P3P - 'ESC Error'

[FLBoyZ06]

New to the forum and about a year of experience into drones.

Yesterday, I bought a P3P from a individual. I met him at a local park and he demonstrated all the functions of the Phantom and went over all the equipment. Stated that he recently bought a Inspire 2 for his business and was selling the P3P since it wasn't being used. The drone is in great condition and has only 20 charges on one battery and 4 on the other with little to no wear to be seen anywhere.

Last night, I updated the firmware and downloaded the most recent DJI GO app. Went down to my park to fly around a bit, and get the dreaded 'ESC Error'. So I tried talking to DJI and as you all know, are very slow in response, even on the live chat. End of the story is, as we all know they want me to mail the drone in to get repaired.

I do no currently have the previous owners receipt from when he purchased the P3P new and I believe from what I saw will need that in order for this thing to get serviced at DJI. I have messaged the previous owner and have my fingers crossed. What are my options if I don't get a receipt. I called a DJI service center and was quoted around $289 for a new mainboard/motherboard.

All ears here. Feel a little sick spending $450 on a drone only to upgrade the firmware to make it a brick....

 

[Apilot101]

what was the FW on it when purchased?
I would roll back 1, then try to fly it. then reinstall that newer FW if your pressed on it and try again.

With the latest development, ESC errors are not always a brick. I just had it 2 days ago. All is well.

 

[FLBoyZ06]

I couldn't tell you the last FW, since I noticed that it was saying there was updated required I just went right to the DJI website and youtube and loaded the new one up.

I tried to get the DJI support to tell me how to rollback to older firmware but didn't have much luck. Any chances you can?

I tried loading the previous FW version I found under the current 1.1.9 FW but it didn't do the correct beeping sequence like it would when updating.

 

[FLBoyZ06]

Tried to reinstall the most current FW and then tried to install the FW before 1.1.9 and even tried to do the method with the SD card in the drone and then press the RC link button near the VP system until the two beeps. No luck.

 

[Oso]

New to the forum and about a year of experience into drones.

Yesterday, I bought a P3P from a individual. I met him at a local park and he demonstrated all the functions of the Phantom and went over all the equipment. Stated that he recently bought a Inspire 2 for his business and was selling the P3P since it wasn't being used. The drone is in great condition and has only 20 charges on one battery and 4 on the other with little to no wear to be seen anywhere.

Last night, I updated the firmware and downloaded the most recent DJI GO app. Went down to my park to fly around a bit, and get the dreaded 'ESC Error'. So I tried talking to DJI and as you all know, are very slow in response, even on the live chat. End of the story is, as we all know they want me to mail the drone in to get repaired.

I do no currently have the previous owners receipt from when he purchased the P3P new and I believe from what I saw will need that in order for this thing to get serviced at DJI. I have messaged the previous owner and have my fingers crossed. What are my options if I don't get a receipt. I called a DJI service center and was quoted around $289 for a new mainboard/motherboard.

All ears here. Feel a little sick spending $450 on a drone only to upgrade the firmware to make it a brick....

Welcome.

Was there some issue you saw when it was flying at the park or was it working perfectly? I'm just trying to understand if there was some pre-existing issue that may be pertinent.

You may have seen by now that this is not an uncommon report here on the forum. I think we still get at least one per day. Here is one from last night.

You can try reading through these posts from a user recently who I think had his main board replaced free of charge even though he was the second owner and it was out of warranty.

Also, DJI has stated that once you go to 1.10, there is no rollback. That's via normal means of course, but unofficial methods for downgrading have been emerging recently.

 

[FLBoyZ06]

Welcome.

Was there some issue you saw when it was flying at the park or was it working perfectly? I'm just trying to understand if there was some pre-existing issue that may be pertinent.

You may have seen by now that this is not an uncommon report here on the forum. I think we still get at least one per day. Here is one from last night.

You can try reading through these posts from a user recently who I think had his main board replaced free of charge even though it was out of warranty.

Also, DJI has stated that once you go to 1.10, there is no rollback.

Oso, funny I literally just posted on this where you also had made a similar comment. Advanced - Esc error after 1.10 firmware update

The drone was flying on an older FW, due to the previous owner not using the drone within the last 6 months. So I dont believe there was any problems when I was shown all the features. I simply ran into the ESC Error once I updated the FW. I never had the drone off the ground in my ownership, I simply thought I was doing the right thing by updating it as per the DJI webpage. Thanks for the link, I'll take a look.

 

[HWCM]

There really is no fix. Unfortunately, it will have to go back to DJI and have the mainboard replaced.
Side note. When doing this latest update, I have a theory that when doing the update, owners are not letting the update finish. This update takes about three times as long as any of the other updates in which the Phantom cuts off three times and restarts itself. I myself almost disconnected the battery a couple times because I thought it was done with the update. The camera goes limp and the lights shut off a few times and there is a few seconds in between before it powers itself back up. An inexperienced person might think it is done and disconnect the battery. You must listen for the beeps to change to the correct tones verifying that it is complete. Also the gimbal LED changes from flashing green red to solid green.
Just a theory.

 

[microchips]

Took my P3P 13 minutes to update and everything went smoothly, as mentioned it does turn off and on a couple of times! Guess I am one of the lucky ones. Lol.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[FLBoyZ06]

Before I submit the ticket for repair.

Can anyone share their experience? I do no have any flight damage or visibile damage.

There really is no fix. Unfortunately, it will have to go back to DJI and have the mainboard replaced.
Side note. When doing this latest update, I have a theory that when doing the update, owners are not letting the update finish. This update takes about three times as long as any of the other updates in which the Phantom cuts off three times and restarts itself. I myself almost disconnected the battery a couple times because I thought it was done with the update. The camera goes limp and the lights shut off a few times and there is a few seconds in between before it powers itself back up. An inexperienced person might think it is done and disconnect the battery. You must listen for the beeps to change to the correct tones verifying that it is complete. Also the gimbal LED changes from flashing green red to solid green.
Just a theory.

