Phantom 3 Emergency Stop button?

[Chuck Young]

So I am thinking of flying in areas that will be completely inundated with RF interference. Does anyone know how to shut down the P3 on command? CSC seems like it takes forever when things are going south. Once I get above 2 or 3 feet I will volunteer someone to catch the thing and/or tether it to something. An emergency land button would even be better.

 

[ScottyT]

How slow is CSC? The RTH button works as landing within 60 feet - CSC would still be faster.

 

[bobmyers]

How slow is CSC? The RTH button works as landing withing 60 feet - CSC would still be faster.

You don't want to use CSC in the air unless you intend to crash your Phantom.

 

[ScottyT]

Sounded like that's what he wants to do. I don't see his logic or reason to panic, but who am I to say no

 

[TAZ]

CSC seems like it takes forever when things are going south. Once I get above 2 or 3 feet I will volunteer someone to catch the thing and/or tether it to something.

CSC is instantaneous. I am guessing you've not been testing it much (ie, one bad catch, and you could be toast). But you can test it in the simulator on iOS.

I wonder if you are confusing CSC with the left-stick-down-for-3-seconds-after-landing technique for shutting off engines yes that does take 3 seconds after landing, but thats not CSC.

Combination Stick Command (CSC) is the method of holding both sticks fully down and in or down and out. By design, specifically for cases of emergency, It shuts off motors instantly, even if in the air. Can't be faster than instantly.

Of course I also wonder about flying when you are planning on likely needing a CSC, with the bird instantly falling out of the air...but, that wasn't really the question, I guess.

 

[Chuck Young]

So let me explain a bit more. I work at a hydroelectric plant and think there are some situations we could utilize a way to look at things that are very difficult or very dangerous to access or even get binoculars on. Insulators and transformers or inaccessible items within the power plant come to mind. Problem is the electromagnetic interference is hard to determine until something bad begins to happen and having the quadcopter plummet to the ground (maybe a bubble wrap padding layer) is a better alternative than having it fly into a 100KV If it not possible to make it safe we are no better off than we currently are. I must be failing to get the CSC correctly. I will practice.

 

[bobmyers]

So let me explain a bit more. I work at a hydroelectric plant and think there are some situations we could utilize a way to look at things that are very difficult or very dangerous to access or even get binoculars on. Insulators and transformers or inaccessible items within the power plant come to mind. Problem is the electromagnetic interference is hard to determine until something bad begins to happen and having the quadcopter plummet to the ground (maybe a bubble wrap padding layer) is a better alternative than having it fly into a 100KV If it not possible to make it safe we are no better off than we currently are. I must be failing to get the CSC correctly. I will practice.

If you are referring to CSC practice-- don't do it with the Phantom flying-- it will crash-- CSC is not meant for practice--

What do you mean by saying " failing to get the CSC correctly?"

 

[ScottyT]

So let me explain a bit more. I work at a hydroelectric plant and think there are some situations we could utilize a way to look at things that are very difficult or very dangerous to access or even get binoculars on. Insulators and transformers or inaccessible items within the power plant come to mind. Problem is the electromagnetic interference is hard to determine until something bad begins to happen and having the quadcopter plummet to the ground (maybe a bubble wrap padding layer) is a better alternative than having it fly into a 100KV If it not possible to make it safe we are no better off than we currently are. I must be failing to get the CSC correctly. I will practice.

You'll probably want prop guards then, and yes perhaps a dangling cord tether would be a good safety precaution. The other option is you fly in ATTI mode so you are less likely to get a flyaway due to interference - but you'll have to be on your game to combat any drift

I would also change the RTH accordingly so it doesn't get caught up in any lines (if there are any), or even change to Autoland instead.

An interesting one.

 

[Chuck Young]

If you are referring to CSC practice-- don't do it with the Phantom flying-- it will crash-- CSC is not meant for practice--

What do you mean by saying " failing to get the CSC correctly?"

No, I would not do a CSC in the air except under extremely controlled circumstances.

But I just now took P3 out on the porch and fired it up and threw about 10 CSCs at it. Under such a controlled situation discovered that CSC both sticks down and to the center causes one of the right hand propellers to speed up. CSC down and to the outside causes one of the left hand propellers to speed up. Both actions take between 1 and 1.5 seconds to actually shut the motors off, hard to hit the stopwatch with toe at same time. Did it once with the bird about 6" off the deck and sure glad I have propeller guards on, wasn't hard but tilted to the left and propped up on the guard when it CSC'd. Two times I have been in a situation where the P3 was about a foot off the ground and have it suddenly start to climb out. Left stick down all the way and in a second or two it began to descend, I was flying over concrete and went over a very large piece of steel diamond plate on the floor. The other time I was moving through a doorway and know 6.9KV at 1000 amps was about 6 feet below the concrete.

