DJI F550 DX6i wont' bind

[UgashikBob]

Have newly built DJI F550 and new DX6i that was pre configured for the F550. 3 cell 11.1v 5000mah battery freshly charged on the F550. When I plug in the battery cable on the F550 first I get 2 short beeps, one long beep one red light flashes followed by several green flashes then a fast pulsing red/orange light. Having preselected the F550 memory position on the DX6i first I power it up with all switches forward except the trainer switch which I hold up till I receive the beep and Bind text in the display. When I release the trainer switch the beeps stop and bind text is gone with the display showing the DJI F550 icon and controls. No response to throttle. On the F550 the led keeps pulsing red/orange continues until I unplug the battery cable. Have attempted bind at various distances up to 15 feet from F550. I am a total noob at this so any and all suggestions appreciated.

 

[tugboat]

This should work for you as well, give it a try...
what is the Rx your using and what is the light doing in the Rx?? what does the naza assistant Tx screen show??
http://www.xflysystems.com/blogs/ne...ur-spektrum-dx7s-ar8000-failsafe-for-dji-naza

I should add... bring up the naza assistant Tx screen FIRST and see what it shows BEFORE doing anything else....

 

[UgashikBob]

View attachment 10904Perhaps it would help to better define my equipment first. As you can see in the attached photo my DJI F550 does not have GPS and my radio is a DX6i. When I go to the link above it describes switch settings for GPS which I do not have. It also describes a Spectrum DX7s and a AR8000 and I have neither. I have a DX6i and my receiver is a Spectrum 2.4ghz DSM2 AR6200 The controller is a NAZA multirotor. I am confused on how to use that process described in the link when part of the bind process involves a gps switch I do no have.
I downloaded both levels of the Nazainstaller but ended up with the "The Network is abnormal. Check the network status msg" failure when attempting to register on first time use with either level. Found several hits in various forums describing the problem but none of them offering a resolution. Sent NAZA an email describing the registration problem but no answer yet. Did find one hit on a forum that said rapidly blinking led like I have means Tx signal lost but no detail on how to deal with it. Very frustrating trying to make sense out of any of this.
Thank you for your suggestions.
[h=2][/h]

 

[thehelidude]

On my receiver a light blinks while binding then goes solid when binding is complete, not sure if yours has that. To throttle up you have to push both sticks on your dx6i to bottom left or bottom right corners to arm it. Make sure to do this in a safe area and away from yourself until you are familiar with your copter. Even better try it without the props on when you're testing and setting it up.

 

[tugboat]

binding issues

View attachment 13912Perhaps it would help to better define my equipment first. As you can see in the attached photo my DJI F550 does not have GPS and my radio is a DX6i. When I go to the link above it describes switch settings for GPS which I do not have. It also describes a Spectrum DX7s and a AR8000 and I have neither. I have a DX6i and my receiver is a Spectrum 2.4ghz DSM2 AR6200 The controller is a NAZA multirotor. I am confused on how to use that process described in the link when part of the bind process involves a gps switch I do no have.
I downloaded both levels of the Nazainstaller but ended up with the "The Network is abnormal. Check the network status msg" failure when attempting to register on first time use with either level. Found several hits in various forums describing the problem but none of them offering a resolution. Sent NAZA an email describing the registration problem but no answer yet. Did find one hit on a forum that said rapidly blinking led like I have means Tx signal lost but no detail on how to deal with it. Very frustrating trying to make sense out of any of this.
Thank you for your suggestions.

Hi Bob,
I understand your frustration, been there myself.... I will try to help...
I looked on spektrums website but I do not see a ar6200 rx only a ar600c and a ar600 also a ar6210.. ??
Was the f550 built for you by someone, I only ask because you said "preconfigured Tx" ?
Do you have the manual for the Dx6i ?
In the naza manual I believe it says to turn off any anti virus software when you download and install the naza assistant, did you try that?
Also you have the driver downloaded and installed for the usb cord ?
It would be very beneficial and a must... to have the naza assistant set up and running first, so you know what is going on inside the naza fc.
This could end very badly for you and your hexa without having the assistant up and running first... just a few words of caution...:nevreness:
Also remove the props while having the hexa hooked up to the assistant or before you attempt any more binding, it is hard to say what could happen at this point without knowing whats going on with the fc...
I will keep checking back to see how things work out with your hexa..
BTW Nice Picture!!

