Gcu?

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Hello I've crashed my h3-3d version with interference board and I just recieved zenmuse with gcu in it. What does the gcu so exactly??
 
Lanahan310 said:
Hello I've crashed my h3-3d version with interference board and I just recieved zenmuse with gcu in it. What does the gcu so exactly??

Gimbal Control Unit I think? could be wrong about the exact acronym but I'm not wrong about this: likely that's the wrong version of the gimbal. If you have a Phantom 2, you need the H3-3D which has a big "for phantom 2 only" sticker on the box.

On a Phantom 2, the gimbal is controlled by the Phantom's flight computer and does NOT need a separate controller.

If you were for example building your own quadcopter or putting a H3-3D on some other type of copter (not a DJI Phantom) a separate GCU would be needed.

I honestly don't know if you can just plug that "wrong" version of the gimbal into a P2 and have it work. hopefully someone else around here knows and can tell us
 
The GCU is only needed for a Phantom 1 or FC40 that has a PMU-V2 but doesn't have an Upgrade board.

It's actually a secondary processor like the one that's on the P1 Upgrade board or the Phantom 2 main board.

If you have a P1 or FC40, don't bother getting the PMU-V2/GCU; just get an Upgrade board (or a P2 main board). Note that putting a P2 main board into a P1/FC40 requires a bit more effort than using the Upgrade board (due to the fact that some of the cables won't reach without being extended).
 
Ok so here's my issue.

I have a P2 V2 that I had been using with a Zen Muse H3-3D gimbal and Gopro 3. Bought it as a package deal on Black Friday with upgraded motors.

My buddy crashed mine and when it crashed it shorted out the gimbal. I took it to a repair place here in MD, and they said it was trashed.

I visited my girlfriend in FL and bought a new zen muse gimbal h3-3d. I opened the box and now there's a GCU unit in there with a ton of wiring and no instructions.

Do I have the wrong one or can I use it without that GCU?


I have it installed and it's not doing anything. It powers up, but doesn't do the neutral alignment and all I can hear is the motors doing a soft whine. It powers the Gopro fine but no response from the gimbal at all.


I also bought this kit on Amazon for FPV. http://www.amazon.com/DJI-Phantom-Flysi ... ql_qh_dp_t

I got the kit and it was different that I ordered. All the parts were accurate except the screen mounting hardware. No big deal, I figured out how to assemble the new mount in 20 minutes.

After installing this system that is supposed to be solderless, including the iOSD mini and the AVL85 transmitter and reciever with the connection board, everything works fine. However I can't get the gimbal to function at all even with the above set up disconnected. If the gimbal would work, I would be set.

Any Ideas?
 
mhaggerty said:
Any Ideas?

like I said in my response above, unless the H3-3D box you got has a big "FOR PHANTOM 2 ONLY" on it, that's the "wrong" version of the gimbal to be trying to use with a Phantom 2.

The H3-3D that comes with a GCU is designed to be used with OTHER quadcopters (not just he P1 or FC40, any quadcopter running A2, WKM, or Naza-M flight computer)

The Phantom 2 is designed to control a H3-3D WITHOUT the separate GCU.

I've never seen a definitive answer on whether the non-P2 version of the gimbal can just plug in and work with a P2, but if you bought a retail boxed product you should be able to return it and get the right H3-3D version (for Phantom 2 only)
 
It should be the case that H3-3D intended to be used for OTHER quadcopters can be used with the Phantom 2 by simply ignoring the GCU.

mhaggerty, have you plugged your Phantom in to a computer and run the Phantom Assistant software to verify the (electronic) presence of the H3-3D?
 
No I haven't, I will hook it up and run the assistant. Last time when I plugged in the first gimbal everything booted right away and it did the neutral alignment immediately, this one didn't, so i'll have to run the assistant and see what happens.
 
Ok, now that I tried to use the Phantom Assistant, it doesn't recognize the gimbal at all, it recognizes everything else. Any other ideas to make this work before I return it for the Phantom Version?
 

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