Phantom 2 Compass Error

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Hi everyone,

I have a Phantom 2 with ZenMuse H3-2D gimbal, GoPro 3, Immersion RC 600mhz video transmitter and an iOSD Mini.

Everything has been fine with this set up for a few months, but now when I turn it on, the rear lights are solid red. On my display I get no GPS signal. I plugged it into the Phantom Assistant software and it pops up with this error message.

"Abnormal compass data. Please restart the Flihgt Controller or reconnect the compass due to the losse connection. if this error continues, please contact your dealer or DJI customer service."

According to the assistant all the software is up to date. The compass values display as 'O' in each box. I have unplugged the compass and reconnected but still no luck.

Anybody have a clue what it may be? If you need more info, just let me know and I will provide it.

I love my Phantom but right now it's not much use to me.

Thanks for your input in advance.

Luke
 
I would start out by opening up the Phantom and making sure the compass cable from the leg is still connected to the port inside the lid, and the same for the GPS cable coming down from the lid. If everything looks proper in there, you may need to replace the compass (a $15 part).
 
I have removed the upper casing and checked everything is connected correctly. I believe it's either a software issue or my compass has just died. I'm not sure what else it would be!
 
My story is slightly different, but same issue.

Yesterday had a perfect morning of flying, ran through two batteries. No problems or troubles. Switched from GPS to ATTI a couple of times for smooth video. Landed, packed up and went second site. Same results, good flight of one battery, switched to ATTI a couple of times, no problems. Successfully calibrated compass at both sites without any problems.

Go home and hook up computer to read and record battery information. Seemingly without any interaction from me, a firmware update is performed when I plug Phantom into computer and start assistant software.

When update done, turn off Phantom, turn it back on and perform all calibrations in Assistant Software.

From that point on, advanced calibrations take much longer than usual. Sometime the compass err shows up, sometimes not. Calibrated compass indoors and outdoors, the LEDs on Phantom shows home lock, course lock, good satellite count and compass calibration is successful. Plug in the computer and compass err may or may not show up.

Coincidentally, GPS/ATTI/FailSafe switch will not show GPS position. The switch has positive action and clicks into position, but is not making a good electrical connection. When switch is in GPS position, Phantom is in ATTI mode. As shown both by LEDs, assistant software and iOSD display on Black Pearl.

The compass err is troubling for a Phantom that has never had a rough landing and was mere hours before working fine until this firmware update.
 
Luke, not sure our problem is the same, as you do not mention doing any firmware updates that may have precipitated your difficulties. My problems definitely occurred immediately after an update. I'm hoping someone offers one or both of us some assistance.


A follow-up after some experimentation.

If the Phantom is turned on without being connected to the computer, there is a normal start-up sequence (home lock, course lock, finding satellites) and then a compass calibration is possible. If after this normal start-up sequence, the Phantom is plugged into the computer, NO compass error warning is generated in the Assistant Software.

If however, the Phantom is plugged into the computer and THEN the Phantom powered up, there will be a compass err warning generated. For me at least, this has only been the case since updating the P330 firmware to version 1.0.1.31. I've been at firmware 3.04 since it came out, so I don't feel that is the source of my problem.

Once the compass err warning has been generated, the Phantom must be unplugged from the computer and the compass must be calibrated twice. The first time will fail. The Phantom must be turned off and back on, wait for a completed start-up and then perform a second and successful compass calibration. If the Phantom is plugged in to the computer again after this successful compass calibration, there is no indication of a compass err.

Perhaps unrelated or possibly directly related to the firmware update, advanced calibrations take considerably longer. They take more than an hour.


(Unfortunately for me, the GPS/ATTI/FailSafe switch was beginning to die, it has now failed completely. GPS mode is no longer available. Flights and bench testing have been suspended until I get the three position switch replaced. I do not feel this switch failure is related to the firmware update.)
 
I experience this problem today after installing a new iOSD-mini. The install went very cleanly, or so I thought.

When I powered up the P2, I got the initial power-on sounds, and the red LED's flashed a couple of times. But after that, the machine just sat there and beeped, beeped, beeped. I checked all my wiring and looked for obvious problems like disconnected wires, etc. I powered-up the P2 again, turned on the monitor. The video downlink was live, and the OSD telemetry was displayed. The controller link showed green, but the P2 did not respond to any control inputs. It just sat there, beep, beep, beep....

I noticed that the OSD on the downlink monitor showed zero volts, but every few seconds it would flash 12v for an eye-blink length of time. That was revealing....I don't know what it revealed, but it stuck in my mind.

I thought maybe calibration and firmware updating might help. So, I calibrated the controller, and upgraded the iOSD firmware. Then I connected to the P2 through the P2 Assistant. Almost immediately I got two error messages. The first said I did not have a DJI intelligent battery. The second was a compass error. Once again, I checked the wiring visually, and also installed two other batteries. Same problems.

Then I did what I always do, I Googled the battery error message. Got quite a few hits, including a YouTube video showing the problem in action. Quite a few comments expressed the same problem, with some saying that DJI tech help was helpless.

One guy commented that he'd gotten rid of the problem by removing the iOSD module he'd installed. So I thought that was worth trying too. First, I removed the little video cable. The problem persisted, but of course the video feed to the downlink was gone. So, I put the video cable back in, and removed the big cable connected to the CAN-bus. This cut the power to the iOSD module, so I lost the video feed again, BUT the P2 problem went away, and the error messages stopped.

Next I plugged the big cable back into the CAN-bus, and the problem returned. But I noticed that if I wiggled and pushed on the cable and connector, the problem would go away again. Wiggle and push again, and the issue returned. But when things were working okay, the downlink monitor showed all the telemetry, including the battery voltage and some new stuff that came with the latest firmware upgrade.

I'm 100% sure I have a bad cable on the iOSD....either a bad connector, or maybe the wires aren't making good contact with the connector pins, or maybe a wire is broken inside the cable near the connector. By pushing on the connector and the cable, I can make a good connection, but it's tenuous at best. I certainly don't want to fly that way. I've "flown" it without propellers, and everything seems to work. The control inputs create motor changes, the gimbal works, and the downlink shows the camera image, plus the flight data changes with changes in orientation, location, height, etc. I'm really looking forward to getting a replacement module.

The point is that I seem to have diagnosed my problem. A bad iOSD Cam-bus cable or connector. The iOSD is going back to B&H, and I'll get a replacement.

Others have had the same experience, based on the Google search. DJI should take note.

Also, if you're having this problem, make sure the CAN-bus plug is firmly seated in the socket. Maybe it's that simple for you. If not, then test for internal broken wires or bad connector, etc.
 
wheew, had this issue intermittently , ever month or so i would get the compass error , turns out it was the connection to the compass on the landing gear, I was preparing for major surgery until I removed the white plastic cover to the compass to find the cable slightly unseated...... scary if it would have come loose in flight, does anyone know if it would RTH in that condition? compass calibration saved my bacon, it was odd bird fired up fine, performed compass calibration. leds were green after horizontal rotation. Once i rotated the axis to do the vertical, it came up with the error.
 

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