Zenmuse Z15 GH4 spins as hell

[Heliflo]

Hi all
Anybody has seen this before...?
Brand new Z15 - first it had massive Horizontal drift which could be solved by reload the Firmware. Then about 10
"sucessfull" flights with just a bit of drift (ANYWAY IT EXEEDED WAY MORE THAN THE SPECIFIED 0.01°!!!) and now this crazy "Spinning issue" about 8 times out of 10times powering up...

http://youtu.be/8woG6Nh5BQo

I think that it might help to reload the Firmware of the GCU - unfortunately this is not possible - Looks as ist just possible to do Upgrades but no "reloads" as for example for the IMU...
DOES ANYONE STILL HAVE A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE ASSISTANT SOFTWARE AS A ZIP - (would like to downgrade the Firmware which should make it possible to reload the current Firmware of the CGU)
MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[ZAxis]

We had an issue similar to this where it went crazy on the pan axis. Seemed like it was an issue with the slip rings so I took them apart on the side & cleaned them. Problem then became much more intermitted & gimbal has worked fine.
Lec

 

[Heliflo]

Hi Lec
Thank you so much for your hint. Unfortunateli it did'nt helped...

I like to reload the Firmware but i do not have a previous Version. Somebody still have the previous Assistant Software for the z15 GH4 on his PC as a ZIP? Would be really nice to get it...
I already wrote DJI mails - no answer... I've posted this issue also in the DJI Forum directly. guess what: they just deleted my thread....

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT CUSTOMER SUPPORT DJI!!!

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Heliflo, where you located and have you tried to call?

 

[Heliflo]

Ed, We're located in Switzerland (West Europe) and no, I've just tried by mail and Forum...
Cheers Florian

 

[eddiscus]

I experienced this as well at the field on the bench test before the maiden. I first had the rotation spin like you show in the video and upon the next re-power I had an end over end spin. It accelerated so fast the flash popped out and brought the spinning to a sudden stop. Only some cosmetic damage to the flash unit. Re-powered 10 more times after that with no problem. The death spin is always in the back of my mind when flying as it only happened to me when I switched into FPV mode for camera orientation.
Called DJI and they said if it happens again to send the unit in. Knock on wood it has been fine since first occurrence.

 

[Heliflo]

Eddiscus, yes I always have the same in mind during flight - what if it's start Spinning in the air - gues it would "disassemble" the whole flying platform...
Just as a Little update: The issue with the just randomly ocouring Video Signal is solved by the new Firmware...
But the Z15 is still not working
DJI is NOT WILLING to replace - they want me to send it back to China for repair!!!! A brandnew Z15 which was not working out of the BOX. I Think this means, that I can go back to work with this Gimbal somwhene Mid 2015....

DJI: DO YOU REALY BELIEVE THIS IS FAIR!!!???

 

[Tahoe Ed]

Eddiscus, yes I always have the same in mind during flight - what if it's start Spinning in the air - gues it would "disassemble" the whole flying platform...
Just as a Little update: The issue with the just randomly ocouring Video Signal is solved by the new Firmware...
But the Z15 is still not working
DJI is NOT WILLING to replace - they want me to send it back to China for repair!!!! A brandnew Z15 which was not working out of the BOX. I Think this means, that I can go back to work with this Gimbal somwhene Mid 2015....

DJI: DO YOU REALY BELIEVE THIS IS FAIR!!!???

Heliflo, what would you have us do. We have offered to repair your unit. Even military grade equipment has failure rates. We will take care of you. What response did you get from your dealer?

 

[Heliflo]

Hey Ed
Thank you for your reply.

Heliflo, what would you have us do.

Reply my emails would be highly appreciated - using the dealer as a Relais does not make realy sense in this case...

We have offered to repair your unit.

Yes, how Long do you expect it will take until it's back here in switzerland? I would clearly acept if this Z15 would be in use for a while without any issue...but as I wrote, the gimbal had from the beginning (recceived this unit a bit more than two weeks ago) horizontal drift (way more than the specified 0.01°)

Since this Z15 is my first Zenmuse ever, it's quite hard to find out if this is a well working unit. So I gave the System a Chance and did a few testflights. Than it became more and more unusable and start to have this Spinning after initializing more frequent.

Even military grade equipment has failure rates.

