Phantom 3 updates and setup

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Just got my Phantom 3 today with zero previous drone experience. I know I have to update the firmware which I'm doing as we speak. What else do I need to do before I fly? I don't wanna screw this up lol
 
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Buy a cheap drone like the Syma x5c and practice.............
 
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Hey guys I'm having a problem updating the firmware. I put the files onto the sd card and inserted it, then powered it on. I'm supposed to hear those buzzing sounds to indicate its reason the card and installing the files. It buzzed for two seconds and stopped and I'm sitting here for ten minutes with no sounds at all. Is it working? What should I do?!

By the way, rear lights are flashing yellow and front lights are solid red.
 
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This video helps with the firmware update:
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Here's another good firmware installation how-to:

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Hey thanks for the video. Actually I turned off the phantom and checked the status of the update on the card and it says:

The firmware on the sd card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

Does this mean I don't need to update? Maybe that's why it wasn't beeping to begin with?
 
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Correct. You're all set.
 
You probably should do an IMU calibration and a gimbal calibration before you fly, just to be safe.
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Just recieved mine today as well... I watched almost every video on Youtube, and re-read the manual countless times in prep for it's arrival.

Luckily, the custom shop I recieved mine from had updated the firmware already, but I was prepared from the great video link from Drone Camps that Mikeon put up there.

Good luck man, I know your excitement level!
 
Hey guys I'm having a problem updating the firmware. I put the files onto the sd card and inserted it, then powered it on. I'm supposed to hear those buzzing sounds to indicate its reason the card and installing the files. It buzzed for two seconds and stopped and I'm sitting here for ten minutes with no sounds at all. Is it working? What should I do?!

By the way, rear lights are flashing yellow and front lights are solid red.

If the correct version is already installed it will not update. The text file generated on the sd card will state something to that affect.
 
Hello Everyone,
Well I am new to this kind of thing but joined hoping to meet like minded people with a wealth of knowledge who may be able to help a noob out.
I bought a Phantom 3 Professional online from a dealer who claimed to be in Melbourne, Australia. Turns out he could be anywhere since his advertised address is a virtual one....ie an address rented out as an address only. He doesn't actually reside there. Well, silly me saw his glossy webpage with all the glowing testimonials and decided that this was the way to go. I bought and paid for the P3P via direct debit.
Well I chased a bit to get the thing delivered (it was 2 weeks late) and to my surprise it actually arrived. All looked good and I did all the right things, tried to update the firmware on the copter and the RC but neither would co operate the way the website claimed it would. It would not update. I contacted the supplier but no answer. Tried all weekend. I work for a living so the weekend is the only chance I have, and let's face it an email is simple to reply to with a "will look into it after the weekend" but there was no response to emails or to his phone answering service. Mind you before I was buying it he was all over me, even on the weekend.
I contacted DJI (the manufacturer)via the chatline....boy was that drawn out.
Anyway no luck so I decided to at least see if the thing would fly. Surprise surprise it flew. I only did it for about 15 mins, just low stuff in my backyard. I wasn't taking chances since the firmware was not updated.
Anyway I finished up, landed safely and removed the battery....charged it and replaced it. Tried to update again. No luck again.
Went to show my son the new toy but when I connected it to the RC now the app showed a MC data error. Wasn't sure what that was so didn't try and fly it.
Called the dealer again. No reply. I am getting a bit peeved by this stage.
Contacted DJI again and fought my way through 3 hours of interrupted chat with the outcome of even more errors on the app such as IMU calibration error, MC data error etc. To top it off now the copter wouldn't even fire up. So it was bricked.
DJI had no answer. They said they would deal with the dealer direct .
The dealer then got in touch with me by email on Tuesday telling me to send it to a place called Drone Doctor in Melbourne. (thats 2000 miles from me BTW) Supposedly he would pay the 55 bucks they wanted as an admin fee. However I still had to pay the freight with no promise of him accepting any warranty responsibility. Of course the Drone Doctors had no phone and only dealt via internet and paid up front via credit card. I doubt that given the dealer history I would get reimbursed. He has not contacted me again after repeated attempts to contact him.
Would anyone have any technical knowhow on how to correct the issues with the P3P?
 
