Should bin file stay on micro sd card after firmware update?

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Phantom 3 advanced, iPhone 6plus, all firmware updated, all latest versions of ios and pilot app.

At a location where I've flown successfully before under the same conditions, shortly after take-off, my status bar turns red and reads "no signal". During this state, I lose the on-screen image yet maintain full control of the aircraft. This would reoccur even after landing and shutting down and restarting. Start up RC first, then Aircraft, then Pilot App.

When I swapped out the micro sd card, from SanDisk Ultra PLUS 32GB to Lexar 633x 16GB, the problem went away. One difference: the SanDisk card had the .bin file on it from the recent firmware update and the Lexar didn't. With the Lexar (the one shipped with the aircraft) I regained full video control.

After I deleted the .bin file from the SanDisk, the controller and aircraft was fully functional.

I was under the impression that the bin file should remain on the disk. Perhaps there was another reason why this issue was corrected. I would love to hear from others in the forum about these issues.
 
I was under the impression that the bin file should remain on the disk.
DJI recommends keeping the firmware on your memory card. This allows the firmware to be installed on your batteries as needed.

If you do not want to keep the firmware on your memory card, power up your Phantom with each battery installed after upgrading your firmware. This of course would only need to be done if the firmware needs to be installed on the batteries. I'm assuming the DJI release notes would indicate that, but you know what they say about assuming :)
 
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To verify if that's because of .bin, how about copy .bin to Lexar and compare?

For P3P, DJI recommends UHS-I class 1 ore more, but I don't know for P3A. And if camera SD card is slow, flight controller shouldn't stop...

edit: what's the format of both cards?
 
Last edited:
After you have updated the firmware there is no need to have anything on the card.
It has done it's job. There's nothing left for it to do.
So there is absolutely no reason to hang onto it.
DJI haven't released any battery firmware updates for the P3 series (and when/if they do it will be very infrequently).
Fly with a clean formatted sd card and don't worry about it.
 
After you have updated the firmware there is no need to have anything on the card.
DJI haven't released any battery firmware updates for the P3 series (and when/if they do it will be very infrequently).
Fly with a clean formatted sd card and don't worry about it.

+1
 
To verify if that's because of .bin, how about copy .bin to Lexar and compare?
Yes, this would be an interesting test.

From what I've tested, leaving the firmware on the card causes absolutely no problems. It's actually easier than removing it and/or formatting the card :)
 
Phantom 3 advanced, iPhone 6plus, all firmware updated, all latest versions of ios and pilot app.

At a location where I've flown successfully before under the same conditions, shortly after take-off, my status bar turns red and reads "no signal". During this state, I lose the on-screen image yet maintain full control of the aircraft. This would reoccur even after landing and shutting down and restarting. Start up RC first, then Aircraft, then Pilot App.

When I swapped out the micro sd card, from SanDisk Ultra PLUS 32GB to Lexar 633x 16GB, the problem went away. One difference: the SanDisk card had the .bin file on it from the recent firmware update and the Lexar didn't. With the Lexar (the one shipped with the aircraft) I regained full video control.

After I deleted the .bin file from the SanDisk, the controller and aircraft was fully functional.

I was under the impression that the bin file should remain on the disk. Perhaps there was another reason why this issue was corrected. I would love to hear from others in the forum about these issues.


very interesting. I have been having a simular problem. The only difference was I did not start having the problem untill i get about 900ft out. and this update was the first time I have left the bin on the memory card afterward. when I get home from work I think I will take the file off.
 
To verify if that's because of .bin, how about copy .bin to Lexar and compare?

For P3P, DJI recommends UHS-I class 1 ore more, but I don't know for P3A. And if camera SD card is slow, flight controller shouldn't stop...

edit: what's the format of both cards?
both cards are formatted with FAT32
 
I'm having another issue now with that SanDisk 32GB card. While connected via USB reader in the back of my desktop (iMac), during a preview in a viewer, the drive disconnected! I got the message stating that the disc was not properly ejected...
Perhaps the card, during flight, is "ejecting" on its own causing a camera restart and a "no signal" in the status bar?
 
DJI recommends keeping the firmware on your memory card. This allows the firmware to be installed on your batteries as needed.

If you do not want to keep the firmware on your memory card, power up your Phantom with each battery installed after upgrading your firmware. This of course would only need to be done if the firmware needs to be installed on the batteries. I'm assuming the DJI release notes would indicate that, but you know what they say about assuming :)
Yes, that is where I first encountered the advice to keep the bin file on the card; during this most recent update (for the P3 Advanced) they said the batteries needed to be updated as well.
 
To verify if that's because of .bin, how about copy .bin to Lexar and compare?

For P3P, DJI recommends UHS-I class 1 ore more, but I don't know for P3A. And if camera SD card is slow, flight controller shouldn't stop...

edit: what's the format of both cards?
The flight controller seemed to work, it was the video that was at issue. With the "no signal" reading in the status bar, I maintained complete flight control of the P3, but lost control of the camera.
 
The reason I believe they want you to leave it is to update any batteries you use if the update has any battery software updates. But based on your reported evidence I will go through the update again with each battery. Then I will reformat the SD card using the Pilot App. Your evidence could explain a lot of other reported user problems reported on this site. It is something I hope others try to see if it eliminates their symptoms.
 
The flight controller seemed to work, it was the video that was at issue. With the "no signal" reading in the status bar, I maintained complete flight control of the P3, but lost control of the camera.
Sorry, my words ambiguous. I know the real "flight controller" which receives signal from sensors, rc stick commands and calculate, send commands to ESCs, won't stop even if tablet dies. The FPV downlink TX should be a part of flight controller, not camera, but is affected when the camera cannot write a file properly, it's problem. LCD screen on digital cameras won't gone away if camera fails to save a file...
Anyway control experiment makes the reason clear. I would like to know what happens when the Lexar has .bin .
 
Once the .bin file has been used to update firmware, it is of no further use.
There is no point keeping it on the sd card

This is for "control experiment."
Sundisk + .bin file => "no signal",
Lexar w/o .bin file => no "no signal",
Sundisk w/o .bin file => no "no signal",

thus, if
Lexar + .bin file causes "no signal", it's the cause!!
 
This is for "control experiment."
Sundisk + .bin file => "no signal",
Lexar w/o .bin file => no "no signal",
Sundisk w/o .bin file => no "no signal",

thus, if
Lexar + .bin file causes "no signal", it's the cause!!
The opportunity for that control experiment has passed. I deleted the bin file before you made the suggestion. Next time. Hopefully there won't be a next time.
 
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The flight controller seemed to work, it was the video that was at issue. With the "no signal" reading in the status bar, I maintained complete flight control of the P3, but lost control of the camera.
in this case how to regain the control of the camera....i've been flying the p3A 3 times and everytime the pilot app crash i lost control of the camera. p3 is still controllable thank God!!!!! but i dont know if im still recording or not...
 
my pilot APP even worst....every time i switch from record to camera(slider in APP) suddenly there is "no signal" on the status...APP not crashed. i slide to record mode again i wont get the APP connect to P3 again. have to restart APP. if i stay in record mode everything is normal. why is this? im using android kitkat 4.4.4 cyanogenMOD. could the android version is conflict with pilot APP?
 
I'm going to remove the .bin file and will update as updates are available. I went through a similar signal loss issue that was related to firmware. Like the first post I had an update status that showed numerous aborted upgrades because it was the same version. Tech support said that a chip in the copter was potentially full from all these aborted attempts.

Does anyone from DJI ever oversee this community to clear this up for sure?
 

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