P3 Firmware HOW TO: Install Phantom 3 firmware

Hi... First FW update, ever! I am on 1.1.9. DJI Go 2.0 (happened by surprise), and never updated controller either.
Can I jump to the newest one directly?
Is the update to 1.4.00 happens like describe in post #1?
Should I do it through DJI go or through the pc?
Which is the simplest?
Thanks.
 
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well thanks so much, I just need to read the forum more!! msinger you are worth your weight in GOLD, you have been my major go to for answers!! thanks again,
Mike
 
Hi
Just followed your instructions to the letter but ended up with a bricked P3P...
Installed today the Nov 25 Firmware via the GO app. No probs there.
App indicated the camera and aircraft also needed to be upgraded.
Downloaded the Nov 25 firmware from the DJI site and put the bin file on a formatted SD card. Switched on the bird and the rear LEDs started flashing rapidly YELLOW.
This lasted about 20 mins after which all LEDs switched off.
Took the card out, saw 1 Success file and a couple of aborted results, and reformatted again. The bird now emits rapid warning tones and has no LEDs.
Would appreciated your advice!
Cheers,
Martin
 
Switched on the bird and the rear LEDs started flashing rapidly YELLOW.
I would suggest you disregard the lights on the arms since they don't always do the same thing during updates. More importantly, what happened in step #10?

This lasted about 20 mins after which all LEDs switched off.
Did the camera status light switch off too? If not, what color was it?

Took the card out, saw 1 Success file and a couple of aborted results, and reformatted again.
If you still have the TXT file, please post it here.

The bird now emits rapid warning tones and has no LEDs.
Put a fresh BIN back on your memory card and try updating your Phantom again. If it still sounds the same tones, let it run for ~20 and see what happens. Post the resulting TXT file here.
 
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I would suggest you disregard the lights on the arms since they don't always do the same thing during updates. More importantly, what happened in step #10?


Did the camera status light switch off too? If not, what color was it?


If you still have the TXT file, please post it here.


Put a fresh BIN back on your memory card and try updating your Phantom again. If it still sounds the same tones, let it run for ~20 and see what happens. Post the resulting TXT file here.


Sorry I did not get to your earlier post before as I'm on the other side of the world….
I put in a fresh microSD card, unplugged the battery for 10 minutes, and switched on the machine.
I let it beep like a car alarm for about 10 minutes after which it went silent with the exception of the regular sound of the machine reading the file it seems…. The lights were flashing yellow during this process and it drained the full battery!!
However, the text file showed successful installations, proven by a successful restart.
Thanks for all your help!!
 
Sorry I did not get to your earlier post before as I'm on the other side of the world….
I put in a fresh microSD card, unplugged the battery for 10 minutes, and switched on the machine.
I let it beep like a car alarm for about 10 minutes after which it went silent with the exception of the regular sound of the machine reading the file it seems…. The lights were flashing yellow during this process and it drained the full battery!!
However, the text file showed successful installations, proven by a successful restart.
Thanks for all your help!!
The incessant car horn sounds mean the previous update didn't complete properly, and continue until the new update completes. Annoying, eh! :eek:
 
Hello, thank you for the elaborate explanation. I just bought P3P as a gift for myself during the Black Friday and planning to start flying it during the Christmas holiday.

Read some articles that it is recommended to update the firmware to the most latest version before flying and tried to do so. I was able to successfully upgraded my P3P firmware to 1.05.003 (the newest firmware dated 11/25/2015 at DJI's website) following all the steps provided here, however wasn't able to do so for my remote controller.

However I do have a couple questions:
1. I haven't activated my DJI yet and I updated my bird straight out of the box. As for the RC failed update, I have used 3 different memory cards and also USB sticks but wasn't able to update the RC. Do I need to activate my bird and RC by connecting it with my DJI app first before I can update the RC?
2. Any review yet on firmware v1.05.003?

Thank you!
 
