Normally I am relatively supportive of DJI, but after several months of being a member of this forum, I sympathise with the new owners who come here each day, completely frustrated by the firmware and software update process. It is a convoluted, annoying, non-intuitive method that I can best describe as sucky.

I have in the past been in charge of software and firmware development teams working on large projects, and if one of those team members came to me and proposed a system like that in use on the Phantom, I would have kicked his arse all the way back to where he came from.

The process for updating the aircraft itself is the worst. Fancy requiring a person to download a copy of the firmware, extract it from a zip, copy it to an SD card, insert that in the aircraft, switch on and be greeted by meaningless beeps, and gives no indication of what it is doing. Then at the conclusion, which is vague at best and few seem to be able to work out, you have to remove the card and read a long meaningless text file to see if the operation was successful. Really?

How about this DJI? You plug your internet connected computer into the USB port on the aircraft and an application pops up saying what version of firmware is on the aircraft and offers you a choice of previous or new versions to load. If you agree, it gets the chosen file from the DJI web site, loads it into the aircraft and shows you the updated progress using the accepted 'thermometer' method. At completion it advises you that the process was/was not succeassful.

The same process could be applied to the remote control unit, the Go App could update itself by the normal method for device apps and the firmware for the battery is kept in the aircraft for use when a battery needs to be upgrade, not kept on an SD card.

How about it DJI? Are you interested in making the Phantom a good experience for the purchaser, or are you going to let your engineering team get away with sloppy, lazy and crude programming?

I totally understand your mood, Geebax! I also appreciate this valuable suggestion, for sure it would simplify the process of the upgrade.  I will send this over to our RD department.
Thank you

Although I agree that the process is not that intuitive for new users and that the world of simplification has removed some peoples ability to correctly follow a process, the method used does have a reason I think.

The P3 is made up of many modules, each of which is updated separately. During the update process the communication to the USB port is dropped, as is most other communication ( the P2 was updated via the method you suggest ). So the USB way that worked on the P2 will not for the P3.

Another reason is, the update to the P3 is done via the gimbal and not the main P3 body. So the USB port cannot be used for this.

I don't think the method is due to being sloppy, I really think its the only was to do it in its current form. They have made the controller updatable via the App and also the P3S IS updated from the App.

I really doubt the P3 will get a better way to update ( unless the App method can be made to work ).

Also, there are very good step by step guides on updating available, these are not hard to follow and in most cases are successful.

I think, if the P4 comes out and has the same method of updating as the P3, I think you should fly to their HQ and actually kick some arses back to the jobcentre

It used to work more like that with the P2 - you connected to a computer and it updated in a more direct manner.
It's not unduly difficult using the SD card, but there are more steps where things can go wrong when you aren't familiar with the process.
Not everyone is as confident with computers as you might imagine, I know my neighbour would be scared to death to even attempt putting the file on the card - step #1!

All the updating should be done trough the app via WiFi or GSM.
The App is allready connected to the radio via USB cable and the radio has a link to the drone... Not sure about upload bandwidth from radio to drone though, could be quite a bit slower than the download video link.
A suggestion for the P4 were all hoping for perhaps?

I have to agree! I'm a relatively new owner, and I've been working in IT for 30 years. The approach is awful - particularly since there's no way to know that the process is completed. The damn thing just sits there and makes an ugly beeping sound. My update was successful, but I was pretty worried.

Sorry, I completely agree with Geebax.  DJI obviously rushed the Phantom to market well before development was complete.  The absolutely ridiculous update method appears as though it was the brainchild of a 10 year old and now with GEO fencing botched the way it was, I am firmly convinced that DJI works harder on its marketing than its products.

I do agree with the OP, but I don't have internet at home.  So having the bin file on the  sd card is useful for me :-)  I can download it at work, rather than drag my P3P  around.  I will get into the 21st century eventually.

As a relatively new user , I agree with the o.p. The entire process is a pita !! I had to watch countless videos on the process and each one had there own idea of the procedure and what to do in the event of a failure . I did a LOT of reading too and LUCKY for me I found this web site . Mine on the bird was a success the first time but the transmitter an the other hand was not . I just left it run through the complete failure and when the transmitter shut down on it's own I pulled out the SD card and quit !

An entrie Windows based PC can have updates installed in minutes with two clicks of a mouse . Why on earth something that is supposed to fun has to be so darn confusing ??

The main board in the P3 has a large Field Programmable Gate Array, and those things normally implement a USB port for just one reason, firmware uploading. There is probably (not looked to confirm) another in the gimbal unit, but either way they can communicate with each other.

