So third flight some thoughts and observations.

[abacus01]

So,
As a beginner, I of course decided to fly the unit in my cul de sac above my roofline. It was flying great, but one big mistake for beginners, make sure your flying well above the tree lines. I of course didn't and found out the hard way, my unit of course crashed into a tree...I was immediately mortified thinking i've just destroyed a 1300 dollar toy. Thankfully it hit a tree in my back yard the good news..the bad is that it was stuck in a branch and this is a high pine type of tree...So i had a ladder and with a long handled rake i pulled down the tree limb, and tried to catch it,,but it crashed into the ground. again morification no. 2. Have someone with you when you try this..lol. The battery popped out and i was hoping it wouldn't hit the camera and gimbal. So i look over the unit..and bisides some scratches and some scruffing under one propeller which is cracked...i replaced it and took off to the nearest park like surrounding which don't have tree's i would hit into. The first problem i saw was a gimbal error...but i also was in taller grass so after trying it again it didn't give me that error. I fired it up took off and it was kind of windy outside. The wind isn't your friend with these devices. either. I flew it to about 380 feet which is still in sight. Im still not comfortable out of sight flying..My question is how high will this go...is it locked at 400 feet. I read to go beyond the set point you have to tell it in the software program for the pc or mac. Is that true? I think 1000 feet max for me to be safe ect and somehow still have line of sight. Im amazed that some of you fly your units up to 1.2 miles away. Again, not until i have 50 flights in so at least if i lose it i have my moneys worth. I also think it a good idea to get a GPS tag of some sort. Any recommendations. Also, I had posted that with the android i get a message constantly "no internet connection found". I realize now thats true. If you connect to the phantom as your wifi obviously there is no internet. On the phone just check off don't show the message again and solved. I also noticed and I'm sure its the wind hopefully the occasional hiccup where the video seems like it jitters and then it goes back to being smooth unless i somehow damaged the gimbal, which I hope isn't the case. I flew over some ducks, very low down, if i get a chance i'll post my video. One thing i also noticed is the video stopped before it landed. Not sure why because i didn't stop it at all. happy flying everyone.

 

[J Dot]

Hello,
First glad to hear it was not Damaged!

Ok,
It is always good to hook phantom to PC ASSISTANT, after any crash or hard landing, and recalibrate IMU ( inertial measurement device ) this device takes readings from ( gyroscope ( spinning motion ), accelerometer ( forward-back-side/side, and up-down movements ) and finally compass ( where it is ( latitude, longitude, altitude ). Any of these 4 components, can be scrambled in a hard landing or crash!

First hook topic assistant
Look for ( TOOLS ) tab ( 4th tab over ) on top
Check your MOD VALUES ( modulus: another word for absolute value )
( Mod is a average taken from ( x,y,z axis )

Gyroscope should be : ( 0.0-1.5 ) if not RECALIBRATE IMU
Accelerometer should be : ( .98-1.02) if not RECALIBRATE IMU
Compass should be : ( 700-2400 ) if not RECALIBRATE IMU AND COMPASS

OK:
First question:
" only flies 400' )
Again in PC ASSISTANT look for: ( ADVANCED ) tab ( 3rd tab ) top
Look for ( LIMIT ) under sub-tabs
Here you can set limits on range and such

Ok
( TRACKER )
I use a Global tracker ( TK-102b ) eBay $30 or so
You'll need a 1gb mini SD CARD
and a sim ( I use AT&T ) sim was $15, and it is $5 a month service
Weighs 60 grams with battery!

Hope this helps!

Also there is a tab for gimbal adjustments as well
Look for ( ADVANCED TAB ) then ( GIMBAL TAB ) I'm not sure how this works for +
I have a P2V non-plus, but may help with gimbal issue!

Please let me know if I can help further!

Ps( edited to add this, and fix spelling )
Your camera might have stopped recording due to FULL memory card?
Just a thought!

Jerry D
USA
( J Dot )

 

[abacus01]

jerry D,

Thank you so much for taking the time to list all the default settings this should be. I had no idea what the calibration was or how to do it. I have to say, this forum not only is so helpful, but the owners of the Phantom bend over backwards to go out of their way to help newbies(people like myself) and someday I hope to return the favor and help someone else in need who just got theirs and need help setting it up or have questions I can help them with. Truthfully when I bought this I was kind of skeptical and thought, Im buying an expensive toy and i'll fly it once or twice and it will sit in my closet collecting dust. Truth be told, I am so hooked on this thing. It is so much fun to fly it, until you do...you have no idea. so to all the people here including Jerry and big shout out and thanks for the caring and consideration you've shown me, even though as a newbie i've made some horrible mistakes. I guess thats how you learn.

