P3S Firmware

[Gary M]

Hi everyone! Well, I got the dreaded message on my screen some time ago. "Firmware Update Required." I'm scared to death to do it. My drone is flying just fine and I don't want any new hiccups. So I've been putting off upgrading. But, does anybody have experience with the latest and can fill me in? Any cool new things added? Any bug fixes? Any new issues that you didn't have before but seemed to inherit with the upgrade?

 

[flpholt]

upgrade went smooth no problems flown a bunch since haven't seen any issues except range did increase for some weird reason

 

[mcphipps]

Been quite a few people complaining about the firmware upgrade not completing for them. Your call. But if everything is OK for you. Why change it.

 

[siawai]

Upgraded my P3S. Make sure all devices with battery fully loaded as it took 25 minutes or so of loud beeps. Useful to have wifi for downloading the firmware. Switching between wifi and RC take little effort but everything else went well.
My P3S flew further without video interruptions. Helps too with switching off my AirPort Extreme nearby. My guess mostly improvements under the hood.
Note that if you have not been updating the device for long, may have to do upgrades more than once with different batteries that you got. Something to do with temperature detection feature in previous upgrade.
That's just my view. The risk is still on you. Cheers.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Alex007]

Is it my imagination or are those annoying beeps a lot quieter with the upgrade?

 

[siawai]

[emoji16][emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Gary M]

Upgraded my P3S. Make sure all devices with battery fully loaded as it took 25 minutes or so of loud beeps. Useful to have wifi for downloading the firmware. Switching between wifi and RC take little effort but everything else went well.
My P3S flew further without video interruptions. Helps too with switching off my AirPort Extreme nearby. My guess mostly improvements under the hood.
Note that if you have not been updating the device for long, may have to do upgrades more than once with different batteries that you got. Something to do with temperature detection feature in previous upgrade.
That's just my view. The risk is still on you. Cheers.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Thanks for your input! So do you have to do a complete upgrade run with each battery? Or do the upgrade with one, then a quick upgrade for second battery?

 

[siawai]

Thanks for your input! So do you have to do a complete upgrade run with each battery? Or do the upgrade with one, then a quick upgrade for second battery?

Second battery firmware upgrade was rather quick.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[Nobler]

Idk if this is being caused by the last firmware update but I am pissed. No hard landings much less a crash and out of nowhere my range is crap now. Still waiting to hear from DJI support.. I called the nearest DJI certified repair center (120 miles away) and they told me the usual, re-link tx to aircraft, uninstall and reinstall the app, make sure all settings are correct and do a visual inspection... Nothing out of the ordinary. So I tried a windsurfer booster, it works a little better now but I can't get further than 1800'. Just 5 days ago it would get over 4000' away..

If yours is flying well with the firmware it has now, don't update ANYTHING until you have to. DJI needs to get it setup correctly and LEAVE IT ALONE. These are quadcopters, NOT smartphones or computers that need updating every week, it's f-ing ridiculous. They're over thinking and trying to overengineer something that should be as simple as possible for safety's and consumer's sake.

 

[martybabe]

Idk if this is being caused by the last firmware update but I am pissed. No hard landings much less a crash and out of nowhere my range is crap now. Still waiting to hear from DJI support.. I called the nearest DJI certified repair center (120 miles away) and they told me the usual, re-link tx to aircraft, uninstall and reinstall the app, make sure all settings are correct and do a visual inspection... Nothing out of the ordinary. So I tried a windsurfer booster, it works a little better now but I can't get further than 1800'. Just 5 days ago it would get over 4000' away..

If yours is flying well with the firmware it has now, don't update ANYTHING until you have to. DJI needs to get it setup correctly and LEAVE IT ALONE. These are quadcopters, NOT smartphones or computers that need updating every week, it's f-ing ridiculous. They're over thinking and trying to overengineer something that should be as simple as possible for safety's and consumer's sake.

Similar experience to Nobler for me, 1 really scary flight after the upgrade with total loss of signal. It seems to have settled down after re-booting everything but my range has literally halved.

Personally, I wish I had never bothered, it's ruined my P3s.

 

[Nobler]

Similar experience to Nobler for me, 1 really scary flight after the upgrade with total loss of signal. It seems to have settled down after re-booting everything but my range has literally halved.

Personally, I wish I had never bothered, it's ruined my P3s.

How long have you owned yours?

 

[martybabe]

How long have you owned yours?

About five months I think.

I started off with only a 200 meter range. With some help, I found a bad connection on the main antenna, sorted that out and got an instant 1km range and was looking to improve on that but since the upgrade I'm lucky to get 400 meters.

Never had any video downlink problems either previously.

 

[Superiorside]

No problem with mine. I own the P3S and P3A. With the standard the upgrade went well via wifi as someone said earlier make sure your fully charged before attmpting. If you have any hiccups there are a few informative youtube videos you could follow along to, that may be helpful to you. Happy flying.

