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Inspire bites the dust after 1.3 update

Joined
May 29, 2015
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Location
Feilding, New Zealand
Watching the comments in the forums after the 1.3 update was released and combined with a spite of bad weather over the last few weeks, I held off updating my Inspire tot he latest firmware. I've had some disconnection issues since the previous update but it had been very intermittent.

So last weekend I decided to update everything. The update of the bird, batteries and Go app went smoothly however the master R/C refused to update despite several tries. No problem I thought, the slave R/C updated fine so I'll make that the master. Outside I go, calibrate the compass and away we go. Hovering in place for a while and testing out the controls, there was no immediate problems.

I climb to about 30 metres and it all seems fine. I do a small semi circle, testing the gimbal control and finally hover about 200 metres from where I'm standing. At this point the app video goes blank and I get a "Disconnected" message. The Inspire is slowly drifting despite being in GPS mode and there being little wind. Trying not to panic, I walk closer to the Inspire but still no connection. I remember reading other posts in this forum about disconnections and I hit the RTH button. The Inspire responds and starts heading back, the app is still showing disconnected. I notice that it is returning much faster than it did in previous versions of the firmware, but phew I'm relieved anyway that it is returning.

It hovers above the home point and starts descending. Then suddenly the Inspire darts off in one direction, I'm still disconnected and have no control. It flies into the top of a large tree, I hear sounds like a sawmill as it tries to cut it's way through the branches (winter here in New Zealand so no leaves on the tree). Eventually the motors cut out and it falls, landing heavily on the grass from about a height of 20 metres. I cross my fingers and hope that the lawn cushioned the impact enough not to cause any damage, however I was wrong. Three of the shock absorbers have completely snapped in half (I'm guessing that's what they should do after that type of impact) but one of the legs is broken off and hanging by the aerial wire. So my Inspire is off to the repair shop, dammit!!

Sorry to make this a rant but I'm gutted that every time DJI puts out firmware updates, it becomes Russian roulette as to whether it's safe to fly or not. As mentioned I haven't had any of the prior issues I've seen in these forums but maybe it was just a matter of time. I'm in IT and I get sick of companies releasing software upgrades and using their users as testers. A software program on my PC is one thing but a flying missile like the Inspire can do some serious damage. I'm trying to be a responsible drone owner but this shows that I really don't have control at all. If our cars did the same thing, we wouldn't put up with it and the manufacturer would quickly go out of business. Maybe the same thing needs to happen to these drone companies. In the meantime, my investment in what I thought was a professional piece of equipment turns out to be nothing more than an expensive toy.

Look back here later for a cheap drone, only smashed once!!!
 
Man that sucks. Sorry for the loss.
I'm with you, I'd rather see DJI to stabilize and fix the current firmware than to add new gadgets in the Pilot App every update.

However I have a couple of questions:

  1. You say the app disconnected AND you had no control? Usually if the app crashes you can still fly normally with only the controller. How can you have lost control if you were still able to switch RTH?
  2. Did you try to switch RTH OFF on the controller after it took off again?
  3. Do you have Multiple Flight Modes ON, so you could have switched to Atti? If yes, why didn't you?
  4. After the firmware update did you do an advanced IMU calibration? The slow drifting in GPS mode could have been TBE (toilet bowl effect) because of the IMU not being properly calibrated.
  5. Did you calibrate the (slave-now master)controller after the upgrade?

If you can say YES to all these questions, than it must have been interference of some kind or a hardware failure.

However, if you wouldn't have calibrated the IMU after the update, but you DID a compass calibration (maybe even on a bad spot?), well...that is just THE recipe for a classic fly away. And that would have little to do with the actual firmware.
 
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:(

Reading this sends a chill down my spine. I was flying last night and experienced a disconnect while in line of sight and I was shocked. I was about 150 meters out and 50m AGL. It reconnected fast enough but had it not it remained a dot on the horizon and ATTI mode was a flick away but I was genuinely freaked out. I'm glad no one was hurt. Sorry about your gear.
 
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lake_flyer: Unfortunately I didn't think to do an IMU calibration but I did calibrate the slave (now master) R/C after the upgrade and do a compass calibration, so maybe it is my own fault.

The GO app didn't crash at any point, it just showed "Disconnected". Once the Inspire had returned above me and was descending, I restarted the app and tried to reconnect without any luck. Unfortunately while I was trying that and my attention on the Inspire was diverted, the Inspire had already headed off in another direction and before I had a chance to put it into Atti mode, it had flown into the tree and crash landed.

Leszek Kedziora: I've only been a member of this forum for a few months but I have seen varying opinions on the IMU calibration. If IMU calibration is obligatory after a firmware update then surely the software should prompt the user to perform it.
 
