Warnings following unsucessful firmware update

[Tina Berg]

So after trying unsuccessfully several times to update the firmware 1.8.80 I gave up and continued flying without the update using an ipad as I have always done.

After 34 seconds in the air, I received a warning "propulsion output limited. Aircraft motility has been lowered". I proceeded to carefully bring the aircraft back for landing.

Then at 45 seconds I received another warning "Critically Low Power Level, Aircraft Landing etc". I seemed to have limited control and the aircraft landed heavily but otherwise ok.

The battery at take off was 62% and landing battery was 60%.

Flight conditions were sunny, around 14C, with a bit of wind, but I have flown in worse with no trouble in the past.

After landing I tried another battery, again using the Ipad, and got the "propulsion Output Limited" error again.

I landed quickly and safely this time as I had not gone too far being nervous from the previous flight.

So then I tried Battery 2 agin, but this time with my iphone. No trouble to report. And I flew until Battery 2 was low.

So my question is, why would I be getting these errors using my ipad? It is fully updated, as is the DJI Go app on both devices. Is it coincidence? Also, any idea why I cant update the newest firmware? I have even tried a new sd card with no luck. At my wits end! Thank you for any help and advise!

 

[Oso]

Its expected behavior when battery levels are low. That propulsion limited warning is mostly seen when you dont use a fully charged battery to begin a flight. There are countless threads about it from the FW 1.5/1.6 days if you want to research the background.

 

[Tina Berg]

The Battery was at 62%, I wouldn't call that low. My batteries are always fully charged when flying. I had moved location and landed and that is why it was at 62%.

 

[msinger]

After 34 seconds in the air, I received a warning "propulsion output limited. Aircraft motility has been lowered".

This normally appears when the battery voltage is low. The Phantom will auto reduce the power so the battery does not reach a dangerously low level.

Then at 45 seconds I received another warning "Critically Low Power Level, Aircraft Landing etc".

What do you have this setting set to (your Phantom must be connected to DJI GO in order to see it)?

I seemed to have limited control and the aircraft landed heavily

That's because your Phantom was auto landing. You can still control it during that time, but it'll auto descend at its current location unless you increase the throttle.

After landing I tried another battery, again using the Ipad, and got the "propulsion Output Limited" error again.

Was the second battery fully charged at this time?

any idea why I cant update the newest firmware?

Try upgrading the firmware exactly like this. If the upgrade fails, please let us know where you got stuck.

 

[Tina Berg]

Thanks @msinger.
The battery voltage was at 62% when that error appeared though? I wouldn't have thought that was low?
I have since changed the critical battery warning to be 20%, but I think it was on 10% before I changed it. Is this ok? What would you recommend.
Thanks for the info re the auto landing. It's the first time I have encountered that. I will know to increase the throttle next time.
Yes the second battery was at around 96% at the time of the second warning.
I have followed those exact instructions several times. I have downloaded the correct firmware upgrade and put it into the root directory of the sd card. When I put it in the aircraft it only flashes green, not red and green as it should.

Thanks for your help!

 

[msinger]

The battery voltage was at 62% when that error appeared though? I wouldn't have thought that was low?

It's going to be hard to troubleshoot this without seeing some concrete data. Please upload your TXT flight log here and post a link back here.

I have followed those exact instructions several times. I have downloaded the correct firmware upgrade and put it into the root directory of the sd card. When I put it in the aircraft it only flashes green, not red and green as it should.

Please post the log from your memory card.

 

[Tina Berg]

Phantom Log Viewer - PhantomHelp.com


I cant get the memory card info for you at the moment.

 

[msinger]

Your log shows the following:

• You took off with a 62% charged battery. Keep in mind that you should be landing when the lowest battery cell is at 3.4V (which is usually around a 30% charged battery).
  
  
• As you ascended at the beginning of the flight, the voltage dropped. It's normal for the voltage to drop while ascending.
  
  
• The voltage dropped to 3.2V near the top of your ascent and your Phantom started to auto land. It did this to prevent the battery from reaching 3.0V (which will cause it to shut off).
  
  
• While your Phantom was trying to auto land, you were trying to ascend at one point. That caused the "propulsion output limited" message to appear. This is another safeguard to prevent the battery from reaching 3.0V.

 

[Sprague]

Hi,
Trying to follow this the best I can be am a bit confused. I did a search here and Google. I too got this warning today (Warning: Ppropulsion Output Limited. Aircraft motility has been lowered.). I took off with a 100% charge and received the warning 12mins into the flight with about 40% battery left. All went well, came home OK but am not too sure what the warning was for. Many thanks in advance.
Sprague

 

[schroeder1959]

I had the same warning with my last flight this past Sunday, May 29th. I have attached an image of when the warning took place I took off with 98% battery. All firmware updates have been successful. Why did I get this warning with 30% battery remaining? Nervous to fly again!!

 

[Sprague]

Very odd. Hopefully someone will have an answer soon. I too am very nervous to fly again.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[alokbhargava]

Battery is a very critical component for the safe flying of the aircraft. P3 continuously monitors the battery state ( charge, voltage and current). If it sees a lower actual terminal voltage compared to expected voltage at any charge level, it tries to limit the current. This is a safety feature introduced from AC FW 1.6 onwards. Whenever currents are limited below the rated values, it issues a warning message too. These warnings may be false/ inaccurate if the battery charge was not near 100% when the flight started. P3 estimates the charge on the battery during starting based on the terminal voltage read and can go very wrong if the charge was not full.

It is advices to start flying with fully charged batteries.

Such conditions also may occur if one or more cells have gone bad.

 

[Sprague]

Many, many thanks! I think mine was inaccurate but will keep my eye on it. Thanks for getting back to me with such great knowledge!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Oso]

Very odd. Hopefully someone will have an answer soon. I too am very nervous to fly again.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Read through the thread linked below for more info as a response to the same question posted and explained in this thread.

ANYONE GET PROPULSION ERRORS WHEN FLYING!?!?!

 

[Sprague]

Thanks Oso!