 

[RedRyderMedia]

. One thing i also noticed is the video stopped before it landed. Not sure why because i didn't stop it at all. happy flying everyone.

One possible cause. If you power off the Phantom before ending the video, the video file (I think) doesn't get created fully and can't be downloaded. If you leave the sd card in the camera and power on the Phantom again, I believe the camera completes the file, but you lose the last 30 seconds of the video. That may explain why you didn't get the landing in your video.

 

[J Dot]

Glad to help,

Also when doing IMU calibration, make sure phantom is :
STABLE on flat LEVEL surface, no wobbling around and such,
Needs to be level ( front to back & side to side )

When doing ADVANCED IMU calibration, it may tell you " IMU too HOT "
Just continue on, mine tells me this, weather I do it directly after hooking
To assistant, or if I wait a bit, you will be fine!

I know what you mean about getting hooked on flying,
It has been raining here ( seems like forever ) I'm going nuts, with
A grounded phantom, AHHHHHHHHH ! Maybe Sunday!

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance!

Jerry D
USA
( J Dot )

 

[pyrophantom]

If you get a video like that, you just need to put the sd card back in and power cycle the phantom to let it finish off the process.

 

[Case29247]

So.....I can't help but wonder why you are so interested in your flight limits. Not just as a newbie, but as a responsible RC pilot.

Don't you know the common-sense RC aircraft flight rules? Little things like 400' maximum, to keep your little toy out of the airspace reserved for real aircraft with real people in them. Well away from airports where real airplanes during approach and takeoff are below 500'. 1000' radius, with eyeballs on the craft. Not flying over areas where people are out and around (except the people flying their RC aircraft). Etc.

It's not just to keep others safe while you are in control. These common-sense rules also protect people when you are NOT IN CONTROL, which happens a lot. After all, these little machines are cheaply constructed and fail often. You'd never put this stuff-software and hardware-in an aircraft with real people inside.

Ignorance or disregard of common-sense, established rules for safe operation is going to ruin it for all of us. And quite frankly, I can't think of much good that can come of it. If you want some video from high, go down to your local airport and hire somebody to fly you around. Or get your license and fly a real aircraft.

 

[MapMaker53]

Sounds like you didn't read through the entire manual before popping in a battery and taking off. Not very wise or responsible. While some toys require little reading of instructions, this type of device requires you read and fully understand them if you have any hope of bringing it home in one piece ..or bringing it home at all for that matter.

 

[RoyVa]

Safety first and if in the US don't fly over 400 ft in altitude. Read the manual and if you don't have it you can download it from,DJI website. Go to you tube and look at video on a Phantom for first flight and the look at the different functions. Learn the controls for home lock and Failsafe for sure but the number one rule is safety. You don't want to get hit with a law suit for neglect with a drone. Don't fly over people and remember what goes up must come down... Somewhere!

 

[nynelyvz]

Question and I hope this is the correct forum. Only recent one I found.
A Home Lock and Course Lock question.
I am in Naza Mode and understand it fairly well. I want to change to a new Home Point or change my Couse Lock direction in flight. So I am about 150' out. I toggle S2 from Home Lock to Course Lock 5x, 10x even 15x and no change. Also tried the same for Course Lock. Changed direction of the Phantom Vision 2+ v3, Toggled S2 between off and Couse Lock numerous times and could not get the course to change. In either case no rapid flashing green lights to indicate a change. Checked my S2 switch in the RC and Phantom Assisstant and it works fine. Andt the Course Lock and Home lock function perfectly, just can't change either with S2 in flight. Any ideas.
Thanks
Jack

 

[N017RW]

Often times its the cadence or speed of the toggling.
It's unknown what the speed of the Naza processor is and you may be going too fast or too slow for the transition to be 'counted'.

Try on the ground a few times before flight.

 

[MapMaker53]

If you want to set HP while in flight (or while on the ground for that matter), you must do 5 full toggles with S2 from top position to bottom position to top position, not just between Course Lock and Home Lock switch positions. At least that's what I do and it works.

 

[N017RW]

FYI: Doing that you risk resetting both.

Most probably don't care about course heading and are just interested in Home point only.

 

[MapMaker53]

Thanks N017RW. I stand corrected. Any documentation I had read as well as videos seemed to indicated a full swing of the switch was required to set/reset the HP. I guess they weren't NAZA specific.

 

[RoyVa]

I have found simular action when I want to change my H/L or C/L position. I also have noted sometime if I rotate the craft it repositions the antenna and I can get it to work. Still have noted I have to be with in 3-400 ft to get it to change. Go figure!