Most of the issues probably result from not knowing enough of the " how to data" in setting up and flying the Phantom. Despite how easy it looks in the ads and videos, it just not come out of the box and start flying everytime successfully. Oh, it will fly, but the outcome is not always good.

Spend some time on this forum, and on youtube, and on the DJI website as well as becoming thoroughly familiar with the manual and you will find a lot of the answers you need to learn to fly the Phantom. Type in Phantom 3 on you tube and you can spend a lot of time there watching and learning the "how to".
If you have specific questions, concerning the operation of the craft, the lads here will jump in and lead you down the right track.
The starting point is the manual and the DJI website. You can be up and running in no time.. You issue may not even be a repair issue.

Good luck and Cheers:)
 
@ Gizmocrazy
sorry to hear about your crappy service mate. Bloody poor form that is. Can you let us Aussies know who the dealer is, so we can avoid a similar experience.

Im new to this game as well, so I can't help with the tech stuff, sorry. But I can recommend rise above.com, thats who Im dealing with and they've been great so far, excellent customer service. Im up in Cairns and there is no local dealers up here. So I wanted to go with an Australian authorised DJI dealer, there is only a few authorised for the Phantom 3 (according to the DJI site), and I ended up going with Rise Above (based in Sydney) because they were the first to get back to me and the most friendly. I suggest you check their site out and give them a call, they should be able to give you some tech support over the phone, or at least point you in the right direction. Hope this helps. Best of luck mate!
 
My suggestion for new guys not unlike myself:
DO NOT FLY IN YOUR YARD! Find an open area to fly in with no obstructions!
Do not attempt to fly close to anyone to take their picture or show off your drone skills....
Stay in beginner mode for a bunch of flights.
Don't "Test" your drone. Just learn to fly smoothly. Out turn around and back. over and over. Left back to center, right back to center, over and over. Fly in a box pattern over and over and so on.
Be certain not only to calibrate the compass but insure you know about "Return to Home Point".
It's the most stable thing and is almost too easy to fly so don't let that fool you. You can easily make a pilot error mistake and fly into something.
 
My suggestion for new guys not unlike myself:
DO NOT FLY IN YOUR YARD! Find an open area to fly in with no obstructions!
Do not attempt to fly close to anyone to take their picture or show off your drone skills....
Stay in beginner mode for a bunch of flights.
Don't "Test" your drone. Just learn to fly smoothly. Out turn around and back. over and over. Left back to center, right back to center, over and over. Fly in a box pattern over and over and so on.
Be certain not only to calibrate the compass but insure you know about "Return to Home Point".
It's the most stable thing and is almost too easy to fly so don't let that fool you. You can easily make a pilot error mistake and fly into something.

Best post I have seen in a long time.
 
Best post I have seen in a long time.
Thanks for that. We are all here to help where we can.
I'm a fairly new Phantom flyer myself with only 10 or so flights. I have personally seen how easy it is to feel overly confident flying and then find yourself a bit turned around. Takes a moment to regain which way is which. Had a (as in one) close call with a tree and that was enough of that. Now I am practicing here until I am more proficient. This is a local RC field where I have taken it off Beginner mode.

 
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To top it off now the copter wouldn't even fire up. So it was bricked.

Would anyone have any technical knowhow on how to correct the issues with the P3P?
You mean it won't power up AT ALL, or it powers up but the motors won't activate? I've seen some folks talking about bricking their quads by inadvertently interrupting a firmware update...wonder if that's what happened to you? Funny thing is that I've been seeing people who have recently received their units say that they were already updated from the factory and no update was needed. Maybe yours was already current and in trying to update the firmware it became corrupted? Have you tried to check the current firmware on the Phantom?
 

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