ESC Status error

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I got my Phantom 3 advanced on Tuesday (2/2) updated all firmware to latest version and did everything by the book. I've had 11 flights. The first 10 flights were short to keep the battery over 50% to break the LiPOs in right. I've been doing EVERYTHING by the book. My last flight the (2/6) 11th was the longest over 24,000 ft total, 14 mins, returned with a battery of 38%. Never crashed it. Never changed any firmware after the initial update? Went out for the 12th flight.... ESC status error. ARGHHHH!!!!j

Obviously the on/off recommendation on the DJI GO app did nothing. I have re-calibrated my IMU, Compass, and RC. No help. Tried to reinstall firmware 1.6, wouldn't do it (same version message in text file). Tried to downgrade to 1.5 (wouldn't do it newer version message in text file)

Just uploaded all my data to healthy drones. No notices or error messages except a few signal loss errors, which I assume are normal depending on flying conditions.

Any ideas I haven't tried?

I bought it from multicopterwarehouse.com, should I just exchange it for another one at this point (only owned it for 4 days)? Anyone have any experience with them?
 
While I've owned my Phantom 3 Advanced a bit longer (45 days, to be exact), I've experienced the exact same issue. I've had 25 successful, perfect flights -- never so much as a bump on landing. Now, for some inexplicable reason, I get this dreadful, "Warning: ESC status error. Please restart the aircraft. Contact DJI Support if the error persists" message in the DJI GO app each time to try to start the motors.

Like you, I've tried everything I can think of -- recalibration, switched out 4 different batteries, IMU reset, controller sticks, etc. but nothing has worked. I simply cannot express the level of disappointment I have now in this company/product. Spending this much money on a hobby, treating the product with kid gloves and doing everything by the book, and now it's grounded after a month and a half of sparing use.

Does anyone have any idea what could have caused this? In the absence of a solution, I guess my only option is to ship it to DJI for warranty support. Frankly, I'm tempted to simply request a refund instead.
 
I was lucky enough to still be within the 10 day return period honored by DJI. As a matter of fact, I found the customer support from DJI to be much better than reported. Also, the customer service at MultiCopterWarehouse was second to none.

Shipped my Phantom 3 advanced to them on a Tuesday (they or DJI I'm not sure which) paid my return shipping. I hand a brand new Phantom 3 advanced in my hands in under 8 days! I find the folks at multicopterwarehouse.com not only have great pricing but fantastic service.

Bottom line, I couldn't fix the problem myself unless I would have started swapping out parts (ESC?). But it was exchanged no problem
 
I have about 30 flights on my Phantom 3, no problems and was beginning to think that this was a very reliable craft. Last night I set up for a flight and had the ESC status error :( Shipping it off to the repair center for warranty work. Is there anything else to try before I send it off?
 
If you've tried recalibrating the IMU, that's probably all you can do. Sounds like yours has the same problem mine had -- at almost the exact same number of flights. They have had my bird for about a week now, and apparently it has been repaired and tested. Hopefully they will ship it back early next week. I'm anxious to get back in the air.
 
I spent hours and hours researching and trying different things before I gave up and called tech support.

It is interesting that these ESC errors are occurring on birds that have had no prior symptoms, or crashes. An ESC is a solid state component and should either work, or not. If it works, it should work for quite some time. I'm beginning to wonder if there is some firmware glitch that occurs at a very specific set of circumstances and they have not yet figured out what those circumstances are.

When I had my ESC failure I had 11 perfect flights. Loving life. No crashes, no problems. and then a failure. With my limited understanding or what's going on, this should not happen.

Thinking back on the conversation with DJI tech support, I was informed "Oh, an ESC error, we're definitely going to need to see your phantom." Almost like they were anxious to see it. Wondering how many ESC errors (on perfectly functioning birds) prior to the latest batch of firmware.
 
