Naza H bailout??

[boowho]

I know right now the Naza H does not have bail out capability.

Assuming that DJI WANTED to do it, would if be possible to add that capability with existing hardware? In other words, only a software upgrade needed to add this feature?

I'm not asking if they WILL do it, only if they'ed be able to, if they to chose someday.

Boowho??

[pril250]

The simple answer is yes, it has all it needs and more in technology.

[boowho]

Thank you..... I'm going to go for one of these......

Right now I have no need for bail out, but down the road a few months (years??) I may finally try some 3D stuff, and the Naza as it currently exists would not save my bacon.

However, I figure there's every chance they may upgrade the firmware to include BO capability. If not then, I'll get a Bavarian Demon or something like that.

Right now I just need the Naza as a confidence builder.

Boowho??

[pril250]

I read somewhere here that they are ceasing the support on the Naza-H, better to do some investigation on the matter before pulling the trigger.

[Stumblebee]

Originally Posted by pril250

I read somewhere here that they are ceasing the support on the Naza-H, better to do some investigation on the matter before pulling the trigger.

If memory serves, nightflyer reproduced a message here that contained a direct quote from DJI that they were no longer supporting the Naza H. You spend your money, you take your chances.

[nightflyr]

One of DJI customers had emailed them and the response was that they were at the present time, no longer supporting the Naza- H.

No idea what this means considering they are still being sold.
My guess is that there is no further updates to the firmware/software...
Time will tell.

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Solomons, MD



I sent DJI an email asking for help with my Naza-H issues and this is what i got back:

We apologize but as of now DJI is not offering support on the Helicopter Naza.

Rob E.
DJI Technology,
Systems Administrator.

[R_Lefebvre]

How sad is that. And dealers are still selling off stock?

Actually, it's probably not that big of a deal anyway. I don't think they support their multirotor products either. For example, just try getting a straight answer from anybody at DJI about how their system handles magnetic declination. Rotate the puck, or don't rotate the puck?

[Stumblebee]

Originally Posted by pril250

The simple answer is yes, it has all it needs and more in technology.

Just keep in mind that a firmware upgrade is more than just writing some code. Among other things there has to be enough memory on-board to accept new code. A lot of embedded system devices are built with the minimum amount and capacity of components required. It would not surprise me to discover that Naza H was built with the absolute minimum amount of memory required. That does not leave a lot of room for firmware upgrades.I suspect this might be the real reason that the auto-landing/take-off firmware upgrade never showed up. There might not be enough room to store it in the existing memory. While Naza H may be expensive at the retail end, at the manufacturing end it was probably built cheap and disposable for maximum profit. DJI is definitely NOT the only company that does this. Think about the average smart phone.

[R_Lefebvre]

I seriously do not think that it was a memory issue. Our older controller is capable of Self-Levelling, and much much more, all in an 8-bit "legacy" microcontroller with only 256k of progmem. The Naza most likely has something much more powerful inside it. Probably a 32-bit mC with 512k or more of progmem.

[boowho]

So.... another question for someone who HAS one of these controllers......

The manual says something about no throttle control when in ATTI or GPS ATTI mode. Even at full low stick the RPM will not change, once you engage ATTI or GPS ATTI. That is what the manual says, as I read it.

Does this mean that in those two modes there is no vertical control possible? That would really be stupid.

I'm guessing (hoping?) that even though the throttle can't be changed, that the throttle stick still controls the collective pitch.

Sort of like a constant speed prop in a full scale airplane (like a Bonanza, etc). With those you set the RPM you want with the pitch control, then the throttle only increases or decreases the manifold pressure (for more or less power) by changing the pitch of the prop.

Obviously on such a setup, pulling the throttle ALL THE WAY back will bring the engine to idle; but within a certain range of movement, the throttle only controls the MP (directly) and the pitch (indirectly), while the RPM remains constant; hence the name "constant speed prop".

