Hello Everyone,
Jerry here. Lately i have been racking my brain trying to figure out all this firmware, app, software, drivers, compass intonation, IMU recalibration, compass calibration, gyroscope,
Accelerometer, AHHHHHHHHHHHH.......
DJI recommends " using latest ASSISTANT SOFTWARE ( for PC ( PC=computer )),
Latest PC DRIVER, Latests CAMERA firmware, latest CONTROLLER firmware,
latest MC firmware ( MC= ( multi-copter / phantom ( 1 / 2 / 2v / & 2v+ ) or any other DJI multi-rotor craft. And finally latest DJI APP.
ALSO,
People are talking about ( Glitches, Crashes, Fly-a-ways, or other STRANGE phenomenon, with their multi-rotors. ) and to hook them to PC Assistant to diagnose, but no directions on doing so? So what the heck am i doing? And what am i looking at?
People are also talking about recalibrating IMU, AFTER weird behavior, crash, fly-a-way, ect.. What the hell is an IMU. How do you calibrate?
So,
I am going to try to walk you through! ( i am NO expert, am only divulging what i have learned ( Personally )! ( have to say this, in case of post nazi's ) lol.
( IF ANY OF THIS IS INCORRECT, PLEASE POST, SO WE CAN MAKE IT RIGHT! )
Download latest app on smart phone, so that is ready for update below. You can use whatever version you want, as some people do not like newest version ( due to no fly zones, and glitching cameras, and gimbals?
Ok ( updating )
( FIRST, CHARGE OR REPLACE ALL BATTERIES, BEFORE DOING THIS )
Start with EVERYTHING fully charged ( controller, phantom batt., radio batteries, smart phone, and wifi extender batt. ) to insure solid update, ( PROPS OFF ) safety first.
Step 1
Goto ( DJI.COM ), Download newest ( PC ASSISTANT SOFTWARE ) to your PC.
STEP 2
Download latest PC DRIVER TO PC ( this allows communication with Phantom, if you do not do this step, your computer ( PC ) MAY not recognize phantom.
STEP 3
Flip both switches to up position on controller, turn on controler, turn on Wifi range extender, then turn on Phantom ( 1/2/2v/2v+ ) ( PROPS OFF ) for safety, then link smart phone to wifi, as if you were going to fly.
Step 4
Plug phantom to PC ( WITH ASSISTANT RUNNING ) using supplied ( mini usb ) connection cable, same cable charges wifi extender.
On the bottom left of PC SCREEN, you will see 2 little lights ( 1x red, 1x blue )
You should see RED LIGHT ON ( letting you know we have CONNECTION )
You should see BLUE LIGHT BLINKING ( telling you we have communication ( PC TO PHANTOM )
Ok in assistant:
1st page is VIEW ( this gives you an overview on setting and such )
2nd page is BASIC ( here is where we can CALIBRATE CONTROLLER, AND PERSONALIZE ( toggle switches )
Under this page there are 2 Sub-tabs
A) RC ( calibrate controller, personalize toggles ) ( i do not recommend changing toggle settings, unless you are experienced, as these toggles, are a safety feature as well, and can easily be messed up, causing you to switch the wrong way, in a panic, instead of initiating RETURN HOME, I WOULD LEAVE THESE SET AS DEFAULT )
B) Gain ( here you can change gain settings, to personalize flight parameters )
Note, b) Gain, default ( Default is factory DJI SETTINGS ) is 100% this means when you turn the stick, the phantom responds with 100% gain, turns, yaws, rolls, ect. FULL BORE., EXAMPLE: say you changed the gains to 50% then the phantom would not turn so hard. Example, say phantom turns at 45 degrees at 100%, it would only turn 22.5 degrees set at 50%
( lower gains for beginners, higher gains for experienced pilots. )
( basic gain is ( yaw, pitch and roll ) ( attitude gain, is assent/decent or up-down speed ) i do not recommend changing these settings unless you know what you are doing, or do it in SMALL INCREMENTS at a time.
