Should I update my phanton 3 advanced to the latest firmware 1.50030

[Othan1]

Measures and countermeasures!
Who says DJI is the only one who can control your bird?
Jailbreaking your P3P will soon be as popular as jailbreaking your iPhone!
Who's your Daddy now!

Lol. Exactly. Hey, I support the freedom of companies to put whatever restrictions they want. I also support people for "jailbreaking" or circumventing those measures. They are yin and yang and, as long as you learn from each other, the product and technology will only improve.

 

[AlexSP]

This is a very interesting debate. I for my part am keeping my mind open to both POVs as it seems both are plausible, reasonable or just well argued .

I currently live and fly outside U.S. in s much less restrictive, regulated and also Phantom-populated country (Brazil) but still this whole thing interest me and may affect me someday so I'm trying to keep up.

For now I'm staying away from the latest update, mostly because my P3P is flying perfectly as it is and I see no reason to fix what's not broken in the first place.

I don't fly above 500m or to ultra long distances (max range for me is around the 3km mark). And I like the GO app too, so I wouldn't mind the limitations if there are indeed any.

But I agree that not being able to roll back FW is not cool. So I decided to stay 1.4 until the improvements in flight and control or features are worth it or it becomes inevitable.

Thanks for sharing your opinions and knowledge about the subject, this is enlightening and entertaining which is positive IMO.

 

[AlexSP]

Pretty much but they are valid reasons. DJI wants to keep selling drones and, to do that, they need to make sure they're not seen by the FAA as the bad guys so they will make compromises to ensure their stakeholders (board, employees, customers, environment, etc.) are as content as possible for the future. Doesn't mean everyone will be happy but they have to think of the future and the greater impact on the hobby.

Remember, we don't like DJI's product for whatever reason (everyone's reason is valid to him or herself) we do have the option of building our own without the limitations. You could actually build a much better one than they could because they have to appeal to the masses. I'm old, fat and lazy so I won't be building my own any time soon so I'll just stick with what they give me and hope a reputable company offers a third party object avoidance module for the P3P. (one can dream)

Well said, I agree. Most new customers won't even know about this, and will likely enjoy their P3s then P4s or Xs or whatever with more restrictions than the early adopters. If for no other reason than the fact that MRs will be everywhere and this will bring the need for more and more regulations.

 

[Dirby]

i just updated mine and got a success reading.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Pretty much but they are valid reasons. DJI wants to keep selling drones and, to do that, they need to make sure they're not seen by the FAA as the bad guys so they will make compromises to ensure their stakeholders (board, employees, customers, environment, etc.) are as content as possible for the future. Doesn't mean everyone will be happy but they have to think of the future and the greater impact on the hobby.

Remember, we don't like DJI's product for whatever reason (everyone's reason is valid to him or herself) we do have the option of building our own without the limitations. You could actually build a much better one than they could because they have to appeal to the masses. I'm old, fat and lazy so I won't be building my own any time soon so I'll just stick with what they give me and hope a reputable company offers a third party object avoidance module for the P3P. (one can dream)

I agree completely. I have never claimed DJI has anything other than a purely rational business self interest in doing the things they are doing. It's not some subversive Chinese conspiracy against Americans. It is just DJI being understandably proactive to protect their current and future business interests. Unfortunately, these past and future changes will restrict a great deal of the control over the flying of our birds that we have previously enjoyed. I love my P3P. I don't fault DJI for what they are doing. I just want to get off their future irreversible "firmware train" before it leaves the station, and not updating to 1.5 is the only way to keep the control you currently have. Once you commit to 1.5, whether or not you believe they will do so (you would be naive to believe they won't eventually), DJI will be able to completely restrict any aspect of the control of your P3 that the FAA tells us we should no longer have, through future updates to firmware and software. Cram down updates will now be possible. Removing rollback capability closes the door behind you, so you can only move forward.

 

[AlexSP]

@GadgetGuy:

If what you're saying is true, and I admit it makes sense and has good logic, then I would really like to get your opinion on the following:

Do you believe FAA is the only guide to DJIs FW restrictions? I mean, I believe U.S. is huge market (perhaps the biggest) to DJI in general, and U.S. safety guidelines like these are usually adopted at a point or another by many western countries.

But how can DJI adopt FAA rules while keeping it less restrictive to pilots flying P3s outside U.S.? Do you believe they'll go by whatever is more strict and keep it uniform?

 

[Othan1]

I agree completely. I have never claimed DJI has anything other than a purely rational business self interest in doing the things they are doing. It's not some subversive Chinese conspiracy against Americans. It is just DJI being understandably proactive to protect their current and future business interests. Unfortunately, these past and future changes will restrict a great deal of the control over the flying of our birds that we have previously enjoyed. I love my P3P. I don't fault DJI for what they are doing. I just want to get off their future irreversible "firmware train" before it leaves the station, and not updating to 1.5 is the only way to keep the control you currently have. Once you commit to 1.5, whether or not you believe they will do so (you would be naive to believe they won't eventually), DJI will be able to completely restrict any aspect of the control of your P3 that the FAA tells us we should no longer have, through future updates to firmware and software. Cram down updates will now be possible. Removing rollback capability closes the door behind you, so you can only move forward.

