Green flashing LED & Home point

[fly-catchers]

Now I have several batteries I can finally do a bit more proper flying! I am still not totally sure of the LED lights. For example after you first connect the battery I am sure I am getting two green lights followed by one red and it repeats this until it goes to a steady green light. Or yellow in ATTI mode. Also at that point I get a brief rapid green flashing as well. Is the rapid green flashing at that point setting the home return point? As from what I can see from the instructions it seems to be you should get a rapid green flashing soon after you start the motors. But although I leave the props idling for a good 15/20 secs before take off I only get the regular steady green flashing- no rapid flashing at that point. Does that mean the home return has not been set? Or do you need to activate the home return in the software?

Touchwood once in the air everything so far performs as expected. Finding the orientation after it travels some distance is a bit of a challenge! Getting older with less than perfect eyesight not helping!! But let it hover and them slowly nudge the controls to see which direction it seems to want to go to. Does using IOC help or hinder beginners? As it is not active by default I guess it is more challenging- though in theory I would have thought it would make flying easier?

Still a scary experience!!

cheers

bill

 

[marcus_canada]

I still have brain farts with this one myself.
I have a Phantom, a Wookong powered Quad and a Blade QX. They all have differing LED codes and I invariably freak out during initialization as I struggle to remember which is which.

 

[netphreak]

The quick green flashing light is the the home position light. You usually won't get a bunch of green flashes on arming unless you need to calibrate the phantom. The IOC is useful, but FPV is much better for longer range flights. Happy flying!

 

[jumanoc]

Some steps for no worries at take off. (IOC must be active in Naza Assistant for using CL (course Lock) and (HL) Home Lock.

1) Wait until you get 1 GREEN (GPS) or 1 YELLOW (ATTI).
2) Move left-top stick 4-5 times between OFF (top) and CL (middle) positions (start / finish in OFF position) - You'll get 20 GREENs so you are sure your flight direction was saved.
3) Move left top stick to CL (middle) then move 4-5 times between CL (middle) and HL (bottom) positions (start/ finish in CL position)- You'll get 20 GREENs so you are sure your home point was saved.
4) Back your stick to top before take off.
5) Fly with confidence, go beyond 30 mts and you can try:

a) CL mode (middle position) and pull right stick. Phantom will move straigt from its position to near your position.( have to be at least 10 meters)
b) HL mode (bottom position) and pull right stick. Phantom will move straigt from its position to Home Point saved circling around it,

Another trick, Try mounting a bright led light in front of your phantom, (better if strobe one), then you will see when it is pointing to you by turning yaw control slowly.

 

[fly-catchers]

Thanks for your advice everyone

jumanoc- If Home lock & Course lock do roughly the same thing which is best? Despite watching videos & reading up I still cannot fully understand about the Course lock option. When they mention the craft flies back in a grid- can't get my head round that!
So if you use IOC it has to be in either Course Lock or Home Lock positions as the Off switches it off completely? And if you are nearer than 30 metres the option of bringing the craft back won't work? Though at that distances I guess it is not an issue.

Are those flashing LED lights much brighter than the LED lights on the rear & legs of the craft? Because on a bright sunny day they soon disappear as the craft goes some distance. Great at night though!!

cheers

 

[jumanoc]

CL and HL are similar but not thes same.
Both will save your phantom if you lose orientation (better HL than CL). HL will bring aircraft direct to you (Home Take Off point), but CL jus in straight "grid" line pattern.
When phantom reaches <30 mts to home point the controls works as usual not as CL / HL mode.

About the lights. yes they are so brigth that you can see them at 300-400 mts when pointing to you. I prefered bike mini strobes with its own battery instead the led panel powered by phantom battery.