Hi folks,

Just got a P4P and have had some issues with the gimbal, which keeps moving when I startup the drone. Sometimes it will level itself quickly, like when I have it on a table inside, but when I take it out on relatively level concrete outside, the gimbal usually will not level itself, and keeps moving. Here is what DJI support told me to do

1. Use DJI Assistant 2 to reset device to factory defaults
2. Refresh latest firmware
3. Calibrate IMU
4. Calibrate gimbal

I was told that I should place a white piece of paper under the drone when I take it outside. This seemed odd to me and I wanted to see if anyone else's gimbal would keep moving before leveling itself. Sometimes it would level quickly within 10 seconds, other times it would keep moving until I powered the drone off.

Here is a video of the gimbal moving and not leveling https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-tbO-cLxhwkb1o5NGtCUmhOSWM

I just performed steps 1 through 4, but the issue is still there. It will level randomly on my desk, but not outside.

Thanks,

Matt

Not sure if this is the same issue, but I read two threads on here last night about similar problems. The gimbal is catching on some cable. I can't remember what it was called.

SjCutting Posted at 2016-12-29 11:06
Not sure if this is the same issue, but I read two threads on here last night about similar problems. The gimbal is catching on some cable. I can't remember what it was called.

Yes, it's the Ribbon Cable

You should reset to the previous Firmware to fix that constant moving up/down and try updating to the latest firmware again.

Ange1walk Posted at 2016-12-29 11:15
Yes, it's the Ribbon Cable

You should reset to the previous Firmware to fix that constant moving up/down and try updating to the latest firmware again.

Thanks for the note Ange,

I put on the previous firmware that last night and it seemed to help, but when I went back outside to flly, eventually it had the issue again. It didn't happen all the time like it did with the new firmware. I did reload the newest firmware today and it still has the issue. Should I return the drone for a replacement?

I just downgraded the firmware to the November 25th version and now the gimbal is leveling itself on the first try, I tried 3 different areas on the concrete outside. So I am confused as to why the new firmware isn't working so great. Still unsure if I need a replacement.

SjCutting Posted at 2016-12-29 11:06
Not sure if this is the same issue, but I read two threads on here last night about similar problems. The gimbal is catching on some cable. I can't remember what it was called.

Do you have a link for that thread?

Matt.Dieterich Posted at 2016-12-29 11:55
Do you have a link for that thread?

I didn't have time to look for the thread, but it showed how to bend the cable back out of the way. Someone inserted the fix from one thread into another thread.

SjCutting Posted at 2016-12-29 12:30
I didn't have time to look for the thread, but it showed how to bend the cable back out of the way. Someone inserted the fix from one thread into another thread.

I found those few threads. My camera is not hitting the ribbon cable though, I checked while the drone was off and manually moved the camera through its range of motion. I downgraded my firmware and the drone is a lot happier now and the camera is leveling itself on the first try. I will give it a few more tests tonight outside.

Happens on mine too. I found a youtube video somewhere and all they did was sort of push the gimbal when it was in the most downward facing position in the same direction that it is already going. It happens still to me sometimes and I am able to stop it by this.

I was the first to report this issue. Mine was not hitting the ribbon cable. Support had me downgrade the firmware and try all the calibrations possible but that did not work for mine as well. I mailed it in to DJI and they are receiving it today. I'll let everyone know what I find out.

Svt04cobra Posted at 2016-12-29 12:36
I was the first to report this issue. Mine was not hitting the ribbon cable. Support had me downgrade the firmware and try all the calibrations possible but that did not work for mine as well. I mailed it in to DJI and they are receiving it today. I'll let everyone know what I find out.

Thanks for confirming you also had this issue when your camera did not hit the ribbon cable. Let me know what happens, I might just have to send mine back for a new one from B&H Photo. Downgrading seemed to help a lot, but I will run more tests tonight.

Pauxier Posted at 2016-12-29 12:36
Happens on mine too. I found a youtube video somewhere and all they did was sort of push the gimbal when it was in the most downward facing position in the same direction that it is already going. It happens still to me sometimes and I am able to stop it by this.

