Thought I'd offer this tip list after losing a great morning daybreak shooting opportunity due to lack of readiness.  The key thing to remember is that the Phantom 4 Pro is new and obviously firmware plays a big factor in being "ready to fly".

The night before you plan to shoot:

• Get a beer or another refreshing beverage, because this will take a few minutes
• Connect the drone to your PC and use DJI Assistant to check for new Firmware.  Install Firmware as needed.  (You can do this through your controller pad, but DJI Assistant on the computer updates the drone like lightning comparatively speaking)
• Start up your controller and connect to your drone
• If you are using an iPad, IPhone or Note unit as the display on your controller, check to ensure your DJI Go 4 App is up to date (go to your App store and check)
• If you just did a drone a firmware update, do a IMU, Compass and Gimbal Calibration
• After all udates are taken care of, check your flight and camera settings to make sure they are configured correctly for your shoot.  If you plan to shoot Raw, make sure its set correctly
• Format your SD Card in the drone so it is ready (and don't forget to copy any files off before you do that)
• Power down the controller and the drone and restart everything to make sure everything comes up correctly
• Charge your Ipad / Note/IPhone
• Charge all drone batteries
• Charge the controller
• Shut down everything and store your gear
• Go to bed knowing that you are ready to fly in the morning.
  

Upgrading your firmware can brick your drone! Read the disclaimer on the DJI site on the upgrade page.
* Disclaimer of Warranties:

SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. provides  the firmware “as is” and “as available” for your use, without warranty  of any kind, either express or implied, including all implied warranties  of merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. You expressly  agree that your use of, or inability to use the firmware is at your  sole risk. In no case shall SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. be liable for any  direct, indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages arising  from your use of any of the firmware, including but not limited to, any  loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of your misuse,  transmitted, etc.

If the firmware you currently have works well for you....don't ever upgrade! I am flying the same firmware my P4P came with when I purchased the drone.

MJLSTUDIOS Posted at 2017-7-3 02:20
Upgrading your firmware can brick your drone! Read the disclaimer on the DJI site on the upgrade page.
* Disclaimer of Warranties:

I am afraid to update mine on the P4P and leaving it where it is. To bad, I was going for the Inspire 2 but not now because it may come with the latest firmware and that would be useless to me at that point.

Blah Blah, legalese....I have done three firmware updates in succession with only one update that had an event because I was using my controller rather than the DJI Assitant, which is generally a better method both for speed and reliability when upping firmware .  I think half of the firmware freak outs that are posted in this board are from individuals who don't take the time to prepare or understand the operation and the tools that are made available for them.  A firmware update is generated because an issue in programming was identified, so if you choose not to update, you are basically saying "I'll take the risk with what I have".  If you do update your firmware, you are still saying the same thing, 6 one way, half a dozen the other.  You can ignore the firmware, but if a critical issue is present and you hit it, you'll blame DJI for the thing crashing anyway.  

Agreed.  I finally got my new P4P+ working after the weekend of death.... never ever touching a firmware update for that thing.

I upgraded, both FW and Go app and had major issues with the outcome. My P4P would not land, lol, it said it was 1 meter off the ground at an altitude of 300 feet. I switched to ATTI and managed to bring it down, then I got it on the computer and did a reset, calibrated the sensors, refreshed the FW and reset the IMU. Took it for a flight and all was good, fly's great and all features work. Sometimes it does take just a bit more than a compass calibration. My screen was a little erratic but switching to custom setting using 5.8 and a custom channel fixed that as well.

Have fun! be safe!

Thanks, I usually do 10,11,12,13

dmpeters Posted at 2017-7-3 09:06
Blah Blah, legalese....I have done three firmware updates in succession with only one update that had an event because I was using my controller rather than the DJI Assitant, which is generally a better method both for speed and reliability when upping firmware .  I think half of the firmware freak outs that are posted in this board are from individuals who don't take the time to prepare or understand the operation and the tools that are made available for them.  A firmware update is generated because an issue in programming was identified, so if you choose not to update, you are basically saying "I'll take the risk with what I have".  If you do update your firmware, you are still saying the same thing, 6 one way, half a dozen the other.  You can ignore the firmware, but if a critical issue is present and you hit it, you'll blame DJI for the thing crashing anyway.

