Took possession of a P3A three months ago, took the time to learn how to fly it and now have about two hours flight time.

I brought the P3A and an OSMO with me from California to the Canary Islands... Spain, 9,000km away, for three months...
I ended up paying the $100 extra bag fee to get the equipment on the plane... FYI: Highly advise LiPo safety battery bags.
Two out of three security checks didn't care, at all... however if not for the bags third guy would have taken my batteries.

Anyway... first flight here in Tenerife I get a 'motor obstruction' warning message upon opening the app, bird still turned off.
Looking into that didn't result in any answers other than to update the P3 and RC firmware... okay, went about learning that. Very exciting and being a newbie I carefully followed the instructions which one has to seek out online, not so easy.
Updated the RC by means of the DJI application on my HTC One (Android) and copied 1.10.90 to a formatted SD in the bird.

Guess what ... no connection.  I've reformatted the SD, downloaded the Firmware, updated the RC again and nothing.
Well, it's worse than nothing because it will open and connect about every third or fourth re-boot of the entire system. Having watched the connection literally disappear from the display after about a minute into the connection. It says "ready to fly"... yeah ??? Back in the pack and be done with you...I won't be flying this for a long time to come.

So I'm two months now watching YouTube's and DJI tutorials instead of flying this bird on this amazing island... Thanks DJI.
The formats, firmware updates, RC link tricks do not work... my Phantom will not connect with my RC with any regularity.
I can completely power off my phone and get about a 50% chance of a connection, so I think it's in the app. with Android.
One thing did get fixed, I no longer have a 'motor obstructed' warning when it actually does connect,,, how cool is that ???

Anyway... I watching about three other threads on this subject.. stories are all about the same and no answers yet.
I'll chime in here if anything new and exciting happens ... like someone figures this one out.  Thanks for the forum, I have learned so much about the Drone and all the systems ... really would like to fly it now.

By the way.. the OSMO is junk.

OSMO has a battery / charger software problem; it thinks a fully charged battery is dead and therefore won't turn on. There is an update that is supposed to help with it turning on... Great.     If you could turn it on you could update it to turn on.

Have you re linked your Rc.?
Are you indoors near TVs,Lights,Internet,Computers,metal etc.
Try turning everything on outside, away from interferences/metal objects/re enforced concrete.

Hawks100 Posted at 2017-1-1 12:21
Have you re linked your Rc.?
Are you indoors near TVs,Lights,Internet,Computers,metal etc.
Try turning everything on outside, away from interferences/metal objects/re enforced concrete.

Hi... I have linked the RC and I do get connected about one in five attempts.
Admittedly I have been inside as I am dealing with a PC and SD cards to update.
It's a task to get to a safe fly zone and every time I take it outside it fails to connect.
All devices have been updated to current DJI files, and I've removed and reinstalled all files and the app.

I see a lot about this update problem in this and other forums... glad to know I'm not alone.
Hope to get a solution... I'm two months into a three month stay on Tenerife... with a dead drone.

M J PICARD Posted at 2017-1-2 02:27
Hi... I have linked the RC and I do get connected about one in five attempts.
Admittedly I have been inside as I am dealing with a PC and SD cards to update.
It's a task to get to a safe fly zone and every time I take it outside it fails to connect.

When you power up RC and aircraft (without HTC display connected) does the first LED on the RC turn green after a few seconds ?

Aardvark Posted at 2017-1-2 02:39
When you power up RC and aircraft (without HTC display connected) does the first LED on the RC turn green after a few seconds ?

LED goes green almost immediately... I have gimbal control and can start the motors. All without the HTC.  

M J PICARD Posted at 2017-1-2 04:28
LED goes green almost immediately... I have gimbal control and can start the motors. All without the HTC.

So your RC is communicating well with the aircraft. The problem is primarily getting the HTC to communicate with the RC via the USB lead. (The HTC is not on DJIs approved list). When you power up RC, then aircraft, then HTC (already connected via USB), do you get a message at top of screen saying 'Disconnected' ?
If so then try powering down RC only and back on again, see if that changes anything.
If no change, then try an uninstall/reinstall of DJI Go, when you connect HTC to RC for first time after installation and run DJI Go, you should see a message pop up asking if you want DJI Go to be the default App' when the RC is connected to USB, tick the box to agree.
If you cannot get above to work, is there another device (iPhone ?) that you could use ?

Hi there Aardvark... thanks for the information, really.

Affirmative on the "Disconnected" message, although it can be "Weak Signal" or other messages...
I have tried to re-boot the RC and generally doesn't change anything.
I have removed and re-installed the DJI app. and I have selected it as default on the USB hook.
I'll run through your suggestions again... If I could get any regularity out of this thing I'd be happy.
The crazy part is that when it does connect.. all is well, but you can watch the connection, literally, fade to black.
Can't fly like that... I do have an iPhone 4 something... worth a try; getting nowhere with HTC

In general,

When the problem is a gradual type of a problem as you explained above, that is not a software related issue. Software related issues are more discrete (1 - Good  0-Bad).  It is most probably a hardware related issue.

Either your device it is getting hotter or it is not capable to run the app efficiently, or the RC or the P3A have a hardware issue. Switching the device is a good start. If the issue remains, then ask a friend to borrow their RC, if that is possible.

MD_Icarus Posted at 2017-1-2 06:27
In general,

When the problem is a gradual type of a problem as you explained above, that is not a software related issue. Software related issues are more discrete (1 - Good  0-Bad).  It is most probably a hardware related issue.

Excellent points... thanks.  

Hello
I have a P3P 15 days ago and after a dozen of flights without problem i havé on ipad no signal and no video.
Statut level:upgrade of the device error
Many attemps to restore version 1-9-60 remained empty.
P3Pmake shrill sound permanent
If you CAN help me, please

My problem similar on p3 pro - keeping control of the craft but losing connection on the video feed and it also does not fly home now.

jdh Posted at 2017-1-2 12:08
My problem similar on p3 pro - keeping control of the craft but losing connection on the video feed and it also does not fly home now.

Some evidence pointing at my HTC android display/device as the issue.
RC and AC seem to link but no connection to the application.
Return to home also failed me on it's last flight.  Good luck.

jdh Posted at 2017-1-2 12:08
My problem similar on p3 pro - keeping control of the craft but losing connection on the video feed and it also does not fly home now.

That means that you are still connected but the video is not working on the device you are using. The P3 will only initiate RTH if it is not communicating with the RC.  Unless you are having an RC issue as well.  If the color on the top left is Red, then that means RC Disconnected from P3.  If the color is grey, then that means your device is not communicating with the RC.
WHat is the RC firmware version?

As fas the video issue:
Try using a Custom Video channel and a low setting like 4mbps.  

On my P4 I use CH19 and 4 mbps to get the best video back in my iphone device.

Well....I was running the firmware from last Apr somehow and tech support says that running that along with new radio firm can cause comm issues so I am going to field test again once not raining.  Also, i was within the 65' home point when I told it to fly home so it may be working.  All is updated and ready for more field tests.

TERMINATION :  Final effort, replacing HTC/Android with iPhone,  has failed.
DJI application will only 'hit' on the Phantom 4 camera command... Bird is a P3A
Display shows the all too familiar "Disconnected", I am done.  Thanks to all.