obstacle avoidance not available

SourBuffalo · Jul 19, 2016

Here's the bad news, I can't remember if this happened before or after the newest firmware update. If I were to guess, I don't believe it happened before the update. What's happening is when I boot up the ol' ST16 and let the "H" boot up I immediately receive a warning tremor with the words "WARNING!!!---OBS. Avoidance is not available." I've tried smart mode (which I never fly in----to weird), I've tried angle mode. I've been grounded, I've been in the air. No matter the situation, I get that warning when flipping the switch. Simply won't turn on.

Anyone else having this happen? I'm not seeing anything about this issue anywhere.
Also, first post, so be easy on me. I've owned the "H" since May, so I'm pretty familiar with most of the quirks. Its not a huge deal to me if it doesn't work, hardly use it anyway, and it doesn't affect the flight, but it is quite annoying having to get past the warning every time I start it up. Thanks in advance.

Moldy_Noldy · Jul 19, 2016

I think the obstacle avoidance in angle mode works when the craft is 9.9ft up in the air according to the manual. Did you try it that way?

Rayray · Jul 19, 2016

I think MN is right. Even the Pro has to be in the air before the OA will work.

Jimmylee · Jul 19, 2016

SourBuffalo said:
Here's the bad news, I can't remember if this happened before or after the newest firmware update. If I were to guess, I don't believe it happened before the update. What's happening is when I boot up the ol' ST16 and let the "H" boot up I immediately receive a warning tremor with the words "WARNING!!!---OBS. Avoidance is not available." I've tried smart mode (which I never fly in----to weird), I've tried angle mode. I've been grounded, I've been in the air. No matter the situation, I get that warning when flipping the switch. Simply won't turn on.

Anyone else having this happen? I'm not seeing anything about this issue anywhere.
Also, first post, so be easy on me. I've owned the "H" since May, so I'm pretty familiar with most of the quirks. Its not a huge deal to me if it doesn't work, hardly use it anyway, and it doesn't affect the flight, but it is quite annoying having to get past the warning every time I start it up. Thanks in advance. View attachment 2044

I have read two others and myself also have got that warning after the firmware update, even when we have OBS turned off.
I think they have all happened during a flight and not at boot up.

I did a full calibration and have not seen the warning again, might try that.

CAPTAINDRONE · Jul 19, 2016

Right, I think when you are powering everything on you are leaving the OBS switch in the ON position. It won't turn on unless in flight (don't attempt switching it on until you are in the air).

Now I have not tried mine so I can't confirm if it's just a simple user error (i.e., trying to turn on while not in flight) or there is an actual glitch in the firmware update. I'll give it a try tomorrow.

SourBuffalo · Jul 19, 2016

Okay, so first post as well as the first post I hang my head on. On the ground I got the "Not available" but as everyone stated, It came on while flying. I feel as if that was a good learning experience. haha thanks everyone! I'm sure I'll become more involved in these forums as time goes. It's a great community.

DroneClone · Jul 19, 2016

Rayray said:
I think MN is right. Even the Pro has to be in the air before the OA will work.

Did you get your Ray to know that? Just hoping you got you H Pro !

Airtography · Jul 20, 2016

SourBuffalo said:
Here's the bad news, I can't remember if this happened before or after the newest firmware update. If I were to guess, I don't believe it happened before the update. What's happening is when I boot up the ol' ST16 and let the "H" boot up I immediately receive a warning tremor with the words "WARNING!!!---OBS. Avoidance is not available." I've tried smart mode (which I never fly in----to weird), I've tried angle mode. I've been grounded, I've been in the air. No matter the situation, I get that warning when flipping the switch. Simply won't turn on.

Anyone else having this happen? I'm not seeing anything about this issue anywhere.
Also, first post, so be easy on me. I've owned the "H" since May, so I'm pretty familiar with most of the quirks. Its not a huge deal to me if it doesn't work, hardly use it anyway, and it doesn't affect the flight, but it is quite annoying having to get past the warning every time I start it up. Thanks in advance. View attachment 2044

YES!!!! I have the same issue -- after firmware update - OBS Not available message when in flight, above 9 feet, but not during start up. By the way, OBS did work before the firmware upgrade and it did work flawlessly at 3 ft off the ground in my test flights. Yuneec instructed to send the H back for them to troubleshoot -- suspecting maybe a bad sonar unit? I think it's related to the firmware upgrade, but not many have yet to discover it. I discovered it because I do test EVERYTHING after a firmware update and do calibrations for all my drones. It's a good practice for safety..

Airtography · Jul 20, 2016

CAPTAINDRONE said:
Right, I think when you are powering everything on you are leaving the OBS switch in the ON position. It won't turn on unless in flight (don't attempt switching it on until you are in the air).

