P3S with 1.6.80 - Upgrade or Downgrade?

CrisCG · Sep 19, 2016

Hi,

I got my P3S second hand, for a good price (about 600$ SH, was 800$ new) with a extra battery. It had only 3 months and a half. I bought it 3 days ago. It still has warranty, bought from a local dealer.

It came with 1.6.80 and it only flew 30m high and 100m away, before it was lagging video and showing RC Signal Lost.

I downgraded to 1.5.70 on the drone, so it is showing 1.5.70+ in the dji go app (i read that the RC remains with 1.6.80). I can go about 60-70m high now and about 200-250m away. So that is much better, but less than i was hoping.

I contacted the guy i bought it from and he says he did not have any problems with the range and he even sent me footage to prove it. He was using IOS and i'm using Android, but i don't think that is the problem.

So, is there a way to downgrade the RC too? I read everything i could these few days, looks like the answer would be NO, but maybe i'm missing something.

Should i stay with 1.5.70+ or try to update to 1.7.80 beta? Can i further downgrade it?

I know there wouldn't be any garranties, but what is your experience? Would it be better just to leave it as is, until a stable firware version and just mod the RC for better range? I guess i could also send it in for a repair under warranty, but i'm preety sure the drone is just fine, must be just the firmware.

cekabu · Sep 19, 2016

I tried all of them. Also 1.7.082 and 1.7.84 but the problem still exists. Now I cannot go back to 1.5.70. I would suggest you not to wait and send it back. Because it is already 3 months still no solutions

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 using Tapatalk

eospro · Sep 19, 2016

CrisCG said:
Hi,

I got my P3S second hand, for a good price (about 600$ SH, was 800$ new) with a extra battery. It had only 3 months and a half. I bought it 3 days ago. It still has warranty, bought from a local dealer.

It came with 1.6.80 and it only flew 30m high and 100m away, before it was lagging video and showing RC Signal Lost.

I downgraded to 1.5.70 on the drone, so it is showing 1.5.70+ in the dji go app (i read that the RC remains with 1.6.80). I can go about 60-70m high now and about 200-250m away. So that is much better, but less than i was hoping.

I contacted the guy i bought it from and he says he did not have any problems with the range and he even sent me footage to prove it. He was using IOS and i'm using Android, but i don't think that is the problem.

So, is there a way to downgrade the RC too? I read everything i could these few days, looks like the answer would be NO, but maybe i'm missing something.

Should i stay with 1.5.70+ or try to update to 1.7.80 beta? Can i further downgrade it?

I know there wouldn't be any garranties, but what is your experience? Would it be better just to leave it as is, until a stable firware version and just mod the RC for better range? I guess i could also send it in for a repair under warranty, but i'm preety sure the drone is just fine, must be just the firmware.

Where are you flying? To get the best range you need to be in a large open area away from any interference eg wifi, phone towers or power lines. I would try this before send it back, as there may be nothing wrong with the bird.

terry_g_c · Sep 19, 2016

As eospro stated, You'll probably have to live with that distance if you're in an area with a lot of interference. My personal experience... I live in the city around a lot of houses and apartments and trees. I'm lucky to get 450M on a good day from here. And that's with an antenna mod on it just to get that far. I've not had a chance yet to take it out and fly in an open area. But I have no doubt that it will be much better than here. There are a lot of things that you have to consider before you blame the Phantom. There are trees, buildings, towers, power lines, houses, metal structures and wifi signals from just about everywhere just to name a few.

CrisCG · Sep 20, 2016

Thank you for the replies. I am flying in an area where there are no buildings or interference. I will try the windsurfer mod, cause that one is a simple and reversible mod, and i can 3D print it. If it would have just a bit more range 400-500m, so that i could do some paid jobs. I didn't buy it just to have some fun, i hope it pays for it self and more.

respibob · Sep 20, 2016

This whole thing with the 1.6.80 firmware is so strange to me. I bought my P3S brand new, updated to the 1.6.80 firmware the first day and have had zero problems with range using nothing but the standard controller. I get 600-800m easily and have had up to 900m in an open area. Don't get me wrong, I believe all the people having problems I just don't see how I can be using the same drone with the same firmware and get that different a result.

