I've taken my Mavic Pro for only a handful of flights and never crashed it, but I'm getting wavy video issues in about 50% of the flights that I take. I've checked the gimble and everything is in place (the front clips and the back clip are fine). This happens while moving and sometimes while hovering. Any idea what could be causing this?

Video example from a couple days ago:
https://youtu.be/K5G1MRfmNbw

Hi. I bought my AC 3 days ago and I've got the exakt problem but MUCH worse. wave-ing in the same manner 90% of the time. Seem's a BIT sh´steady only when turning the AC. I will follow this post!

Im have the same issue wavy video as well..i lowered it from 4k to 1080 and if seems to have gone away for the most part. I think the problem is not the mavic but the cell or device your using some cant handle 4k...also make sure you buy a strong lightning or android cable cant hurt and the one that comes with it is weak let me know

Is this video direct from the sd card? Sometimes the video can look awful on your phone/tablet but when downloaded to a pc the problem is no longer there.
If the video is direct from the sd card you can try doing a gimbal calibration and carefully check your propellers for any nicks etc that could cause vibration.
Are you using any third party attachments such as extended legs etc that could be causing any vibration, even a badly fitted nd filter.
If none of the above helps then contact support.

Like Jenee 2 replied, please check the original footages of your SD card and see whether it has the same wave.
To verify this case, you can also try to fly at a no-wind place for testing: calibrate the gimbal first and choose a video size lower than 4K, check the props to make sure they are all undamaged.
If it still exists, please contact us and send your drone back, we will help to test this problem.

Thank you all for the replies. The footage is direct from the SD card, but you all brought up a few good points that I'm going to test. I've also been doing some searching, and found some other suggestions. Here's what I'll be trying out:

- Gimbal, IMU, Compass, etc. calibration (essentially re-calibrating the device, especially when I've traveled long distances between uses)
- Resetting the camera settings and downgrading the footage (both of these have come up as suggestions)
- Replacing the propellers
- Adding an ND filter (some users have noted that this helps)
- Comparing low and high wind flights

I'll report back on my results in a week or two.

fansbbe5b435 Posted at 2017-7-4 05:57
Thank you all for the replies. The footage is direct from the SD card, but you all brought up a few good points that I'm going to test. I've also been doing some searching, and found some other suggestions. Here's what I'll be trying out:

- Gimbal, IMU, Compass, etc. calibration (essentially re-calibrating the device, especially when I've traveled long distances between uses)

Just bought Mavic Pro on Oct. 6th, 2017 and do also have wavy videos straight out of the SD card. Running latest firmware (sept 19) and did gimbal calibration over and over. Lowered resolution to 1080, but to no avail. Will try ND filters but somehow it feels strange to have to do all this to get decent footage... Anything I'm missing ? I changed the SD card from the one shipped with the drone to a sandisk Extreme pro 64gb uhs-i U3 4k ultra hd, but still the same problem. Gimbal safely in place with proper attachments.

Any help would be appreciated.

userd6f4af07d3 Posted at 2017-10-16 08:58
Just bought Mavic Pro on Oct. 6th, 2017 and do also have wavy videos straight out of the SD card. Running latest firmware (sept 19) and did gimbal calibration over and over. Lowered resolution to 1080, but to no avail. Will try ND filters but somehow it feels strange to have to do all this to get decent footage... Anything I'm missing ? I changed the SD card from the one shipped with the drone to a sandisk Extreme pro 64gb uhs-i U3 4k ultra hd, but still the same problem. Gimbal safely in place with proper attachments.

Any help would be appreciated.

With an example of a wavy video...

When you only occasionally get the waviness, it's generally due to gusty wind conditions or sudden navigational changes, especially in Sports Mode. If it happens all the time, then the gimbal mounts should be checked for proper placement, otherwise the gimbal likely needs to be recalibrated. Hope this helps.

Here's a good video that shows how to reseat a displaced gimbal mount:

Not sure about this. Might be hardware related indeed.
Not sure how ND filters can help, since they only reduce shutterspeed (maybe hiding the problem, but it should not be there).

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-16 11:52
Not sure about this. Might be hardware related indeed.
Not sure how ND filters can help, since they only reduce shutterspeed (maybe hiding the problem, but it should not be there).

Thanks Monfrooil and Ex-Machina. Gimbal is in proper position. Will try to recalibrate again...

userd6f4af07d3 Posted at 2017-10-16 12:31
Thanks Monfrooil and Ex-Machina. Gimbal is in proper position. Will try to recalibrate again...

If calibration doesn't do it for you, you're certain the mount is properly seated and you can find no obvious imbalance of props, bent rotors, etc., then I'm afraid you might want to send it in for a diagnosis. Good luck.

I had the same problem when I first got my Mavic, this is what cured it, in this sequence.

1. Calibrate IMU
2. Calibrate VPS ( Vision Positioning System ) using Assistant 2
3. Calibrate Gimbal
4. Restart RC then AC then App

This did the trick on mine, no problems with "Jello Effect" from that point on.

