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I got the dreaded “No Image Transmission Signal” error

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Let me preface by saying I’ve been reading some of the previous posts concerning this problem with the X5. My X5 has worked fine since I bought it brand new in 2016. I shot with it 4 days ago and it worked but now when I power up the Inspire, the gimbal just sits there lifeless and doesn’t do its normal initialization. The Go app says the gimbal is disconnected.

All firmware is up to date and has been since DJI hasn’t had any updates for some time. Again, it worked fine 4 days ago.

I checked and cleaned both sets of contacts where the gimbal attaches to the aircraft. I still have my X3 gimbal so I attached it and it works fine. I even swapped the PCB from the X3 to the X5 and it didn’t make a difference in either gimbal. This leads me to believe there’s something wrong in the X5. My questions are, given what I’ve explained so far, does anyone have any suggestions as to what may be causing this? I’ve read about replacing the flat ribbon cable but that seems a little daunting and no guarantee it will fix the problem. Are there any sure-fire methods of testing the X5 to narrow down the cause?

BTW, I can’t try to reinstall the FW to read a LOG file since the SD card isn’t recognized in the camera. I tried to connect the camera using USB but the computer didn’t recognize it. The fan runs on the camera but other than that it just seems dead. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you.
 
The Go app says the gimbal is disconnected ...
Anthony, don't get me wrong but the warning says all: the gimbal is disconnected. Next suspects to interrogate are the cables connecting gimbal socket with Inspire's guts. But these seems to be OK, cooperating with X3 camera just fine. Messing with FW will not do you any good. If you can't borrow another X5 from a friend to test, the best course of action is sending the unit for fix by DJI Repair Service. They're fixing at reasonable rates and relatively fast with 1-2 weeks turnaround ...
 
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Anthony, don't get me wrong but the warning says all: the gimbal is disconnected. Next suspects to interrogate are the cables connecting gimbal socket with Inspire's guts. But these seems to be OK, cooperating with X3 camera just fine. Messing with FW will not do you any good. If you can't borrow another X5 from a friend to test, the best course of action is sending the unit for fix by DJI Repair Service. They're fixing at reasonable rates and relatively fast with 1-2 weeks turnaround ...
Thanks for your input. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Sending it off tomorrow. Thanks again.
 
Thanks for your input. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Sending it off tomorrow. Thanks again.

I don't know which Firmware version you use, but you must emphasize with great diligence that any parts they replace MUST be compatible with legacy firmware. I have heard and experienced this first hand with a friend's X5 camera. You do NOT want to be forced into FW updates that are going to essentially neuter your otherwise reliable Inspire 1. I would get it in writing.

D
 
I don't know which Firmware version you use, but you must emphasize with great diligence that any parts they replace MUST be compatible with legacy firmware. I have heard and experienced this first hand with a friend's X5 camera. You do NOT want to be forced into FW updates that are going to essentially neuter your otherwise reliable Inspire 1. I would get it in writing.

D
Most likely they'll send back a different, refurbished unit, which may - or may not - require firmware matching. BTDT twice with X5 gimbal. Didn't noticed any further "neutering" (LOL) effect of FW re-fresh, this happened several FW versions before anyway ...
 
Most likely they'll send back a different, refurbished unit, which may - or may not - require firmware matching. BTDT twice with X5 gimbal. Didn't noticed any further "neutering" (LOL) effect of FW re-fresh, this happened several FW versions before anyway ...

Yep...they didn't do that in the "0ld days." I would guess as of about a year ago, now they force your FW update hand by installing hardware that is not compatible with legacy firmware. As I stated earlier, I discovered this first hand via a friend's Inspire 1.

D
 
They have assured me that the repaired gimbal will work with the latest firmware installed on my aircraft.
 
Why is that? I've been running 1.11.01.50 since it was released in July 2017. No problems.......until this happened.

DJI throttled back video transmission wattage in v1.10.xx, which caused all manner of feed issues. If you're not experiencing any feed issues, I would be curious to know how far down range your fly your bird, where you fly, and if you ever have video drop-out. There are literally dozens of complaints starting @ FW v1.10.xx.

I proved diminished video signal strength in this video:


Maybe DJI brought video strength back up in v1.11.01.50?????

D
 
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I watched you video. Very nicely done. I’m assuming you haven’t upgraded to 1.11.01.50??? I would say I get video drop-outs on 80-90% of my flights but only for maybe approximately 5 seconds and no more than once per flight. When I say video drop-outs, most of mine result in a blank (gray) video area and “N/A” appears for practically every value on the screen. It’s more like a lost connection between the controller and iPad. The drop-outs like you show in your video where the video “rolls”, typically happen to me when there’s some type of structural interference between me and the aircraft. I don’t recall ever having video issues 200-300 feet out and never had the green lines that you mentioned. If I have, then they didn’t happen frequently enough for me to remember.? I’ve been flying this aircraft brand new since 2014 (v1 with all the FW updates) in various types of environments except maybe downtown in really large cities. As far as range goes, I get good video transmission at ranges equivalent to and further than what you show in your video. And like I said, those brief drop-outs are typically once per flight with a gray screen and seemingly dropped connection between controller and iPad. I can’t remember it ever happening more than once during a flight. Those other drop-outs with rolling video are sporadic at times.