"closing doors" Very true. I'm just glad they put that in their release notes and didn't just slip it in without telling us. Other tech companies aren't always so visible about it.

 

[aka1ceman]

The government is going to come and take your guns

This is actually happening. Would you like a flood of articles to prove it? Open any newspaper that quotes a liberal. (Don't get me started on this one)

And Elvis is pumping gas somewhere in Michigan

Actually it was Wisconsin, my dad pumps his own gas once in a while

It's amazing how well you guys can see through all the plans of DJI and the government.

Everything is there in their actions, except them publicly announcing it.

 

[aka1ceman]

1. I don't know - I can only guess - maybe there's a perfectly valid technical reason?
2. I don't know - I can only guess - maybe there's a perfectly valid technical reason?
If you want to be certain you'd have to ask DJI or the mindreaders that can tell why DJI do things and what they are planning for the future.

1. Looks like nothing but you speculating
2. Looks like nothing but you speculating again.
I see no facts or anything you can provide for your argument
.................So now if I was to speculate, it would be that you were a DJI employee that monitors this forum.

 

[Rob Robertson]

I made the mistake of upgrading to 1.5 thinking I could just rollback to any firmware I wanted. Boy was I wrong! I could only downgrade to 1.4 only.

Note that the damage has been done, am I still relatively safe from future restriction if they are imposed? Meaning if in the future DJI imposed restrictions (either through firmware or GO app), I can stay right where I am currently, right? I have all GO app apks just in case...

You are still safe. I am using FW v. 1.4.10 and I am still getting no altitude restriction, and all 32 channels of videos transmission. I am getting them through Litchi, however, not from DJI Go.

If you want to use Litchi, you will have to use version 2.3.1. If you buy the app and email the developer directly and ask him for this earlier version, he will most likely send it to you if you explain why you need it.

If DJI Go has already updated itself, you will need to uninstall it. Then reinstall an earlier version.

To be completely safe from getting auto upgrades and updates to the Firmware (If you don't want it), you can do what I have done. If you set up your system the way mine is, you can have a stable, functional system without the restrictions.

Step 1.
Uninstall DJI Go.
Step 2.
Install an earlier version. (I went all the way back to DJI Pilot v. 1.0.7. That way, I am sure it won't auto update itself, and will never complain about the FW being out of date.)
Step 3.
Buy Litchi, and contact the developer (direct by email, not in the forum) and request version 2.3.1
Step 4.
Go to Google Play, and in the settings, turn off auto updtae
Step 5.
Download an firewall app from Google apps that will allow you to block certain apps from accessing the internet. There are many to choose from.
Step 6.
Block DJI Pilot and Litchi from accessing the internet just as a precaution so they don't update themselves.
Step 7.
Back up all your FW bin files and APKs.
Step 8.
If not already there, update the FW on the copter to 1.4.10 so it matches the RC. (If your flying fine and nothing complains, this is optional)


These instructions are for an android tablet. Litchi is only now coming out for iOS and it will be the version after the restrictions are in.
If you have iOS, Do whatever you can to stay where you are and block all related apps from accessing the internet. If you are just using DJI Go, you have already lost the altitude and video channels and can only hope to avoid further restrictions.

I have laid out these instructions, not because I recommend that everyone do it, but to help TC Malker because he wrote that he wants to stay back to the earlier versions before the restrictions were implemented.

 

[aka1ceman]

You are still safe. I am using FW v. 1.4.10 and I am still getting no altitude restriction, and all 32 channels of videos transmission. I am getting them through Litchi, however, not from DJI Go.

If you want to use Litchi, you will have to use version 2.3.1. If you buy the app and email the developer directly and ask him for this earlier version, he will most likely send it to you if you explain why you need it.

If DJI Go has already updated itself, you will need to uninstall it. Then reinstall an earlier version.

To be completely safe from getting auto upgrades and updates to the Firmware (If you don't want it), you can do what I have done. If you set up your system the way mine is, you can have a stable, functional system without the restrictions.

Step 1.
Uninstall DJI Go.
Step 2.
Install an earlier version. (I went all the way back to DJI Pilot v. 1.0.7. That way, I am sure it won't auto update itself, and will never complain about the FW being out of date.)
Step 3.
Buy Litchi, and contact the developer (direct by email, not in the forum) and request version 2.3.1
Step 4.
Go to Google Play, and in the settings, turn off auto updtae
Step 5.
Download an firewall app from Google apps that will allow you to block certain apps from accessing the internet. There are many to choose from.
Step 6.
Block DJI Pilot and Litchi from accessing the internet just as a precaution so they don't update themselves.
Step 7.
Back up all your FW bin files and APKs.
Step 8.
If not already there, update the FW on the copter to 1.4.10 so it matches the RC. (If your flying fine and nothing complains, this is optional)


These instructions are for an android tablet. Litchi is only now coming out for iOS and it will be the version after the restrictions are in.
If you have iOS, Do whatever you can to stay where you are and block all related apps from accessing the internet. If you are just using DJI Go, you have already lost the altitude and video channels and can only hope to avoid further restrictions.

