DJI Smart Battery-Not!

[flyNfrank]

I think it is easy to say that the dji smart battery isn't so smart. As it is, it counts the number of days and can provide a drain after a set number of those days.

What is can't do, but should be able to do, is supply the P3 with enough power to perform as it should. We pay the crazy price of around $150 for a battery that is anything but smart. Anyone flying below 70f degrees will be faced with a near 41% reduction in speed. No...let's not set the battery up to supply the aircraft the power it ask for. And the reason for this is because the way they have had the batteries set up, it caused the temps to rise and be the blame for another jacked up part which is the body, as in motor mount area.

So we now have batteries that almost double the price we were paying just before the P3 was released. The smart batteries have their own firmware. For what? To have internal calendars to begin a drain cycle? Seriously...the smart battery is simply a ripoff. These batteries were a reason why we couldn't use the multiple batteries we already purchased for the P2V+'s. We had to be required to start over and reinvest to a different battery setup.

Surely, there is a better option that is less expensive, and not prone to dropping aircraft out of the sky?

 

[RedHotPoker]

Yes, that option, for you, is to move along...
If you are unhappy, unchain the piano from your waist strap, and run... ;-)

I have no problems or complaints, and refuse to search for minor negatives...

Good luck, with your next choices of RC models... Ha
Seriously, you don't know how good you have it, or what you have, until it's gone. Be thankful.

RedHotPoker

 

[Ed209]

The smart batteries have great capacity to weight. I've been running calculations through the yin yang since doing the battery mod and comparing to some of the best aftermarket options, the DJI battery is lighter and has more capacity than anything else available. Also, the DJI battery has a built-in balancer (I pretty sure of this). And also the communications port to relay power info to the logs/tablet. Sure materials vs retail is probably a huge margin but you're paying for the tech. I agree it seems DJI had to nerf the P3s due to the temperature/power draw shortcoming/discovery. You can elect not to run that firmware and just take it easy in cold. I mean man it's freaking COLD out here right now for most of us in the US. No LiPo/LiHV is going to perform well!

 

[With The Birds]

No different to printer cartridges, DJI will keep the price cranked up on these essential items. Im not complaining about the performance and features though. I would prefer a reduced power output to a cell collapsing under voltage and falling out of the sky.

 

[Mako79]

DJI has preferred that the P3 to fly slowly than cutting motors mid flight. What would you prefer???

They've dumbed down the battery for the general population by building smarts into it. Therefore its a smart battery.
In dumbing it down for the masses, it increases the cost of adding safety features by making it idiotic proof. You want an idiotic-proof-battery when you have an expensive public lawnmower in the sky.

 

[marzipana]

I'd be happy paying $150 - in Australia they set you back $259!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[eBird]

What is can't do, but should be able to do, is supply the P3 with enough power to perform as it should. We pay the crazy price of around $150 for a battery that is anything but smart. Anyone flying below 70f degrees will be faced with a near 41% reduction in speed.

What are you talking about? I fly all the time and it's routinely between 7°F and 20°F. My P3 hauls *** in the frigid air, no complaints. I marvel at this amazing machine every time I fly.
Go fly, be happy. There are more important things to be upset about in this world.

 

[dnthomas]

I flew the other day with my fully updated P3P in P-GPS MODE, 45-50 degrees and max speed was 38.4. How much faster should it go?

 

[Ed209]

Frank, your profile says Indy.. Maybe this is why?

 

[Bigskyflyer]

Yes, that option, for you, is to move along...
If you are unhappy, unchain the piano from your waist strap, and run... ;-)

I have no problems or complaints, and refuse to search for minor negatives...

Good luck, with your next choices of RC models... Ha
Seriously, you don't know how good you have it, or what you have, until it's gone. Be thankful.

RedHotPoker

Red Hot, this might be a little off topic, but I have asked this in other areas of the forum and have never gotten an answer either way. I was wondering if it has ever been determined if this battery issue has always been there or did it appear with one of the firmware upgrades. The reason I ask is that I am still on 1.3.20 and have had no problems. I have tested mine at 10 degrees farenheit and colder and have not had any issues with voltage spikes even when the battery is at 40 percent. I like the way it is performing and would like to stay on my current firmware. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.

 

[RedHotPoker]

Oh sure, I live in a cold place, but have never experienced any of my 4 battery packs acting strangely from ill temperatures! & no maladies or negatives, from any firmware updates, or Go App changes. So just maybe & perhaps I would be the wrong guy to answer that. I update my drone every time an improved firmware has been released, and forgot about yesterday's news already.
Tomorrow, becomes yesterday, very quickly at my age, so I have very little ~ no time for dwelling on them things. I read many of the forum threads about troubled Phantom 3 models, but can't relate. For I am of the majority, and thankful to have a trouble free @Dji Phantom 3 Pro' drone of my own.

