New to forum from the UK

[Reg]

Hi ,just aquired a Horizon Chroma drone with GC02 camera.
Very pleased with it so far ,enjoyable flights and good video ,the only snag is that the camera tilt control does not function ,I would like to find the fault and hopefully rectify it by signal tracing from the main board to the camera .
Any advice would be appreciated.
Regards Reg

 

[WTFDproject]

I don't have a trace between the camera and main board.
But there is one quick thing you can try first.
The PWM wire plugs into the right side of the camera, normally into the first of three connectors. The normal connector sometimes becomes damaged. The other two connectors are spares. If you have not done so, you could try one of the spare connectors to see if it works.
Note there are two wires on the connector. Only one of them is actually connected to the drone and carries the Tilt signal (PWM). If you have noticed and are concerned the other is not connected, please be aware that is normal.

 

[Reg]

Hi Thank you for your reply and the diagram.
I will check the connections as you suggest .
My idea of signal tracing is to follow the path of the PWM

 

[Reg]

Sorry .My idea of signal tracing is to follow the path of the PWM signal with a scope from the main board to the camera .
So far I have no PWM signal on gimbal connector you mentioned ,I am awaiting delivery of a set of Torx screwdrivers to access the main board and will investigate further .Thank you again for your reply .Reg

 

[WTFDproject]

Sorry .My idea of signal tracing is to follow the path of the PWM signal with a scope from the main board to the camera .
So far I have no PWM signal on gimbal connector you mentioned ,I am awaiting delivery of a set of Torx screwdrivers to access the main board and will investigate further .Thank you again for your reply .Reg

There was a transistor on the Q500 and the older blade 350QX boards that was a frequent cause of the problem you see. The problem was so prevalent the older board had multiple spares installed, and even the Q500 board retained one spare. The architecture is different for Chroma, but all boards were designed in the same time frame by Yuneec. They share most functions and many components. I don't have any history of addressing the issue on a Chroma. It still might be worth looking for a transistor as the last component on the board leading to the PWM wire.

 

[Reg]

There was a transistor on the Q500 and the older blade 350QX boards that was a frequent cause of the problem you see. The problem was so prevalent the older board had multiple spares installed, and even the Q500 board retained one spare. The architecture is different for Chroma, but all boards were designed in the same time frame by Yuneec. They share most functions and many components. I don't have any history of addressing the issue on a Chroma. It still might be worth looking for a transistor as the last component on the board leading to the PWM wire.

Hi ,Thank you very much for for your reply which is most helpful.
I will investige that area when I can access the main board ,your advice is appreciated .
Regards Reg

 

[Reg]

Hi ,Thank you very much for for your reply which is most helpful.
I will investige that area when I can access the main board ,your advice is appreciated .
Regards Reg

Hi Problem solved ,an intermittent connection on the Usb/Gimbal connector on the main board ,no works fine .
Thank you again for your advice .
Original spare props for this drone seem impossible to obtain ,can you suggest an alternative ?
Regards Reg

 

[WTFDproject]

......Original spare props for this drone seem impossible to obtain ,can you suggest an alternative ?

There are so many aftermarket props it would not be possible to tell which props are from what manufacturer. It is best to stay with the original. I did a quick search on eBay for Q500 props in the USA and there were two on the first search page selling OEM props at reasonable prices. Also lots of aftermarket props.
The key difference to look for has traditionally been:
If it says "Props for Q500", it is aftermarket
If it says "Q500 Props", it is OEM.

 

[boxingtkos]

Before you crack it open, check the firmware is up-to-date. A software glitch is way more likely than a hardware failure. Also, double-check all the camera settings in the app – sometimes a simple setting is accidentally turned off. If it's definitely a hardware problem, tracing signals on a tiny drone board is really tricky. You might need a schematic diagram (if you can find one online) and a decent oscilloscope.