URGENT - DRONE GROUNDED

[JimSpy]

I've finally gotten some time to go flyin', but my drone is out of commission. Here's what happens:

I start the controller and the drone. I do the calibration and I get the beeps. I do the GPS and I get the beeps. I turn on the props, they start fine. I hit the auto-takeoff, and it climbs about 3 feet off the ground....

...and then the trouble starts. The controller starts beeping steadily, about 2 per second, and the drone descends like it wants to land. It bounces up and down a few times, so I hit the auto-land, and it lands and the rotors stop. The controller, however, continues beeping. This behavior is 100% consistent.

I can find nothing in the so-called instructions about "controller steadily beeps." I assumed this was a battery problem, so I put fresh batteries in the controller, to no avail.

So, my questions....

1. What does a steadily beeping controller indicate?
2. Is this a battery problem?
3. Is this perhaps a charge problem with the drone? (Yes, I believe it is fully charged).
4. Is this a major fault with the hardware?

I am trying to get an aerial shot of my house with the Christmas decorations before we have to take them down. Your timely answers are therefore appreciated.

 

[MNNJR69]

Firmware update??? UMI Calibrate? Search YouTube. Sorry I can't be of more help. I haven't flown a protensic in years

 

[JimSpy]

Firmware update??? UMI Calibrate? Search YouTube. Sorry I can't be of more help. I haven't flown a protensic in years

Well thank you for trying. There are people on here who do fly Potensics, and so far I haven't heard from them.

 

[MNNJR69]

Well thank you for trying. There are people on here who do fly Potensics, and so far I haven't heard from them.

I started flying in 2016 with Holy stone, Potensic, Vivitar, then on to Hubsan Zino pro and now I fly the Autel Evo 2 Pro. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. I know it sucks to be in a situation where you can't find answers and really just want to fly. I had a lot of those issues with Hubsan. All the while I was getting into photography and learning more and more so I decided to spend big and start a drone and photography business and the Evo 2 Pro is worth every penny. It has quirks just like any other firmware on any other drone but nothing major enough to keep me grounded. If you're a solid pilot and have flown for a while I would suggest spending the money to purchase a higher quality drone. In the end you'll be much happier! All the best!

 

[JimSpy]

Unfortunately I am anything BUT a solid pilot. This is my first experience with drones (I did take flying lessons as a kid, tho...), I have difficulty finding the time to really sit down and concentrate on learning, so it's frustrating when I finally do, to have this happen. Thanks for your input.

 

[MNNJR69]

Practice with a simulator on a PC or tablet/phone. That will help. Most GPS drones have an auto hover/altitude hold feature and will stay in position within a few inches. Those that have downward facing sensors and radar will hover even more precisely. You can get the basics down fairly quickly. But should practice if you need to do more precise maneuvers.

 

[JimSpy]

Practice with a simulator on a PC or tablet/phone. That will help. Most GPS drones have an auto hover/altitude hold feature and will stay in position within a few inches. Those that have downward facing sensors and radar will hover even more precisely. You can get the basics down fairly quickly. But should practice if you need to do more precise maneuvers.

Simulator? I was unaware such existed. Is there one you can recommend? Anything Potensic-specific? I just did a cursory search and found something called Zephyr-Sim, and another called DJI. These look like they are for professional training; I just wanna have fun!

 

[MNNJR69]

Try the download link on this page. It is for the DJI simulator. It will help you understand the basics of how to control an average drone. It's not professional and it's just for fun, but it should help you understand the basics of drone flight and it's free.

Drone Software

Drone Software Flight Planning, Photogrammetry & Project Management DJI Drone Software Photogrammetry & Mapping Drone Software A range of mission planning and aerial mapping software from industry leading companies. DJI are the leading drone manufacturer worldwide, and they have developer a...

www.heliguy.com

 

[JimSpy]

Sounds perfect. Thanks.

 

[JimSpy]

Try the download link on this page. It is for the DJI simulator. It will help you understand the basics of how to control an average drone. It's not professional and it's just for fun, but it should help you understand the basics of drone flight and it's free.

Drone Software

Drone Software Flight Planning, Photogrammetry & Project Management DJI Drone Software Photogrammetry & Mapping Drone Software A range of mission planning and aerial mapping software from industry leading companies. DJI are the leading drone manufacturer worldwide, and they have developer a...

www.heliguy.com

On the matter of my drone being grounded, I have been in touch with Potensic customer service, and they advise me that I may have munged the drone battery because I lost the original charging cable and have been using a standard Micro-B cable to charge it. I had a feeling that was it. So now I am in the market for a new battery and a new drone-specific cable. Any help in that area greatly appreciated.

 

[MNNJR69]

Li-Po batteries don't charge or discharge as normal lithium or Ni-Mha Ni-Cad batteries do. Most take a very specific charge rate and must be balance charged in order not to damage the different cells.

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL with Li-Po batteries!!! They will catch fire or spontaneously combust under certain circumstances. You should invest in a fireproof Li-Po battery bag and always charge or discharge them and store them in the bag when not in use. A lot of the middle to high end drones have Smart batteries that will automatically discharge themselves. You should never store a lipo battery for more than 2 weeks fully charged. That's when they become volatile and become a fire hazard. Not to mention that the smart batteries can be quite expensive! I fly a Evo 2 Pro and those batteries are $220 each!!!

If you're not going to be flying your drone on a regular basis it is better to discharge the batteries to in between 30 to 50% and store them at that level. They are the least fire risk in that condition.

As far as charging Li-PO batteries, I would strongly suggest using OEM charging cables and chargers only. They sell Li-Po battery chargers that will charge multiple style Li-PO batteries, but I read mixed reviews about them and personally don't have any experience with them. If you choose to go with a charger like that make sure you have the correct settings for your specific batteries charge rate and voltage. Contact the place you purchase the Drone and see if they sell extra charging equipment. If they don't have any extra cables try going to the drone manufacturer's website or contacting them directly. There might be aftermarket charging equipment for that specific drone, but again be careful in the parts that you use. Make sure they for that specific battery that you are trying to charge.

The Ryze -DJI Tello is a great drone to learn with! It has downward facing sensors and has altitude hold/auto hover that works fantastic. It is a very small and durable drone just be careful not to fly it in high winds otherwise you will lose it. (Too small) Keep in mind this drone has LiPO batteries also and the same safety precautions apply even though they are very small batteries.

 

[JimSpy]

Thank you for the comprehensive info. However, I think I'm SOL. I checked Amazon, Ebay, and several drone sellers, and I can't find THE charging cable. I can barely find the batteries! And Potensic Customer Service says I'm on my own, they don't make or support the D50 any more. One seller sells the batteries along with a charging cable, but it doesn't look like the OEM one from Potensic, it looks pretty much off the shelf. I may have to invest in a whole new drone.

 

[MNNJR69]

Sorry to hear. Like I said the Tello is a great little drone to learn with. If you get one let me know.