It isn't for me...I'm ready to send it back !

[JWH]

The P4 is a great little machine. It is amazing how much technology is put in such a small package. Once it is up and running I wonder if all the firmware updates are necessary? I keep ignoring the latest one since everything is running well. I am reluctant to mess with it.

 

[AlecW]

As a software guy, software/firmware updates are always a bit of a risk when everything is working. Most of the time I just run them and keep my stuff up-to-date but I have regretted that more than once. Normally I try to wait a few days and check online for feedback but these days a lot of devices just auto update when you turn them on. DJI GO 4 is an example, I was happily running 4.1.0, turned on my iPad and suddenly had 4.1.1 installed. It seems to work fine but I would have preferred to have a yes/no option. I do know how to turn that off on the iPad but hate that's it's a universal setting and not individual apps.

I think some of the firmware update horror stories are user error myself. You don't always get the full 'story', people neglect to mention stuff like "I started to update and accidently pulled the cable out part way through the process". They skip to "the update keeps getting stuck". Always have a full battery and good connections when updating anything or you can end up with a brick.

 

[tevek]

The has been an interesting thread to see how the forum works in supporting new owners. Like many others I try and chip in with support where I can with my limited Phantom experience and act the responsible flier when flying near my home. The point I'd like to make is that CASA here in Australia have dropped some tips about flying on Facebook and the responses from the punters is pretty interesting. There are some experienced Phantom users trying to get some good information out there and are getting bashed, apparently we are all heretics and have no idea what we are doing and will be responsible for aircraft downings, decapitations and the ruin of the free world. Those flying in Australia should know the rules and be grateful they are not as strict as other parts of the world but be advised there is a bunch of people out there that have nothing better to do than to jump on any transgressions we make to change that. Xmas should be interesting with all the new 'johnny needs a P4 pro' quads hitting the streets...

 

[rocketflyer]

but be advised there is a bunch of people out there that have nothing better to do than to jump on any transgressions we make to change that. Xmas should be interesting with all the new 'johnny needs a P4 pro' quads hitting the streets...

Yep 2017 will be interesting. Too many mavics will be in the hands of inexperienced flyers with a sense of entitlement when it comes to the skies.

 

[Jonathan C Wells]

Cool, See you in the sky ! Jon

 

[Patrick]

Cool, See you in the sky ! Jon

Glad to hear you're in business, honestly when i got my first phantom i could have cared less that it had a camera. i just wanted to fly, once you get the hang of your craft , you wont believe how awesome an aerial camera can be. its given me a new prospective and understanding of the world!

you might want to review your mac hardware, it may not be capable of editing 4K video due to the CPU/GPU requirements not to mention the huge files!

also if you haven't seen it yet, i highly recommend checking out skypixel.com to see what others have done with stills and video from their quadcopters.

 

[RW-1]

Glad to hear you're in business, honestly when i got my first phantom i could have cared less that it had a camera. i just wanted to fly, once you get the hang of your craft , you wont believe how awesome an aerial camera can be. its given me a new prospective and understanding of the world!

Yes, believe it or not there are those who have transitioned to quads like the Phantoms because it is totally different than R/C flying, in some ways (if you read and are prepared for anything that may happen) way easier then traditional Gas or Electric R/C (Especially heli's - Try taking your hands off one of those (No stab units, etc.) !

Now that you have it going, take those small steps and enjoy yourself, and learn the app interface, once comfortable, fly it in ATTI a couple of times, so that in case you need to, you can recover and land it in that mode if need be.
(I say this, but only as a suggestion, dont do anything you don't feel ready for, don't let anyone with you push you outside your own personal boundaries - that is a road to loss of A/C plain and simple)

 

[Patrick]

Yes, believe it or not there are those who have transitioned to quads like the Phantoms because it is totally different than R/C flying, in some ways (if you read and are prepared for anything that may happen) way easier then traditional Gas or Electric R/C (Especially heli's - Try taking your hands off one of those (No stab units, etc.) !

Now that you have it going, take those small steps and enjoy yourself, and learn the app interface, once comfortable, fly it in ATTI a couple of times, so that in case you need to, you can recover and land it in that mode if need be.
(I say this, but only as a suggestion, dont do anything you don't feel ready for, don't let anyone with you push you outside your own personal boundaries - that is a road to loss of A/C plain and simple)

amen! i used to fly coaxial helis , the first time i saw a phantom just hover in place when the hands are off the controls i was sold instantly!

 

[RW-1]

Me taken 6 yrs ago when I lived in SoFLA, Concept 30SX, LearJet 40 and Tsunami, Concept still in one piece, could fly, but likely would try to kill me in the process hehehe ...

