I bought a crashed out Phantom 3 to experiment with and get a better understanding of how it works. I have found my transmitter connects to wifi. I always thought it was the aircraft that connected. This brings several questions to mind.
1. Does the aircraft and transmitter connect to the wifi? Or just the transmitter?
2. When flight data is collected during flight is it stored on the transmitter, aircraft, SD card or tablet?
3. With the camera removed will data still be collected?
4. With the camera removed will I still be able to load and fly a mission?

You must have a Standard, correct? Your aircraft communicates with your RC via the WiFi. The two are obviously connected when you link them together, and the commands are given from your RC inputs are sent to your aircraft. I am not an expert on the Standard, but I think your flight data is stored on your aircraft, but only DJI can actually read that information. I also think that your DJI app stores your flight data, which you can read. I don't think it matters if your camera is functioning, you can still fly your aircraft but of course you won't have and FPV. I don't know why you couldn't load a mission. I would think it would work. I am assuming you are using Litchi for your missions?

My confusion with communication lies with losing complete communication during a mission, yet at the end of the mission my full flight details will be displayed on air data. Does this mean the aircraft uploads data to the tablet or transmitter at completion of the flight.

Just to clear up confusion on question #1, your controller has two transmitters in it.   The first is 5.8 ghz and is the control transmitter.  It's a simple one way signal.  The antenna you see on the controller is for this signal.  The second transmitter is 2.4 ghz and is the FPV/telemetry signal.  It's a two way wifi signal.  The antenna is hidden inside the controller.  Hope this helps.  

I am going to say it is definately a dji phantom 3 (STANDARD) 1 i beleive just the controller connects to I|WIFI but the ac connects tho the rc throught rc's WIFI, 2 I beleive the information is stored on the ac 3 the information should still collect in the ac even with no camera tho im sure your ac will constantly show camera disconnect warning 4 yes i beleive you can still fly your missions with no camera i had a p3s that i started with now i own 2 p4p and 1 I2. hope this clears up some of your questions altho i would be nervouse about the p3s taking a mind of its own and having a flyaway from the crash.

Churubusco Posted at 2017-9-13 05:09
My confusion with communication lies with losing complete communication during a mission, yet at the end of the mission my full flight details will be displayed on air data. Does this mean the aircraft uploads data to the tablet or transmitter at completion of the flight.

Looks like we all agree on what is going on and hope that clears up some things for you. I don't think there is any way for your aircraft to upload data. Pretty sure it is your app doing that. But like you mentioned, even when you lose your signal, it is still recording the info on your aircraft, but it then transfers to your mobile device when signal is regained, and your Go-app then uploads the data to airdata, or Litchi or whatever you are using. Like Mark explained in more detail (Thanks Mark!), the "linked" signal is the 5.8 ghz and is dedicated to controlling the aircraft. The other one is the signal you connect to thru your mobile device, that is why you have to "connect" to it to have FPV and use your app.

You're P3S should work fine without the camera. No view of course, but as far as flying it will not be affected, provided nothing else is damaged.

Thanks for the replies. I am well aware of the two transmissions going on the 2.4 and 5.8. My confusion was my transmitter conects to wifi but I cannot get a connection to aircraft. My thoughts were when the aircraft connects to the transfer both aircraft and transmitter share wifi for data transfer. Makes sense in the last reply when signal is regained the data gets transfered to table. My assumption is through wifi. 2nd assumption the 5,8 is strictly for aircraft control.

One more bit of information I need to supply is the transmitter will not connect to aircraft after crash. My curiosity was the transmitter connecting to wifi without connect to aircraft.

First - honest comment :

Buying a crashed P3 is money wasted unless you want parts from it. Crashes often destroy the linking of RC to AC and leave you with two items that do not want to talk to each other.

OK ... answers (some will repeat others prior answers I know).

"1. Does the aircraft and transmitter connect to the wifi? Or just the transmitter?"
There are two WiFi's of concern here. a) The Domestic WiFi you use to update / receive maps etc. but is NOT used for flight. This only connects to your Phone / Tablet when needed. Rest of time the Phone / Tablet connects to .... b) The AC transmits a WiFi signal in a two way form that the Controller links to in similar two way form. This provides the telemetry and video / photo control via the 2.4Ghz. The Phone / Tablet connects to the Controller piggybacking the WiFi of RC and AC to give commands to Controller which then splits to 2.4 or 5.8 as appropriate.

