Phantom 3 Pro Connection To iPad Mini 3, Won't Launch App

[JhonJungblut]

Do you have any other USB to lightening cables you can try? The problem certainly appears to be the communications between the RC and the iPad. There are some USB cables that are made to charge devices only, and not carry communications. USB cable problems are often reported on this forum. I would focus on this issue, as it appears to be a hardware communications problem at this point. I don't see this as a software problem now. Changing and reloading apps is very unlikely to help if it is hardware.

David, moving on that thought I am including a picture of the back of my Controller. You will notice I have two USB slots, the one on the left is what I have been using with a regular USB Charge Cable from the Controller to the iPad. Researching I found a cable on Amazon and it is called: Obeka Compatible 1FT 90 Degree Micro USB to iOS Phone Tablet OTG Data Cable Right Angle Connector Cord. I should receive sometime tomorrow. I will use this from the USB plug on the right which should either be in the right direction or back to square one, on why I don't have proper communications between the Controller and the iPad. Thank you again David for your help. I still plan on researching until I get the cable.

 

[David_Cambridge]

A charge cable is wrong unless it also carries data. Some do and some don’t.

 

[Oso]

I did see something last night about changing to my original cable. Soon as I finish a chore or two I will try it out and report back.

I tried an OEM Cable for my iPad Mini 3 and I get the same results.

Seems like the cable is a common culprit, though I do see that you've tried different cables. Another common issue IIRC is the USB connector on the RC itself.

You will notice I have two USB slots, the one on the left is what I have been using with a regular USB Charge Cable from the Controller to the iPad. Researching I found a cable on Amazon and it is called: Obeka Compatible 1FT 90 Degree Micro USB to iOS Phone Tablet OTG Data Cable Right Angle Connector Cord. I should receive sometime tomorrow. I will use this from the USB plug on the right

Unfortunately, the micro usb on the right is not a viable port to use when connecting to your mobile device. You’ll need to continue using the one on the left as you have been.

As I noted earlier and as you have no doubt seen many times in your research, the cable is a common issue so you can try a few more.

Also as noted, the USB port on the RC is another weak point. IIRC, especially so with the 300A remotes. Do you happen to have a 300A remote? If so, there are posts here with instructions for fixing the USB board. Of course, adding the HDMI module is something that many have done to get a working USB port but that means spending with no guarantee.

One additional thing to consider is that we have routinely seen people report that their P3s no longer work after some amount of idle time. Even just weeks or months in fact. With yours being 4 years idle, it is sadly not surprising to hear your story. If it worked perfectly, that would be much more surprising. Assuming you get the connection going, keep in mind that other issues, specifically “no image transmission” could be your next obstacle. Just giving you a heads up as a data point with deciding how much to invest. We are all still keeping our fingers crossed that you get going quickly with no additional issues.

 

[JhonJungblut]

Unfortunately, the micro usb on the right is not a viable port to use when connecting to your mobile device. You’ll need to continue using the one on the left as you have been.

As I noted earlier and as you have no doubt seen many times in your research, the cable is a common issue so you can try a few more.

Also as noted, the USB port on the RC is another weak point. IIRC, especially so with the 300A remotes. Do you happen to have a 300A remote? If so, there are posts here with instructions for fixing the USB board. Of course, adding the HDMI module is something that many have done to get a working USB port but that means spending with no guarantee.

One additional thing to consider is that we have routinely seen people report that their P3s no longer work after some amount of idle time. Even just weeks or months in fact. With yours being 4 years idle, it is sadly not surprising to hear your story. If it worked perfectly, that would be much more surprising. Assuming you get the connection going, keep in mind that other issues, specifically “no image transmission” could be your next obstacle. Just giving you a heads up as a data point with deciding how much to invest. We are all still keeping our fingers crossed that you get going quickly with no additional issues.

Oso, you have brought up a few things for me to jump on and I have...

Tried a few more cables and was a no go. I will be going back and reading and watching more Video's on the 300A Controller problems.

The main thing I found is that my Controller Model Number is: GL300A. First thing I did was open the back, looked at all the ribbon cables, reseated them by unlocking and moving them in and out, re-locked them down. I also loosened up the board and reseated. Tried to get Controller talking to app to get Camera View to pop up. (No Joy).

I will order the DJI HDMI Output Module Part 54 for the Phantom 3 Pro soon after this post. Being an IT guy at one time before my retirement my gut says you might be on the right track Oso. Biggest thing is my Drone has been boxed for over 4 years and I am thinking once one problem is solved another may creep up, but with the process of elimination my Drone will fly. The HDMI Output Module should be here Friday.

