February 2018 My phantom 3 pro refuses to work after update

[Life1980s]

Hi everybody. I had my Phantom 3 pro for about 2 years. And loved it til this point. Sadly I crashed the drone on a tree and broke the camera off the gimbal assembly. Removed the whole assembly. I ordered the part to fix it. Now the mechanical parts is fixed. But when I re installed it. The gimbal sys does not operate. But I was able to see the camera display though. And an error on the app telling me the gimbal is not working basically. Now forget this for now. I am not worried about the camera at THIS MOMENT. I'll worry later

The main problem I'm here for (main purpose of this thread) The drone did operate no problem without the camera assembly. But here's the kicker:
Those "pesky" updates required. So OK. I'll update the firmware. NO Biggie! So I download the 7-6-2017 update "all in one"? v1.11.20 I have done updates before no problem. Typically wait 30 mins and everything.
BUT THIS TIME. THE UPDATE IS PROBLEMATIC! I followed the instructions. Format the card. Then put the bin file as the only file on the card. insert card onto the gimbal. Turn on the aircraft. It appeared to be updating normally. Then after about 20 mins I get the ALARM CLOCK beeping! And the aircraft lights don't flash anymore. And on the gimbal. I do get the red/green red/green red/green for a little bit, then the gimbal flashes green for about 30 seconds, then red/green red/green. red/green. And this REPEATS! And for the last month, I have NOT been able to make it work! I went to youtube, this forums, THE WORKS! But still can't get it working! All it does at this point is the ALARM CLOCK beeps! and the red/green, flashing green, and REPEAT.
I am thinking to send it in to get it fixed. I wonder if disconnecting the wires from the gimbal assembly has anything to do with it. Because when I plug a USB cable from the computer to the gimbal straight. The computer does "see" the card. Then the card "disconnects" from the computer. Then it re connects and REPEATS! This is when I have the USB cable connecter from the computer to the gimbal. I tried different cables. Still the same.

What should I do. Should I bother fixing the drone, or just sell it for parts. What can I expect to get for the Phantom 3 pro with a non working gimbal and update failed? again, the drone did work perfectly before I began the firmware update.

 

[quaddamage]

I wonder if disconnecting the wires from the gimbal assembly has anything to do with it.

No. In Ph3 Pro/Adv there are no updateable components in moving parts of the gimbal.

Because when I plug a USB cable from the computer to the gimbal straight. The computer does "see" the card. Then the card "disconnects" from the computer. Then it re connects and REPEATS! This is when I have the USB cable connecter from the computer to the gimbal.

Oh, so the micro-usb is connected to Ambarella. I wasn't sure of that - thanks. Anyway, if it goes on and off, then Ambarella must be restarting. Ambarella is restarting if it cannot connect to the rest of the drone - it usually means there's an issue in the cable which connects gimbal to OFDM board, but may also have other reasons, I don't know all of them.

What should I do. Should I bother fixing the drone, or just sell it for parts. What can I expect to get for the Phantom 3 pro with a non working gimbal and update failed?

I will leave this to someone else, I prefer technical subjects.

The drone should work without the gimbal. First you should do is to disconnect the gimbal and check if the rest works.

 

[Life1980s]

No. In Ph3 Pro/Adv there are no updateable components in moving parts of the gimbal.



Oh, so the micro-usb is connected to Ambarella. I wasn't sure of that - thanks. Anyway, if it goes on and off, then Ambarella must be restarting. Ambarella is restarting if it cannot connect to the rest of the drone - it usually means there's an issue in the cable which connects gimbal to OFDM board, but may also have other reasons, I don't know all of them.



I will leave this to someone else, I prefer technical subjects.

The drone should work without the gimbal. First you should do is to disconnect the gimbal and check if the rest works.

Thanks.

I kind of have a feeling the cable connection from gimbal to drone may be suspect. Maybe I'll buy another drone like mines. That way I will have two drones. And check this one interchanging parts or something, Because I would hate to bother with buying parts or a whole new gimbal only to find out that is not it.
I'm probably going to think about the cable.

