Wookong M GPS Mode - Fair Warning

[222GR]

SMP, I agree with your statement about manual mode. Regardless of the flight controller, whatever brand, automation will sure always come with its random caveats and it will be better to trust your skills in an emergency (if you can handle it)

Would you all agree that its safe to say that ATTI mode, though not without it's own potential for failures, is SIGNIFICANTLY more trustworthy than any GPS mode or should a user be equally skeptical about its reliability?.

I've read a few other threads about GPS flyaways where the users report that since flying prodominantly in ATTI after their incidents, they've yet to experience another failure that gps has caused. (not including of course blown motors or esc failures, etc...)


The xaircraft functionality seems cool but I won't buy into the hype. why isn't this thing dominating DJI Fc's then? (perhaps better discussed in diff thread)

 

[Av8Chuck]

There's no hype there, it flies exactly as you see in the video, that's what I like about the SuperX, it might not have all the functionality that DJI claims to have (most of which I don't need, but that's just me) but it has always responded exactly the way I expected to control inputs in ALL modes. That's why I trust it and don't trust DJI's. It's not just the fly-aways that's the problem, I can't tell you the number of times I've been flying and it started yawing on its own or after flying a nice long straight path and wanted it to stop and it didn't for about five or so seconds, which seemed like an eternity.

I also don't agree that your more likely to have problems using GPS. Like a lot of people on this forum, when I started, in the good old days of the first Multi WII's and GUAI 340, when FC's started having attitude mode everyone was reluctant to use it, "you weren't a real man if you didn't fly in manual." But that was also when there were very few people using MR's for professional AP, doing AP with the SuperX I don't even see the need for manual mode. That video demonstrated the SuperX RTH without GPS, I don't think anyone would say that it doesn't do it exactly the way it did in the video. In fact, the first time I tested it the wind was at about 20 gusting 25 and it was remarkable how close it landed to where it was launched.

I must have owned five or more different types of FC's and I have never had any of them fly away or exhibit any of the kinds of odd flight characteristics that I've experience with DJI.

Regarding hype versus DJI, the reason there are so many DJI's out there is exactly because of the hype, they did a great job of lowering the barriers of complexity and cost, to the point where you could buy them in your local mall. Good for sales but not necessarily good for someone who would like to depend on them to make a living in AP. I'm sure they make considerably more selling Phantoms than they do selling S800's and at some point that will jeopardize their support of their semi-pro MR's. The reason SuperX isn't dominating DJI is because most people haven't even heard of it. So you might be able to say that their bad at marketing but that doesn't make them bad at developing quality FC's.

Most people who have flown and know both compare the SuperX to the A2, not the Wookong-M.

 

[Dewster]

The SuperX sounds interesting especially after they demonstrated how it handles erroneous GPS/compass issues. I would crap my pants if I had an 8 pound ship fly off uncontrolled.

 

[Dewster]

Does anyone think the fly aways are caused by receiver interference?

 

[Av8Chuck]

I think fly aways are caused by bad programing and a lot of DJI owners make a lot of excuses for bad programing. Sounds like I'm a jerk but if you get 92 stitches in your face from uncontrolled flight you stop making excuses and start looking for a controller that you can trust.

That's just one persons experience and oddly enough I won't put $4K worth of camera equipment where my face once went...

 

[Dewster]

I found this theory on fly aways on Youtube. It makes sense:

http://youtu.be/_ge3GuhEDRM

 

[SoCal Blur]

I found this theory on fly aways on Youtube. It makes sense:

http://youtu.be/_ge3GuhEDRM

Unfortunately, his theory is based on the premise that GPS in Google maps on phones works the same way it does with FC's. On phones, Google maps first looks at Tower locations if it doesn't have a GPS lock to try and determine your location quickly (which can be very inaccurate) and eventually switches to GPS once a lock is achieved. This is why the location sometimes is wrong to begin with and then moves to where you really are. FC's don't use cell towers.

 

[Dewster]

I plan on buying the Phantom Vision Plus despite the issues of fly aways. There are several videos on the original Phantoms flying off in space. Humor side, I found a support page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djiflyaway

 

[brentfoster]

First of all, sorry for the loss. Really sucks to hear stories like this.

To prevent something like this from happening in the future, what is the best option? Does flying Atti allow us to completely avoid fly-aways, or is it not still based on the GPS?
Does return to home work with Atti, or just when GPS+atti are on? If not, is fully manual the only option, and is that not a really tough way to fly and film?

 

[Kari]

What i see common in these flyaways is that hardware used in most cases are DJI stuff too. I don't know if it just that they are so common or are the rtf set buyers more commonly not preflight checking things. Lose gps puck or loose imu might have serious results.

So far i've had very little problems with wkm with 5.16. Now i've updated one of my wkm to 5.22 as it seems reported safe too. I don't use bells and whistles from dji, bare controller only to keep things simple. I also have super x but haven't tested it enough to trust it in bigger birds yet. I need to test at least 100 flights before i can trust in long term.

If people were using manual mode for ap we would see so much more crashes due to bad orientaion etc losing control. I switch between atti and gps.

 

[Dewster]

I believe the fly aways are caused by radio reception issues and not the GPS. I've never had a flyaway or glitches while flying my WKM with a Futaba radio and diversity receiver. I believe in the Phantom's current configuration that strong signal interference will cause problems. DJI's update that seeks pilot input within a given timeframe before activating fail safe could be fooled by errant signals. A diversity radio system or one with redundancy will certainly reduce these incidents. I would like to buy a version that allows us to bind and fly.

