Incessant loss of video signal

[Jesse Rockwell]

Hello. I have had my Inspire for about 3 months now, and at first it worked fantastically. I fly with one controller using a Samsung Pro Tab 8.4"

But since the end of the first month I have been gettiing some loss of video signal, and recently the problem is getting so bad, it happens nearly every flight. The video signal will cut out and I get the option to return home. Usually I wait 10-15 seconds and the video will resume.

I heard something about loose ribbon cables, and tried pushing down on the cables between the body and gimbal. This worked for a while, but the problem returned within a few flights. The problem is also MUCH worse in windy conditions, leading me to believe further that it is related to a loose connection between the gimbal and the craft.

The last flight I had was over a large surf break about a half mile out to sea. The craft worked great through 2 batteries. On the third I lost all video and RC signal over the water. This was the first time I have lost RC signal, it went from full strength to zero instantaneously. I tried RTH, and it failed. I lost sight of the craft in the maelstrom of whitewater. I waited for the signal to return for nearly 3 minutes, and nothing happened. I blindly attempted to elevate and rotate the AC 180 degrees and get it back to me, in the hopes it was still communicationg with the RC.

As i began to feel it was a total loss, in a last ditch effort, I rebooted the RC and voila, full Video and RC signal. The drone was way up and to the left over the harbor. This makes me think I still had RC control, as I was elevating throughout the signal loss.

I got it back with 14% battery, thanking my lucky stars.

My plan is to record the problem with a camera and screen recorder on my tab, and hope that DJI will attend to this pretty serious issue.

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems?

Edit: I calibrate compass before every flight. Before the recent flight where I lost all signal, I updated AC, RC and all 4 batteries to latest firmware and did an (unusual) fault free test flight.

 

[The Editor]

Hello. I have had my Inspire for about 3 months now, and at first it worked fantastically. I fly with one controller using a Samsung Pro Tab 8.4"

But since the end of the first month I have been gettiing some loss of video signal, and recently the problem is getting so bad, it happens nearly every flight. The video signal will cut out and I get the option to return home. Usually I wait 10-15 seconds and the video will resume.

I heard something about loose ribbon cables, and tried pushing down on the cables between the body and gimbal. This worked for a while, but the problem returned within a few flights. The problem is also MUCH worse in windy conditions, leading me to believe further that it is related to a loose connection between the gimbal and the craft.

The last flight I had was over a large surf break about a half mile out to sea. The craft worked great through 2 batteries. On the third I lost all video and RC signal over the water. This was the first time I have lost RC signal, it went from full strength to zero instantaneously. I tried RTH, and it failed. I lost sight of the craft in the maelstrom of whitewater. I waited for the signal to return for nearly 3 minutes, and nothing happened. I blindly attempted to elevate and rotate the AC 180 degrees and get it back to me, in the hopes it was still communicationg with the RC.

As i began to feel it was a total loss, in a last ditch effort, I rebooted the RC and voila, full Video and RC signal. The drone was way up and to the left over the harbor. This makes me think I still had RC control, as I was elevating throughout the signal loss.

I got it back with 14% battery, thanking my lucky stars.

My plan is to record the problem with a camera and screen recorder on my tab, and hope that DJI will attend to this pretty serious issue.

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced similar problems?

Edit: I calibrate compass before every flight. Before the recent flight where I lost all signal, I updated AC, RC and all 4 batteries to latest firmware and did an (unusual) fault free test flight.

OK, you don't need to calibrate your compass before every flight (in fact it's not a good idea to do that as you run the risk of introducing a bad calibration unknowingly - lots about that on this forum).
With your disconnect issue being worse in windy/turbulent conditions I would say it is your gimbal connection pins slightly out of alignment or bent.
Pop the aircraft over on its back and examine the pins VERY closely. They should be perfectly evenly spaced and parallel to each other. You can also try taking a piece of thick card etc and CAREFULLY bending the pins upwards slightly to make better contact with the connection plate when the gimbal is in position.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

OK, you don't need to calibrate your compass before every flight (in fact it's not a good idea to do that as you run the risk of introducing a bad calibration unknowingly - lots about that on this forum).
With your disconnect issue being worse in windy/turbulent conditions I would say it is your gimbal connection pins slightly out of alignment or bent.
Pop the aircraft over on its back and examine the pins VERY closely. They should be perfectly evenly spaced and parallel to each other. You can also try taking a piece of thick card etc and CAREFULLY bending the pins upwards slightly to make better contact with the connection plate when the gimbal is in position.

