Strange P3P behaviour after FW update.

[Miguel Silva]

Jesus...since phantom existis everybody recomends doing a compass calibration before each flight to avoid flyaways.

I made one time a compass calibration in a very dificult location, the first time calibration didnt finish due to too much interference. I moved a retried. Is calibrate with success but when i put the phantom in the air a noticed right away that someting was not ok. Put the BIRD down and redid the calibration and everyting was ok.

My advise. Always do a compass calibration everytime your make your first flight in that location.

If someting seams not ok, put the BIRD down ...

 

[Daninho]

It's not my advice. If the compass is calibrated ok from a previous flight, and you haven't moved more than say 50 miles, it works fine without calibrating. I have done over 400 flights (not consecutively) with various Phantoms without calibrating - I only do it when I move a long way, probably 1 flight in 20 or 30. I've calibrated my P3P compass maybe 5 times in 75 flights - once was when I went to a different continent and again when I returned. All that without a hint of TBE or crooked flying like in the old days.

If you are calibrated well from before and do it "just to be safe" but happen to be near some metal you didn't notice, then you would've been better off not calibrating.

I would calibrate IMU and compass before every flight, i did that since 3 years, since the Phantom1. IMU is more important since the mod values change after every flgiht and get worse. Compass is recommended to calibrate, for example the Iphone apps using the compass want to calibrate it very often and it says its recommended to calibrate the compass for more exact results. I can see this with my ipad, i calibrated since ages and the radar view is not exact anymore, its way off.

 

[unclejas]

According to the DJI Phantom 3 Manual:

When Recalibration is Required

• When Compass Data is abnormal, the LED flight indicator will blink alternating between red and yellow.
• Last compass calibration was performed at a completely different flying field/location.
• The mechanical structure of the aircraft has changed, i.e. changed mounting position of the compass.
• Evident drifting occurs in flight, i.e. the aircraft doesn’t fly in straight lines.

The second bullet is important as that changes often for many of us. DJI does not mention >50 or >100 miles field location change. It states simply "different" which indicates that you should be doing regular compass calibrations before flights.

 

[bbfpv]

According to the DJI Phantom 3 Manual:

When Recalibration is Required

• When Compass Data is abnormal, the LED flight indicator will blink alternating between red and yellow.
• Last compass calibration was performed at a completely different flying field/location.
• The mechanical structure of the aircraft has changed, i.e. changed mounting position of the compass.
• Evident drifting occurs in flight, i.e. the aircraft doesn’t fly in straight lines.

The second bullet is important as that changes often for many of us. DJI does not mention >50 or >100 miles field location change. It states simply "different" which indicates that you should be doing regular compass calibrations before flights.

I've calibrated my compass once, the first time I took the bird out. I've not calibrated it since because I rarely leave the island and my flying locations are all within 150 miles of each other. At the end of the day, it's your bird, calibrate it whenever you want.

 

[Luis Costa]

Pardon mon français, but I fail to see the relevance of the traditional "compass calibration **** measuring contest" to the topic.

Can't we all get along?

 

[snerd]

I just look at compass number at new sites. If okay, I don't calibrate compass. I haven't had to do it for over 100 flights, until updating the recent firmware.

 

[snerd]

Pardon mon français, but I fail to see the relevance of the traditional "compass calibration **** measuring contest" to the topic.

Can't we all get along?

If the truth was to be known.................... there is no contest.

 

[unclejas]

I've calibrated my compass once, the first time I took the bird out. I've not calibrated it since because I rarely leave the island and my flying locations are all within 150 miles of each other. At the end of the day, it's your bird, calibrate it whenever you want.

Just following the manufacturer's directions and ignoring advice that doesn't have credible sources.

 

[bbfpv]

Just following the manufacturer's directions and ignoring advice that doesn't have credible sources.

Hundreds of operators and thousands of successful flights not calibrating a compass with each change in location isn't credible enough? Got it. Again, it's your bird, calibrate away.

 

[unclejas]

Hundreds of operators and thousands of successful flights not calibrating a compass with each change in location isn't credible enough? Got it. Again, it's your bird, calibrate away.

DJI's manual isn't? I don't honestly care if you calibrate once a year, but I will fly the way I want, and to be attacked is ridiculous whether you like the manufacturer's advice or not.

 

[bbfpv]

DJI's manual isn't? I don't honestly care if you calibrate once a year, but I will fly the way I want, and to be attacked is ridiculous whether you like the manufacturer's advice or not.