Thanks for the "Positive Vibes".

 

[Oso]

Being an IT guy at one time before my retirement...

Perhaps you’ll find this post an interesting read:

Fixing flash programming in DM365 chip within GL300 remote controller

Here you will find not only instructions to blindly follow, but an explanation of what you're really doing. Fixing is also preceded by diagnosis - this is how all repairs should look like. So, here is the link to my DM365 chip reflashing tutorial, with specific tasks performed on GL300 RC...

phantompilots.com

 

[JhonJungblut]

Perhaps you’ll find this post an interesting read:

Fixing flash programming in DM365 chip within GL300 remote controller

Here you will find not only instructions to blindly follow, but an explanation of what you're really doing. Fixing is also preceded by diagnosis - this is how all repairs should look like. So, here is the link to my DM365 chip reflashing tutorial, with specific tasks performed on GL300 RC...

phantompilots.com

Thanks Oso, Thank you so much for this very interesting read. This post brought me back to my younger years where at a moments notice I would not hesitate to just dive right in. Now I am going to go with easy way first, replace the Module, then go the hard way to coin a phrase if necessary.

It is very in depth and a completely detailed road map on how to go about a specific flash programming. I will probably do a re-read several times between now and when I receive my HDMI Module on Friday.

Thank You again

 

[JhonJungblut]

Thanks Oso, Thank you so much for this very interesting read. This post brought me back to my younger years where at a moments notice I would not hesitate to just dive right in. Now I am going to go with easy way first, replace the Module, then go the hard way to coin a phrase if necessary.

It is very in depth and a completely detailed road map on how to go about a specific flash programming. I will probably do a re-read several times between now and when I receive my HDMI Module on Friday.

Thank You again

Oso, Here is my update after installation of Module with HDMI Port. I was able to remove and install new module with no difficulty. Only problem I had was my fingers are big so getting bottom ribbon to plug in took some creativity. I took a pair of small needle nose pliers, put a plastic sandwich back over the claws and slowly used those as fingers. The plastic over the pliers was so I did not damage the ribbon. Once all this was done I was able to finally get into activation mode. At the moment while I was activating, I came across the dreaded Error: 800: questionnaire was not found on top of batteries needing charging. I will have to charge batteries before I proceed on. I was able to finally get to a camera screen after skipping the error and as with all things noticed another error: No Image Transmission Signal. As the saying goes "Let The Games Begin".

 

[Oso]

Oso, Here is my update after installation of Module with HDMI Port. I was able to remove and install new module with no difficulty. Only problem I had was my fingers are big so getting bottom ribbon to plug in took some creativity. I took a pair of small needle nose pliers, put a plastic sandwich back over the claws and slowly used those as fingers. The plastic over the pliers was so I did not damage the ribbon. Once all this was done I was able to finally get into activation mode. At the moment while I was activating, I came across the dreaded Error: 800: questionnaire was not found on top of batteries needing charging. I will have to charge batteries before I proceed on. I was able to finally get to a camera screen after skipping the error and as with all things noticed another error: No Image Transmission Signal. As the saying goes "Let The Games Begin".

Making progress. That’s good to hear.

I’m sorry to hear however that you see the exact error I mentioned in an earlier post (no image transmission) that I was afraid you’d see next. Its just so common with P3Ps which have been idle for a while or have overheated from being powered on a long time without a fan.

The next thing I usually ask people is to look at their LOG_AB file to see if modules 8 and 15 show as “device not detected.” That is one of the classic indicators of a bad gimbal top (main) board. There is this troubleshooting flow chart developed by @quaddamage in part due to how common the issue has been over the years.

 

[JhonJungblut]

Making progress. That’s good to hear.

I’m sorry to hear however that you see the exact error I mentioned in an earlier post (no image transmission) that I was afraid you’d see next. Its just so common with P3Ps which have been idle for a while or have overheated from being powered on a long time without a fan.

The next thing I usually ask people is to look at their LOG_AB file to see if modules 8 and 15 show as “device not detected.” That is one of the classic indicators of a bad gimbal top (main) board. There is this troubleshooting flow chart developed by @quaddamage in part due to how common the issue has been over the years.

Oso, Batteries are charged. I am still getting error about taking questionnaire. I am still getting the "No Image Transmission" error on screen of the app. I have followed the directions in regards to locating the LOG_AB_file but I do not have any files written on my Micro SD Card. The file location is empty. The only file existing on the Micro SD Card is the Configuration file. I also followed directions in trying to get written again but no luck. I am able to see all hidden files and folders.