I'm having the same problem with my P3A. I've probably had around 50 flights with no problems until Sunday. I've tried everything. If I have a bad ESC board I can fix it myself. I did repairs on my P2V replacing ESC and motors after a crash. The problem is determining if a board is bad and knowing whether to replace it. I'd hate to order four boards and replace all of them is only one is bad. And it could turn out not to be the problem.
 
My understanding is the P3 has one large integrated circuit board with a high price to replace (even if you do it yourself). Is it still under warranty? Did you crash it?
 
DJI Support fixed this issue for me, under warranty, and it didn't take them long at all. They had it fixed and in testing in less than 2 days after it arrived at the factory. I just hope that whatever they did to fix it will result in a more stable, trouble free bird in the future.
 
I just talked to a tech at Dronenerds in Florida and he suggested doing all of the firmware upgrades first. He also mentioned the fact that the ESC is now one board rather than four which was the case with my P2V. I purchased the P3A from Dronenerds in December so it's under DJI warranty. I'll have to ship it to California. No telling how long it'll take to get it back. This really sucks since I was planning on doing some real estate filming this weekend. I'll try the firmware updates but I seriously doubt it'll work. I'll post a follow up once I finish that project.
 
Well my P3A is headed off to sunny California. Apparently it needs the ESC board replacement. Less than four months old with maybe 50 flights. Not a good record. At least it's under warranty. Maybe in a month I'll have it back. Probably cost me a real estate video job. I wish I could afford a back up aircraft but it's not possible at this point.
 
DJI Support fixed this issue for me, under warranty, and it didn't take them long at all. They had it fixed and in testing in less than 2 days after it arrived at the factory. I just hope that whatever they did to fix it will result in a more stable, trouble free bird in the future.

I'm hoping for a quick turnaround. I was told two to three weeks from the time they receive it. :(
 
Wonder how many phantoms are failing with the ESC error. I suspect it is more than a few as when I called ski when it happened to me they did not even suggest any troubleshooting solutions, just said I have to send it in for repair. Just 30 flights and now on its way to Calif service centre. Anyone know what they have to do to fix the problem and are they upgrading a component that is a problem?
 
Considering fortune magazine reported DJI was selling 30,000 quads per month in April 2015 and by all reports that number has gone up substantially. So assuming there's 30k per month from April thru Feb that's 330,000 drones being sold. A large percentage are phantoms. If 80% are phantoms = 264,000. Now lets assume there are 100 x the number of ESC errors reported on this board. I've seen about 40 actual P3 esc errors similar to mine. 4000/264,000 = 1.5% with a problem. I think the 4000 is high and the 264,000 is low, but even so a 1.5% warranty claim rate for ESCs is pretty low for a mass produced product.
 
I repaired my P2V and it had four separate ESC boards where the P3 apparently uses one board for all four motors. The repair on my P2v was pretty easy. I replaced one ESC and two motors. Since this P3A is under warranty I'm not cracking the shell which would void the warranty. My P2V was pretty banged up after a crash so I knew they probably wouldn't do the repair under warranty.
 
I have the exact same issue with the error message. No crashes, treat it like a baby. Had a flight in the morning, went out for afternoon flight and got this depressing error message. Only have had it for a month today. Got it from drone dudes in CA.. I emailed them since I gut it from them. Is that the process? . Send it to the place you purchased it from?
 
I bought mine from DroneNerds in the Miami, FL. area. They've helped me before with my P2V and have great service. They told me so ship it to DJI in Carson, CA. since it's under warranty. I just bought it in December. They should receive it on Monday and then I'll just wait to hear from them or it'll eventually show up on my doorstep. I was told turnaround might be 2 - 3 weeks. Hopefully quicker since I'm working on a project. It would be nice to have a backup but it's not in my budget. Maybe later in the year. Especially with prices dropping.
 
Did they pay for shipping? And did you send everything back to them? Thanks for your help. Just upset that I did nothing wrong and all of a sudden I got this esc error message. Bummer
 

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