Is this a result of extremely out of balance props or something else?

J R · Nov 22, 2015

Fella's,

Looks like I'm having similar issues with the Android beta. Mine isn't as pronounced as Han's but it's definitely there. I'm also hearing some hum in the gimbal at the conclusion of my flights. I've only got two runs in since the update, between wind and cold my opportunities are limited. Most of you guys already know all of the things I have done to my bird up to this point. I was just about there before the update. I'll have to take a look at everything again but it may have something to do with the update. I should have 4 new motors here on Tuesday. I'm going to swap them all out just to eliminate the motors. This has been tough.

Jerry

Han Solo · Nov 22, 2015

Jerry, I feel your pain. 3DR support will take a look at my logs and get back to me in a couple of days. Good luck with your bird!

RichWest · Nov 22, 2015

Well with your sub-freezing conditions around Illinois, I'd imagine what was flexible is not so much any more. Assuming the flight was in fact in reverse, this would cause the gimbal to ride more on the back isolators and float off the front ones. Isolators floating like that will produce more side to side wobble. I'd still check for free movement of the HDMI cable, if you're looking to solve.

As you decreased the camera angle the yawing bounce diminished, which indicates the above for me.

Isolation balls, HDMI or laboring motor, like @Dmitry said, it would be nice to hear the motors in the video to hear any abnormalities with their running.

pyrate · Nov 22, 2015

Not flying the beta but I doubt real seriously if that is software

J R · Nov 22, 2015

pyrate said:
Not flying the beta but I doubt real seriously if that is software

Pyrate,

I'm not indicating software as the issue. I haven't done any real Solo flying since doing all of the updates including the new FW. The last real tests I did in my previous posts were getting pretty solid. I've got to be careful though, as Rich noted, the below freezing temps could be a real issue. Especially with the isolators. I would think they would stiffen up pretty good when in freezing temps.

Jerry

RichWest · Nov 22, 2015

FWIW, I'm not saying the temp. is actually the cause, but it is something to consider when things do go wrong. Just like I would expect that High temp's would effect electronics.... We often do a lot of changes at one time, then we can't determine the source of an issue. Good luck!

J R · Nov 22, 2015

RichWest said:
FWIW, I'm not saying the temp. is actually the cause, but it is something to consider when things do go wrong. Just like I would expect that High temp's would effect electronics.... We often do a lot of changes at one time, then we can't determine the source of an issue. Good luck!

Yeah, I get it Rich. Thanks.

Jerry

pyrate · Nov 22, 2015

what do you think it might be? given the post I thought we were saying after the solo 1.3 beta these symptoms occurred

J R · Nov 22, 2015

pyrate said:
what do you think it might be? given the post I thought we were saying after the solo 1.3 beta these symptoms occurred

Pyrate,

I don't know. You didn't read my last post very well. There were firmware updates as well as the beta update. As I've already said, I thought I had it pretty much dialed in before I did "all" of the 1.3 updates. I've done two minor test flights in the freezing cold since then, it's going to be a bit difficult to diagnose. I guess I'll start by pulling the gimbal again, checking all of the cables, check the props, re-doing all of the cals, swap the motors, etc.

I brought it up in the first place as an advisory, thought I'd share my experience.

Jerry

pyrate · Nov 22, 2015

ahhh sorry, I see

Han Solo · Nov 22, 2015

So, I took RichWest and Pyrate's suggestion to heart and checked the HDMI cable's position. It did not seem to be binding before I removed the gimbal, looked around inside and was in the same place it was when I installed it... as far away from the gimbal as possible. No binding there either from the inside. Popped it back together and took it for a ride. The quick yawing back and forth seems to be gone for now at least.

Here is a quick clip to show the improvement...

Thanks one and all for your expert advice. I am sure 3DR will think of "something" in a couple of days, but you guys are there when we need you... which is usually NOW! Thank goodness for this forum.

Del · Nov 22, 2015

Han Solo said:
So, I took RichWest and Pyrate's suggestion to heart and checked the HDMI cable's position. It did not seem to be binding before I removed the gimbal, looked around inside and was in the same place it was when I installed it... as far away from the gimbal as possible. No binding there either from the inside. Popped it back together and took it for a ride. The quick yawing back and forth seems to be gone for now at least.

Here is a quick clip to show the improvement...

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Thanks one and all for your expert advice. I am sure 3DR will think of "something" in a couple of days, but you guys are there when we need you... which is usually NOW! Thank goodness for this forum.

Looks a lot better..

pyrate · Nov 22, 2015

I never could see where the cable was hitting in the back. I had to reroute mine a few times and it would move around. That is why I went to the ribbon cable.
To date I still get little tiny micro vibrations after balancing props, motor bells and adding the ribbon cable. But I have a 4.4 lens and that amplifies vibrations

RotoFan · Nov 23, 2015

Just a FYI, 1.3 has some changes in the PID settings (checked before and after upgrade). They did change the roll stabilization from 7.0 to 9.5 which seems like quite a jump. They also changed pitch stabilization from 7.0 to 8.0. Rate pitch and rate roll PID settings were also changed. For me it improved my gimbal shake issue (pitch shake). I did have one questionable motor (rear right) that I replaced which helped prior to the upgrade. I am not suggesting you change the gains unless you know what you are doing (also may void the warranty if you crash and you send them logs).

J R · Nov 23, 2015

RotoFan said:
Just a FYI, 1.3 has some changes in the PID settings (checked before and after upgrade).

Roto,

Thank you much for this useful information.

Jerry

RotoFan · Nov 23, 2015

I attached the screen shots out of mission planner pre and post upgrade (extended tuning). For me I still have a slight gimbal wobble on throttle up or yaw turns. It is visible if viewed from underneath or from the side. I still think this is control system issue (rerouted my cable several times and made sure it is not binding). Not sure why just a few people have it. I live around 5700 feet so maybe altitude plays into it. I will balance the motors but I don't think that will remove the issue. Because the Solo is front heavy with the gimbal (verified by finding the center of thrust), I added 81grams to the rear to see if that would help (no love). The thought was maybe a better balance would help with the current PID settings. Regardless, the biggest improvement to date has been the latest FW. I can see at lower altitudes maybe these settings are not optimal (the release notes did mention improving stability at higher altitude).
Pre-upgrade

Post upgrade

Jacob · Nov 26, 2015

In the old days with a Phantom 1, this could be solved by balancing props, but now its most likely the gimbal as others have said.

Han Solo · Nov 26, 2015

I had a crash later in the day, after the oscillation seemed to stop. Sent the logs to edr. They said motor 3 was going bad and having me return the entire system for repair or replacement.

Del · Nov 26, 2015

It's too bad we have to experience a crash to find out we have bad motor ,, it be nice if solo did a safety check on its self on all its parts before take off ...

Just a thought

Han Solo · Nov 26, 2015

I hear you. I am just glad nobody was on the ground where it crashed. It certainly does give a serious jolt to confident flying, because you just never know when it will happen. More reasons not to fly near people, as tempting as it always seems