Ok
3rd page is ADVANCED ( you have 3 Sub-pages )
A) battery ( here we can check battery stats, and change warning thresholds )
( default is ( low battery ( 1st warning ) 35% battery or less )), critical battery ( 2nd warning ( 15% battery or less ))
( i changed mint to ( 25-15 ) not 35-15. ( again my personal preference, since i ONLY FLY with phantom in line of sight, never trust FPV ( first person view ), in case of delay? So i would have plenty of time to land in case low battery, if you are flying very far away, you might want to raise these setting, to give you longer to return and land.
B) Gimbal ( you can adjust gains, and limits for camera gimbal )
( GAIN is how fast the gimbal moves up and down, ect, LIMITS are how far up, down ect, the camera can move ( this is a personal preference setting. Depending on what you are trying for in your video. ) I left mine alone ( default is fine )
C) Limits ( this is for limiting how far your phantom can fly UP, and/or AWAY from you. ( you can set, say 100 feet up, and 300 feet away, that way if you end up getting lost or turned around, or leave your limit field, the phantom will stop at 100 feet up OR 300 feet away, and not allow you to go any farther, gives you a warning, entering limit zone. I LEFT MINE DEFAULT. ( you can also change from meters, to feet, or miles in this page!
4th page TOOLS ( this is where you recalibrate IMU and reset BTU info. )
( IMU= Internal Measurement Unit )
( BTU= Bluetooth Unit )
Here is where it gets confusing
Here are the guidelines: ( DJI GUIDELINES )
" Normally, there is no need for recalibrating the IMU by the user ( You ), if the led blinks QUICKLY, of motion detection while stationary on the ground ( please try basic, or advanced calibration ( depending on the sensor Mod values ) this means while your phantom is hooked to PC, MAKE SURE IT IS LEVEL ( side to side ) and stationary ( do not move, at all ) if you see movement detected while phantom is still, you must recalibrate IMU. ) and depending on values, weather basic or advanced is needed ) EXPLAINED BELOW:
GYROSCOPE: ( normal ( 0.0-1.5 )), if it is ( 1.6-3.0, basic cal needed ) if it is ABOVE ( 3.0, advanced cal is needed. ) this is under MOD VALUES. YOU WILL SEE ( x, y, z, and Mod ) mod is what we are looking for. ( if your gyroscope is within normal parameters ( or 0.0-1.5 ), no cal is needed.
ACCELERATION: ( normal ( 0.98-1.02 )) if ( 0.97-0.98 or 1.02-1.03 basic cal needed ), if below ( 0.97 ) or above ( 1.03 ) advanced cal is needed. Again if your accelerometer parameters, are normal range, no calibration needed.
COMPASS: this is where you are located in magnetic earth ( -500-+500 ) if the MOD value here ( is lower than 750, or greater than 2250 ) you need compass recalibration.
( I reset BTU INFO, rebooted phantom, and did advance calibration on IMU )
Again my personal opinion, and what i did personally with my P2V ( phantom 2 Vision )
( it will tell you IMU TOO HOT, BUT CONTINUE ANYWAY ) no matter what i do, it always says this, even when i turn on, and try to set right away.? But had no problems doing it this way.
5th page is UPGRADE ( here is where you update firmware )
( just click each update link, to ensure entire list is up to date )
( anytime you update, always reboot phantom and check to see if everything took, on this page )
6th and final page, is INFO, HERE you can check all firmware versions, check news, ect..
Always recalibrate CONTROLLER, after any updates, recalibration, ect. While still in PC assistant. Once you are done, i always recalibrate magnetic compass before first flight, after update! Refer to PAGE 2 above for controller recalibration.
Here are the steps: goto basic page under assistant on pc, under RC sub-window. Click START ( this is with phantom hooked to pc )
Next move all control sticks to furthest most positions, spin them around and around, all directions, CLICK FINISH, NOW MOVE STICKS AGAIN AND LET THEM GO, ALL SLIDERS MUST ( must ) be at center location on assistant software, if not RECALIBRATE AGAIN.
( example, green sliders, must be at center position, with little red bar above green slider, on PC ) if any are off center, redo calibration.
