Quads not flown for a year now. ESC issues and severe instability - Please Help - Discussions

Hey Everyone

I'm hoping that you can help.

I own several quads/hexcopters and in July of last year, they ALL suddenly stopped flying stably.

I'd flown them for about a year and had great result with video/stills etc, then in early July I updated the APM2.5 software and they all stopped calibrating ESCs properly and flying. ALL but ONE. I didnt update the one quad when I noticed the consistent errors.

Today, this quad still flies perfectly. I havent updated the software on the board. The ESCs all calibrate perfectly and it flies well.

I've tried new motors, new ESCs, made new builds and all of them are unstable. The last one this week just tipped backwards.

PLEASE dont tell me to Manually calibrate ESCs, I've done that. Likewise, there are no hardware issues, no problems with motor direction of prop placement and direction.

Literally, everything just stopped flying in July 2013

I'm not looking for anything fancy with the units. I just want simple stable flight. Nothing more

Any ideas anyone? APM2.5+ boards on all units

Thanks

Ewen

Replies

OG June 9, 2014 at 3:19am

hello,

please update your ppm encoder on all the copters you updated to new revision of the firm wear, or revert to version 2.8
- Ewen Rankin > OG June 9, 2014 at 9:07am
  
  Hi thanks for taking the time to reply
  
  That response sounds like a known issue? How is the PPM Encoder affecting the stability in this way? Do you know where I can get a copy of v2.8?
  
  Sorry, last stupid question...How do I tell which version is on the stable platform at the moment?
  
  Cheers
  
  Ewen
  - OG > Ewen Rankin June 9, 2014 at 9:23am
    
    hello,
    
    I am not 100% sure this is your issue but from the little you described sounds like it! could also be an issue if you upgraded your RC radio to a new one!
    
    old versions of firmware can be found in mission planner pick previous firmware. my advise is to use what works the best for you forget about upgrading unless you get new hardware.
    - Ewen Rankin > OG June 16, 2014 at 10:35pm
      
      Well interestingly...it WAS to do with RC Transmitter in the end but something way worse. Eventually whilst trying to calibrate the radio, the Elevator Pot failed. I went online and its a known issue with intermittent then permanent failure of the elevator Pot on Spektrum DX6i Handsets.
      
      Warranty repair...but wont get me back the 6 months of screwing around and damage to equipment not caused through my own bad flying. LOL
      
      Thanks for the support tho
    - Ewen Rankin > OG June 9, 2014 at 9:53am
      
      Thanks for the reply.
      
      I'll certainly look back through the previous versions tomorrow. Is there a way of seeing which version is on the stable platform without risk of losing the only platform I have
      
      Cheers
      
      Ewen

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