HELP!! Nothing works!
I received my Phantom as a B-day present from my kids yesterday. It was supposed to be simple and fly "right pout of the box....more or less". One full day struggling with it later the score is Phantom 0, me -5 hours of frustration.
Literally, adter 5 hours....the props have yet to move, the controller has yet to connect to Assistant. If I have a bad unit/controller, then I have a return auth. through B&H already. But I don't want to return it if this is a correctable software glitch.
Problem #1: My controller is different than the controller shown in the start-up video. The left/throttle gimbal self-centers. The shown controllers throttles remain as placed....and all down at startup is recommended/necessary (??). There is mention of a new controller such as mine but no explanation as to how that changes start-up.
Problem #2: The motor start-up procedure in the manual shows four sequential gimbal positions. In the video it shows only the last of the four....both gimbals down and in. Then.....the motors are supposed to start. I wish.
I turn on controller and it blinks three times and remains on solid red. I plug in Phantom and it tweedles and LED blinking starts. I initialize the compass and eventually Phantom settles down, scores satellites, and I eventually get a long run of fast green blinking, then a slow blinking green. This is, I take it, meaning the unit is ready and has lots of satellites. NOTHING....from that point....works to start the motors. Both gimbals down and in....nothing. In that position I get double green flashing. Old (?) start-up sequence...both gimbals down left, then down right, then down and out, then down and in.....nothing except a lot of green flashing with each new position. Both upper switches in up position. I have done that with every variation I can think of, including WHILE talking to another Phantom owner (3000 miles away)...nothing starts the motors.
Problem #3: I download Assistant V2.18 onto my PC (win7). It immediately tells me to upgrade to firmware V 3.14. In order to do that I need to download Assistant V 2.16. I do and V 2.16 immediately tells me to upgrade to firmware V 3.14. When I go to Upgrade...it tells me no new upgrades are available. So...repeatedly....I download V2.16 and it tells me to upgrade...but does not. I find in FAQ a mention of Win 7 not upgrading until a different driver is installed in Win/System/driver folder. I do that...and nothing changes, just repeated recommendations to upgrade firmware...which may or may not ever happen. Who knows WHAT firmware version is actually in the copter.
Problem #4: The controller is never recognized by Assistant. My copter is plugged in to battery and sits with a faint green light, the USB connected to computer, Assistant V 2.16 (and also tried V 2.18) running, the controller turned on.....but....like the motors....NOTHING...... the controller does is recognized by Assistant. I repeatedly get a message that the controller is not connected.
If I turn the controller off...the copter reacts and goes into a different flashing status. If I turn the controller back on it returns to faint green.
My friend said under "receiver type" to indicate PPM. That did nothing.
Sooooo......after 5 hours....that is where things sit. A prop has not turned and the controller is not recognized by Assistant. DJI initially demands I ask B&H.....which knows less than nothing about the Phantom and offers only a replacement unit (which I assume will have the "new" controller...still need upgrading, etc..) DJI offers nothing in real time...a lot of tutorials and manuals which do not address my specific question.
Can anyone help?
Peter Patricelli