While I understand that quikdom does not have Internet at home, but he would be in the minority and would not be able to update his RC unit or Go App without same, so it is a moot point.

I like the HUB update process as I described here last year:
http://forum.dji.com/thread-31962-1-1.html

Paniza Posted at 2016-1-23 10:00
I like the HUB update process as I described here last year:
http://forum.dji.com/thread-31962-1-1.h ...

Yeas, pretty much the sort of methodology I described in my opening post.

Am I the only one who has a progress bar right in the app while the aircraft is updating?  While it seems to get stuck occasionally and then make a big jump in progress,  it generally agrees with the update as to when it is 100 percent finished.  I feel really special if I am the only one.

Kneepuck Posted at 2016-1-23 07:25
Am I the only one who has a progress bar right in the app while the aircraft is updating?  While it  ...

No, everyone has it

Guess I took it as the transmitter was suppose to be off during the update process

tim.hulse Posted at 2016-1-22 19:58
I have to agree! I'm a relatively new owner, and I've been working in IT for 30 years. The approach  ...

The 4 beeps DDDD, DDDD tell you it's updating. The 3 beeps D-DD, D-DD tell you its finished and was successful. So there is a process that lets you know it's completed.

flocko Posted at 2016-1-22 22:10
As a relatively new user , I agree with the o.p. The entire process is a pita !! I had to watch coun ...

There's also a lot of tutorial videos in the Academy section of the app that explains firmware updates and a host of other things. Also a manual is there too.

The point is ( i think ) and the general opinion thus far that it's the ENTIRE process not just some beeps , which btw is nothing short of 1989 . I think in just a few day's of being here I have seen hundreds of posts about having issues with the update process and what to do if it fails . I call that a majority.  Like I said before , I did it and it worked for me but haveing to study on the internet for four hours and multipe questions to load a firmware is archaic . Not to mention all the little bugs that have to be worked out afterwards .

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-23 10:31
There's also a lot of tutorial videos in the Academy section of the app that explains firmware upd ...

' There's also a lot of tutorial videos in the Academy section of the app that explains firmware updates and a host of other things. Also a manual is there too.'

Yes, we are all aware of that Ken. Please don't bother trotting out the Official Company Platitudes, the process is archaic and needs to be reconsidered and that was the point of this thread.

Geebax Posted at 2016-1-22 18:14
Yeas, pretty much the sort of methodology I described in my opening post.

Yes. And I'm with you.

I got used to the current system but I don't like it very much.

Geebax Posted at 2016-1-22 19:45
' There's also a lot of tutorial videos in the Academy section of the app that explains firmware u ...

Pretty much what I got out of it . I aint really complaining about to the point of returning the product or selling it off . Just seems ODD from a company as innovative as DJI to use such an old methodology for something that is really quite easy in most devices in 2016   

DJI-Ken Posted at 2016-1-22 19:29
The 4 beeps DDDD, DDDD tell you it's updating. The 3 beeps D-DD, D-DD tell you its finished and wa ...

Thank you Ken, I like code breaking as much as the next guy, but this really isn't a very good UI, in my opinion!

tim.hulse Posted at 2016-1-24 06:38
Thank you Ken, I like code breaking as much as the next guy, but this really isn't a very good UI, ...

Maybe in the future there may be a different way of updating.

I agree DJI, make it more simple and user friendly!!!!  I paid Drone World to update mine before it shipped so I wouldn't have to mess with this.  As luck would have it, you came out with the new firmware update as soon as they mailed it to me.  Waste of $50.00 and it took me forever to finally get the update completed!  I almost  sent it back, glad I kept it though

Thanks to Geebax for the info that helped me through a failed upgrade. I agree that the upgrade process needs to be simpler. Heck I can flash an STM32F103 or STMF4... in seconds. I had problems and I have been in electronics as a hobby for many years. I am familiar with STM32's Arduinos, etc. As far as USB, the system was designed for multiple devices connected at the same time, so using it for the camera alone is a waste. I too bought the Phantom for simplicity, and to not have to breakout all of my electronic tools.  I have 2 F450's and a race FPV250 quad I fart around with already, and I didn't want another F450, just bought  the Phantom to fly and shoot. So I guess the Phantom 4 is the debugged version of the Phantom 3. DJI saved lots of cash on r and d, and testing with these forums.

Yep.  +1 for the OP from me.  I am a newb and my firmware upgrade went OK but my nerves were smashed during the process!