I have only my Phantom 3 for a week and had a few teething problems. One of tehbatteries has ceased to charge even after being cooled down over night so that is one annoyance.

We did see warning about Sonar, but then stopped.

In meantime we've run IMU calibration and Gimbal Calib. and Compass calib, but for whatever reason it is not maintaining height even when it has 16GPS locked on.

Anyone help me here as it makes the auto take off useless to me and more worryingly I cannot fly it up then guarantee it will stay at chosen height for even a short period.

When I say it varies in height let me give some more detial.


Our test on auto takeoff today saw it lift up to head height then drop down to ankle height then lift again then drop down once more, before being caught in its own uplift wind and then skewing onto its side then top which has screwed up the top caps of teh props.    I was flying it over tarmac so not a moving surface.


Second test was a manual lift off, which I flew up to about 3M.   It hovere there for lesson than 8 seconds then dropped up and down and as it nears ground it lifts again then drops again like a yoyo.

I did flick between the VPS but that made it worse and started to gyrate around so not idea whats going on there.


Before I put a rant up here can i get some feedback from you more knowledgable guys please as I now have a copter that is scratched up and I'm not too confident to take it out now as the dropping thing is a worry.

ive seen this as well, not quite to the degree you're describing but have seen a random drop of a foot or two. I have also seen the auto takeoff deviate between 2 and 4 feet. Ive not used that feature enough to track accurately but I can say yesterday I selected ATO and the bird only ascended about a foot and a half before halting to a hover. VPS off as well.

Here is my problem. I have bought a very expensive toy, that came with instructions on how to use . I used the features they deign and wollop!   It bonks on the concrete scuffing the top of the props and body so I now have a damaged looking unit for no fault of my own.

I have read loads here of people defending and complaining but at the end of teh day, we don't buy a product with features that are so possibly random in their ability to work - DO WE!

My aim as to buy the copter to film local surfers, but I am no worried that I will fly out, hover at 50ft and try to film , then see a drop in altitude that could see me dropping down to the deep blue sea.

I've been a photographer for years and steered away from Drones but felt it was time to get involved as surely bugs are ironed out, but reading up on the many consumer units it seems not. Or am i just unlucky?

It's possible you might have just a got a bad one? I'd check the various videos on here about calibration to make sure the calibrations are done right, and then if you are still having issues, take it back to where you got it, and see if they can help you figure out if it's a bad drone or just something you have overlooked. (you do have your switch set to "p" right?)

Switch is on P. Full GPS 16+ connetions. All firmware updated. IMU calib done. Compass calibrated.     I went through everything before flying and watched untold number of videos. Event practiced flying a cheapo done before getting this one so feel pretty confident in my understanding.

maybe a video of the bird's hover issues would shed some light on this. Mine doesn't seem to be effected enough to get a reliable documentation of the issue but if yours is doing it every time...

scmg Posted at 2016-1-18 18:07
Here is my problem. I have bought a very expensive toy, that came with instructions on how to use .  ...

I feel for you. I've not even has a maiden flight on my P3A, but being a fellow Brit, I suggest you get it back to the retailer ASAP and demand replacement; its clearly not operating correctly.

Hi scmg. The wobbling around part of your description sounds a lot like a compass problem.
The compass can calibrate to a bad influence of metal, magnetism and read ok .
So it's not just the calibration but being in an area with no adverse effects on the compass.
Now sometimes the source can be underground and you not know.
I would try calibrating again away from that area.
Another might be the altimeter.
You could try turning the aircraft on but not starting the motors. On the ground see if the altitude reads steady 0. Then raise above your head hold steady and read again. Is that steady and accurate about 6 or 7 feet?
If thats ok check all props and motor temperature after running. I use laser gun thermometer.
Hope you find the cause. These are highly technical birds.

jack1144 Posted at 2016-1-19 00:38
Hi scmg. The wobbling around part of your description sounds a lot like a compass problem.
The compa ...

I turned copter on.
Turned on remote and tablet.
Got DJ App running.
Set Home point as copter
Waited a  few minutes to establish a good gps lock.
Now raised above head.
As I raise the copter fairly rapidly the H value goes up but once I stopped raising it i.e at full arms length above my head the H vaue goes back to 0

scmg Posted at 2016-1-18 20:41
I turned copter on.
Turned on remote and tablet.
Got DJ App running.

I think that would be the case. If the drone is not running, the cpu assumes the bird is not flying. Like setting it atop a boat... I think... Crap I wish I had a better answer.