 

[UgashikBob]

View attachment 10905thehelidude: I've used this same Dx6i to successfully bind with a MQX and all I had to do was have all switches forward and hold up the training switch while powering up till the bind text came up and then release the training switch and bingo the led would go solid and life was good. I also tried it with both sticks in the bottom corners as you suggested and no cigar. The DX6i manual says the receiver (F550 end) must be powered up first and then power up the DX6i. I"ve tried it both ways. I select the F550 memory position first then power it off before connecting the battery on the F550 end. I have not checked the individual items in F550 memory position as it came preconfigured. Is there a list somewhere of what they should be? BTW I first marked then removed all the props. Thanks for your suggestions.

tugboat. I could not find the ar6200 on spectrums site either but the DS6i manual I downloaded says it is compatible with the DX6i. I received the DJI F550 as a gift and it was built/configured by someone else but I have been unable to reach him yet. I first disabled the windows firewall and everything in avast before trying the registration goat rope and same message. Everything else in my network is working fine and all the forum threads I found with the same error msg said it was a problem on the other end and it just started working which is flakey at best. The drivers for the assistant indicated a successful install of the 64 bit version. I assume you preinstall the drivers then power up the battery/F550 end and plug in the usb cord and open the app and somehow get past the registration thing. Can't find much of the specifics of that operation or the specific steps required for the bind. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[tstrike]

Stupid question but, are you using a bind plug in your rx?

 

[UgashikBob]

tstrike:
On page 18 & 19 of the Dx6i manual they have diagrams showing where a bind plug is used. Apparently it is a required component in what looks like a loop back test to test bind capability before you assemble all the components. Since I have no bind plug and can't find one connected to either receiver I guess my answer is no but the truth is I wouldn't know a bind plug if it bit me in the behind. Thanks for the suggestion

 

[Langdale]

Look at this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOAz4umypTQ

 

[tugboat]

tstrike:
On page 18 & 19 of the Dx6i manual they have diagrams showing where a bind plug is used. Apparently it is a required component in what looks like a loop back test to test bind capability before you assemble all the components. Since I have no bind plug and can't find one connected to either receiver I guess my answer is no but the truth is I wouldn't know a bind plug if it bit me in the behind. Thanks for the suggestion

Hi Bob,
Now we are getting somewhere!!
You do need the bind plug in order to bind your Tx to the Rx, it is just a little connector that resembles the other connectors going into the Rx and it ties the top and bottom pins together for the bind to take place.
Mine was attached to the parts for the neck strap assembly, but you could do it with two people and a tiny wire....
Props off of course... Tx off and quad off , one person holds the tiny wire in contact with the top and bottom pins (not the middle)in the bind port of the Rx you then plug the quads battery in being careful not to bump the person holding the wire... you will see the light flashing rapidly inside the Rx (it wants to bind at this point) now you power up your TX holding down on the bind button, when binding is complete the person holding the wire removes it ...Your Rx should have a steady orange light now happily glowing this means binding was successful... and your good to go!
Here is what the bind plug looks like, Keep me posted... Your almost there!!!!
View attachment 10917

 

[UgashikBob]

Wow! Can't believe how much time I spent on this before you guys discovered this little tidbit. Spent several months trying to fly other small units with the DX6i and did not have to have a bind plug for any of them to successfully bind. Once you know what to look for there is all sorts of hits on the internet. Apparently this is unique to the 6200 receiver but do you have to only do this one time to set up the model match thing or do you have to go through this every time you bind? As you can see in the image this is not an easy spot to get at unless you have small rubber fingers. If I can find a wire harness/plug that fits the open bind position all I have to do is solder the outside wires together for a bind plug. In the mean time anyone no where I can order a bind plug? No progress on the DJI registration goat rope but probably will not hear back from them till next week. Really appreciate all the excellent advice I have had here. Not to many Boomers to bounce it off from in my neighborhood. View attachment 10918

