My replacement Mavic received three weeks ago is recording ripple effect in the video when accelerating and when letting off the sticks allowing the Mavic to glide to a stop on it's own. I am NOT pulling back on the stick to manually stop, as DJI suggests I am doing.

First they suggested I downgrade the firmware (I did - did not fix). Now they suggest it is my flight method causing it and that I am manually braking - I am not, and I clearly stated it is occurring when I let off the sticks allowing the Mavic to glide to a stop as well as when accelerating, so I question if they even read my comments let alone reviewed my submitted dropbox videos that they requested from me.

As someone else suggest, I also adjusted the braking value settings from default value of 130 down to 80 and ripple effect is still present. Mind you, reducing this value means the Mavic will glide farther to a stop so reducing it further increases potential for collision.

Now I am told that the ripple effect is "normal". Is it? It wasn't present in my first Mavic but is on the replacement unit they sent me.

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... mp;page=1#pid716059

"We analyzed your video, ripple effect would  probably happen when the Mavic is braking. Please slow down when braking, do not pull down the sticks suddenly to brake the aircraft."

I´ve seen some vibration when hard braking sometimes (full forward to 0, full forward to full backwards...) not at low speeds. Do the normal checks on the gimbal and try again. Also if the temperatures were low, some people have been having similar effects (never tried mine below 10 celsius)

Agreed - hard braking might cause it. But that isn't happening with mine. I've inspected the gimbal and it is properly seated so that isn't it either.

I have downgraded firmware, upgraded firmware, reset camera settings, reset all settings back to factory, gimbal recalibration, basically anything and everything and ripple is till in my videos no matter how slow and easy it is flown. But apparently this is normal according to DJI.

Based on the poll showing others NOT having ripple in their video, I don't see it as normal.

Video only seems to show a glitch which might even be SD card related.
It is true if you stop abruptly everything can literally bounce and gimbal might even hit the stops.
So if not an emergency decelerate slowly rather than just letting go from full speed ahead.
In the example you only seem to be moving slowly though.

4wd Posted at 2017-3-2 09:47
Video only seems to show a glitch which might even be SD card related.
It is true if you stop abruptly everything can literally bounce and gimbal might even hit the stops.
So if not an emergency decelerate slowly rather than just letting go from full speed ahead.

Understood. But I can't fly it any slower or it won't be moving at all.

I did buy a new SD card but that did not solve it either.

Problem for me is that I bought the Mavic for videography not sill photography, and in some cases I want video where I fly in at something to a stop for various reasons. It seems I'm relegated to having to edit out defective video that is unusable.... not what I would expect from a $1000 flying video camera. But hey, this is NORMAL, right DJI?

If ripple effect in recorded video is normal, please add that to your website's camera details so potential buyers can make an informed decision.

As it currently states -

4K Ultra HD Video

Mavic supports 4K video at 30fps. No Electronic Image Stabilization is used, ensuring all footage is 4K. We have created a miniaturized, ultra-precise 3-axis gimbal for the Mavic, capable of stabilizing the camera even during high-speed motion for smooth video and sharp photos.

What value is the 'Brake' Sensitivity? The default, if I recall correctly, is 130% - which, if I'm understanding the values correctly, means stop by (effectively) going into reverse at 30%.
Do you get the same issue when in Cinematic mode?

I am getting it for sure.  This was my first video after firmware upgrade.  I don't know if it is the upgrade or not.  I will have to try the downgrade and see.  I didn't notice it before but hoping it isn't hardware.

You can see I am flying very slowly and no braking at all.  I other vids that were much worse but I trashed them.  You first see it on the pinstripes on the trailer then the two roofs and in the water then on the houses again toward the end.

My old Mavic got RMA'd for Jello effect- my current one had to be really, really pushed to get jello, and that only happened to it once, very briefly. Went ahead and posted on the thread you linked to to let them know they got something abnormally right when building my unit if ripple is "normal."

I hope your Mavic's video improves for you.

superjet96 Posted at 2017-3-2 10:30
I am getting it for sure.  This was my first video after firmware upgrade.  I don't know if it is the upgrade or not.  I will have to try the downgrade and see.  I didn't notice it before but hoping it isn't hardware.

You can see I am flying very slowly and no braking at all.  I other vids that were much worse but I trashed them.  You first see it on the pinstripes on the trailer then the two roofs and in the water then on the houses again toward the end.

That's a different issue usually called aliasing or moiré
The cause is compression and oversharpening as the camera tries to hide it's limited ability.
You will see it less if you reduce sharpening and maybe contrast a notch.

Thanks 4wd.  I will give it a try.  I thought it looked the same and was my first vid after fw upgrade.  Running it through Premier Pro darkened it as well for some reason.  I will go back out and try again.

No1much Posted at 2017-3-2 10:33
My old Mavic got RMA'd for Jello effect- my current one had to be really, really pushed to get jello, and that only happened to it once, very briefly. Went ahead and posted on the thread you linked to to let them know they got something abnormally right when building my unit if ripple is "normal."

I hope your Mavic's video improves for you.