Now I have not tried mine so I can't confirm if it's just a simple user error (i.e., trying to turn on while not in flight) or there is an actual glitch in the firmware update. I'll give it a try tomorrow.

I had mine up to about 18 feet and when switching the OBS on, get the same message after firmware upgrade. This did not happen before and in discussing with Yuneec who were on the phone with me diagnosing (and very helpful), never asked how high I was - although during the test with them was at about 12 feet. Also, I've tested OBS at 3-4 feet off the ground and it worked well against a ground incline. See test video at about the 2:00 mark:

DroneClone · Jul 20, 2016

Airtography said:
YES!!!! I have the same issue -- after firmware update - OBS Not available message when in flight, above 9 feet, but not during start up. By the way, OBS did work before the firmware upgrade and it did work flawlessly at 3 ft off the ground in my test flights. Yuneec instructed to send the H back for them to troubleshoot -- suspecting maybe a bad sonar unit? I think it's related to the firmware upgrade, but not many have yet to discover it. I discovered it because I do test EVERYTHING after a firmware update and do calibrations for all my drones. It's a good practice for safety..

Seems unlikely if it worked fine before, that just doing a firmware upgrade made the sonars go bad, maybe the firmware you all loaded had a hickup and turned it off? but bad sonars? Hope you fix it !

Sparkorc · Jul 20, 2016

My TH the obstacle avoidance has never worked that was one of the issues it was returned to Yuneec customer service for, although it said it was available when activated.

jon · Aug 2, 2016

Hi Guys / I have just got off the phone to Yuneec uk and like you all I have the same problem after the firmware update I done on Sunday last..
Yuneec have said you have to be in flight and you must be showing more then 10 satellites on the right hand side of the ST16 transmitter for the OBS to work.
I will test fly tomorrow and get back to you all providing its not to cloudy I should see at least 16 satellites / If you are showing 10 or less you will still get the OBS not available warning even in flight / hope they sort this out guys this should not of happened with a firmware update.

The alternative is roll back the firmware update.
Regards to you all / Jon Dell uk

Mortalis · Aug 2, 2016

Doesnt the landing gear need to be in the up position for the obstacle avoidance to activate? Dont why for some reason I read that somewhere.

jon · Aug 2, 2016

Hi you could be right,I know mine was working before I done the firmware update with the landing gear in the down position or in the up position it didn't seem to mater where the landing gear was as the avoidance was working.
when I fly tomorrow i'll check the firmware to see if it has altered it or not.
The firmware for the TH craft has 2 versions Europe & rest of the world i'm not sure what the difference is / The ST16 Transmitter however only has 1 firmware update and is the same all over the world.

Mortalis · Aug 2, 2016

Tested this evening.
Latest updates all around in the US.
Ship is 9+ ft in the air.
Landing gear down > flip Obs Avoid switch to ON > Get warning the Obst Avoid is not available > lower the ship to about 7 feet in the air (so I can interact with the sonar)
Try walking toward the ship with hand up level with the sonar eyes....nothing
Landing gear up > Get haptic feedback on the controller
Try walking toward the ship with had level with the sonar eyes....at about 3 - 4 ft the ship backs away as I walk toward it.
Put landing gear down > walk toward the ship > nothing happens
Put landing gear up > walk toward the ship ......ship backs away.

Also, I was in my backyard and I only had 4 or 5 sats on the controller and about the same on the ship.

KEN TARDIO · Aug 3, 2016

I had the same problem. Tried everything. Nothing worked. The answer is to put the ST-16 in advanced mode. Then OA works.

jon · Aug 3, 2016

Well done guys, I'm going to try the last two comments to day if the weather clears up / I must admit I didn't have the ST16 in advanced mode after the firmware up date, maybe that's the problem although yuneec never mentioned that on the phone.

Im Not sure about the differences between the United States firmware and the Europe firmware but everything is worth trying, other wise its going to be a trip to Germany for repair. .
If I get to fly today I'll post to night / Thankyou Guys.

Mortalis · Aug 3, 2016

I always fly in 'Angle' mode. Sorry, forgot to mention that.

Sparkorc · Aug 3, 2016

This guy demonstrates obstacle avoidance and flies with landing gear down and low to the ground, and makes no mention of ST16 in advance mode.

Because I have not tested this feature yet since its return from CS, what is the procedure to get this working as it seems I have heard different opinions, please share your experience in getting this to work.

Gyro108 · Aug 3, 2016

The original firmware that came with the H allowed OA with the legs down. A firmware update changed this to only allow OA with the legs up. With the latest firmware my H only allows OA when the legs are up and in Angle mode.