Hello guys! This is my first post on the forum. I just wanted to share some things that have happened to me personally since buying my first Phantom 4. I'll try and keep it short. I bought my first one on May 24th. Super excited because I was going to get the P3P but actually had the funds and got the 4 instead. Everything was going great! Directly out of the box needed no firmware update. Flew like a champ. And footage looked REALLY good. Until I got the dreaded tilted horizon. Tried everyone to fix it and couldn't.

I exchanged it as I bought it from Best Buy. No hassles. Everything was smooth. Since then I have has to exchange it multiple times and have had just about every issue I've seen on these threads accept for the firmware update issue. Haven't had that one yet. (Knock on wood).

So the current P4 I have has a few issues balled into one. Tilted horizon. Gimbal and camera jerks hard while in sport. Altitude drop. So this time I contact DJI support. Explain the problems. Send videos of the issues. Sure enough, you have a faulty unit with faulty hardware. Send it in for repair or exchange. A second agents also responds and says to try to exchange at Best Buy again. If they don't accept it, I will help you get yours exchanged through us for a new one.

So I am currently on the way to Best Buy to try this ONE MORE TIME. I've explained to Best Buy the situation. Nikko with DJI support knows I am going through Best Buy one more time and will document everything out of the box. So if this one is faulty, I will be sending to to DJI.

I'm sure there are people out there like me that have gone through similar issues. You're not alone! Everyone who has gotten a great P4 out of the box, I'm happy for you! Keep on flying!  I have high hopes I will get a good one and join ya one of these days. Lol. Also, for the record. I've heard about DJI having bad customer service. They have been awesome and helpful so far to me! And I greatly appreciate it! Going to keep my head up.

Fingers crossed.....everything works out for you this time and you get one that fly's s like a champ again

Welcome, stick with it because when you do get a good one you will forget all that's gone before

dezota Posted at 2016-6-22 01:35
Fingers crossed.....everything works out for you this time and you get one that fly's s like a champ ...

Thanks for the words of encouragement!! I REALLY appreciate that.

hallmark007 Posted at 2016-6-22 01:43
Welcome, stick with it because when you do get a good one you will forget all that's gone before

Thank you! That's what I'm hoping! I've seen so many videos of people enjoying their 4 and taking some amazing footage! I know it's possible! And I know I'll love it! I'm not new to flying by any means. Been doing it for a few years now. And if I could just get a P4 that works I definitely understand what it's capable of! And I've also never had these kinds of issues with anything in the past. I love DJI's products. I've got the new one with me now! And I'm hoping and praying this is the one! And I'll finally catch a break! If not I guess this one will be going to DJI and maybe for sure I will have a working P4! My going to post some updates on this thread of how it goes from here on.

Here she is. Hopefully the last one I will need to open!

Well guys. This one seems to be ok. It has a horizon issue as well... It actual tilts the opposite direction of the last one. And when I try and adjust the gimbal roll to compensate it snaps way out. But the. I fly and it corrects itself so in not sure if it's supposed to be that way. It seems so have the altitude drop. BUT I haven't calibrated the sensors yet. Or updated the firmware. Just tested right of the box. Only did an IMU and gimbal calibration. So, I will do a firmware update. Calibrate the sensors, IMU, and gimbal again. And see how she does. If these issues keep happening I will just send it into DJI for evaluation and or repair if need be.

You are fortunate that Best Buy allows returns.  As far as I know, they will not accept returns in Canada (according to their web site).  I have experienced some of the issues that are found here in the forum, however, nothing is perfect, but I find the few faults of the P4 very easy to live with.  As for the tilted horizon is concerned, I find that once on station, the camera will level off, depending on the direction and speed of the wind.  Sometimes I have to wait, but that's ok, it takes time.  Dropping ? when the P4 is cruising along at 8 + meters per second, a hard break will cause a rise and drop.  I always expect a meter or two to be lost and operate according and try to avoid hard breaking.  I am not suggesting in any way your concerns are not well founded, however, too, with a bit of practice, the few issues I have are related more to flight conditions, not the P4's capability. Just sayin !

j5255@yahoo.com Posted at 2016-6-21 17:13
You are fortunate that Best Buy allows returns.  As far as I know, they will not accept returns in C ...

