P3 Firmware Phantom 3 Advanced Firmware Issue - Please help

[TomCruise06]

I recently sold my babied phantom 3 advanced through eBay. I used iPhone 6s plus with the controller and Litchi app mostly(very rarely the DJI app). Before I packed the drone, it worked well without any issue.

So now the buyer is using an Android phone and DJI GO app, he has issues with firmware update. He was able to update the aircraft firmware successfully. Then, the remote controller blinks red and green it seems.

I shared him this video:

And this is his response:
"well the transmitter will not go into update mode like the video link states. went fine for the drone but not working at all for the transmitter.
The video showed to drop the Bin file onto the micro SD card then insert the card into the drone. Then wait for the drone to upload the file about 20 min or until the beeps change then power down and remove the MicroSD card. Check the txt file that it states success and it did.
Then it states to erase the txt file but leave the BIN file and se a Micro SD to USB adapter to update the controller. When I try to do that it will not upload to the controller. The light stays red and does not flash blue then after about 5 min the controller just starts beeping then shuts off after 10 min.
is there a different way to update the controller?"

I am not that technical with these drones so I am unable to assist him further. Can some expert here please help? Highly appreciate your help here.

 

[Oso]

I recently sold my babied phantom 3 advanced through eBay. I used iPhone 6s plus with the controller and Litchi app mostly(very rarely the DJI app). Before I packed the drone, it worked well without any issue.

So now the buyer is using an Android phone and DJI GO app, he has issues with firmware update. He was able to update the aircraft firmware successfully. Then, the remote controller blinks red and green it seems.

I shared him this video:

And this is his response:
"well the transmitter will not go into update mode like the video link states. went fine for the drone but not working at all for the transmitter.
The video showed to drop the Bin file onto the micro SD card then insert the card into the drone. Then wait for the drone to upload the file about 20 min or until the beeps change then power down and remove the MicroSD card. Check the txt file that it states success and it did.
Then it states to erase the txt file but leave the BIN file and se a Micro SD to USB adapter to update the controller. When I try to do that it will not upload to the controller. The light stays red and does not flash blue then after about 5 min the controller just starts beeping then shuts off after 10 min.
is there a different way to update the controller?"

I am not that technical with these drones so I am unable to assist him further. Can some expert here please help? Highly appreciate your help here.

A pity the buyer chose to change the FW before getting everything up and running and becoming more familiar.

FYI that the video you posted was created before significant changes were made to the updating processes. We routinely point people to this post for updating steps and emphasize to follow those steps closely. The process described by the buyer was changed back in Q3 of 2015. We try to remind people to watch only the most recent videos you can find to avoid causing issues and frustration.

Updating the AC but not the RC could have created a FW mismatch. Do you know what versions were on the AC and on the RC before he made changes? AC FW 1.8 and RC FW 1.6 were released together with an encryption change. If you have one (or later), you must have the other (or later) or you will have issues. DJI also noted this in the release notes, but even so we have seen several people here who were not aware and inadvertently created an encryption mismatch.

If he went to v1.11.20, he would also have to understand the changes related to AC FW 1.11.20. It was released in July 2017 and introduced forced flight restrictions similar to beginner mode if you haven't "registered" your app with DJI. Click here for more info.

If it would help, you may also try to share this tips post with the buyer to help him a bit more overall. He sounds like he’s relatively new.

 

[Tazzman]

