my solution and hope it helps...
Well, if you had not inserted the battery you would have noticed earlier ...
Btw. the battery was one of the suspects in my case, and a DJI reseller explained that the app and the system diagnostics only measure the voltage, but have no way to measure the current flow capability. Having 11.1 Volt I connected a car lamp to the battery when it was 20% and it gave it his 55 W for 5 minutes without complaining. Then the cables grew warm and I thought I should better disconnect. But it looks like it is not the battery's fault. And I did try three different types of propellers.
There are 2 calibrations of the remote that need to be done, many dont know this.
Thank you, watched the video carefully ! My remote is the 'basic' one, and I did two calibrations one being offline (initiated and run by repeatedly switching the S1 and S2 switches), and a second calibration inside the app. Am led to believe that if in the app the T - stick runs fine between 100 % and -100 % it should not be the problem. You think I am missing something ?
i have no idea what you are doing with the S1/S2 switches and the app, there is no calibration done that way that i have seen except a compass calibration (flick the S1 switch a few timesO)
I would follow the video and use the RC assistant to do the first calibration and then use the phantom assistant to do the second.
You will need to temp disable driver signing to install the USB driver, and you will need to use ad Admin command prompt, follow this video guide.
you can download all the needed files from here
GitHub - Judslat/P2: Phantom 2 Vision plus apps and software
Phantom 2 Vision plus apps and software. Contribute to Judslat/P2 development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
Having the basic RC model I do not have a USB connection to it, thus I would not know how to use the RC assistant; standalone I do the calibration following the attached flow. As said, the second calibration in the app Phantom 2 Assistant also gives me evident indication that the RC is calibrated correctly.
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Thank you for the information ! Since I bought it recently I do not know about previous upgrades, but the pre-owner has had no problems flying it and I do not believe he has touched it after his last flight. The Phantom 2 looks pretty new and untouched, the original battery that came with it had only 7 cycles on it. How would newer motors behave with older ESCs i.e. how would you notice something is wrong ... or would you not besides it does not have the power to lift off ?
Thanks, heard something about the 'hidden' USB, will try out tomorrow ... though with the assistant confirming the throttle to work fine I am not very optimistic that it would solve the issue. Start thinking it might be a No Fly Zone issue, maybe some A - zone signal he picked up and for some odd reason retained. Maybe because I try him mostly indoors to avoid just picking up NFZ signals and he might have just that in memory. Will travel some 30 miles away tomorrow and try in a different zone. Thanks for the help and the useful tips and hints ! Btw. I live not far from a medium sized airport, runway is about one mile away.
If anybody is still following this ... yesterday I had recharged the battery for the third time, discharged while connected to the PC, and I want far away from my home area to avoid the chance of being 'grounded' by the nearby airport (which does not affect other drones, not being that close a certainly a minor one). Anyway, fully charged battery, the drone DID lift off, hovered for a few seconds, but at the same time the voltage dropped instantly from 11.9 to 11.1 and after a few more seconds, I just tried to lift the Phantom higher, I had a forced landing. Battery back to 11.8 Volts, restarted the Phantom, lift off and ... forced landing right away. Battery back to 11 Volt, after 16 - 18 seconds in the air only 2 led green.
Guess I will never know whether recharging the corrupted battery a couple of time gave us the strength to at least lift off for a few seconds or if actually he was hovering at 1 inch from the floor because of the airport (anybody ever heard about something like that?). Question: Is it worth to investigate further (how?) or should I try to find a battery in good conditions (how, here, too), or just sell all the various components and write off the main part. Components are an iOSD module, a Zenmuse H3 gimbal, a GoPro modified with professional lenses and a diversity monitor that receives the image from the GoPro and the telemetry from the iOSD module.
You know the saying: If something does not wanna work, and in the end it does work, it is often better, with hindsight, if it did not work. Buy a battery, fly a couple of seconds more, then crash and destroy the like new gimbal, camera and accessories would not be the perfect outcome.
Your thoughts would be highly appreciated. So far the forced landing destroyed a couple of propellers, but not more damage was done. I hate forced landing.
Guess I will never know whether recharging the corrupted battery a couple of time gave us the strength to at least lift off for a few seconds or if actually he was hovering at 1 inch from the floor because of the airport (anybody ever heard about something like that?). Question: Is it worth to investigate further (how?) or should I try to find a battery in good conditions (how, here, too), or just sell all the various components and write off the main part. Components are an iOSD module, a Zenmuse H3 gimbal, a GoPro modified with professional lenses and a diversity monitor that receives the image from the GoPro and the telemetry from the iOSD module.
You know the saying: If something does not wanna work, and in the end it does work, it is often better, with hindsight, if it did not work. Buy a battery, fly a couple of seconds more, then crash and destroy the like new gimbal, camera and accessories would not be the perfect outcome.
Your thoughts would be highly appreciated. So far the forced landing destroyed a couple of propellers, but not more damage was done. I hate forced landing.
