Phantom 3 Standard won't connect to Remote controller

[ryo_le_noceur]

Hi Everyone,
I am the proud owner of a DJI Phantom 3 standard. The drone use to fly perfectly.
Unfortunately it encountered a malfunction while in mid-air and crashed violently (maybe from 30 meters high).
I've replaced several parts (camera cable was cut off), even bought a new mother board.
But now I can't get the aircraft to synch with the remote controller.
The aircraft starts, passes the auto-diagnostic phase (after having changed the compass whose cable was cut as well), but it stuck to the pairing one (yellow lights blinking rapidly).
Needless to say I've tried everything I could think of (with the help of Internet)
--> "linking RC" via app: counter starts from 60s but controller keeps beeping even after pressing the linking button on RC
--> manual link: gimbal to the far left, s2 stick up and down several times
--> reinstalling DJI GO (even tried several phones)

When I press the sync button on the aircraft the red light starts blinking. But nothing happens.

The synch issue is a lot like:

RC Won't Link to Aircraft

Hope someone is able to help. I just received a brand new replacement remote from DJI for my Phantom 3 Advanced, and I am unable to link it to the aircraft. I followed the directions on how to link the remote in the manual to the letter but pressing the linking button on the aircraft has no...

phantompilots.com

I haven't tried so update the firmware yet though. However is it really necessary in your opinion?

Maybe something else could be broken? What do you think?

Thanks in advance

BR

 

[Alan Russel]

I would downgrade the firmware on the remote and try linking again.

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Thank you for your answer Alan.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no way to modify the firmware on rc, is there ?
Only aircraft and dji app version.
Please post a tutorial.

Best regards

 

[Alan Russel]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Thank you, I will test that when I have the RC/aircraft around (I don't at the moment) and get back to you.
Are you sure it is for P3 Standard RC though? By the looks of it the remote is different.

BR

 

[Alan Russel]

Thank you, I will test that when I have the RC/aircraft around (I don't at the moment) and get back to you.
Are you sure it is for P3 Standard RC though? By the looks of it the remote is different.

BR

the video is showing a phantom 4 remote but the procedure is the same, in the app instead of pressing the hat icon you press the 3 horizontal lines icon.

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Thank you very much Alan, I will try and get back to you.

BR

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Hello,
OK, so I tried this and I did get the screen with the downgrade list option.
However... the list is empty!! "There is no firmware to downgrade to" it says.
Any idea?
What is a bit odd is that there is a line supposed to show the current firmware version but it says "???".
I can say for sure the phone is connected to the RC since it successfully connects to its WiFi.
Any ideas?

BR

 

[Alan Russel]

Looks like you might have to update the firmware on the phantom, before that try and calibrate the remote control and see if that makes any difference.

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Hi Alan,
Could you please specify more precisely what you mean by calibrating the remote?
Thanks.
Also, I did try to update the firmware on the aircraft yesterday, this is what it told me from the log on sd card:

The first 2 attempts (2016 & 2018) are not from me.
The version of the firmware is weird --> V99.99.9999 ...

All the next ones (from 2014) are from me yesterday, trying to update with latest version I found: P3C_FW_V01.09.0200.bin
What it tells me: somehow the aircraft thinks it lives in the past. And second: well it failed.
Of course I followed the rights steps:
aircraft and RC switched off
put the firmware on camera's sd (after having formatted it)
push and hold the synch button on aircraft
switch aircraft on
release synch button after 10 seconds or so
--> the lights on the camera blink red and green. After a couple of minutes only the red stays.
On my first attempt I waited 20 minutes, but I think the process is done when either light stays red (failure) or green (success).
Second and third were aborted.
Fourth I only waited until the light became only red.

I haven't tried with another firmware yet.
Any one you would recommend?

Hoping this would give you a hint of what is happening.

Thanks in advance

BR

 

[Alan Russel]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Alan Russel]

Yeah bit weird what is happening with that firmware...I would try the latest firmware. keep trying

 

[RodPad]

@ryo_le_noceur,
Welcome to the Forum!

Have you got anywhere?

Sorry I had seen this thread sooner.

#1 If you are using the same (gimbal/camera) and remote, there would be no need to mess with the firmware.
#2 what color is the status light on the remote?
#3 What color is the status light on the Phantom?
#4 Can you move the camera with the remote?
#5 Can you start the motors with the remote?

You don't need a mobile device at all to answer any of these questions.

Rod

 

[RodPad]

I'm digging up some related stuff...
Unable to link Drone to remote

Radio light 10 seconds green then 10 seconds red. Fried gimbal board?

Standard - P3S not connecting to controller

Ohhhh I'll Fly Away...

P3S - Maybe a paperweight?

In the post below, I state I still didn't find the post I was looking for, well its true again today. And I need to give up for now.....
P3S - Maybe a paperweight?