I have taken every precaution to not damage my Gimbal and keep it free moving when ever in use. Removed the foam in the back and the plastic guard in front. I noticed that any resistance or overheating could cause the gimbal to display the message. I a able to take video's and pictures while in place. Of course they are dated 1/1/2014.

This is turning into a "Head Scratcher".

 

[JhonJungblut]

Making progress. That’s good to hear.

I’m sorry to hear however that you see the exact error I mentioned in an earlier post (no image transmission) that I was afraid you’d see next. Its just so common with P3Ps which have been idle for a while or have overheated from being powered on a long time without a fan.

The next thing I usually ask people is to look at their LOG_AB file to see if modules 8 and 15 show as “device not detected.” That is one of the classic indicators of a bad gimbal top (main) board. There is this troubleshooting flow chart developed by @quaddamage in part due to how common the issue has been over the years.

Oso, been doing my homework and decided to venture past screen errors. It seems looking at the two pictures I have something going on, sort of a mini road map of problems. Looking at the first picture it shows Overall Status: Normal with a Red Warning Triangle. Going into the menu we have: Overall Status indicating: Remote Controller requires Upgrade. Download Firmware so: Aircraft requires an update, Camera requires an update, Battery requires an update. I would imagine that once I finish these updates I am wondering if I might be lucky enough to get my camera view back and my drone all normal? My question is this, won;t the latest Firmware update correct all these problems? Thanks

 

[Oso]

I am still getting error about taking questionnaire.

I recall there being some sort of quiz that DJI was having people do with some version of the app. I never updated anything far enough to get it, but it looked like this:

DJI GO iOS version 3.1.22 - requires quiz before flying?

Greetings fellow pilots: I've got a P3A running the following: iPad Mini 2 w/iOS 11.0.3 (15A432) App: Version 3.1.22 Aircraft: Version 1.5.30+ Remote Controller: Version 1.8.0 Basic App Fly Safe Database: Version 01.00.01.05 I recently upgraded from iOS 10 to 11, and when I did that, it...

phantompilots.com

I am still getting the "No Image Transmission" error on screen of the app. I have followed the directions in regards to locating the LOG_AB_file but I do not have any files written on my Micro SD Card. The file location is empty. The only file existing on the Micro SD Card is the Configuration file. I also followed directions in trying to get written again but no luck. I am able to see all hidden files and folders.

This will be your biggest issue I suspect. My thoughts are that you will eventually decide that you either need to buy a new gimbal top (main) board or try to fix yours with the steps at the bottom of the troubleshooting chart I linked to earlier. DJI does not sell the board, so people have been buying them used (and hoping they buy a working one) or fixing them themselves. The used boards are hard to find working, though one member here took advantage of another member here recently when he bought three of them for far less than their value. They do become available from time to time, but be careful.

As for the LOG_AB. What versions of FW do you have currently on your RC and AC? Which very old FW version did you try to use to rewrite the LOG_AB? Where did you get the bin file?

I have taken every precaution to not damage my Gimbal and keep it free moving when ever in use. Removed the foam in the back and the plastic guard in front. I noticed that any resistance or overheating could cause the gimbal to display the message. I a able to take video's and pictures while in place. Of course they are dated 1/1/2014.

The damage is done just by having the AC powered up with no air flow. It is not related to moving the gimbal at all.

I a able to take video's and pictures while in place. Of course they are dated 1/1/2014.

If you are able to record pix to the SD card, that is a good sign and one of the steps in the troubleshooting chart. Still, that is also common with the 'no image transmission" error unfortunately.

Oso, been doing my homework and decided to venture past screen errors. It seems looking at the two pictures I have something going on, sort of a mini road map of problems. Looking at the first picture it shows Overall Status: Normal with a Red Warning Triangle. Going into the menu we have: Overall Status indicating: Remote Controller requires Upgrade. Download Firmware so: Aircraft requires an update, Camera requires an update, Battery requires an update. I would imagine that once I finish these updates I am wondering if I might be lucky enough to get my camera view back and my drone all normal? My question is this, won;t the latest Firmware update correct all these problems? Thanks
View attachment 115615View attachment 115616

IMHO, I would not update anything until you sort out your current issues. You may be introducing unrelated variables that will be difficult to diagnose. I have never seen the "no image transmission error" fixed with a FW update.

