Fly Away Problem Solved! (or a workaround)

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With the new software & firmware, it looks like DJI found the problem with the fly aways. And, although they have not fixed it, it appears they wrote some code to try and bring it home in case the problem occurs.

Under BASIC, RC settings, you will notice they added “Receiver Advanced Protection”. Based on this, it appears to me the problem with fly-aways is the Phantom thought it was getting instructions from the transmitter to “fly away”! It looks like the receiver would get instructions to just stay on one course forever, until it ran out of power.

Now, if it gets those instructions (even though you may be frantically moving the sticks), after 20 seconds of “fly away as fast as you can” instructions, it will stop, hover, and after 10 more seconds, fly home.

So, it looks like the problem has been with the transmitter or receiver. Does a power cycle solve the problem for the next flight? I have no idea. But, it does make me feel better that they added this feature.
 
Darrell1 said:
With the new software & firmware, it looks like DJI found the problem with the fly aways. And, although they have not fixed it, it appears they wrote some code to try and bring it home in case the problem occurs.

Under BASIC, RC settings, you will notice they added “Receiver Advanced Protection”. Based on this, it appears to me the problem with fly-aways is the Phantom thought it was getting instructions from the transmitter to “fly away”! It looks like the receiver would get instructions to just stay on one course forever, until it ran out of power.

Now, if it gets those instructions (even though you may be frantically moving the sticks), after 20 seconds of “fly away as fast as you can” instructions, it will stop, hover, and after 10 more seconds, fly home.

So, it looks like the problem has been with the transmitter or receiver. Does a power cycle solve the problem for the next flight? I have no idea. But, it does make me feel better that they added this feature.

sounds more of a bandaide than a fix.
 
socman said:
sounds more of a bandaide than a fix.
Well, nothing is ever foolproof and with anything mechanical or electrical, problems can happen. That is why airlines have backup systems to backup systems. Yet, even then, they still crash once in a while. I think DJI just created a great backup system.
 
Darrell1 said:
socman said:
sounds more of a bandaide than a fix.
Well, nothing is ever foolproof and with anything mechanical or electrical, problems can happen. That is why airlines have backup systems to backup systems. Yet, even then, they still crash once in a while. I think DJI just created a great backup system.
At least they are paying attention to the problem. It's got to be tough to address a problem that is hard to duplicate, especially when a lot of flyaways are probably user error.
 
I am changing from the standard tx to a Devo 10 channel, because I am installing a Walkera telemetry IOSC unit to the phantom. If I get any bad behaviour it might help to nail down exactly where the flyaway issues arise from.

Until they went through the desperate "upgrade and patch" fiasco of the last two weeks, DJI's official line on flyaways was "compass calibration error" as the cause, putting the blame squarely on the operator. Fortunately, no-one seems to have reported any actual accidents while their Phantoms were away with the fairies, but if I was in DJI's shoes, I would have been bracing myself for the inevitable law suits from U.S. customers who experienced any damage to people and property.

Lets hope we can put all this behind us now and get on with enjoying one of the most fascinating technical innovations of recent years.
 
Darrell1 said:
socman said:
sounds more of a bandaide than a fix.
Well, nothing is ever foolproof and with anything mechanical or electrical, problems can happen. That is why airlines have backup systems to backup systems. Yet, even then, they still crash once in a while. I think DJI just created a great backup system.

Nah man, an airplane manufacturer would be REQUIRED to fix their issue....not create a bandaide around it.

DJI did not fix the problem at all. They just gave people a way to potentially not lose their phantom if it happens to him (which is why I call it a bandaide). Hey, I am sure people are fine with that and no complaints about it....but quite frankly I would much rather they fix the actual problem.

Either way....at least they are trying to address it some...I guess it says they are at least acknowledging the issue whether they directly say it or not =)
 
Nah man, an airplane manufacturer would be REQUIRED to fix their issue....not create a bandaide around it.

DJI did not fix the problem at all. They just gave people a way to potentially not lose their phantom if it happens to him (which is why I call it a bandaide). Hey, I am sure people are fine with that and no complaints about it....but quite frankly I would much rather they fix the actual problem.

You want aircraft level reliability? Expect to pay AT LEAST an extra order of magnitude.

Even if you had a FAR-certified platform, you're still up against untrained maintainers, untrained operators, unauthorized modifications, and a complete lack of EMI/EMC consideration when bolting cameras and FPV gear on.
 
pwright said:
@mroberts - Don't even try to bring logic or reason into the discussion. Waste of time.
:D :D :D :D

Everything mroberts wrote above went over my head (pun intended), yet somehow, it is exactly what I was trying to express.
 
Here is the easy fix, run the sony camera. No fly-aways what so ever in close to 30 plus flights. Would be nice if someone made a pre-bundled camera mount package like what the phantom came with. Only thing missing from the sony cam is the higher res still images. I read online that sony was preparing a software/firmware upgrade that would allow the full size of the sensor to be used to capture stills so that would be 8mp. Better then the 2mp right now. Video feed seem to be as good as the hero 3 black minus the 60fps at 1080p. Sony uses 30fps at 1080p and 30,60, and 120fps at 720p.
 
freelanceshots said:
Here is the easy fix, run the sony camera.
I don't think that is the fix. I easily have over 100 flights on mine over the past month with a Hero 2 & 3 and zero problems. After following the forums for the past couple months, this is my educated guess as to the problem:

1) User error. If you simply search YouTube, it is CRAZY what people do with these Phantoms on just their first couple flights! They take them so far away, lose orientation, forget what mode they are in, and are shocked when it does not come back.

2) Defect in the flight controller. I think some flight controllers are truly bad and need to go back to DJI to be replaced. People have experienced problems, replaced their Phantom and all problems have gone away.

Some people have shielded their cameras, some people fly with Wi-Fi on and have experienced no problems.
 
Flyaways due to GoPro Wifi are not very common, especially now that users have been informed of such a danger.
But as mentioned, flyaways have been caused by user-error (poor flying or just trying to fly without waiting for proper home-lock), as well as other potential sources of wifi-geomagnetic interference - and NAZA malfunctions (bad GPS, stuck accelerometers).

I've flown well over 50 flights myself (maybe more, I lost track) and never had a flyaway.
I even flew with Wifi turned on accidentally a few times, and had no issues.
 

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