So you're allowed to share your opinion on the matter, but when I share one that's conflicting I'm attacking you? Alrighty then.

 

[unclejas]

So you're allowed to share your opinion on the matter, but when I share one that's conflicting I'm attacking you? Alrighty then.

Maybe attack is a strong word, but let it go. The manual states the facts written by the expert.

 

[louforgiveno]

Well if we spin this debate like earlier firmware upgrade threads....DJI says to do it every flight, isn't it possible they may reject claims made by people who failed to do a calibration before flight? So in reality do whatever floats your boat.....but for those wishing to follow the manufacturer's advice their advice is to calibrate at each location and be sure to be far away from ferrous metals and electric wires to ensure a "clean" calibration. And as always after launch give it a few seconds to hover and do a "front/back & side to side" dance to look for any signs of abnormal drift.....when all looks good proceed with flight.

 

[Luis Costa]

Calibrated IMU this morning, values are ok, compass a little low (1390-1420).
Bought myself a level, perfectly even surface, cool drone.

Gimbal calibration next, solved nothing, camera remains tilted.
I'd say it appears even more tilted to the left after the calibration process, but can only confirm after a flight.
No hope.

One thing is bothering me even more... the voltage values aren't quite the same.
The left green bar shows a 4,20, and the others are close to 4,50.
As a newbie, I suppose each bar corresponds to a motor, right?

App disconnection issues continue, first wouldn´t even connect, I had to turn off&on the aircraft so the app would recognise it, second time in a row this happens, after updating the **** firmware.
A few minutes later, suddendly the app crashed, and although it restarted, no connection could be established, "disconnected" message at the top, no video, no telemetry, nothing.
I'm glad I wasn't flying..........

I can say clearly this firmware is a piece of crap, it brought even more issues without resolving any.

I am now thinking about reverting to the one I had before.
Question is: I don't know the version I had installed when I bought the P3P a month ago....
How can I get that info?
Looking at the facts, would you recommend going back to the older firmware?

 

[bbfpv]

Calibrated IMU this morning, values are ok, compass a little low (1390-1420).
Bought myself a level, perfectly even surface, cool drone.

Gimbal calibration next, solved nothing, camera remains tilted.
I'd say it appears even more tilted to the left after the calibration process, but can only confirm after a flight.
No hope.

One thing is bothering me even more... the voltage values aren't quite the same.
The left green bar shows a 4,20, and the others are close to 4,50.
As a newbie, I suppose each bar corresponds to a motor, right?

App disconnection issues continue, first wouldn´t even connect, I had to turn off&on the aircraft so the app would recognise it, second time in a row this happens, after updating the **** firmware.
A few minutes later, suddendly the app crashed, and although it restarted, no connection could be established, "disconnected" message at the top, no video, no telemetry, nothing.
I'm glad I wasn't flying..........

I can say clearly this firmware is a piece of crap, it brought even more issues without resolving any.

I am now thinking about reverting to the one I had before.
Question is: I don't know the version I had installed when I bought the P3P a month ago....
How can I get that info?
Looking at the facts, would you recommend going back to the older firmware?

The voltage meters is for each cell. I wouldn't be too concerned, that's not much of a discrepancy. How many discharges on the battery in question?
You can only revert to 1.9, but that's the one that's most stable anyway. Certainly cant hurt to try.
Dumb question but are you sure you are on the latest FW? Your symptoms seems exactly like the old FW and no one else is experiencing no change after the update.

 

[Luis Costa]

"==========2015.08.05 01:59:10==========
Packet: /mnt/usb/P3X_FW_V01.03.0020.bin,
Upgrading ...
Result: Success"

Yes, it's the latest one.
I had the 1.1.9 previously installed and it gave me none of these issues.

Noticed another strange thing....
What's with the dates in the "P3X_FW_RESULT_AB" text file created this morning after updating another battery?
The file itself has a creation date of 31-12-2003, 23:00.
Is this normal?!?

"Result: Success.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3X_FW_V01.03.0020.bin
Upgrading ...
Result: Success.

========== 2015.08.05 11:12:07 =====================
Packet: P3X_FW_V01.03.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2015.08.05 11:17:11 =====================
Packet: P3X_FW_V01.03.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft.

========== 2014.01.01 00:00:11 remo-con disconnect======
Packet: P3X_FW_V01.03.0020.bin
Result: Abort.
The firmware on the SD card is identical to or older than the current firmware on the aircraft."