P4 Firmware v02.00.0106 Released (2017-07-06)

[RémyHeli]

"I even reviewed the video with one of our senior technicians yesterday and he confirmed that this behavior is correct. In order to keep the effectiv speed more precise there where changes being made to the flight characteristics. It´s not an error or something you need to worry about."

Can see the intent to improve flight characteristics but that senior technician doesn't seem to known how an aircraft should fly. Sounds like old ABS braking wheels..

Aircraft must fly smoothly and relying on gimbal movements recovery to argue everything is fine is just a joke.

People are going to be very scary and feel in danger seing such ABNORMAL behaviors and this is bad for drone community.

I bet this will be fixed.

 

[Gary Kinsey]

Can see the intent to improve flight characteristics but that senior technician doesn't seem to known how an aircraft should fly. Sounds like old ABS braking wheels..

Aircraft must fly smoothly and relying on gimbal movements recovery to argue everything is fine is just a joke.

People are going to be very scary and feel in danger seing such ABNORMAL behaviors and this is bad for drone community.

I bet this will be fixed.

Mine jerks around like it's doing a dance. Someone here described it as HEY MACARENA that would be about right. Now, how would that cause the video stream to keep shutting down? If this thing fell out of the sky and hurt someone because of erratic behavior after update I want DJI to take full liability. P2 pilots already have an action going over firmware.
As it is now, I'm going to have to send in a bird that was working perfectly until this update. IT's never been crashed or even a hard landing. The fact that DJI won't give you the option (I've asked) to downgrade the AC when the bird shows erratic- possibly dangerous behavior should be proof of a disregard for the safety of their product.

 

[RémyHeli]

Now, how would that cause the video stream to keep shutting down?

As such "flying computer" using CPU, IP address and more, process malfunction or overload can impact something else such as video stream which is resources demanding.

Looks like they tuned some gain coefficient value or wathever to increase precision but too high at some point so starts to oscillate. All this I can control thru Betaflight software connected to my TBS Vendetta (that's another aicraft of course) and can tell you it's fiddly and need lot of tests to validate such tuning.

To give you an idea how it is complex:
PIDs and Tuning – A complete Guide - Drone Insider

 

[Fisherch]

This is my footage with the update ! Not really see a difference and this was using yaw . Just that it's slower in Sport mode

 

[RémyHeli]

Footage is not full evidence aircraft is flying fine: gimbal can compensate up to some extend so craft oscillations are not visible.

 

[Gary Kinsey]

Looks like they tuned some gain coefficient value or wathever to increase precision but too high at some point so starts to oscillate

Thanks for that, but it doesn't explain the multiple issues. Including that when the video disconnects and stops recording, the camera itself pans left and right. Why would they put out something that has been adjusted to such a point and at the edge of tolerances that it is making, not just mine, but many other people's aircraft unstable? I have no idea what other surprises may be in store.
Now I have to ship it back to DJI, wait to see how long it takes and wonder if they're going to charge me for their foul up. I have no faith whatever in DJI support. Unfortunately it's not like there is a repair center in every town.
This was the 3rd P$ I bought. The first two had problems new and I returned them. This one was nearly perfect.

 

[madmanbean]

Another new problem.. Once file numbers of images reach DJI_0999 a new folder is created and the file sequence starts again form DJI_0001 This is NOT helpful if creating photos for a timelapse

 

[Gary Kinsey]

Another new problem.. Once file numbers of images reach DJI_0999 a new folder is created and the file sequence starts again form DJI_0001 This is NOT helpful if creating photos for a timelapse

After mine shuts down recording, when you start it recording again the date on it changes on the following files to 2013. On rebooting the system the date returns to the current date for the first file, then reverts to 2013 again after the camera shuts down and starts swiveling left and right. Have you noticed that date change on your image file numbers? I have my P4 boxed ready to ship out tomorrow. What a pain.

 

[james54]

After the update I notice mine is flying faster in gps and slower in sport mode, also in gps mode the speed is not constant. It will slow down and speed up, has anybody else seen this ?

 

[John Tarvin]

Does this affect any Litchi functions? I've not used DJI GO since it kept crashing in early November.
Thanks
Jim
WA5TEF

I messaged Litchi about precision landing. Their reply was that it, and landing protection will be added to Litchi via update after DJI releases an updated SDK. No comment was made about the other features.

 

[John Tarvin]

I used DJI Assistant 2 for the bird update and DJI GO 4 for the controller update.

I did same as you. Only quirk was Assistant progress bar stopped at 95%. Aircraft had already rebooted. I let it sit a while longer, then shut down the aircraft. Restarted and opened assistant, which showed the correct updated firmware. I've seen this quirk before and handled it the same way.

 

[John Tarvin]

here's my results after updating everything and couple test flights to see what has changed:

first I noticed the titled horizon is still there (slightly better) , but now when to go correct it with c1 and scroll it moves very slow and doesn't make the clicking noise like before...I preferred old method, faster and easier to see corrections.....next I noticed a new warning that just plain bites, high wind velocity ...I was flying at 100 ft up and out and wind was only at 5mph , flew in way more wind in than this and have never seen it be a factor....sticks seems more responsive too...overall happy so far , wish they would fix this horizon issue though once and for all....also noticed the imu calibration was way different this go around, before just let it sit and do it thing, now gotta flip bird all around and be interactive in the process ..when start motors manually now , there idle speed is so nice and quiet , slowed downed from previous firmware

sounds like this update makes imo calibration same process as on p4 pro.

