I’m having problems with my Phantom 3 Pro.  I can’t get the camera to show up on my iPad so I can see where I’m flying.  I have discovered that it will record photos and video to the SD card, I can tilt the camera up and down and I can fly the drone with the RC, but I just can’t see anything on the screen.  I also tried putting the iPad into “Airplane Mode” but it didn’t help.  I tried my iPhone using Autopilot and I don’t get video feed on that either.  I don’t have DJI Go on the phone, for some reason it got deleted a while back.

I think the Lightbridge transmitter is not working or that it’s a software problem.  The last time I flew the drone, about 4 months ago, it worked fine.  During that time I upgraded the software on both devices so I’m now using OS 12.4 on the iPad and 12.4.2 on my iPhone.  And now I can’t see the camera in real time.

On the drone I’m using App 2.4.2, aircraft and RC are using 1.3.20.  Yes, I know it is really out of date.  I got the Phantom back in October of 2015 and never upgraded the software.  Until now it has always worked great and there were always such horror stories about people upgrading and then their drone not working or doing a fly-away.  Since my drone was working just fine, there was no reason to upgrade.  And if it is the transmitter, I may not upgrade even now.  Once I upgrade the software there is no going back and since it was working just fine, I’m still hesitant to update.

So, how do I check to see if it is the transmitter or a software problem?

Your downlink must be working - otherwise you wouldn't have five bars signal strength showing, flight battery power percentage showing, 4 sats showing, and google map location showing.  It's possible you have a NAND chip failure.  Here is a flow chart to try to track the problem and possible solution.  Good luck.

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... -on-ph3-pro.133487/

Mark, WOW!  What a great diagram.  Thanks for the information and I'll take a very close look at it.  Thank you very much for your replay and expanded source of infomation at the end of the link.

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-4 08:57
Your downlink must be working - otherwise you wouldn't have five bars signal strength showing, flight battery power percentage showing, 4 sats showing, and google map location showing.  It's possible you have a NAND chip failure.  Here is a flow chart to try to track the problem and possible solution.  Good luck.

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... -on-ph3-pro.133487/

I agree, my feeling is that the video output from the camera gimbal section is not working, as the telemetry is fine. Possibly a gimbal cable replacement might solve this.

Geebax Posted at 1-4 13:16
I agree, my feeling is that the video output from the camera gimbal section is not working, as the telemetry is fine. Possibly a gimbal cable replacement might solve this.

Possibly, but a NAND failure is kind of common on the P2s and P3s - especially if they've been ignored for a while.  

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... sistant-tool.77073/

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-4 13:48
Possibly, but a NAND failure is kind of common on the P2s and P3s - especially if they've been ignored for a while.  

https://phantompilots.com/threads/lightbridge-firmware-problem-and-solution-firmware-version-not-found-by-dji-assistant-tool.77073/

I'm very impressed with the depth of that solution.  Way above my comfort zone to even begin a repair.  It looks like my best bet is to take it to a DJI repair facility and have them fix it.  And then remember to fly it more often.  I might try removing the gimbal and check out the cable connections, that look simple enough, but the NAND failure is a "deer in the headlights" moment for me.  I really want to thank all of your for your help.  Drone folks are good people!

Okay thanks.  But I'm not guaranteeing it's a NAND failure.  I would follow that flow chart linked above.  Maybe you'd get lucky and find out it's something simple - like a loose cable?  Or something.  I don't know.  I've never had this problem on a P3 (but I've had it multiple times on a P2 and it's always the NAND).  I'm just relaying what I've read in the forums.  Good luck!  

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-4 13:48
Possibly, but a NAND failure is kind of common on the P2s and P3s - especially if they've been ignored for a while.  

https://phantompilots.com/threads/lightbridge-firmware-problem-and-solution-firmware-version-not-found-by-dji-assistant-tool.77073/

The Phantom 3 Professional must be connected and booted up at least once a month don't just leave it in storage otherwise you will have this failure.
It cost me £200 for repairing.

