Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest update?

[Mori55]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

I was flying around my house and I clipped on prop guards , because of trees .. All od a sudden it started wobbling and acting like it had a mind of its own , started going to my neighbors house. I switched to atti and back to gps and got enough control to land it. I was told this was vrs. I was barely moving when this happened. Never happened before. Now I'm wondering if this was vrs ? I had just done the upgrade and all calibrations. I have flown it again and alls fine. Also I noticed my motors and battery's are definitely warmer than before.
Yes I know all about prop guards and vrs , but it makes you wonder.

 

[RCF - DRONE]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Oooh....and did I mention my camera fried immediately after the update, althought it was during the usb connection for video transfer, never-the-less, it was immediately after the upgrade....

Can I open the hood, without voiding the warranty?

 

[Double-D]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Updated both firmware and app today and took it for a flight. No probs at all...wipes head with relief.
I also flew my first waypoints flight

 

[4wd]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Oooh....and did I mention my camera fried immediately after the update, althought it was during the usb connection for video transfer, never-the-less, it was immediately after the upgrade....

Can I open the hood, without voiding the warranty?

This doesn't sound firmware related, more like a reason to use a card reader rather than repeatedly pushing in a USB plug!

 

[Prawlin]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

I flew mine the other day, first time since the big update. Mostly it was a positive experience, apart from the automatic RTH on FIRST low battery warning. That feature is positively dangerous and potentially suicidal!! I have turned off the auto RTH now and will never use it ever again!!

I'm sure it will be fine if you are flying some distance away. It will sound the klaxon on the app as before and then simultaneously start it's automatic way home. When nearly home the pilot could easily take back the control and make the final controlled landing.

In my case however, I was aware that the battery was getting lowish (35%) so I had already brought it back and was just pootling about happily just a few feet up and near the home point. I was watching the bird and not the FPV on my phone, naturally.

Then, all of a sudden and without any prior warning, it went into RTH and rapidly landed in a couple if seconds (crashed really!). It was over uneven ground just a few feet from where it originally took off from. It fell over, no damage but not very pretty to watch! Instinctively I quickly tried to correct the landing and move to nearby flat ground, but of course in RTH mode the sticks have no control! A truly horrible sensation!

Had I had maybe a minute of klaxon warning BEFORE RTH kicked in, then I would have been fine, but in that scenario, I had no time to react. The FIRST thing I knew was that it was actually landing from only a few feet altitude and I had no control and no time to realise what was happening. I now know that just toggling the GPS switch would have given me back the control, but there simply wasn't time to even do that. Yes the klaxon started sounding and the LEDS went to flashing red (battery first warning) but before I knew what was happening, it was on its side, thrashing the grass and dirt! I don't think DJI have properly thought this upgrade through. It is potentially dangerous due to AUTO RTH initiating without ANY prior pilot warning alarm beforehand

So my advice to everyone is: after the update and before any flying, turn off the auto low battery RTH and never turn it on! I can see no benefit in this mode, and lots of danger, especially if the bird is already flying close to home and at low altitude! The pilot has zero time to react and flick out of auto pilot mode to regain control and make a controlled landing.

Thereafter, when ever the first low battery warning occurs, just bring it home IMMEDIATELY using whichever mode you prefer, and then land under full pilot control!

During this flying session, I also had complete downlink wifi loss, even the telemetry went off, twice. Something I had not seen before. Though at the moment, I am assuming thus being mainly due to using an unsupported iPhone 4, as I have had some previous no video issues regularly. I have now just bought an iPhone 4s to try, so am hopeful it should be much better now. I don't feel this downlink issue was anything to do with the recent updates.

Peter.

 

[BJames]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

You are sure it was in RTH? Did it climb to 20 meters and then descend at the home point? That doesn't sound like what it was doing.

 

[deejay1947]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

In my case however, I was aware that the battery was getting lowish (35%) so I had already brought it back and was just pootling about happily just a few feet up and near the home point. I was watching the bird and not the FPV on my phone, naturally.

