Phantom 3 Advanced Firmware Update Confusion

[Doug M]

I'm trying to update my aircraft firmware to the latest revision which, from the DJI website, I understand to be
P3A_FW_V01.11.0020.bin. This is the filename I see in the download folder on the PC after clicking on the DJI firmware website link.

As I understand it, if you have an SD card to USB adapter, the procedure should be fairly simple, but
I can't get the aircraft firmware upgrade to work. Here's what I've done.

1) Removed SD card from aircraft and formatted it without incident.
2) Copied P3A_FW_V01.11.0020.bin to the root directory of the SD card. Since the file extension is .bin,
I presume no unzipping is required.
3) Insert SD card into aircraft
4) Power up aircraft. Now here's where things begin to get fuzzy because there are numerous
descriptions about how you know that the FW update is done (e.g., sounds, light indicators, wait some
period of time), but they don't seem to agree with each other, nor are they always clear. Anyway,
after this step you should be able to...
5) Power down aircraft, remove SD card, and look at the contents on the PC via the USB adaptor. There
is a new text file present, and I've included the listing below. If you look, you see repeated upgrade
attempts with two different FW versions. Some attempts are successful, and some aren't. Frankly,
it doesn't make sense. A commenter offered that since I saw a successful status near the bottom
of the log file, it might have worked. WhenI just move on to the next step to the controller upgrade
which I understand to be...
6) Plug USB adapter with SD card into rear USB port of controller. Light on bottom from edge should
turn from red to blue (while upgrading) to green (when linked).

Have I got that right? Any insights? Thanks.


========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Upgrading ...
Result: Success.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.01.01 12:13:57 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.01.15 11:38:41 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.01.21 15:34:48 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.01.24 20:08:36 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.01.29 13:43:53 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.02.03 15:08:19 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.02.05 12:57:04 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.02.19 15:55:06 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.04.16 09:49:56 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.06.17 15:16:16 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.06.17 15:46:08 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.06.23 15:28:32 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2017.06.24 16:03:38 =====================
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.10.0090.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Upgrading ...
Result: Success.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

 

[Oso]

When I just move on to the next step to the controller upgrade which I understand to be...
6) Plug USB adapter with SD card into rear USB port of controller. Light on bottom from edge should
turn from red to blue (while upgrading) to green (when linked).

Updating the RC with a USB stick is a very outdated process not used since about Q3 of 2015. Thats not what you need to do unless you happen to have old FW earlier than 1.3.2.

If you need help with updating your FW, click here and follow those steps closely.

 

[Oso]

This entry from your file indicates to me that you have already successfully installed 1.11:

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Upgrading ...
Result: Success.

As for the other log entries with showing aborted attempts to install 1.10, they could simply be the result of the AC seeing the 1.10 FW bin file you may have left on the SD card. Same for the 1.11 aborts after the successful result. The AC could be seeing a FW bin file left on the SD card.

 

[Oso]

Copied P3A_FW_V01.11.0020.bin to the root directory of the SD card. Since the file extension is .bin,
I presume no unzipping is required

Zipped P3A bin files have always extracted to a file beginning with P3S. This started before the P3S model was released. P3P bin files extract to a file beginning with P3X. If you put a file beginning with P3A on your SD card, its not unzipped.

 

[Doug M]

Thanks. Now I'm showing the following directory listing on the SD card:

P3X_FW_V01.11.0020.bin (in the root directory).

When I install this card in the aircraft and power it up, the camera indicator goes from flashing green to solid green. Never
red. When I look at the directory listing subsequently on the SD card, it shows no text log file. This is after about 10 minutes.

Is there a way to clear old firmware from the non removable memory on the aircraft? Seems like I'm stuck.

Thanks,

 

[Oso]

Thanks. Now I'm showing the following directory listing on the SD card:

P3X_FW_V01.11.0020.bin (in the root directory).

When I install this card in the aircraft and power it up, the camera indicator goes from flashing green to solid green. Never
red. When I look at the directory listing subsequently on the SD card, it shows no text log file. This is after about 10 minutes.

Is there a way to clear old firmware from the non removable memory on the aircraft? Seems like I'm stuck.

Thanks,

As noted earlier, P3X is the file for the P3P so that won't work for your P3A.

P3A bin files extract to a file beginning with P3S, so that is what you need. Download the P3A FW (file starts with P3A) and then extract out the bin file that starts with P3S and put the file that starts with P3S alone on your SD card

Also, I still don't understand why you think you need to install 1.11 again when your own post already showed it as a success. Even so, if you really want to try a reinstall of the 1.11 FW, you can try doing it by following the steps in this video. That way you can hopefully avoid just getting more of those messages you have seen many times already which say, "Result: Abort. The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft." Please note that the video is demonstrated on a P3P which uses a P3X bin file. You however need to use a P3S bin file for your P3A.

 

[Doug M]

Ooops, OK, thanks, missed that. Now I have the P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin file in the SD card root directory, and
an apparently successful upgrade as the camera LED indicator did flash red-green and then change to green. The
bottom of the logfile says:

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:09 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Upgrading ...
Result: Success.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:12 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:10 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:10 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3S_FW_V01.11.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

Now I'm stuck on the step you referenced earlier:

23) Click the rectangle status message at the top, center of the DJI GO app. You should see an "Upgrade Required" message to the right of "Overall Status". If you do not see this message, disconnect and reconnect your USB/Lightning cable.

I upgraded the DJI GO app from the App Store.

I don't see any "Upgrade Required" message under Overall Status. Rather, it says, "Normal (Latest Firmware)". Yet, with the AC on,
the Gimbal Status reports disconnected, and there's no Aircraft Battery Temperature reading, suggesting that there is still no link to the AC.
"Linking Remote Controller" under Remote Control Settings times out and fails after a minute. At the main menu of the DJI GO app,
I see Aircraft Disconnected in red near the upper left corner.

Disconnect/Reconnect USB/Lightning from rear of controller doesn't fix it.

Thanks,

D

 

[Doug M]

Well, from all indications (solid green camera status light), the AC has had its firmware successfully
upgraded.

I still can't link the RC to the AC.

Overall status is "Normal (Latest Firmware)" which I can't believe is correct, and I don't see a way
of confirming the FW revision level as reported by the RC. Can I force an upgrade with the
overall status as Normal?

According to information earlier in this thread, I can't force a RC upgrade using the rear USB port, so
what do you do if you want to re-install FW to the RC?

Thanks,
D

 

[Oso]

so what do you do if you want to re-install FW to the RC?

You can try this procedure to see if you have any luck. You may need three hands however!

Press these four buttons on the remote controller at the same time: C1, C2, Recording and the Scroll wheel that adjusts ISO. (See photo below).

With another finger, turn the remote controller on without letting the other four fingers go.

Once the RC is on, turn on the app (while your device is connected to the RC) and you should be able to download and install the RC firmware again. You may need to do this a couple of times (while your device is connected to the Internet) before you get the "new FW available" message.

 

[Doug M]

Holy cow, that did the trick!

Thanks so much for your help! I will take this information and compile it into my
own set of user notes. Much appreciated,

Doug