question for someone who really knows the phantom

[thetac]

OK I have two phantoms....not visions. Using DX8 and AR8000 receivers. Both have 4.02 software with the separate defaults loaded from DJI homepage. One of them gives me a fast flashing yellow light only when i put it in GPS mode. Also I cant the compass dance light to come on..no matter how many times i flick the switch. I have flown it and it flys fairly stable in manual or ATTI mode...I have not had the nerve to switch into GPS during flight because i know fast yellow flashing light means disconnect from the transmitter. Everything checks out fine in the naza assistant, including compass values...all switches are good and correct. The second phantom flies perfect.

I have taken them both apart and switched parts trying to eliminate the bad part.....I have switched the compass and cable, I have switched the complete tops (which includes the GPS unit)....the one that didn't work worked on the good one and the good one didn't work on the bad one....so i have eliminated the GPS anntenna, compass, and compass cable as the source of the problem. I have looked at every connection and wire and have found nothing. The only thing I didn't swap was the Naza units because it is too much of a pain...does anyone think it might be the naza? Has anyone had a Naza go bad? Are they repairable or can I send it somewhere for testing? I know there are lots of smart people out there...someone must have had some experience...I'm thinking about buying a spare naza, I have spare everything else, motors, compass, cables, batteries, props, pretty much everything else..appreciate any advice

 

[Gizmo3000]

I'm not familiar with the Dx8 's, but I would suspect that you might not have set them up properly.
when connected to the NAZA assistant, what does it tell you when you switch to GPS mode? (and the yellow lights flash)

 

[phantomflyer]

I had this happen to me but on all settings and would only work two feet from Phantom, For awhile I thought it was the Naza but after putting in a new receiver it was working again. Did you switch the receivers?

 

[thetac]

Gizmo....I am very familiar with setup...i have flown my first phantom for almost a year with the DX8/ar8000 combo...also has telemetry, IOSD, FPV, upgrades motors, dual batteries, triple bladed props, upgraded landing gear (retracts), go pro black, etc. Everything but the kitchen sink! The second phantom just has dual batteries and is pretty much stock. I did recently convert that one to the AR8000 receiver. I did some other cosmetic mods and loaned a friend the compass and cable. Bought a new compass and cable and got it all back together and then I got this. Phantom Flyer I am assuming you are asking about the AR8000 receiver? I did not swap that out...i didn't think it had anything to do with GPS flying.....i did swap out the satellite and rebound it and it seems to be interacting fine with the transmitter...like i said ATTI and manual flying is just fine. If i had nothing i would definitely suspect the ar8000 or satellite.

 

[dkr77573]

It sounds like you've done your due diligence from a troubleshooting perspective. I would suspect the NAZA too.

 

[thetac]

Just never heard many people talk about their Naza going bad....and of course it is rather spendy...I should just upgrade to the v2 and be done with it! LOL

 

[Gizmo3000]

One of them gives me a fast flashing yellow light only when i put it in GPS mode. Also I cant the compass dance light to come on..no matter how many times i flick the switch. I have flown it and it flys fairly stable in manual or ATTI mode...I have not had the nerve to switch into GPS during flight because i know fast yellow flashing light means disconnect from the transmitter. Everything checks out fine in the naza assistant, including compass values...all switches are good and correct. The second phantom flies perfect.

When you run the NAZA assistant, and switch to GPS, maybe it will tell you what's going on. - or show you why it's going into failsafe mode.
But obviously my first guess would be that for some reason your Tx is sending the wrong signal so that it's going into failsafe instead of GPS, might just be an offset thing.

 

[thetac]

When I run the naza assistant it works exactly likes it's suppose to...and mirrors what the other phantom does on the naza assistant(and that phantom flies great). Thats why it has me thinking it might be the naza itself! Also I can not get it into the compass dance mode no matter how many times i click the switch back and forth. The other phantom jumps into compass dance mode right away like it's supposed to.

 

[DeweyAXD]

I would definatley see what happens if you switch the AR8000 receivers over as Phantomflyer suggested. As you correctly state, the the fast flashing is a warning of TX transmission. Odd that it only does this in GPS mode but then could it be that the RX is tripping out when the GPS/Atti/Manual mode channel is accessed (nothing to do with GPS, just the channel it is using).... well worth eliminating this as an option before moving further.

When you disconnect the GPS puck on a NAZA mv2 you get yellow lights only but they come in bursts. If you flip to manual you get no lights at all (just tried this on my 450).

Did you do a direct copy of models on your DX8 too? I know on Futaba there is a 'range check' mode which antinuates the signal to barely a few meters, just wondering if the RX has that built into it instead of the TX?

Failing that then go back to an earlier version of the firmware and then re-install 4.02. This would prove if it was just a firmware install issue.

Can't beat a bit of fault finding! Don't give up hope on it yet.

 

[netphreak]

When you loaded the default parameters, did you remember to switch the RC type back over?

 

[thetac]

Roger that Netphreak....like i said i can fly the phantom...in manual and ATTI..just not in GPS...when i click GPS it goes into RTH mode or breaks the transmitter link. I don't think if I didn't have tradional receiver checked in the assistant it would work at all....plus the warning won't go away if you don't change it.