I haven't activated my DJI yet and I updated my bird straight out of the box. As for the RC failed update, I have used 3 different memory cards and also USB sticks but wasn't able to update the RC. Do I need to activate my bird and RC by connecting it with my DJI app first before I can update the RC?
If you have version 1.3.2 (or higher) installed, you can only update the remote controller firmware via the DJI GO app. And, you'll need to register your Phantom before you can open it and get to the location where the firmware is installed.

Any review yet on firmware v1.05.003?
All has been working well for me so far.
 
If you have version 1.3.2 (or higher) installed, you can only update the remote controller firmware via the DJI GO app. And, you'll need to register your Phantom before you can open it and get to the location where the firmware is installed.


All has been working well for me so far.

thanks for the prompt reply

so I will need to connect and activate my bird to the dji go app first before I can update the firmware, right?

I have read numerous articles about tutorial and tips & tricks for beginner P3P pilot (either from this forum / from other forum), I wonder if any of you guys can refer / recommended me to more articles that you guys found useful before flying for the first time?

Thanks!!
 
so I will need to connect and activate my bird to the dji go app first before I can update the firmware, right?
It would be best to activate your Phantom, check the About section of the DJI GO app to see which firmware is currently installed, and then follow these instructions to update your firmware.

I wonder if any of you guys can refer / recommended me to more articles that you guys found useful before flying for the first time?
Download the Phantom manual and read it in its entirety. You can find a bunch of helpful tips at PhantomHelp.com.
 
Hi All,

Just got a P3 Pro and tried updating the firmware on the bird last night. Went through all the proper procedure, had the correct blinking green/red lights and noises. Waited at least 25-30 minutes and saw that the green/red lights stopped blinking and the sound became a steady screech so I powered off. File on SD card said the update failed. Retrying today and I can't even get it to go into firmware upgrade mode. It begins to make the correct noises and green/red lights but after 30 seconds or so..switches to red.

Also the app on my phone had asked to update firmware on the controller and I was able to update correctly, but there's still a red "No Signal" at the top which I was hoping the controller update would at least fix. Any ideas?


Additional details: This is for the Nov 25th firmware 1.05.

Here is a video of the upgrade process failing:

 
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Follow the steps below to install the latest firmware on your Phantom 3, remote controller, and Phantom batteries. Ensure you follow the steps from top-to-bottom. Carefully read each step and ensure you perform them exactly as written.

Note: Before installing a new firmware update, check this forum and the DJI forum to see if others are having any trouble after installing the update. If a few days have passed and nothing major has been reported, then it's a usually a good sign that the update is safe to install. Some people enjoy installing the latest and greatest right away, so let those people test the updates if you want to play it safe.



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Install the latest version of DJI GO.
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1) Before installing a new firmware update, you should confirm that you're using the most recent version of the DJI GO app. If using an Apple device, check the Apple App Store to see if an update is available. If using an Android device, you can check the current version and/or download the latest version of the DJI GO app from DJI's download page.



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Download the firmware.
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Note: If you have a Phantom Standard, all firmware updates must be installed from the DJI GO app. You'll be prompted in the DJI GO app when new firmware updates are available.

2) Download the latest firmware ZIP file from DJI's download page.

Important: If you're currently using a firmware version older than 1.3.20, then you should install 1.3.20 first before installing a newer version of the firmware. 1.3.20 needs to be installed on your remote controller and batteries.

Note: The Phantom Professional and Phantom Advanced use different firmware. Make sure you download the proper file.

Firmware must always be installed on your Phantom, but not all firmware updates need to be installed on the batteries and remote controller. Review the release notes so you understand what was changed and you're aware of any special installation instructions.



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Prepare your memory card.
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3) Delete all files from your memory card or format it.

4)
Open the firmware ZIP file downloaded in step #2 above, extract the BIN file, and copy it to the root level of your memory card.



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Install the firmware on your Phantom.
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5)
Ensure your Phantom battery is at least 50% charged. This means you should see at least 2 lights illuminate when pressing the power button. If needed, stop here and charge your battery until it is at least 50% charged.

6) Make sure both your Phantom and remote controller are turned off.