Thanks.

The scenario in which I now find myself is since DJI has taken the stance that the ripple effect is normal is if I send the Mavic to repair they will likely stand by their opinion that it's normal, claim there's nothing wrong with my Mavic, charge me $65 for looking at it and return the defective unit back to me. Meanwhile, the 3 to 4 weeks this process takes will be shaved off my DJI Care Refresh warranty, and I'll be no better off and less $65. It appears I'd be better taken care of should my Mavic run into a wall at 40mph. Absurd.

I have a friend considering buying a Mavic but he's now reconsidering given the quality control issues and how those are handled by DJI.

That seems like inconsistent customer treatment- they replaced mine for free, no Care Refresh needed. What the hey, DJI?

The quick ripple I see in playing the first video above is NOT jello effect, and is not a vibration.  This appears to be some sort of glitch in the video handling software.  It is not mechanical either.  I'd get back with them and insist.  Keep pushing.  This is at least the second example of this problem I've seen posted in a couple of days.

superjet96 Posted at 2017-3-2 10:53
Thanks 4wd.  I will give it a try.  I thought it looked the same and was my first vid after fw upgrade.  Running it through Premier Pro darkened it as well for some reason.  I will go back out and try again.

Also a known to be fairly dramatic on susceptible subject matter when recording at 1080p at more than 30fps.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2017-3-2 11:17
The quick ripple I see in playing the first video above is NOT jello effect, and is not a vibration.  This appears to be some sort of glitch in the video handling software.  It is not mechanical either.  I'd get back with them and insist.  Keep pushing.  This is at least the second example of this problem I've seen posted in a couple of days.

I'm pretty sure it's mechanical -- I also see it on hard braking/acceleration and on gusty days. Love to be proven wrong and for there to be a fix, though.

It is 100% vibration. The mavic suddenly tilts on the other way and the camere might slightly bump into the frame.

AG0N-Gary Posted at 2017-3-2 11:17
The quick ripple I see in playing the first video above is NOT jello effect, and is not a vibration.  This appears to be some sort of glitch in the video handling software.  It is not mechanical either.  I'd get back with them and insist.  Keep pushing.  This is at least the second example of this problem I've seen posted in a couple of days.

From what seen under the hood, the gimbal hanging by rubber bands. You get the jump when it's reached it's limits and hits one of the sides. The tolerances are so tight for a mass produced item.

I would look under the gimbal and make sure all bands are on correctly and it's under that metal tab behind the camera. Hold it up after and wiggle to see if it's hitting any of the sides.

I've see this in turns mainly when there is wind and I'm pushing speed. Yours is definitely hitting before it's supposed to. Maybe one of the bands is a little long or there is an obstruction on the front end.

It will be interesting to find out what the issue really is, if we ever do.  I still don't think it is mechanical, but obviously others disagree.

superjet96 Posted at 2017-3-2 10:30
I am getting it for sure.  This was my first video after firmware upgrade.  I don't know if it is the upgrade or not.  I will have to try the downgrade and see.  I didn't notice it before but hoping it isn't hardware.

You can see I am flying very slowly and no braking at all.  I other vids that were much worse but I trashed them.  You first see it on the pinstripes on the trailer then the two roofs and in the water then on the houses again toward the end.

I cant see the ripple in yours. timestamps?

the way the gimbal works is i think the reason for the ripples and shakes its not really a true gimbal like the phantom. it hangs from 4 rubber bands which creates the "gimbal" effect.

I usually will get ripple in windy conditions.

boostedford Posted at 2017-3-2 12:22
the way the gimbal works is i think the reason for the ripples and shakes its not really a true gimbal like the phantom. it hangs from 4 rubber bands which creates the "gimbal" effect.

Uh no , it is a stabilized gimbal . The rubber bands are simply a method of mounting the gimbal to help reduce vibration .

Having built many quads over the years and setup my own PIDs to control gimbals , it looks as though a bad PID setting could be the cause . It is hard to tell . I have had similar issue with some bad gimbal control board setups .

boostedford Posted at 2017-3-2 12:22
the way the gimbal works is i think the reason for the ripples and shakes its not really a true gimbal like the phantom. it hangs from 4 rubber bands which creates the "gimbal" effect.

Wrong. The rubber bands are the dampers like on the bigger drones.  A gimbal is the motorized stabilization. Not how it is mounted. The OSMO has not dampers, but it is a gimbal.

Nees Posted at 2017-3-2 13:23
Wrong. The rubber bands are the dampers like on the bigger drones.  A gimbal is the motorized stabilization. Not how it is mounted. The OSMO has not dampers, but it is a gimbal.

oh i thought thats how it gimbaled lol

It happens to mine sometimes. Can you try Cinematic mode (just bear in mind that it won't stop straight away - but needs a little more distance)?

have you calibrated the gimbal?
i would reset to factory an recalibrate...
but i can not experience such a video effect when breaking

Hi! I got the same problem. But I just read one thread in my local forum where found one interesting thing. The ripple effect can be because of blades unbalancing. For example, you can broke them a little (my situation). Some people suggest to put glass of water on standing Mavic and switch on motors. If you'll see water vibration, you need to balance propellers blades. May be it is the way to solve?

seleznev Posted at 2017-3-22 10:43
Hi! I got the same problem. But I just read one thread in my local forum where found one interesting thing. The ripple effect can be because of blades unbalancing. For example, you can broke them a little (my situation). Some people suggest to put glass of water on standing Mavic and switch on motors. If you'll see water vibration, you need to balance propellers blades. May be it is the way to solve?

