Firmware not installing

Odiedog · Jun 10, 2017

After years of relatively trouble free Phantom use, I now have one of the firmware bricks. I updated the DJI app this morning after not flying for 6 months. Sent the phantom out and flew around without any issues. Figuring that any serious glitches in firmware would show up by now, I updated the RC. When I tried to fly (figured only mess with one thing at a time) I got a a Signal Lost message in the status box and it wouldn't let me take off. I can see the camera picture fine so it is connected.

I read that once you update the RC, you have to update the AC. I loaded the 1.8.8 bin file onto the SD card (everything else deleted) and loaded it in the AC, turned it on and started to get the red/green blink. After a couple of minutes, I got the D ______ sound indicating a failed update. I turned if off and back on again and ever since, it just blinks a few tiumes and goes to a steady green light. The rear AC lights are just constantly blinking yellow after the warm up blinking ends. I tried deleting the bin and using the 1.9.6 version but get the same thing. The gimbal makes the short buzz at start up like it is reading the card but then goes quiet and the steady green led comes on.

I should have left well enough alone with the older firmware. Is there anyway to go back? Possibly the SD drive? I saw a mention of using a USB cord and SD card adapter but I don't have one of those right on hand.

Richard R · Jun 10, 2017

Are you sure that the update didn't complete? Did you read the resulting .text file on the SD card? Will the AC connect to the RC?

Odiedog · Jun 10, 2017

Still need to figure out why it won't upgrade but I did unbrick the AC by downgrading the RC firmware back to 1.5.8. I think the AC is version 1.7.60? On the about screen it shows the App as 3.1.5, the next line says version 1.7.60 (I assume that is the AC?) and the RC shows the 1.5.80

I was able to connect the AC to my Mac with a USB cable and copy the firmware to the empty SD Card while it was in the AC. It made a constant on and off buzz of a second with the USB connected but the light still went to steady green. I assume since I was able to copy the file from the Mac to the installed SD card, the SD card reader must be working.

I haven't seen any txt file created that shows firmware successful or failed so it isn't reading the file. I made sure the file name didn't have any extra characters in it. Is the bin extension not supposed to be on the file?

Richard R · Jun 12, 2017

If you are using one of those cheap sticks to plug the SD card into a USB port, that could very well be part of your problem. I first tried using on that came with my Syma X5 to read the cards from my phantom with all kinds of read and connect problems. Now us an adapter that allows me to plug directly into one of the memory card slots on my MacBook. No problems at all any more.
You definitely want the .bin extension on file name. Also, the naming convention for FW files is a bit weird. Double check that you actually have the right file for your bird!