P4 Firmware v02.00.0106 Released (2017-07-06)

[IKW]

.. except if you read the other recent thread on this here, people are reporting that it works ...

It is not that leaving the SD card in while you update causes the problem, it is that if you have the problem, removing the SD card and doing a firmware fresh then the calibrations does fix the issue for many people...

Mark

Didn't work for me, total waste of time

Will just have to wait for DJI to sort things out, I'm well and truly fed up with this update, its ruined my drones flying characteristics.

Anyone fortunate enough to still be using the old reliable firmware, my advice is do not update

 

[Pareja IV]

Refreshing firmware, recalibrating, resetting yo facctory settings, updating removing the SD card.....everything is a total waste of time. If you have not updated do not update.

 

[John Locke]

If you are flying at altitude, without the warning you really have no clue about the wind levels up there until you try to fly into the head wind.
.

This is false, unless you're not paying attention.

If your flying full throttle in S mode and doing 55mph, you know you have about a 10mph tail wind. Vice-versa, if your only getting 35mph at full throttle in S Mode, you've got about a 10mph headwind. As you make turns you'll see your speed increase or decrease at full throttle, IF YOU HAVE WIND. It's important to know your top speed in each mode to have a grasp of your flying conditions, based on the behavior of the craft while flying. So you do have clues what you're dealing with, wind-wise, at altitude, if you pay attention. If you want to know exactly the direction and speed, flip it into ATTI and find out.

It's very easy and accurate to take your own wind measurement at altitude. It takes about 15 seconds. Just switch to ATTI and hover with no stick input. The craft will drift with the wind in ATTI. Then, WATCH the GO4 app speedometer. When the craft stops increasing in speed, there ya go. You now have an accurate air speed and direction at your altitude.

 

[Goof]

It's very easy and accurate to take your own wind measurement at altitude. It takes about 15 seconds. Just switch to ATTI and hover with no stick input. The craft will drift with the wind in ATTI. Then, WATCH the GO4 app speedometer. When the craft stops increasing in speed, there ya go. You now have an accurate air speed and direction at your altitude.

Everyone should get into the habit of doing this. It also gives people a chance to play with ATTI mode a bit at height, especially if people are new to flying RC aircraft.

I'm not 100% sure if this gives a very accurate wind speed reading, assuming the craft is hovering perfectly level I guess there's no reason to assume the measured speed would be wrong....

 

[Fisherch]

After several hrs chatting w/ dji tech support about my bird after I updated I have re loaded & re calibrated everything w/ 3 different tech guys. I can not go back firmware. Now they tell me it's my phantom that is the problem not their firmware. They want me to send it back. Lucky for me it's less than 2 months old. "It should be covered" at least that's what they told me. I'll update when I get it back.

Certainly is their firmware, mine worked perfect before the update. Just needs a bug fix

 

[Mark_T]

This is false, unless you're not paying attention.

Of course you can do a few things to figure it out, but what you call 'paying attention' is not something that a lot of owners are going to do, which is why the warnings are there.

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on perspective, the P4 is powerful enough to mask the effect of wind-speed pretty well.

A lot of people really do not notice how strong it is unless they get the warning, and then it seems, based on a lot of posts here and elsewhere, the first reaction is to decide it is wrong

Yes, a good skilled pilot who is comfortable and confident in ATTI mode can easily check the speed and can cope if they lose GPS/Compass, but there are many who are not happy in ATTI mode and would never willingly switch to it to check anything, and so we have wind-speed warnings...

 

[Goof]

A lot of people really do not notice how strong it is unless they get the warning, and then it seems, based on a lot of posts here and elsewhere, the first reaction is to decide it is wrong

There are two issues at play with this firmware with regard to wind. The first is DJI's definition of 'strong wind', which is kinda subjective depending on flight hours and flight skill (the two are not necessarily linked in many people). I wouldn't personally consider < 4-5m/s a strong wind, but the warning will come up when the wind is well under even this figure.