 

[tstrike]

Cool beans!!! You don't need to solder anything to make a bind plug. Take one of your extra servo leads from your kit and a razor knife. Use the razor knife to lift up the little tabs on the plastic connector (they're tiny but they'll bend up) and slip out all but one of the outside wires (either the dark brown or the baby poop brown but it has to be one of the outside wires), on the other end of the cable slip out whatever line you chose and loop it back to the first plug and plug it into the empty slot on the outside and whala! a bind plug.

 

[UgashikBob]

tstrike:
Unfortunately I never received a kit or extra servo leads. I did however find a plug that fits it that is actually a supplemental plug for the battery charger that I never use for the computer monitoring program for the charger. I can rig it so the two outside wires are connected and it should work. No mortal with hands my size could hold a bare wire between the two outside pins without some kind of smoke test.

 

[UgashikBob]

OK making progress but still in the pits. I locally cobbled a bind plug from a battery cable by joining the two outside wires and enclosing it in shrink wrap. Plugged the bind plug in and then connected the battery and for the first time I had the bind led flashing in both the primary and secondary receivers. When I powered up the DX6i while holding the trainer switch up the bind light went solid on both the primary and secondary receivers. This tells me the receivers are bound but appears to be the end of the good news as there is no response to throttle or the right stick even after I pulled the bind plug out. The main led on the white arm went through the same sequence as before but changed from the rapidly flashing orange/red to a very slow orange red when the bind leds went solid on both receivers. What the photo shows is the two solid leds on the receivers that are the same before and after removal of the bind plug. What the photo doesn't show is the slow pulsing led on the white arm. It goes from a fast pulsing red/orange to slow pulsing red/orange as the what I think is the bind occurs.
Will try to find out what the slow flashing main led means untilView attachment 10936 I find a way to get around the registration thing with Naza assistant.

 

[tugboat]

Hi Bob,
Sounds like your making some progress, the flashing sequence of the led sounds a bit odd...
When you power up (tx first quad second) does the led in the Rx stay on and solid?
On page 15 of naza manual starting at the bottom it says "step 2 cut off type" and continues onto page 16, it explains how to start the motors... are you doing this with both sticks?
Are the switches on your Tx labeled? If so can you get a picture of how you have the switches set?

 

[UgashikBob]

View attachment 10948View attachment 10949 Tugboat: Another major advance thanks to your help. If you do the secret handshake of putting both sticks in the lower left had corners after the bind completes the motors start and stay running as long as you keep the throttle above the second mark from the botton. They very slowly shut off if you retard the throttle stick lower than the second increment. Need to reread the NAZA manual at least 14 times as it is major rocket science. After I establish the bind with my locally cobbled bind plug I can remove it and life is good until I either remove battery power from the F550 or power off the DX6i. No way I can reestablish the bind after the bind plug is pulled unless it is reinserted. Could be a major PITA putting the jumper in each time in the temps I would like to run this unit in. My question is what is the problem with leaving it in?
I would really like to see this beast connected to assistant software before going live. If nothing else would like to insure it has the latest firmware. Made some progress with the registration goat rope but still no cigar. I completely removed everything from my system including the software, drivers, and doc and downloaded everything directly from DJI's download site. NAZA Installer 1,8 is the latest release I can find so downloaded that and all the doc and drivers. The assistant software and drivers installed OK and get a solid green light on the BEC. Device manager shows DJI USB Driver level 5.1.2600.5512 installed and operating correctly. End of good news. When program starts I click the skip text and go to the registration screen. I then click register and fill out both the upper portion and the optional lower portion and click register and now instead of the bogus message it just hangs. Tried the lost password routine and after entering my email address it also just hangs with task manager showing the task as active but I see no outbound traffic on the network monitor in either instance. I had previously disabled Windows Defender and stopped all functions of Avast which is my only other security package on this Win7/64 system. Not to be discouraged I took the entire package I just downloaded to my laptop with Win 8 installed and it also installed OK using the Win8 driver and the same green light on the BEC when attached. Same goat rope when attempting to register. Sent a email directly to DJI support documenting in detail my exercise in frustration.
Really appreciate all the excellent assistance I have received here.

