Taking flight all on its own

[pjlavell]

I have 2 H520 drones for almost 1 year with about 30-40 hrs. of flight time on each vehicle.
Periodically, I will run a simple start test in my shop, (in ANGLE Mode) and test the motors after maintenance etc. etc.
After 10 seconds the birds normally shut down as it completes the cycle, (unless the controls are manipulated).
I have done this periodically since owning them.

Keep in mind it is a shop with tools and tables set up for working and tinkering.

Now one, (just one) of my birds wants to launch without any touching of the controls, (yes software is up to date).
It has done this 6 times.

The first incident occurred where I happened to be right next to the bird and caught one of landing gears before it was going to go straight through the roof..
Tried to shut it down with the RED controller button and hitting the power button on the bird to no avail.
With blades going crazy and trying like **** not to rip my arms apart I pulled the battery out.

The other 5 times it has done this I am ready with PPE on my arms, (after trouble shooting controller, calibrating bird outside, etc.).
All 6 times I have managed to pull the battery and not get injured
I have 2 controllers and it does it on both, (controller calibration has been checked on both)
My other H520 does not have this problem and never has with either controller.
This leads me to believe there is something more serious going on with the internal electronics?
Is there any advise I can attempt before I deal with Yuneec?
Thanks

 

[Wingman]

You can always hook it to the ground with some rope. At least you would not to have to catch it preventing it to go through your roof.

I have armed mine a few times in my workshop but it has never taken off.

 

[DoomMeister]

Is there any chance you are using different propellers on the overactive H520? Ones that would cause it to launch while at idle speed.

When you fly does it have the same trouble when landing?

 

[pjlavell]

Is there any chance you are using different propellers on the overactive H520? Ones that would cause it to launch while at idle speed.

When you fly does it have the same trouble when landing?

No sir, all stock.
No errors on the controller message board when this occurs?

 

[Wingman]

Just stock ones and no messages apart from GPS one.

 

[pjlavell]

Just stock ones and no messages apart from GPS one.

Is there any chance you are using different propellers on the overactive H520? Ones that would cause it to launch while at idle speed.

When you fly does it have the same trouble when landing?

Have not taken it for a flight yet.
I did not want to chance it until checking the forum here.

 

[DoomMeister]

This is one for the experienced H520 users.

I’m thinking create a new model in the ST-16S and bind the craft to that, do the cals, and see if the problem remains.

 

[Mr. I]

I have 2 H520 drones for almost 1 year with about 30-40 hrs. of flight time on each vehicle.
Periodically, I will run a simple start test in my shop, (in ANGLE Mode) and test the motors after maintenance etc. etc.
After 10 seconds the birds normally shut down as it completes the cycle, (unless the controls are manipulated).
I have done this periodically since owning them.

Keep in mind it is a shop with tools and tables set up for working and tinkering.

Now one, (just one) of my birds wants to launch without any touching of the controls, (yes software is up to date).
It has done this 6 times.

The first incident occurred where I happened to be right next to the bird and caught one of landing gears before it was going to go straight through the roof..
Tried to shut it down with the RED controller button and hitting the power button on the bird to no avail.
With blades going crazy and trying like **** not to rip my arms apart I pulled the battery out.

The other 5 times it has done this I am ready with PPE on my arms, (after trouble shooting controller, calibrating bird outside, etc.).
All 6 times I have managed to pull the battery and not get injured
I have 2 controllers and it does it on both, (controller calibration has been checked on both)
My other H520 does not have this problem and never has with either controller.
This leads me to believe there is something more serious going on with the internal electronics?
Is there any advise I can attempt before I deal with Yuneec?
Thanks

Try taking off not in gps. I have lots of sound equipment in one of my upper rooms of my house that run lots of power. My older brother was using one of the large amps for his bass. I so happened to be flying around that room and my drone just started to fly right into the house !

If your doing this in a shop you might be getting interference from something in your shop.

 

[pjlavell]

Interference?.... possibly, (but why only one drone?).
Have plenty of GPS signals before turning the motors on.
Can't rule it out until I fly outside, and must admit that could be causing the bird to engage full throttle.

Good suggestion to re-bind the system.
I will do that before flying.

I plan on test flying in all 3 modes starting in manual first.

Thanks for the suggestions.
That's why this forum is so valuable.

 

[pjlavell]

After this troubleshooting I will update the thread on any findings.
Thanks again.

