PLEASE HELP! - DJI is useless :(

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Hey guys , first off i would like to briefly introduce myself and say hi and thank you to everyone who has
contributed to these boards because my p3 would probably of never made it off the ground if it wasn't for
you guys......


I am far to exhausted to list all of my horrible dealings with dji so i will only stick with my current issue. i really need help , and have searched around and have not really gotten my question answered.


so here's the deal. i just recently got my p3 and its been flying great ( once i managed to actually get it in the air, ..... it didn't come from dji "awesome" i had to deal with a lot of bs....) except i always start to lose my signal at around 400m out and about 100m up... i am flying in a city with most likely a lot of interference, however it is flown in a massive park, over an incredible stretch of trees where there are no people.

so i wondered ...... perhaps i need to run a firmware upgrade? i am currently running firmware 1.1.9 ( as it came shipped from dji)
and ios version 1.2.0 ( again, no updating, but just downloaded last week , so i assume it is current....)



i bought a high capacity sd card that writes a lot faster than the supplied card and thought that i might as well update my firmware since im fiddling with the sd card anyways.
however i read online from a dji tech that threre are ALOT of customer issues specifically when upgrading firmware from 1.1.9 to the most current 1.2.6 i believe?



anyways friends i need your help, i have bought my phantom in hopes of using it to supplement my meager student income, and i have a pretty hot girlfriend who demands a lot....


am i getting issues with distance due to trees and possible interference? or should i be able to fly 400m with ease?

can i update my firmware without issue? should i? or is there a better , more stable version i should install?

thanks all!
 
am i getting issues with distance due to trees and possible interference?
Is there a direct line of sight at all times between your remote controller and your Phantom?
 
i always start to lose my signal at around 400m out and about 100m up...
am i getting issues with distance due to trees and possible interference? or should i be able to fly 400m with ease?
Way too many variable to be sure. The P3 is capable of flying much further in a good environment. Try somewhere else out in the open and be sure your antennas are aligned correctly.
i bought a high capacity sd card that writes a lot faster than the supplied card
No it doesn't. The rate is set by the Phantom and faster cards work no better in the Phantom.
and i have a pretty hot girlfriend who demands a lot....
You're on your own there - no advice
can i update my firmware without issue? should i? or is there a better , more stable version i should install?
DJI should be coming out with a big firmware update soon.
If you're flying without worries it probably best to sit tight for now and go to the next update when it's proved to be OK.
 
Thanks a lot for the replies guys.

Yes a "line of sight" is maintained I guess.... However I can barely see the thing but yes I could shoot my drone with a rifle in theory.

From the responses I've got I'm feeling like I should just wait for the new firmware comming soon?

Thanks again!
 
Thanks a lot for the replies guys.

Yes a "line of sight" is maintained I guess.... However I can barely see the thing but yes I could shoot my drone with a rifle in theory.

From the responses I've got I'm feeling like I should just wait for the new firmware comming soon?

Thanks again!
Yes, IMO -- I am still on 1.1.9 with no issues except the app tell me that I need to upgrade :)-- shouldn't be long and that new update will be out.
 
Ahhhhh so I took her out again this evening and just got back. Was flying it over a very big university , and just like clockwork, at 100m up and pretty much as soon as I hit 400m signal starts dropping. Even flickering out of "safe to fly - gps " yet not moving.
So question, should I just ignore this and keep going ? Kind of like a cellphone am I just momentarily losing a signal? I've just never been able to make it farther than 450m which really sucks....
 
Anymore input anyone ? :(
Go find a neutral spot to fly like a big field or park. Make sure your antenna are properly oriented, make sure your controller and bird have clear line of sight. Sounds like one of the 3 is f'd up on your end.
 
I wouldn't "ignore it and keep going"...but you could. A bit pointless as you'll not have FPV to enjoy and you'll pretty much be flying blind unless you can still make out the drone and its orientation - that's assuming you still have good RC signal? RTH will likely kick in if all signal is lost, but nothing is guaranteed. Make sure you have RTH configured correctly too.

As others have stated, try flying in a clean environment. 400m over a large university might well be all you'll get because of all the radio 'noise'. I wouldn't bother with a firmware upgrade at this stage, as you'll likely introduce more issues and I doubt it would help with distance.