If you are interested, click here for some tips that I often share with new P3A/P3P owners. In your case, you are not a new owner but more of a new user.

 

[JhonJungblut]

I recall there being some sort of quiz that DJI was having people do with some version of the app. I never updated anything far enough to get it, but it looked like this:

DJI GO iOS version 3.1.22 - requires quiz before flying?

Greetings fellow pilots: I've got a P3A running the following: iPad Mini 2 w/iOS 11.0.3 (15A432) App: Version 3.1.22 Aircraft: Version 1.5.30+ Remote Controller: Version 1.8.0 Basic App Fly Safe Database: Version 01.00.01.05 I recently upgraded from iOS 10 to 11, and when I did that, it...

phantompilots.com

This will be your biggest issue I suspect. My thoughts are that you will eventually decide that you either need to buy a new gimbal top (main) board or try to fix yours with the steps at the bottom of the troubleshooting chart I linked to earlier. DJI does not sell the board, so people have been buying them used (and hoping they buy a working one) or fixing them themselves. The used boards are hard to find working, though one member here took advantage of another member here recently when he bought three of them for far less than their value. They do become available from time to time, but be careful.

As for the LOG_AB. What versions of FW do you have currently on your RC and AC? Which very old FW version did you try to use to rewrite the LOG_AB? Where did you get the bin file?


The damage is done just by having the AC powered up with no air flow. It is not related to moving the gimbal at all.


If you are able to record pix to the SD card, that is a good sign and one of the steps in the troubleshooting chart. Still, that is also common with the 'no image transmission" error unfortunately.


IMHO, I would not update anything until you sort out your current issues. You may be introducing unrelated variables that will be difficult to diagnose. I have never seen the "no image transmission error" fixed with a FW update.

If you are interested, click here for some tips that I often share with new P3A/P3P owners. In your case, you are not a new owner but more of a new user.

Oso, Lets start with Versions:

App: 3.1.59
Aircraft: Version Unknown (That is exactly what is says on the App)
Remote Controller: 1.1.5+
Fly Safe Database: 01.00.01.09

 

[JhonJungblut]

Oso, Lets start with Versions:

App: 3.1.59
Aircraft: Version Unknown (That is exactly what is says on the App)
Remote Controller: 1.1.5+
Fly Safe Database: 01.00.01.09

Observation: Would it be fair to say that if my Aircraft is showing no known version for Firmware, that obtaining my Log_AB Files would be difficult. If the Firmware is not operating properly I am wondering if this is precluding the Log_AB Files from being written. Ever since the first day I turned on my P3P I was always looking for the Log_AB Files as suggested. I have not been able to find them in location identified and I know every trick in the book to get files hidden to show up.
Thanks

 

[Oso]

I also followed directions in trying to get written again but no luck.

Which very old FW version did you try to use to get the AC to write a LOG_AB? Where did you get the FW bin file? Since your app shows "version unknown," how did you know how old of a FW file to use?

Observation: Would it be fair to say that if my Aircraft is showing no known version for Firmware, that obtaining my Log_AB Files would be difficult. If the Firmware is not operating properly I am wondering if this is precluding the Log_AB Files from being written.

It's hard to say in your case since you are using new old stock - basically a very old P3P which has been untouched since being boxed at the factory. I don't know enough about how they come shipped wrt the LOG_AB and what has been written internally during factory production. It may also be very difficult to find a FW .bin file old enough to do the work around that you mentioned you already tried to get the rewrite. Again, since you have a very old AC which has never been used or updated, as well as not reporting it's FW version to the app, it's basically guesswork. I mean that from my modest understanding of P3s. Hopefully someone who knows more can chime in with an obvious (to them) solution.

With that being said, if it were mine this is what I would do. Note that it goes against what I tell mostly everyone else, but you have a very special case. If it were mine, I would probably bite the bullet and update the FW to an early version. Perhaps v1.1.9 which still today has been my favorite version for these reasons. Note that some had lens distortion issues with that version, but for me it was not an issue at all. You can get v1.1.9 as well as many other versions by going here. Perhaps that is where you already got a .bin file to try to rewrite the LOG_AB. Back in those days, the same .bin file was used to update both the AC and the RC, and DJI hadn't yet switched to a new encryption. Perhaps if you do this, it will write a LOG_AB file.