Nic72 Posted at 1-26 04:09
The Phantom 3 Professional must be connected and booted up at least once a month don't just leave it in storage otherwise you will have this failure.
It cost me £200 for repairing.

Correct - for all the P3s and P2s.  I do mine every three weeks just to be sure.  

When I get this drone working again I will follow the advice and fly is at least once a month.  But right now it's still not working.  Here is what I have been doing.

I finally decided that updating the firmware was a must do, since I'm so far out of date and the old version of DJI Go may not have been compatible with my newer Mac iOS software.  I went to the Apple Store and downloaded the latest version of GO, P3X_FW_V01.11.0020.bin.  I put the mini SD card into the aircraft and turned it on to start loading the firmware.  The lights  on the arms blink and the light on the front of the gimbal housing start out green and after a few seconds it starts blinking between red and green.  After only 25 seconds it turns a steady red, which seems to indicate a failure.  I take the SD card out of the aircraft and load it back onto the computer and there is a message there that says it failed.  I have tried a different SD card but it didn’t make a difference and I have now failed about 12 times.  I followed the instructions DJI posted on their web site, but I can’t get the program to load.  The “About” menu does show version 1.11.20  for the aircraft but the overall Status shows an “Aircraft Upgrade Error” and tells me to follow instructions carefully.  Not sure what else to do to upgrade the aircraft.

I put the firmware on a thumb drive and plugged it into the aircraft USB port.  I upgraded the Remote Control firmware to 1.9.2. That seemed to go OK.  I have posted some screen captures below.

I am back to where I was with the old firmware, the Remote Control will run the aircraft, camera tilts and will record photos and video and the motors will run.  I get the message, “take off” and “home point has been updated” and I can shut the motors off, so I did manage to get the two devices linked and working, but … still no video feed.

I removed the gimbal from the aircraft and checked the cables and connections.  Everything looked OK, no sighs of damage, all connection locked in place.

I think the next step is to take it to a repair center or mail it someplace that DJI recommends.

Nic72 Posted at 1-26 04:09
The Phantom 3 Professional must be connected and booted up at least once a month don't just leave it in storage otherwise you will have this failure.
It cost me £200 for repairing.

That isn't true. I leave mine in the box pretty much all winter and have never had an issue.
It has sat unused for several months with no ill effects

Rigworker Posted at 1-28 15:13
That isn't true. I leave mine in the box pretty much all winter and have never had an issue.
It has sat unused for several months with no ill effects

Tell that to the ten thousand pilots with non-working FPV.

He doesn't mean you cannot go a couple months and escape without a failure.  You might.  He means powering up every month or so greatly diminishes the odds of failure.  Otherwise, eventually fate will catch up with you.  

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... sistant-tool.77073/

Good luck

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-28 15:36
Tell that to the ten thousand pilots with non-working FPV.

He doesn't mean you cannot go a couple months and escape without a failure.  You might.  He means powering up every month or so greatly diminishes the odds of failure.  Otherwise, eventually fate will catch up with you.  

Did you actually read that message thread?

Rigworker Posted at 1-28 18:26
Did you actually read that message thread?

I've read the first post like eight times over the years.  Is there something I missed?  

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-28 18:46
I've read the first post like eight times over the years.  Is there something I missed?

It seems like he was still having issues

Rigworker Posted at 1-29 16:11
It seems like he was still having issues

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

This is a problem of the "nand flash". This problem is common to a lot of modules from Dji (p3p no signal, rc transmitter inspire no signal, vision plus live view not working, etc. etc.).
The problem appears when people use LB ( and other devices from Dji) few times during the year, leaving long period where they don't use the device.
Bad blocks in the memory grows up continuously, but if you once a month start the device, Linux marks bad blocks, and it changes the system parameters, "repairing" the memory.
But if you don't use it for 3-4-5 month (in my case 1 month), bad blocks corrupt the flash in the UBL component area or in the U-BOOT component area, and you will no more be able to boot it.