Maybe it should be mentioned in the manual. By then do it after every upgrade. I also check the sensor readings before every flight and it is not mentioned in manual too.
 
I would rehearse switching to Atti mode before using RTH. Atti mode bypasses most of the errors that might cause a flyaway and gives you the best shot at getting back. Atti mode has been widely covered on this and other forums, but isn't particularly stressed in the manual.

Sorry this happened to you.
 
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lake_flyer: Unfortunately I didn't think to do an IMU calibration but I did calibrate the slave (now master) R/C after the upgrade and do a compass calibration, so maybe it is my own fault.

The GO app didn't crash at any point, it just showed "Disconnected". Once the Inspire had returned above me and was descending, I restarted the app and tried to reconnect without any luck. Unfortunately while I was trying that and my attention on the Inspire was diverted, the Inspire had already headed off in another direction and before I had a chance to put it into Atti mode, it had flown into the tree and crash landed.

Leszek Kedziora: I've only been a member of this forum for a few months but I have seen varying opinions on the IMU calibration. If IMU calibration is obligatory after a firmware update then surely the software should prompt the user to perform it.
Still, it sucks!

If you get it back and start flying again, take some time to do some imaginary emergency procedures. Invoke RTH and switch it out of RTH and bring it back in Atti. You should test the behaviour of RTH and know how you can still have control or switch out of it.
In the simulator you can also test behaviour of the flight controllers current settings in various situations.

I hope you have your bird back in one piece real soon and get up there again!
 
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The IMU recallibration is obligarory after the FW update.
Yeah, it is common knowledge here on the forum, however, I checked the latest version of the owners manual. No mention of this at all. I can recall that DJI stressed multiple times, even with the first updates of the Phantom Vision firmware, that's over a year ago, an advanced IMU calibration is always mandatory. Strange they don't mention it anymore.

On the other hand, it might help the OP to get warranty support.
 
Sorry to learn of your loss. Hard to describe the gut wrenching feeling one gets when their expensive drone is laying there in pieces. It is a sickening and long lasting feeling for most.

Now prepare yourself for a long, long wait for a repair or replacement. Sad to say; that doesn't feel too good either.
 
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lake_flyer: Unfortunately I didn't think to do an IMU calibration but I did calibrate the slave (now master) R/C after the upgrade and do a compass calibration, so maybe it is my own fault.

The GO app didn't crash at any point, it just showed "Disconnected". Once the Inspire had returned above me and was descending, I restarted the app and tried to reconnect without any luck. Unfortunately while I was trying that and my attention on the Inspire was diverted, the Inspire had already headed off in another direction and before I had a chance to put it into Atti mode, it had flown into the tree and crash landed.

Leszek Kedziora: I've only been a member of this forum for a few months but I have seen varying opinions on the IMU calibration. If IMU calibration is obligatory after a firmware update then surely the software should prompt the user to perform it.
I think most people would agree that checking imu settings should be on everyones preflight checklist. Also, i think (but not positive) imu recalibration after fw update is in the manual.

So the sticks were unresponsive during all this even when you could use rth?
 
Im not a pro at this but I cant help but wonder once it started RTH came over you and started to decend if you hadn't done anything ( think you said you tried to reconnect at that point) could it have just made a safe landing....
 
yes, I know what you are talking about. My I1 has been in repair for about 4 weeks now...... It sucks!!!!

Now prepare yourself for a long, long wait for a repair or replacement. Sad to say; that doesn't feel too good either.[/QUOTE]
 
i Join the club,
Due to auto update of my GoPilot (->2.20) i had to update to the 1.4.
The Aircraft seemed a succes (txt file) but the RC update didn't.
When the USB with WM_610_FW_V01. 04.00.10.BIN is inserted the RC doesn't go in the update mode (red->blue led), yes i waited 10min several times.
Who gets me out of the ' No fly zone'
thnx,
Karl
 
i Join the club,
Due to auto update of my GoPilot (->2.20) i had to update to the 1.4.
The Aircraft seemed a succes (txt file) but the RC update didn't.
When the USB with WM_610_FW_V01. 04.00.10.BIN is inserted the RC doesn't go in the update mode (red->blue led), yes i waited 10min several times.
Who gets me out of the ' No fly zone'
thnx,
Karl
You need to update the RC to 1.3.0.0. See the sticky post at the top of Help subforum if you have problems. All I recommend that you turn off all iOS app updates.
 
You need to update the RC to 1.3.0.0. See the sticky post at the top of Help subforum if you have problems. All I recommend that you turn off all iOS app updates.

OK ,
I'll try that, hope it still likes the 1.3
the App up's are off now.
thnx
Karl
 

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