Then, all of a sudden and without any prior warning, it went into RTH and rapidly landed in a couple if seconds (crashed really!).
Peter.

It did that because you were very close to the home point already... if you had the bird much further away the RTH feature would have kicked in sooner.

 

[Prawlin]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

You are sure it was in RTH? Did it climb to 20 meters and then descend at the home point? That doesn't sound like what it was doing.

Pretty sure. I understand what you are saying but I expect it will only do the climb to 20 thing if it needs to actually move horizontally to the home point? I believe in my case, it was already hovering virtually at the home point, so all it needed to do was descend a metre. But of course due to GPS tolerance, the home point is not exactly where it took off from, hence the rough ground.

I am familiar with the previous critical level battery behaviour, where it is trying to descend and land but you still have control albeit with limited throttle up power. This was entirely different and the battery was nowhere near critical level.

As I alluded to, if I had been further away horizontally, then it would have (presumably?) been no problem as it would (presumably?) have climbed to 20 then moved, then descended to the home point.

I think the error probably occurs when flying very close to, or even right at the home point, then the low battery warning threshold kicks in so it just lands as it detects it's at the home point window. The Tx definitely suddenly had no response at all, at the same time the klaxon started and the LEDs went red.

This scenario, might be quite common too as any pilot will surely keep it very close by when battery is nearly gone. There's a good chance of being right at the home point when it happens.

Of course, better still is to land even BEFORE any battery warning thresholds are reached. I certainly didn't expect this drastic behaviour when I still had 35% remaining!


One thing I really don't like is that we can no longer adjust the two low battery thresholds via the assistant sw.

Regards

Peter

 

[Sasquatch]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

One thing I really don't like is that we can no longer adjust the two low battery thresholds via the assistant sw.

Regards

Peter

I hadn't even noticed this. Strange thing, before I upgraded to 3.06 I had changed the 2 battery thresholds to 20% and 15% and that is what it says now in the assistant. This isn't the default settings from before, but will those settings be kept permanently for me now?

 

[Prawlin]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

One thing I really don't like is that we can no longer adjust the two low battery thresholds via the assistant sw.

Regards

Peter

I hadn't even noticed this. Strange thing, before I upgraded to 3.06 I had changed the 2 battery thresholds to 20% and 15% and that is what it says now in the assistant. This isn't the default settings from before, but will those settings be kept permanently for me now?

That's what mine said after the upgrade. Before that, I had it set to 25%/15%. Despite this, I'm reasonably sure the first warning/forced landing (crash even?) occurred at 35%!!

I think I read somewhere that now, the first warning/RTH will occur at some variable value dependant upon how far away from home you are. Yet I was at home, so why up at 35%?? I wasn't expecting anything till 20% as per the assistant reported value.

Not sure I like all this automation stuff and non adjustment rights etc. I like to be in control at least to some degree. Maybe more trials of all this is needed to verify what I said. Though I'm happy enough to leave auto RTH on low battery level set to off!

Also, I do think DJI should issue a lot more detailed explanations when they do such major functional changes like this.
Do they read this forum?

Regards

Peter

 

[Prawlin]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

In my case however, I was aware that the battery was getting lowish (35%) so I had already brought it back and was just pootling about happily just a few feet up and near the home point. I was watching the bird and not the FPV on my phone, naturally.

Then, all of a sudden and without any prior warning, it went into RTH and rapidly landed in a couple if seconds (crashed really!).
Peter.

It did that because you were very close to the home point already... if you had the bird much further away the RTH feature would have kicked in sooner.

Yes I get that. But a little warning before it literally disables my controller sticks would have been nice! Also if I the battery warning kicks in much earlier, I'd never hardly get off the ground with a fresh battery lol. Enforced landing at 35% is madness.

Take my advice and turn off this auto RTH feature! You an always invoke RTH manually using the right hand switch when the klaxon starts, if that is appropriate. (Assuming Naza mode is enabled, and IMO everyone should enable it before they ever fly a P2!)