 

[tugboat]

Congrats Bob,
The naza manual is well... a.... hmm... not real clear the first read thru (took me 4 reads) then I was able to figure out what it meant, but the more times you read it the more easly to understand.
10% is the magic number on the throttle, below that motors stop..above that they stay running.
But its all in the manual, and I think your beginning to see the importance of the naza assistant program..it will show you just what is going on inside that tiny box before you hit the gas.
Good pic of your Tx I was hoping to see what the switches did, but I only see one with a green color code... is that for manual and attitude mode??
Also you should only have to bind once and thats it, so something is not right there...gotta think on that a bit.
As far as leaving the bind plug in I don't think it will work or what effect it will have on the Rx, I think you may want to call Horizon Hobbies support line (877-504-0233) use the call back option they are very good at returning calls..
My buddy has a Dx6i and I will call him tomorrow and ask him about his bind switch, my Dx7s has a spring loaded button (press to bind release when bind is complete) so I'm thinking maybe you toggle yours back when the bind is complete??? or not???
Great to hear your makin progress!!!!

 

[UgashikBob]

tugboat:
The green color coded switch that I had in the forward (0) position is the gear/fmode switch. The up or 1 f mode position is still a mystery to me as to what it does with this particular TX/RX combination. I googlefu'd it an almost wished I hadn't as it seems to have a gonzillion uses based on transmitter settings. Saw stunt mode, 3dmode and others. Since I don't have GPS I assume I want to be in attitude mode which is where I ended up after chasing my tail most of the day. Appreciate the suggestion about calling Horizon Hobbies line but we live in a very remote area of Alaska and our radiophone is intermittent at best and haven't set skype up yet for a callback. Regarding the bind the trainer switch is spring loaded and you hold it up when you power on the tx and I release it when I see the bind light go solid in both receivers. I agree about the bind being a one up deal as everything I read says you should at least be able to rebind without the plug when you power the F550 end off but leave the TX on. I tried every combo possible and once you power off either end it needs the bind plug again. Oh well light years ahead of yesterday. Thanks again.

 

[tugboat]

Hi Bob,
Ok I understand the call back thing, you can also email product support at productsupport@horizonhobby.com but something is not right with the Rx end I think... but just to be sure heres a question for you....
After it has binded when you shut down do you unplug battery power to the hexa first and then turn off your Tx?
And when you power on do you turn on your Tx first and then the Hexa?
Is your Hexa's battery fully charged or close to it?
Spoke to my friend with the dx6i and he said once in awhile his heli forgets and he has to rebind his Tx to it, he went on to say that in order for his heli to take the bind he has to have his battery charged... if it is not he said his heli will not take the bind...
The F- mode switch is probably how you switch back and forth between attitude and manual modes.
Who ever built the hexa did they run it thru the naza assistant program and set all the gains and voltage protection?
Did they test it and fly it with your Tx/Rx setup?
I put in a call to horizon hobby and am waiting for a call back, I would like to know myself why she won't keep the bind just in case I run into this problem...
I'll let you know what I find out...

 

[tugboat]

Hi Bob,
Just spoke to Mike at horrizon hobby he said it should hold the bind once you remove the bind plug (which you are doing)...
If your Rx and Tx are under 1 year old they are covered by their warranty and you can send them in, you have to first go to their website and click on contact them to get a return service authorization number....
So it sounds like there is a issue with your Rx maybe even the Tx so I'd send them both....
Let me know what you find out, you can always pm me if you like.... Best of luck!!