...

Another site:

There are tons of forum posts about people who store their drone for a few months and turn it on to find that there is no streaming video to the app.  

https://sites.google.com/view/phantom-2-wifi-module-fix/home

...

Another at the 54 sec mark

https://sites.google.com/view/phantom-2-wifi-module-fix/home

...

Allowing your NAND chip to sit without a boot up for a long period promotes failure.  This is a known fact and has been for quite a few years now.  

Good luck

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-29 16:46
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

This is a problem of the "nand flash". This problem is common to a lot of modules from Dji (p3p no signal, rc transmitter inspire no signal, vision plus live view not working, etc. etc.).

I never said the original post was wrong, sunshine.
I said he was still having trouble.

You obviously never bothered to read the read of the thread.

Rigworker Posted at 1-29 17:33
I never said the original post was wrong, sunshine.
I said he was still having trouble.

What?  Our dialogue stems from your post #12 stating that post #9 is not true.  But it is true.  

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-30 05:22
What?  Our dialogue stems from your post #12 stating that post #9 is not true.  But it is true.

I have said no more on the issue after reading the link you gave.

I merely said that the guy with the solution is still having problems.

You obviously have never read further than that first post you gave.

I could care less if you do actually.

Rigworker Posted at 1-30 13:26
I have said no more on the issue after reading the link you gave.

I merely said that the guy with the solution is still having problems.

Of course you could care less.  What I do is very important.  

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-30 15:28
Of course you could care less.  What I do is very important.

It isn't about YOU, sunshine

SMH      

Well, I tried to submit a ticket to DJI for the repair but haven't gotten any kind of a response from them.  It's been about two weeks or so.   Any one have any suggestions?   I don't want to try again and have two tickets going for the same thing.  How long should I wait?  I have never had to contact them before.  Would I be better off sending it some place other than DJI?  Just wondering what's the best way to proceed.  Thanks to everyone who replied, you guys are great!   

Don Loftus Posted at 2-17 17:20
Well, I tried to submit a ticket to DJI for the repair but haven't gotten any kind of a response from them.  It's been about two weeks or so.   Any one have any suggestions?   I don't want to try again and have two tickets going for the same thing.  How long should I wait?  I have never had to contact them before.  Would I be better off sending it some place other than DJI?  Just wondering what's the best way to proceed.  Thanks to everyone who replied, you guys are great!

It's possible there is a slow-down in Shenzhen due to the virus.  

Personally I would follow the flow chart above to isolate the problem.  Then, if I didn't want to tackle fixing it myself, I'd consider having a drone repair shop fix it.  Your having already diagnosed the likely problem would be helpful and might save you some money.  If you're lucky, there's somebody local who could fix it.  Shipping can be expensive.  Good luck.  

I had not thought about the virus being a problem.  Hmmm, maybe I don't want to sent it back to China.  I was thinking that there must be a factory authorized repair facility in the U.S.  Does anybody know where it is and how to contact them?  

Since I'm out of warranty, does anybody know of a DJI authorized repair facility in the Gainesville, Florida area?  Jacksonville, Florida is also a possibility since I can drive the drone over and pick it up.

Mark The Droner Posted at 1-4 08:57
Your downlink must be working - otherwise you wouldn't have five bars signal strength showing, flight battery power percentage showing, 4 sats showing, and google map location showing.  It's possible you have a NAND chip failure.  Here is a flow chart to try to track the problem and possible solution.  Good luck.

https://phantompilots.com/thread ... -on-ph3-pro.133487/

thanks mark thats a lot of great info. I havent been on here in a while.wife had 2 heart attacks this past year , been kinda busy.with me its diabetes and the meds is worse than the disease.

repairman Posted at 2-24 03:35
thanks mark thats a lot of great info. I havent been on here in a while.wife had 2 heart attacks this past year , been kinda busy.with me its diabetes and the meds is worse than the disease.

Sorry for your problems... WB!