Thanks for the reply and advice. I completely understand where you're coming from and I have most definitely put all of that into consideration.

And yes you are right. I am very lucky Best Buy has been very helpful in allowing me to return the product.

Also, I actually thought at first maybe it was just the phantom 4 and the limitations it may have because I know it's not going to be perfect. You could be right with the wind as far as the horizon goes. Except the weird thing is that I've had different reactions with all of the P4s I've had. Not consistent. I'm the same conditions.

When I actually contacted DJI this last time and sent them the videos of the horizon problem and the issue with the camera and gimbal jerking in sport mode they confirmed that it is not normal and needs repair. So that helped confirm what I was thinking. But I am going to try everything with this one. And do a lot of tests. Before I go back to DJI and see what can be done. One thing is for sure. I just recently got my polar pro cinema series vivid ND filters. And using them and lowering the shitter speed and using manual settings almost gets rid of the compression artifacts and graininess in the video! So that was good news.

But all in all I do love the P4!! And I'm going to hang on to the one I got today. The video quality looks great. It doesn't have the jerkiness in sport mode. No other issues besides the horizon tilt and the altitude drop. Which I can most definitely deal with! And again I will run these tests and try different things to see if they are resolved. Also, the issues that I seem to have with this new one ARE definitely fixable via firmware updates so I'm not too worried. The jerky camera issue and a few of the others with previous ones were not. But again I really appreciate the input! I have found this forum to be super helpful at times!

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-22 05:42
Well guys. This one seems to be ok. It has a horizon issue as well... It actual tilts the opposite d ...

I think part of all your problems is you not updating the firmware. A lot of the issues are resolved by firmware updates

Khan Posted at 2016-6-21 17:48
I think part of all your problems is you not updating the firmware. A lot of the issues are resolv ...

Haha. Well I appreciate that. But I wish it was something that simple. I have updated the firmware on every p4 I've had. With the same issues. The funny thing is, most of the things the firmware fixes have come out to fix I haven't even had. Weird. But like I said. I will be keeping this one. The quad itself is the best looking out of the box so far. And I'd like to have one that is MINE. Lol.

I am still using the original firmware and I downgraded back to 2.8.1 because I forgot to disable auto app updates.
I figured, if it works, I am staying with it.

The only issue I have is the drop, but I can live with it, since I am not planning to fly 5 feet over water.And the video transmission gets green screens once in a while, mainly during POI.

I plan to wait at least 2 weeks before I consider an upgrade, until the dust settles.

I already bricked 2 P3's trying to upgrade the firmware (No RC Connection!!)

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-21 18:43
Thanks for the reply and advice. I completely understand where you're coming from and I have most  ...

I am just making a study of the video capabilities now.  I have gone through flight, modes and photos, and now video.   The video sequences I have made so far yielded excellent results (FCPX editor), but I do see a need for ND filters, which I just ordered yesterday.  I also ordered another battery, giving me a total of three which should be enough power for a day's outing.  Have fun, and keep us updated.

My video has improved using the PP ND4 or ND8.

MD_Icarus Posted at 2016-6-21 19:16
I am still using the original firmware and I downgraded back to 2.8.1 because I forgot to disable au ...

Exactly!! I have thought the same thing. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. But I can't imagine how BUMMED OUT I would be if I ever bricked one of my quads.

j5255@yahoo.com Posted at 2016-6-21 19:21
I am just making a study of the video capabilities now.  I have gone through flight, modes and pho ...

Let me know how it goes! I don't actually know a whole lot of people around here in Nashville Tennessee that fly or even have a P4. So keeping up with these threads is all that I've got haha. And yes the ND filters help BIG TIME!! The footage is a lot smoother. Especially being able to use the 180 rules and get the shutter speed to let say, 1/60th when filming at 30fps. The vivid series are also polarized so at certain angles from the sun the colors really pop. Which looks a lot nicer and more natural than adding with a digital filter or in post.

