Camera video cable

[cskwarcan]

Well, I have crashed about once a week since getting my vision+ 6 weeks ago... Each time was a result of underestimating my momentum. Yesterday was the worse. Momentum and wind took me into a power line -- the quad seemed to recover and started to head home automatically. When it was a couple hundred feet away however, it changed its mind. It seemed to intentionally be avoiding me but eventually I was able to bring it down manually (a couple hundred feet away). After inspection, it "seemed" OK (except I could not turn off the battery -- weird -- maybe it was supercharged from the power line?). However, I now believe my quick inspection overlooked a missing propeller tip and perhaps a disconnected antenna. Tried again. Immediately after take off, it again had a mind of its own. I began to wonder if its brush with the power line had somehow made it self aware... Anyway, it climbed to about 30 feet and took off full speed in a large arc crashing into the roof of a concession stand about 600 feet away (don't worry, no one was there, no one was anywhere, I have learned to fly at least a mile away from human beings), and then bam, into the ground. The quad was about 30 feet from the camera so I knew this was one of my more serious landings. After much more careful inspection and testing, the quad flies fine however the camera/gimbal/ribbon cable/etc. are sitting on my bench. It looks like all I need is a new ribbon/video (?) cable. I am looking for advice on where to buy one (plus instructions would be helpful). Thank you!

Chet

 

[skyhighdiver]

Well, I have crashed about once a week since getting my vision+ 6 weeks ago... Each time was a result of underestimating my momentum. Yesterday was the worse. Momentum and wind took me into a power line -- the quad seemed to recover and started to head home automatically. When it was a couple hundred feet away however, it changed its mind. It seemed to intentionally be avoiding me but eventually I was able to bring it down manually (a couple hundred feet away). After inspection, it "seemed" OK (except I could not turn off the battery -- weird -- maybe it was supercharged from the power line?). However, I now believe my quick inspection overlooked a missing propeller tip and perhaps a disconnected antenna. Tried again. Immediately after take off, it again had a mind of its own. I began to wonder if its brush with the power line had somehow made it self aware... Anyway, it climbed to about 30 feet and took off full speed in a large arc crashing into the roof of a concession stand about 600 feet away (don't worry, no one was there, no one was anywhere, I have learned to fly at least a mile away from human beings), and then bam, into the ground. The quad was about 30 feet from the camera so I knew this was one of my more serious landings. After much more careful inspection and testing, the quad flies fine however the camera/gimbal/ribbon cable/etc. are sitting on my bench. It looks like all I need is a new ribbon/video (?) cable. I am looking for advice on where to buy one (plus instructions would be helpful). Thank you!

Chet

you are now in need of a new vision or a very long wait for repair and new units are 700-800 $ mights as well get a new one

 

[Dirty Bird]

I would imagine the problem induced by your close encounter with the power line was your compass was seriously gaussed. There is a strong magnetic field around a live power line, especially if it is one of the larger 480 volt feed lines. You didn't get a compass warning pop up? Curious what the compass reads when connected to the Assistant.

 

[cskwarcan]

I saw that a new camera is around $700... I really think all I need is the ribbon cable but I could be wrong... (anyone have a camera they want to sell for parts?). I am also thinking about just buying another vision and using this one for parts... Is the vision+ still the way to go? I take video of busy intersections or congested areas for my traffic engineering business and subsequent analysis.

Great point about the compass getting gaussed. Now that I think about it, I did get a message regarding compass calibration. Did not think much about it at the time so I just re-calibrated and tried flying again and then, as mentioned above, it became self-aware and tried to escape...

I have since flown it a couple times (without the camera) and everything seems great. I get a GPS lock, etc. just don't have any video.

Sounds like if I want to get back in business I should just buy another vision (or something similar)...

Thank you for your comments!

Chet

 

[skyhighdiver]

I would imagine the problem induced by your close encounter with the power line was your compass was seriously gaussed. There is a strong magnetic field around a live power line, especially if it is one of the larger 480 volt feed lines. You didn't get a compass warning pop up? Curious what the compass reads when connected to the Assistant.

Not so quick my friend I fly bye these all the time with no issues at all. The phantom holds its own in the face of both high power , power lines and cell towers as I shoot video for the guys setting them up all the time and doing repair .



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7EAS9sGVho[/youtube]

 

[Dirty Bird]

Not so quick my friend I fly bye these all the time with no issues at all. The phantom holds its own in the face of both high power , power lines and cell towers as I shoot video for the guys setting them up all the time and doing repair .

Flying NEAR a high-power line, and actually TOUCHING one, are two different things. The magnetic field when touching, or in close proximity to, the power line is much more intense than when you are several feet away.

 

[cskwarcan]

Well...I actually hit the power line... going full speed, with a strong tail wind, I completely underestimated its momentum...

So, in summary, to get me back in the air, if a new vision+ is $1250 vs a new camera at $700 (which may or may not completely solve the problem)... I don't think I have a choice but to buy a new vision+ (unless there is something better out there in this price range, like something that can do way points...).

Thanks for tips, advice, and any other comments/suggestions you may have.

Chet

 

[M.Tigelaar]

I would imagine the problem induced by your close encounter with the power line was your compass was seriously gaussed. There is a strong magnetic field around a live power line, especially if it is one of the larger 480 volt feed lines. You didn't get a compass warning pop up? Curious what the compass reads when connected to the Assistant.

I live also by some powerlines (150.000volts).
But the bird don't care at all.
http://youtu.be/rvzqHhZSEtY
1time i hit them and broke a prop the bird fell 35 meter (about 100feet) in the grass and the home made camera protector saved the camera :mrgreen:
The camera protector was broken, I made a new one
Now I avoid them

 

[slothead]

I would imagine the problem induced by your close encounter with the power line was your compass was seriously gaussed. There is a strong magnetic field around a live power line, especially if it is one of the larger 480 volt feed lines. You didn't get a compass warning pop up? Curious what the compass reads when connected to the Assistant.

"480 volt feed lines?" That would be trivial Dirty. Most high tension wires are in the 1,000,000 volt range. The distribution lines that run on telephone poles in old neighborhoods are generally 69,000 volts.