Serious bug in v4.00 firmware

[The Editor]

OK guys - sorry to report there appears to ba a serious bug in the new firmware in respect of the Limits Feature.

There hae been several reports (myself included) of the Phantom flying to it's radius limit which is set up by the user and then instead of returning within the radius as it should, the craft just drifts with the wind along the arc of the radius of the limit set (hope that makes sense?)
Because the Naza 'thinks' it is outside of it's set limit the pilot has no control other than Throttle (but only up to the limit set and rudder control.
I only got my Phantom back today by flicking to failsafe and when it turned and started to fly back to me (much to my relief) I could regain control once it was within the radius I had set.

This is being reported on other forums and is repeatable and not a random event.

Standby..... shortly me thinks, v4.01 Naza firmware will be posted :twisted:

 

[martcerv]

What you need to do is let go of the sticks I found and it will make its own way inside then you can regain control. I thought it was a major bug too but after reading the updated manual and watching the DJI feature demo video it appears this is as intended. If you try and fly it back to yourself from the perimeter it does not respond. My first tests I went to manual mode to get it back but on the second tests I flew it like the dji video letting go of the sticks and it comes back towards you on its own.

Id prefer to be able to fly it back to me in gps or atti modes but once you stop fighting it back it appears to work ok. Id recommend everyone setting useable limits to first do a 10x10m test and get used to the new control behaviour at the boundary. You dont want to find this out when your a long way away flying los as you could easily fight it at the perimeter until the battery dies and this may not be good.

 

[Shedracer]

I can confirm this, it happen to me today, although I had only set the outer limit to 10m to test it, so I was able to just land it. I'll now set the GPS/GPSAtt/Manual switch to GPS/GPSAtt/Failsafe, just in case.

Just going out to test fly it, see what happens. :roll:

 

[The Editor]

What you need to do is let go of the sticks I found and it will make its own way inside then you can regain control. I thought it was a major bug too but after reading the updated manual and watching the DJI feature demo video it appears this is as intended. If you try and fly it back to yourself from the perimeter it does not respond. My first tests I went to manual mode to get it back but on the second tests I flew it like the dji video letting go of the sticks and it comes back towards you on its own.

Id prefer to be able to fly it back to me in gps or atti modes but once you stop fighting it back it appears to work ok. Id recommend everyone setting useable limits to first do a 10x10m test and get used to the new control behaviour at the boundary. You dont want to find this out when your a long way away flying los as you could easily fight it at the perimeter until the battery dies and this may not be good.

NO - there is a flaw in the firmware. I tried letting go of the sticks completely and watched as the Phantom drifted around the arc of the radius set point. This is being reported on multiple forums.
I have flown R/C CP flybarless helicopters for years and am no stranger to R/C aircraft. I do not panic in a 'loss of control situation' so I kept a level head in this scenario.
I can assure you there is a bug in the firmware. Possibly it only shows itself and certain numeric limits and not others.
I only tried 20m for both distance and altitude. the height limiter appears to work as expected but not the distance limit.

 

[jumanoc]

WARNING: I tested limits functions again and I detected an issue with horizontal limit: Phantom reached my 25 mts limit. I released sticks for leting phantom back into "safe limit zone" as past tested great, BUT no regained control 10..15 seconds... ??? then I noticed and figure the answer: WIND..... the phantom kept on the boundary (horizontal limit) because the wind and it didn't back into safe zone until winds off !. So new advise here: Horizontal limits works, but if wind pushes phantom trying to go far that point, you only regain control with Fail Safe or Manual Mode return !!

 

[Shedracer]

Just tested mine and it was pretty calm, but it wouldn't let me gain control, just drifted. Tried it numerous times and same result. Only way I could get back was either land it or use Failsafe. One thing out of this for me, I now know my Failsafe works!

 

[The Editor]

......... One thing out of this for me, I now know my Failsafe works!

+1

 

[Scottyo]

love the 4.0 my phantom has never flown any better no problems at all.

 

[The Editor]

love the 4.0 my phantom has never flown any better no problems at all.

I agree - EXCEPT for the bug with the radius limits! :roll:

 

[jumanoc]

love the 4.0 my phantom has never flown any better no problems at all.