Thanks for the note. My camera is not contacting the ribbon cable though, so there seems to be another issue at play.

Matt.Dieterich Posted at 2016-12-29 11:47
Thanks for the note Ange,

I put on the previous firmware that last night and it seemed to help, but when I went back outside to flly, eventually it had the issue again. It didn't happen all the time like it did with the new firmware. I did reload the newest firmware today and it still has the issue. Should I return the drone for a replacement?

If it isn't hitting your Ribbon Cable and you never crashed or had a very hard landing with your P4P you shouldn't replace it. It's just a software issue that DJI needs to fix, ASAP if i might add

Ange1walk Posted at 2016-12-29 13:18
If it isn't hitting your Ribbon Cable and you never crashed or had a very hard landing with your P4P you shouldn't replace it. It's just a software issue that DJI needs to fix, ASAP if i might add

I would like to think so but the support person on the phone seem to think it was some kind of a hardware failure. I would think software but with no hard landings or any other issues flying, I can't see it being a software issue. I had just flown a full battery, landed, changed out the battery, and when I turned it back on, it just started to flip up and down and never stop.

Ange1walk Posted at 2016-12-29 13:18
If it isn't hitting your Ribbon Cable and you never crashed or had a very hard landing with your P4P you shouldn't replace it. It's just a software issue that DJI needs to fix, ASAP if i might add

Correct, the cable is not being hit by the camera, and the drone has never crashed. I have only had it in the air for 30 minutes.

Svt04cobra Posted at 2016-12-29 13:37
I would like to think so but the support person on the phone seem to think it was some kind of a hardware failure. I would think software but with no hard landings or any other issues flying, I can't see it being a software issue. I had just flown a full battery, landed, changed out the battery, and when I turned it back on, it just started to flip up and down and never stop.

That sounds just like mine. Sometimes it will work, then out of nowhere it will begin to do that flip-flop routine without stopping.

Considering there are lots of people with same hardware / firmware versions who aren't having an issue (me included - I have had no issues with the last 2 FW versions) I would tend to think it's a hardware issue and I'd be sending it back. I remember one issue where I put P4P on the grass and switched on, there was a couple of blades of grass that stopped the camera reaching full extent and it kept doing the exact thing you mention. Removing the grass allowed it to reach its extent and it calibrated ok. I wonder if maybe there is a physical issue (maybe that is not evident on visual inspection) that is stopping the gimbal reaching one of its extents when calibrating, maybe not the ribbon cable but something else. Just a thought.

Hendo Posted at 2016-12-29 14:04
Considering there are lots of people with same hardware / firmware versions who aren't having an issue (me included - I have had no issues with the last 2 FW versions) I would tend to think it's a hardware issue and I'd be sending it back. I remember one issue where I put P4P on the grass and switched on, there was a couple of blades of grass that stopped the camera reaching full extent and it kept doing the exact thing you mention. Removing the grass allowed it to reach its extent and it calibrated ok. I wonder if maybe there is a physical issue (maybe that is not evident on visual inspection) that is stopping the gimbal reaching one of its extents when calibrating, maybe not the ribbon cable but something else. Just a thought.

Thanks for the note. I did file an exchange for a new P4P, so I will see how this new one performs when I receive it late next week.

Hello Matt, could you please provide me with your DJI account email?
We will help you handle this.
Is your DJI account email the same as your forum email?

DJI Mindy Posted at 2016-12-30 02:40
Hello Matt, could you please provide me with your DJI account email?
We will help you handle this.
Is your DJI account email the same as your forum email?

Hi Mindy, sorry for just seeing your message now. I sent my P4P back to B&H Photo and they just got my new drone delivered. The new P4P seems to work fine and has not exhibited the gimbal issue as my last one did.

Matt.Dieterich Posted at 2017-1-22 11:00
Hi Mindy, sorry for just seeing your message now. I sent my P4P back to B&H Photo and they just got my new drone delivered. The new P4P seems to work fine and has not exhibited the gimbal issue as my last one did.

Thank you for your update.
Hope you enjoy your flight. :-)