2. When flight data is collected during flight is it stored on the transmitter, aircraft, SD card or tablet?

Actually there is info stored on AC which has an internal fixed SD card, on the camera SD card and in the Phone / Tablet ... but not in controller. Each recording is of a different format and info. The internal is difficult to decipher but online sources can and it provides comprehensive flight data including faults. The SD card is basically switch on / checking routines in txt form. The Tablet records a limited flight data record if set by user.

3. With the camera removed will data still be collected?

As far as I am aware - yes as its not camera dependent... other than the removable SD card of course which will be missing.

4. With the camera removed will I still be able to load and fly a mission?

Yes - but as you don't have the primary aim in place - video / photo recon - its a bit of a technical point only.

Suggest you download the full manual and go through the Linking procedures to see if you can re-establish control of the AC ...

Cheers
Nigel

I have a P4P.  For Question #2.... I have found that data is saved both on the aircraft and on the handheld device.  I don't think the data is the same in both places.  

Nigel
I purchased the crashed out Phantom to learn more about how these work without fear of damaging a good working aircraft. I have two others in like new condition that I would not think of taking apart. Even if I spend more fixing than worth I will gain a wealth of knowledge. Answer to your question I can link to wifi with transmitter only on. I cannot link to wifi with aircraft only on. Don't know how to check otherwise. As far as linking I do it all the time I use one transmitter with argtek for two Phantoms. Thanks for you reply.

Churubusco Posted at 2017-9-13 10:46
...I cannot link to wifi with aircraft only on. ...

You're not supposed to link your mobile device to the AC.  It doesn't work that way.  You must link your mobile device to the controller.  

The signal is sent from the AC to the controller.  Then it's relayed via another wifi freq from the controller to your mobile device.  So obviously it's not going to work with your "aircraft only on".  Your AC must be on, and your controller must be on.  The relay is seemingly invisible as far as your concerned, and the signal seems to come from the AC, but nonetheless, the FPV/telemetry is actually relayed from the controller to your mobile device via wifi.  Hope this helps.

If you mean Phantom 3 Standard, when you connect the WiFi, that is only the RC's. It has its own connection between the drone and RC, if you can not get the image transmission, you can try to relink the drone and RC. The flight data will restore on the drone and the flight records reserve on the app. You can not fly P3S without the gimbal because drone might disconnect with the RC.

Mark is right,the router of that system is build in the remote control. If you have an IP scanner on the phone ,you scan that you can see the RC has the last digit a 1 in the IP address and the copter >1 and the phone/tab >3

Churubusco Posted at 2017-9-13 10:46
Nigel
I purchased the crashed out Phantom to learn more about how these work without fear of damaging a good working aircraft. I have two others in like new condition that I would not think of taking apart. Even if I spend more fixing than worth I will gain a wealth of knowledge. Answer to your question I can link to wifi with transmitter only on. I cannot link to wifi with aircraft only on. Don't know how to check otherwise. As far as linking I do it all the time I use one transmitter with argtek for two Phantoms. Thanks for you reply.

Hi ... understood ..

As I and Mark said - the AC connects to RC .... the RC connects to Phone / Tablet. The Phone / Tablet does not connect direct to AC.

Nigel

Thanks for all the replies. I disassembled aircraft last night to inspect for damage, and was shocked to see the amount of internal damage. I would have expected minimal damage due to the fact that the shell only had some minor cracking. Still did not do too bad. Two spare batteries and everything that comes in the box new for $75.00.

RicardoGray Posted at 2017-9-13 04:27
You must have a Standard, correct? Your aircraft communicates with your RC via the WiFi. The two are obviously connected when you link them together, and the commands are given from your RC inputs are sent to your aircraft. I am not an expert on the Standard, but I think your flight data is stored on your aircraft, but only DJI can actually read that information. I also think that your DJI app stores your flight data, which you can read. I don't think it matters if your camera is functioning, you can still fly your aircraft but of course you won't have and FPV. I don't know why you couldn't load a mission. I would think it would work. I am assuming you are using Litchi for your missions?

Excellent job of addressing many of those questions. Flight data is stored within the aircraft and retrieved by the app. You can also store that information in the cloud.