Im im impressed with the Phantom's performance despite the reported fly aways. Does anyone know why DJI switched from 2.4 ghz to 5.8 ghz for flight control?

 

[Stacky]

What i see common in these flyaways is that hardware used in most cases are DJI stuff too. I don't know if it just that they are so common or are the rtf set buyers more commonly not preflight checking things. Lose gps puck or loose imu might have serious results.

So far i've had very little problems with wkm with 5.16. Now i've updated one of my wkm to 5.22 as it seems reported safe too. I don't use bells and whistles from dji, bare controller only to keep things simple. I also have super x but haven't tested it enough to trust it in bigger birds yet. I need to test at least 100 flights before i can trust in long term.

If people were using manual mode for ap we would see so much more crashes due to bad orientaion etc losing control. I switch between atti and gps.

People were using manual mode for AP for years before GPS became commonly used and there were nowhere near the number of incidents around today. The pro flyers I know using manual mode simply dont crash. I dont have GPS nor do i need it and have been doing this for 4 years now. 3 of them commercially and I have never had an incident on a job.

 

[Carapau]

Stacky, how far away do you fly from yourself and at what speeds when flying in manual? Just curious as I have been fling RC helis for years so manual is second nature to me but I won't fly my octo in manual due to orientation even though it is well lit/taped etc to help in this regard.

 

[Stacky]

Stacky, how far away do you fly from yourself and at what speeds when flying in manual? Just curious as I have been fling RC helis for years so manual is second nature to me but I won't fly my octo in manual due to orientation even though it is well lit/taped etc to help in this regard.

I stay within my own personal limits for jobs. Basically I am doing still photography and so never get any more than roughly 50 meters (further if I use my bigger machine) away for the clients I shoot for. Its all about staying within your own safe limits. If I need to go further then i use FPV to deal with the issues of orientation etc. On all jobs I have my FPV gear set up in case I need it. The people I am coming across in person who are using GPS as to fly with are relying too much on that as their fall back in case of trouble. I find that to be both reckless and short sighted. The people I know who have been flying for longer than 3 years can all work in manual or with AL on and retain orientation. The guys i am coming across now who are new to this are all relying on GPS. 2 weeks ago I was assisting a company here with a proposal they have for using UAV's for insurance work and a guy they were using for other work was there. He couldnt fly without GPS because he relied on carefree mode for his orientation. Lots more like him. He couldnt believe that i could fly manually and nose in while circling around my own house filming the roof for a demonstration. I might add i am by no means good at manual flying, I have to work very hard at it, however I stay within my own limits.

I find an Octo very hard to keep orientation under control, thats why I use a X8 and a Y6 for my work.

 

[propwash3d]

there has to be a similar issue with these things...maybe a bad soldwer joint in the cotroler

 

[Carapau]

Stacky, that makes a lot of sense. I fly an Octo and use atti and GPS a lot but I can fly manual as if second nature (been flying 3d aerobatics on helis for years) however I don't use manual unless in an emergency due to the dangers posed by loss of orientation although I do practice in my practice field! The ability to fly in manual is no doubt a key tool to have in the APists tool box as when all else fails, manual brings the system to its most basic state and it can often be used to safe a situation.

 

[Kari]

People were using manual mode for AP for years before GPS became commonly used and there were nowhere near the number of incidents around today. The pro flyers I know using manual mode simply dont crash. I dont have GPS nor do i need it and have been doing this for 4 years now. 3 of them commercially and I have never had an incident on a job.

I've been flying rc-planes from year 1992 and even though flying full manual is fine for me, i really don't see any benefit using it for ap purpose. When shooting in setup flying itself is ofter really straight forward and lots of holding in air waiting for talent to the scene etc, so autolevel and position hold is really helping a lot. I have flown a lot last 3 years with several different controllers and never had serious issues with autolevel or pos hold. Sensors has failed in imu but then it's not flyable full manual either. For me autolevel just helps to get better shots more securely.

 

[fdproductions]

I feel like your really on to something, keep us posted

I believe the fly aways are caused by radio reception issues and not the GPS. I've never had a flyaway or glitches while flying my WKM with a Futaba radio and diversity receiver. I believe in the Phantom's current configuration that strong signal interference will cause problems. DJI's update that seeks pilot input within a given timeframe before activating fail safe could be fooled by errant signals. A diversity radio system or one with redundancy will certainly reduce these incidents. I would like to buy a version that allows us to bind and fly.

Im im impressed with the Phantom's performance despite the reported fly aways. Does anyone know why DJI switched from 2.4 ghz to 5.8 ghz for flight control?

 

[Av8Chuck]

I believe the fly aways are caused by radio reception issues and not the GPS. I've never had a flyaway or glitches while flying my WKM with a Futaba radio and diversity receiver. I believe in the Phantom's current configuration that strong signal interference will cause problems. DJI's update that seeks pilot input within a given timeframe before activating fail safe could be fooled by errant signals. A diversity radio system or one with redundancy will certainly reduce these incidents. I would like to buy a version that allows us to bind and fly.

Im im impressed with the Phantom's performance despite the reported fly aways. Does anyone know why DJI switched from 2.4 ghz to 5.8 ghz for flight control?

Don't want to ruin your hypothesis but I had a flyaway and I use Futaba.

I can't count the number of theories for uncontrolled flight of a multirotor I've read over the past two years, I have no idea why they happen nor do I think does anyone else but regardless of the theory they almost all have one thing in common, DJI.

 

[Tahoe Ed]

It happens with other controllers. It is just be cause DJI has sold so many units that you hear mostly about them.