One thing to be clear about however. Based on all of the symptoms you've noted, I'm confident saying that I am >90% sure that your LOG_AB will show modules 8/15 as "device not detected" and that you have a bad gimbal top (main) board. Seeing the LOG_AB is only to get all the way to 100%. Also, you do sound like the type of guy who would have the desire and the ability to fix the board yourself with the instructions I linked to earlier as written by @quaddamage .

Ever since the first day I turned on my P3P I was always looking for the Log_AB Files as suggested. I have not been able to find them in location identified and I know every trick in the book to get files hidden to show up.

There are MANY people here who have tried to find their LOG_AB only to come back with saying it's just not there. Then we have to explain for the second or third time to them about hidden files, and then suddenly wow! it has been there the whole time. In your case however, I have no doubt whatsoever that you fully understand how to see hidden files and that you'd see them if they were present.

 

[quaddamage]

Observation: Would it be fair to say that if my Aircraft is showing no known version for Firmware, that obtaining my Log_AB Files would be difficult.

No, there is no causation relation there.

Let's explain a bit how the FW version in app works:

The app wants to know FW version of the AC, to display it to you and also (hypothetically) to adjust how it talks to the AC (ie. some messages (DUML packets) might have changed between versions).

There is no message like "gimme your AC FW version!" which the app can send. Why? Because the AC in not one entity. It consists of several processors, which are controlling different things. Each of these has a life on its own, talking to the others when needed. But each of these "modules" has its own embedded software, which we call firmware.

So the only thing the app can do, is ask "gimme your module FW version!" for every module. Then it gets a few versions; circa 12, if all modules responded. But - each of these modules is developed separately, by different teams within DJI, and has different version numbers. So how the heck can we make one FW version out of these? What to show the user?

So the app has a strategy to deal with that: contact DJI, and send it "give me version of modules within each official firmware package version!". With the DJI servers answering with a full list, the app can now compare versions it received from modules with what each firmware package version contains. If full match is found, it just shows that version. If something similar but not fully matching was found, it displays the closest version followed by a "+" (I don't know exactly what "closest" means in this case; would require deep dive into the app code to check that).

Then, what does "unknown" mean? Hard to tell. Something definitely went wrong with the process. Maybe there's a pre-release version which DJI servers don't send info about? Or the app has trouble contacting DJI? Or some modules are not responding, and there's not enough info to really tell the version? No way to know.

What we'd really need is FW version for each module. And this is what LOG_AB provides us with.

 

[JhonJungblut]

No, there is no causation relation there.

Let's explain a bit how the FW version in app works:

The app wants to know FW version of the AC, to display it to you and also (hypothetically) to adjust how it talks to the AC (ie. some messages (DUML packets) might have changed between versions).

There is no message like "gimme your AC FW version!" which the app can send. Why? Because the AC in not one entity. It consists of several processors, which are controlling different things. Each of these has a life on its own, talking to the others when needed. But each of these "modules" has its own embedded software, which we call firmware.

So the only thing the app can do, is ask "gimme your module FW version!" for every module. Then it gets a few versions; circa 12, if all modules responded. But - each of these modules is developed separately, by different teams within DJI, and has different version numbers. So how the heck can we make one FW version out of these? What to show the user?

So the app has a strategy to deal with that: contact DJI, and send it "give me version of modules within each official firmware package version!". With the DJI servers answering with a full list, the app can now compare versions it received from modules with what each firmware package version contains. If full match is found, it just shows that version. If something similar but not fully matching was found, it displays the closest version followed by a "+" (I don't know exactly what "closest" means in this case; would require deep dive into the app code to check that).

Then, what does "unknown" mean? Hard to tell. Something definitely went wrong with the process. Maybe there's a pre-release version which DJI servers don't send info about? Or the app has trouble contacting DJI? Or some modules are not responding, and there's not enough info to really tell the version? No way to know.

What we'd really need is FW version for each module. And this is what LOG_AB provides us with.

Update: After many tirelessly hours of trying to get my Drone to connect to my Controller, from A to Z and in between I broke down and called DJI Tech Support again. On Nov 18th I placed this call. I asked the DJI Support Tech to please read chat from previous call that was over four hours long. After spending over 30 minutes going over the notes he had my try two things. Once to see if I can link the Controller to the Drone, this was a not. Two, was I able to update the FW on the Drone, this also was a no. Believe it not the Drone never reacted to any way of updating the FW. I was not able to get the light to flash green and red, was not able to the LOG_AB Files written, and trust me I looked everywhere on that Micro SD Card.

