I have found that the Pilot app destroys (as in drains it quickly) the battery in my iPhone 6 plus. Anyone else notice this? Must be due to what someone had said already in this thread. "App is very CPU intensive"
First Day Out - Scary
- Thread starter Volantis
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It took about four hours to charge it the first time. The lights were out when it finished. Yes, it was completely charged. I charged it after the flight and it took only about a half hour. It really did seem like there was something wrong with the programming of the controller when they both stopped working. After the P3P came back, I had to shut down everything completely before I could get the app to work again. I still didn't see the white lights until after it charged.
Do you have the latest firmware on the P3 and controller?
I run the battery down on the controller to one LED light. No need to charge after every flight. I get about 30 flights before I need to charge the controller again.
I'm real curious about your controller issue. Never heard of that happening before.
I downloaded and successfully installed version 1.2.6. on both the P3P and controller.
It is good to hear the controller would normally be good for several P3P chargings. It would bother me if the controller was a charge-time bottleneck.
We will take it out again, today, if the weather cooperates. I will be more conservative with distance until the new Air 2 arrives.
GadgetGuy
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My experience is similar to Kman's. After some 15 flights, I still have 3 of 4 lights left on the original full transmitter battery charge, so 30 flights per charge is certainly in the ballpark! If it only lasts a few flights, it either wasn't fully charged, or is defective.
I am extremely pleased with the iPad Air 2. As expected, the screen is much larger and can be made much brighter than the Moto X. It fits well into the controller. There is no lag in the POV video, either. This feels like a top rate, professional aerial photography system.
When the issue first happened did you not try to control the phantom with the sticks? You don't need an app to fly the thing.
Crawl, walk, run. Seems like you went straight to "run". This thing may be listed as a RTF Quad, but that doesn't make the pilot RTF.
Explore the limits in little steps. First step is to remain in visual contact at ALL TIMES. Learn how to fly the thing before you go off on some long journey. Figure out what "nose in" flight means. This includes learning how to fly in ATTI mode. If you want to know manual mode, then at least first purchase a small, indoor quad like the Hubsan X4 H107L.
Learn how to fly that indoors. THEN, turn on a ceiling fan to learn how it reacts to winds. THEN, take that little sucker outside in a rather calm wind and fly it. Land it. Successfully pilot it. It makes a HUGE difference when you get in trouble with the full sized equipment.
Manual mode can save your investment when all else fails. ALWAYS be prepared for a crash. If you fly these things, those WILL happen. Technology isn't there quite yet.
After all. You wouldn't buy a $500,000 car to learn how to drag race or drift in would you? If so, then your answer is at the bottom of your wallet.
Explore the limits in little steps. First step is to remain in visual contact at ALL TIMES. Learn how to fly the thing before you go off on some long journey. Figure out what "nose in" flight means. This includes learning how to fly in ATTI mode. If you want to know manual mode, then at least first purchase a small, indoor quad like the Hubsan X4 H107L.
Learn how to fly that indoors. THEN, turn on a ceiling fan to learn how it reacts to winds. THEN, take that little sucker outside in a rather calm wind and fly it. Land it. Successfully pilot it. It makes a HUGE difference when you get in trouble with the full sized equipment.
Manual mode can save your investment when all else fails. ALWAYS be prepared for a crash. If you fly these things, those WILL happen. Technology isn't there quite yet.
After all. You wouldn't buy a $500,000 car to learn how to drag race or drift in would you? If so, then your answer is at the bottom of your wallet.
Meta4
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Yes, I did try to fly with the sticks. In fact, I was flying with the sticks all along.
I think the problem was likely due to a system resource failure in my Moto X. It was basically a software crash. I could have had some open apps in the background. We have had it up for a couple days before the Air 2 came. With the phone freshly booted I have had no problems other than it was difficult to read the screen.
With the Air 2 it is much easier to set the light controls to capture good video. Everything is great right now.
I have been taking it in small steps. First I just turned the blades on and off from the controller. Then I took it up in several small jumps less than 15 feet and got a feel for the sticks.
I live in flat farmland. We have enormous open fields for practicing in. I can easily keep line of sight for a mile with no obstructions. As you suggested, I'm systematically testing the limits and familiarizing myself with the controls and settings.
I've had several app crashes in Android (maybe once every other battery's worth of flying). Just keep your wits about you and the app will either restart itself or you can restart the app manually and it will reestablish control. I've never had it lock up the phone completely. In fact, yesterday it did it while my P3P was about 1/2 mile out over a lake despite rock solid FPV and RC signal. A little nervous? Sure, but I'm confident it will just hover in place until I get the app running again. The app restarted itself that time within seconds and I continued on my merry way.
I'd love updates to the Android app to make it more reliable. PC Ground Station type support for the Phantom 3 for my Surface would be awesome too (I know a Core i5/i7 could handle it better than any phone or tablet).
As with others above, I have only recharged the controller twice in over 20 P3P flights but it still had 3 lights remaining each time.
I'd love updates to the Android app to make it more reliable. PC Ground Station type support for the Phantom 3 for my Surface would be awesome too (I know a Core i5/i7 could handle it better than any phone or tablet).
As with others above, I have only recharged the controller twice in over 20 P3P flights but it still had 3 lights remaining each time.
That is unfortunate. Having no such setting really precludes the budding pilot from learning all there is to know about the craft of flying.
However, I can understand why some drones are kept to a more hands off approach. So to speak.
So it didn't respond to the sticks either then. That makes sense. I thought the app died so you just waited until the battery died for it to return to home.
My new P3P only came with a wimpy Quick Start guide-NO manual. I am glad I bought it at a dealer and their tech support has been outstanding.
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No P3s come with a printed user manual. It is downloaded; http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/download. Just scroll down till you find the User Manual in your language and model.