Peter

 

[BlackTracer]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Why don't you guys just turn off the low battery RTH feature? That way it will be just like you are used to. It has always auto landed at 15%.

 

[Prawlin]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Why don't you guys just turn off the low battery RTH feature? That way it will be just like you are used to. It has always auto landed at 15%.

Isn't that pretty much what I was saying? Albeit in a more verbose way

The difference here is that at critical battery level auto land, one still has some control of pitch roll and yaw and to some degree power. However, in this new Auto RTH mode you lose all control instantly, unless you have the time to think and switch back to your preferred normal mode.


I just now checked again the assistant pop up window that announces this new firmware, and one thing I overlooked is that it does apparently warn you on screen with a 10 second option box to cancel the RTH before it kicks in. That's all very good if you happen to be viewing the screen at that time. I wasn't, and nor could I as the sun was so bright that the screen was next to useless. I don't think there was any audible warning given during that 10 second pop up (assuming it did pop up??) but maybe there was and I just didn't hear it due to the close proximity noise from the bird.

More testing needed methinks.

Peter

 

[Cocoa Beach Kiter]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

I have noticed there is a VERY VERY short time from when you receive the first low battery warning and the critical battery warning. Which appears much shorter than before the update. I set mine to NOT RTH when I did the update. I do not like having it do something that I can command it to do if I feel it is warranted.

On multiple flights, I would receive the low battery warning and within seconds the Phantom would go into auto-land and critical battery. Prior to the update there was more time. I had mine set to 25% and 15% when we had the capability. I miss that.

 

[Mlaudisa]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Flew mine today and I'm pleased with the results. On takeoff, I still noticed some TBE, which subsided fairly quickly. Flights seem straight, and the unit felt responsive and "well tuned". I didn't observe any odd behaviors and I felt I had good control of the aircraft. Descent seemed quicker than with 3.04, but perhaps that's an illusion. Overall, I have more confidence in this aircraft than I did before. I also really like initiating calibration from the Vision app. Only thing I'm still unable to engage in NAZA mode is the Home Lock and Course Lock using the left switch (S2?), but I suspect I just need to read the manual and must be forgetting to do something. Cheers and happy flying!

 

[PinkFloydRoadie]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

I don't get why some of you guys seem to be trying to fly on to or beyond critical battery level, and complaining of little or no lift? Surely everyone should land immediately upon the first low battery warning onset (or even earlier?) thus hopefully avoiding the critical level completely.

Regularly running the LiPo down very low will shorten its life cycle if done too frequently.
Also, flying over trees, water or high altitude, long distance with almost empty battery is surely asking for trouble?

Regards
Peter

This comment caught my attention and I agree with you fully on all you said. Especially the part about not discharging a LiPo battery completely. To add to that comment for other users, most people don't know the difference with various types of Li batteries and they certainly are different. The LiPo battery is a strange type. Thus, agreeing to never discharge it completely, but also to say never STORE it in a completely charged state. I know that flying hobbyest like to do that to be prepared for the next flight, but not a good idea with that type of battery. If you aren't going to fly in the next day or so, then try to leave the battery in a "balanced state" and charge it the remaining part when you are about ready to fly.

 

[PinkFloydRoadie]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

I flew mine the other day, first time since the big update......
Peter.

Really nice detail posting about what happened. Thanks for this info.

 

[sbarton]

Re: Anyone flown a 2+ yet after installing this latest updat

Scott, how do you revert back to 3.0.4, I almost crashed once and almost had a flyaway. This upgrade is not for me.

Norm

I'd like to know this too please.

I kept a copy of the 3.04 software. Uninstall 3.06 and re-install 3.04 software. When you plug everything in it will tell you to "update" to 3.04 from 3.06. The firmware is stored in the software, not downloaded from the internet. I also downloaded a copy of the 3.04 Android app on my Nexus 7, so I was able to uninstall the app and then re-install from my old downloaded copy.
If you don't have copies of the 3.04 software or 3.04 Android/iPhone app, you probably won't be able to re-vert. The links on the DJI website were dead for the old stuff last I checked.

-Scott