Hi all.


I had my P4P for about 2 weeks, and it took me about 6 to 7 flights and a drone firmware update, that gave me numerous error messages of the type 'Gimbal Overload Warning' to find out that I never removed the padded soft styrofoam - kind of a soft rubbery stabilizer that fits behind the gimbal. Never had any warning before that firmware update. Since then I am getting a new noise when at startup the drone initializes the camera/gimbal.
I was wondering if, since I got these warning after an update, if I would re-update, or go back one update and update again, if this could fix the noise. I am also wandering if damage could have been done to the gimbal.

Any of you guys have any ideas. I know that I am not alone having done this see following link. Has anyone else made this strange mistake?Thanks for your help.

Ing.


P.S Never sure how to spell, gimbal gimbals gimble....

Is that the one that looks like this:-

I would recalibrate gimbal again, hopefully there will be no damage done, and the video will be a good bit smoother.

As you say though a refresh of firmware in Assistant 2 and a factory reset probably wouldn't do any harm.

Aardvark Posted at 2017-7-20 07:36
Is that the one that looks like this:-

Yes that is the one. Do you use this when you store. So easy to forget, should use the red reminder ribbon on it 'Remove before flight'.
Always wonder why DJI went out of its way to color it the same colors as the underside of the P4P.

Aardvark Posted at 2017-7-20 07:42
I would recalibrate gimbal again, hopefully there will be no damage done, and the video will be a good bit smoother.

As you say though a refresh of firmware in Assistant 2 and a factory reset probably wouldn't do any harm.

Thanks Again Aardvark.
Before I go this route, I have just done a flight 30 mins ago. It seems to me that this sound I get (sounds like  two tocs in a row when I start motors, like TOC..TOC.) only appears when the propellers are off. Tried outside 3 or 4 time with propellers on and I could not hear those Tocs. Could you let me know if you ear those tocs on your P4 when you start motors without the propellers.
Thanks again.

Ing.

capbat Posted at 2017-7-20 08:31
Thanks Again Aardvark.
Before I go this route, I have just done a flight 30 mins ago. It seems to me that this sound I get (sounds like  two tocs in a row when I start motors, like TOC..TOC.) only appears when the propellers are off. Tried outside 3 or 4 time with propellers on and I could not hear those Tocs. Could you let me know if you ear those tocs on your P4 when you start motors without the propellers.
Thanks again.

No that piece of foam just sits in the drawer now, I just clip on the standard gimbal support when storing in its case. I think the noise is the motors changing speed on start up, It generates a noise similar to what you describe. Not sure if it's a throwback to the threaded props on the P3's where I believe they went through a self tightening on start up. Or whether it's just detecting no load on motors and slowing them down.

I just use this now because it's easier to spot then the clear plastic original and you can't see out the camera with it on. It snaps right on and off quickly and fits easily in the case.
But, whatever works. But no form block.

capbat Posted at 2017-7-20 08:30
Yes that is the one. Do you use this when you store. So easy to forget, should use the red reminder ribbon on it 'Remove before flight'.
Always wonder why DJI went out of its way to color it the same colors as the underside of the P4P.

The Phantom 3 (at least the Pro version, no sure about other models) also came with that same little hard-to-see foam stabilizer. It's amazing how many people showed up on the forum who didn't discover that piece.

It would have been nice when the Phantom 4 came along, to make that little warning note on something like the landing pins on an aircraft - then it would hopefully have stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL

jsantacroce@hvc Posted at 2017-7-21 02:29
I just use this now because .....

Hi jsantacroce
Where did you get that?

Thanks.

Aardvark Posted at 2017-7-20 09:04
.....Or whether it's just detecting no load on motors and slowing them down.

I was thinking, as you suggest that it would probably be an 'no load detect' that would produce that sound. It does not do it with propellers on.

Agreed... I think DJI should hang a little tag on a string from that shipping block.  Any time you see this many people have a similar problem, it goes beyond being a simple mistake and is evidence of a user interface problem that needs to be fixed.  There is not enough warning about the block.  A little red tag on a string hanging from the block might work wonders.
Matt