Phantom 4 Advanced gimbal not working
Uploading and Loding Picture ...(0/1)
o(^-^)o
Joe Lewis
lvl.1
Namibia
Offline

The gimbal of my new P4A suddently stopped working! I got it in August 2017, flew it a couple of times, but then it just crashed for no apparent reason (I did an autonomous flight with DJI GS, and it just dropped out of the air about 200m from take-off, at the start of the mission grid). Sent it in for repairs to South Africa (from Namibia), and got it back after 3 months (cost about US$400!).  They only fixed the landing gear - apparently the gimbal  and camera were ok.  I then flew it a couple of times without any problems, but yesterday the gimbal just stopped working! When I switch on, the gimbal moves slightly and become 'rigid' (so it's not totally limp).  It doesn't go through the initiallization routine - just points down. The camera works (using either RC shutter button or DJI Go softbutton), and DJI Go doesn't give any error messages (it doesn't notice that the gimbal doesn't work).  If I do gimbal calibration on DJI Go4, it goes through the whole calibration process (0%-100%) and tells me that calibration was successfull, even though the gimbal didn't move at all during calibration.  The RC gimbal dial works (tested by doing RC calibration), but there's not response from the gimbal (so problem is definately with the gimbal, not RC).   I get the impression the problem is with the gimbal pitch mechanism (either the pitch motor, or something else), as the yaw and roll motors seem solid (rigid and in the right prosition after start-up, whereas the pitch axis seems a bit wobbly).  If I move the camera  (lightly around the pitch axis), it wiggles a bit up and down, sometimes staying up in the horizontal position, or returning to the vertical face down position). It also doesn't sound healthy, but there is definately some motor activity. One posting advised that  I downgrade the firmware - I couildn't do that, but reset factory settings and re-installed firmware, but no difference.    There's no service centre in Namibia, and I can't afford to send it back to South Africa (I phoned the service centre in Johannesburg, and they said they will replace the whole gimbal and camera assembly, which will cost me at least US$1000 (same price as a new drone in the US)! I will have to somehow fix this myself, or just write off the drone!  
Any advice will be much appreciated!   


2018-1-8
Use props
Joe Lewis
lvl.1
Namibia
Offline


2018-1-8
Use props
DJI Susan
Administrator
Offline

Hi Joe, has the drone been involved in crash or hard landing before? From the video you offered, I'm afraid that the issue can not be figured out remotely, would insist on sending it in for fully diagnosis: https://www.dji.com/support Sincerely sorry about this.
2018-1-8
Use props
Joe Lewis
lvl.1
Namibia
Offline

Thanks Susan! The drone did crash, two weeks after I bought it.  At the time it seemed only the landing gear was damaged, as the camera and gimbal were still working, until yesterday. Unfortunately I won't be able to send it in for repair - too expensive to send all the way to South Africa, just to be told that I have to pay US$1000 for new gimbal assembly!  
So if anybody has any ideas how I could DIY fix it, it would be much appreciated!
2018-1-8
Use props
fans059e17ad
New

Offline

Was you able to fix this? Same problem I ordered pitch motor.   Also when I do firmware update I have to start with rc on then turn on drone afterwards or I get a “get firmware version failed”
2018-4-17
Use props
Joe Lewis
lvl.1
Namibia
Offline

I ordered new pitch motor but am still waiting for it (after two months!).  
2018-4-17
Use props
eomay
New

Sweden
Offline

Did you able to fix this problem. I have exactly the same problem
2021-6-2
Use props
Advanced
You need to log in before you can reply Login | Register now

Credit Rules