Hi all,

I am hoping you all could give me some help. it seems that when my phantom 3's camera is facing forward it is extremely shakey, it was dead still on the first few flights. Also noticed I suddenly get "gimbal overloaded" on the app.

When the thing is facing straight down it's dead still.

any advice?

video

When you turn on your Phantom, the default "boot" mode will have your camera pointing straight forward. As it is booting, however, it will do a little "dance."

Something as innocuous as a clump of grass can interfere with the last step of the "dance" when the gimbal has the camera face directly forward - and level.

I've gotten gimbal overload warnings once in a while in a situation like that. If I fly where I know there's some tall grass, I have a 2-foot by 2-foot piece of 1/4" plywood I use as my heli-pad.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL

Have you done an IMU and gimbal calibration to see if it fixes it.

Thanks, I don't think it's that, my take off spot is pretty smooth and watching the boot process the camera is not interfered with. the shaking continues throughout the flight.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2015-12-28 13:00
Have you done an IMU and gimbal calibration to see if it fixes it.

I did the gimbal calibration, I will try the imu calibration. is there anything special I have to do with that? thanks

You need to calibrate the IMU in an environment colder that your flying in. leave it in the cold for 20 minutes or so then bring it in the house to do the IMU calibration on a perfectly level surface.
This way the "aircraft Warming Up" message won't be so long every time you fly.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2015-12-28 13:28
You need to calibrate the IMU in an environment colder that your flying in. leave it in the cold for ...

ok, I will redo the gimbal calibration, then leave the thing outside (its like 40 today) for 20 mins, bring it in, do the imu calibration and try again.

THanks

jmcgrath Posted at 2015-12-29 02:33
ok, I will redo the gimbal calibration, then leave the thing outside (its like 40 today) for 20 mi ...

Perfect, then after the IMU calibration (take 10 minutes or so) making sure not to touch it or bump the table at all. Then do a gimbal calibration. Then take it outside and do a compass calibration away from any metal. No keys or phone in your pockets..
When I do a compass calibration in mine, i put the controller about 10ft away from me and start the calibration on the screen then walk over to the aircraft and do the dance.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2015-12-28 13:39
Perfect, then after the IMU calibration (take 10 minutes or so) making sure not to touch it or bum ...

So I went through all this as instructed, as you can see in the video, the first minute it looks like it was fixed, then it goes right back to being shaky.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2015-12-28 13:39
Perfect, then after the IMU calibration (take 10 minutes or so) making sure not to touch it or bum ...

Hi Ken,

Any other suggestions?

I have the same problem. Just get the phantom 3 standard and I don't know what to do with this, first 5 minutes video good without vibration  after that experience shaking, not so strong like yours. Here in Norway there is - 5 Celsius, but I have not read that it can affect this problem. That is strange that problem begins after a few minutes. ????

jmcgrath Posted at 2015-12-30 15:38
Hi Ken,

Any other suggestions?

Looks to me to be a mild attack of the JELLO syndrome.There are some very good threads on the subject
causes are to mention just a few, shutter speed motor vibration unbalanced props,video setup.etc

i have the same problem, any suggestions?

I don't think it is 'jello', have you checked the small screw that secures the gimbal to its shaft? Often it gets loose and causes symptoms like this.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2015-12-28 13:39
Perfect, then after the IMU calibration (take 10 minutes or so) making sure not to touch it or bum ...

Ken,

here is a new observation, this video,  showing shaking is being taken while the motors are off.  the screen says "gimbal overload", and this is what you see.




You can see at about 17 secs I power the motors on, but it's shaking before.

balatonz Posted at 2015-12-30 14:00
I have the same problem. Just get the phantom 3 standard and I don't know what to do with this, firs ...

also now if you look at my video it happens even when the motors are off.

I think it may be one of the four little white bushings holding the camera onto the gimbal plate.  I think one of them may be torn, in a bind, or otherwise impeded.

It appears to me that the foam gimble wedge is still in the back of your gimble. I forgot to remove mine once and had the exact same effect.

mjlstudios@yaho Posted at 2016-1-1 17:11
It appears to me that the foam gimble wedge is still in the back of your gimble. I forgot to remove  ...

