It isn't for me...I'm ready to send it back !

[AlecW]

I've been using 175 feet. I had it higher at 300' but it's hard to see it coming home at that height.

 

[glen e]

Thanks, in my initial flights this weekend , I was wondering about what altitude it gets hard to see… I forgot to look when I was doing my column circuit

 

[Multicoptertec]

Thanks John, a quick question what is the altitude that everybody usually sets for return to home in a suburban area. Just looking for a general number to set in there , until I can go measure buildings, I don't really have anything big near me I assume 200 feet will do it?

There is no "general number". You need to know what the highest obstacle is, should your bird need to return to home. I live in a suburban area, with some 2 story homes, but the is a 400' radio tower nearby.


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[vcinfio]

I love the videos the Phantom 4 can produce. Its impressive flight and video characteristics seem intuitive and easy to use. I want the benefits of the Phantom's 4K video, with its sport tracking, intelligent mapping and long, far, high flights. But after dutifully setting up and charging my Phantom 4 and the controller, my enjoyment is overcome with conflicting firmware update methods, and with its colorful lights flashing, My Phantom 4 gets off the platform, but only after I've had enough, and I pick it up, to put it away for a while. If I hand't already 'confirmed' I was going to use it (hoping the blades would spin to life), I would carefully box it up, request a return and say good bye. But I can't, I now own it. I hate to say it, but I'm 'stuck with it'. And so I will persist. I have to, otherwise The Phantom 4 will soon be a fancy shelf sculpture. If anyone can help me please, to get the Phantom 4 to come out of its hiding and rotate to life, I will greatly appreciate it. Please, no scolding of how dumb I am, you don't know me, please, only real attempts to help. Until then, at least for the next 15 minutes, I will enjoy my fully charged, and easy to use, old 1080 video flyer, thank you, Jon.

Wow thank you for posting this. It's really meaningful and thought provoking *fart noise*


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[Samuraiz]

I just got a Phantom 4 for Christmas today and spent the better part of the day watching every YouTube and DJI Vid that I could get my hands on, and I would say the learning curve is rather steep for most people. I'm a veteran of iphones, car stereo, and many other gadget forums....so firmware and all the other things I encountered today were ok....but there were a few strange messages while updating and other minor glitches.....

Outside. My first flight was OK until it came down a little bit in the bushes because return home is not exact, less than I expected......and I learned drones in 15-20 mph winds is not smart. But No harm done. Out tomorrow for my second try...... I love this technology.

As per the Manual, If you evoke RTH while the AC is within 20 meters (60 Feet) it will just land. I recommend that to verify RTH and such find a wide open field and get the bird 100 meters away. Also you can terminate RTH as long as you have a radio connection, and then land manually. "Most folks find that the automatic RTH landing is a bit heavy handed so most take over the landing duties when the bird gets into range.

 

[JCP10]

I love the videos the Phantom 4 can produce. Its impressive flight and video characteristics seem intuitive and easy to use. I want the benefits of the Phantom's 4K video, with its sport tracking, intelligent mapping and long, far, high flights. But after dutifully setting up and charging my Phantom 4 and the controller, my enjoyment is overcome with conflicting firmware update methods, and with its colorful lights flashing, My Phantom 4 gets off the platform, but only after I've had enough, and I pick it up, to put it away for a while. If I hand't already 'confirmed' I was going to use it (hoping the blades would spin to life), I would carefully box it up, request a return and say good bye. But I can't, I now own it. I hate to say it, but I'm 'stuck with it'. And so I will persist. I have to, otherwise The Phantom 4 will soon be a fancy shelf sculpture. If anyone can help me please, to get the Phantom 4 to come out of its hiding and rotate to life, I will greatly appreciate it. Please, no scolding of how dumb I am, you don't know me, please, only real attempts to help. Until then, at least for the next 15 minutes, I will enjoy my fully charged, and easy to use, old 1080 video flyer, thank you, Jon.

I'm a relative newbie to the P4, having had it less than a month; with about 7 hours of flight. I like it, but I am not in love with it. I have had such difficulty with the dang phone (that won't stay on the controller), I was ready to pitch it. I'm not sure what (technical difficulties) you are experiencing, but I would like to help. if I can. My own frustrations revolved around not understanding what to do: (all the calibrations, etc.). I found YouTube to be a huge help in "how to do" things. For example: I just can't see the display on my Note4, not nearly as well as I would like. I finally am using Headplay goggles to see, and today, for the first time, I went about a 1/2 mile--great flight. But not without some anxiety, high concentration, and some questionable video issues on my SD card (likely my own fault). I am extremely frustrated that I have to take off the goggles, find the switch between video and photo and hit that just to take a picture when I am running video. My point is not to vent; it's that: there's a lot of learn and know. I mean it. You have to start slow, and take small steps (at least I do). It's not a toy, and I'm not looking to do make 'daredevil' videos. Just nice landscape photography. Even so, last week I had a tilted gimbal for one flight--didn't see it till way late. Restarted, and voila--fixed. Could be something simple going on here. There is an amazing young man named Brian who works at a placed called the "Hobby Hangar" in Chantilly VA. He is very knowledgable about quadcopters--might not hurt to give him a call. However, your post caught my eye because even though I am having great flights; I don't believe it's for me, either. Don't give up just yet. Start with the calibrations. Try the flight simulator in the DJI Go app. I learned a bit about the handling this way. You can test out the P4 in some cases using this. Make sure the switch on the RC in the the "P" position. If a battery has lost a cell; it could be that. The P4 is a pretty amazing thing. Please be specific in what you need help with, and we will all try.

 

[gmj3191]

Maybe you need some personal mentoring to get started. See if you can find someone near you who can get you up and running.

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