Solo battery

ahdsr · Oct 6, 2015

Two separate batteries, only get about 12-15 minutes flight time with the gimbal while recording from takeoff to about 10-15% battery life on both of them. Next to zero wind while flying and most of the flight was hovering in mid air.

The gimbal is spazzing out much like the many reports I've seen online and I'm wondering if that's consuming battery life much faster? I'm hoping thats the case because that is nowhere near 20 minutes as advertised.

Also, do you your batteries continuously beep when below 10% until you turn them off? Seems like a safety alarm to turn them off maybe?

Lucas

Chuck · Oct 6, 2015

Seems to me to make sense that more battery is used during recording, since the GoPro battery is charged by the Solo battery during flight. I believe the beeping below 10% is a warning to advise you of possible battery damage draining it that low.

Maddog · Oct 10, 2015

I'm having the same problem but my batteries never beep.

DazzaP · Oct 11, 2015

I'm finding quite short battery life as well, around the 10 min mark, which is alot less than advertised. I would have expected about 15 mins with the gimbal. What's everyone else getting?

Maddog · Oct 11, 2015

DazzaP said:
I'm finding quite short battery life as well, around the 10 min mark, which is alot less than advertised. I would have expected about 15 mins with the gimbal. What's everyone else getting?

10-15 minutes.. pathetic...

Jim..... · Oct 11, 2015

8-9 minutes here, but it seems It may be a bad battery only charging to 3435 mAh.
I purchased a new battery and BATT_CAPACITY parameter now reports 5200 like it should.
Hopefully test fly today with stopwatch running.

ahdsr · Oct 11, 2015

Sent in my flight logs to 3DRibotics - they said some people are experiencing this and its not the norm. I'll let you know what they say.

ahdsr · Oct 26, 2015

So 3DRobotics reviewed the flight logs and said its operating per spec. Also a few of those flights weren't on a fully charged battery - and when I mean fully charge I mean - when the lights go completely off after the charge is complete. Also I found if your GoPro is fully charged, it consumes less battery from your Solol

Jim..... · Oct 27, 2015

After much toing and froing 3DR are sending me a new battery. It seems my battery thinks it's full but has only 3435 mAh stored. You can check yours by looking at the BATT_CAPACITY parameter on a fresh charge.

Jubalr · Oct 27, 2015

Someone else posted an issue like this not long ago. Found out it was a bad battery.

ahdsr · Oct 27, 2015

Jim..... said:
After much toing and froing 3DR are sending me a new battery. It seems my battery thinks it's full but has only 3435 mAh stored. You can check yours by looking at the BATT_CAPACITY parameter on a fresh charge.

Where and how do I check this?

Lucas

Jim..... · Oct 27, 2015

Load up Tower, connect via UDP then have a look in the Parameter list. Just scroll down until you find the BATT_CAPACITY.

ahdsr · Oct 27, 2015

Jim..... said:
Load up Tower, connect via UDP then have a look in the Parameter list. Just scroll down until you find the BATT_CAPACITY.

Thanks, I'll have a look tonight

Waternut · Dec 12, 2015

New Solo here with 2 batteries. Flown 6 flights so far, 2 flights per batt. Using the gimbal. Sad flight time. Only about 15 min... No where near the 20-25 min advertised. You don't need 1/2 mile range if you change get there and back.

Maddog · Dec 12, 2015

Waternut said:
New Solo here with 2 batteries. Flown 6 flights so far, 2 flights per batt. Using the gimbal. Sad flight time. Only about 15 min... No where near the 20-25 min advertised. You don't need 1/2 mile range if you change get there and back.

15 min seems to be the average with gimbal.

Welcome to the forum!

Nick F · Dec 12, 2015

I confirm 15mins as well with all of my 5 batts

Chuck · Dec 12, 2015

Same here. 15 min. avg with 4 batteries.

J R · Dec 12, 2015

12-13 minutes here but I'm landing pretty close to 30% most of the time.

Jerry

PdxSteve · Dec 12, 2015

They didn't claim 20 minutes of flight time WITH the gimbal installed.

Jubalr · Dec 13, 2015

PdxSteve said:
They didn't claim 20 minutes of flight time WITH the gimbal installed.

Actually, they did. Originally they quoted 25min w/o gimbal and 20min with gimbal. They have sense backed off on this. Latest ads say 20min flight time but does not say with or without gimbal.