 

[biltno]

I’m not familiar with the 520 but if you disable gps , will it occur? The other thing you may want to do first is after it acts up, look at the telemetry data and it may suggest the cause

 

[WTFDproject]

[QUOTE="
With blades going crazy and trying like **** not to rip my arms apart I pulled the battery out.
The other 5 times it has done this I am ready with PPE on my arms, (after trouble shooting controller, calibrating bird outside, etc.).
[/QUOTE]



I don't have an "H", but can you not remove the propellers when testing in the shop?

 

[NorWiscPilot]

[QUOTE="
With blades going crazy and trying like **** not to rip my arms apart I pulled the battery out.
The other 5 times it has done this I am ready with PPE on my arms, (after trouble shooting controller, calibrating bird outside, etc.).

From WFTDproject: I don't have an "H", but can you not remove the propellers when testing in the shop?

That is a very good idea! But... if we read further, the H520 does not like us spinning the motors without props.

[This post has been edited to remove what no longer applied. Thanks to @pjlavell for chiming in and letting at least two of us in on yet another "feature" of the H520.]

Jeff

 

[pjlavell]

[QUOTE="
With blades going crazy and trying like **** not to rip my arms apart I pulled the battery out.
The other 5 times it has done this I am ready with PPE on my arms, (after trouble shooting controller, calibrating bird outside, etc.).

I don't have an "H", but can you not remove the propellers when testing in the shop?[/QUOTE]

With the blades removed the system does not allow for the continuous rotation, (10 seconds or so before shutdown).
Its basically a test of the arms, blades, and motors before take off.
It recognizes there's no blades and shuts down within 1 second, (possibly to prevent motor over-spinning/heating).

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[NorWiscPilot]

I don't have an "H", but can you not remove the propellers when testing in the shop?

With the blades removed the system does not allow for the continuous rotation, (10 seconds or so before shutdown).
Its basically a test of the arms, blades, and motors before take off.
It recognizes there's no blades and shuts down within 1 second, (possibly to prevent motor over-spinning/heating).

Thanks for the suggestion![/QUOTE]


Dang! I stand corrected. - Guess I have never tried spinning the motors without the props, at least not for my H520. If I did, then something has changed from the earlier versions of firmware as I do not recall the instant shutdown if props are not installed.

Oh well... sounded like a good option, anyway.

Jeff

P.S. I will go back and edit my original post. I also tested my own H520 before posting this reply, confirming what @pjlavell has stated.

 

[DoomMeister]

So the H520 senses the absence of a load on the motors and shuts down?

That is awesome!

 

[WTFDproject]

So the H520 senses the absence of a load on the motors and shuts down?

That is awesome!

Awesome good, or awesome bad? Is there a way to do a safe "all motor" test start? Pjlavell did it in his shop, and it sounds like he came close to getting chewed up. Had he done it outside, sounds like he would have had to wave bye-bye. Strapping it to a bench sounds risky, especially if you are standing right beside it. I keep watching this thread, hoping someone will clarify the right way to do a safe "all motor" test start after maintenance/firmware update, or just plain periodic checking. I found some old posts talking about the feature, but found nothing about how to test all motors, props off, at the same time. Best I saw was "one motor at a time" using the GUI.

 

[NorWiscPilot]

Awesome good, or awesome bad? Is there a way to do a safe test start? Pjlavell did it in his shop, and it sounds like he came close to getting chewed up. Had he done it outside, sounds like he would have had to wave bye-bye. Strapping it to a bench sounds risky, especially if you are standing right beside it. I keep watching this thread, hoping someone will clarify the right way to do a safe test start after maintenance/firmware update, or just plain periodic checking. I found some old posts talking about the feature, but found nothing about how to test correctly.

WTFD,

I believe the issue @pjlavell is having with ONE of his H520 hulls is an isolated issue with that one craft. Hopefully we will be kept in the loop when the final verdict is known.

To answer your concerns, let's try this:

1. Any UAV should be able to be "armed" with props on, without initiating a take-off until the pilot executes a positive action to do so. Unless the design is such that this "positive, intentional" action both starts the motors AND initiates take-off. Would not be my preference, that's for sure.
2. If a craft does take-off on its own, without a button push or throttle up, there is likely something wrong with the craft. Either that or a design likely not meeting the standards of many a remote pilot.
3. If the aircraft in point number 2 needs to be tested, with props on, one should be able to create a safe environment to test said machine, in which the aircraft is securely fastened to a test stand/workbench, allowing the hull to be powered on and motors started without fear of the craft leaving the test stand/workbench. One likely would not be advised to go full throttle, let alone run the motors for an extended period of time, unless such a practice is recommended by the manufacturer.