7)
Remove the props & gimbal lock from your Phantom.

8) Insert the memory card into the memory card slot on the camera.

9)
Insert the Phantom battery into your Phantom and power it on. To power on the battery, press and release the battery button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

10)
Watch the camera status light to monitor the installation process. It should do the following:
  • Flash green while your Phantom is starting up.
  • Alternate between red and green while the firmware update is being installed.
  • Turn solid green when the firmware update successfully completes. You will also hear a D-DD beeping sound that repeats.
Note: The lights under the Phantom arms might flash different colors. Your Phantom might beep in different patterns (even a solid tone). The camera might move or spin around. Ignore all of these things and wait for the camera status light to turn solid green (or solid red if the update fails). This process could take up to 20 minutes to complete.​

11) When the camera status light turns solid green, power down your Phantom by turning off the Phantom battery. To power down the battery, press and release the power button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

12) To verify the firmware installed successfully, open the TXT file that was created on your memory card and verify that the last line of the TXT file includes "success".

13) Delete the TXT file from your memory card.

Note: If the firmware fails to install after multiple attempts, then try using a different memory card.



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Install the firmware on your remote controller using the DJI GO app.
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14) Install the latest version of the DJI GO app on your mobile device. If you have an Apple device, you should install the DJI GO app from the App Store on your Apple device. If you're using an Android device, you should download the DJI GO app from DJI's download page.

15) Turn on your remote controller. To power on the remote controller, press and release the power button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

16)
Ensure your remote controller has at least 50% battery level (at least two white lights are lit up at the bottom of the remote controller). If needed, stop here and charge your remote controller.

17) Connect your remote controller to your tablet/phone using a USB cable (for Android devices) or Lightning cable (for Apple devices).

18) Turn on your tablet/phone.

19) Verify that your tablet/phone has at least 30 MB of free memory. If it does not, remove some unneeded files and/or uninstall some unneeded apps to free up enough memory.

20) Connect your tablet/phone to the Internet.

21) Start the DJI GO app.

22) Click the "Enter Camera View" button.

23) Click the rectangle status message at the top, center of the DJI GO app. You should see an "Upgrade Required" message to the right of "Overall Status". If you do not see this message, disconnect and reconnect your USB/Lightning cable.

24) Click the "Upgrade Required" message.

Note: If you see the "This RC doesn't support upgrading firmware through App" message, then go to step #30 below and install the firmware using a memory card.

25) Tap download the firmware update package to download the firmware. Once downloaded, click the "Start to upgrade" button to start the firmware installation process. A progress bar will be displayed to allow you to track the installation progress.

26) The remote controller status light will blink blue while the firmware is being installed. The remote controller status light will blink green when the update has successfully completed.

Note: Do not power off and/or touch any buttons on your remote controller while the firmware is being installed.

27) When the installation has completed, the remote controller status light blinks green and you'll see an upgrade completed message in the DJI GO. Power down your remote controller via the power button. To power down the remote controller, press and release the power button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

Note: If the remote controller status light turns red, then continue on to step #30 below to retry the installation using a memory card.

28) To verify the firmware installed successfully, open the TXT file that was created on your memory card and verify that the last line of the TXT file includes "success". The "Overall Status" in the DJI GO app should display a "Normal" status.

29) Delete the TXT file from your memory card.



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Install the firmware on your remote controller using a memory card.
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Note: You can skip this section if you successfully installed the firmware update on your remote controller by following the instructions starting at step #14 above. If you're installing a firmware version greater than 1.3.2, then you must install it from the DJI GO app (go back to step #14 above).

30) Turn off your remote controller.

31) Insert your memory card into a memory card reader and plug the memory card reader into the USB port on the back of your remote controller.

Note: If you do not have a memory card reader, then do the following:
  • Insert the memory card into the camera memory card slot on your Phantom.
  • Connect the DJI USB cable from your camera to your remote controller.
  • Remove the props from your Phantom.
  • Power on your Phantom. To do so, press and release the battery button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.
32) Turn the remote controller on and wait for the update to begin. It can take up to 60 seconds for the update process to start.