 

[John Tarvin]

Yes, got the same warnings - never got those before no matter how windy it was.

my pal with the p4 pro has been getting those wind warnings as well from day one. This may be like the imu calibration...a carryover from the p4 pro firmware.

 

[Bckmstr]

noticed todays flights were not very stable in less than 5mph winds, while hovering at less than 10ft bird would jump all over , up , down , left, right and then wobble like it was drunk and didn't know what it should be doing other than just sit there and hover....not a reassuring flight of a good stable bird, mine flew good until the forced update ....hopefully fix is coming soon for all these issues with this firmware

 

[John Tarvin]

OK I managed 2 test flights today ,both with the updated firmware. One flight with DJI, and one with Litchi.
DJI gave me warnings on warm up to calibrate IMU, which I had already checked twice, it then gave a "IMU redundancy switch", warning. After warm up the warning went and the flight was good, and stable.
I tested battery life and got 23 mins, which is normal for me. I tested speed in Sport mode and only managed 42 mph, well down on the usual max of 50 mph, and it was obviously much less responsive. I do not usually fly fast, but some users will find a near 20% speed cut not very acceptable.
I ran the battery down to test the autoland function and it descended to about 2 ft off the ground, and then asked for confirmation to land, I had not noticed this before.
I do not like the warnings, and have lost some trust in DJI GO.

The Litchi flight was perfect, I tested a waypoint mission, and focus, and FPV, all same as usual. Again sport mode max speed 42 mph, zero wind on both flights. Same battery life as DJI. Absolutely no warnings, so all good.

Overall the Litchi experience was much better. DJI need to sort out these problems. Just noticed that we in the UK have a new Litchi update,shudders at the thought, just when it is stable.

I find it ridiculously humorous that Litchi has the superior app built from an SDK provided to them by DJI. Go figger...

 

[John Tarvin]

So never mind I own one too many of these things.......

I finally received my P4P today (yes a new one) and off course had to update, same issues as with my P4 and Mavic (prior to reverting the Mavic Pro) minus the gimbal.

- Shaky and twitchy as hell......

- Also has anyone else noticed that weird "not centered/flying slightly off to the side drift" thing? - what I mean is I go full steam ahead and it doesn't track straight and its slightly off, think of it this way; you're moving forward but the camera is angled a degree or so left so I have to compensate at the controls to give the impression I am going forward.... (I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE), calibrated compass again, IMU's, controller, anything I could find, etc. and still can't get it to track.

- It does not stay put on a hover, it drifts, some times is minor and sometimes big time, also I noticed today when stopped hovering about 350ft and readying for a picture that it will slowly pan on its own (maybe its just me being finicky now but never noticed that before).

This firmware absolutely SUCKS, I guess I'll stick to flying the Mavic for now (so feel like freaking returning the P4P $%# and not spending one more dime on these guys)

Sorry to hear of your p4p issues. I recently purchased one from Amazon. No video transmission. Returned it for replacement. Replacement was very erratic during ascent and descent. True Returned it for refund. Just updated my p4 standard. Trading it out tomorrow to fly. I've calibrated EVERYTHING. Crossing my fingers.

 

[John Tarvin]

I must admit dealing with DJI customer support is like trying to talk to our queen on snapchat , impossible. They won't admit problems , blaming software issues on hardware issues to swindle your dji care cover , I don't know how legally they get away with all the things they do

Easy... They're in China!

 

[RémyHeli]

This firmware sounds really a public beta version. Can DJI introduce optional choice to adhere beta program, like Apple does?

 

[Goof]

I sent a message to DJI support few days ago. I described wobbling and linked two videos. Here is the answer:
"Yes, I even reviewed the video with one of our senior technicians yesterday and he confirmed that this behavior is correct. In order to keep the effectiv speed more precise there where changes being made to the flight characteristics. It´s not an error or something you need to worry about. Only if you can see any shaking in your videos I would like to ask for some Videos that show the shaking."

No comments...

DJI are not aircraft experts adding camera capability to their products, they are camera stabilisation experts adding flight capability to their products.

You never, ever tune the rates so aggressively that you get P and D term instability just for the sake of 'but the speedo is 5Ks off'. These 'techs' are amateurs at best.

 

[tomasallan]

Sorry to hear of your p4p issues. I recently purchased one from Amazon. No video transmission. Returned it for replacement. Replacement was very erratic during ascent and descent. True Returned it for refund. Just updated my p4 standard. Trading it out tomorrow to fly. I've calibrated EVERYTHING. Crossing my fingers.

Thanks man, I ended up returning the P4P and sold the P4, sticking with the Mavic for now as I was able to go back on the firmware. I will continue to monitor the thread and once all problems seem to be addressed I might get another P4P.