EDITED: I have to add this:
( CAMERA UPDATE BELOW IS FOR PHANTOM 2 VISION ONLY )
To update camera
Turn on phantom, in app ( FORMAT SD-card ) make sure you get your pictures and video off first, as card will be entirely erased, upon format )
Insert card into PC, OPEN CAMERA FIRMWARE EXE, UNZIP FILES, RIGHT CLICK ON ( FIRMWARE BIN ) and copy it, now open SD-Card, and paste under DCIM. ( not IN DCIM, UNDER IT.)
Next insert SD-Card into phantom, turn on phantom, green light on camera, will turn yellow while update installs, then it will turn green, reboot phantom, and light on camera goes from yellow to green light right away, letting you know update successful. Now reformat card or erase ( FIRMWARE BIN ) file from card.
That is it. There is a video at DJI ON THIS AS WELL.
THESE ARE MY IMU SETTINGS
GYROSCOPE: x=0.1 , y=0.2 , z=0.3 , MOD=0.3
Accelerometer: x=0.0 , y=0.0 , z=1.00 , MOD=1.00
Compass: x=328 , y=154 , z=173 , and MOD=1400.0
MAKE NOTES OF YOUR SETTING, then if something weird happens, ( crash, fly-a-way, hard landing, ect ) hook to PC, AND see if anything is out of whack? Compare notes. ( you will need this info, if crash occurs, or hard landing, or fly-a-way, ect ) it may help to figure out what happened to cause the mishap? This is what people mean when they say did you hook to assistant after crash?
Or what were your values,when crash occured? now you know.
Now there is another setting ( i DO NOT RECOMMEND USING IT UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED,, top of screen you will see PHANTOM, IF YOU CLICK HERE, IT WILL CHANGE TO NAZA-M mode, this is for ADVANCED USERS ONLY!
I have never messed around here, but i know enough to not! Maybe someday, but not now.
Also if any ERRORS OCCUR, HOOK TO PC, AND IT WILL TELL YOU WHAT THE ERROR IS,
Hope this helps everyone, as i had to figure it out on my own.
Jerry D
USA
( J Dot )
Jerry here. Lately i have been racking my brain trying to figure out all this firmware, app, software, drivers, compass intonation, IMU recalibration, compass calibration, gyroscope,
Accelerometer, AHHHHHHHHHHHH.......
DJI recommends " using latest ASSISTANT SOFTWARE ( for PC ( PC=computer )),
Latest PC DRIVER, Latests CAMERA firmware, latest CONTROLLER firmware,
latest MC firmware ( MC= ( multi-copter / phantom ( 1 / 2 / 2v / & 2v+ ) or any other DJI multi-rotor craft. And finally latest DJI APP.
ALSO,
People are talking about ( Glitches, Crashes, Fly-a-ways, or other STRANGE phenomenon, with their multi-rotors. ) and to hook them to PC Assistant to diagnose, but no directions on doing so? So what the heck am i doing? And what am i looking at?
People are also talking about recalibrating IMU, AFTER weird behavior, crash, fly-a-way, ect.. What the hell is an IMU. How do you calibrate?
So,
I am going to try to walk you through! ( i am NO expert, am only divulging what i have learned ( Personally )! ( have to say this, in case of post nazi's ) lol.
( IF ANY OF THIS IS INCORRECT, PLEASE POST, SO WE CAN MAKE IT RIGHT! )
Download latest app on smart phone, so that is ready for update below. You can use whatever version you want, as some people do not like newest version ( due to no fly zones, and glitching cameras, and gimbals?
Ok ( updating )
( FIRST, CHARGE OR REPLACE ALL BATTERIES, BEFORE DOING THIS )
Start with EVERYTHING fully charged ( controller, phantom batt., radio batteries, smart phone, and wifi extender batt. ) to insure solid update, ( PROPS OFF ) safety first.
Step 1
Goto ( DJI.COM ), Download newest ( PC ASSISTANT SOFTWARE ) to your PC.
STEP 2
Download latest PC DRIVER TO PC ( this allows communication with Phantom, if you do not do this step, your computer ( PC ) MAY not recognize phantom.
