Phantom motors died mid-flight. It didn't end well.

[Maxamillion]

Went flying about 30 minutes ago. On the descent back down to land, the phantom suddenly just... died. The motors just stopped and it plummeted back down to earth. There's no damage to the quad itself but the gimbal has been bent pretty severely so I'm thrilled about that :\

What on earth could have caused this?

I have video and I'm uploading it to vimeo right now so you guys can have some reference too. ****.

Edit: one of the legs is bent from impact. Moreover the CAN BUS port is disconnected, but I don't know what it does.

Edit 2: http://vimeo.com/104529931

The mystery has been solved? Maybe?
http://vimeo.com/104560762

 

[ATOMSK]

Maybe it thought it was on the ground. Were you descending at full down stick?

I've always wondered why my Phantom doesn't just shut off completely if I'm descending with full stick down. I guess it knows that it's not on the ground yet. Just in case it doesn't, i have been descending very slowly or in spurts just so doesn't shut off.

 

[Maxamillion]

Update: Upon reviewing the film, the ruling on the field had been overruled. I think my friend ******* turned off the motors. ****.

And no, I don't think the phantom thought it was landed, it's been pretty good about that.

 

[Mike]

Maybe it thought it was on the ground. Were you descending at full down stick?

Full down stick won't cause the motors to shut off if the Phantom is still in flight.

 

[nintendrone64]

Update: Upon reviewing the film, the ruling on the field had been overruled. I think my friend ******* turned off the motors. ****.

And no, I don't think the phantom thought it was landed, it's been pretty good about that.

Haha, sounds about right.

 

[Maxamillion]

http://vimeo.com/104529931

See for yourself

 

[Mike]

See for yourself

I'm no expert, but that does not look like it was caused by holding the left stick down.

At the end of the video when he showed you what he did, what did he show you?

 

[Damon]

CSC command?

 

[Maxamillion]

See for yourself

I'm no expert, but that does not look like it was caused by holding the left stick down.

At the end of the video when he showed you what he did, what did he show you?

Well he claimed to have just put both sticks straight down, so it's well within the realm of possibility that he CSC'd. Sigh.

 

[SanCap]

I think it got dizzy

 

[OI Photography]

Yeah I'd say with the maneuvers he was doing at the time it would be fairly easy to get the sticks in to one of the CSC positions if you don't know to avoid them.

 

[Damon]

Naza mode or Phantom mode in software? Based on video I can not see any movement straight back and down as he indicated his stick control was at the time.

 

[Maxamillion]

http://vimeo.com/104560762

solved the mystery. made new discoveries.

 

[Damon]

Any full down on throttle will shut motors off, since it is not moving down and the phantom assumes its on the ground.

If in Naza mode in software, remember there is more than just the one CSC command.

 

[Mike]

Any full down on throttle will shut motors off

Unless it's flying. That only works when it's on the ground.

 

[Damon]

Yes hence "since it is not moving down and phantom assumes its on the ground" in the sentence.

Remember, my post is after the OP video post. Which happens to be sitting on the floor.

 

[Mike]

Remember, my post is after the OP video post. Which happens to be sitting on the floor.

Ah, many apologies. I replied before I even watched the video. Duh.

 

[witold]

No, mystery is not solved. The flight controller knows when it is in the air and you can't turn off motors while in the air like this. This only works when the flight controller recognizes that it's on solid ground... At least that's the way I understand it... Take it up a few feet and test it but I'm pretty sure you won't be able to turn off motors like this. This only works on the ground.

 

[Maxamillion]

No, mystery is not solved. The flight controller knows when it is in the air and you can't turn off motors while in the air like this. This only works when the flight controller recognizes that it's on solid ground... At least that's the way I understand it... Take it up a few feet and test it but I'm pretty sure you won't be able to turn off motors like this. This only works on the ground.

I don't have the quad with me, it is in my friend's custody as he tries to remedy his error this afternoon so I can't test it. However I just talked to him and he told me when he does essentially the same thing from the video but while holding it in the air it still turns it off, while simply down throttling does not.

 

[Zinnware]

The manual discusses the CSC and indicates that the motors can be stop during normal flight. See page 23.
"You SHOULD NOT execute the CSC during normal flight! This will stop the motors and cause the aircraft to descend rapidly and drop without any type of control."

I never had the guts to try this myself. Self preservation (I guess).