Perhaps the NAZA works in this way??

Boowho??

[boowho]

Originally Posted by pril250

I read somewhere here that they are ceasing the support on the Naza-H, better to do some investigation on the matter before pulling the trigger.

Yes, but I'm NEVER one to be on the cutting edge of anything. I'm using a 7 year old laptop right now and it does everything I need it to do.

What would REALLY be the cat's a** would be for someone really good at embedded code to reverse engineer the thing and create a whole new set of firmware for it. Sorta like the OpenTX project for the Turnigy (and other) line of TX's

Anyone???

Boowho??

[R_Lefebvre]

That is pretty close to impossible.

[boowho]

Originally Posted by R_Lefebvre

That is pretty close to impossible.

No doubt..... But think about at the folks that create complete custom ROMS for their Android phones.

And FWIW, in another thread a guy known as Tahoe Ed, says that email about no support was taken out of context.

What the response meant was no support from that PARTICULAR support center. Apparently, DJI MAY have several support centers to support different products lines.

Boowho??

[R_Lefebvre]

Yes, but Android is open source. You don't see custom ROMs for iPhones do you?

Where did Ed say that? I can't see how it's possible to take that email out of context. It's very clear. If it's not correct, then it's because it was poorly written, not that the user took it out of context.

[boowho]

Originally Posted by R_Lefebvre

Yes, but Android is open source. You don't see custom ROMs for iPhones do you?

Where did Ed say that? I can't see how it's possible to take that email out of context. It's very clear. If it's not correct, then it's because it was poorly written, not that the user took it out of context.

Check it here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...h#post27829060

Boowho??

[R_Lefebvre]

Love it.

The email is NOT being misinterpreted. It's extremely clear. It may be that the email is poorly written, but it's not being misinterpreted. Not surprising to me that a DJI rep would not admit they made a mistake and attempt to blame it on the user.

So question is, since March, has anybody gotten any support out of DJI Corp?

[boowho]

Originally Posted by R_Lefebvre

Love it.

The email is NOT being misinterpreted. It's extremely clear. It may be that the email is poorly written, but it's not being misinterpreted. Not surprising to me that a DJI rep would not admit they made a mistake and attempt to blame it on the user.

So question is, since March, has anybody gotten any support out of DJI Corp?

There is another possibility.... The NAZA H units are getting hard to find, especially at a good price.

I have seen products in the past that were so popular (good) that when end-of-life was announced by the vendor, the remaining ones in the pipeline were snapped up like hotcakes.

Not saying that is what's happening here; but I had a Pronto universal remote for TV, etc that was so popular that it was almost being "hoarded" when Phillips announced they would no longer be available. And that remote was $1000 a pop.

Boowho??

[R_Lefebvre]

Yep, could be. It doesn't seem like sales have set the world on fire. There's not a lot of market for helicopter controllers like this.

[Bill Fleming]

In regards to R_Lefebve's question: since March, has anybody gotten any support out of DJI Corp?" I assure you that the answer is NO! Being retired I have had the time to waste trying to do the impossible: Getting help. I purchased a NAZA-H a couple of weeks ago that was dead on arrival. While attempting get help with it ,I've spent hours over the past week to no avail. I've talked and emailed with every DJI location between AZ and China and posted on forums. Even the dealer said they ca't get help from DJI. Buck passing like I've never seen before.

Bill

[Aaron Hartwell]

DJI has been very successful with their Phantom quad copter line. I can't count the number of non-RC friends on Facebook who now proudly post videos from their "drones". When you think about the number of Phantoms their selling on sites like Amazon compared to the number of Naza H controllers they're selling for big electric helis, it's not particularly surprising that they'd be pouring their energies into the quad copter stuff.

I was one of the first folks on Helifreak to run Naza H controllers. I've sold them all. At this point I think it's best to go with a manufacturer who is more focused on heli gear. Skookum for example.

Just my two cents...