Phantom 1 GPS/Compass Problem

[aerosmith]

Hi all,

Urgent help required here.

I have a Phantom 1 which I upgraded with an HD-2D gimbal and Fat Shark downlink.

I am selling it as I now have an Inspire 1 and an Aeronavics Skyjib 8.

Just at the moment of sale (the buyer was standing next to me) I discover the Phantom has a big problem with either the compass, the GPS or both. The Phantom was last flown in February, it flew perfectly and it has never been crashed hard.

On power up I just get a slow flashing orange light which the manual says is the IMU warm up signal. Well that never goes away no matter how long it's left. The aircraft will not go into compass calibration mode (never had a problem with that before) but it will fly in attitude mode.

It has been upgraded to the latest firmware and an advanced IMU calibration has been done even though the NAZA assistant said it wasn't required.

In the Naza assistant the boxes where the parameters for the compass should be are all reading zero. See below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26634968@N05/16752735492/

Also, after the upgrade, the section which should contain the hardware and firmware information for the GPS is also blank. It's as if the GPS unit and compass don't exist.

See below:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/26634968@N05/16131534294/

I should point out that the problem was discovered before this latest round of updates. They were done to try to solve the issue but nothing has worked.

I am really struggling to understand how this could have happened while my Phantom was sitting on a desk in my office for the last four weeks.

Any suggestions hugely appreciated.

Thanks

Aerosmith

DJI Inspire 1
Aeronavics Skyjib 8 Heavy Lift

 

[Larry L]

Are you in NAZA mode? You will get yellow flashing lights if you have S1&2 switches in any other position than up. If in the up position, could you have a faulty switch?

 

[J.James]

That definitly sounds like a gps problem if its not showing any hardware or soft ware numbers for the gps in the naza assistant.

But being you know its not had any kind of crash or any things sence the last time it was flown and all ok. makes me think it could be some thing related to just sitting for so long. Which would more then likely be some sort of corrosion or some ting causing a bad connection in either the plug to the gps the compass OR even the two data pins or the two pads on the battery's being dirty. Tho if the battery data pins not getting a good solid connection you would be getting some kind of non dji battery window pop up or not see the battery's in in the naza properly. So If that's not the case I would go back to the wires on the gps plug or the compass cable. I cant be any thing busted or burned out from just sitting. So try to un plug the compass cable and plug it back in and see if you can see any thing in the compass mod values under the tool tab in the naza assistant. and if so make sure the mod values if it has any for the compass are with in the exceptionable ranges. and if you still dont see any thing in the mod values you might have to open the shell and try the plug on the other end of the compass were it goes in to the gps puck in the top if the shell and unplug it and plug it back in. Then also try unplugging and replugging in the the black plug for the gps that goes in to the main board. Chances are that the black plug is the culprit being they are known to be lose connection in the pins to begin with and dont always make good contact as it is even with good clean pins. Because of that known issue many people are tighting there pins to avoid lose connection issues with that plug.


But man I got to say that no matter what is wrong or how simple of a fix it might or not be. THAT TOTALLY blows that it happen right as some one was there to check it out and wanting to possibly buy it. But even if you get it figured out and it was a minor thing count that person out they probably are going to be scared away from it or even from any phantom now.

 

[aerosmith]

Well the guy did actually buy it...but I have said I will give him a refund if we can't get it working. That would suck because I want to spend the cash on more spare batteries for my Inspire 1. I am tempted to think it's a cable issue. The guy is going to take the shell off and make sure everything is connected properly. I was totally surprised when this problem arose as I have never had any problems with the Phantom. It was last used a month ago to chase my Skyjib and get some shots of it in flight.

 

[J.James]

Well the guy did actually buy it

oh wow. Well hopefully for both of ya's its some thing simple. Which it usually is once you can actually figure out what exactly is the cause. Even if its the top worse case of some thing being wrong with the gps unit Which seems very unlikely short of a crash what ever it turn out to be it might be some thing that even if you paid him for the part if its a part that needs fixing.