Rod

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Thanks guys!
@Alan Russel : I'll try and calibrate the RC next time I'm around it (next Tuesday)
@RodPad : to answer your questions:
#1 If you are using the same (gimbal/camera) and remote, there would be no need to mess with the firmware.
--> that's the thing: I changed the motherboard (previous one was damaged) so they have never been connected together
#2 what color is the status light on the remote?
--> static red (no connection to the aircraft)
#3 What color is the status light on the Phantom?
--> (slow) yellow blinking (waiting the RC to connect to the aircraft)
#4 Can you move the camera with the remote?
--> well no, that's the issue here, no connection between RC and aircraft; the phone can connect to the RC though (it identifies on its WiFi)
#5 Can you start the motors with the remote?
--> again, no no connection between remote & aircraft

BR

 

[RodPad]

#3 Question was question of the Link Status Light (Same hole as the the link button on the P3S's).

They way I understand it is the linking is done between the remote and the gimbal, like each saving the others Mac address. Only someone changing the main board but using the same gimbal and remote would know the answer. I guess the main board is going to have a alteration or addition to the pairing?

Rod

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Hi RodPad,
The link button on the P3S is red. When I push it and try to synch it blinks red.

I didn't quite understand what you said after. When you say "gimbal" you are talking about the camera, right? The camera is plugged (cable) to the motherboard so I don't think a pairing between the motherboard and the camera is necessary.

BR

 

[RodPad]

The camera plugs into the block of electronics (The Gimbal). That plugs in to the Main Board.
In that block is where the WiFi starts, it has its own Mac address.

I believe your remote is paring to the gimbal, not the Main Board.

My thought was is if you change the Main Board, but are still useing the same gimbal and remote you should already be linked?

You will see some of that info on the links I shared.

People can fly their Phantom without out a gimbal. The don't get temetery because that data is sent from WiFi from the gimbal.

To re-link a different remote, they have to re-hook up the gimbal, they re-link, pull the gimbal back of and they can fly again.

Something is stored on Main Board, to listen to the remote, but it has receive data from the gimbal to make a new re link.


Rod

 

[PeterX]

Hi Alan,
Could you please specify more precisely what you mean by calibrating the remote?
Thanks.
Also, I did try to update the firmware on the aircraft yesterday, this is what it told me from the log on sd card:View attachment 112753

The first 2 attempts (2016 & 2018) are not from me.
The version of the firmware is weird --> V99.99.9999 ...

All the next ones (from 2014) are from me yesterday, trying to update with latest version I found: P3C_FW_V01.09.0200.bin
What it tells me: somehow the aircraft thinks it lives in the past. And second: well it failed.
Of course I followed the rights steps:
aircraft and RC switched off
put the firmware on camera's sd (after having formatted it)
push and hold the synch button on aircraft
switch aircraft on
release synch button after 10 seconds or so
--> the lights on the camera blink red and green. After a couple of minutes only the red stays.
On my first attempt I waited 20 minutes, but I think the process is done when either light stays red (failure) or green (success).
Second and third were aborted.
Fourth I only waited until the light became only red.

I haven't tried with another firmware yet.
Any one you would recommend?

Hoping this would give you a hint of what is happening.

Thanks in advance

BR

The V99.99.9999 is the transfer file versions number of the 1.09.0200 to upgrade the firmware on the copter and remote as the battery. This number tells the system that ´s all in one file.

 

[ryo_le_noceur]

Hi guys,
@Alan Russel : I just calibrated the RC (thanks to your link) but unfortunately it didn't change anything.
@RodPad :
I didn't quite understand what you said by:
"To re-link a different remote, they have to re-hook up the gimbal, they re-link, pull the gimbal back of and they can fly again.

Something is stored on Main Board, to listen to the remote, but it has receive data from the gimbal to make a new re link. "

What exactly should I do and how? (what do you mean exactly by re-hook / re-link?)

From what you said I understand the RC connects to the gimbal (the part under the drone and on the camera). The gimbal holds the WiFi.
As I previously said the drone can successfully connect to the WiFi (it sees it and connects to it).
However the issue is that the status light on the RC stays red. And when I go into the DJI app, the "camera" button stays gray (it doesn't become blue). So no image when I click on it.

I tried several firmwares for the drone, and each time I get the message that it fails.
I saw a tutorial for the P3S that advises to upgrade firmware differently, starting by linking the drone to the computer and transfer the firmware. Well newsflash (I wasn't aware of this) the computer doesn't see it!! I tried several computers / cables. Is that of any indication to you guys?
I also noticed something that may be of value to you: upon startup of the drone the camera doesn't move at all. It used (when the drone was functional) to "calibrate" itself by moving into all directions. Well it doesn't do that anymore. Again, is that of any indication to you guys?

What could go wrong?
When I try changing the firmware it fails but the log is written --> that means that the motherboard successfully pairs to the camera, right?

Reminder: I had a crash with the drone (30m high approximately). The motherboard was changed along with the small camera cable (which goes from the gimbal to the camera --> I attached a screenshot of it below).

Any suggestions?

BR