Firmware Update Questions

[Kenwae]

I have a P3S and just bought a used unused P3P. It's been sitting in a closet for a while and needs firmware updates across the board. I've been reading up on how to do it. The questions are, after the firmware update is completed....

1) Can the same new store bought micro SD card be used interchangeably in both P3S and P3P or does one need to be used in either P3P or P3S?
2) Can the same battery be used in both P3S and P3P, relevant to the firmware differences in P3S and P3P?

The current firmware on my P3P is 1.6.40+ and the latest is 1.10.90. I'm reading some horror stories about 1.10.90 and thinking of upgrading to the most recent firmware prior 1.10.90, which is 1.09.60. Will that have any impact on the RC update?

Regarding the RC update, which is better, to update the RC first then the P3P, or the P3P and then the RC? The app is also stating the camera needs updating, and the battery needs updating. Those I figure will happen with the P3P FW update. I have 4 batteries. Will they automatically update once inserted and turned on? And then, back to Question #2 above, will the FW update on the batteries in the P3P cause any problem with using them in the P3S?

Thanks...

-Ken

 

[Oso]

I have a P3S and just bought a used unused P3P. It's been sitting in a closet for a while and needs firmware updates across the board. I've been reading up on how to do it. The questions are, after the firmware update is completed....

1) Can the same new store bought micro SD card be used interchangeably in both P3S and P3P or does one need to be used in either P3P or P3S?
2) Can the same battery be used in both P3S and P3P, relevant to the firmware differences in P3S and P3P?

The current firmware on my P3P is 1.6.40+ and the latest is 1.10.90. I'm reading some horror stories about 1.10.90 and thinking of upgrading to the most recent firmware prior 1.10.90, which is 1.09.60. Will that have any impact on the RC update?

Regarding the RC update, which is better, to update the RC first then the P3P, or the P3P and then the RC? The app is also stating the camera needs updating, and the battery needs updating. Those I figure will happen with the P3P FW update. I have 4 batteries. Will they automatically update once inserted and turned on? And then, back to Question #2 above, will the FW update on the batteries in the P3P cause any problem with using them in the P3S?

Thanks...

-Ken

Is there some issue with the P3P that are are hoping will be solved by changing the FW? Does it fly and work perfectly now before making changes?

Since FW updates are optional, if you make the choice to change them then follow these instructions carefully.

 

[Kenwae]

I just got it yesterday. Will fly it this afternoon. So far, everything looks fine. IMU calibrated without problem, same with compass calibration. Get the green ready to fly message. Motors go on and spin (without props so far). So, there appears no real necessity to upgrade FW, other than to be more up to date. If you intended a link with these instructions, there was no link.

 

[Oso]

I just got it yesterday. Will fly it this afternoon. So far, everything looks fine. IMU calibrated without problem, same with compass calibration. Get the green ready to fly message. Motors go on and spin (without props so far). So, there appears no real necessity to upgrade FW, other than to be more up to date. If you intended a link with these instructions, there was no link.

The link seems fine for me. I'm sort of (a n a l) about posted links so I normally test them several times before posting them and then again after posting. I've tried to stop myself but can't.

Great to hear that your P3P seems to work well as far as you can tell so far. Like I said, if you choose to change something anyway follow those instructions I posted earlier carefully. Especially if you make the choice to go to 1.10 because once you get to 1.10 you can no longer downgrade.

 

[Richard R]

I have a P3S and just bought a used unused P3P. It's been sitting in a closet for a while and needs firmware updates across the board. I've been reading up on how to do it. The questions are, after the firmware update is completed....

1) Can the same new store bought micro SD card be used interchangeably in both P3S and P3P or does one need to be used in either P3P or P3S?
2) Can the same battery be used in both P3S and P3P, relevant to the firmware differences in P3S and P3P?

The current firmware on my P3P is 1.6.40+ and the latest is 1.10.90. I'm reading some horror stories about 1.10.90 and thinking of upgrading to the most recent firmware prior 1.10.90, which is 1.09.60. Will that have any impact on the RC update?

Regarding the RC update, which is better, to update the RC first then the P3P, or the P3P and then the RC? The app is also stating the camera needs updating, and the battery needs updating. Those I figure will happen with the P3P FW update. I have 4 batteries. Will they automatically update once inserted and turned on? And then, back to Question #2 above, will the FW update on the batteries in the P3P cause any problem with using them in the P3S?

Thanks...

-Ken

No reason to be in a hurry to upgrade any firmware. Fly the bird awhile, see how it handles, floor some threads here and then decide if there is something that you need to fix before you do something that you may not be able to undo or that could cause you some problems. IMO, the most recent upgrades haven't done anything to justify loading them. My birds are working just fine on 1.09.6. but I doubt that there is anything there that 1.6.4 doesn't handle just as well.

 

[Tenly]

No reason to be in a hurry to upgrade any firmware. Fly the bird awhile, see how it handles, floor some threads here and then decide if there is something that you need to fix before you do something that you may not be able to undo or that could cause you some problems. IMO, the most recent upgrades haven't done anything to justify loading them. My birds are working just fine on 1.09.6. but I doubt that there is anything there that 1.6.4 doesn't handle just as well.

If the OP bought his P3P used, he probably doesn't have a warranty to worry about - but DJI can deny warrant claims if the bird is bot using the latest firmware at the time an issue occurs.