 

[RodPad]

Updated my P3S Sunday the 20th did a quick test, 3680' when Lost signal and RTH. Mine is still working.

 

[Gary M]

Idk if this is being caused by the last firmware update but I am pissed. No hard landings much less a crash and out of nowhere my range is crap now. Still waiting to hear from DJI support.. I called the nearest DJI certified repair center (120 miles away) and they told me the usual, re-link tx to aircraft, uninstall and reinstall the app, make sure all settings are correct and do a visual inspection... Nothing out of the ordinary. So I tried a windsurfer booster, it works a little better now but I can't get further than 1800'. Just 5 days ago it would get over 4000' away..

If yours is flying well with the firmware it has now, don't update ANYTHING until you have to. DJI needs to get it setup correctly and LEAVE IT ALONE. These are quadcopters, NOT smartphones or computers that need updating every week, it's f-ing ridiculous. They're over thinking and trying to overengineer something that should be as simple as possible for safety's and consumer's sake.

"If yours is flying well with the firmware it has now, don't update ANYTHING until you have to. DJI needs to get it setup correctly and LEAVE IT ALONE. These are quadcopters, NOT smartphones or computers that need updating every week, it's f-ing ridiculous. They're over thinking and trying to overengineer something that should be as simple as possible for safety's and consumer's sake."

I'm 100% with ya on that. Of course I have heard tons of good things about the Phantom 3's or I wouldn't have bought one. I have also heard firmware nightmares ever since starting to think about buying one. Don't get me wrong, I'm mostly happy with mine. But I'm just so leery of screwing it up with bad Chinese firmware.

 

[Nobler]

About five months I think.

I started off with only a 200 meter range. With some help, I found a bad connection on the main antenna, sorted that out and got an instant 1km range and was looking to improve on that but since the upgrade I'm lucky to get 400 meters.

Never had any video downlink problems either previously.

I haven't had any video streaming issues.. I've owned mine for 34 days so I'm well past the 15 return/exchange policy. Just got a response from DJI support. They told me to uninstall/reinstall app............

I don't get why there's no factory reset on the p3 itself. Seems to me you would want that feature on there to make troubleshooting easier. Idk, if I hear anything else I'll let you know marty. If anything changes on your end give me a shout bc I'm eager to find out what is causing this.

 

[Nobler]

"If yours is flying well with the firmware it has now, don't update ANYTHING until you have to. DJI needs to get it setup correctly and LEAVE IT ALONE. These are quadcopters, NOT smartphones or computers that need updating every week, it's f-ing ridiculous. They're over thinking and trying to overengineer something that should be as simple as possible for safety's and consumer's sake."

I'm 100% with ya on that. Of course I have heard tons of good things about the Phantom 3's or I wouldn't have bought one. I have also heard firmware nightmares ever since starting to think about buying one. Don't get me wrong, I'm mostly happy with mine. But I'm just so leery of screwing it up with bad Chinese firmware.

I've been super happy with mine until this started happening.. I went with the phantom because I thought the price reflected reliability but idk what the price is reflecting now?? Hmmmmm

 

[martybabe]

I haven't had any video streaming issues.. I've owned mine for 34 days so I'm well past the 15 return/exchange policy. Just got a response from DJI support. They told me to uninstall/reinstall app............

I don't get why there's no factory reset on the p3 itself. Seems to me you would want that feature on there to make troubleshooting easier. Idk, if I hear anything else I'll let you know marty. If anything changes on your end give me a shout bc I'm eager to find out what is causing this.

Rather coincidentally, I am reinstalling the APP as I read this post gotta give it a go I suppose. in defense of the P3s, it has worked flawlessly up until this upgrade (not counting the slight assembly glitch) . I don't actually know if the APP upgrade or the firmware upgrade has ruined it but I wish I hadn't bothered with either. Cross fingures.

 

[Nobler]

Rather coincidentally, I am reinstalling the APP as I read this post gotta give it a go I suppose. in defense of the P3s, it has worked flawlessly up until this upgrade (not counting the slight assembly glitch) . I don't actually know if the APP upgrade or the firmware upgrade has ruined it but I wish I hadn't bothered with either. Cross fingures.

Right on, I'm gonna try it AGAIN just in case I missed something. I'm also going to format the sd cards through the phone then through the p3s and see if that along with the unin-reinstall of the app does anything. Let me know how your experiment goes.

 

[Nobler]

Rather coincidentally, I am reinstalling the APP as I read this post gotta give it a go I suppose. in defense of the P3s, it has worked flawlessly up until this upgrade (not counting the slight assembly glitch) . I don't actually know if the APP upgrade or the firmware upgrade has ruined it but I wish I hadn't bothered with either. Cross fingures.

I just tested it again, signal is still hit and miss at best. So now it's new home is the bedroom closet. Thanks DJI, enjoy my cash!! If anyone is interested in a month old p3s (that may or may not be defective) hit me up.