Random In-Flight Switches to from 'P' Mode to 'Atti' Mode...

[svjobeth]

It only seems to happen when I use my iPhone. If I use my non-cellular iPad I’m fairly sure it’s been fine. And I know that my iPhone has real GPS problems. So I guess the transmitter gets it’s GPS position from the device attached to it. But why would that affect the drone?

I'm on the + model - built in display on the remote...

 

[Meta4]

It only seems to happen when I use my iPhone. If I use my non-cellular iPad I’m fairly sure it’s been fine. And I know that my iPhone has real GPS problems.
So I guess the transmitter gets it’s GPS position from the device attached to it. But why would that affect the drone?

Answer: It won't.
Your Phantom has it's own GPS receiver that it uses for all flight purposes (except follow-me and resetting home to the controller's location)
That's because the position of the controller and your tablet is irrelevant.
The only GPS location data the controller gets is the location of the Phantom.
You can fly with a non-GPS iPad and the Phantom will fly perfectly

 

[svjobeth]

I think I'm going to initiate a warranty claim with DJI - I don't have DJI Refresh - and see what happens. I am, however, going to wait until our boat repairs are done, as I want to get video of the mast re-installation and the rigger working at the mast head. If nothing else from this, my flight skills are improving tremendously.

Truthfully, I don't mind flying in Atti - though I do prefer to be one making the switch, and not the aircraft - and I do prefer to take-off/land in P mode.

 

[Yeadonites]

As I stated, I never have any problems when I’m using my non GPS iPad. Out of interest how does the function of setting home position to the controller position work? Surely it reads the controller device’s GPS. If the controllers position gets wonky could it cause problems with the drone itself... perhaps the system gets confused? I know it shouldn’t in theory, but my purely circumstantial evidence suggests the remote possibility that something odd is going on.

 

[Meta4]

As I stated, I never have any problems when I’m using my non GPS iPad.

It must be a coincidence as there's no way for your tablet to have any effect on the GPS in the Phantom.

how does the function of setting home position to the controller position work? Surely it reads the controller device’s GPS. If the controllers position gets wonky could it cause problems with the drone itself... perhaps the system gets confused? I know it shouldn’t in theory, but my purely circumstantial evidence suggests the remote possibility that something odd is going on.

If you reset the home point, the Phantom replaces the lat and long numbers in its memory with new lat and long data copied from the tablet's GPS.
If the location data was not correct, it would have no effect on anything except the point the Phantom would go to in RTH.

 

[Neon Euc]

If it helps... My P3A works fine but airdata says in the logs that it always switches between ATTI na P-mode. Ok I have rarely seen that in screen (but I have seen it) and being all open and honest about it..... I never had a single issue. These machines are pretty much 99.9% reliable. If there is any problems then it's either a one off or a pilot error

 

[svjobeth]

If it helps... My P3A works fine but airdata says in the logs that it always switches between ATTI na P-mode. Ok I have rarely seen that in screen (but I have seen it) and being all open and honest about it..... I never had a single issue. These machines are pretty much 99.9% reliable. If there is any problems then it's either a one off or a pilot error

I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing has happened with my P4P. And, as I've said before, I have zero issues flying in Atti mode. I do strongly prefer taking off and landing in P mode as I fly from moving boats quite often, including my sailboat.

But, when all is said and done, I should decide what the drone does and when it does it - not the drone - and that's why I'm working to figure this out.

 

[Meta4]

I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing has happened with my P4P. ...
But, when all is said and done, I should decide what the drone does and when it does it - not the drone - and that's why I'm working to figure this out.

As I said back in posts #8 and #13, you have a fault in the Phantom.
What you are experiencing is not normal and needs to be fixed.

 

[svjobeth]

As I said back in posts #8 and #13, you have a fault in the Phantom.
What you are experiencing is not normal and needs to be fixed.

I've brought my P4P+ issues to DJI's attention. Before I send it off to them for any repairs, (whether it's warranted or not I'll fix it), they've asked me to perform a compass calibration. Once the compass is successfully re-calibrated, I am to do a series of flights and report back as to whether or not the issue is still occuring.

I'm not quite sure I understand how calibrating the compass will address an issue with the GPS module functionality. Nonetheless, I'll do as asked and perform the re-calibration in the morning. We shall see what happens.

 

[Solausang]

我最近也有這樣事情發生

 

[svjobeth]

我最近也有這樣事情發生

From Google Translate: "I too have had this happening recently." Thank you for the reply. Was the problem hardware related? Have you had the problem repaired?

And from my post above:

"I've brought my P4P+ issues to DJI's attention. Before I send it off to them for any repairs, (whether it's warranted or not I'll fix it), they've asked me to perform a compass calibration. Once the compass is successfully re-calibrated, I am to do a series of flights and report back as to whether or not the issue is still occuring.

I'm not quite sure I understand how calibrating the compass will address an issue with the GPS module functionality. Nonetheless, I'll do as asked and perform the re-calibration in the morning. We shall see what happens."

Today's update: I was not able to calibrate the compass. In the aircraft status bar, the compass showed normal. Tapping the compass line got a 'click' but nothing else. So, I finally gave up on the compass calibration. I put the drone in the air.

I flew three flights, on three fully charged batteries. I would have flown five, but it was getting hot. On the last flight, when I landed, the battery temp showed as 50C, or around 120F. Done for the day.

Regarding mode switches during flight, there were zero issues. Not one problem. The only time the mode switched was when I did the switch. On the third battery, I purposefully switched from P to Atti, then back to P. I did this several times. She flew like a champ.

(I realize mode switches which were too fast to be noticed might have happened. I'll check the flight logs and see if that was the case.)

I'll get her in the air again in the morning and see how it goes. I'll touch base with DJI again too, and see what they want to do, if anything.