MD_Icarus Posted at 2016-6-21 19:22
My video has improved using the PP ND4 or ND8.

Do you just have the plain ND filters or the cinema series? I have used ND4,8, and 16. And I can even see a use for an ND32! So I'm thinking about ordering the shutter series from polar pro.

Sorry to hear about your issues. The P4 is the best that DJI has to date. I have not had one issue with mine. I think that we may jump to quick when things don't go perfect right out of the box. Can there be a hardware issue? Yes but, that is true with everything. Maybe this will help? I go to Youtube and watch a tutorial in regard to what I am trying to accomplish, updates etc. I am fortunate enough to run two machines at the same time. One to watch the Tutorial and one connected to my P4. Let's give that a shot with your replacement.
One last question, do your replacements in an unused condition? All packaging materials and protective coverings in place? There have been reports that problem Phantoms seem to be recycled. Maybe it is best to deal with DJI direct? Sounds like DJI is receiving complaints about purchases from chain stores.

rodger Posted at 2016-6-21 21:19
Sorry to hear about your issues. The P4 is the best that DJI has to date. I have not had one issue w ...

Thanks for your input. As far as I know, everything was packaged like new. Didn't seem to have been used. I definitely understand that things may have issues from time to time especially a machine that just came out a few months ago. I actually haven't heard of any problems particularly with chain stores. But it is possible. I actually have talked to a guy here that owns a hobby shop that gears more towards drones. He is actually an authorized DJI dealer and has had tons of expirience with DJI and quads in general. I have told him about the problems I have had and he told me that he has sold 8 phantom 4s so far with no reports of any of problems I've had and that he hasn't had any of these problems and neither has the tech guy that helps out at his shop. So that is actually when I got in contact with DJI directly. And when I sent them the videos of the issues I have had and they said it was definitely a hardware issue that's all I needed to confirm that I wasn't crazy or something haha. But I will be doing some tests with the one that I have now. And see how it goes for the next few days to a week. And documenting everything. So if I continue to have these problems I will go through DJI directly. The nice guy helping me in the support was very helpful and said he would gladly get an exchange taken care of for me directly from them. And you are most definitely right. The P4 is definitely an awesome piece of machinery.

Here is the problem I had with the camera gimbal jerking and shaking in sport mode. Just so you can check it out.

Camera jerking and shaking in sport mode.
https://youtu.be/7XXja_5k4rA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7XXja_5k4rA

Not sure if these links are working correctly. Let me know. Thanks!

Do your research first is HIGHLY Recommended....See what people are saying, do YOUR Homework 1st before getting to excited to FlY right away out of the Box. Do your Firmware Update...SAFETY is Key

www.machtvplus.us

Did you remove the small protective foam from the gimbal?

-________-

DronesAbove Posted at 2016-6-22 10:09
Do your research first is HIGHLY Recommended....See what people are saying, do YOUR Homework 1st bef ...

I'm not sure if you guys have actually read this entire post or not. So I'll reiterate. I have done a ton of online research of others with the same problems. I have ran tests myself on all 4 that I have had previous to the one that I have now. I know how to properly use the machine I.e. IMU calibration etc.. I know how to fly and even how to edit my videos and pictures! Pretty crazy lol. I contacted DJI after going through these tests for almost a month. With a confirmation  form DJI THEMSELVES that the bird in fact WAS malfunctioning and the hardware was not working correctly. I currently STILL have the P4 I just got, that has been posted. Still currently running tests. I'm ok with a few of the issues and I can live with them. My video and pictures are looking GREAT with this one so far. So I will update on this thread, if I run into any serious issues and what the outcome ends up being. Thanks!

goransd Posted at 2016-6-22 12:31
Did you remove the small protective foam from the gimbal?