STEP 3
Flip both switches to up position on controller, turn on controler, turn on Wifi range extender, then turn on Phantom ( 1/2/2v/2v+ ) ( PROPS OFF ) for safety, then link smart phone to wifi, as if you were going to fly.
Step 4
Plug phantom to PC ( WITH ASSISTANT RUNNING ) using supplied ( mini usb ) connection cable, same cable charges wifi extender.
On the bottom left of PC SCREEN, you will see 2 little lights ( 1x red, 1x blue )
You should see RED LIGHT ON ( letting you know we have CONNECTION )
You should see BLUE LIGHT BLINKING ( telling you we have communication ( PC TO PHANTOM )
Ok in assistant:
1st page is VIEW ( this gives you an overview on setting and such )
2nd page is BASIC ( here is where we can CALIBRATE CONTROLLER, AND PERSONALIZE ( toggle switches )
Under this page there are 2 Sub-tabs
A) RC ( calibrate controller, personalize toggles ) ( i do not recommend changing toggle settings, unless you are experienced, as these toggles, are a safety feature as well, and can easily be messed up, causing you to switch the wrong way, in a panic, instead of initiating RETURN HOME, I WOULD LEAVE THESE SET AS DEFAULT )
B) Gain ( here you can change gain settings, to personalize flight parameters )
Note, b) Gain, default ( Default is factory DJI SETTINGS ) is 100% this means when you turn the stick, the phantom responds with 100% gain, turns, yaws, rolls, ect. FULL BORE., EXAMPLE: say you changed the gains to 50% then the phantom would not turn so hard. Example, say phantom turns at 45 degrees at 100%, it would only turn 22.5 degrees set at 50%
( lower gains for beginners, higher gains for experienced pilots. )
( basic gain is ( yaw, pitch and roll ) ( attitude gain, is assent/decent or up-down speed ) i do not recommend changing these settings unless you know what you are doing, or do it in SMALL INCREMENTS at a time.
Ok
3rd page is ADVANCED ( you have 3 Sub-pages )
A) battery ( here we can check battery stats, and change warning thresholds )
( default is ( low battery ( 1st warning ) 35% battery or less )), critical battery ( 2nd warning ( 15% battery or less ))
( i changed mint to ( 25-15 ) not 35-15. ( again my personal preference, since i ONLY FLY with phantom in line of sight, never trust FPV ( first person view ), in case of delay? So i would have plenty of time to land in case low battery, if you are flying very far away, you might want to raise these setting, to give you longer to return and land.
B) Gimbal ( you can adjust gains, and limits for camera gimbal )
( GAIN is how fast the gimbal moves up and down, ect, LIMITS are how far up, down ect, the camera can move ( this is a personal preference setting. Depending on what you are trying for in your video. ) I left mine alone ( default is fine )
C) Limits ( this is for limiting how far your phantom can fly UP, and/or AWAY from you. ( you can set, say 100 feet up, and 300 feet away, that way if you end up getting lost or turned around, or leave your limit field, the phantom will stop at 100 feet up OR 300 feet away, and not allow you to go any farther, gives you a warning, entering limit zone. I LEFT MINE DEFAULT. ( you can also change from meters, to feet, or miles in this page!
4th page TOOLS ( this is where you recalibrate IMU and reset BTU info. )
( IMU= Internal Measurement Unit )
( BTU= Bluetooth Unit )
Here is where it gets confusing
Here are the guidelines: ( DJI GUIDELINES )
" Normally, there is no need for recalibrating the IMU by the user ( You ), if the led blinks QUICKLY, of motion detection while stationary on the ground ( please try basic, or advanced calibration ( depending on the sensor Mod values ) this means while your phantom is hooked to PC, MAKE SURE IT IS LEVEL ( side to side ) and stationary ( do not move, at all ) if you see movement detected while phantom is still, you must recalibrate IMU. ) and depending on values, weather basic or advanced is needed ) EXPLAINED BELOW:
GYROSCOPE: ( normal ( 0.0-1.5 )), if it is ( 1.6-3.0, basic cal needed ) if it is ABOVE ( 3.0, advanced cal is needed. ) this is under MOD VALUES. YOU WILL SEE ( x, y, z, and Mod ) mod is what we are looking for. ( if your gyroscope is within normal parameters ( or 0.0-1.5 ), no cal is needed.
