RC Won't Link to Aircraft

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

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 effect. The RC will continue to beep until it times out.

The aircraft is the older W322 (old motors and shell) and the RC is the latest GL300C. I'm not sure what firmware the RC is running, but the aircraft is on v1.4.

2 possibilities come to mind:

1) Does the aircraft need to be running the latest firmware to connect to the remote (which presumably is on the latest version - the GO app doesn't seem to indicate what version it's on)?

2) Is the older model Advanced even compatible with the GL300C? (my previous controller was the "B" model.)

alokbhargava · Feb 22, 2016

1. SW/ FW should not matter

2. I read it this model is practically compatible with B model.

Hope you have followed the right sequences: RC on >> Dji GO App ON >> P3 ON > Press link on Dji Go App then >> Press link button on P3

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

Thanks for your reply. That is exactly the sequence of steps I followed. Any other ideas?

alokbhargava · Feb 22, 2016

Running out of the ideas

Move to another location if wifi interference is severely high.

John Locke · Feb 22, 2016

What alok said should work. When you initiate the link in the Go app, it should give you a dialog box that says something like "You have 59 seconds to link the Phantom", and it ticks off the seconds until you press the button on the Phantom and it links. Did you see that dialog? If not, there is no use pushing the Phantom button. I would try reloading Go since you got a new controller. Go may have some kind of association with the controller so you need to start fresh.

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

Yes I did see the dialog.

Pressing the link button on the VPS on the aircraft didn't do anything (I tried pressing the button for 2 seconds as recommended in DJI's video tutorial, as well as pressing and holding until the controller counts down to zero - nothing worked).

John Locke · Feb 22, 2016

Juno said:
Yes I did see the dialog.

Pressing the link button on the VPS on the aircraft didn't do anything (I tried pressing the button for 2 seconds as recommended in DJI's video tutorial, as well as pressing and holding until the controller counts down to zero - nothing worked).

Well..... I would try deleting the Go app and reloading Go just for giggles, unless you have already done that. I'm only guessing at this point, but reloading will eliminate any possible nuance of the new controller not working 100% with your old software on your smart device.

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

John Locke said:
Well..... I would try deleting the Go app and reloading Go just for giggles, unless you have already done that. I'm only guessing at this point, but reloading will eliminate any possible nuance of the new controller not working 100% with your old software on your smart device.

Ok I will give that a try.

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

Juno said:
Ok I will give that a try.

Update: I just tried and it did not solve the problem.

John Locke · Feb 22, 2016

Again, just guessing. Try removing the Phantom battery and installing again with 100% charge. Reboot everything and try again. You should only need to hold the button for a second or two. Have you checked your Wifi Interference in the Go app, as Alok suggested? Did you try other locations in the house? I'm running out of ideas, other than call DJI.

We definitely want to know how this gets resolved, after you solve it. I'm perplexed why it doesn't work.

robsquad · Feb 22, 2016

what was the problem with the old remote ?

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

John Locke said:
Again, just guessing. Try removing the Phantom battery and installing again with 100% charge. Reboot everything and try again. You should only need to hold the button for a second or two. Have you checked your Wifi Interference in the Go app, as Alok suggested? Did you try other locations in the house? I'm running out of ideas, other than call DJI.

We definitely want to know how this gets resolved, after you solve it. I'm perplexed why it doesn't work.

I've tried rebooting everything (aircraft, controller, GO app on my iPad mini 2) several times. I just now moved to a part of the house well away from the Wifi modem - no luck. I didn't really want to, but only thing I can think of at this point is update the aircraft to v1.6.

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

robsquad said:
what was the problem with the old remote ?

Broken RTH button. It still worked but it had "sunk into" the remote.

alokbhargava · Feb 22, 2016

Change your USB to tablet cord and try again. (most of the times issues are round the corner and we move around all the way) or check if it is properly connected.

normr · Feb 22, 2016

When you press the button on the Phantom with a paper lip, is the LED changing color? Try watching this video:

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

alokbhargava said:
Change your USB to tablet cord and try again. (most of the times issues are round the corner and we move around all the way) or check if it is properly connected.

No luck

normr said:
When you press the button on the Phantom with a paper lip, is the LED changing color? Try watching this video:

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

The LED for the most part alternates between green and red before I push the pairing button. Once I press the button it flashes red like in the video.

Juno · Feb 22, 2016

Ok. We're back in business!

I updated the aircraft to v1.6 and once it was done it paired right away with the controller on the first try.

So happy! I was starting to get concerned that my Phantom (nicknamed Stacy (long story)) which has served my flawlessly up till now was defective!

alokbhargava · Feb 22, 2016

Its surprising that RC is not backward compatible. DJI never announced that.

John Locke · Feb 22, 2016

Juno said:
Ok. We're back in business! I updated the aircraft to v1.6 and once it was done it paired right away with the controller on the first try.

So happy! I was starting to get concerned that my Phantom (nicknamed Stacy (long story)) which has served my flawlessly up till now was defective!

Wow, that's great. I too would have never expected the controller to be incompatible with old firmware from a pairing point of view. That seems really strange. Glad you got it going again.