So many variables....Somewhat overwhelming!

Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
150
Reaction score
54
Age
73
Known... Phantom 4 Version 2
1. Worked perfectly every time for the first 5-7 flights. No hiccups. Found and saved HOME every time.
2. Recorded beautiful video every time
3. Batteries always fully charged. Got 2 new batteries today and flew with one of them.

Then:
1. Began requiring calibration every other flight location. Turning off both bird and controller would sometimes allow flight.
2. Today, recording would run for 2-3 second and then cut off. (Red DJI 4 record button would turn solid.) But videos kept running on bird. Images show 2-3 second and then black screen for duration of video.
3. This morning (8-18-18), an in-field update was installed but have no idea HOW the controller accessed it as the iPad Mini was only wi-fi and seemingly disconnected. Unless someone had a hot spot that it jumped onto? I watched the screen install. Hmmmm? Did anyone else have a Phantom 4 V 2.0 update today? When I got home, I checked for updates and there were none.
4. Magnetic interference screen showed up several times today when we were in the middle of a street or parking lot and at different locations.
5. And for the first time, the bird and remote lost contact for about 30 seconds. The bird was in proximity of 400 ft away and 200' high. Should this have happened? NOTE: Items #2 & 5 were with a new battery. Do the bloody DJI batteries need firmware updates too?

There are some many variables to chase down. Does anyone have a logical troubleshooting procedure I should follow?
Any ideas on these anomalies, guys? Will DJI fix itself?
 
Last edited:
Do the bloody DJI batteries need firmware updates too?
Yes sir...

This morning (8-18-18), an in-field update was installed but have no idea HOW the controller accessed it as the iPad Mini was only wi-fi and seemingly disconnected.
What kind of update? It had to be the app itself. Nothing else auto-updates.

Magnetic interference screen showed up several times today when we were in the middle of a street or parking lot and at different locations.
Quite possible and not unusual. Especially in an urban to semi-urban area.

And for the first time, the bird and remote lost contact for about 30 seconds. The bird was in proximity of 400 ft away and 200' high.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This sounds like you did not put the device in airplane mode or shut off the wi-fi in the area you were flying. It really doesn't matter what was updated. Whatever it was eats up valuable ram space and most likely inhibited your performance. From what I read the IPAD Mini is too slow anyway. You need at least a mini 4. Especially so with a P4 and the latest GO app. It is really processor and memory eating in itself. And it is possible that you only lost video downlink and telemetry. Unless you checked the RC status light to verify.
 
Bougtht a new iPad Mini 4 with 256 mb ram just for this.
At least that's not the issue.
Any more thoughts?
Trying to update the battery firmware now on my Mac. DJI Assistant does not recognize the bird or the remote.
Arghhhh!
 
SOB...Connected the bird to the DJI Assistant and sure enough, 2 new batteries needed firmware updates. Must check other batteries to see if they too need updates! Just checked and the other batteries are up to date.
I have NEVER heard of a battery update! DJI needs to overcome this!
Maybe this will take care of the issue. I will report back after I fly.
 
I have NEVER heard of a battery update! DJI needs to overcome this!
Believe it or not. It has been that way for quite some time. Years in fact.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oso
I am very green at this so my thoughts are probably wrong. Reformatting the memory card on mine helped yesterday, but it wasn't the same issue. I wonder if there are some bad files that it could cause various issues?
 
  • Like
Reactions: grtday
SOB...Connected the bird to the DJI Assistant and sure enough, 2 new batteries needed firmware updates. Must check other batteries to see if they too need updates! Just checked and the other batteries are up to date.
I have NEVER heard of a battery update! DJI needs to overcome this!
Maybe this will take care of the issue. I will report back after I fly.
,,yip I can say I never have done mine,,I presumed it was done during firmware update ,if watching when update going on it goes though different things and batt is one of them,,,I'm very unsure how this happens cause only one batt inside drone at one time,I thought it was in the circuitry of the drone so when another batt goes in it already knows,,I don't have Mac or nothing so no updates can be done,,if this is incorrect can someone put me right,,,it was just how I thought it work,,,if not right that means my battery's have same firmware on them from over a year ago (p4)
 
Ah why when I reply it goes quiet , no one like my replys,oh well later,I be back when no one around,,mayby
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drone Rivers
Ah why when I reply it goes quiet , no one like my replys,oh well later,I be back when no one around,,mayby
Not like its a direct text message. Takes time my friend. You should know that by now....;)
 
Believe it or not. It has been that way for quite some time. Years in fact.
What now that I know it, I can deal with it but boy that stupid to have to update the battery!
I am very green at this so my thoughts are probably wrong. Reformatting the memory card on mine helped yesterday, but it wasn't the same issue. I wonder if there are some bad files that it could cause various issues?
I had the same question as a DSLR shooter. I always reformat my cards when I return them to the camera. Someone on here just said, "why not just delete the files instead of reformatting the card?" Seemed like a good idea so I've been doing that for a few times. BTW....found that the P4V2 handles a 128 mb card. I filled up a 64 before.
Fly cheerfully!
 