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-16 11:52
Not sure about this. Might be hardware related indeed.
Not sure how ND filters can help, since they only reduce shutterspeed (maybe hiding the problem, but it should not be there).

depends on the issue.. ND/UV filters add a couple of grams to it which help balance thigns out little bit and add little mass to compensate..  

the jello effect is EIS..  electronic image stabilization, the mavic uses EIS + 3 axis gimbal.. the jello effect is typical of EIS failing to do its job right.   easiest fix would be if Dji just let if toggle EIS off or gave us a reduce EIS aggressiveness toggle..for EIS to fail like that could be vibration related or it could be that EIS is way too aggressive and the 3 axis gimbal movements in compensation are triggering EIS to spaz out.. personally i think it is overly aggressive EIS, every little change it doesn't make or expect to make, can freak it out

I had same problem, so  I do check everything they sad on youtube, does not fix the video wavey issue, then I email dji.

Ken Huang Posted at 2017-10-16 16:38
I had same problem, so  I do check everything they sad on youtube, does not fix the video wavey issue, then I email dji.

If the original video from the SD card also has this issue, and the advice above doesn't help, I would recommend sending the drone back.

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2017-10-16 13:49
depends on the issue.. ND/UV filters add a couple of grams to it which help balance thigns out little bit and add little mass to compensate..  

the jello effect is EIS..  electronic image stabilization, the mavic uses EIS + 3 axis gimbal.. the jello effect is typical of EIS failing to do its job right.   easiest fix would be if Dji just let if toggle EIS off or gave us a reduce EIS aggressiveness toggle..for EIS to fail like that could be vibration related or it could be that EIS is way too aggressive and the 3 axis gimbal movements in compensation are triggering EIS to spaz out.. personally i think it is overly aggressive EIS, every little change it doesn't make or expect to make, can freak it out

I think you are saying the same: EIS is failing to do it's job.
So if that is true I think it is a support case.

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-17 01:23
I think you are saying the same: EIS is failing to do it's job.
So if that is true I think it is a support case.

a firmware update to the camera system can fix it, just reduce the EIS aggressiveness or even turn it off.. add software toggle in app to reduce/disable it or something..


a lot of times the reason for jello EIS thing, is that EIS system has detecting vibration that has not made its way to the sensor thats why get weird waviness in one direction but yet a fair sharp image otherwise. if vibration genuinely made its way to the sensor then mavic should alert you to gimbal vibration in the app and the image will not be nearly as sharp since entire sensor was vibrating....  

couple solutions to fix this that Dji should do.. 1.. update firmware and software to help fix the issue as in change thresholds where EIS steps in..   2.  give us an in app toggle to reduce EIS and/or even disable it..



TL'DR version. it isn't a hardware malfunction, its is a software/firmware issue.  EIS is overreaching itself, it has detected vibration/movement somewhere outside of the image sensor and probably detected vibration in a body module.. but since the gimbal and sensor are not attached to the body, they are suspended, EIS should not be interfering.. infact EIS should be disabled or heavily reduced..but what EIS is doing is it sees that viberation in modual inside the body of the aircraft and correcting the video/image unnessasaily..

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2017-10-17 06:44
a firmware update to the camera system can fix it, just reduce the EIS aggressiveness or even turn it off.. add software toggle in app to reduce/disable it or something..

Yes, so it is probably something OP should contact support about.
Since he is having issues.

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-17 09:59
Yes, so it is probably something OP should contact support about.
Since he is having issues.

i dont think so.. i think the issue reaches further than hardware.  

i need to do more tests and next couple of days ill be away but ill be able to run some testings.  but my mavic also does it since i have tuned a few settings with my gimbal..  

mine only does waviness but only in specific circumstances..  need to figures out how i triggered it and what settings i used.. i was following some youtube guide to getting smoother shots and after doing that guide i started getting weird waviness at random..  after a reset it cleared up but still happens if im hard on it in sport mode..

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2017-10-17 10:33
i dont think so.. i think the issue reaches further than hardware.  

i need to do more tests and next couple of days ill be away but ill be able to run some testings.  but my mavic also does it since i have tuned a few settings with my gimbal..  

Ok, keep us posted

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-10-17 10:36
Ok, keep us posted

ill dig around for that video as well while im taking my break.   when i'm back in town ill post up,  and maybe some people here can test it out as well.. or test out something else i find..

oh yea, literally just remembered that during that huge rain storm where i nearly lost my mavic in it because wind was so severe. that triggered a lot of waviness and a few "gimbal vibration" errors appeared which cleared themselves up when i rotated away from the wind.  so maybe another factor to consider maybe, i dont really know... i guess...leaf blower here i come xDD  gotta test it i think?

HereForTheBeer Posted at 2017-10-17 10:48
ill dig around for that video as well while im taking my break.   when i'm back in town ill post up,  and maybe some people here can test it out as well.. or test out something else i find..

oh yea, literally just remembered that during that huge rain storm where i nearly lost my mavic in it because wind was so severe. that triggered a lot of waviness and a few "gimbal vibration" errors appeared which cleared themselves up when i rotated away from the wind.  so maybe another factor to consider maybe, i dont really know... i guess...leaf blower here i come xDD  gotta test it i think?

I don't see much footage with this kind of error in it, but maybe some have similar experiences.