My Typhoon H starts its motors but refuses to take off - that is, refuses to throttle up. It complains of no GPS lock. I returned to using my Q500 while reading forum threads. I notice mention of a GPS battery to maintain its data table. In as much as I have a Chroma that has never been flown, a Q500 that had to sit for a longtime acquiring GPS data when I returned it to service, and a Typhoon H with a GPS complaint, it seemed prudent to ask how easy it is to pop the tops on all three drones and replace their GPS batteries?
How easy is it to change GPS battery in Typhoon H, Q500 and Chroma?
- Thread starter AH-64 D
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I might be wrong, but I think you are about to do a whole lot of work that is not going to produce any benefit at all.
Dead GPS batteries are a possibility when GPS will not acquire quickly. But if GPS will not acquire at all, it is far more likely to be the flight control module.
A couple of ways to tell the difference:
1. Leave the drone powered on, with a clear view of the sky, for about an hour or so. If GPS does not acquire, the problem is not the battery. IF GPS does acquire, but also requires an extended acquisition time the next time, then the battery probably just needs to be charged. The battery is charged by turning on the drone and just letting it sit. Don't put the props on and do not start it. Just let it sit for a few hours. How long depends on how dead the battery is. A few hours may be enough. Worst case, it could take a couple of days.
2. Connect to the GUI. If the YAW Icon begins to rotate, it's a dead giveaway the Flight controller is bad. There are other clues. @h-elsner listed 5 main symptoms in the "GPS Acquiring problem.PDF" linked in this post: Typhoon H IMU related problems
Thank you for those words to the wise. I have read those posts and will give them a try.
26 NOV Finally got around to settting my Typhon H out powered up in the backyard on a stump to see if it will stop flashing purple - Typhoon H is powered up - Transmitter is not. I have not been able to get my GUI software to work, so if sitting powered up does not give me a clue about failure to GPS lock, my next step will be to try to ship it out for repair.
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I took out the GPS board and I got my local computer shop to put the new battery in, didn't work for me so may need to get a new fcb...
Left Typhoon H sit on stump powered up for 1.5 hours, then went outside with transmitter and powered up transmitter. Typhoon H went from rapid purple blink indicating angle mode with no GPS lock to solid green GPS lock almost immediately. Flipped camera from fixed to PAN and lost GPS lock. Took Typhoon inside and repeated - Got same results - GPS lock that got lost when I panned the camera. Put down transmitter, sat down at my PC to write this but left Typhoon and transmitter powered up. The Typhoon achieved GPS lock in the time it took to write this comment. I know that it would be foolish to try to fly it this way, but it seemed useful to report the observation and ask for comments. In the meantime, will try other camera actions such as "record video" or "record photo" and note what happens to my GPS lock.
h-elsner
Premium Pilot
If you let it sit, what value is shown at ALT on ST16?
In Windows GUI should work if you start it as Administrator.
br HE
In Windows GUI should work if you start it as Administrator.
br HE
Thought I posted yesterday in reply to DoomMeister, but apparently, I was not signed in. The GPS lock of the Typhoon H continued to improve the more it sat powered up indoors and bound to its transmitter. Shut things down when the transmitter battery got low. Recharged TX overnight and now no longer lose GPS lock by moving camera. I think my GPS battery was low on charge, but now I have to wait for better weather and spare time to drive to flying field to learn if it will throttle up and take off. Bought a bunch of spare bits from Yuneec Skins, yesterday, so it would be nice to see it back in the air. Many thanks to those who offered helpful suggestions.
Sounds like the battery was too low. When severely depleted it takes a long time to get it back up to an acceptable level. If my TH sits for a month, I’ll set it outside and let it sit powered up for 30 minutes. That seems to keep the battery in a condition to avoid the long acquiring stage and not lose lock so easily.
We’re you able to get the GUI functioning?
We’re you able to get the GUI functioning?