Hello
I'm the buyer that the OP is talking about.
I am so grateful to the seller in tying to help and I feel now that I'm being an problem to him so I would like any help i can get so as not to have a drone as a $$ Look at my Drone.
I did the update since I was having an issue of the app stating Gimbal shake error. I didn't want to try to fly the aircraft with that message so I contacted the seller. The seller suggested I update the firmware to see if that corrected the issue but i held off and looked at the way I was doing the startup sequence. once I figured out that the last thing I needed to do was connect the phone the error was gone.
I chose at that point to do the update even though the gimbal shake error had been eliminated by initiating the proper startup sequence. The update on the aircraft went fine and I tried to do the update on the controller and it would not take. At that point I found out that while it will connect with the aircraft it now gives me a weak intermitted video signal display with a very pixelated display on my phone and the controller blinks red and green very fast. From what i've read you cannot roll back an update to the drone and if I could that would be the best thing other than not doing the update in the first place. Since I can't roll back the update on the aircraft what is the best way or is there a way to update the controller. I'm just afraid to even try to fly the aircraft for fear of a flyaway or crash and I need to know what to do.
Also need some questions answered.
Since I did the update on the aircraft there is no way to roll back correct?
How do I update the controller?
If I can no longer rollback the update i read about the the flight restriction limit is that now permanent and cannot fly higher or farther than mentioned?
What are my options if any to get the up and aircraft flying
Thank You for any help that you can give to a Noob.

 

[Tazzman]

The update I did to the aircraft was P3S_FW_V01.11.0020 the previous version was P3X_FW_V01.10.0090 and the controller version is 1.8.0
Since I'm a Noob i appreciate any help I can get on this and would be appreciative if someone would PM me to talk me through the update of the software and my options.
Thanks

 

[Tazzman]

I found a video on YouTube that seems to be the correct way to update the firmware on the controller and need to know if this is the procedure i need to follow?
Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Oso]

@Tazzman - welcome to the forum.

Please first read my post above from yesterday afternoon. It has links which explain many of the questions you’ve asked. For example, it includes links to firmware updating steps, how to handle v1.11.20 flight restrictions and relinking, plus a huge amount of other general tips, etc.

There are some unofficial ways to downgrade the AC, but it’s probably best to not intentionally introduce any additional variables until you’ve done and checked the items we’ve already suggested. Since the kit worked fine when it was sold, hopefully it’s something simple.

 

[Tazzman]

Thank You so much for all your help.
One last question on the older version the max altitude could be set up too 16000ish ft or 5000M correct?
Now it seems like im limited to 1500ft or 500M
is that due to the new update and it limiting the max altitude you can fly and at some point can that max altitude be removed by either moving farther away from restricted or close to restricted areas or by doing an unoffical downgrade of the firmware.
Thats fine with me right now but as i learn and get more experience I would like to know that answer for later.
Thank You so much for all your help.
Mark

 

[Oso]

Now it seems like im limited to 1500ft or 500M
is that due to the new update and it limiting the max altitude you can fly

The v1.11.20 restriction is a height of 30M / distance of 50M similar to beginner mode. That restriction is removed once you’ve signed in to the app. Click here for more info.

As for higher altitudes, check out this post:

ultimate height possible if no limitations...?

if there were no legal issues; if there were no battery charge issues; if there were no signal issues; if there were no weather issues; how high straight up could my P4P+ go...?

phantompilots.com

 

[Tazzman]

I was signed in and the AC and RC plus Phone all on and was going through the settings and came to max Height and off to the side it gave (20-500)M and was set to120 so I assumed its 120M or 360ft. Thought it was strange that it gave Meters since i set to Imperial so now Im not sure if the 120 is in feet or meters.
Again just curious since later I might want to try but at this point I'm fine with 500M .
Yes and i read that about height .
Thanks

 

[Oso]

I was signed in and the AC and RC plus Phone all on and was going through the settings and came to max Height and off to the side it gave (20-500)M and was set to120 so I assumed its 120M or 360ft. Thought it was strange that it gave Meters since i set to Imperial so now Im not sure if the 120 is in feet or meters.
Again just curious since later I might want to try but at this point I'm fine with 500M .
Yes and i read that about height .
Thanks

Here’s a bullet from the tips post linked in post #2 above.

> In the GO app, the maximum flight altitude setting and the RTH altitude always show in meters and can't be changed to feet no matter what preference you set in the app. Keep this in mind when you are setting your altitudes prior to flight.

 

[Tazzman]

Thanks