I have laid out these instructions, not because I recommend that everyone do it, but to help TC Malker because he wrote that he wants to stay back to the earlier versions before the restrictions were implemented.

I have the same problem as TC so thank you for this post.

 

[Rob Robertson]

Enjoy your conspiracy theories guys.
You are completely right.
DJI eventually want to totally ground your drones.
The government is going to come and take your guns
And Elvis is pumping gas somewhere in Michigan
It's amazing how well you guys can see through all the plans of DJI and the government.

btw .. the 500 metre altitude limit was always a feature of the Phantom 3 from the first one they sold.

You must have missed the part where I laid out documentation of each point that I made in my rather lengthily post. Sorry that you didn't take the time to read it.

And your both wrong about Elvis!
He works for Ben and Jerry's in Vermont!

 

[Rob Robertson]

I have the same problem as TC so thank you for this post.

I can help you with older versions of software and apps if you have trouble finding them. Just let me know.

 

[Meta4]

You must have missed the part where I laid out documentation of each point that I made in my rather lengthily post. Sorry that you didn't take the time to read it.

Rob .. I did take the time to read your post.
I appreciated the time you put into it and the clear writing style you used to express your views.

 

[aka1ceman]

I can help you with older versions of software and apps if you have trouble finding them. Just let me know.

I did find the DJI go 1.0.7 from a search that revealed that the inspire owners just happen to have the EXACT same problem with DJI. I will test it here shortly. Thank you.

 

[GadgetGuy]

@GadgetGuy:

If what you're saying is true, and I admit it makes sense and has good logic, then I would really like to get your opinion on the following:

Do you believe FAA is the only guide to DJIs FW restrictions? I mean, I believe U.S. is huge market (perhaps the biggest) to DJI in general, and U.S. safety guidelines like these are usually adopted at a point or another by many western countries.

But how can DJI adopt FAA rules while keeping it less restrictive to pilots flying P3s outside U.S.? Do you believe they'll go by whatever is more strict and keep it uniform?

All good questions. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I know enough to understand the potential implications. Given that there is built-in GPS in the bird, DJI could make the app and the firmware country specific without too much difficulty. The hardware would likely all stay the same, for ease of manufacture. So, a bird sold in the U.S. could be firmware and software configured, based upon the GPS location during bootup or country of sale, to match the FAA Rules, and the same bird sold in Europe or Asia could be able to be configured entirely differently, as soon as you connect the app to the bird, based upon GPS or GLONASS location. Once DJI has firmware and software control over all the entire feature set, they can easily adapt all those features to each country's laws with minimal cost and effort. That would be my educated guess.

 

[GadgetGuy]

"closing doors" Very true. I'm just glad they put that in their release notes and didn't just slip it in without telling us. Other tech companies aren't always so visible about it.

Yes, we have all been duly warned by DJI! They will only say it once! Misinterpreting the meaning and consequences of that warning would be a mistake!

 

[Rob Robertson]

Rob .. I did take the time to read your post.
I appreciated the time you put into it and the clear writing style you used to express your views.

Thank you, I'm glad you took the time. Then you know that I mentioned that I wasn't sure if the DJI app always had the 500m restriction, but I know that the FW didn't restrict it at the beginning, and now it does. This action by DJI Crippled all the third party apps that originally did not have altitude restrictions and allowed me to climb mountains. Now, if I were to update, I would lose that functionality. That was something that DJI actively did that took away functionality that the Phantom 3 previously had.

That was my point.

I don't fly with the DJI app. I just use it for IMU calibrations when needed because the third party apps are more robust, and less restricted than the DJI app, even now after the new FW. However, my choice not to upgrade was to preserve the ability to go to the altitudes that I need to go to and to not have my video stream drop out for the lack of enough channels to choose from.

I will stop there since I will just be repeating myself.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Rob .. I did take the time to read your post.
I appreciated the time you put into it and the clear writing style you used to express your views.

But you still dismiss it summarily, as you are still not willing to concede any of the well made points, which refute all the erroneous claims you previously made of no evidence of any restrictions being imposed by any updates.

 

[GadgetGuy]

1. Looks like nothing but you speculating
2. Looks like nothing but you speculating again.
I see no facts or anything you can provide for your argument
.................So now if I was to speculate, it would be that you were a DJI employee that monitors this forum.

No, if Meta4 were a DJI employee, he would be more helpful and less obtuse. After all, DJI is the one who is warning us of the dire implications of updating to 1.5 (no more rollbacks, ever, other than to the prior version, in case the latest is buggy), which Meta4 is trying to discount, as being of no significance. We understand that warning. He chooses not to.