OK guys...New batteries needed updating. (that is SOOOO stupid!)
Anyway, I'll take it out tomorrow and see if this takes care of it.
Any more thoughts are welcome! Thanks!
 
What now that I know it, I can deal with it but boy that stupid to have to update the battery!

I had the same question as a DSLR shooter. I always reformat my cards when I return them to the camera. Someone on here just said, "why not just delete the files instead of reformatting the card?" Seemed like a good idea so I've been doing that for a few times. BTW....found that the P4V2 handles a 128 mb card. I filled up a 64 before.
Fly cheerfully!
I get in the bad habit of opening files straight from the card into photoshop which sometimes effects the card such that photos will not record correctly. Happens on my DSLR and P4P.
 
BTW....found that the P4V2 handles a 128 mb card. I filled up a 64 before.
Fly cheerfully!
Not related to the normal battery FW updates, but a suggestion for SD card density since you mentioned it. Many of us choose to use multiple lower density cards and switch them out with every battery change. This way, should the worst happen and you lose your AC you wont also lose a lot of work that could be on a large card left in the AC through several battery changes.

Just something to consider. Cheers!
 
I have NEVER heard of a battery update! DJI needs to overcome this!

Overcome what? It's a design feature, and a dang good one if you ask me!

DJI, and everyone else, refers to these battery packs as 'intelligent' batteries. It's a lot more than just four cells tied together to produce a desired voltage. It has critical circuitry inside, AKA intelligence.

New batteries needed updating. (that is SOOOO stupid!)

What would be sooo stupid is if your bird didn't have enough intelligence to come back home when the battery gets low enough that it only has enough juice to get back.
 
Not related to the normal battery FW updates, but a suggestion for SD card density since you mentioned it. Many of us choose to use multiple lower density cards and switch them out with every battery change. This way, should the worst happen and you lose your AC you wont also lose a lot of work that could be on a large card left in the AC through several battery changes.

Just something to consider. Cheers!
I understand that and usually live by it....but I filled a 64mb card and could not record further. Most frustrating. Never again!
 
GREAT news! Freshly formatted and updated batteries made it ALL go away and fly right!
HUGE thanks to all you seasoned pilots! Many thanks for your sage input.
This anomaly is one of the biggest domino effects I have ever seen in the world of electronics. It 'should" be easier and self-diagnosing.
DJI....are you listening?
 
OK guys...New batteries needed updating. (that is SOOOO stupid!)
Anyway, I'll take it out tomorrow and see if this takes care of it.
Any more thoughts are welcome! Thanks!
It's not stupid. They are not really batteries in the sense you are thinking. They are actually computerized power sources that provide stored energy that must, repeat MUST, be appropriately managed via software to be as useable as possible. Many people rely on safe flying because they are attentive to the telemetry that the app and battery software provide. It's also what decides the price point.
 
SOB...Connected the bird to the DJI Assistant and sure enough, 2 new batteries needed firmware updates. Must check other batteries to see if they too need updates! Just checked and the other batteries are up to date.
I have NEVER heard of a battery update! DJI needs to overcome this!
Maybe this will take care of the issue. I will report back after I fly.
LOL - now you're starting to sound like a drone owner. Once stable, do not allow the app OR the Drone to update again. I fly with a mini 4 and no problems so far. If you do have issues, change the cable first and be prepared for a good one to go bad, while you are out - keep a spare. Never count on the drone's automation; use it as a tool but always know where you are and about what altitude. Be sure your RTH is set high enough to clear trees on the way back. Have fun!
 
Another thing about the batteries. When not in use they still perform self management such as controlled discharges when not in use (you can adjust this setting). You don't appreciate DJI battery management until you get a non-DJI drone. I'm not a big DJI fan (company, drones are good) so that's saying a lot.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,354
Members
104,933
Latest member
mactechnic