New P3P: To update the Firmware or not to update, that is the question. What would you do?

Should I leave my FW alone or update it when I get my new P3P?

  • Yes, update your FM to the latest.

    Votes: 6 60.0%
  • No, that would be a mistake. Just fly it the way it comes.

    Votes: 4 40.0%

  • Total voters
    10
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Edit: Went ahead with the update and it worked out perfectly. No issues and it flies great. Thanks everyone.

----

I am new to this hobby and I have my first Phantom coming in today from the $799 deal on ebay. I have been researching everything and I have found a lot of controversy about the firmware and the ill effects of attempting updates. A lot of people seem to either brick their phantoms with failed updates or cause all sorts of problems afterwards. However the official "responsible" thing is to update it when I get it and make sure everything is the latest. It seems there are camps on each side that advocate for or against updates. I'm not sure what version mine will be when I get it (maybe another ebay deal person can tell me?), but there is a new 1.7 version out and I'm tempted to get it done right away.

So what side do you fall on and what is your reasoning? Can I get away with leaving everything outdated? Or is that ill advised?
 
Last edited:
I updated my pretty new (less than a month old) P3A to 1.7 last night. No issues and tests ok although I haven't flown yet. I would go ahead and do it.
 
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All depends on what is on the P3 when it arrives.
 
All depends on what is on the P3 when it arrives.
So if it arrives with all the latest firmware and app would you advise the original poster not to fly it?
 
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I am new to this hobby and I have my first Phantom coming in today from the $799 deal on ebay. I have been researching everything and I have found a lot of controversy about the firmware and the ill effects of attempting updates. A lot of people seem to either brick their phantoms with failed updates or cause all sorts of problems afterwards. However the official "responsible" thing is to update it when I get it and make sure everything is the latest. It seems there are camps on each side that advocate for or against updates. I'm not sure what version mine will be when I get it (maybe another ebay deal person can tell me?), but there is a new 1.7 version out and I'm tempted to get it done right away.

So what side do you fall on and what is your reasoning? Can I get away with leaving everything outdated? Or is that ill advised?
I would upgrade, calibrate, go to a large open space and gently give it some air.
 
So if it arrives with all the latest firmware and app would you advise the original poster not to fly it?
He is not asking about flying. He is asking about updating.
 
He is not asking about flying. He is asking about updating.
Well, if he is not going to fly it, then it doesn't really matter what he does.
 
Update to 1.6 firmware, I always like to wait a couple weeks to see if there are any issues with the new firmware and then I update if I think the issues are avoidable otherwise I will stay one firmware behind until another is released to fix the known issues. That said I did just update my P4, it is a new release and I feel it should be on the latest firmware.
 
If you have 1.5, then definitely update. Personally, I like to always be on the latest available build after its known to be stable.
 
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Norman,

There will always be a vocal minority that will warn you not to update. But most of us have no problem keeping up with the latest. There seems to be a Standard version issue with the latest, but it sounds like you went with the Pro. My P3Pro, RC, and Go app are all running on the latest and work just fine.

Before 1.7 came out, I started a voting thread and 65% reported to be on the most recent version at the time.

Vote: What firmware are you on?

Speck
 
Are there really a lot of owners who bricked their bird? I'm not the most attentive, but I haven't read of one.
 
I don't know of any reports that a firmware update bricked a Phantom. 99.99999% of the people who have a problem actually doing the update are doing it incorrectly.

As far as updating, the general rule is unless you have a specific problem, let a few days go by before you update and read reports from other people to make sure there are no issues. Very few people don't update... most just wait a few days at least.
 
I haven't read any bona fide bricks either. I've read one, or maybe two, who failed at upgrading their firmware and then complained online about their birds being bricked, but really, all they need to do is do it over, try again, be patient and follow the instructions and they will be successful,
 
I think *most* P3 owners are blissfully unaware of FW updates until they boot up the system at their cousins BBQ.
They most likely fly anyway (which is fine) and then they may, or may not remember to update at a later time.
 
An important factor for me is that I generally don't use the DJI Go app. Instead I spend 95% of my time in Litchi. So whether to update depends heavily on whether doing so would stop that software from working properly. If the vendor says it is good with their version then I wait about a week and then go for it.

If you have an important flight to make (e.g. I have a flight 6:30am on Saturday where people are relying on me) then I don't update until after that is in the bag and I have time to fully test things out.
 
Bricking doesn't seem to be a big concern. The main concerns with newer firmware are less power and more strict battery management (which *can* be a good thing in very cold weather) and more geofencing. FWIW I'm still on 1.4 and happy.
 
I think *most* P3 owners are blissfully unaware of FW updates until they boot up the system at their cousins BBQ.
What do base this "think" on? Do you really believe that *most* people update their craft and then do not immediately test it? Let's not have too much personal-experience projected on to all other users please.

They most likely fly anyway (which is fine) and then they may, or may not remember to update at a later time.

That ... sorry, I don't mean to be flippant, but that sentence just doesn't parse. Are you talking about people who update or don't? Or people that update and then have problems flying or don't? Please clarify.
 
I've had a couple of flights now on the new firmware. Didn't recalibrate IMU or the compass and all is well. Not noticing any difference whatsoever, which in a way is great but does make wonder whether it's worth the small amount of stress it causes.
 
Bricking doesn't seem to be a big concern. The main concerns with newer firmware are less power and more strict battery management (which *can* be a good thing in very cold weather) and more geofencing. FWIW I'm still on 1.4 and happy.
Yeah, those are the valid concerns. Well, I don't think you're guaranteed less power unless your hardware is of a certain generation, but it's there. The Geofencing hasn't been an issue for me at all yet here (Seattle, USA), but I understand that it's more of a concern elsewhere.

But in addition to those concerns are the actual benefits (fixes), including the stricter battery management that you mention, plus others. Contrary to what a few having mentioned, this isn't some DJI conspiracy to screw us up and make things worse for us out of some evil spite, much less sap us of our bodily fluids.
 
I've had a couple of flights now on the new firmware. Didn't recalibrate IMU or the compass and all is well. Not noticing any difference whatsoever, which in a way is great but does make wonder whether it's worth the small amount of stress it causes.

The release notes say:
  1. Improved compass accuracy
  2. Fixed issue of image being corrupted in rare occasiob
And there's always the things they don't mention. So it wasn't for nothin'.

FYI: I calibrate the compass less and less, but always do after a firmware update. Because I'm afraid of what might happen if I don't. I don't do IMU calibrations unless I need to for some reason.
 
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