Techcop50 · Sep 20, 2016

Try a different Android or iOS device. You need minimum 1Gb Ram and a dual core 1.2 processor, and make sure nothing else is running on the phone/tablet that you don't need to fly. It's best to dedicate a device for use with your P3S, and remove all the unnecessary apps from it. The Standard has to connect to the remote via Wi-Fi, so that's additional CPU/RAM load you need to consider.
My Standard works great with my Galaxy S5 and my Kindle Fire HD 6.0. I've dedicated my Fire Device solely to my P3S, and I love it. No maps, but that doesn't bother me. But the DJI Go app has to be side loaded, Amazon doesn't have it in their app store.

I'd definitely try another device before I blame the aircraft. Good luck and Happy Flying!

CrisCG · Sep 20, 2016

Thank you. I did try a Samsung Note 3 and a Nexus 7 2nd gen, both are on dji's list. It's the same with both.

I got the windsurfer 3D printed. If tomorrow will be a nice day to fly, i will try it and report back.

Mr. Pina Colada · Sep 20, 2016

I

cekabu said:
I tried all of them. Also 1.7.082 and 1.7.84 but the problem still exists. Now I cannot go back to 1.5.70. I would suggest you not to wait and send it back. Because it is already 3 months still no solutions

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 using Tapatalk

I did the exact same thing you did, tried out the 1.7 dev software with no gain in signal range and now I can downgrade...waiting for a new update any day now....

CrisCG · Sep 21, 2016

Ok, so that means upgrade isn't the best choice. Downgrade doesn't seem to be possible more that 1 firmware.

So, today i tried the windsurfer mod (see pics). Not a huge difference, but there is a difference. The video signal is more constant, no lagging. And i did get 100m extra range, 300-350m maximum distance. Altitude stayed the same, about 70m. This was with kinda bad weather conditions. We have not seen the sun for 3 days and yesterday it rained all day. So a lot of clouds today and a little wind. I'm curious if it will be better on a clear day. I will report back.

Kwaka Pants · Sep 21, 2016

Can someone explain how a windsurfer can make the video feed better?
It's my understanding that on a P3S the video and telemetry is received by the wifi panels inside the shoulders of the transmitter, so using a reflective device on the control signal external antennae should make zero difference?

toegema · Sep 21, 2016

Kwaka Pants said:
Can someone explain how a windsurfer can make the video feed better?
It's my understanding that on a P3S the video and telemetry is received by the wifi panels inside the shoulders of the transmitter, so using a reflective device on the control signal external antennae should make zero difference?

That is correct. A windsurfer on the Standard can only boost the control signal. Not video feed.

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Kwaka Pants · Sep 21, 2016

As I suspected, yet something is leading people to either believe they give better results, or they're doing something different when they fit one. Maybe being more aware of pointing the transmitter directly at the quad, therefore giving the wifi signal a better chance of hitting home...

dirkclod · Sep 22, 2016

Guys lets get this back on the topic of this / P3S with 1.6.80 - Upgrade or Downgrade?
Thanks

edrjen · Sep 22, 2016

Hi, I have problem with downgrade I`m on 1.6.8 and everytime when i try go to 1.5.7 stop at 21% ... any solution?

CrisCG · Sep 23, 2016

You are trying to do it in the app?

You can do it in the drone using a SD card -> see this thread

Today i flew 135m altitude and 500m. In the same place, just much better weather conditions. This is really good.

I tried Papa Tita's 27db mod, but my RC is still at 1.6.80, only the drone is at 1.5.70. Papa Tita said it won't work with 1.6.80, so i guess i won't be able to make it work.

Philltayl · Sep 23, 2016

Papatita never said that..........it does work with 1.6.80 firmware....

George McCann · Sep 23, 2016

If people are having troubles downgrading (i know i did a couple of times)
Have you tried this.... ( i have not seen anyone mention this anywhere i have worked this out for myself)

If the drone is not doing anything after inserting a sd card with a down-gradable firmware

turn the drone off ----

then hold the linking button (that you would normally use to link your rc with the drone) turn the drone on,, wait a few seconds,. and hopefully it will begin the downgrade process. (there is no need to connect your rc what so ever during this process) you can tell when the update/downgrade is complete by the little LED within the gimble

once this has finished reboot the drone and you should be on a lower firmware

CrisCG · Sep 23, 2016

@Philltayl I didn't know that. Cool. Thank maybe the mod helped me go much further than before. I did it, but i thought it had no effect, because of 1.6.80 firmware. Thank you.

@George McCann Yes, what you are saying is correct. I did it that way, but in only downgrades the drone, the RC remains with the last firmware that was installed when upgraded in the dji app. If there would be a way to also downgrade the RC.