Original DJI Pro Phantom 3 (NIB)

[JhonJungblut]

I have been following PhantomPilots since Dec 2015. This is actually my first post. I have had a few small Drones but not until I purchased my DJI Pro Phantom 3 in early 2016 did I really started getting serious. Unfortunately the most I did back then was charge the battery to make sure it was good. Now after a new move from California to North Carolina and now retired I have time to enjoy my Drone. I am registered with the FAA as required and a member also of the AMA. I am looking for suggestions on the best way to setup my DJI Pro Phantom 3 which would include whether it is best do do or not do the software upgrades and updates. Looking for serious suggestions because I am now in a position to enjoy this Drone. Thanks all.

 

[Oso]

I have been following PhantomPilots since Dec 2015. This is actually my first post. I have had a few small Drones but not until I purchased my DJI Pro Phantom 3 in early 2016 did I really started getting serious. Unfortunately the most I did back then was charge the battery to make sure it was good. Now after a new move from California to North Carolina and now retired I have time to enjoy my Drone. I am registered with the FAA as required and a member also of the AMA. I am looking for suggestions on the best way to setup my DJI Pro Phantom 3 which would include whether it is best do do or not do the software upgrades and updates. Looking for serious suggestions because I am now in a position to enjoy this Drone. Thanks all.

If you've been following the forum since 2015, you've likely seen the list of tips that I have shared many times with new P3A/P3P owners. Most of the first 10 or 12 tips relate to FW updating, so you might consider reading those to help you decide how you would like to proceed.

In a nutshell - Using what you get when it arrives will give you a chance to check out your new drone for any unlikely infant mortality (early life) type of electronic issues, to understand the relationship between the RC, the AC, your mobile device, and the software, plus learn the many nuances of the design and it's features. Once you are very comfortable with what you have, you will better understand the forum discussions about pros/cons with each FW version and you can make a more educated decision about which version you prefer. You will also be in a better position to recognize any issues that are introduced if you do decide to update.

I cringe when I read about people who immediately update their firmware before they even know how to fly or before they know yet if what they have is fully functional or without even knowing what FW versions they started with. It becomes more difficult to diagnose or recognize any issues, and much more difficult if not impossible to go back to what they started with when new.

Also, sadly we have seen multiple threads here of people who have had issues with "no image transmission" after their P3Ps have gone unused for a long period of time. Not to mention issues with batteries which have not been maintained properly. Just a couple of other things to watch for as you get going.

 

[Starz]

I’m somewhat in the same boat, except that it wasn’t me that parked it in a closet. Several other DJI products around the house and this P3 certainly is a bit different. In trying to fire this one up, I discovered that it had never been activated. The learning process goes on. Thanks Oso, for the tips.

 

[JhonJungblut]

If you've been following the forum since 2015, you've likely seen the list of tips that I have shared many times with new P3A/P3P owners. Most of the first 10 or 12 tips relate to FW updating, so you might consider reading those to help you decide how you would like to proceed.

In a nutshell - Using what you get when it arrives will give you a chance to check out your new drone for any unlikely infant mortality (early life) type of electronic issues, to understand the relationship between the RC, the AC, your mobile device, and the software, plus learn the many nuances of the design and it's features. Once you are very comfortable with what you have, you will better understand the forum discussions about pros/cons with each FW version and you can make a more educated decision about which version you prefer. You will also be in a better position to recognize any issues that are introduced if you do decide to update.

I cringe when I read about people who immediately update their firmware before they even know how to fly or before they know yet if what they have is fully functional or without even knowing what FW versions they started with. It becomes more difficult to diagnose or recognize any issues, and much more difficult if not impossible to go back to what they started with when new.

Also, sadly we have seen multiple threads here of people who have had issues with "no image transmission" after their P3Ps have gone unused for a long period of time. Not to mention issues with batteries which have not been maintained properly. Just a couple of other things to watch for as you get going.

Thanks Oso you hit on the very root of what I was looking for. I am in no rush to update my firmware as I have read lot's of horror stories here. I will pay attention to the issues others have had and I do believe that is my starting point to start getting acclimated to what lies ahead. Let's hope learning from others will help me escape some of the previous issues. I do believe I might have to purchase a couple batteries, one for Drone and possibly one for my Transmitter. Time will tell and when I am ready to jump into this I shall give an update. Thank You