Had not used my P3P for 6 weeks.  Had a client hire me to do general air survey of several acres of property in Houston.  Unboxed P3P, tuned on, but would not connect.  The gimbal would move up and down, but no connection between P3P and Controller.  Called friend who owns drone reseller shop here in town.  He indicated that I needed latest firmware updates and that DJI was keeping their products grounded via GPS if the firmware was too far out of date.

Drove 30 minutes back home, spent 45 minutes updating DJI GO app on tablet, firmware on P3P (and each battery) as well as the firmware on the controller.  Went outside to test the P3P.  Got airborne, maneuvered properly, video signal was good and everything was working fine.  Right around five and a half minutes into the flight, the DJI GO screen froze and the image turned black and white.  The status light went from green colored to red colored and gave me the error message "No Signal".  I could look up and see the P3P hovering right at 400 feet.  Suddenly, I heard the props rev up and the P3P started going straight up (like when RTH is hit) and then flew due east away from me.  I hit every control knob I could, but it had zero effect on the drone.  I then hit the RTH button.  It blinked and beeped for about 20 seconds and then gave me a full screen error that said "Return to Home Failed".  I tried RTH again and got the same result.  

The battery showed 22 minutes left when it flew off.  I have no idea where it went.  It seems as though if our P3Ps are connected via the DJI GO app, that even once we lose contact with our birds that we could contact DJI to see where they went after we lost contact.  Just because the bird loses contact with the controller doesn't mean the satellites lost contact with the bird.

This makes me furious.  Really not happy.

Just so you know, DJI cannot tell you any more than you already know about where the bird went. GPS satellites are not equipped to receive signals from the bird, it is not a two-way conversation. The only way information about its whereabouts can be obtained is by the bird sending back information to the RC unit, so if that link is lost, it is good-bye to your bird. I hope you had your name and address or other contact information attached to the bird?

"He indicated that I needed latest firmware updates and that DJI was keeping their products grounded via GPS if the firmware was too far out of date."

Not true either. There are many ways to get around updates. More superstition about the power of GPS satellites, they are not capable of doing this.

" DJI was keeping their products grounded via GPS if the firmware was too far out of date."  Not saying its not true but i never heard that before.

" He indicated that I needed latest firmware updates and that DJI was keeping their products grounded via GPS if the firmware was too far out of date."

This is a complete myth.
Your friend has no idea what  he's talking about.

For this reason and others is why I'm quitting DJI and moving to another platform.

I , too, would get the error message "No Signal" when my P3S hovered at 400ft.  But the message would flash intermittently.  Never did lose control but has me worried.  Why would I get that error message when the video downlink is at .62 mile and the controller is 3 miles limit????This too after I updated firmware.  
On that note, I was able to fly the bird before I decided to update the firmware.

I'm real curious why, when hovering at 400 feet, it would go higher when RTH was initiated!

Hi, STPimages, your mentioned no connection issue has nothing to do with the firmware, unless you updated the APP which is not matching the old firmware. For no connection issue, it could be solved by reboot the aircraft and RC, replug USB cable, re-start the APP. DJI won't force you to upgrade.
Regarding your case, would you advise your log-in ID and sync up the flight log in the APP?

highabovetexas Posted at 2015-12-8 11:58
For this reason and others is why I'm quitting DJI and moving to another platform.

?? Someone that doesn't know what they are doing and that's a reason not to stick with DJI?

Good luck finding:
1.  Another company that hasn't had someone lose one of their drones
2.  Another company that makes a product to equal DJI forfeatures or price

Sorry about that incident ! Please contact local dealer or support center to help you with that !  You can also request for the data analysis .

Thanks for all the feedback.  Everyone seems to be focused on what my friend said about the updates.  It is irrelevant to this story whether DJI does force updates or doesn't force updates through GPS grounding of the bird.

What IS relevant is that I updated ALL firmware properly and verified the installs via the status text files.  I got the bird off the ground with the new updates and five minutes into the flight, the bird takes off to Mars while in full view and only 400 feet off the ground and the RTH function failed.  THAT is the issue.