Thanks for the reply. I inspected the gimbal pins with a magnifying glass. They seem to be aligned, although one might be 0.1-0.2mm off. It's nearly imperceptible, and not something I could correct by hand as the margin is so tiny, I would likely over-correct it and make it worse.

Interesting about the compass calibrations, thanks.

 

[Aviator]

Try removing your camera from the AC after each flight.
Leaving the camera permanently connected tends to flatten the gimbal connection gasket which causes it to lose its "cushioning" ability.
It is the little rubber pimples that allow the camera to vibrate and wobble without disconnecting the gimbal pins.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

Try removing your camera from the AC after each flight.
Leaving the camera permanently connected tends to flatten the gimbal connection gasket which causes it to lose its "cushioning" ability.
It is the little rubber pimples that allow the camera to vibrate and wobble without disconnecting the gimbal pins.

I always remove the camera for storage, and use both the camera cap and body cap.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

Hi guys. So I received my unit back from RMA repair, and I am still having the issue. Please see this thread Received my Inspire back from RMA. Issue not resolved. | DJI Inspire Forum

 

[SuperPete]

I had same issue not to long ago, all of a sudden I started loosing video signal the moment I get up in the air.
So I started troubleshooting, I powered drone, got video connected, picked up drone by hand and start moving it around left right around up and down, and I lost video right away every time I move, so I figured it's connection issue.
So I took camera off, cleaned pins and inspected them, they looked good to me.
Then I took gimbal bracket out and inspected two ribbon cables, they were inserted all the way, no problem there, so I took them off and reconnected, put everything back together and my problem went away.
Don't know if it was camera or cables, but something did the magic.
Also, on the camera, that little board with contacts has two screws, they align board to the gimbal pins, one screw was lose and board was moving around a little...

Try that.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

I had same issue not to long ago, all of a sudden I started loosing video signal the moment I get up in the air.
So I started troubleshooting, I powered drone, got video connected, picked up drone by hand and start moving it around left right around up and down, and I lost video right away every time I move, so I figured it's connection issue.
So I took camera off, cleaned pins and inspected them, they looked good to me.
Then I took gimbal bracket out and inspected two ribbon cables, they were inserted all the way, no problem there, so I took them off and reconnected, put everything back together and my problem went away.
Don't know if it was camera or cables, but something did the magic.
Also, on the camera, that little board with contacts has two screws, they align board to the gimbal pins, one screw was lose and board was moving around a little...

Try that.

Thanks for the reply. Well, I sent it in for repair, and it's still happening.... To say I'm frustrated would be an understatement. How difficult is taking the gimbal bracket off?

Also, another user mentioned he solved this issue by simply using a different USB cable for the controller, which I plan to try next flight.

 

[SuperPete]

try different USB first...
TO take bracket off take camera off first, then pull bracket from 4 of the rubber dumpers and ribbon cables are behind it, remove them completely all 4 connections, blow it with the air incase you got something inside and firmly plug them back in.
Before you put bracket back try testing drone by powering it up, installing camera on the bracket first and moving brakes by hand, see if you loose signal then, keep moving until you figure out what connection is giving you problems.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

try different USB first...
TO take bracket off take camera off first, then pull bracket from 4 of the rubber dumpers and ribbon cables are behind it, remove them completely all 4 connections, blow it with the air incase you got something inside and firmly plug them back in.
Before you put bracket back try testing drone by powering it up, installing camera on the bracket first and moving brakes by hand, see if you loose signal then, keep moving until you figure out what connection is giving you problems.

Thank you for the detailed info. What do you mean by brakes exactly?

 

[SuperPete]

this plate, sorry

 

[capodrones]

Lynh Phan’s DJI Inspire 1 Tips: Fixing Intermittent Drop Out of Video Signal


i know I'm new here but stumbled on this in my internet travels tonight.

 

[Jesse Rockwell]

Lynh Phan’s DJI Inspire 1 Tips: Fixing Intermittent Drop Out of Video Signal


i know I'm new here but stumbled on this in my internet travels tonight.

Hmm, thanks for the link. My Inspire is back in LA again for service. I hope they can fix it this time as I will be traveling with it and need it in good working order. If it is not better this time, I will try this method. Thanks