Been in real helicopters flying along HV power lines sure don't know why we couldn't drive a truck and fly a P3 shooting video?

One of my friends does what the guy above does, not really what I want to do. lol

 

[ianwood]

CSC is what you want if you would prefer to sacrifice the Phantom over an expensive transformer. If you do experience an un-commanded circling motion, that would indicate magnetic interference and you should switch to ATTI to regain control. Make sure you practice ATTI in a safe place first.

 

[ScottyT]

One of my friends does what the guy above does, not really what I want to do. lol

Man, that is nuts. Will you be able to get the Phantom close enough to do a proper inspection in those conditions. Looks like it could easily get zapped if you got too close. That's where you really want a camera zoom.

 

[ScottyT]

No, I would not do a CSC in the air except under extremely controlled circumstances.

But I just now took P3 out on the porch and fired it up and threw about 10 CSCs at it. Under such a controlled situation discovered that CSC both sticks down and to the center causes one of the right hand propellers to speed up. CSC down and to the outside causes one of the left hand propellers to speed up. Both actions take between 1 and 1.5 seconds to actually shut the motors off, hard to hit the stopwatch with toe at same time. Did it once with the bird about 6" off the deck and sure glad I have propeller guards on, wasn't hard but tilted to the left and propped up on the guard when it CSC'd. Two times I have been in a situation where the P3 was about a foot off the ground and have it suddenly start to climb out. Left stick down all the way and in a second or two it began to descend, I was flying over concrete and went over a very large piece of steel diamond plate on the floor. The other time I was moving through a doorway and know 6.9KV at 1000 amps was about 6 feet below the concrete.

Practice as much as you like with the props off first.

 

[Chuck Young]

Man, that is nuts. Will you be able to get the Phantom close enough to do a proper inspection in those conditions. Looks like it could easily get zapped if you got too close. That's where you really want a camera zoom.

That is exactly what I told my friend. lol His response was "But do you know how much they are going to pay me!"

To me it was not enough, no way!

That video is 500KV Luckily I really never work on stuff above 100KV.

 

[Chuck Young]

Practice as much as you like with the props off first.

Wondering if everyone's CSC has the spinning prop and 1.5 second delay. Still think bubble wrap sumthin' sumthin' on the bottom side, airbag or something.

 

[ScottyT]

That is exactly what I told my friend. lol His response was "But do you know how much they are going to pay me!"

To me it was not enough, no way!

That video is 500KV Luckily I really never work on stuff above 100KV.

I peed on an electric fence as a kid, I've not had much love for electricity since then

 

[Chuck Young]

I peed on an electric fence as a kid, I've not had much love for electricity since then

I got shocked fixing a 45rpm record player back when I was 9 or 10 and have never been able to leave the screws in anything, ever, since.

 

[damitjim]

500KV Luckily I really never work on stuff above 100KV

Because that's so much safer!

 

[Chuck Young]

Because that's so much safer!

15 feet versus 20 feet, if you want to count that.

 

[msinger]

A CSC is when you move both sticks to the corner like this:

Holding the left stick down (the throttle) is not required and/or part of the CSC.

If using CSC to shut down your motors after landing, it's very important to first hold the throttle in the full down position before moving the sticks to the corners. If the throttle is not in the full down position, the motors usually spin up and the Phantom sometimes wobbles and/or tips over. If you're not in a hurry to shut down the motors, it's best to shut down the motors by holding the left stick down for 3-5 seconds after landing.

 

[Chuck Young]

A CSC is when you move both sticks to the corner like this:

View attachment 24847

Holding the left stick down (the throttle) is not required and/or part of the CSC.

If using CSC to shut down your motors after landing, it's very important to first hold the throttle in the full down position before moving the sticks to the corners. If the throttle is not in the full down position, the motors usually spin up and the Phantom sometimes wobbles and/or tips over. If you're not in a hurry to shut down the motors, it's best to shut down the motors by holding the left stick down for 3-5 seconds after landing.

So it is actually a down and to the left or down and to the right on the throttle stick. OICN