Course lock does not

[deltamike]

I have just been for a flight and tried to initiate course lock.

Now, I was under the assumption that once I set the direction and clicked 'Apply', the when I push the right stick up then the course would stay on the heading I set.

Well, it didn't. The a/c drifted off to one side or another.

I landed, checked all the IMU / compass settings and all were as per the book.

I then took off and tried again. Same result!

I engaged Home Lock. That operates as it should. I cancelled Home Lock and engaged Course Lock. I might as well have been in Home Lock because there was no difference.

Has anyone had this puzzle before, and what size hammer did you use - so to speak - to fix it

Thanks

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

Same thing happens with my P3A. I've read the description, but "Course lock" means course lock. I need it to maintain whatever direction I set it to, but it does not adhere to what the meaning of the words....... mean. I did threaten it with a 6lb sledgehammer, but it just sat there giving me it's red eye look.

 

[N017RW]

Just to be clear, what do you expect to occur?
No snark, just making sure there's not any confusion on the CL function.

 

[crash1sttime]

Did it maintain a forward movement but with movement to the left and right or did the nose turn resulting in movement left and right ?

 

[deltamike]

Did it maintain a forward movement but with movement to the left and right or did the nose turn resulting in movement left and right ?

Yes, it did maintain forward movement but wandered off from side to side without me inputting side on the right stick. As I was passing the stationary object I was trying to shoot I applied left stick to keep the object in frame although I am pretty certain that applying left stick had no effect on the wandering. It wandered before I touched the left stick.

Common sense tells me that this must be compass related - well, my common sense that is, but I have been known to be wrong occasionally

Just to be clear, what do you expect to occur?
No snark, just making sure there's not any confusion on the CL function.

I expected the a/c to travel on a fixed compass heading without wandering.

I cannot tell the difference between HL and CL, in fact, I had better results from HL. Much less deviation from straight travel.

 

[crash1sttime]

Yes, it did maintain forward movement but wandered off from side to side without me inputting side on the right stick. As I was passing the stationary object I was trying to shoot I applied left stick to keep the object in frame although I am pretty certain that applying left stick had no effect on the wandering. It wandered before I touched the left stick.

Common sense tells me that this must be compass related - well, my common sense that is, but I have been known to be wrong occasionally




I expected the a/c to travel on a fixed compass heading without wandering.

I cannot tell the difference between HL and CL, in fact, I had better results from HL. Much less deviation from straight travel.

Sounds like the compass, what does the Go App tell you about it?

 

[deltamike]

Sounds like the compass, what does the Go App tell you about it?

X = 551
X = 290
z = 1291
Mod 1430 - 1470

 

[N017RW]

First I don't own a P3.
I believe Course Lock is a misnomer.
Course is the path over ground but when in a fluid such as air course can be subject to currents.
CL really just reassigns forward Heading.
So, for example, if you're pointing North when you assign CL then no matter which way the nose of the aircraft is pointing- moving the right stick forward will cause the aircraft to move North. But as mentioned the actual Course will be influenced by air currents.
This may or may not be similar to your understanding and does not mean there isn't an actual problem with your a/c.

 

[deltamike]

First I don't own a P3.
I believe Course Lock is a misnomer.
Course is the path over ground but when in a fluid such as air course can be subject to currents.
CL really just reassigns forward Heading.
So, for example, if you're pointing North when you assign CL then no matter which way the nose of the aircraft is pointing- moving the right stick forward will cause the aircraft to move North. But as mentioned the actual Course will be influenced by air currents.
This may or may not be similar to your understanding and does not mean there isn't an actual problem with your a/c.

Many thanks for that. I had assumed wrongly that the a/c would not drift which makes a mockery of the definition 'Course Lock' in my opinion. I could be wrong though. My wife says I usually am, but I know better - if I'm allowed to that is.

Many thanks

PS - Just found this too - and more in a search. It sounds as though I am not alone.

Can't trust course lock? | DJI Phantom Drone Forum

 

[N017RW]

My guess- DJI calls it (CL) Course lock as opposed to Heading lock to not confuse an HL abbreviation with Home lock.

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

I think I'll be looking at that feature again. I'd love it to work as it sounds. I'll be testing it out without doing other things so I can focus on what is actually happening. When I tried it before several times I didn't want to waste precious battery time seeing what was going on. Mabey I missed something. How I'd like it to work is lock the course/heading and deactivate any other right stick commands.... like Home lock does. Using Litchi with a 2 point way point mission also could be used, but "Course lock" is faster (If works as understood what "Course lock" should mean).

 

[GrammatonxXXxCleric]

From a video I had watched this function was made to seem that whatever direction you face the drone when CL is pressed pressing right stick forward is the new direction of the drone in whatever direction it was when CL was pressed. I don't need that. I need right stick forward to fly the drone in the direction it faced when CL was pressed (With free pan available).

 

[N017RW]

If I understood your needs/wants the function you want requires more info and more computing power. Wind correction angles must be constantly updated to compensate for air currents.

Edit: maybe the a/c is trying to do this with the other motions some are describing. Seems it might be a good faith effort to input WCAs as best it can with available on-board resources.

 

[HWCM]

When in course lock, you set the heading that you want to go, then activate CL. The Phantom will fly a straight line forward or reverse, but you can still Yaw left and right with the left stick (spin around), no matter which way the nose of the Phantom is pointing, it will always go forward towards the locked position. You can also roll left and right with the right stick, so the phantom can move left or right but still head straight forward. There are no curved turns in CL. Think of it flying a grid, straight forward, backward or side to side.
With Home lock, you can fly around like normal after you apply home lock, forward is always forward, reverse is always reverse etc. No matter which way the nose is facing. Pulling back on the right stick will always bring the Phantom back to the take off point. Think of it as you standing in the middle of a bullseye, you can fly all around the center point of the bullseye. In front of you, behind you left, right, turns, circles curves. But anytime you pull back on the right stick, the phantom will always come back to the center of the bullseye no matter which direction the nose of the Phantom is facing.

 

[N017RW]

Bullseye is good.
A spoked wheel too with Home at hub and Right stick back follows a spoke to hub.