Start Problem

[stodiolet]

Hi,
I recently moved my phantom 2 vision into a new case (the old case was broken after a crash).
when i insert the battery case, the flashing light indicate that a compass calibration is necessary.
i therefore use S1 and do the compass calibration, which works fine.

However as soon as I click on the RC to start motors, the lights start flashing red and no motors are turning.

Anybody here who can help? Would love to get my phantom flying again!

thanks,
Paul

 

[J Dot]

Hook to:

RC assistant ( calibrate Tx )
Then
Hook to PC ASSISTANT ( perform IMU ADVANCED CALIBRATION )
While still in assistant
Perform Tx calibration ( to calibrate Tx to phantom )
Power cycle phantom ( double check all settings )
Gyroscope = 0.0 - 1.5
Accelerometer = .98 - 1.02
Compass = 700 - 2250
If any numbers above are off range, recalibrate IMU
GO outside
Perform fresh compass calibration
Should be good again!

Take care, fly safe!

 

[BigTulsa]

Flashing red lights could mean in an airport restricted zone? Maybe not, but have to ask.

 

[stodiolet]

thanks for the advice, but the 3 times flashing red lights are still come every time i try to start the motors.
any advice?

 

[ProfessorStein]

Do you get ANY green LEDs? If there's a series of green, and then a series of red, that usually means you have fewer than the recommended number of satellites for your GPS.

If it's JUST red LEDs, with no green, I'd think something didn't get connected up properly in your reassemble.

 

[stodiolet]

thanks - its just blinking RED.
is there any way to check singly components?
how can I check whether GPS is working?

 

[don26812]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to the forum and also new to Phantom flying. In fact, I have yet to make a first flight, because the motors won't start when I'm ready to go. I have a brand new Vision 2+. I am having the same problem. I won't bore you with the details, except to say I have updated the firmware in both the Phantom and the RC unit.

I can start the motors on the bench and before the satellites are locked in. But as soon as I have satellite lock, and do the CSC the green lights flash 3x red and then go back to green. I believe I have calibrated the compass properly. I'm trying to fly in GPS mode with both RC switches in the up position.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ProfessorStein]

I can start the motors on the bench and before the satellites are locked in. But as soon as I have satellite lock, and do the CSC the green lights flash 3x red and then go back to green.

A coupla things to check...
Red can mean that your IMU needs calibrating. Try that first.

Or

Red can also mean that you're in a no-fly zone, and the firmware is preventing you from taking off. Are you anywhere near an airport or military facility, etc?

Or

It could mean that you don't have enough satellites for a good lock... but, unless something has changed, that generally won't prevent the motors from starting.

 

[don26812]

Thank you, Professorstein,

Of the three possibilities you listed, calibrating the IMU seems the most likely problem. As I said, the green lights are on and the iPhone app shows 8-10 satellites.

At first I thought I was too close to an airport. I live in the South Bay of Los Angeles and there are airports all over, Torrance, Long Beach, and LAX are all in that general area. One of the places I tried to fly from, I discovered was only about 1.5 mi. from the Torrance Airport. I did not realize I was that close. The height that I was planning on getting to was no where near any flight path. But it did prompt me to check out the DJI No Flight Zone info.

Unless I missed it, the only airport in my area listed is LAX. I'm surprised. Long Beach is a major airport, which has commercial aircraft and C-17s from Boeing flyng out of it. Torrance serves biz jets and private pilots, but in terms of ops is one of the busiest airports in the US. I wonder how current or accurate the choice of no-fly zones are? But in any case, I never got the warning message about being in a no-fly zone on my iPad app.

I have been struggling with this problem for several days now. In troubleshooting the problem, I thought I had calibrated the IMU - I was doing so many things. But I will certainly try again.

I believe I have properly calibrated the compass as well - many times actually. But if it is not calibrated properly could it cause my problem? Also, the manual says that you should calibrate the compass when you go to a near area or words to that effect. What constituents a new area? If I am flying at various sites in the LA area, do I need to re-calibrate at each site?

Thanks so much for your reply and any help you or anyone else can provide to get me started on this exciting journey.

 

[ProfessorStein]

Obviously, how DJI decides which no-fly zones to implement in the firmware is anybody's guess. I would certainly expect LAX to be on there. But would expect Long Beach and certainly Los Alamitos to be on there as well... so it's hard to say. When you say you went and checked DJIs no-fly info, what do you mean? Where/how, exactly, did you check?

I can say that DJIs no-fly zones go down all the way to the deck. So even if you're just planning a low flight "not near any flight paths", the Phantom isn't going to start. But, you're right, if that was the problem, you'd likely get the pop-up message in the app in addition to the red lights. So I'd look to the IMU as a cause, first.

As far as compass calibration, no... by "new area", DJI means somewhere several hundred miles away. If your sites are all in the general LA area, I wouldn't worry about recalibrating. A good test of whether the compass is calibrated correctly is to take the Phantom up to 15-20 feet, away from as many structures as is possible, and watch it hover. It SHOULD be nearly rock steady (depending on wind conditions, of course). If you notice it roaming around in large, slow circles, then the compass needs calibration.

But, no, even if the compass is completely out of whack, that won't typically prevent the motors from starting. So guessing that's not your issue.

 

[don26812]

Thank you for the reply!

Here is the link where I got the no-fly info. I watched the video, looked at the map, and scrolled down to the list below the map. I try the calibration and let you know how I make out.

http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc

 

[don26812]

Hi,

I got my first flight off! Thanks so much for your reply and help. As it turned out, I had to recalibrate the IMU. Once I did that, the motors started fine after satellite lock. I think the compass is ok, since the Phantom hovered pretty well.

Thanks again!