Nope, checked. Thanks

bobasbury Posted at 2016-1-1 16:21
I think it may be one of the four little white bushings holding the camera onto the gimbal plate.  I ...

But then why would it happen sitting still on the ground with the motors off?


Checked them fino

wawatusi Posted at 2016-1-2 10:02
But then why would it happen sitting still on the ground with the motors off?

As I said earlier, I don't think it is 'jello', have you checked the small screw that secures the gimbal to its shaft? Often it gets loose and causes symptoms like this.

Geebax Posted at 2016-1-1 18:15
As I said earlier, I don't think it is 'jello', have you checked the small screw that secures the  ...

Do you have a picture of where this screw would be?

wawatusi Posted at 2016-1-2 14:13
Do you have a picture of where this screw would be?

Nope, but it is under the gimbal section, where the shaft connects the camera to the bottom of the gimbal body. You may need to rotate the shaft slightly to see it. It is not hard to find, and you will need a 1.5mm Allen Key to tighten it I am told.

Rebel Posted at 2016-1-2 15:45
I assume this is the one hes talking about.

That's it.

If you have done a IMU & gimbal calibration and the foam shipping piece is removed, the gimbal screw is not lose, the you may need to return it for warranty.
One last thing to try, write down all your settings, then reset all setting, then do the IMU and gimbal calibration again.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-2 01:00
If you have done a IMU & gimbal calibration and the foam shipping piece is removed, the gimbal screw ...

I will try this. Would suck to have to send it in, I've done maybe a handful of flights on it.

Is there a new firmware or a way to reflash the firmware on it? would that possibly help?

also noticed the gimbal is usually very noisy. seems like now as I go to reset everything it's very quiet.

It's never been crashed or hard landing right?
Also, all 4 vibration dampeners are installed correctly with ONLY TWO pins on the corners?
You can downgrade to 1.5 then upgrade again to see if it clears it up. If not you will have to send it in for repair.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-4 12:45
It's never been crashed or hard landing right?
Also, all 4 vibration dampeners are installed correct ...

This is a standard, I don't see where to get any firmware files, the unit updated itself when I first turned it on.

No crashes
No hard landings
Dampers are correct.
pins on two corners
Screw is tight
shipping foam removed.

wawatusi Posted at 2016-1-5 02:39
This is a standard, I don't see where to get any firmware files, the unit updated itself when I fi ...

Sorry, I didn't see it was a Standard. The firmware is only downloadable via WiFi.
Everything you stated is correct, I'm sorry but I think you are going to have to do a warranty return. It seems like one of the gimbal motors is acting up.
Please call 818-235-0789 and they will setup an RMA for you.

I have been flying my P3A for almost a month with the exact same video quality as in the first post. After reading this thread I finally turned the drone upside down and found a little piece of shipping foam, DOH! Perfect video now. I'm an idiot but a happy one today

Jello effect.  Use a ND filter to slow down the shutter speed.  Your shutter speed should be twice your frame rate.  Example:  Shooting at 1080p, 24 frames per second --->>> 24fps x 2 = shutter speed of 50. You will need to be in manual exposure with AE-LOCK.  You will probably notice the image will be over exposed!  On your home screen dji app it displays the exposure value which in bright daylight will show your over exposed.   Start with an ND4 filter.  Will bring the exposure down.  The trick is to get that exposure value with +or- .3 or so.  Trust me.  It works.  You get that shutter down into a lower range, double your frame rate, your video quality just pops out at you.  If your frame rate is say 30!  Your shutter speed would be 1/60th.  At 24 fps the closest shutter speed will be 1/50th.  Your ISO of course should be 100.  This will fix it if it is the Jello effect issue.  

I just watched your last video jmc.  That IS JELLO EFFECT!  Follow my earlier instructions and I bet you will be amazed.  

Hey jmcgrath.  That is clearly the JELLO EFFECT.  I posted at the bottom of this thread on how to fix that.  You'll need some ND filters.  You got to get that shutter speed slowed down. What shutter were these videos shot at?