I let the bird sit for about 25 minutes and did the correct procedure. I also watched half a dozen youtube videos and then went ahead with the update. Who knows, maybe it wasnt done updating, but I pulled the text file after the update and it declared it as a success.

 

[Apilot101]

Also, DJI has stated that once you go to 1.10, there is no rollback.

DJI has stated no more than 1 FW rollback, and that NOW is false
That was what DJI said .......... but it HAS been confirmed that rollback from 1.10 can be done.

Op, from what I understand, try to install either 1.9 or 1.8. What FW is your RC showing?
Try to update the RC and see if you get that message.
Also, if you do downgrade, try to go down 1 FW at a time. 1.10 to 1.1.9 is a BIG jump. Too many changes.
Your message (as was mine at 1 time) was only a mismatch in FW between the RC and Quad.
Firmwares 1.8 and newer needs RC Firmware 1.6.
Because Transmission Protocol is changed in 1.8 and newer

You may not be able to go back to 1.1.9 until someone digs deeper in the Firmware.

 

[Oso]

DJI has stated no more than 1 FW rollback, and that NOW is false
That was what DJI said .......... but it HAS been confirmed that rollback from 1.10 can be done.

Op, from what I understand, try to install either 1.9 or 1.8. What FW is your RC showing?
Try to update the RC and see if you get that message.
Also, if you do downgrade, try to go down 1 FW at a time. 1.10 to 1.1.9 is a BIG jump. Too many changes.

You may not be able to go back to 1.1.9 until someone digs deeper in the Firmware.

I respectfully disagree, but if you know for sure that DJI has changed their stance on 1.10 rollbacks I am sure we would all be very excited to see it work. Especially the folks here who have tried and confirmed that rolling back from 1.10 does not work as rollbacks normally had worked.

Prior to 1.10 and all the way back to 1.4 (?) we have had the ability to rollback one version lower than the previously highest installed version. That was nice since before then there were no rollbacks at all, so even being allowed to go down one was a welcomed change.

Firmwares 1.8 and newer needs RC Firmware 1.6.

This is a true. AC 1.8 and RC 1.6 were released together with an encryption change. If you have one (or later), you must have the other (or later) or you will have issues. It was not much fun around here when they made that change and before it was widely known and understood. Sadly, many people had issues back then.

 

[Apilot101]

I respectfully disagree, but if you know for sure that DJI has changed their stance on 1.10 rollbacks I am sure we would all be very excited to see it work. Especially the folks here who have tried and confirmed that rolling back from 1.10 does not work as rollbacks normally had worked.

Prior to 1.10 and all the way back to 1.4 (?) we have had the ability to rollback one version lower than the previously highest installed version. That was nice since before then there were no rollbacks at all, so even being allowed to go down one was a welcomed change.


This is a true. AC 1.8 and RC 1.6 were released together with an encryption change. If you have one (or later), you must have the other (or later) or you will have issues. It was not much fun around here when they made that change and before it was widely known and understood. Sadly, many people had issues back then.

I NEVER said DJI changed their stance. I did however say that it IS possible to roll back more than 1.

I was on 1.6, to 1.5, to 1.4 now running 1.3.2. I would not go past 1.6 due to DJI limitations. We have had at least 1 confirmed person roll back from 1.10 to 1.9 without issue.

Im thinking the Op might be trying to go from 1.10 back down directly to 1.1.9 which cant be done. He may be able to go down to 1.9 or 1.8 for now until downgrading the RC is developed.

 

[Oso]

I NEVER said DJI changed their stance. I did however say that it IS possible to roll back more than 1.

I was on 1.6, to 1.5, to 1.4 now running 1.3.2. I would not go past 1.6 due to DJI limitations. We have had at least 1 confirmed person roll back from 1.10 to 1.9 without issue.

It would amount to a change in stance if a rollback from 1.10 were permitted by normal means as I noted.

I'd expect that most average users would not want to try risky and unofficial methods to bypass the FW, but I freely admit that I may be wrong about that.

Cheers!

 

[FLBoyZ06]

I could not figure out how to get the FW to rollback. I had DJI in the Live Chat and was told to roll the firmware back, after I asked how they simply said "Please send your Phantom in for Repair. Would you like to start this process?" So not sure what they expected and didn't give any instruction on how to roll back from the 1.1.90 FW.

 

[FLBoyZ06]

DJI has stated no more than 1 FW rollback, and that NOW is false
That was what DJI said .......... but it HAS been confirmed that rollback from 1.10 can be done.

Op, from what I understand, try to install either 1.9 or 1.8. What FW is your RC showing?
Try to update the RC and see if you get that message.
Also, if you do downgrade, try to go down 1 FW at a time. 1.10 to 1.1.9 is a BIG jump. Too many changes.
Your message (as was mine at 1 time) was only a mismatch in FW between the RC and Quad.
Firmwares 1.8 and newer needs RC Firmware 1.6.
Because Transmission Protocol is changed in 1.8 and newer

You may not be able to go back to 1.1.9 until someone digs deeper in the Firmware.

I went from a older firmware, at least 6 months old to the newest FW. I updated everything, the APP and the RC.
Drone FW 1.10.90
RC FW 1.8.0
APP (Android) 3.1.1

I tried to rollback to the 2nd most recent FW but could not get it to take it and read the car like it would with the newest. Even after trying with the RC Link trick.

Packed it up and finally got my shipping label, this drone is headed to cali!