I’m not sure what FW version I had on my aircraft when it arrived but looking at my FW download history, my earliest version is 1.04.00.10. I’ve noticed over the years that the aircraft doesn’t fly like it did when it was brand new. Things like motor output being diminished with on screen notifications telling me this and overall responsiveness just not being the same. Noticeable but still not enough to ditch it for something else.

As for the gimbal issues, I can remember experiencing an odd behavior during initialization as far back as January 2018. It could’ve happened prior to that but that’s as far back as I can remember it happening and I attributed it to cold weather. After the normal gimbal initialization routine once the camera points straight ahead, the camera would go limp for maybe 5 seconds with no signal then snap back to life and all was good. It would do this occasionally on startup but always worked fine in the air with the occasional momentary video signal loss on some flights as mentioned above. This last time, it started to initialize but then just remained motionless and no video signal. Subsequent attempts after that would result in complete motionless or very brief signs of life then nothing. The fan would run and the light on the camera would be green or sometimes red.

Honestly I haven’t experienced any major issues with my aircraft or gimbal and that’s mostly why I wasn’t aware of other pilots having any video problems because I wasn’t on the forum seeking answers. Maybe I wasn’t running 1.10 for very long.

Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!
 
I watched you video. Very nicely done. I’m assuming you haven’t upgraded to 1.11.01.50???

Correct. All three of my Inspire 1's (v1, v2 and Pro) are running FW v1.08.xx. All 3 run X3 cameras and 2 of them run the same X5 camera. Everything works perfectly.



I would say I get video drop-outs on 80-90% of my flights but only for maybe approximately 5 seconds and no more than once per flight.

Copy that. That's kind of what I expected to hear. I get zero frame drops - not one. I also utilize the 32 Channel hack, which is a godsend for some microwave-saturated job sites.




When I say video drop-outs, most of mine result in a blank (gray) video area and “N/A” appears for practically every value on the screen.

Copy that. Any dropped frames is a deal-breaker for me, ESPECIALLY on a film set. Now granted, I don't that kind of work any more, but I DO shoot "creative" videos. For these creative endeavors I run the Inspire in dual operator mode, and I'm camera operator. So I can't have ANY dropped frames. With FW v1.08.xx I can confidently grab any one of my Inspires and shoot trouble-free.



It’s more like a lost connection between the controller and iPad.

Possibly. But that kind of connection loss would be independent of distance. If you're seeing more loss from a farther distance, this is more than likely Rx/Tx issues.




The drop-outs like you show in your video where the video “rolls”, typically happen to me when there’s some type of structural interference between me and the aircraft. I don’t recall ever having video issues 200-300 feet out and never had the green lines that you mentioned.

Copy that. Keep in mind that I also use a legacy version of the Go App, which may present interference to the user in a different manner. The "green screen" may have been replaced by gray screen in later versions.



If I have, then they didn’t happen frequently enough for me to remember.? I’ve been flying this aircraft brand new since 2014 (v1 with all the FW updates) in various types of environments except maybe downtown in really large cities.

The above video is exactly that type of situation. I'm flying construction video every 2 weeks downtown where there's tons of interference, even on the weekends (when I fly). Naturally, I fly weekends for many reasons. Microwave interference doesn't seem to diminish on the weekends, but there are less people to deal with which makes for a safer environment. But I digress....





As far as range goes, I get good video transmission at ranges equivalent to and further than what you show in your video. And like I said, those brief drop-outs are typically once per flight with a gray screen and seemingly dropped connection between controller and iPad. I can’t remember it ever happening more than once during a flight. Those other drop-outs with rolling video are sporadic at times.

I don't typically fly the Inspire out more than 2,000', but we do fly out that far occasionally. I DO regularly fly the Inspire out past 1,000'. I always have perfect reception for every flight. BUT...I have to be diligent with my channel selection. For example, yesterday I flew downtown on Channel 6 (I typically use Channel 1). Sure enough, I got dropped frames. I stopped the mission, changed the channel to 1, and everything returned to normal.




I’m not sure what FW version I had on my aircraft when it arrived but looking at my FW download history, my earliest version is 1.04.00.10. I’ve noticed over the years that the aircraft doesn’t fly like it did when it was brand new. Things like motor output being diminished with on screen notifications telling me this and overall responsiveness just not being the same. Noticeable but still not enough to ditch it for something else.

I think you can probably attribute most performance loss to your batteries. My batteries are getting up there, too. I have 11 batteries. Fortunately, 3 of them were purchased last year, and therefore have only 20 or so flights on each. My other batteries have 60-80 flights on them. There's a definite performance difference between the older and newer batteries.