33) The remote controller status light will be solid blue while the firmware is installing. The remote controller status light will be solid green when the update has successfully completed.

Note: Do not power off and/or touch any buttons on your remote controller while the firmware is being installed. If the remote controller status light does not turn solid green, then go back to step #30 and repeat the installation process.

34) To verify the firmware installed successfully, open the TXT file that was created on your memory card and verify that the last line of the TXT file includes "success".

35) Delete the TXT file from your memory card.



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Install the firmware on your Phantom batteries.
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Note: The firmware was installed on your battery when you installed the firmware on your Phantom in step #3 above. If you only have one battery, then skip to step #46 below. If you have more than one battery, then repeat the following steps for each additional battery.

36) Ensure your Phantom battery is at least 50% charged. This means you should see at least 2 lights illuminate when pressing the battery button. If needed, stop here and charge your battery until it is at least 50% charged.

37) Turn off your Phantom.

38) Remove the props & gimbal lock from your Phantom.

39) Insert the memory card into the memory card slot on the camera.

40) Insert the Phantom battery into your Phantom and power it on. To power on the battery, press and release the power button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

41) The upgrade process will begin automatically after your Phantom is powered on. Watch the camera status light to monitor the installation process. It should do the following:
  • Flash green while your Phantom is starting up.
  • Alternate between red and green while the firmware update is being installed.
  • Turn solid green when the firmware update successfully completes. You will also hear a D-DD beeping sound that repeats.
42) Power down your Phantom by turning off the Phantom battery. To power down the battery, press and release the power button quickly -- and, then immediately press and hold it in for 2 seconds.

43) To verify the firmware installed successfully, open the TXT file that was created on your memory card and verify that the last line of the TXT file includes "success".

44) Delete the TXT file from your memory card.

45) If you have additional batteries, then go back to step #36 above and repeat these steps with the next battery.



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Keep or delete the firmware BIN file.
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46) At this point, you can delete the BIN file from your memory card -OR- keep it on your memory card. DJI recommends keeping the BIN file on your memory card in case you need to install it on new batteries in the future.



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Check and/or restore all settings in the DJI GO app.
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47) Open the DJI GO app and verify that all of your previous settings are still set. You'll want to do this while your Phantom is turned on (with the props off) and your remote controller is connected to the DJI GO application via your mobile device. This is important since many of the settings are saved on the Phantom itself.



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Recalibrate everything.
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48) Do the following calibrations from within the DJI GO application:

- Calibrate the IMU (even if it's not required)

Note: See this video for important IMU calibration tips.

- Calibrate the gimbal
- Calibrate the remote controller (RC)
- Calibrate the compass
Thanks for the detailed procedure. I've been hesitant to go 4 the Phantom Pro because of the furor about firmware. So much so that I opted out this time and went with a different company. We'll see if I have buyer's remorse for my Chroma. I need to come back to DJI but so many complaints about customer service turned me away even though I had superlative experience with my P2V.
 
Thanks for guide very detailed which helps. I was able to flash my new P3 and controller just kinda let the P3 beep a while and all went well.

Also went for cold IMU. I think it went decent with winter air as P3 startup seemed to go fast.
 
I have the P3S, and will have a P3A next week. Will there be any issues with my current batteries I have updated on my P3S that I plan to use on my P3A? If I update the firmware while using these on the P3A, can I go back to using them on my P3S?

I currently (and will have) 6 batteries. 3 for the P3S that I use, 2 brand new never used, and 1 that will come with the P3A. Should I just keep the 3 new batteries reserved for the P3A only?
 
RadRich, I swap my batteries between my P3S and P3P often. All should be just fine -- even if you update the batteries.
 
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Quick question. I do not have a micro card usb adapter. Having said that can I put the software package on both the micro usb and a separate thumb drive so that I may update my remote, or does the software have to originate from the same location.

Thanks... also as a new p3a owner I am in LOVE....
 

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