Sudden gimbal jerking movement

PetePerrim · Feb 3, 2015

Hi All,

Just wondered if any of you had experienced a sudden and uncontrolled jerking movement in your gimbals? Mine seems to do it with each flight and it is spoiling my videos. It is very fast and usually twitches left suddenly before correcting itself immediately. See video below. Also, this video shows a flight I made last night of over 2500 metres!!

dronie · Feb 15, 2015

It sounds like DJI was aware of the gimbal twitch issue (it was one of the reasons for the delayed shipping, along with the camera issues with "hot pixels", according to a few large dealers I talked to), but DJI chose to neglect these issues, and shipped a faulty $3.000 product using the customers as beta testers. DJI probably thought: "lets ship it, and make a "DNG Cleaner" later and just swap faulty gimbals if people complain".

I've seen a LOT of people with this gimbal issue.

I have been able to reproduce the issue also, but it ONLY happens in the highest 4K setting (4096x2160). I bet that if you choose the lower 4K setting (3840x2196) you won't see this issue? So basically, DJI sent us a Gimbal that doesn't work as promised.

Let us know if your twitches disappears in the lower 4K setting?

InspiredOne · Feb 16, 2015

Yes, I've had this problem, too. DJI asked for footage, but it hasn't does it since I install the iOS Pilot app 1.0... yet.

helipal · Feb 17, 2015

InspiredOne said:
Yes, I've had this problem, too. DJI asked for footage, but it hasn't does it since I install the iOS Pilot app 1.0... yet.

Just received new inspire last week and have had this gimbal twitch a few times when recording 1080P 60/s. Seems to happen ofter at first, then calms down after 2-3 minutes. EMU is up to date and do a new compass call before flights away from vehicles / cell phones

davidbarwin · Feb 18, 2015

Much to my chagrin PetePerrim I too am experiencing this issue. Will reach out to support and share anything I learn…..

Problem displays at :25, :27, :29, :38, 1:35, 1:39, 1:40, 1:41, 1:47, 1:50, 1:51, 1:59, 2:00, 2:01, 2:07, 2:10. Thoughts? Flight log available…….

The Editor · Feb 18, 2015

Known problem.... Will be fixed in the next FW update.

davidbarwin · Feb 20, 2015

I did fly successfully yesterday without the Gimbal issue so apparently it is intermittent as some have mentioned.

dronie · Feb 23, 2015

The Editor said:
Known problem.... Will be fixed in the next FW update.

I get both "hot pixels" (only in DNG's) and the gimbal twitch (only in the highest 4K setting).

So, do you recommend that I don't send in my camera/gimbal for replacement if I can wait for an update?

PetePerrim · Feb 23, 2015

davidbarwin said:
I did fly successfully yesterday without the Gimbal issue so apparently it is intermittent as some have mentioned.

Hi David,

Mine still does it intermittently which makes it unreliable for shooting video until the new FW but it's still ok for stills. I've grounded mine for the time being, until the new FW is released, it's had a couple of funky compass issues lately which make me nervous.

davidbarwin · Feb 23, 2015

PetePerrim said:
Hi David,

Mine still does it intermittently which makes it unreliable for shooting video until the new FW but it's still ok for stills. I've grounded mine for the time being, until the new FW is released, it's had a couple of funky compass issues lately which make me nervous.

I understand the "nervous" part for sure. I have a paying gig tomorrow and am taking the Inspire but will also have the Phantom V+ as a back-up just incase. Will feel much better once we have new FW. -David

The Editor · Feb 23, 2015

davidbarwin said:
I understand the "nervous" part for sure. I have a paying gig tomorrow and am taking the Inspire but will also have the Phantom V+ as a back-up just incase. Will feel much better once we have new FW. -David

Just shoot in 1080 mode and it will not do it - The client will not need 4k (doubt they will even know what 4k is !!!)

PetePerrim · Feb 23, 2015

The Editor said:
Just shoot in 1080 mode and it will not do it - The client will not need 4k (doubt they will even know what 4k is !!!)

I ONLY shoot in 1080 and it still does twitch a bit.

sdjackaerial · Feb 23, 2015

Ya, I get the twitch too often, and it's ruining nice shots. Bringing me down, man.
How do we know it's going to be fixed in "the next firmware update"? Can I please be in that inner loop who get's that info too? LOL

sdjackaerial · Feb 23, 2015

PetePerrim said:
Hi All,

Just wondered if any of you had experienced a sudden and uncontrolled jerking movement in your gimbals? Mine seems to do it with each flight and it is spoiling my videos. It is very fast and usually twitches left suddenly before correcting itself immediately. See video below. Also, this video shows a flight I made last night of over 2500 metres!!

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I gotta say, man--your flight is AMAZING. Killer stuff, man..you got some balls flying that far.

Abe · Feb 24, 2015

I too am experiencing the gimbal twitch problem every time I fly. It's spoiled a lot of good video, unfortunately. I've started to notice a pattern. On my flights it nearly always happens early in the flight, generally in the first two minutes. But I've also found that it can happen anytime, even later in the flight, when I make fast, sharp turns with the aircraft. It almost always has one violent twitch, throwing the horizon way off, and then one or two less violent ones before the gimbal settles back down. I truly hope it is fixable in firmware, or even through a field-replaceable part that we can perform ourselves.