The second is the aircraft's reaction to the wind, whether it's objectively 'strong' or not. Before the update, the bird was rock solid for me, even in gusting 40-50KM/h winds. It would just sit there in one place, with a ridiculous lean, no sharp throttle applications to any of the motors. Now? It rocks and rolls around in a gentle - moderate breeze, at less than 7m/s windspeed it looks and sounds like there's a baby on the cyclic stick learning all about their developing wrist motor functions.... Not to mention battery life in such winds is less than half of what it was before the update, due the the ESCs and motors working overtime at the whim of these ridiculous rates....

 

[John Tarvin]

Everyone should get into the habit of doing this. It also gives people a chance to play with ATTI mode a bit at height, especially if people are new to flying RC aircraft.

I'm not 100% sure if this gives a very accurate wind speed reading, assuming the craft is hovering perfectly level I guess there's no reason to assume the measured speed would be wrong....

Sorry, I don't want to be a meteorologist... Just want to fly! I believe my P4 is rated for up to 22mph winds. I can pretty much tell when I need to stop flying. When I take a leak into the wind and the wind blows urine back between my legs, it's time to pack it in (flying that is). Maybe I should buy myself a surplus weather balloon.

So, I'll use my head (and my pee) to determine if there's too much wind to fly...oh, and before someone jumps me, I know the pee method only takes surface winds into account.

All this because DJI screwed up wind warnings in their fw update.

 

[IKW]

There are two issues at play with this firmware with regard to wind. The first is DJI's definition of 'strong wind', which is kinda subjective depending on flight hours and flight skill (the two are not necessarily linked in many people). I wouldn't personally consider < 4-5m/s a strong wind, but the warning will come up when the wind is well under even this figure.

The second is the aircraft's reaction to the wind, whether it's objectively 'strong' or not. Before the update, the bird was rock solid for me, even in gusting 40-50KM/h winds. It would just sit there in one place, with a ridiculous lean, no sharp throttle applications to any of the motors. Now? It rocks and rolls around in a gentle - moderate breeze, at less than 7m/s windspeed it looks and sounds like there's a baby on the cyclic stick learning all about their developing wrist motor functions.... Not to mention battery life in such winds is less than half of what it was before the update, due the the ESCs and motors working overtime at the whim of these ridiculous rates....

Totally agree with you Mark, yet another flaw with this drone killing firmware !

 

[John Tarvin]

Heard a rumor that Litchi will be releasing a new version of their app this week that adds precision landing and landing protection. I'm ready!

 

[ryanmanchester]

Im glad i held back but I'm still tempted to update, its a crap feeling

 

[John Tarvin]

Im glad i held back but I'm still tempted to update, its a crap feeling

And, a bit like shooting craps. I lucked out. Maybe you will as well. Wish you the best if you succumb to temptation!

 

[Brockrock]

I finally had a chance to fly yesterday afternoon after updating everything last week. The updates went very smoothly for me. I updated the copter using Assistant 2, and I updated the remote using GO4 with my iPad Air 2 on WiFi. I then performed IMU, gimbal, and VPS (via Assistant 2) calibrations. I probably didn't need to re-link the remote and copter, but I did this as well.

Poking around in GO4, I noticed that my Sensitivity Setting had all changed as a result of doing this update, so I reset them as shown below:

I set EXP of .30 for Gentle, Normal, and Sports modes.

Of these three values, Brake Sensitivity is the one that could get you into trouble. I found 75 to be perfect and gentle seeming for the sake of the motors and airframe, but it is muted, and you have to be very careful and aware when approaching an obstacle like a tree branch which Obstacle Avoidance may not see. Once you get used to it though, it works quite well.

As I understand it, the Gain settings dictate how the copter will react - on its own - to environmental factors (such as wind and air pressure variables primarily) in order to maintain its stability while flying. Having these set at their maximum or even default values may be one reason that some folks are seeing and hearing the autonomous twitching in flight after this update. I found 85% to be very smooth and steady across the board.