Located correct Typhoon H USB cable in its little box in case and ran GUI as ADMIN. Used my phone to photograph the various screens displayed. Am not familiar with use of the GUI. At airfield this morning, could not get GPS lock and I pranged link to camera by hitting "reset" in system settings. Came home, got that straightened out by defining another model and binding. Soon had GPS lock. Started motors OK but, would not throttle up in Smart or Angle mode. Did notice GUI reported YAW went from 75 degrees to 72 degrees between photo 2406 (not shown) and 2409. Any suggestions at this point would be greatly appreciated.
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h-elsner
Premium Pilot
Did you try a accelerometer calibration? I would do that. I'm a little bit suprised that altitude shows 16ft. I do not if you moved the drone, but I think it should be near zero.
Z-axis of IMU (thr problematic one) looks good 995mG is near 1G and should be inside calibration BIAS.
br HE
Z-axis of IMU (thr problematic one) looks good 995mG is near 1G and should be inside calibration BIAS.
br HE
Check the altitude measurement corresponds according to vertical movement by hand. If it doesn't, you should replace the barometric sensor, if you can, or the whole FC.
When the sensor is defective its value sticks on some figure.
When the sensor is defective its value sticks on some figure.
Thank you both for your suggestions. I calibrated the accelerometer and then went out into the yard to calibrate the compass but, could not do that calibration because I could not get good GPS lock. Rather than letting it sit on the stump until GPS stopped going in and out of lock, I shut it down and came back inside. I have a FCB on order from Yuneec Skins. That may be the next step. In thinking back on the behavior of the Typhoon, I have been flying it for quite some time after it reports that it is "ready" and the TX and model have acquired more than a dozen satellites each. The thing is that the model has been blinking that it does not really have GPS lock for those flights, but I blithely ignored the blinking signal because the model always throttled up and took off. It is only recently that it starts its motors but refuses to throttle up and fly. Now that I have re-read the manual and know what that blinking means, I know that the model eventually achieves GPS lock and the light stays green in Smart mode or purple in Angle mode. Its motors start, but it will not take off in Smart or Angle mode even when I have a solid green (Smart) or purple light (Angle). What else could it be except a bad FCB?
The accelerometer must be calibrated only when you have good GPS coverage with at least 10 birds in use. Calibration without this prerequisite can be reported as false successful. Do a compass calibration before all other if you want to have the best results.
Powered up Typhoon on stump in yard for about 45 min and then took TX outside, powered it up, got firm GPS lock and ran compass calibration. Then did accelerometer calibration. Powered up motors sans props - they spun but, would not throttle up in Smart or Angle. Then lifted Typhoon off of stump and overhead noting that altimeter reported appropriate changes in altitude. Then lost GPS lock. Powered everything down and took back indoors. Powered up with Typhoon sitting on marble coffee table that was not near a phone or computer. Sat and waited for GPS lock. Recalibrated accelerometer in case a breeze outside influenced it.... Did not have a dozen birds when calibration performed inside. The calibration reported it was successful. Then again started motors without props but could not throttle up. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Check the throttle in the final output monitor. Tap a few times on the left-up corner of the ST16 screen. If the watch is not satisfying, check the selected mode, channel settings, calibration, etc. Without props. and with throttle up, you will get a five-motor-caution on the screen.
The final output display looks like this
and is accessed by a double tap on the Volts icon of the display.
CH01 is the throttle or J1. With the left stick at null position the reading should be 50%. With the Rate Slider at full Rabbit, full up on J1 should read 100%, full down 0%, and with B1 pressed it should read -25%. With the Rate Slider at full Turtle, the up and down values should be 80% and 20% respectively. J1 and B1 (the red arming button) should only effect CH01. No other switches, sliders, or buttons should have an effect on CH01.
You only need the ST16 powered on to test this.
and is accessed by a double tap on the Volts icon of the display.
CH01 is the throttle or J1. With the left stick at null position the reading should be 50%. With the Rate Slider at full Rabbit, full up on J1 should read 100%, full down 0%, and with B1 pressed it should read -25%. With the Rate Slider at full Turtle, the up and down values should be 80% and 20% respectively. J1 and B1 (the red arming button) should only effect CH01. No other switches, sliders, or buttons should have an effect on CH01.
You only need the ST16 powered on to test this.
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