His next words were what I was kind of expecting, I am opening a case and you will need to send your Drone to DJI for Technicians to look, see what is going on and why the Drone will not react to any or all FW update attempts. Now not unusual so I filled out the DJI Repair request online and something very strange and enlightening occurred. I loaded the Case Information using my Serial Number and this is what came up:
Model: Phantom 3 Advanced. Only problem is I have a Phantom 3 Pro. I mentioned that the Case Information is showing my Drone as an Advanced and not a Pro and the Tech assured me this was not the case. I made sure he know I had a Pro, and the box said Pro, all paperwork said Pro yet DJI has my Drone as an Advanced.

So I boxed it up and sent it out that same day (11/18/19). Now I am in waiting mode to see what the DJI Techs will find or the results will be.

Thank you David, Oso and Quaddamage for all our assistance and directions on getting my P3P airborne. Now lets see what DJI comes up with. I will either have a Pro or they try to convince me it was an Advanced. In that case I will not accept it as that and turn it into a very expensive book end as it was paid for as a Pro along with it's twin which is still at my friend house in the box.

 

[Oso]

Believe it not the Drone never reacted to any way of updating the FW

I loaded the Case Information using my Serial Number and this is what came up:
Model: Phantom 3 Advanced. Only problem is I have a Phantom 3 Pro. I mentioned that the Case Information is showing my Drone as an Advanced and not a Pro and the Tech assured me this was not the case.

Interesting development. Perhaps this could be why your AC never reacted to the P3P FW .bin file you put in the SD root. If you have the wrong file (example - P3P .bin file in a P3A) the AC will just ignore it. Did you buy it brand new and sealed?

 

[JhonJungblut]

Interesting development. Perhaps this could be why your AC never reacted to the P3P FW .bin file you put in the SD root. If you have the wrong file (example - P3P file for a P3P) the AC will just ignore it. Did you buy it brand new and sealed?

Believe it or not Oso, they were both bought brand new years back from Amazon once they became available for purchase. Mine was sealed and the only thing I did was charge the batteries over the years. The twin to mine is still in California in my friends closet some place. So I do agree with you that might be the reason why the FW Update never was able to take.

 

[JhonJungblut]

Interesting development. Perhaps this could be why your AC never reacted to the P3P FW .bin file you put in the SD root. If you have the wrong file (example - P3P .bin file in a P3A) the AC will just ignore it. Did you buy it brand new and sealed?

Oso,
Monday I received an email from DJI Technical Support that basically said they had received my Phantom and I should hear from them in a couple of days to let me know what is wrong with it. I received another email today that said my Phantom Pro 3 is ready and will be shipped out in a couple of days. It did not address anything they fixed or found. I called DJI and talked to their Technical Support. In a nutshell, everything I identified as an issue was also identified by DJI. Technical support said they will be making sure it is ready to go before it even leaves DJI. I know there have been a horror story or two about DJI Technical Support and sending off a Drone but all I can say is: "So Far So Good". Will hit you back here in a few days once I receive my Phantom Pro 3 back. Note: The email said "Your Phantom 3 Professional has been inspected and will be shipped within two business days." So I am guessing they resolved the issue of whether I have a Professional or Advanced.

 

[Oso]

Oso,
Monday I received an email from DJI Technical Support that basically said they had received my Phantom and I should hear from them in a couple of days to let me know what is wrong with it. I received another email today that said my Phantom Pro 3 is ready and will be shipped out in a couple of days. It did not address anything they fixed or found. I called DJI and talked to their Technical Support. In a nutshell, everything I identified as an issue was also identified by DJI. Technical support said they will be making sure it is ready to go before it even leaves DJI. I know there have been a horror story or two about DJI Technical Support and sending off a Drone but all I can say is: "So Far So Good". Will hit you back here in a few days once I receive my Phantom Pro 3 back. Note: The email said "Your Phantom 3 Professional has been inspected and will be shipped within two business days." So I am guessing they resolved the issue of whether I have a Professional or Advanced.

One thing to look for is that DJI has often sent out a refurb unit so that something gets shipped back to the customer quickly. This was especially true back when P3s were king of the hill and DJI had a lot of units in for service. Also, it has been reported by a few folks that DJI installs AC FW v1.11.30 as part of testing even though they also often say that v1.11.30 does not exist. There's a chance you may get back a completely different AC, so watch for that.

Since you sent yours in with one of the original FW versions, you may need to read up on the changes introduced with the various FW versions since then. For example, geo fencing and intelligent flight modes to name just a couple.

I'm sure I speak for most here when I say that I'm looking forward to hearing your next update!