Problem - probably with sensors - can anyone help me please?

[RobUK]

Can anyone help me please?

The maiden flight of my new DJI Inspire 2 was today. Everything was prepared and tested at my home, latest software versions, all calibrations performed, tested takeoffs (without props), everything seemed OK. Got to the site I wanted to film after 20 km drive, perfect weather. Could not take off, got the error message "could not take off", could not resolve it after an hour of checking everything.



Meanwhile I am back at home trying to resolve this problem, I noticed both in my image grabbed "on site" above and back home that the "sensors" icon in the DJI App is red all the time. Going to the overall status page in the DJI Go App (the one that flashes up when you start the App), everything says "Normal", there are no errors reported. Also I've recalibrated everything, the IMU, Compass, Gimbal, Controller sticks, and the software is updated (successfully to the latest version).

Please help if you know what is causing this? How can I diagnose the problem? Thanks!!

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

I would suggest connecting the I2 to your computer with the Assistant 2 App and do a restore factory default, following the prompts when that is complete.

 

[Casey53]

See this thread: Gimbal Disconnected Msg

 

[RobUK]

@Florida Drone Supply@ Thanks for suggestion. I did as you say on my I2, plus the following:

DJI Assistant 2 - "restore factory default" ... red sensors icon in DJI Go App displayed.
DJI Assistant 2 - regressed to version 01.01.0100 firmware ... DJI Go App said "software version out of date", would not fly
DJI Assistant 2 - updated again to version 01.01.0200 firmware ... red sensors icon in DJI Go App displayed.

Is the latest DJI Go App (Android) version 4.1.18 for I2 working OK for others?
The offline maps option on the home screen seems to have disappeared ... how do you load offline maps with this version?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Casey53]

My short answer to "Is DJI GO 4.1.8 working for others" is ... Not me! Two controllers and two birds using two iPads (Air 2 and Pro A10X) and something isn't right. I think my issue is with the both the iPad's Lightning port dropping the connection in iOS 11.2 but I haven't found a solution other than unplgging and replugging in the cable.

If I shut down GO 4 to launch Autopilot, it cannot connect to the drone to launch a mission other than a countdown and nothing happens. Same thing if I close GO once and open GO again, I need to do the unplug/replug ritual again. More bizarre is the second time I open it the screen shows "Ready to Fly" and not a "Disconnected" gray screen shown as it should, but the camera view is black and C1 gimbal won't work either. Seems it loses the USB connection for some unknown reason opening and closing an app.

 

[NickU]

The vision sensor icon will always show red when you're on the ground... vps is disabled (indicated by red icon) when motors aren't powered up, and also when the landing gear is lowered.

 

[RobUK]

The vision sensor icon will always show red when you're on the ground... vps is disabled (indicated by red icon) when motors aren't powered up, and also when the landing gear is lowered.

Nick, thanks a lot for this. Has it always been that way? I believed my I2 had a fault because I see screen images from others with the heli on the ground (0 ft displayed for altitude), where the vision sensors icon is normal and not red, e.g here, from the tutorial guide I was using:

 

[Mad_angler1]

Nick, thanks a lot for this. Has it always been that way? I believed my I2 had a fault because I see screen images from others with the heli on the ground (0 ft displayed for altitude), where the vision sensors icon is normal and not red, e.g here, from the tutorial guide I was using:

View attachment 17421

Yes it’s always been that way for the Inspire 2, in landing mode VPS is disabled and that being red is normal.

That is an old app image and for a different craft, the Go app behaves differently depending what craft is connected.

Have you resolved your issue now? Have you flown yet there ? This good be an NFZ issue ?

Can you check the location on the DJI Geo map

 

[NickU]

Yes, it's always been that way for the I2. Like mad angler said, that screen isn't from an Inspire 2.

The forward vision sensors are disabled as soon as the landing gear is lowered, and the icon goes red to show that. The downward and upward sensors carry on working to give you accurate height readings below 33ft (the barometer isn't accurate enough at low level).

I think you mentioned on the Dji site that you'd managed to fly? If you have, then next time you take off, look at the sensor colour when you transition the landing gear to up... it'll go green.

If you haven't managed to get off the ground, then you need to check you've got both batteries firmly installed, that the I2 has gps lock, and that you're not trying to fly in a no-fly zone. Check out your location on the Dji flysafe site... DJI - The World Leader in Camera Drones/Quadcopters for Aerial Photography

 

[RobUK]

Thank you both very much for your replies. I just have one more problem to solve, about offline maps. The site I need to film has no cell signal. The GO app for Android no longer has an option to download offline maps. So is this managed via Google Maps now?

 

[NickU]

afraid I use iOS, not Android. So I can't say for certain if the following will work...

All I can suggest for you is to try and 'cache' the maps anyway... with a wifi (or cell) connection, start Go 4 up (no need for the I2 to be started), once it's started, enter the Aircraft screen (Go Fly or whatever they call it now), and then bring up the map display - once that's on screen, move the map to the area you want to fly in and then scroll it around and zoom in a bit to download the mapping tiles. Then either turn off the android device (if it's crystal sky), or shut down Go 4.

Hopefully, when you restart Go 4 it'll still have the map tiles in memory. might be worth trying out on somewhere nearby so you don't have a long wasted trip if it doesn't work out.

 

[RobUK]

Successful maiden flight today. Thank you everyone for your help.
DJI posted a reply about the "offline maps" problem.
DJI said that it has been disabled in the latest DJI Go4 App because of a problem with Here maps' server.

What happens if the DJI Go4 App cannot download the relevant map page for your location (using WiFi or cellular data) ?
I have a strong suspicion that it will not operate and generates a "can not take off" error message.

 

[NickU]

It'll fly, the maps are there only for the benefit of the pilot, the aircraft doesn't need the Go 4 map in the slightest.

The I2 knows where it is via the GPS signal, it will display the distance from Take-Off point/Home/Remote within the Go 4 and will also show you the relative heading from the RC on the radar display or on the map. It will also match it's GPS location to it's internal no-fly database to check if you can take off or need warning/stopping.

 

[RobUK]

It'll fly, the maps are there only for the benefit of the pilot, the aircraft doesn't need the Go 4 map in the slightest.

The I2 knows where it is via the GPS signal, it will display the distance from Take-Off point/Home/Remote within the Go 4 and will also show you the relative heading from the RC on the radar display or on the map. It will also match it's GPS location to it's internal no-fly database to check if you can take off or need warning/stopping.

Thank you Nick, I'm relieved to know this is not the cause of the "cannot take off" error messages I was getting last weekend.
Since then, I've updated the I2 firmware to 01.01.0300 and the "cannot take off" error messages did not reappear during my maiden flights today.