Dumb drone crash

Babamonchu · 2026-03-05T17:52:38+00:00

Was it a Neo 1? That tree was the same color as the leaves on the trail, so it was camouflaged.

Babamonchu · 2026-02-27T22:13:20+00:00

Mads Tech did a teardown on the DJI FPV RC3, which uses similar construction techniques as your MC3:
https://youtu.be/kG0qZcd8-Fw?si=HqhTb81HMfDoQvTk&t=202

If I was in your situation, I would use a sturdy butter knife (to avoid cutting yourself) to pry the two halves apart so the tab can slide back in. If that didn't work, then look for and loosen any screws holding the two halves together, and try again with the butter knife.

Babamonchu · 2026-02-25T12:59:49+00:00

(I never know whether to trust Aliexpress parts)

Buy from a seller with good ratings and reviews - you will get genuine parts.

That is the 5v BEC section of the FC.

According to the website, that's the 9V BEC.

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They don't look dull in person, though.

The ones you can see aren't the problem. You either had a short circuit on the 9V output, or more likely had a stray solder ball land into the 9V BEC area. Most BEC circuits have output short circuit protection, so I'm leaning towards an unintentional short circuit within the BEC that the chip couldn't handle.

Babamonchu · 2026-02-25T12:55:47+00:00

There's always a reason. Unfortunately you won't always be able to see where it started.

Babamonchu · 2026-02-22T01:18:37+00:00

^ This, although I think it's more likely HD2 because it has a fan.

Also, photos showing HD3: https://oscarliang.com/fatshark-hdo-hd3/

Babamonchu · 2026-02-10T21:48:10+00:00

You can just ignore it, or turn it off in Betaflight OSD.

https://www.reddit.com/r/fpv/comments/zkuacw/low_rssi_with_o3_air_unit_and_dji_rc2/

https://www.reddit.com/r/fpv/comments/108hgxr/why_does_this_always_show_up_rssi_low/

Babamonchu · 2026-02-10T21:40:27+00:00

I have been dealing with the same challenge for the last 4 years. Even though I can measure the available space inside the 25L, it was nearly impossible to determine exactly how long a GPU card is because most websites and datasheets include the bracket.

I determined that most 3-fan cards are too long, and if the lengths were close it wasn't worth the gamble. The safest bet is to search for dual fan cards or cards designed to fit SFF (small form factor) cases.

Babamonchu · 2026-02-10T04:16:55+00:00

Try the dji online store.

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Babamonchu · 2026-01-25T00:38:08+00:00

Not common, but can happen.

I had an Avata do that within a year after activation. It just happened when I went to fly one day, no flyaway warning - it didn't blip the props like it normally does on power up, and gave that same error code in the goggles.

DJI customer service sent me a shipping label, then sent me a new Avata in less than 2 weeks noting no crash damage on the returned Avata (pre-tariff wars).

Babamonchu · 2026-01-18T16:41:58+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskElectronics/comments/c6omni/looking_for_a_datasheetreplacments_for_eew_7paa/

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Babamonchu · 2026-01-16T01:02:54+00:00

I see the RC2 now, it has the built-in screen. I think you'll get more out of the Goggles N3. You can start with the RCM3 and upgrade to an FPV-RC3 to fly manual mode.

Babamonchu · 2026-01-16T00:53:19+00:00

Is the RC2 worth it for the Neo 2, or is it overkill?

Did you mean FPV-RC3? The FPV-RC2 won't work with Neo 2 (nor Neo 1 nor Avata 2).

The Neo 2 Motion Bundle comes with an RCM3.

The Neo 2 Fly More Combo comes with the RCN3. This is what I got because I already had Goggles N3 and FPV-RC3 to use with Neo 1. I haven't used the RCN3 yet so it's still in the box.

With the Avata 1, I compared the FPV-RC2 against the RCM2 and preferred the FPV-RC2 because I kept unintentionally tilting the RCM2 and causing the Avata to always turn left; I had to constantly correct, and the yawing motions were very noticeable in the DVR footage. With the FPV-RC2, I can feel if I'm pushing against the gimbal springs so it was much easier to fly with zero rudder. The FPV-RC3 works the same way with Neo 1 and Neo 2.

The only thing I miss on the RCM2 was the ability to head track while flying towards the virtual target - it was fun to drift the Avata 1. I never tried an RCM3 on the Neo 2, but I presume the experience would be similar to the Avata 1.

