Battery issues...

[Kn0xster]

Had an issue the other day where just after takeoff all power cut out and it dropped about 1m. On inspection the battery wouldn't start up, no lights or anything. When i plugged the battery in (inserted in the Spark) it now flashes but i can't find anything to give me a clue as to the debug pattern.

Does anyone know whats going on? It won't start at all and the battery was fully charged before flight.

I took a quick video (here: https://goo.gl/photos/QYsgUFnXNWD32tFJ6)

Also when looking at some of the logs on Airdata the battery looks like there was a problem with the first cell on the previous flight. Airdata UAV - Flight Data Analysis for Drones

View media item 27

 

[msinger]

On inspection the battery wouldn't start up, no lights or anything.

By no lights, do you mean you saw no lights on your Spark and/or the battery itself? Do you recall if the battery was fully inserted on inspection?

Can we take a look at your DAT flight log? If that's okay, please retrieve it like this, upload it to a file sharing website (e.g. Dropbox.com), and post a link back here.

 

[Kn0xster]

Hi msinger,

The spark was off no lights on the battery. The battery was correctly seated and firm inside the spark.

I have the logs here, I tried to take a look but wasnt' able to convert them into anything I could read... https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mc8w8vessmv51bf/AACToCCTwpOp8RjBFjC8dqUca?dl=0

Let me know if you can make more sense of them.

Cheers,
Kn0xster

 

[Blade Strike]

Is this with the most current fw(.500) and battery updated?

 

[Kn0xster]

Yes firmware was updated and i think for the battery as well (thought Im not sure how to check the battery firmware).

 

[Blade Strike]

Yes firmware was updated and i think for the battery as well (thought Im not sure how to check the battery firmware).

Easy way is to install each battery, sit at the splash screen and let the craft complete version checking.

 

[Boudro]

Easy way is to install each battery, sit at the splash screen and let the craft complete version checking.

yes it is really needed for every battery. The first update takes longer as it seems to update battery, spark and remote (sometimes). Then, switching of battery, it pop up a version incompatibility and update only the unupdated battery. It takes 1/3 the times for the other battery only.

 

[Boudro]

yes it is really needed for every battery. The first update takes longer as it seems to update battery, spark and remote (sometimes). Then, switching of battery, it pop up a version incompatibility and update only the unupdated battery. It takes 1/3 the times for the other battery only.

I should mention : my experience is only by DJI assistant. Might be differente otherways.

 

[Blade Strike]

I should mention : my experience is only by DJI assistant. Might be differente otherways.

Both work about the same and give about the same message. The app has a little slider on the firmware mismatch error..

The assistant is the bulletproof method imho.. there's truly no guessing!

 

[Kn0xster]

Well as it stands now there is no way to update the firmware on the battery as the Spark will not turn on with this battery in it. So the DJI Go and DJI Assistant apps can't be used.

Im not sure there is any way for me to upgrade the battery on its own (even if i had a cable that i could connect it to)

 

[Blade Strike]

Does the battery power up outside the craft?

 

[BudWalker]

Hi msinger,

The spark was off no lights on the battery. The battery was correctly seated and firm inside the spark.

I have the logs here, I tried to take a look but wasnt' able to convert them into anything I could read... https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mc8w8vessmv51bf/AACToCCTwpOp8RjBFjC8dqUca?dl=0

Let me know if you can make more sense of them.

Cheers,
Kn0xster

FLY069 is the flight where it appears there was an abrupt power loss. Unfortunately, the trick used in analyzing Mavic incidents of this type doesn't work for the Spark. That trick uses motorVolt data because it's faster (50 Hz) than the battery data (1Hz). Typically, the last few motorVolt data will show a drop of 50%.

The .DAT for this incident doesn't show any significant drop in motorVolts at the end. There is a very slight drop due to the motors being commanded higher. Earlier in the flight there was a one sample drop to 9 volts on the rightBack motor. Kinda unusual.

 

[Kn0xster]

Does the battery power up outside the craft?

No, not outside the craft.

 

[Kn0xster]

FLY069 is the flight where it appears there was an abrupt power loss. Unfortunately, the trick used in analyzing Mavic incidents of this type doesn't work for the Spark. That trick uses motorVolt data because it's faster (50 Hz) than the battery data (1Hz). Typically, the last few motorVolt data will show a drop of 50%.

The .DAT for this incident doesn't show any significant drop in motorVolts at the end. There is a very slight drop due to the motors being commanded higher. Earlier in the flight there was a one sample drop to 9 volts on the rightBack motor. Kinda unusual.
View attachment 786

How do you see that data in the DAT file? I'd love be be able to see for myself. So from that then it could have been the software commanding the Spark rather than the battery itself?

 

[msinger]

How do you see that data in the DAT file?

You can view the data with CsvView or DatCon.

 

[Kn0xster]

You can view the data with CsvView or DatCon.

Great thanks.