consequences of never updating P4P+ software-firmware...?

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Purchased my P4P+ Dec 2016.
Think I did one update shortly after.
Then never again.
(don't fix what ain't broke strategy)
(too many reports of newer software issues)
Now a new era of hobbyist droning has arrived...?
(testing + online approval to fly within 5 miles of some airports instead of phoning...?)
Am I in violation if I stick to 2017 P4P+ software-firmware...?
Or simply depriving myself of where I can legally fly...?
 
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Depending on where you are located, you may be depriving yourself of flying locations near airports (especially old unused ones that were still in the 2016-2017 DJI list).

But the 2018/2019 list has more no fly zones (prisons, power plants etc).

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!
 
After buying my used P4P and flying it a few days around home to make sure everything was copacetic I updated it. Now I get a warning every time I take off that I'm flying near an airport that doesn't exist. Never has... I'm still investigating it, and I just "take full responsibility" for my flights and go on, but it's annoying!
 
Yip same boat here,accept before flight even outside any airport zones where I am,,,personally I think the app is over concentrating because can't start fly till accept prompt so it has been a bit of a control freak lately,,,,,I never updated until it locked me out,has been good apart from silly notifications,,,good to be safe but bit annoying on the other end
 
The other reason to consider upgrading is that DJI, like all software creators, are always finding obscure bugs that can cause problems. Upgrades are always a balancing act between getting the fixes that have been discovered and fixed, and the potential for new ones.

The expression used by many “If it ain’t broke don’ fix it” is dangerously misleading. All software is complex enough that it cannot be fully tested. Accepted practice performs alpha testing where all functionality is tested by the software developers. This practice is never 100% capable of finding all the bugs, as remaining bugs are mostly combinations of actions, nota single one. For example if I do this, then, that, and then a 3rd within 5 seconds something bad happens.

This reality leads to beta testing where the software is givento a group of users and they use it under real world conditions, and report problems. At the end of beta testing, the software is released to general users. This generally means that the most likely combinations have been tested and fixed, but there are still some left.

The moon landing would never have taken place if the time was spent to fully test the software combinations fully. It would have, by estimate, have taken 20 years.

Apple for it’s iPhone software goes through this beta cycle at least 4 times with thousands if not millions of beta testers. The results are generally pretty good, but not perfect. Windows goes through similar cycles, but has more frequent required updates as new security bugs are discovered by users.
 
When I purchased my used P4P+, I could not use the RC on my P4S, which I knew it could do because I had another 300E remote that included the P4. Updated the new remote, got the P4 added to the list and that concluded my updates. All good with original firmware on the birds. Started to do the update on the drones , but was warned by a close friend that I would be in a newly added no fly, at home. It would have just been a warning but I did not want the bother. One is a helicopter pad on the home behind me, that has never been used in the over 40 years I've lived here. That's nuts
 
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Every so often after DJI releases a new product, stories start about a particular type of crash caused by firmware problem X. DJI even mysteriously will replace your aircraft -- sometimes even out of warranty -- when the logs indicate that it crashed because Problem X.

Then they release a firmware update. They don't always mention everything that's changed. In particular, Problem X might not be mentioned for legal reasons. I don't know this for sure, but after being part of a corporation for decades, I know that internal legal personnel might advise not mentioning certain things due to opening up of very costly liability, such as the recall of ALL AIRCRAFT (or at least all within certain build dates).

You may never have experienced a crash due to Problem X. If you upgrade your firmware regularly (as I do, having been in the software business), you will never experience Problem X. If you never upgrade your firmware, then you may one day experience that crash from Problem X (as well as ALL OTHER Problems that have been fixed, silently or not).

It's your choice. Not upgrading to avoid the annoyance of a pesky airport warning could mean a crash. Compare the two downsides: pesky warnings, chance of a catastrophic crash.

Chris
 
I don't disagree with that statement, but I also don't feel that I necessarily need to do every single firmware update blindly, either. There should be more transparency in the updates. As you mentioned @Not A Speck Of Cereal, there may be legal/liability issues involved, and that is something that should be addressed as well. No clue how that should be done, either...
 
I don't disagree with that statement, but I also don't feel that I necessarily need to do every single firmware update blindly, either. There should be more transparency in the updates. As you mentioned @Not A Speck Of Cereal, there may be legal/liability issues involved, and that is something that should be addressed as well. No clue how that should be done, either...

That will probably never be addressed / resolved, so it's up to each of us to decide what kind of chances we want to take.

The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" crowd doesn't even seem to be aware that they are taking any chances (it might be broke, they just don't think it is because they haven't crashed yet, which is illogical).

Chris
 
When I learned about geofencing, I stopped updating. And my P4P v2 is at a good firmware, because it doesn't have the yaw drift problems that people on later firmware are plagued with. The aircraft has been perfect, so I'm leaving it be.
 
Purchased my P4P+ Dec 2016.
Think I did one update shortly after.
Then never again.
(don't fix what ain't broke strategy)
(too many reports of newer software issues)
Now a new era of hobbyist droning has arrived...?
(testing + online approval to fly within 5 miles of some airports instead of phoning...?)
Am I in violation if I stick to 2017 P4P+ software-firmware...?
Or simply depriving myself of where I can legally fly...?
I run legacy firmware on all my DJI birds. You are correct. If it ain't broke, DO NOT FIX IT.

D
 
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