+1 Mine flies great too (except for the repórted horizontal limit issue). I set my limits to 2000 / 2000 in Naza Assistant :lol:

 

[edunwody]

Do you have to set limits in 4.0?

E


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Editor]

Do you have to set limits in 4.0?

E


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well you can leave them at the default which is 2000m but that's 1.2 miles both in radius and altitude !!!

The problem has only manifested itself because everyone is trying out the limit feature and setting them at manageable values to test the firmware. Unfortunately the distance limit has a flaw in the frmware !

 

[edunwody]

I'll sit this out for a bit and let the dust settle.

E


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Editor]

OK guys - sorry to report there appears to ba a serious bug in the new firmware in respect of the Limits Feature.

There hae been several reports (myself included) of the Phantom flying to it's radius limit which is set up by the user and then instead of returning within the radius as it should, the craft just drifts with the wind along the arc of the radius of the limit set (hope that makes sense?)
Because the Naza 'thinks' it is outside of it's set limit the pilot has no control other than Throttle (but only up to the limit set and rudder control.
I only got my Phantom back today by flicking to failsafe and when it turned and started to fly back to me (much to my relief) I could regain control once it was within the radius I had set.

This is being reported on other forums and is repeatable and not a random event.

Standby..... shortly me thinks, v4.01 Naza firmware will be posted :twisted:

OK - I have now reported this bug to Karl Dill at DJI Europe Technical Support.

I have asked for confirmation that;
a. DJI China are aware of this issue
b. If they are not can he make them aware
c. confirmation that a fix (new firmware) will be made available asap to address this issue

Watch this space.

 

[Scottyo]

i have no problems with it set the limit send it out to the limit and it hovers for a bit comes back i get control and fly. i set it as low as 10 meters

 

[The Editor]

i have no problems with it set the limit send it out to the limit and it hovers for a bit comes back i get control and fly. i set it as low as 10 meters

You appear to be the exception to the rule !

At the moment many users are reporting the same issue with the new firmware. Could it be that you were flying into the wind and your Phantom drifted back into the distance limit of it's own accord?
As I say MANY people are reporting the same problem with v4.00 so I would not trust this feature at the moment.

 

[martcerv]

Its quite likely that on my first test when I thought it was a major bug and reported it here there was more wind then on the second test. Possibly the wind could be pushing it back outside the perimeter and so you can regain control, On my second test it was quite late and still so letting go of sticks brought it back each time.

I did find that manual mode bypasses the perimeter setting at least when close to it as I didn't go more then 100m outside it, however in manual mode the altitude limit kicks in and auto cuts the throttle. This is quite odd and made control a little awkward when I set my limits to 10x10 for a test.

Here is a quick video showing the throttle cutting, you can hear it here and see that the phantom wont go above 10m even full throttle in manual mode.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjkGGLetiJE[/youtube]

On my first test when I noticed what may be a bug I found rotating the quad in any direction was possible but I couldnt get it to pitch towards me it was just stuck on the perimeter. Switching to manual mode let me easily fly it back from there but GPS and ATTI seemed unresponsive. Another interesting thing is that if you fly outside the perimeter in manual mode then switch to GPS or ATTI modes it will automatically head back towards you and once inside you regain full control. There is quite a lag until full control is given and this is likely the issue, I will retry the 10m test again but my issues on the first flight my limits were set to 30x30. Not sure if that has anything to do with it so I wonder what distances people are testing at and if there is any difference at any particular radius setting.

 

[insatiable]

I experienced the same problem when set at 200 m. WHen it gets there it stops, hovers, and then flys sideways but does not fly back. I had to put it into failsafe to wait for return and then regain control by switching back to atti/gps. Tried is several times and each time did similar bahavior. I never touched the sticks but it would not fly back, just in an arc.

 

[martcerv]

Seems the only guaranteed way to get it off the perimeter is failsafe or manual mode, Im fine in manual if using FPV but probably best off for all to keep radius at 2000m to avoid any issues with this.

 

[Juzeric]

v4.00 firmware fixed my upgrade board "no GPS" issue and my gimbal control. I love it!
I still have 1 issue though... after about 3-4mins of flight, my gimbal control drops out, resetting itself to the powered down default position. Only way to fix it is to land, unplug the battery, re-power it and send her back up. annoying!!!