AC firmware management

[Calsun]

My P4P AC currently has firmware version 01.01.0203. I would like to back it up to a computer if that is possible.

I would like to go to firmware version 01.03.0509 if anyone knows where I could download it. Otherwise I will stay with 01.01.0203.

How do others do the firmware juggling with their Phantom's?

 

[Fly Dawg]

Personal preference really, but I haven't touched new firmware in over a year and still flies perfectly with no issues with primarily Litchi. My thought is if you have firmware that works for you why bother with it. DJI very rarely gives any details to the changes in the firmware and if it is not something that can be added to give the OP more flexibility and additional features I would not bother with it. I stay away from that portion. Generally speaking lately it has caused more problems than it has corrected. And firmware upgrades are NEVER mandatory. They are at the users option. Thusly no juggling with it, from my prospective.

 

[Calsun]

Firmware changes affect BOTH aircraft and camera operation. It would be great if one could do only one or the other but that is not the situation. My AC arrived this month with the December 2016 firmware version and I would like to upgrade it to the version released in April and avoid the version released in June.

DJI does not bother to maintain a current image for the drones it manufactures and I can understand this as it is common practice. The end user does the update at which point the DJI server can provide the most current firmware and also localization for wherever the user happens to reside.

Unfortunately to get the latest and greatest firmware one now must accept the operating limitations imposed from people who live and work in China. For example the 400 foot height restriction imposed by DJI would put me in violation of federal regulations that mandate a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet (and sometimes 2,000 feet) when flying over wildlife. Some guy or gal sitting in a cubicle in Shenzhen China is not going to know this and I would not expect them to know all the US regulations or be able to write the code needed for operating in any and all situations and at all locations in the USA (including Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, etc.).

Many more man hours using more knowledgeable software engineers has gone into code for self-driving cars but there have been gltiches that have resulted in 2 deaths. No code is perfect as it is created by humans and relies on data input by humans. That is why being able to roll-back code to a prior version has always been important.

 

[u000gbk]

And yet they have just this year removed the option to downgrade back one level ... something that should alway be available in case of issues encountered with the latest release you load - so you can fly safely with the previous firmware until they fix the noted issues with that most current release that caused you issues. It is messed up for sure !!!

 

[Calsun]

The fellow operating flyflydrones.com helped me remotely to put the 01.03.0509 rev level firmware on my Phantom 4 Pro so all is well for the time being. With the changes forced by the US military there may be a future firmware release that will be safe to use.

 

[u000gbk]

one can only hope ... any idea when the rumors say they plan to release a fix to the current debacled firmware release

 

[pbxcomm]

Can you elaborate on FlyFly service? I see they offer a decent package to assist for a somewhat reasonable fee. Would this be the service offered to you?

 

[solyxius]

My P4P AC currently has firmware version 01.01.0203. I would like to back it up to a computer if that is possible.

I would like to go to firmware version 01.03.0509 if anyone knows where I could download it. Otherwise I will stay with 01.01.0203.

You can find previous firmware files, including 01.01.0203 to save, here - dji_system.bin/bins at master · MAVProxyUser/dji_system.bin · GitHub

You can upgrade via the DJI app, then downgrade to 01.03.0509 if you like - New Firmware V01.04.0602