 

[AnchorageAk]

DJI sells these as Ready To Fly out of the box. They want to sell these things, so they make it seem simple. You have to have a certain amount of knowledge to operate these drones. I don't blame new owners, I think they have been mislead. In believing you just turn it on and go. Just my .05. I would say .02, but we all know what the dollar is worth now days.

 

[Erised]

DJI sells these as Ready To Fly out of the box. They want to sell these things, so they make it seem simple. You have to have a certain amount of knowledge to operate these drones. I don't blame new owners, I think they have been mislead. In believing you just turn it on and go. Just my .05. I would say .02, but we all know what the dollar is worth now days.

That's still .05 Canadian! lol

 

[eaglegoaltender]

DJI sells these as Ready To Fly out of the box

I agree somewhat - however some common sense applied one should realize the Phantom may be ready to fly out of the box - however, for the most part the owners are "not ready to fly" it right away.

Hey, new vehicles are ready to drive right off the assembly line - but you wouldn't put a very first time "driver" behind the wheel without some lessons and lots of self educating on the "how to" - right!

 

[AlecW]

Hey, new vehicles are ready to drive right off the assembly line - but you wouldn't put a very first time "driver" behind the wheel without some lessons and lots of self educating on the "how to" - right!

That may not be too far from the truth one day with self driving cars. *shudders*

 

[LRC32901]

As a Newby and just receiving my Christmas gift, it took me just under 3 hrs. Charging the batteries, watching youtube multiple times, software updates & calibrating the compass, It took me better than 30 min. to calibrate. I kept getting an error message about a magnetic field. I tried multiple locations in & out of the house with the same message. The youtube videos showed moving the drone standing still. I finally tried rotating the drone around me & it worked the 1st time. Still waiting for my FAA cert. by email.

 

[John Locke]

As a Newby and just receiving my Christmas gift, it took me just under 3 hrs. Charging the batteries, watching youtube multiple times, software updates & calibrating the compass, It took me better than 30 min. to calibrate. I kept getting an error message about a magnetic field. I tried multiple locations in & out of the house with the same message. The youtube videos showed moving the drone standing still. I finally tried rotating the drone around me & it worked the 1st time. Still waiting for my FAA cert. by email.

You don't need anything from the FAA by mail to fly. Once you register yourself with the FAA they give you a number online. Just put that number on the drone somewhere, accessible for anyone to see without the need to use tools (that's their guideline). I used an Avery label and stuck it on a flat space of the battery so it's hidden inside the battery compartment when flying. I printed about 30 labels on a sheet of Avery labels and keep the sheet handy for each time I buy a new drone or additional batteries.

 

[LRC32901]

They haven't given me a number. When I go back into the FAA site I get the following message "The verification link is no longer valid. Please request to be verified again." Waiting for a reply that I sent them on where to go to re-apply.

 

[BillH]

John, Fear not. The key to success in this hobby is to learn all you can about the craft hardware, setting up the firmware correctly, and checking in on this forum to see what's new. It sounds like you're on your way to having some fun now.

 

[Mustang Air]

Welcome Aboard Jonathan. Happy Flying..

 

[Bigbells]

They haven't given me a number. When I go back into the FAA site I get the following message "The verification link is no longer valid. Please request to be verified again." Waiting for a reply that I sent them on where to go to re-apply.

Something's wrong there, LRC. Did you pay the $5 fee? If so, the registration is instant and you're given your registration number immediately. Here is the link:
sUAS Registration - Create Account

 

[NoTech64]

I love the videos the Phantom 4 can produce. Its impressive flight and video characteristics seem intuitive and easy to use. I want the benefits of the Phantom's 4K video, with its sport tracking, intelligent mapping and long, far, high flights. But after dutifully setting up and charging my Phantom 4 and the controller, my enjoyment is overcome with conflicting firmware update methods, and with its colorful lights flashing, My Phantom 4 gets off the platform, but only after I've had enough, and I pick it up, to put it away for a while. If I hand't already 'confirmed' I was going to use it (hoping the blades would spin to life), I would carefully box it up, request a return and say good bye. But I can't, I now own it. I hate to say it, but I'm 'stuck with it'. And so I will persist. I have to, otherwise The Phantom 4 will soon be a fancy shelf sculpture. If anyone can help me please, to get the Phantom 4 to come out of its hiding and rotate to life, I will greatly appreciate it. Please, no scolding of how dumb I am, you don't know me, please, only real attempts to help. Until then, at least for the next 15 minutes, I will enjoy my fully charged, and easy to use, old 1080 video flyer, thank you, Jon.

Hang in there, good luck.