Is my P3SE camera broken, or is it software?

Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
48
Reaction score
22
I haven't used my Phantom 3-SE for quite a while. When I tried yesterday, my DJI go software would not run on my Galaxy S20 Android phone.

I upgraded to the more current DJI GO4 software, but I'm not getting any image from the camera. The drone does fly and I have gotten battery readings on my phone, so I know they are communicating.

What can I do to determine if my problem is a dead camera, or some setup problem?

Ken
===
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
I upgraded to the more current DJI GO4 software, but I'm not getting any image from the camera.
Really, only no image? That means the drone connected and you see telemetry. Are you sure?

Check the compatibility list here:

You may want to compare that to this list:
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
Really, only no image? That means the drone connected and you see telemetry. Are you sure?
Yes I am 100% sure. I'm getting height, distance, V.S., "Ready to Go", Voltage, 5G, "Remaining Power"...

I got the latest DGI GO Android software that is compatible with my drone (I think this is v3.1.82 but I can't find a way to show the version). When I start the program, it displays a picture of my drone and says "Phantom 3 SE".

I can start/take-off the drone from the phone and change the gimbal . Everything works, except there is no display from the camera.

The one odd thing I found is when I tried a different brand of software on my phone (Drone DGI from smartremotedev.com) it displayed an error message that said "Gimbal Shake Error". I'm guessing that this is just an incompatibility in their software, but it may be a real clue.

If anyone has any suggestions on anything else I can try, please pass them on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
Yes I am 100% sure. I'm getting height, distance, V.S., "Ready to Go", Voltage, 5G, "Remaining Power"...

I got the latest DGI GO Android software that is compatible with my drone (I think this is v3.1.82 but I can't find a way to show the version). When I start the program, it displays a picture of my drone and says "Phantom 3 SE".

I can start/take-off the drone from the phone and change the gimbal . Everything works, except there is no display from the camera.

The one odd thing I found is when I tried a different brand of software on my phone (Drone DGI from smartremotedev.com) it displayed an error message that said "Gimbal Shake Error". I'm guessing that this is just an incompatibility in their software, but it may be a real clue.

If anyone has any suggestions on anything else I can try, please pass them on.
What happens when you click 3 does top right of screen
Screenshot_20241217-094943_Chrome.jpg

Also in app can click on ""ABOUT "" and find version installed,,should show since you got telemetry
Also homescreen where it shows your model of drone you can click those top right 3 dots aswell and might show version there too
Dont worry about my example picture that say not conected, picture reference for the 3 dot location
Also how long is a little while ? Could try another device and USB cord to eliminate those at fault
 
Last edited:
Yes I am 100% sure. I'm getting height, distance, V.S., "Ready to Go", Voltage, 5G, "Remaining Power"...
Ha, that's interesting. i didn't know the incompatible app will still try to provide some level of support.

EDIT:
I got the latest DGI GO Android software that is compatible with my drone (I think this is v3.1.82 but I can't find a way to show the version). When I start the program, it displays a picture of my drone and says "Phantom 3 SE".
Hm, so now you moved from GO4 back to GO3? Or was it a mistake that you wrote you're using GO4?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
No three dots on my version. 3 bars which lead nowhere good.
GO4 was a mistake. Only GO3 works with old Phantom.
I looked everywhere. There is no "About".
I didn't say "a little while", I said "quite a while". My guess is something like 2 years, but I'm not sure.
I can go back and try some old devices.
Could having a bad cord produce these results?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
No three dots on my version. 3 bars which lead nowhere good.
GO4 was a mistake. Only GO3 works with old Phantom.
I looked everywhere. There is no "About".
I didn't say "a little while", I said "quite a while". My guess is something like 2 years, but I'm not sure.
I can go back and try some old devices.
Could having a bad cord produce these results?
Open app click on general settings and browse down to dots shown in pic ,,that's the ABOUT part and show what versions you have on fly safe,rc and firmware installed
Little while ,long while ,any while drones dont like,,sorry my explanaining not the best,anyway that's where version us found,,


20241217_113952.jpg
 
Last edited:
Could having a bad cord produce these results?
While I made a chart for fixing video on Pro/Adv, the Std/SE are different...

Fast checks:
* Different mobile device
* Different cable
* Remove SD-card from gimbal
* Check if gimbal light works, and what it shows

If no conclusions:
* Try re-binding.

Beyond that, further options are more involved.
 
Open app click on general settings and browse down to dots shown in pic ,,that's the ABOUT part and show what versions you have on fly safe,rc and firmware installed
Little while ,long while ,any while drones dont like,,sorry my explanaining not the best,anyway that's where version us found,,


View attachment 126213
So did you find versions installed
 
* Different mobile device
* Different cable
* Remove SD-card from gimbal
* Check if gimbal light works, and what it shows
1. I found the "About". I had not scrolled down enough.
2. I am running v 3.1.82 on two different Android phones.
3. I am running v 3.1.80 on an old iPad.
4. It is my understanding that these are the latest versions that will work with my Phantom 3-SE
5. The gimbal light comes on when powering up and then goes out.
6. The gibbal is working perfectly when I command it to move or I tilt the unit.
7. Having the SD card in or out makes no difference.