My flight yesterday went well. The wind was blowing fairly steady at approximately 10 kts at the surface and maybe 15-20 kts at 200' which is the highest that I went. I did not observe and/or hear the erratic behavior that some have mentioned. I did get frequent wind warnings on my iPad Air 2 - which I found very annoying - and I can see how this would be a bothersome issue using a smaller screen like an iPhone.

My first takeoff was from the lid of my carrying case, and the copter was at a slight (maybe 3 degree) angle. I noticed that my horizon was tilted the whole flight at about this same angle, and I was not able to adjust it with the C2 / Rt Scroll Wheel combo. It seems that this handy method of 'on the fly' horizon adjustment is now gone. I was also not able to adjust it via the Gimbal Roll adjuster in the GO4 app. The numbers did change as I attempted to do so, but there was no change in the copter's gimbal angle.

On the second flight, prior to taking off from the same location (and at the same angle), I performed a Gimbal Calibration. This time, the horizon was spot on, and all attempts that I made to make it tilt (360 yaws, flying sideways, and a combination of both) resulted in the horizon remaining spot on. I can only guess that this is due to the fact that I performed my post-update IMU calibration on a verified level surface, and the gimbal calibrated itself (in the field) to those values - regardless of the fact that the copter was sitting tilted at the time. This is something that I am very happy about, and it has been a long time coming.

I am also very happy about Tripod Mode. The speed of the copter in all directions is perfect for smooth filming of static or slow moving subjects, and I can see this as proving very useful.

As far as battery life, I saw no real difference. I did two 8-minute flights on one (standard) battery with the Gimbal Calibration between them, and I finished with 48% on the pack.

So, last thoughts. IMO, the greatest benefits of this update are a seemingly more level horizon and the addition of Tripod Mode. I also encourage those who are having issues to tweak your Sensitivity Settings a bit and see if things improve.

I hope it helps!

 

[Fester]

Heard a rumor that Litchi will be releasing a new version of their app this week that adds precision landing and landing protection. I'm ready!

Looking forward to that too.

 

[Dazzauk]

I finally had a chance to fly yesterday afternoon after updating everything last week. The updates went very smoothly for me. I updated the copter using Assistant 2, and I updated the remote using GO4 with my iPad Air 2 on WiFi. I then performed IMU, gimbal, and VPS (via Assistant 2) calibrations. I probably didn't need to re-link the remote and copter, but I did this as well.

Poking around in GO4, I noticed that my Sensitivity Setting had all changed as a result of doing this update, so I reset them as shown below:

View attachment 85504

I set EXP of .30 for Gentle, Normal, and Sports modes.

View attachment 85505

Of these three values, Brake Sensitivity is the one that could get you into trouble. I found 75 to be perfect and gentle seeming for the sake of the motors and airframe, but it is muted, and you have to be very careful and aware when approaching an obstacle like a tree branch which Obstacle Avoidance may not see. Once you get used to it though, it works quite well.

View attachment 85506

As I understand it, the Gain settings dictate how the copter will react - on its own - to environmental factors (such as wind and air pressure variables primarily) in order to maintain its stability while flying. Having these set at their maximum or even default values may be one reason that some folks are seeing and hearing the autonomous twitching in flight after this update. I found 85% to be very smooth and steady across the board.

My flight yesterday went well. The wind was blowing fairly steady at approximately 10 kts at the surface and maybe 15-20 kts at 200' which is the highest that I went. I did not observe and/or hear the erratic behavior that some have mentioned. I did get frequent wind warnings on my iPad Air 2 - which I found very annoying - and I can see how this would be a bothersome issue using a smaller screen like an iPhone.

My first takeoff was from the lid of my carrying case, and the copter was at a slight (maybe 3 degree) angle. I noticed that my horizon was tilted the whole flight at about this same angle, and I was not able to adjust it with the C2 / Rt Scroll Wheel combo. It seems that this handy method of 'on the fly' horizon adjustment is now gone. I was also not able to adjust it via the Gimbal Roll adjuster in the GO4 app. The numbers did change as I attempted to do so, but there was no change in the copter's gimbal angle.!

