Holy Stone Drone Won’t Turn or Go Forward (And How to Fix It)

If you are experiencing a problem with your Holy Stone drone not turning or going forward, the first and most important thing to do is bring it down to the ground to take a closer look at your drone. If you observe no clear indication of damage, then there are several other reasons why your drone is not responding to your controls the way you expect. 

Your drone won’t turn or go forward if the propellers, motors, or remote controller are damaged. Other reasons could be that beginner mode is enabled, the ESC and compass are improperly calibrated, you are in a geo-fenced area, or your drone may have a firmware issue.

In this article, we will discuss why your drone may not be turning or going forward and give you pointers on how you can remedy the situation. My hope is that by the end you’ll have the issue resolved and be able to get back to flying properly!

How to fix my Holy Stone drone that won’t turn or go forward?

While in some instances your drone may be behaving erratically due to a manufacturing defect, most of the time it’s something that happened to your drone after purchasing it and flying it a couple of times.

One common and perplexing problem is a Holy Stone drone that won’t turn or go forward. If you are reading this, you’re probably experiencing this problem, and you are at a loss as to what may be causing it and how to fix it. Let’s look at some of the possible reasons it may be behaving this way and what to do about it. 

1. Damaged propellers or motors #

One of the most important components of your drone is the propellers and the motors. The motors rotate the propellers, which in turn are responsible for keeping your drone in the air and determining direction and movement. For your drone to fly perfectly, these components have to be in prime working condition. It takes just one damaged propeller or motor for your drone to start flying erratically.

A simple crack on one of your drone’s propellers is enough to throw the whole drone off. This can cause your drone to refuse any input from the controller with instructions to go forward or turn. This is equally the case for a damaged motor. The motor is a crucial element of your drone, and if it isn’t working as it should, it may be responsible for your drone’s inability to move forward or turn.

Another thing related to the motors and propellers that may be responsible for your drone problems is debris. If the motors and propellers are clogged by debris, the drone will not be capable of turning or going forward. This is why it’s always important to keep your motors and propellers squeaky clean.

If you notice any signs of damage to your drone’s motors or propellers, replace them immediately. You should always have spare propellers on hand, as they are the part of your drone that will most likely need frequent replacing. Also, clean out the motors and propeller shaft periodically to make sure there isn’t any debris.

2. Improper Compass Calibration #

Most drones have a built-in compass that helps the drone determine direction. The compass determines the direction your drone faces while in flight. You must properly calibrate your drone’s compass; otherwise, you may observe some strange behavior while flying your drone.

An improperly calibrated compass will make it impossible for your drone to respond to any directional input from your controller. This may be the reason your drone isn’t turning or going forward.

Before each flight, you should make sure your drone’s compass is properly calibrated. Each drone model does this a little differently, so consult your user manual on how to do this for your specific model.

3. Improper ESC Calibration #

The Electric Speed Controllers (ESCs) allow the drone flight controllers to adjust the speed of the drone’s electric motors. A signal from the controller causes the ESCs to either raise or lower the voltage to the motor, changing the propellers’ speed.

If the ESC isn’t properly calibrated, your controller won’t be able to change your drone’s direction to make it either turn or go forward. Just like with the compass, you should make sure your drone’s ESCs are properly calibrated before each flight. Consult your user manual on how to do this for your specific model.

4. You are in a Geo-fenced area #

A geo-fenced area is an area where restrictions have been placed, and it is virtually impossible to fly your drone properly. Such areas include military bases, power plants, schools, etc. 

If you try to fly your drone in such areas, if you are able to fly at all, you may experience erratic flight. These geo-restrictions will make it impossible for your drone to either turn or go forward unless you move to an area where you can freely fly your drone.

If your drone is not flying properly or behaving erratically, check to make sure you aren’t in a geo-fenced area, as this may affect how you can fly your drone. You can check on the FAA’s app B4UFLY (link) to see areas that are restricted flight zones.

5. Firmware issues #

Sometimes, the firmware updates for your drone can have some bugs, and if you install this firmware into your drone, your drone may begin acting up. One common thing that can happen when you have corrupted firmware installed on your drone is that the drone may refuse to go forward or turn.

If you are having firmware issues, you can try to revert to an earlier version. Then you should wait for the issue to be fixed before updating it again.

6. Beginner Mode is on #

At times, the reason your drone isn’t turning or going forward may be because you have accidentally turned on Beginner Mode in your drone’s app. In beginner mode, some flight functions may not work as expected. By turning off this mode, your drone should be able to fly perfectly. Make sure that the Beginner Mode is turned off before flying your drone and see if this fixes your flight issues.

7. Damaged Controller #

Lastly, your drone may not be turning or going forward because your remote controller may be damaged. A simple fall – just dropping it on the ground – can be enough to damage your controller, which may make the sticks unresponsive to your commands, thus making it impossible to turn the drone or fly it forward.

If you’ve dropped your remote controller or it got damaged somehow, you may need to get a replacement. Make sure it’s properly calibrated and properly connected to the drone before trying to use it.

How To Fix My Holy Stone Drone That Won’t Turn or Go Forward? #

By way of summary, here are some of the quick fixes you can try if your drone is unable to turn or go forward:

• Make sure that the Beginner Mode is turned off before flying your drone.
• Make sure you aren’t in a geo-fenced area when flying, as this may affect how you can fly your drone.
• If you have firmware issues, revert to the earlier version and wait for the issue to be fixed before updating it again.
• Make sure your drone’s ESC and compass are properly calibrated before each flight. Consult your user manual on how to do this.
• If the motors and propellers are damaged, replace them immediately. Also, clean them to make sure they are free of debris.
• If your remote controller is damaged, get a replacement and make sure it’s properly calibrated.

All in all, these should fix your drone’s problems. If the issues persist, you may have to consult a repair technician or the manufacturer.

Image Credit: Holy Stone