Using the iPad, I get two error messages:
"No image transmission signal"
"Gimbal disconnected"

There are no error messages on the Android, and the gimbal seems to be working fine.

The problem comes down to "No image transmission signal". Am I ready to scrap it?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad and IANZONE
5. The gimbal light comes on when powering up and then goes out.
While I don't know the light codes from this model, that is probably not a sign of normal operation. You should check instructions.

The gimbal+camera assembly is one unit, but as far as electronics is concerned, these are two separate circuits, just living on the same board.
* The gimbal is controlled by STM micro-controller. If it stabilizes and reacts to RC, then it works fine.
* The camera is controlled by Ambarella SoC chip, with additional chip (I don't know SE that well, but it's most likely Atheros) used to transmit the video over WiFi. The diode is controlled by Ambarella, and it presents the state of that Ambarella chip.

It is possible to write a software which would ask all modules for status using the front USB. I never had motivation to do that though, and the OGs (dji-firmware-tools creators) were not really interested as well..
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad and IANZONE
NO definitely not ready to scrap ,V3.1.82 is latest version for the SE

I did write some else in my mad way of trying explain something,
Me thinking no transmission signal related to the gimble light fault shutting down,what causes that ? Board or ribbon cable, well that's my simple 2 cents , maybe even unplugging and reinsert ribbon cable,
I just dont know enough, ,but definitely not scrap yet,somehow feel might be simple fix,,phantoms hate storage and if search see pretty common when unused,,,leave you to it
 
Last edited:
Does the image transmission go directly from the drone to the phone, or does it pass through the controller? If it goes through the controller, I may have a lead.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
the controller
You mean Flight Controller? No. Video pipeline is separate. It goes sensor -> Ambarella -> Wifi (Atheros?) -> antennas.
(Ambarella also controls both the gimbal LED and the SD-Card)

Control and telemetry are separate, they go antennas -> Beken GFSK Transceiver -> FC (then FC also forwards some packets further, ie. to Gimbal or wifi chip).

Video pipeline and the internal telemetry bus share information (ie. binding configuration and similar), but video is never sent anywhere outside of the pipeline I described in 1st paragraph.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Droneted and RodPad
I believe I have diagnosed the problem. This You-Tube video (and others)
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
say that if the Phantom 3 sits too long without being powered up, the Gimbal Board has to be reflashed. My P3 was working perfectly, but then sat for around 2 years, never being powered up. No crashes, no drops. This fits the described symptoms perfectly.

However, the procedure to fix it is beyond my abilities. Is there anyone in the US who does this kind of work at a reasonable price?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
I believe I have diagnosed the problem. This You-Tube video (and others)
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

1. The video is for Ph3 Pro. Not for SE.
2. The video starts immediately with tons of misinformation. I won't even bother with all, but:
2a.
"Gonna show you how to do re-flashing of you Ph3 Pro Gimbal Board" - the video does not show how to re-flash a whole board. It doesn't even show how to re-flash a single chip. It only shows how to flash a bootloader part on one specific chip.
2b.
"NVRAM inside it, when the program is stored, gets corrupted" - there is on NVRAM in gimbals of Phantoms. The program, or rather programs, are stored is several Flash memories, including: NAND chip, serial NAND chip, and internal NAND/NOR flash.
So - the technology is NAND, not NVRAM.

Anyway, besides skimming through few timestamps, I stopped watching after that. I wouldn't be surprised if the steps presented work for that particular chip, but the information provided is full of errors.

Do you have the same problem - that depends on how you describe what you've seen. if you think "bootloader on my DaVinci chip got de-programmed from accompanying NAND" - then no, because you don't have DaVinci.

If you think "unknown part of a firmware stored on one on the flash chips got de-programmed" - then it is a possibility, with most likely culprit in that case being the NAND chip accompanying Ambarella.

Note, it's a possibility. One of many. To verify it, you'd have to check output on serial interfaces.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
Yes, The P3A and P3P were introduced at the same time, I can remember the live video DJI streamed out.
The P3S showed up later, then the P3SE after that.

The P3A, P3P are the only two that are similar.

Rod ..
.
 
This how the SE transmit . How you get on ? Myself still thinking a ribbon cable at the gimble gone bad and cheap easy to replace,
20241222_100710.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
I have decided to sell it for whatever I can get. There are just too many possible causes for this failure. I'm still inclined to believe that is a firmware problem because it worked perfectly before sitting on a shelf for 18 months.

I will be posting it in the classified section later today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodPad
I have decided to sell it for whatever I can get. There are just too many possible causes for this failure. I'm still inclined to believe that is a firmware problem because it worked perfectly before sitting on a shelf for 18 months.

I will be posting it in the classified section later today.
Ok but that sitting around kills ribbon cables, it's pretty common cause,,
If it was firmware you'd have prompt of some sort, remote probably be beeping at you and rc light be red flashing with drone lights flashing a sequence,you just got no live view
Oh well doht sell it to cheap
 
  • Like
Reactions: Droneted and RodPad

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,441
Messages
1,470,515
Members
105,434
Latest member
jerwin
Want to Remove this Ad? Simply login or create a free account