EVO Max 4T Disconnect and log retrival

[Specky]

Hi all,

Search and Rescue training mission today and the Evo Max 4T glitched and disconnected.

Height 188ft
Distance 682ft

29 satellites

I had carried out two uneventful sorties, the third was 5 minutes into it's flight.

First indication was the camera feed was eractic, I was zooming, but the camera feed wouldn't respond... then the zoom jumped in stagages and glitched.

Then the screen greyed out

Then I got a warning the aircraft and controller were disconected.

The drone eventually initated it's RTH... 40 or so seconds later I had control again, but no camera feed.

Landed uneventfully, powered down the aircraft... powered it back up... everything went back to normal.

I didn't opt to fly again...

I wouldn't have thought there was high RF, Wifi or HIRTAs as I was in open countryside near to a village.

Antennas were good.

Latest software updates etc...

Would any Know about the process for saving or viewing aircraft, RC and Apps logs (local - QR codes)... or is it just for Autel?

I can view the usual flight log fine

Many thanks.

 

[Specky]

I thought I'd update thread incase anyone has similar issues in the future, I know it's horrible finding a thread with no resolution or a way forward.

That said, I'm not that much futher ahead.

Autel Techs have requested the aircrafts logs, and have suggested two methods to undertake the downloads.

Neither method below has worked for me, but I could be doing something wrong. (There's no clarification on whether the drone and RC are both on, if you require GPS etc...) The commands are nearly identical to Autel Explorer log retrevial on the EVO 2.. I'm wondering if they're providing the wrong process... or the drone is U/S.

As a point of note I've previously downloaded the logs to Local (on the RC), and uploaded them to the cloud, but allegedly Autel can't do anything with the QR code or logs...

Method 1 of extracting logs is as following:

(Straight from Autel).

Create a Text Document (txt file) in the SD card. Be sure to rename the file to "autel_log" and delete the suffix ".txt" and only keep the name "autel_log"
Insert the SD card after you power on the drone for 1 min

If you find the two LED lights on the rear side are off while the two in the front are keeping flashing green and yellow, it means the logs are being extracted

When the two LED on the rear side light up again, meaning the process is finished, you take out the card and check the ZIP file in the card

Method 2

Try this way:

1. Create a FOLDER with the name
of "autel_log" in the SD card and
place it in the root directory
2. Keep the drone shut down and
insert the card
3. When the SD card is installed.
power on the drone then
4. When you find the LED flashing
it's in the process
5. When the lights stop flashing
the logs are exorted

After a Facebook request, another Max 4T had an unrelated issue but recieved different gidance... they were requested to download the files from the RC.

This is where I'm winging it a bit, I copied the file to Downloads, zipped that one (not the orginal)... and I'm now Bluetoothing it to myself. The zipped file is a couple of GB and is taking an eternity to transmit.

I'll post a further update on how things go.

 

[jlhsoard]

Any update on this Kinda have something happing to me

 

[Specky]

After a bit of back and forth with the Autel Techs in Hockeneim (Germany) and China they identified the RC controllers were at fault. (The RC logs identified the units were turning off and on again, but not visually for me) These we’re initially replaced with (PSV) RC controllers, these were later replaced again with Autel RC controllers.

The new controllers were updated to the latest stand (2 updates later than when the fault occurred) I have yet to experience anything untoward, everything appears normal.

I couldn’t honestly say if the problem was truly resolved by the replacement controllers or the new software updates, but if you’re operating with the latest software, it would allude to the controllers.

 

[Ezone23]

Hi all,

Search and Rescue training mission today and the Evo Max 4T glitched and disconnected.

Height 188ft
Distance 682ft

29 satellites

I had carried out two uneventful sorties, the third was 5 minutes into it's flight.

First indication was the camera feed was eractic, I was zooming, but the camera feed wouldn't respond... then the zoom jumped in stagages and glitched.

Then the screen greyed out

Then I got a warning the aircraft and controller were disconected.

The drone eventually initated it's RTH... 40 or so seconds later I had control again, but no camera feed.

Landed uneventfully, powered down the aircraft... powered it back up... everything went back to normal.

I didn't opt to fly again...

I wouldn't have thought there was high RF, Wifi or HIRTAs as I was in open countryside near to a village.

Antennas were good.

Latest software updates etc...

Would any Know about the process for saving or viewing aircraft, RC and Apps logs (local - QR codes)... or is it just for Autel?

I can view the usual flight log fine

Many thanks.

 

[Ezone23]

My Max very similar malfunction.
My video was froze.
Luckily i was only a few minutes onto flight and i had visual contact so i fought to bring it back to within 30 feet from me. It would not descend from 40 feet AGL. Then it just dropped like a brick,thanfully,straight into a young 5 foot Juniper tree with soft branches and saved it from major damage.

I called Autel and reported incident and was given a case number and sent it in for repairs. Surprisingly It only took 2 weeks to get back! Only later to find out after 2nd erratic malfunctioning flight, it would not land or hover in 1 spot even with 18+ satellites.
I grabbed it with my right hand from under rear bottom, risking prop contact.
I expected it to move away as I approached it. It would not shut down with the control sticks and i was forced to fight it as it was trying to maintain altitude I pulled it down from! I reached up with other hand to pull battery out to shut it down.
I called autel. They said do an imu calibration and next time flip it upside down and it will shut off! During this call I asked what they repaired from my 1st Incident in August and was surprised to find out they only repaired a strobe light! My confidence sank big time.
They reassured me that it should be ok to fly after IMU calibration. They ask what firmware version I had. I said it's the latest one released.
I waited 8 days to fly again feeling uneasy and not very confident in my Max 4 T. I wanted to fly it soi went to a remote spot in our desert that I've flown many times before over the last 8 years.
It malfunctioned full 18+ satellites. I experienced my 1st flyaway after 2300+ take offs with 6 different Quad copters!
It did not Respond my control inputs, so I pressed return to home and nothing changed.
It kept flying away in a direction that was different from my last takeoff point. I jumped in my van to chased it after I lost video feed and disconnect 2 minutes into flight. That's the last time I saw it.
The saga continues now...
as of now they sent me an email last Friday saying my craft data says it was operating as normal!!!
I know it wasn't and requested a reevaluation... I am waiting for their response.
I will be looking for outside evaluations if they don't give me the details on how they make their determination.
Keep notes flyers. Data and facts are our best chance of settling disputes.

 

[Specky]

I’ve subsequently become aware that this is a known issue to Autel.

What I would say is, someone’s not been totally honest, I understand that Autel don’t want to air their dirty laundry, but there’s something going on.

The RC has the logs and associated flight data may show something, I always believed the drones are meant to “fail safe” (hover) if the RC link is lost, your case alludes to something else.

Another thing which I’m aware of is the error whilst carrying out a software update, most experienced operators turn on the RC first and the drone second...

In reality, an operator will turn on the RC, see a new update is available, update and restart the controller... then and only then will they turn on the drone...

Both assets will now be at different software standards... they may initially maintain communication with each other, but the link (binding) can fail at any time (this also happened to me). It’s another known issue.

This is why there was a recent patch and a second update after the last big firmware update.

I hope you get things resolved.

 

[Ezone23]

I appreciate your post.
I caution owners of Max 4T about flying at the risk of it malfunctioning. I know it wasn't my piloting.
They are currently saying it had no issues according to all the logs they asked me to send.
I know that they are not being honest in my case.
The best I can do for now is try and save others from going thru my nightmare.
I will not give up in pursuing a fair resolution.
Thank you again for helping support the issue. Hopefully before it happens to others!