You set exp the same for all 3 modes? You realise they are suppose to all be differnet?

 

[Brockrock]

You set exp the same for all 3 modes? You realise they are suppose to all be differnet?

I did. I rarely use Sport Mode, and when I do, it is only the added speed that I care about. An example would be to fly out to an offshore island approximately 1 mile away at 30 MPH where I want to do a bit of seal watching. Once I get there, I go back into 'P' Mode while on site - and maybe Tripod Mode now. This seems to give me the most time on site, and then it's back into Sport Mode returning home. It's all personal preference on the EXP settings really, and regardless of what you set, full stick deflection in any direction still gets everybody the same thing. It is just a matter of how quickly any change happens as you advance the stick(s), and I tend to be very gradual and slow with my stick inputs for the most part, so these settings seem to compliment that.

 

[Pareja IV]

I finally had a chance to fly yesterday afternoon after updating everything last week. The updates went very smoothly for me. I updated the copter using Assistant 2, and I updated the remote using GO4 with my iPad Air 2 on WiFi. I then performed IMU, gimbal, and VPS (via Assistant 2) calibrations. I probably didn't need to re-link the remote and copter, but I did this as well.

Poking around in GO4, I noticed that my Sensitivity Setting had all changed as a result of doing this update, so I reset them as shown below:

View attachment 85504

I set EXP of .30 for Gentle, Normal, and Sports modes.

View attachment 85505

Of these three values, Brake Sensitivity is the one that could get you into trouble. I found 75 to be perfect and gentle seeming for the sake of the motors and airframe, but it is muted, and you have to be very careful and aware when approaching an obstacle like a tree branch which Obstacle Avoidance may not see. Once you get used to it though, it works quite well.

View attachment 85506

As I understand it, the Gain settings dictate how the copter will react - on its own - to environmental factors (such as wind and air pressure variables primarily) in order to maintain its stability while flying. Having these set at their maximum or even default values may be one reason that some folks are seeing and hearing the autonomous twitching in flight after this update. I found 85% to be very smooth and steady across the board.

My flight yesterday went well. The wind was blowing fairly steady at approximately 10 kts at the surface and maybe 15-20 kts at 200' which is the highest that I went. I did not observe and/or hear the erratic behavior that some have mentioned. I did get frequent wind warnings on my iPad Air 2 - which I found very annoying - and I can see how this would be a bothersome issue using a smaller screen like an iPhone.

My first takeoff was from the lid of my carrying case, and the copter was at a slight (maybe 3 degree) angle. I noticed that my horizon was tilted the whole flight at about this same angle, and I was not able to adjust it with the C2 / Rt Scroll Wheel combo. It seems that this handy method of 'on the fly' horizon adjustment is now gone. I was also not able to adjust it via the Gimbal Roll adjuster in the GO4 app. The numbers did change as I attempted to do so, but there was no change in the copter's gimbal angle.

On the second flight, prior to taking off from the same location (and at the same angle), I performed a Gimbal Calibration. This time, the horizon was spot on, and all attempts that I made to make it tilt (360 yaws, flying sideways, and a combination of both) resulted in the horizon remaining spot on. I can only guess that this is due to the fact that I performed my post-update IMU calibration on a verified level surface, and the gimbal calibrated itself (in the field) to those values - regardless of the fact that the copter was sitting tilted at the time. This is something that I am very happy about, and it has been a long time coming.

I am also very happy about Tripod Mode. The speed of the copter in all directions is perfect for smooth filming of static or slow moving subjects, and I can see this as proving very useful.

As far as battery life, I saw no real difference. I did two 8-minute flights on one (standard) battery with the Gimbal Calibration between them, and I finished with 48% on the pack.

So, last thoughts. IMO, the greatest benefits of this update are a seemingly more level horizon and the addition of Tripod Mode. I also encourage those who are having issues to tweak your Sensitivity Settings a bit and see if things improve.

I hope it helps!