True, but they get replacement before the war is over...;-)

We will take care of you. W

Glad to her and I believe that from your side - but the "official" DJI Support is just not acceptable cause it not exists at all.

what response did you get from your dealer

My Suggestion was to order a new unit, send the defective one back in the meantime and get the second one refundet by them if DJI send back the Replacement unit to them...
But DJI answered, that DOA is not a Option cause it is a used System (of course we had to use it - how else we should be able to test...!?) Therefore the dealer can not agree my Suggestion with refunding a second gimbal after getting the Repaired one back (they wont be able to sell it again as a new one)...

The Point is, that we have customers booked us with this config (next one already this Weekend) and we need a running System ASAP - therefore it is not a Option to wait until we get a repaired System....

Cheers Florian

 

[Heliflo]

@Tahoe Ed; just another question:
Is there a way to reload the Firmware of the CMU? This is the only Firmware I was not able to reload. I'm still not convinced that it's a Hardware issue which makes a return necessary.
Cause if initialising passes (happens every 5 to 15 times) then the unit is working perfectly (exept the horizontal drift which occurs randomly).

Also a Firmware downgrade might be worth to try - but it seems not to be possible for the enduser...

 

[Heliflo]

Just a little update on this:
Cause a running System for the GH4 was needed urgently i've just ordered another Z15 GH4 unit which arrived already last week.
The new unit was initializing well without Spinning but now the Video Output is not working. All updates done! Fortunately there was still the "old" unit and I just changed the HDMI converter...

I don't now what I can expect out uf this zenmuse but the drift over the rollaxis is sometimes more than 10 degrees during flight! Do I have to live with that or are there some Units out which are realy within the specified 0.01°...?

Conclusion:
-Bought TWO Z15 on my own expense (One is going back to DJI now for repair)
-All in all spent almoast one week on this and still not happy about the performance
-Still not one single word from DJI

 

[Buzz_Roavr]

I can sympathise although my dealer swapped the gimbal at his expense.
My probably is with completely intermittent live view.

Works fine when connected to a TV but intermittent on the Zenmuse. I've tried everything!

 

[Heliflo]

yes, the live view is also quite a "funny" quest...updating the GCU to 2.2 made it much more reliable, but there's still 1-2 times out of 10 were you have to repower the System to not just get the OSD overlay but also the Liveview of the cam...

 

[Benjamin Kenobi]

Just a little update on this:
Cause a running System for the GH4 was needed urgently i've just ordered another Z15 GH4 unit which arrived already last week.
The new unit was initializing well without Spinning but now the Video Output is not working. All updates done! Fortunately there was still the "old" unit and I just changed the HDMI converter...

I don't now what I can expect out uf this zenmuse but the drift over the rollaxis is sometimes more than 10 degrees during flight! Do I have to live with that or are there some Units out which are realy within the specified 0.01°...?

Conclusion:
-Bought TWO Z15 on my own expense (One is going back to DJI now for repair)
-All in all spent almoast one week on this and still not happy about the performance
-Still not one single word from DJI

The Zen roll axis is directly affected by the IMU and compass of the FC. Usually doing the compass calibration sorts the horizon out.

I manually adjusted the roll axis whilst I balanced the gimbal when I first got it. Just a couple of screws. Just turn it on (level surface!) and see which way it is off. Turn off power, adjust a little bit, and turn on. Repeat till happy. This won't totally cure it, but will ensure the horizon is as good as it can be. My horizon can be off by as much as 1° when the zen is directed to the tail of the aircraft.

 

[Heliflo]

Heliflo, what would you have us do. We have offered to repair your unit. Even military grade equipment has failure rates. We will take care of you. What response did you get from your dealer?

Sorry for crying again on this case. BUT: My Z15 was finaly sent back to DJI (about 100$ on my own expense of course) and arrived there beginning of January...since then, just silence...

Just to show to them who are replying here "hey, what do you expect - we're offering free repair for you"...:
It's now about two months of "waiting" and taking Actions and we're still far away from having this DOA!!! Unit back and working...

Do you really still feel this is aceptable...? The plan was to work with this unit - what would you say if you would have to give away your BRANDNEW PC, Cellphone or car for more than two month? Would YOU accept a "we gife you free repair, what else you want...?"