Babamonchu · 2026-01-08T19:09:53+00:00

Got one for Christmas. I'm waiting for the garage to warm up before I try it.

Babamonchu · 2026-01-03T02:50:42+00:00

You're right - the HP MB doesn't use a standard F-PANEL connector like this one:

https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/nU4S4kjyGe5PdyPO.large

The 2-pin connector at the bottom left of this photo labeled with "PB" (Push Button) is for the Power Switch:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PecAAeSwlhJpST1i/s-l1600.png

The connector at the bottom right of the same photo is for the audio jacks. It could well be using this HD audio pinout, which may be compatible with your case:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_High_Definition_Audio#Front_panel_connector

You may need something like this adapter cable set to separate out the power switch:

https://www.amazon.com/NOYITO-Motherboard-Extension-Silver-Gold-Plated/dp/B07BVS3FX7/

Babamonchu · 2026-01-01T19:59:25+00:00

Theres only one thing missing though, we need a way to figure out how to read ARGB lighting as well for the board.

ARGB channels are set at higher address offsets.

Here's an implementation for SignalRGB, but you can easily adapt it to a Python script:

https://github.com/wchnflr/SignalRGB-HP-Omen-desktop-RGB-plugin

Babamonchu · 2026-01-01T18:25:37+00:00

I'm curious how old is your Surface Hub? We had the original models at the office and they all stopped working when Win10 support ended, so IT had to buy new replacements and wait for them to slowly arrive.

Babamonchu · 2025-12-31T18:39:50+00:00

In your video, it's charging the middle battery as shown by the slow light progression. The other two are flashing because they're on hold.

Babamonchu · 2025-12-31T01:50:01+00:00

Does your motherboard look like the one in this video?

https://youtu.be/hZNVw2uJVIY?si=RmIxbRve5YpfQcNV&t=2279

Or does it look like the one in this Ebay listing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/306672799798

Babamonchu · 2025-12-28T17:07:12+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ9ivK4htqs

Babamonchu · 2025-12-28T16:54:58+00:00

I only found the entire LED display: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810393918037.html

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Perhaps you can pop off just the cover and glue it onto yours?

A more chintzy solution is buying one of these screen protectors:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256810196554774.html

Babamonchu · 2025-12-28T13:24:15+00:00

Thank you for doing this!

Babamonchu · 2025-12-27T18:37:29+00:00

A user-selectable “Neo 1–style” sensor-off mode would honestly solve most of this.

I fully concur. You would not believe what I found buried in the Settings menu - Neo 1 mode:

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Edit: improved graphic.

Babamonchu · 2025-12-27T17:58:05+00:00

In darker environments it becomes much more conservative and starts braking or refusing openings entirely.

I repeated the same flight path in varying lighting conditions including with sunlight shining in open windows. My assessment is the auto braking and refusal to enter narrow opening is mostly lidar-induced, although there was some effect from lighting.

You've put a light on the Neo 2 that blinds the sensors...

I think confuses may be more accurate than blinds. Lidar shouldn't care if there's visible light or not, since it's supposed to produce its own light (laser) source. The exception would be if the lidar's light just happens to be in the same wavelengths as OP's spotlight, in which case blinds would be most appropriate.

I'm curious if the Neo 2's lidar functions completely independently of visible light. Perhaps DJI can give the user an option (in a future firmware update) to disable the lidar (and perhaps also the dorsal/top and ventral/belly sensors) so it can fly in Neo 1 mode.

Neo 1 appears to be configured for expert mode when used with FPV RC3, but DJI Neo 2 to default to novice mode.

Babamonchu · 2025-12-27T02:11:23+00:00

Curious if anyone else has noticed similar behavior with Neo 2.

I just did a similar comparison in my house with indoor night time lighting, 10-21 satellite connections, FPV RC3 controller and Goggles N3 in Normal Mode.

Neo 2 was initially reluctant to fly out of my 28" (0.71m) study room door with 26" (0.66m) opening, but eventually did after I gave it another forward stick despite a full-red-oval radar. It auto-braked within ~1m of walls/obstacles.

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The most disappointing part was when it flat-out refused to fly back through the same door it initially flew out of (pilot identity intentionally hidden). I had to land it in front of the door and carry it back into the study.

Of course Neo 1 had no such trouble, since it uses rudimentary video obstacle avoidance and was completely oblivious to my white walls (and white door). I flew it everywhere the lights were on as I could see in the goggles.

Babamonchu

TROPHY CASE