Just got my P3A... now what?! :)

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Chaps,

I've been watching YouTube for days while I wait for my new child to arrive (The P3A), and it finally has! Unboxed and got the controller charging, and then will do a battery.

While I wait (How long do they take, by the way?), I am watching a few videos, and found on from April, I think, about a firmware upgrade procedure. The chap takes out the SD card, downloads files from DJI, copies them on... a mission.

Is this still required or is this too old?

With a brand new one, arrived today, what is the process?

I will be starting with a Samsung Galaxy S5. Download the DJI GO app?

Hopefully someone can direct, as the video seemed pretty strange and 'manual', yet my manual says nothing about what I saw.

Now I need to go change my clothes as I think a bit of pee has come out due to my excitement.

Oh, and this thing is SMALL! Awesome! Compact! Love it.
 
Read the manual. Update firmware on everything. Read manual again. Especially the parts about RHT and how the aircraft behaves in ATTI mode. Do an IMU and compass calibration. Make sure yoi know what every button on the remote does and every nenu in the GO app. Give yourself plenty of space and make sure conditions are good for first flight.
 
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****. Seems they forgot the user guide in the box! I have the quick start guide.... but no 'user guide'. Off to the DJI site to hunt it down.
 
No you need to update via SD card, download the .bin file from here - Phantom 3 Advanced - Specs, FAQ, Tutorials, Downloads and DJI GO | DJI and transfer ion to a completely blank SD card. Place it back in and switch the aircraft on, do not switch the remote controller on. It will start beeping and after about 20-25mins you will here a long beep followed by 3 short ones ands the little light above the camera will be solid green
 
Dont forget you are updating not just the aircraft but the controller and the batteries too. So you put the file marked .bin onto the micro SD card. Put it in the slot. Start up the aircraft, not the props just the battery. It goes through the whole update thing. Half an hour ish. When its finished switch off. Replace the battery with any spares you might have. Switch on again and if its needed it will go through the update for the battery again. At least thats how this ameature thinks it works. :) No doubt someone will soon correct me if I am wrong. :)
 
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Success!!!
Unfortunately, the charging, reading and updating.... made it dark here.
But I did a quick minute hover in the garden, and then went up over the roof. All line of site, but wow. Very stable.
I built a quad 2 years ago, but this is way easier to fly. Lovely. Thanks for the help!

Another Phantom is born. :)
 
Get yourself a pre flight check list and a post flight check list and follow the every time and that will help you to stay airborne longer. Keep younctaft clean and batteries well maintained. You'll be a good pilot and have a worth craft. Look and search for what pre and post item you need to check or just holler.
 
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Personal opinion here & too late now in this particular case, but I am disappointed when people advise new pilots to immediately update their firmware. This, IMHO, is a mistake. Unless a Phantom arrives with FW 1.5, I believe it more prudent advice to install the app, calibrate controller, IMU, & compass, & then fly a bit with the factory-installed software. This allows the pilot to get a feel for how the aircraft performs out-of-the-box. If they immediately update they have no sense of how it performed with the old software vs. new. If there is an issue, was it there from the start or was it introduced by the update?

New users often have no idea of the trade-off between old & new firmware revisions. They don't know they are going to be saddled with reduced performance in 1.6 to compensate for 1.5's battery problem. They don't realize pre-1.5 versions don't have the battery issue. Most importantly they are likely unaware that by going to 1.6 they have locked themselves into GEO constraints unless they are able to successfully revert to an earlier version.
 
Most importantly they are likely unaware that by going to 1.6 they have locked themselves into GEO constraints unless they are able to successfully revert to an earlier version.
How is not being able to fly in a NFZ a bad thing? What kind of advice would you offer pilots who are thinking of buying a Phantom 4? Should they never upgrade their Phantom again for fear they will not be able to fly in NFZs?
 
I don't have a problem with restrictions in a bonafide NFZ. OTOH I have two local stadiums which are generally empty. Obviously flying over a stadium during an event makes it a NFZ during an event but, under current GEO, these stadiums are ALWAYS NFZs. I also am not very happy about having to self-validate every 3 days to fly in areas that are NOT NFZs but only RFZs. Some may be fine with this annoyance but I find it a major PITA.

How is not being able to fly in a NFZ a bad thing? What kind of advice would you offer pilots who are thinking of buying a Phantom 4? Should they never upgrade their Phantom again for fear they will not be able to fly in NFZs?
 
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So, what's your plan for the future? P3 for life?
 
The state of GEO will certainly influence my decision on the acquisition of a future P4. I am hopeful custom firmware will become available to eliminate the annoyance factor of self-validating every three days. Or perhaps the system will become such a nuisance & turn-off to purchasers that it will be modified.

Another important factor to consider with 1.6 vs. earlier versions like 1.3/1.4 is the substantial performance hit imposed to band-aid 1.5's battery issue.

So, what's your plan for the future? P3 for life?
[/QUOTE]
 
Open the DJI go app and look in the top right-hand corner. Click the little graduation hat and it will take you to the learning center, you can also download the entire manual there.

Rule number one, always calibrate your compass before you take off. Do not calibrate it near large metal objects or electronic devices.

Biggest rule, never do a CSC command in the air. (pulling the sticks together to the bottom has when you start the engine.) Your phantom will fall from the sky like a rock.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
always calibrate your compass before you take off
I suppose this is more of a personal preference, but it's certainly not a requirement. If interested, this thread has good compass calibration advice.
 
Chaps,

I've been watching YouTube for days while I wait for my new child to arrive (The P3A), and it finally has! Unboxed and got the controller charging, and then will do a battery.

While I wait (How long do they take, by the way?), I am watching a few videos, and found on from April, I think, about a firmware upgrade procedure. The chap takes out the SD card, downloads files from DJI, copies them on... a mission.

Is this still required or is this too old?

With a brand new one, arrived today, what is the process?

I will be starting with a Samsung Galaxy S5. Download the DJI GO app?

Hopefully someone can direct, as the video seemed pretty strange and 'manual', yet my manual says nothing about what I saw.

Now I need to go change my clothes as I think a bit of pee has come out due to my excitement.

Oh, and this thing is SMALL! Awesome! Compact! Love it.

Welcome mate, I've only had mine a couple of weeks and it's one of the best things I've ever brought. Love it!
 
Personal opinion here & too late now in this particular case, but I am disappointed when people advise new pilots to immediately update their firmware. This, IMHO, is a mistake. Unless a Phantom arrives with FW 1.5, I believe it more prudent advice to install the app, calibrate controller, IMU, & compass, & then fly a bit with the factory-installed software. This allows the pilot to get a feel for how the aircraft performs out-of-the-box. If they immediately update they have no sense of how it performed with the old software vs. new. If there is an issue, was it there from the start or was it introduced by the update?

New users often have no idea of the trade-off between old & new firmware revisions. They don't know they are going to be saddled with reduced performance in 1.6 to compensate for 1.5's battery problem. They don't realize pre-1.5 versions don't have the battery issue. Most importantly they are likely unaware that by going to 1.6 they have locked themselves into GEO constraints unless they are able to successfully revert to an earlier version.

What's the scenario if you are flying near a nfz and you fly into the radius. What's happens to the drone? Does it automatically navigate out? Give you warnings but still let you enter? I know if your within you can't take off but nothing has been said about flying into one????
 

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