I like your thinking DeweyAXD....very well could be the AR8000. I did pull all the wires and check the pins, on both the receiver and naza, especially on the x1 & x2 channels which i believe control the manual, ATTI, and GPS modes. Another thought is I've had several bad satellites coming off the AR8000.....I'm going to swap that out as well. And yes I did do a direct copy on the DX8 and just renamed it. The more I think about it the more i'm hoping for the receiver or satellite...but both are brand new (which doesnt mean anything really I guess). Your right can't afford to give up....but man it's frustrating sometimes....it's a challenge though and i sort of like a challenge..especially if i have some time and up here in Minnesota where the temp was -28F last night I got some time!

 

[DeweyAXD]

The best thing is you have two identical setups to try this all with so you can literally remove all variables. Most people in that situation would be at a total loss (although they'd end up with a second Phantom from all the parts replacements!).

From what you've said I counted out the GPS being bad as swapping the top shells over worked fine in the good one. Knowing how the 'end points' work on channels, I can't think why one channel would cause RX failure at a certain end point but they are pretty complex little buggers.

 

[thetac]

You're right having two identical ones is a great luxury...although it is a pain ripping them apart one piece at a time just for testing purposes......but it beats buying parts trying to guess. I thought same as you...the GPS antenna had to be it..but eliminated possibility by changing tops.....I know there is something peculiar about the use of the x1 & x2 channels because when you throw the manual/ATTI/GPS switch on the transmitter the x1 & x2 values adjust in the assistant...but at this point im hoping it's just the satellite on the ar8000. Ill keep you updated because I'm going to mess with it again tonight in an attempt to reduce the variables....i'll save the naza til last because it sucks to pry it off.....

 

[Gizmo3000]

When I run the naza assistant it works exactly likes it's suppose to...and mirrors what the other phantom does on the naza assistant(and that phantom flies great). Thats why it has me thinking it might be the naza itself! Also I can not get it into the compass dance mode no matter how many times i click the switch back and forth. The other phantom jumps into compass dance mode right away like it's supposed to.

Are these two systems running off the same Tx? (or do you have two Tx's? if so, maybe try binding the different Tx's to swap)

and the NAZA/TX have been calibrated?

it sounds like things are NOT working exactly as they're supposed to in the NAZA if you can't flip into GPS mode or do the Compass dance mode.
since both those things are occurring, it seems there's a problem on that channel.

Go into the NAZA assistant, go into the region that shows you what's going on in the failsafe section and monitor what happens when you throw it into GPS mode. (as well as in the lower part of the NAZA where it shows GPS/ATTI/Failsafe/Manual
in all likelihood, my guess is that instead of falling into the correct place for GPS mode, the signal being sent from the Tx/Rx is putting that channel into the Failsafe "zone" instead of the GPS region where it's supposed to fall.

 

[netphreak]

I think I figured it out!

The PWM value for the transmitter isn't lining up with the correct value for the GPS mode, so it's defaulting to failsafe. Open the naza software, and go to basic > RC. When it's flipped to GPS mode, check and see where the arrow lines up on the slider.

 

[PhantomFan]

I had this problem with my Flamewheel F450/NAZA-Lite combo. You need to adjust your transmitter end-points for the three position switch you are using to get the NAZA Assistant pointer >>PRECISELY<< dead in the middle of of the indicator that identifies "GPS", "ATTI" and "MANUAL". If you don't, you can't do the compass dance (the Phantom won't register a valid switch from GPS ---> ATTI and back) and it messes with the Phantom's ability to recognize when it is in either GPS, ATTI or MANUAL, depending on which one is maladjusted. Takes only 1 of three to be off.

If you do your end-point adjustment VERY carefully as above while watching the results in the NAZA Assistant, the problem should disappear.

Let us know if that works for you.

Also, before you go struggling swapping parts etc, etc...make a post and ask for a solution! Almost every problem has been seen, recognized and has an available fix that can be offered by SOMEONE!!!

PF

 

[Gizmo3000]

I think I figured it out!

The PWM value for the transmitter isn't lining up with the correct value for the GPS mode, so it's defaulting to failsafe. Open the naza software, and go to basic > RC. When it's flipped to GPS mode, check and see where the arrow lines up on the slider.

that' what I keep on suggesting as well!

 

[PhantomFan]

Me too. :lol:

PF

 

[Gizmo3000]

..like i said i can fly the phantom...in manual and ATTI..just not in GPS...when i click GPS it goes into RTH mode or breaks the transmitter link.

And like we keep suggesting, if you connect to the NAZA assistant, you can rule out that the connection between Tx and Rx is not being broken- if you still see activity in the sticks, etc.

 

[thetac]

well after all that and more research and part excange....it turned out to be a bad receiver. I did first check the assistant and when flicking through manual, ATTI, and GPS they were all spot on and failsafe went to failsafe...gps to the center of gps. So next i changed out the satelite antenna and chord on the AR8000....no good....had to rebind the new satelite as well still nothing. Then I pulled the entire receiver out of the good phantom and put it in the bad one....and bingo worked like a champ. Did the checks, advanced calibration, compass dance and stepped outside in zero degree F weather for flight. Flew 12 minutes...rock steady. So i came back in and figured i put the other one together with the bad receiver just to make sure it was really bad....had to rebind receiver, satelite, telemetry, etc. Fired it up and sure enough fast blinking light only in the gps mode. Receiver is going back to horizon hobby tomorrow but i feel good that is the problem. Glad i had two phantoms...that could have been an expensive venture.....this only cost me a lot of time. I was going to take a pic and post it....almost comical with tools, screws and parts laying everywhere...my wife just shaking her head as i am spread out over the entire kitchen...