P2 controller conflict with another P2

[LEEnR6]

This is my first post here although I have been lurking here for a while. I did a search for my issue but have had no luck so maybe someone can help.

I have a Phantom 2 with the Zemuse 2D gimbal and 5.8ghz fpv on it. I've had nearly 100 flights without issues of any kind (except ones I have created myself ). Another friend bought the almost identical setup except with the 3D gimbal here recently and we both went out together to help him learn more about flying it.

We both lofted our Phantoms and saw a lot if interference in our monitors. I thought possibly we might be on the same channels or something on the video TX so I was going to address that later. The real problem was I got about 50m away and my craft stopped responding to inputs from the controller. It was in GPS mode using NAZA. It just hung there holding position and altitude but wouldn't yaw, pitch or roll. His craft had full control. He was using GPS mode and using the Phantom stock settings. I finally had to invoke fail safe and when it was close I could switch back to GPS to regain control and land.

We then took turns flying one at a time and I had no problems at all. Flew out to 500m away across a huge field with no problems. Any ideas on what may cause this? They are stock controllers on 2.4ghz but I thought they were bound to each aircraft...

Thanks in advance for any help.
Lee
Active Shooter Photography

 

[LEEnR6]

So I'm guessing from the lack of response that I shouldn't trust flying more than one P2 at a time? I was hoping to use them both during an event at the same time but my confidence here is waning. Now I'm scared someone might turn on one somewhere close and loose my Phantom....

 

[knuckles]

There is a recent video with 10+ maybe phantoms flying in the same area with Israeli flags hanging from them. I'd bet it's on YouTube

 

[ElGuano]

You can definitely fly multiple 2.4ghz (and mixed 5.8ghz) Phantoms together with no problem. I've never heard before of what you experienced.

If your craft stopped responding to tx commands, how did you invoke failsafe? That suggests it was getting a signal from your TX after all. One thing to test is what would happen if your friend turned off his tx (invoking failsafe on his working unit) while yours was unresponsive. That would give you a definitely idea of what was causing your problems.

 

[fastsmiles]

Have you had any crashes, even minor ones that might have damaged a connection inside your phantom?

 

[ISP5557]

Maybe he had his gopro WIFI turned on. (only thing I can think of)???

 

[cmturn0]

It definitely was not caused by having 2 Phantom's flying at the same time. DJI's RC radios use the FASST ('Futaba Advanced Spread Spektrum' http://www.futaba-rc.com/technology/fasst.html ) Frequency hopping algorithm. It's one of the newest protocols in use, and makes a very robust & interference resilient link. You could fly over 100 Phantoms right next to each other without having RC interference issues. Your experience was some other kind of fluke issue. Even though it's not on the same Frequency, a very high power video TX in close enough proximity can effectively blind your 2.4ghz RC receiver, just food for thought.

 

[LEEnR6]

Thanks for the replies guys. This P2 had a crash or two early on when I got it quite a while back. Since then it has literally done at least 100 problem free flights. It has been super stable and responsive, and still is except during that flight. I flew it just yesterday with no issues at all. The only time I've had an issue was when another P2 was flying at the same time.

During that flight the my P2 would not respond to stick controls at all while his P2 was in the air. At that point my only option was to flip the S1 switch to fail safe and try to get it back. Apparently there was some communication from the TX because that function worked. Like I said before, once it got close to me (about 20m almost directly over me) I engaged GPS mode and got control again and landed it.

Once we flew independently the problem went away so that leads me to believe something between them is causing the problem.
I have flown with another P2V unit at the same time successfully, but their TX is on 5.8ghz so it wouldn't have a conflict anyway. I was aware that they had the tech to be able to fly at the same time so I was alarmed when this was a problem. It also makes me a little scared to do it again. :?

 

[LEEnR6]

Maybe he had his gopro WIFI turned on. (only thing I can think of)???

Definitely no. I went thru a pre flight checklist with him so I know it was off.