So yeah - technically it's "optional" - as in they don't force it on you - but if one is still covered by a warranty, they need to stay current with firmware or risk having a warranty claim rejected.

Firmware updates are normally released to fix problems that are discovered with the existing firmware. It could be anything and just because you're not having any problems today with older firmware doesn't mean that you won't experience the problem tomorrow. Some of the problems that could be fixed are intermittent problems that may only occur when a whole bunch of conditions line up - and if you know anything about computer programming, you know that it could literally be anything!!! For example, there could be a problem with the compass interface code that only manifests itself if a) your serial number ends with a 5, b) you are between 300 feet and 320 feet altitude, c) you are heading exactly 341 degrees (NW) at 37km/hr and d) you try to turn left. If all of those (hypothetical) things were true and such a code problem existed - then perhaps the compass interface would crash, or return inaccurate information.

All kinds of weird stuff like that is possible in computer code - and no matter how good a QA department is, it's not possible to test every possible thing that could happen . So - when all those variables line up and someone on the other side of the world experiences the problem - through log analysis and other testing, DJI finds the problem and corrects it (and others) and releases updated firmware. Once they make that new firmware available - they are not responsible if/when it affects a user who chose not to update their system to the new software.

Occasionally, but not often, firmware updates also add new features or functionality.

With most companies and most electronic products, it's a no-brainer to just go ahead and update shortly after the new firmware is released - but DJI has lost our trust by "slipping in" restrictions and "limitations" that reduce the functionality of our drones without prior notice. (ie Altitude Caps, expanded No-Fly-Zones, etc). This is the main reason why many DJI owners are more hesitant than most to update to new firmware.

So yeah - it's optional (with caveats). There are good reasons to do it and there are (often) good reasons not to. If your warranty is expired anyway - I'd personally wait a couple weeks and look for posts from those who didn't wait - to see if it worked well or if it introduced new problems or restrictions.

DJI needs to become a LOT more transparent and tell us EVERYTHING that is in their firmware updates if they want to regain our trust. (But they don't care - they think they can do whatever they want and so far have been getting away with it - so don't expect anything to change soon!)


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[Kenwae]

Took the bird out and flew it for some time this afternoon and it flies flawlessly; so, I'll wait to upgrade firmware, if at all. It's nice to know it's not really necessary, unless something is not functioning so well that a firmware upgrade would fix; but, what I'm hearing, if there's no problem, no real need to upgrade. It is a used drone, not on warranty, so no issue there. Thanks for all the good information....

 

[Numone]

Took the bird out and flew it for some time this afternoon and it flies flawlessly; so, I'll wait to upgrade firmware, if at all. It's nice to know it's not really necessary, unless something is not functioning so well that a firmware upgrade would fix; but, what I'm hearing, if there's no problem, no real need to upgrade. It is a used drone, not on warranty, so no issue there. Thanks for all the good information....

Great, pleased for you....

 

[ffiisshh0]

I tried updating mine a year ago, spent hours upon hours trying to figure out the problems. Then it sat in the closet for months, finally shipped out to be repaired 2 weeks ago. Cant wait to get it back and working. The frustration trying to resolve software upgrade almost tossed the P3 in the firepit one night, and just buy new 1 !! My P2 is still sitting in the closet and will continue to collect dust as I don't have the patients and intelligence to fix it myself!!

 

[Richard R]

With 'all' of the problems that seem to be cropping up with 1.10, I don't think that I will upgrade from 1.9.60. The bird is flying well and all functions working in both Go and Litchi. Also, now that DJI is discontinuing the P3 line, they are likely not to do any more updates, so if you are having a problem you might be stuck!. I'll go with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" philosophy.

 

[Numone]

With 'all' of the problems that seem to be cropping up with 1.10, I don't think that I will upgrade from 1.9.60. The bird is flying well and all functions working in both Go and Litchi. Also, now that DJI is discontinuing the P3 line, they are likely not to do any more updates, so if you are having a problem you might be stuck!. I'll go with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" philosophy.

Yep, you can do, but where are all these "problems" exactly? From what I've noted, it seems you get people complaining they have an issue after updating FW - and I mean every single update from the very first - and believe it's got to be a "bug" or incorrect "code" or a "bomb" in the FW itself. If that were true, there would be 100's of complaints on this forum alone, but where are they? I've updated to every single new version of the GO App and FW and I haven't had a single issue. So, maybe I'm just part of the silent majority.

 

[Kenwae]

I suspect there are many more who update without problems. Forums like this are kind of designed around problem sharing so we don't hear a lot of stories about things working well as they should. But, it would seem that there is some risk, some small percentage of probability, that a FW update, especially with 1.10.90, can mess things up. If under warranty, and it gets messed up, it can be sent in and repaired for free, minor inconvenience. If it's not under warranty, it can be sent in and repaired, for a price plus inconvenience. Personally, I'm kind of a risk taker and even now consider, very briefly, doing the update. But then, why? It works. No problems; just leave it as it is and enjoy flying without further cost or inconvenience.....

 

[ffiisshh0]

Id be willing to bet the difficulties I am experiencing are self inflicted. I can't even recall how updating all came about? My rig was working fine, never an issue. Im guessing I was prompted for an update that was unnecessary while online? I don't normally venture into something like this, as I know I suck at technical BS, even simple stuff for most can send me into a tailspin !!