As for @pjlavell and the assumption a fly-away was likely, we do not know. GPS, altimeter, and other controls may still have been in play. We just do not know from the information given. What I do know, for me personally, is I would not have let it get to six times as far as experiencing the condition, let alone three, without a call the Yuneec! I'll give anyone a second attempt, just to ensure the first was not a fluke. (In no way should my own personal preferences as to handling anomalies be an indictment of @pjlavell or anyone else.)

One last thing, regarding some posts about other models (H480, for instance) and that "bad things" happen when motors are started without props... in the case of the Typhoon H/H Pro (H480) - the bad thing that happens is when props are off and the throttle is increased beyond idle. The motors will not balance (or something like that), the flight controller will sense this. The H480 will go into 5 motor mode, or something similar. THIS IS NOT A FAULT! This is a design "feature". I can see good reason for it.

The H480 does have a GUI app with a motor test feature, allowing a user to test each individual motor in a controlled setting. If one were to be foolish enough to have props on, hopefully testing only one motor at a time will prevent something more catastrophic than a tip-over.

As always, this is just one person's opinion and not meant as an absolute for anything stated. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer!

Hope this helps, nonetheless.

Jeff

 

[pjlavell]

WTFD,

I believe the issue @pjlavell is having with ONE of his H520 hulls is an isolated issue with that one craft. Hopefully we will be kept in the loop when the final verdict is known.

To answer your concerns, let's try this:

1. Any UAV should be able to be "armed" with props on, without initiating a take-off until the pilot executes a positive action to do so. Unless the design is such that this "positive, intentional" action both starts the motors AND initiates take-off. Would not be my preference, that's for sure.
2. If a craft does take-off on its own, without a button push or throttle up, there is likely something wrong with the craft. Either that or a design likely not meeting the standards of many a remote pilot.
3. If the aircraft in point number 2 needs to be tested, with props on, one should be able to create a safe environment to test said machine, in which the aircraft is securely fastened to a test stand/workbench, allowing the hull to be powered on and motors started without fear of the craft leaving the test stand/workbench. One likely would not be advised to go full throttle, let alone run the motors for an extended period of time, unless such a practice is recommended by the manufacturer.

As for @pjlavell and the assumption a fly-away was likely, we do not know. GPS, altimeter, and other controls may still have been in play. We just do not know from the information given. What I do know, for me personally, is I would not have let it get to six times as far as experiencing the condition, let alone three, without a call the Yuneec! I'll give anyone a second attempt, just to ensure the first was not a fluke. (In no way should my own personal preferences as to handling anomalies be an indictment of @pjlavell or anyone else.)

One last thing, regarding some posts about other models (H480, for instance) and that "bad things" happen when motors are started without props... in the case of the Typhoon H/H Pro (H480) - the bad thing that happens is when props are off and the throttle is increased beyond idle. The motors will not balance (or something like that), the flight controller will sense this. The H480 will go into 5 motor mode, or something similar. THIS IS NOT A FAULT! This is a design "feature". I can see good reason for it.

The H480 does have a GUI app with a motor test feature, allowing a user to test each individual motor in a controlled setting. If one were to be foolish enough to have props on, hopefully testing only one motor at a time will prevent something more catastrophic than a tip-over.

As always, this is just one person's opinion and not meant as an absolute for anything stated. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer!

Hope this helps, nonetheless.

Jeff

I have to agree testing the 520 6 times was NOT a good idea at all. Before each test I thought I had located and corrected the issue.
No excuse either way I look at it.
My arms and fingers are more important than a drone.
Believe me this bird is pulling at full force.

The next test will be outside videoing everything from my Nikon.
Planning to do this in a field far away from people and homes.
I will have someone else with me as well.

If it decides to disappear I will hunt it down and know no one was hurt.

I will most definitely keep everyone updated as to the test and what I find out ,(if anything)?
Please keep the suggestions coming on the test.
Are there any thoughts that you can add to help the test?
Thanks again.

 

[DoomMeister]

Before field testing this H520 I would like to see if @h-elsner has any thoughts on this. He has experience with Yuneec as well as home builds and I find his insight invaluable in many cases.