Swaying gimbal [SOLVED]

baaflight · Oct 17, 2015

Anyone seen this gimbal behavior?
After a crash the other day gimbal has started to do a seasick sideways motion when Solo starts or stops.
In the video Solo moves only forwards and backwards, no side or yaw stick.
Reported to support but any ideas are welcome!

Earldgrayjr · Oct 17, 2015

It looks like it is trying to "correct" some perceived issue. You might try level and stick calibration.

baaflight · Oct 17, 2015

Gimbal reacts the same when not using controller. That is simply pushing Solo back and forth on the floor on a skateboard, motors off not armed.

baaflight · Oct 17, 2015

Level, compass and stick calibration did not change a thing.

Earldgrayjr · Oct 17, 2015

baaflight said:
Level, compass and stick calibration did not change a thing.

It appears to me it is trying to correct something.

In any case, sounds like a call to 3DR. They are 24/7. Might need an RMA/replace.

baaflight · Oct 17, 2015

Yes. I've sent support an email. Here is an indoor test on a tray on a skateboard.
Easy to see the sideways motion related to the tray.

Earldgrayjr · Oct 17, 2015

baaflight said:
Yes. I've sent support an email. Here is an indoor test on a tray on a skateboard.
Easy to see the sideways motion related to the tray.

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Support email is different than calling. If you do that, I wouldn't expect contact until at least Monday. I have had better luck calling... Especially to get the process rolling...

Maddog · Oct 17, 2015

Clearly, you have a bad muffler bearing.

baaflight · Oct 18, 2015

Maddog said:
Clearly, you have a bad muffler bearing.

That would be strange. I replaced it last week after having issues with the muffler.

Raybro · Oct 18, 2015

baaflight said:
That would be strange. I replaced it last week after having issues with the muffler.

When powered on does the camera face straight ahead or is it slightly off to one side?

baaflight · Oct 18, 2015

Raybro said:
When powered on does the camera face straight ahead or is it slightly off to one side?

It faces slightly to the right.
However, since last post I think I found the reason for the swaying.
The gimbal H profiled aluminum stem appears bent.

It's not the damping balls that has come off. Although you can't tell from looking at the material itself, it looks from a distance like the bend is in the H profiled aluminum, straight after the main stem that comes down from the yaw motor.

This most likely happened during the crash. The now off-center gimbal would perfectly explain the swaying behavior.

Raybro · Oct 18, 2015

Ah....I can see that.

Earldgrayjr · Oct 18, 2015

baaflight said:
It faces slightly to the right.
However, since last post I think I found the reason for the swaying.
The gimbal H profiled aluminum stem appears bent.

It's not the damping balls that has come off. Although you can't tell from looking at the material itself, it looks from a distance like the bend is in the H profiled aluminum, straight after the main stem that comes down from the yaw motor.

This most likely happened during the crash. The now off-center gimbal would perfectly explain the swaying behavior.

Yes. Did you call?

baaflight · Oct 18, 2015

Earldgrayjr said:
Yes. Did you call?

Not yet. Hard to explain/show this on the phone without images/video. Plus, I already have a case going regarding the crash.
And, I'm not in a hurry right now

No matter how this goes it's not going to be resolved the next week anyway. And that's my window for flying before a three week work trip.
It's cool