Be it as it may beginner, I have gone past three updates two years ago! i've had major problems with some of those updates that left me far worse for months. The firmware update will update successfully or it will fail...    If  it updates successfully and your test flight is successful....GREAT! If you update the firmware, you are basically say, "I'll take the risk of what I'll get"!

MJLSTUDIOS Posted at 2017-7-4 02:35
Be it as it may beginner, I have gone past three updates two years ago! i've had major problems with some of those updates that left me far worse for months. The firmware update will update successfully or it will fail...    If  it updates successfully and your test flight is successful....GREAT! If you update the firmware, you are basically say, "I'll take the risk of what I'll get"!

That what I love about Internet forums.  Inevitably if your don't bow to ones "my view of the world is right" it  then descends into a "put down" of some sort.   

last thing I would do before going on a shoot is update anything - firmware or app.  especially if you don't have hours to test.  Go with what you know works and test new products and techniques when it's no big deal when things go south.

RobSinfield Posted at 2017-7-5 07:04
last thing I would do before going on a shoot is update anything - firmware or app.  especially if you don't have hours to test.  Go with what you know works and test new products and techniques when it's no big deal when things go south.

Right, I officially regret offering anything presumably constructive here at this point as there are a number of people who obviously have huge concerns about firmware, app updates and apparently cant get support to work with them.   This has not been my experience to date, but I have learned my lesson.  Take my advice reader..disregard this whole damn thread..its a mistake to have offered it up.  Never update your firmware. Be afraid.  Listen to the "experts", because working in IT industry for 25 years apparently makes me an idiot when it comes to technology.  

I had issues installing the latest firmware (and I work in IT, LOL), but once installed has been rock solid, and even better my horizon is finally straight. There is a reason for the updates...

Lol didn't mean to trigger you.  

You quoted my post but neglected to actually read it.  Can you point out where I typed "Never update your firmware"?   In a nutshell I said that you shouldn't update prior to a shoot unless you have time to fully test.  Your instructions tell people to update firmware/software prior to a shoot without testing.  Your advice my "beginner" friend is a recipe for disaster when you arrive on a shoot site... and frankly should not be followed.

I don't believe for a second that you work in the IT industry in any serious capacity... and certainly not for 25 years.  If you did, you'd understand basic IT principles of test, test, and test again.  Would you deploy an untested service pack into a production environment?   Would you push an untested firmware update into a production server without testing?  Would you push a custom application update into production without testing?  Any Jr. IT person worth their salt would answer hell no to all those questions... but not you chief!

/btw google my name I don't use a pseudonyms.  On my linkedin profile you'll see I'm the IT Manager for a large auto supplier.

RobSinfield Posted at 2017-7-5 12:29
Lol didn't mean to trigger you.  

You quoted my post but neglected to actually read it.  Can you point out where I typed "Never update your firmware"?   In a nutshell I said that you shouldn't update prior to a shoot unless you have time to fully test.  Your instructions tell people to update firmware/software prior to a shoot without testing.  Your advice my "beginner" friend is a recipe for disaster when you arrive on a shoot site... and frankly should not be followed.

@robsinfield  I was just commenting and the prior threads and not specifically at you.  Obviously the idea in the posting was to imply check everything before you go.  personally would never load a firmware and not verify it without a test flight, which was not documented at length, but why I had battery charging as a step after everything.  My regret was offering a the original suggestion in a forum.  I forgot that advice offered is often contradicted, challenged, mis-interpreted etc. and this particular forum format doesn't let you go back and re-edit your post form what I can see.  So old lesson re-learned (RM/TL - Read More / Talk Less)