If you've had a prop strike and have a chunk missing from your propeller you need to throw it in the garbage. Why risk a $1,000 aircraft for a few dollar prop.
Even if you have the slightest prop strike and it looks perfect there can be internal damage done and one day it may break apart when you're 400ft up and then you've lost your $1,000 purchase.
Why risk it.

Nevermind after watching your whole video I'd say that is a problem It seems to be happening a lot. Was it windy that day or does this always happen?

Mine used to do that then I crashed it got it replaced haven't noticed it with the current one. However, on the old one it really only happened when I was flying fast or in high winds. I'm pretty sure it is simply a result of the gimbal being so small and not being able to keep it from shaking under intense conditions or just a minor glitch here and there. I'd say it's normal until it starts happening enough to where it ruins every shot you take.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2017-3-22 12:51
If you've had a prop strike and have a chunk missing from your propeller you need to throw it in the garbage. Why risk a $1,000 aircraft for a few dollar prop.
Even if you have the slightest prop strike and it looks perfect there can be internal damage done and one day it may break apart when you're 400ft up and then you've lost your $1,000 purchase.
Why risk it.

You absolutely right, I changed propellers. I just tried to explain why the ripple effect can be.

seleznev Posted at 2017-3-23 11:32
You absolutely right, I changed propellers. I just tried to explain why the ripple effect can be.

Mine is not from the props, it has done this from day one of unboxing and has never been crashed.

I've just learned to live with it and edit out/not use the defective portion of the video containing ripple. Since DJI has taken the stance that the ripple in video is normal I am not going to send it to repair so they can tell me to use my DJI Care Refresh which I refuse to use for a Quality Control/defect issue, as that is not what it is for. Rather, I'll wait until there's a more serious reason to send it in, i.e. a crash.

Disappointing but it is what it is.....

I have seen this in Sport mode, but not in normal mode.  Are you flying in Sport when this happens?  It looks like you are as you are moving fairly fast.  

I've been saying this for a while I only get the ripple effect when changing or like the OP said braking hard. Other users told me to send my drone back because it shouldn't shouldn't do it. But I guess I didn't care.

PimpDawg, i am so with you! My mavic does the ripple effect from the day one! I even adjusted braking to 80 %, not helping.. Everytime i am taking my hands off from the sticks this ripple effect goes in!
No wind is needed however too.. I was editing and cutting out all braking scenes from my videos from the day one..  I am a bit disappointed!

Whatever causes this glitch, this is not normal. Maybe usual with Mavic Pros, but definitely not normal. My first 2 units had this and I got them repaired/replaced under warranty. If I were you, I would keep insisting with DJI, but I know for having experienced their customer support too often that it is really a pain in the a$$ to have to deal with them. Good luck!

Anyone with the same issue should not let go or believe it is what it is. Never had something like that with my P3 before. And I keep my fingers crossed that my 4th and last Mavic will keep working as it should for a long time...

Ripple effect is the result of software/firmware image stabilization. Ability to switch it off would be extremely useful  because it can be done later during post processing by much more powerful software.

Have owned a Mavic for 1 day and its going back to the seller for a replacement.

Ripple effect YES (not fit for purpose) I believe is the legal phrase.
Other problem is it loses transmission of picture at regular intervals (either on my dining room table or out on location) and on my first test flight it refused to RTH. I had to manually land it.

This was after spending 2 hours updating firmware to the latest as of 12 November 2017.

Scary having the RTH refusing when it was only about 5 metres away from me!

Interestingly I have only had to buy it as a spare because my Phantom 4 pro (7 months old) also has lost transmission of picture data.

Flakey software or what!

Irmantast Posted at 2017-4-21 08:45
PimpDawg, i am so with you! My mavic does the ripple effect from the day one! I even adjusted braking to 80 %, not helping.. Everytime i am taking my hands off from the sticks this ripple effect goes in!
No wind is needed however too.. I was editing and cutting out all braking scenes from my videos from the day one..  I am a bit disappointed!

The video demonstrates both effects caused by High Wind & Improper IMU / Gimbal calibration.
I was out doing a roof damage assessment on a 43 acre assisted living community that was under 4' of water after hurricane Irma. 1st clip wind was blowing 18-20mph at 60' altitude, 20-25 at 100' notice the vibration caused by the wind, on the other hand the 2nd clip is one of the first videos I took with the Mavic right out of the box notice the "jello" effect, there is a difference between the two. This was cured by re-calibrating the IMU's, then the Gimbal and then the compass when I got out to the field. This corrected the "jello" effect.