ACCELERATION: ( normal ( 0.98-1.02 )) if ( 0.97-0.98 or 1.02-1.03 basic cal needed ), if below ( 0.97 ) or above ( 1.03 ) advanced cal is needed. Again if your accelerometer parameters, are normal range, no calibration needed.
COMPASS: this is where you are located in magnetic earth ( -500-+500 ) if the MOD value here ( is lower than 750, or greater than 2250 ) you need compass recalibration.
( I reset BTU INFO, rebooted phantom, and did advance calibration on IMU )
Again my personal opinion, and what i did personally with my P2V ( phantom 2 Vision )
( it will tell you IMU TOO HOT, BUT CONTINUE ANYWAY ) no matter what i do, it always says this, even when i turn on, and try to set right away.? But had no problems doing it this way.
5th page is UPGRADE ( here is where you update firmware )
( just click each update link, to ensure entire list is up to date )
( anytime you update, always reboot phantom and check to see if everything took, on this page )
6th and final page, is INFO, HERE you can check all firmware versions, check news, ect..
Always recalibrate CONTROLLER, after any updates, recalibration, ect. While still in PC assistant. Once you are done, i always recalibrate magnetic compass before first flight, after update! Refer to PAGE 2 above for controller recalibration.
Here are the steps: goto basic page under assistant on pc, under RC sub-window. Click START ( this is with phantom hooked to pc )
Next move all control sticks to furthest most positions, spin them around and around, all directions, CLICK FINISH, NOW MOVE STICKS AGAIN AND LET THEM GO, ALL SLIDERS MUST ( must ) be at center location on assistant software, if not RECALIBRATE AGAIN.
( example, green sliders, must be at center position, with little red bar above green slider, on PC ) if any are off center, redo calibration.
EDITED: I have to add this:
( CAMERA UPDATE BELOW IS FOR PHANTOM 2 VISION ONLY )
To update camera
Turn on phantom, in app ( FORMAT SD-card ) make sure you get your pictures and video off first, as card will be entirely erased, upon format )
Insert card into PC, OPEN CAMERA FIRMWARE EXE, UNZIP FILES, RIGHT CLICK ON ( FIRMWARE BIN ) and copy it, now open SD-Card, and paste under DCIM. ( not IN DCIM, UNDER IT.)
Next insert SD-Card into phantom, turn on phantom, green light on camera, will turn yellow while update installs, then it will turn green, reboot phantom, and light on camera goes from yellow to green light right away, letting you know update successful. Now reformat card or erase ( FIRMWARE BIN ) file from card.
That is it. There is a video at DJI ON THIS AS WELL.
THESE ARE MY IMU SETTINGS
GYROSCOPE: x=0.1 , y=0.2 , z=0.3 , MOD=0.3
Accelerometer: x=0.0 , y=0.0 , z=1.00 , MOD=1.00
Compass: x=328 , y=154 , z=173 , and MOD=1400.0
MAKE NOTES OF YOUR SETTING, then if something weird happens, ( crash, fly-a-way, hard landing, ect ) hook to PC, AND see if anything is out of whack? Compare notes. ( you will need this info, if crash occurs, or hard landing, or fly-a-way, ect ) it may help to figure out what happened to cause the mishap? This is what people mean when they say did you hook to assistant after crash?
Or what were your values,when crash occured? now you know.
Now there is another setting ( i DO NOT RECOMMEND USING IT UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED,, top of screen you will see PHANTOM, IF YOU CLICK HERE, IT WILL CHANGE TO NAZA-M mode, this is for ADVANCED USERS ONLY!
I have never messed around here, but i know enough to not! Maybe someday, but not now.
Also if any ERRORS OCCUR, HOOK TO PC, AND IT WILL TELL YOU WHAT THE ERROR IS,
Hope this helps everyone, as i had to figure it out on my own.
Jerry D
USA
( J Dot )
