Took a fall and now have a gimbal question

[mihamil]

My drone took a fall today after it, errrr, I accidentally hit a tree. The drone lives to fly another day. The gimbal may be another question.

After getting the drone home and cleaned up, I powered it back up. The gimbal was totally limp. I touches it and almost immediately it worked as expected. I took the gimbal off to see if any connections came loose, and reconnected everything and it seemed fine. During the next flight things went well for about 10 minutes then the gimbal went limp again. When I was about to land the gimbal started leaning left and right repetitively.

Any advice?

One thing I have noticed is that the silver disk on the back of the gimbal can be turned by hand. It has some resistance, but didn't know if it is normal that it can move at all.

 

[just_bruce]

Sounds like the roll motor is either failing or the encoder has been damaged or detached.

When you say you can turn the roll motor's counterweight (the silver disc) by hand do you mean independently of the motor or just that you can wiggle the motor by hand with it?

 

[mihamil]

It can be turned independently from the motor and arm, but you have to brace the arm to move it. It isn't free spinning.

 

[mihamil]

I should also note. When I got back from the test flight. the roll motor was still rolling back and forth. I rotated the counterweight about a quarter turn and it came back to level as if perfectly normal.

 

[just_bruce]

Yeah, think you broke the connection between that motor and the counterweight shaft, which is also what the encoder is attached to if I recall correctly.

 

[mihamil]

bummer. thanks for the help.

 

[RichWest]

If you will, the motor bell, counter weight thingie....Could have broken loose from the shaft, it's laser welded together. I believe others have secured the two with any number of adhesives. Have no clue whatever material was used or if a permanent resolve. Search the forum for prior experiences.

 

[mihamil]

I will look into that. Thank you