Starting out on a hill, flying across a countryside plain you should get 4 to 5km plus until the app complains about having enough battery in reserve for the return.

Alternatively you can purchase a third party antenna add-on for a ridiculous cost to try and get more distance out of it. There are other kids on this forum that are doing that for bragging rights on 'world records'.

For safety though, you should be maintaining VLOS and know how to fly ATTI should something go wrong....especially in urban landscapes.
 
If you are getting RTH issues then there is a problem with the remote. This seems to be more of a FPV issue between your device.

Bend the antenna up so its NOT parallel to the ground - It should be perpendicular. The antennas should be in a V formation.
Also, tap the HD icon in settings and check the channels. I set mine to manual and nominate the bluest most unused channel.
Also, check your USB cable. Some usb cables claim 450mbs, some are just flakey and causes the screen to lose connection.
 
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A real range test can only be accomplished in an area where you will have a truly clear line of sight between you and the P3.

In my experience this is far and away the more critical factor when flying longer distances. I fly in an area where there is a lot of RF "noise" but the LOS is wide open. Going well beyond 400M should not be a problem if you have a clear line of sight. As has been mentioned, pay attention to the orientation of the antennas on your controller.

:harry
 
Okay - this is going to sound silly - the range problem appears identical to what I have read about and witnessed countless times...right down to the specific range transmission begins to fail.

Please forgive me with yet another "Did you check the gas?" question, BUT....

You are NOT pointing your antennas toward the aircraft, are you? They need to be pretty much parallel to the P3 legs (where the antennas are hidden) for the best range possible*.

*(Yes, I know this has been mentioned a few times above, but the range problem seems to make it worth repeating just once more).
 
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Ahhhhh so I took her out again this evening and just got back.
Just to be clear... the P3 or the hot girlfriend?


I've just never been able to make it farther than 450m which really sucks....

In addition to what others have mentioned. Connect to the P3 and go into settings. Select the HD icon and change Auto Channel to Manual. Select Channel 20 if it has a low bar. Then scroll to the bottom and slide the bit rate down to 4mb/s. Try taking her out again. Then come back and fly the P3.
 
Thanks everyone.
To help clarify I have my attennas pointed pretty much straight up in a v then angled down, as if I were "shooting bullets from my antennas trying to hit my uav"

I should also add that I have not completely lost my signal... Well not for longer than half a second.


Perhaps uploading a video of my flights will be best.
I am flying in highly populated areas , doing very very rogue type shooting ( I really want to push the boundaries of capabilities with the p3 ) however it is also important that I don't injure anyone or anything. So the second my radio signal (fpv is NEVER effected always crisp , mint , and in effected , even when the range warnings come up at 400m ) starts to drop (right at 400m) I turn her around.

This is what happenes exactly.

Flying , flying straight line 100m up going out as far as I can . Approaching 400m out i will lose a bar or two of signal. I will stop and hover. Signal will bounce around , not enough to Engadget rth , then I turn around and rip it back to me full speed.


Everytime , that's what happenes.
I am going to try making it to a subburb today and see how she does in more of a "plain" type setting.
 
I would like to hear more about that hot girlfriend that demands a lot...
 
I would like to hear more about that hot girlfriend that demands a lot...
No you don't... she wont let you fly anymore... your battery money will now be for her shoes...
 
To help clarify I have my attennas pointed pretty much straight up in a v then angled down, as if I were "shooting bullets from my antennas trying to hit my uav"

If I understand you correctly, this may be your problem. The flat sides of the antennas should form a plane that's perpendicular with the Phantom. If the ends of the antennas are pointing directly at the drone, you'll have the weakest possible signal/range.
 
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also dont put your antennas in V formation. Put them so they are more like this -----> I I
 
Lol ..... Well then. So I'm pretty sure I have just had my antennas in the absolute worse configuration possible..... So pretty sure problem solved ! EXCEPT now my video is extremely choppy and laggy? What gives ? I had absolutely zero live feedback issues before , now , it is so bad I can't even setup a shot or rely on the camera for guidance or anything.
 

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