As for the gimbal issues, I can remember experiencing an odd behavior during initialization as far back as January 2018. It could’ve happened prior to that but that’s as far back as I can remember it happening and I attributed it to cold weather. After the normal gimbal initialization routine once the camera points straight ahead, the camera would go limp for maybe 5 seconds with no signal then snap back to life and all was good. It would do this occasionally on startup but always worked fine in the air with the occasional momentary video signal loss on some flights as mentioned above.

This does sound like a loose or failing connection somewhere.




This last time, it started to initialize but then just remained motionless and no video signal. Subsequent attempts after that would result in complete motionless or very brief signs of life then nothing. The fan would run and the light on the camera would be green or sometimes red.

Honestly I haven’t experienced any major issues with my aircraft or gimbal and that’s mostly why I wasn’t aware of other pilots having any video problems because I wasn’t on the forum seeking answers. Maybe I wasn’t running 1.10 for very long.

This honestly doesn't sound like a FW issue. POST stands for Power On SELF Test. It's an internal routine that is independent of external influence. So if it's not running POST, then there's something wrong internal to the camera.



Thanks for your input. Much appreciated!

You're very welcome.

D
 
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Once again, thanks for your input. Keeping my fingers crossed that my X5 comes back working as expected.
 
UPDATE:
I received the X5 and have flown and tested it. All seems to be working so far.

Just wanted to give a little summary of how it all went...
The repair shop initially said to allow for a 2-3 week turnaround.
They received it on August 10th.
On August 17th (one week later), after testing it they said they narrowed it down to the "ribbon, and board connection" and told me the parts would take 2-3 weeks to arrive from China.
I found at least one of the parts brand new on eBay (ribbon cable) and it was available to ship from the US. Note: The repair shop and I are both located in the US.
I received the X5 on September 14th -- 5 weeks from the day they received it.

The invoice stated the following repairs:
  • Labor
  • Zenmuse X5 Yaw motor sensor
  • Zenmuse X5 Flexible flat cable (long)
I took photos of my X5 before I sent it and the one I received doesn't look like my original X5. I've sent a couple of emails to the repair shop asking whether they actually repaired mine or simply replaced it. I guess either way I'm fine as long as I have a working X5. I just expect honesty from them. And don't tell me it will be a 2-3 week turnaround before you even know anything about it. And for crying out loud, if you don't have to order something from China, don't!

The bottom line is it works. Hopefully it will continue to work reliably for a long time. Just my 2 cents on the whole situation.
 
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UPDATE:
I received the X5 and have flown and tested it. All seems to be working so far.

Just wanted to give a little summary of how it all went...
The repair shop initially said to allow for a 2-3 week turnaround.
They received it on August 10th.
On August 17th (one week later), after testing it they said they narrowed it down to the "ribbon, and board connection" and told me the parts would take 2-3 weeks to arrive from China.
I found at least one of the parts brand new on eBay (ribbon cable) and it was available to ship from the US. Note: The repair shop and I are both located in the US.
I received the X5 on September 14th -- 5 weeks from the day they received it.

The invoice stated the following repairs:
  • Labor
  • Zenmuse X5 Yaw motor sensor
  • Zenmuse X5 Flexible flat cable (long)
I took photos of my X5 before I sent it and the one I received doesn't look like my original X5. I've sent a couple of emails to the repair shop asking whether they actually repaired mine or simply replaced it. I guess either way I'm fine as long as I have a working X5. I just expect honesty from them. And don't tell me it will be a 2-3 week turnaround before you even know anything about it. And for crying out loud, if you don't have to order something from China, don't!

The bottom line is it works. Hopefully it will continue to work reliably for a long time. Just my 2 cents on the whole situation.
They do swaps quite routinely, sometime with a refurb, sometime even with a brand new item. They don't bother to consult or discuss, they just do. It happen twice with my repairs, I didn't complain since I've got the problem solved quickly and reliably...
 
They do swaps quite routinely, sometime with a refurb, sometime even with a brand new item. They don't bother to consult or discuss, they just do. It happen twice with my repairs, I didn't complain since I've got the problem solved quickly and reliably...
I'm completely fine with a refurb. Just don't tell me one thing then do another. And don't tell me before you even know what's wrong with the part that it'll be a 2-3 week turn around. Don't say you have to order parts from China that'll take 2-3 additional weeks a week AFTER you received my part. The ribbon cable is widely available in the US. When I told them where I found it, they replied as though they didn't know that or didn't bother to look. Huh?! :rolleyes:

Don't include parts on the invoice then send me a refurbed unit. Just be honest and upfront with me. If they would've initially said that it could take 5 weeks, I may have consulted other repair shops. Simple honest communication is just good business practice... period.

In my case, I would've thought a refurb would be quicker but not necessarily cheaper. Again, I haven't heard back from them so I really don't know for sure what the heck they did. Honesty and good communication determine whether I do business with someone. I've run my business for 15 years based on those and expect the same from other businesses.
 

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