I DO know what I am doing with the P3P, I've got literally hundreds of hours of flight time combined on my P2 and P3P.  This is a technology failure and one that cost me a P3P.  Add to this fact that DJI does not sell the bird alone even though forums all over the net document hundreds of fly-aways.  If I am forced to buy a replacement P3P because the DJI firmware update caused RTH to fail, then I also have to purchase the P3P in a package that includes the controller, the battery, the charger, extra props, tool kit, etc.  With all the known fly-aways, why does DJI not have an option to buy a replacement bird alone without all the accessories?

http://store.dji.com/product/pha ... ler-battery-charger

Just the Bird

STPimages Posted at 2015-12-8 09:38
Thanks for all the feedback.  Everyone seems to be focused on what my friend said about the updates. ...

You don't mention when/if the batteries were last charged and I don't recall reading the word "calibration" anywhere after you did a firmware update.

Also, environment plays a factor into this as well. If there is interference from something else in the area then who knows what could have caused this problem.

We are still waiting for you to upload the flight logs.

For future reference if this happens to me, what would the appropriate response be to a fly away such as this?  Would I quickly power off the controller, power it back on, and hope it reconnects?  Why would the quad fly away when it loses connection with the controller, isn't it supposed to return to home when this happens?

bugsysiegals Posted at 2015-12-8 11:19
For future reference if this happens to me, what would the appropriate response be to a fly away suc ...

In the OP's scenario would it make sense to try a CSC maoever to cut power to the motors (causing the bird to crash to the ground)?

Unfortunately any electronics can fail in lots of different ways.

I hope DJI can help you figure out what happened.

I fly lots of RC crafts and every once in a while there is a failure. It is part of the Hobby.

The only way to have these toys be more reliable is to have redundant systems for everything, this is how NASA craft and a lot of commercial aircraft systems work. And they still have malfunctions. Commercial inertial nav systems have 3 (or more) complete units and a computer is always comparing the units and it will disregard the faulty one.

I am sure DJI could implement this kind of redundancy as well, they are very clever. But no one here would want to pay for it.

Remember these are just model aircraft using frail electronics that can malfunction or be influenced by micro waves and other environmental forces.

Also anytime you do a firmware update on any system there is a chance something goes wrong. This happens a lot with cameras. And sometimes just redoing the FW update solves the problem, other times the camera has to go to the manufacturer to be fixed. I have had 2 professional cameras experience this out of hundreds of FW updates over the years. But fortunately these cameras were not the flying kind, or who knows what may have happened.

donalddoc - Thanks for posting this.  I simply didn't see this in my search results of the store.
IMI193 - Have three batteries.  All three charged fully before heading out to fly.  All three were also placed in the P3P with the .bin file in the root directory of the card for battery update.
scottdrmyers - I completely understand interference.  As mentioned, I have hundreds of flight hours with DJI Phantoms.  This location is free from interference where I was flying - have used this exact location 30+ times with no such prior issue.  I will upload the DJI GO files sometime later today.
Westside - Thanks for the assist.

STPimages Posted at 2015-12-8 16:21
donalddoc - Thanks for posting this.  I simply didn't see this in my search results of the store.
IM ...

The problem is the "bird" alone costs almost as much as a new complete package!  Always put contact info on your craft so that, if found, you can be called.  Good luck.

This last updates are a completly disgrace....

A tentative way of DJI control us, and start removing features, like choose what firmware to install, app to use etc,etc...

I was one of the first to notice "drifting" on 1.4. Whent to 1.3.2 and i was ok. RMA and they install 1.5.

Now, i have drifting with 1.5, only can go back to 1.4, also with drifting, and i have this bad sensation of control by DJI.

One of reasons i hate Iproducts, is this stupid way of control users, thats why i prefer Android...

DJI is makins things is a way, not very good.

When i was with 1.1.9fw, everything was perfect, no signal lost, i was almost 100% confident.....

Now, each flight i pray it doesnt crash`s, signal lost, battery tension off....and most of all, order the P3 to go only straight and see it moving like a drunk....

For those with 1.4 or earlier: DO NOT UPDATE NOTHING!

YOU LOOSE THE ABILITY OF CHOICE!!!!!!

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-8 06:21
Sorry about that incident ! Please contact local dealer or support center to help you with that !  Y ...