I changed all the settings in my second battery several days ago, when I realized the nervous behaviour of the bird in the first flight after the update, trying to make the flight softer. It didn't fix the issue. Even more, the braking distance was the same with brake sensitivity at 100 as brake sensitivity at 70, as if you hadn't changed anything.

 

[RémyHeli]

It's all personal preference on the EXP settings really, and regardless of what you set, full stick deflection in any direction still gets everybody the same thing.

EXP=EXPonential. Gives smaller response for same stick position around neutral. Then differential vs flat curve get progressively recovered up to max position.

 

[IKW]

I finally had a chance to fly yesterday afternoon after updating everything last week. The updates went very smoothly for me. I updated the copter using Assistant 2, and I updated the remote using GO4 with my iPad Air 2 on WiFi. I then performed IMU, gimbal, and VPS (via Assistant 2) calibrations. I probably didn't need to re-link the remote and copter, but I did this as well.

Poking around in GO4, I noticed that my Sensitivity Setting had all changed as a result of doing this update, so I reset them as shown below:

View attachment 85504

I set EXP of .30 for Gentle, Normal, and Sports modes.

View attachment 85505

Of these three values, Brake Sensitivity is the one that could get you into trouble. I found 75 to be perfect and gentle seeming for the sake of the motors and airframe, but it is muted, and you have to be very careful and aware when approaching an obstacle like a tree branch which Obstacle Avoidance may not see. Once you get used to it though, it works quite well.

View attachment 85506

As I understand it, the Gain settings dictate how the copter will react - on its own - to environmental factors (such as wind and air pressure variables primarily) in order to maintain its stability while flying. Having these set at their maximum or even default values may be one reason that some folks are seeing and hearing the autonomous twitching in flight after this update. I found 85% to be very smooth and steady across the board.

My flight yesterday went well. The wind was blowing fairly steady at approximately 10 kts at the surface and maybe 15-20 kts at 200' which is the highest that I went. I did not observe and/or hear the erratic behavior that some have mentioned. I did get frequent wind warnings on my iPad Air 2 - which I found very annoying - and I can see how this would be a bothersome issue using a smaller screen like an iPhone.

My first takeoff was from the lid of my carrying case, and the copter was at a slight (maybe 3 degree) angle. I noticed that my horizon was tilted the whole flight at about this same angle, and I was not able to adjust it with the C2 / Rt Scroll Wheel combo. It seems that this handy method of 'on the fly' horizon adjustment is now gone. I was also not able to adjust it via the Gimbal Roll adjuster in the GO4 app. The numbers did change as I attempted to do so, but there was no change in the copter's gimbal angle.

On the second flight, prior to taking off from the same location (and at the same angle), I performed a Gimbal Calibration. This time, the horizon was spot on, and all attempts that I made to make it tilt (360 yaws, flying sideways, and a combination of both) resulted in the horizon remaining spot on. I can only guess that this is due to the fact that I performed my post-update IMU calibration on a verified level surface, and the gimbal calibrated itself (in the field) to those values - regardless of the fact that the copter was sitting tilted at the time. This is something that I am very happy about, and it has been a long time coming.

I am also very happy about Tripod Mode. The speed of the copter in all directions is perfect for smooth filming of static or slow moving subjects, and I can see this as proving very useful.

As far as battery life, I saw no real difference. I did two 8-minute flights on one (standard) battery with the Gimbal Calibration between them, and I finished with 48% on the pack.

So, last thoughts. IMO, the greatest benefits of this update are a seemingly more level horizon and the addition of Tripod Mode. I also encourage those who are having issues to tweak your Sensitivity Settings a bit and see if things improve.

I hope it helps

Tried your settings really thought you was onto something there, but my drone still acts like a nervous horse.

I really feal uncomfortable flying it now since the update, previous to taking the firmware my drone performed perfectly.

Hope DJI sort things out soon

 

[IKW]

Im glad i held back but I'm still tempted to update, its a crap feeling

Don't update,it's not worth all the hassle, my drone is ruined because of it