H Plus, Purple Lights Flashing, 3 Beeps, Camera Green Light Flashing

[Merhlin]

OK, no doubt this has come up here before but when I try to use the search function I'm not seeing anything related, … so … be gentle, all you experts please.

The subject line tells you the issues I'm having but there is one more thing, the C23 moves wonky when the drone is turned on and does not end up in the forward facing position.
I'm not sure if all these issues are connected or related.

Rear lights 3/4 flash purple
3 beeps (followed by a pause and then it repeats)
The camera light (LED) flashes green and won't ever go solid.
The camera angle is off.

I'm clueless as to where to begin. Obviously these are new issues for me.

Help please. Thanks

JT

 

[WTFDproject]

@Merhlin ,
Would you mind ensuring the controller is powered OFF, and starting the HPlus? I would be interested in knowing if there is a change in the pattern in the lights, both for the motors and for the camera. Some of the issues hint at a problem with communication between the drone and the controller.

 

[Merhlin]

Hello.

W/O the controller on, lights 3/4 blink blue (not purple). I also noticed that the beeps are two long and one short. Perhaps that was the case before and I just didn't notice. Also the camera, this time, ended up facing the rear and pointed down.

 

[WTFDproject]

If Yuneec used the same beep codes as on the CG03+, that code indicates a problem with the Pitch (tilt) encoder. Also, referring back to the CGo3+, that would prevent the gimbal system from initializing. There would be some random movement for a few seconds, and then the gimbal would go dead.
But that does not explain the video issue, at least not on the older CGo3+. Someone familiar with the C23 could clarify if there is a connection.
Otherwise, it might be a good idea to create a new "model" on the controller, and bind both camera and drone to the new model. Then look for any differences.
Related thought: Is the controller currently seeing telemetry from the drone?

 

[Merhlin]

If Yuneec used the same beep codes as on the CG03+, that code indicates a problem with the Pitch (tilt) encoder. Also, referring back to the CGo3+, that would prevent the gimbal system from initializing. There would be some random movement for a few seconds, and then the gimbal would go dead.
But that does not explain the video issue, at least not on the older CGo3+. Someone familiar with the C23 could clarify if there is a connection.
Otherwise, it might be a good idea to create a new "model" on the controller, and bind both camera and drone to the new model. Then look for any differences.
Related thought: Is the controller currently seeing telemetry from the drone?

 

[Merhlin]

The beeps are two long and one very short. (repeated) the camera doesn't appear to be initializing properly when the drone starts up and the cam ends up disoriented, not pointing straight ahead forward.
Booting up the drone outdoors did stop the blinking rear lights and they are now back to their usual purple color.

The issues that remain are:
*( wonky cam
*( the beeps
*( no video on my controller screen.

Last Sunday, while attempting a flight in the foothills of the Rockies (near the Red Rocks Amphitheater) I noted it seemed to take longer to get a green number on the left (controller) satellite. (The other satellite number was fine.) The left one finally eked over the minimum number and I took off. I had it maybe 300 ft. in the air and it had been up maybe 60 seconds when the left satellite number dropped into the orange color and the screen suddenly went green, no video available. Fortunately I'd only taken it straight up and I was able to get it down w/o problems. (sigh)

On a coincidental (or not) note: It's possible the drone's power/battery was not shut down (after its last use) when I packed the drone up. I know the controller was off. I was working in the bright sunlight which might explain not seeing the done on/off button lit-up but I don't know how to explain not hearing the drone still running (if that was the case.) That's never happened before. I was distracted by young grandchildren at the time. When we were loaded up and leaving the parking lot, one of the older grandkids, (age 8) said he thought he heard the drone "beep." (By then it was packed away in it's case and in the back of the van.) I dismissed it. Big mistake, in retrospect. It did not keep beeping. The drone, now packed away, spent the night in it's case and came back to Kansas with me the next day. When I got home and attempted to remove the battery it wouldn't pull out. I knew that was trouble. I did get it out but the battery had swelled just enough, while still inside the drone, to make pulling it out very difficult. I pulled it out just far enough that I could use large plyers to finish removing it. In retrospect, that whole scenario could have turned out far worse, perhaps destroying the drone and potentially creating a fire within my home. I think I dodged a bullet (at least in some respects). I blame myself. I took the swollen LiPo to a battery recycling place that disposed of it for me.

A new, fresh battery inserted into the drone seemed to go in normally and work as usual, so I decided no damage was done in the interior but it's still possible there's an issue inside. There must be a correlation between what happened and my problems. Perhaps, with the drone battery still on and the gimbal lock on the drone (in it's Styrofoam packed backpack) while sitting at an odd angle in the back of the van, the drone's "brain" was trying to operate the gimbal and camera which wouldn't have budged. It would have strained until the battery expired.

Thanks for reading all this.

JT

 

[WTFDproject]

The drone power issue is certainly supports a belief there is damage to the on-board part of the camera's gimbal control system.
However, If I understand correctly, the video issue occurred BEFORE the battery issue. And appears to been coincident with a GPS issue. What you saw on GPS is not beyond GPS anomalies, but the coincidence must be considered.
The camera's video function is displaying normal indications at the camera. Given the normal camera video function, the lack of video display, and the coincident GPS issue, my current suspicion is you have two problems. One in the controller, the other in the gimbal.
I don't think anything is wrong with the drone itself, but that can't be ruled out at this point.

Some significant troubleshooting headway could be made if you have access to another camera and/or another controller.

 

[Merhlin]

Nope. I have no access to another camera or controller. This will probably means a call to Yuneec CS but that's what they are there for. S'all good. Feel free to throw stuff my way if you think of it. In the next day or so I'll give them a call. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[WTFDproject]

Doing a lot of guessing, I know. Please forgive, but:
The heat from the camera WiFi, which is a LOT, combined with the heat from the tilt motor, and the insulation created by the backpack, could possibly mean the controller is good, and all the issues are camera related. It would probably be a good thing to emphasize that if you talk to Yuneec. That statement, of course, is intentionally dismissing the GPS anomaly as a coincidence, which may not be right, That sort of thing could be part of your discussion with them.

 

[georgero]

As the WTFDproject said is a lot of guessing now. To sort things out I suggest to take the drone out and try to fly it without the camera and see if there are some anomalies with the drone. If everything is working as it should then your camera needs to go to yuneec for a repair.

 

[Merhlin]

As the WTFDproject said is a lot of guessing now. To sort things out I suggest to take the drone out and try to fly it without the camera and see if there are some anomalies with the drone. If everything is working as it should then your camera needs to go to yuneec for a repair.

I agree and appreciate the input.

 

[Merhlin]

If anyone cares, CS at Yuneec told me to send the drone in for repair. I sent the whole drone, to KAVservice (Raytown MO only 3 hrs from my home.) They said the problem was a $25 pitch motor, there's an $80 labor fee and it'll cost $35 to return. They mentioned nothing about the fact that I told them I couldn't calibrate the compass so hopefully, that particular problem won't still be a problem upon its return. If it is I'm going to be unhappy. So far, I have been happy with the people and the service in Raytown and, in the past, it's been a fairly fast turnaround. I've authorized the repair and payed for it. They don't say how long it'll take before the work is done.