HA! They will do NOTHING! It flew away. All they will do is say "sorry about that" & you already did it. Why waste his time?

donalddoc77 Posted at 2015-12-8 09:31
http://store.dji.com/product/phantom-3-pro-aircraft-excludes-remote-controller-battery-charger

Just ...

I am fairly new too. Can I use one Djibouti remote on two different phantoms? I was thinking of buying a second and if I can save a few hundred bucks by not needing a second remote?  Also are batteries save to use on two different phantoms.  Interchangeable.   Thanks.  Jim

frericksjim Posted at 2015-12-9 10:39
I am fairly new too. Can I use one Djibouti remote on two different phantoms? I was thinking of bu ...

I see your spellchecker thinks DJI is Djibouti......

Geebax Posted at 2015-12-8 17:11
I see your spellchecker thinks DJI is Djibouti......

Yeah I didn't see that before I posted.  Evidently you don't have a answer to my post? I don't get into lots of back and forth and arguing or rudeness on forums.  If somebody can answer my questions much appreciated.  Jim

frericksjim Posted at 2015-12-9 11:28
Yeah I didn't see that before I posted.  Evidently you don't have a answer to my post? I don't get ...

My comment was not meant to be rude, just a whimsical observation. We do 'light hearted' here from time to time.

I don't know for certain, but I don't think one remote can work with two different aircraft as it binds to a unique aircraft. You could bind the controller to each aircraft when you swapped, but it would be a rather tedious procedure. Of course the controllers are different between different series of aircraft, I think there is a different of for the P3 standard to the one for the P3 Advanced or Pro. However the batteries will work quite well between different aircraft as long as they are all Phantom 3 types. They are not the same for the Phantom 2 series.

What tablet ?

ozz941 Posted at 2015-12-9 07:23
HA! They will do NOTHING! It flew away. All they will do is say "sorry about that" & you already d ...

Hi ,
They will help you to do the data analysis if it's requested and  flight record offered  .

So I am curious, you mention hundreds of hours of flight time on P2 and P3's.  How many hours did this particular unit have on it?  I know none of us like to face it but everything electronic / mechanical fails at a certain point.

Did you think about switching out of P mode into Atti mode?

Geebax Posted at 2015-12-8 19:00
My comment was not meant to be rude, just a whimsical observation. We do 'light hearted' here from  ...

Thanks  I think I will just buy another complete phantom pro.  Remote control included.

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-9 19:18
Hi ,
They will help you to do the data analysis if it's requested and  flight record offered  .

Sort of a keepsake. How nice.

If for some reason a fly-away ever occurs, is the solution to simply switch to ATTI mode?  If so, I assume since GPS signal is lost, I cannot look at the GPS map to determine the direction the drone is facing to point it in my direction and fly it home (assuming it's out of line of sight)?

bill@northwoods Posted at 2015-12-9 19:27
So I am curious, you mention hundreds of hours of flight time on P2 and P3's.  How many hours did th ...

The P3P had about 6 to 7 hours of flight time on it.  Most of my flight time was logged with P2 over the past year.

Bill - The P3P only had about 6 or 7 hours of flight time.  My DJI GO app shows 5 hours and 35 minutes, but I used a tablet that did not have an operating system that would allow installation of the DJI GO app, I was using the old DJI flight app.  I have over a hundred hours of flight time on the P2 over the past year.  I use this in my photography business, so it was all revenue generating flight time, too.

DJI-Patrick Posted at 2015-12-9 19:18
Hi ,
They will help you to do the data analysis if it's requested and  flight record offered  .

Patrick - how do I 'request' help as you mentioned?

STPimages Posted at 2015-12-10 10:24
Bill - The P3P only had about 6 or 7 hours of flight time.  My DJI GO app shows 5 hours and 35 minut ...

Fair enough.  Just wondered

I have a similar story

http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... &fromuid=155826

Hundreds of FlyAway's documented? Seriously?

Seens the home point was not recorded correctly.

STPimages Posted at 2015-12-10 23:25
Patrick - how do I 'request' help as you mentioned?

Please contact north american support center for that . Thank you ! http://www.dji.com/support?www=v1