Pro4+ refuses to stay aloft

zryall3 · Jan 8, 2017

I've got a brand new PPro4+ (Been flying a 3 pro) and in prepping it for first flight, I wonder if I have ommitted something. The controller says ready to fly, but when I take off and ascend maybe 100 feet, it wants to immediately come back and make an auto landing. I can't determine why it insists on not staying aloft. I get nor error messages and I've turned off the obstacle sensors in case it didn't like a tree or building 2-30 feet away. I rose above those anyway and it still wanted to sit back down. Thoughts?

Rgarry · Jan 8, 2017

Obviously, you are new to this. Do you have antennas positioned horizontal since flying straight overhead?

F3honda4me · Jan 8, 2017

Can you get the txt file from your iOS or android device and upload here, then provide us the link? https://www.phantomhelp.com/LogViewer/upload/

AIRSPACE · Jan 9, 2017

Wait so the drone keeps losing altitude with no stick input (left and right in middle) it could be a VPS issue. Try calibrating VPS through DJI assistant

F3honda4me · Jan 9, 2017

If he's going 100 feet up it has nothing to do with VPS.

AIRSPACE · Jan 9, 2017

It shouldn't but it's worth testing as it's just a simple on/off in the DJI go 4 app. The phantom 4 altitude drop as a big problem and many users suggested disabling VPS etc.

This thread may of use to OP
http://forum.dji.com/thread-48650-1-1.html?&page=4

zryall3 · Jan 14, 2017

Thanks all, and to Rgarry, I'm new to the pro4+ but have been flying drones and RC for years. After just now taking the + out for more tests, I'm wondering if there is something wrong with this one. It continues to want to descend and land, but I'm starting to see other things wrong, like after the calibration and startup and altimeter initially showing zero (as it should), it reads 149 feet when it lifts off and is only about 20 feet off the ground. Also, occasionally after landing, it won't restart and I get a "navigation error" message on the screen which is not remedies except by turning the + off and then restarting it. All else works fine once aloft in terms of obstacle avoidance and maneuvering and photos/video, but something makes me wonder if I don't need to calibrate the IMU. I don't see an option for doing that. Any ideas what could be going on or how to reboot the entire IMU? I know this is still a very new model, and I even had the Go4 app refuse to boot once when turning on the controller. Recall this has the built in bright screen and not an iphone.

Rgarry · Jan 15, 2017

No expert but you should calibrate IMU before first flight, update firmware on drone and remote, calibrate compass. You may have done all this. I remember reading a stickie here that takes it through all the steps before first place.

GMack · Jan 15, 2017

Did you do the VPS calibration in Assistant 2? That might have some bearing on your odd altitude reports...maybe.

I have issues with my P4 on altitude in GO. While in the air for some time, GO might show 20' and the P4 looks like 20' up, but keep flying and GO shows 20' but the P4 is up to 40 feet. I dunno what is going on, but I suspect it is something in GO itself not reading the info from the P4 right. That or some thermal warm-up drift that DJI hasn't gotten a handle on. The two never seem to agree other than take-off is zero feet, and then it all goes out the window the longer it is in the air.

As to your screen matter, no doubt it is Android messing up the video lag. I suspect GO is beyond what Android can handle unless it is super-fast processor and clean running too. Somehow I don't think it is as currently sold. DJI needs to maybe trim the P4 Pro + GO app down a bit in resource demands. Every generation of GO seems to take more resources to run right, that or people need to roll back to older versions to work. It'll be interesting to see what becomes of the Epson BT-300 FPV glasses that runs maybe Android too and if video lag shows up with them also when it comes to market this year.

Good luck!

azgeek · Jan 15, 2017

Rgarry said:
No expert but you should calibrate IMU before first flight, update firmware on drone and remote, calibrate compass.

Not recommended to calibrate IMU unless getting a prompt to do so (either from the app or DJI customer "support"). And pay attention to firmware updates that may also result in having to update the battery(ies).