 

[quaddamage]

I kind of have a feeling the cable connection from gimbal to drone may be suspect.

That's possible.

Maybe I'll buy another drone like mines. That way I will have two drones. And check this one interchanging parts or something,

That's a good way, even if seem a bit expensive; replacing components with working ones is the fastest way to diagnose issues.

 

[Life1980s]

I FIXED MY DRONE! YAY!!!

You see that! I got my P3P to work again! Using that same bin file. SO, you may wonder what happened! Or how I got it going? Well I went out on OfferUp and bought another Phantom 3 Pro from a private party! I paid $450 for it. Which included 4 batteries! YES 4 batteries!, and plus the rolling hard case. Very nice! Really happy there.
So this is where I got the idea to swap parts! On my original P3P, the gimbal is not operating. And while trying to update. I kept getting the repeating red/green/flashing green. I found out the connecting of the cable to gimbal was bad! I put in the new drone's camera assembly on my old drone and WALLA! IT WORKED! Right there I went ahead to retry the update. It WORKED FINALLY! The old drone is not an alarm clock anymore! Works perfectly now! Under the exception of the gimbal. I found out the connector port must of got messed up while pulling on cable too hard. So all in all. This is was causing all the havoc of not being able to update my old P3P
After getting my old P3P working. I put back the working camera on my new P3P. And updated the new drone as well! BUT! The new P3P's remote is not working now. It rapidly flashes re/green. I already know it just needs to updated! That's all. Because the old P3P's remote works no problem on the new P3P. But NOT the new P3P's remote! Sadly I can't even get the DJIgo app to work on the new P3P's remote. So I am working to see what to do. Only thing I can think of is using a USB drive to update the new P3P's remote. Until then, I can use the old P3P's remote on either of my P3Ps

 

[MotorCycle-Man]

(((((((WOW)))))) i feel your excitement......And i'm happy for you to accomplish so much and its all "GOOD and i can only imagine your patience during all this.....Hip Hip Hou.......... Ray ! Btw...I love that drone littered table too......Lucky You !

 

[Life1980s]

(((((((WOW)))))) i feel your excitement......And i'm happy for you to accomplish so much and its all "GOOD and i can only imagine your patience during all this.....Hip Hip Hou.......... Ray ! Btw...I love that drone littered table too......Lucky You !

haha LoL

 

[Life1980s]

UPDATE for me here!

So. I was trying to fix the gimbal on my old P3P. I got it to operate. But goes haywire! I then researched. And they say the shafts of gimbal motors needs to be aligned a certain way. So I DID align everything. But still goes haywire. So I decided to call it quits again. For now. So the camera on my old P3P is not working basically. I am thinking remove the gimbal and to buy the harness to install a gopro in place of this gimbal. Like the older versions of these Phantoms do.
Well anyway. About the remote for my new P3P. I GOT IT TO WORK FINALLY! All day long I been trying to get it to work! The new RC and the P3P worked fine from the start (when I bought it a week ago). But was never able to connect to the DJIgo app! So after updating the new P3P. The RC no longer wanted to connect or work. I got the erratic blinking red/green. And only the gimbal works with this remote. I tried everything! Including the inserting the usb with the latest bin file. Never wanted to update! And the app would never connect no matter what I do. Incl re installing the app. THEN, I had the thought that I can try using a different BIN. An older BIN file. FINALLY GOT IT GOING!!!!! SO, as I learned, the RC must of had the oldest of firmware on it! So evidently I had to update with the NEXT older. NOT jump directly from the oldest to the newest BIN. Doesn't work that way as I learned.
Well anyway, after finally getting the update done on the RC. The DJIgo app FINALLY connects!! YAY! Now this time, the app is telling me "update for RC required".. And the ability to download and update directly from my phone.. NICE! So I get that done. IT WORKED! I managed to get all good!