I am not actually sure if that was a joke or not, so the straight face up there was for you lol. Yes, matter of fact I've only had 1 p4 that had foam on the gimbal. The rest just had the protector.

Well uploading that picture got really compressed haha. Oh well. If anyone has any pointers on how to get a good image up on these threads id appreciate it lol.

I was just trying to cover all bases

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-21 22:56
Thanks for your input. As far as I know, everything was packaged like new. Didn't seem to have bee ...

Glad to hear that you are moving forward with a positive attitude.

goransd Posted at 2016-6-23 02:50
I was just trying to cover all bases

Ok hah. That's fine. Sorry I've just seen people actually ask that to be a smart a$$. So just making sure.

rodger Posted at 2016-6-23 07:09
Glad to hear that you are moving forward with a positive attitude.

Thank you! I've actually kept a pretty good attitude about it the whole time. Especially compared to some other folks I've seen post on this forum.. That just complain and gripe about how they spent that much on it and it should work PERFECTLY. And will usually point fingers at DJI even over the forum... And demand things. It's pretty crazy.. I understand that you spent quite a bit of money on it. And yes it would be awesome to have one with no problems and runs and works perfectly. But it's almost like a new car. When you buy it the 1st year it comes out you've got to be ready for bumps and problems because all of the bugs will need to be worked out the first year. Usually why most places give a 1 year warranty for items. 1st year is usually trial and error. Im sure a lot of problems will be fixed with firmware eventually. Either way I love the P4 and the footage I get. Tested the active track on mine yesterday and works like a champ!! Followed my car at about 35 to 40 mph perfectly!

I have had the exact same issues as everyone. No matter how many times I recalibrate my sensors I always have to recalibrate my gimbal before each flight (many threads I have read suggested that may help). I also have those random altitude drops, especially while trying to pan around a focal point. That said, I'm sure its not that it defective, its just issues in the program. I have spent countless hours attempting to figure out ways to troubleshoot these recurring issues to no avail. But the more I fly the more I understand. It is bothersome to be constantly recalibrating the gimbal, but usually I can leave the IMU's alone. My sensor readouts are usually excellent, and after I spend the 2 min calibrating the gimbal, the P4 is ready to go. My only other issues is when I rotate. If I'm trying to get a shot of everything around me (spinning in one place), the gimbal goes off again. But after I stop it, the gimbal eventually levels. Has anyone else experienced this?

Took this one today with my P4. That's my fiance's P3 standard. Using Polar Pro cinema series.

Sorry guess I can only do it this way which will take some of the quality away. I've got to just start using the computer to upload things to the feed lol.

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-23 18:11
Ok hah. That's fine. Sorry I've just seen people actually ask that to be a smart a$$. So just maki ...

It actually happened to me - my first flight video was jerky and then I found out about that small foam. So it's worth mentioning from time to time, for someone else.

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-23 12:16
Thank you! I've actually kept a pretty good attitude about it the whole time. Especially compared  ...

Are there issues or is it a matter of understanding. We have to take the time with an open mind and not be in  a rush. I take my time and do things a set at a time and not everything at once. I try things one at a time at my leisure.  just luck I guess, as I don't seem to have any issues like others seem to have. I have not had one problem with any of my Phantoms. Once in a while something will go astray and when I look back it was something I did or neglected to do. I have found that like anything else, you have to do it a lot. If I don't fly for a few weeks and the first time I get back up I find myself a bit doubtful. That wears off with time in the air.

rodger Posted at 2016-6-25 06:13
Are there issues or is it a matter of understanding. We have to take the time with an open mind an ...

I agree completely. So actually I have been using the c2 butting with the combination of the right wheel on the controller to level out the camera and horizon. It works!!! It actually works pretty well. So that's one problem solved that I can live with. So it does just show that some testing and time can only help.

Gosling_Dkc Posted at 2016-6-25 16:49
I agree completely. So actually I have been using the c2 butting with the combination of the right ...

Glad to hear that all is well