RedHotPoker

 

[Bigskyflyer]

Oh sure, I live in a cold place, but have never experienced any of my 4 battery packs acting strangely from ill temperatures! & no maladies or negatives, from any firmware updates, or Go App changes. So just maybe & perhaps I would be the wrong guy to answer that. I update my drone every time an improved firmware has been released, and forgot about yesterday's news already.
Tomorrow, becomes yesterday, very quickly at my age, so I have very little ~ no time for dwelling on them things. I read many of the forum threads about troubled Phantom 3 models, but can't relate. For I am of the majority, and thankful to have a trouble free @Dji Phantom 3 Pro' drone of my own.

RedHotPoker

Thanks for the reply. My p3 pro has been pretty flawless also. The only issue I have had was the vps with 1.26 and 1.3.20 fixed it. I guess I am from the "if it ain't broke don' t fix it" group. I am also getting up in my years so I will give it some thought before updating. I am having a blast with this thing just the way it is, don't really need all of the bells and whistles of the new firmware. Again, thanks for your input.

 

[RedHotPoker]

Everything was working great, and I am obviously totally satisfied with my purchase. So when the autonomous parameters were released, I was actually beside myself. And still am. Both of us were pleased as Punch. You may want to Ask Judy. Hehe
For the youngsters amongst us, they were marionettes of the finest order.

RedHotPoker

 

[smyers63]

High energy density batteries require monitoring electronics to prevent problems during discharge and charging. LiPo batteries (which are new to my experience but I've done some research) also require discharge to below a certain level to prevent bulging. That was something easily discovered with a modicum of research. The OP has reached conclusions without having and/or understanding the facts of the matter. And, yes, I've been heavily involved in electronics for many years in case anyone wonders. Battery systems these days aren't as simple as many may think.

Look up what's happening with hoverboards if you need proof.

 

[RedHotPoker]

Speaking of fires, from batteries. Ah, it was announced on this evenings news, that some of the courier planes must stop hauling large quantities of LiPo. Due to planes being brought down from fires.
Not sure how this will effect our RC supplies. Perhaps their prices may rise, if quantities are drastically reduced.

RedHotPoker

 

[Meta4]

These batteries were a reason why we couldn't use the multiple batteries we already purchased for the P2V+'s. We had to be required to start over and reinvest to a different battery setup.

The fact that the P2 batteries are 11.1 volts and the P3 uses 15.2 volts might have also been a minor contributing factor?

 

[ELHEAPO]

The price of these batteries are simply scandalous £124 for 18mins at best flight time is disgusting, add on to that they are the reason for some birds dropping out of the sky it puts dji to shame why have the reduced the price of all the phantom 3 range yet never once have they reduced these over priced batteries. I fully agree with frank on this topic!!

 

[Mark The Droner]

I think I've read every battery thread since August. Lots of discussion in this thread about air temp, but little about battery temp. Re flying in cold weather, what we've learned in multiple threads is, the air temp is not so important. What's been established is that you don't want a cold battery. What is a cold battery? 20C is cold. 15 C is much worse and I believe it will trigger a warning in the P3. 10 C is worse yet and it tempting fate. If you are flying in winter air and start off with a WARM battery (and I don't mean room temperature - I mean something around 30-40 C (86-104 F), your battery will perform much better with a much lower risk of catastrophe. Your battery is not going to heat up while flying as you might expect. It will actually drop in temp while flying in cold air which is why you want to give it assistance by heating it up prior to flight. How you heat it up is your business. Some have used hand warmers. Use your imagination. Just be sure not to allow your battery to reach 60 C (140 F) because that's the point where your battery will become dangerously volatile.

Hope this helps.

 

[flyNfrank]

The smart batteries have great capacity to weight. I've been running calculations through the yin yang since doing the battery mod and comparing to some of the best aftermarket options, the DJI battery is lighter and has more capacity than anything else available. Also, the DJI battery has a built-in balancer (I pretty sure of this). And also the communications port to relay power info to the logs/tablet. Sure materials vs retail is probably a huge margin but you're paying for the tech. I agree it seems DJI had to nerf the P3s due to the temperature/power draw shortcoming/discovery. You can elect not to run that firmware and just take it easy in cold. I mean man it's freaking COLD out here right now for most of us in the US. No LiPo/LiHV is going to perform well!

What is the "battery mod" you speak of?

 

[flyNfrank]

DJI has preferred that the P3 to fly slowly than cutting motors mid flight. What would you prefer???

They've dumbed down the battery for the general population by building smarts into it. Therefore its a smart battery.
In dumbing it down for the masses, it increases the cost of adding safety features by making it idiotic proof. You want an idiotic-proof-battery when you have an expensive public lawnmower in the sky.

Why would they need to cut motors in flight to begin with?

I'm guessing you will say it has to do with keeping the batteries from going below a set amount of volts?

I look at both converted .txt and .dat flight logs of every flight I go on. Would you happen to know if when the a/c is under a load if only 2 or 3 cells are being used, or if all 4 cells are used?
If it was say 3 cells leaving 1 for reserve would explain why there always seems to be a variance with 1 of the cells in the battery, wouldn't it?